Current Events: Identifying and Organizing Information
Unit Overview
CURRENT EVENTS: IDENTIFYING AND ORGANIZING INFORMATION
| 7th grade |
| 7 lessons |
| This unit focuses on identifying and organizing information using a newspaper/magazine article, editorial, or a news program. |
| During reading, students develop and apply reading strategies to self-question and correct, infer, visualize, and predict and check. In addition, notes are taken to identify and explain media techniques used to convey messages in various media. |
| This unit consists of seven lessons. As part of the unit, the summative assessment contains a section on constructed response items and a summary writing prompt to help students prepare for MAP and other standardized assessments. |
| Handouts including graphic organizers |
| Formative and Summative Assessment |
| Glossary |
Unit Plan: Lessons
This unit takes approximately nine 50-minute class periods, but may be adjusted as needed.
| Decoding Strategies |
Word |
HTML (with links to documents) |
| During Reading Strategies: Prediction, Self-Question, and Correct |
Word |
HTML (with links to documents) |
| During Reading Strategies: Visualization |
Word |
HTML (with links to documents) |
| During Reading Strategies: Inferring |
Word |
HTML (with links to documents) |
| Note-Taking and Organizational Strategies |
Word |
HTML (with links to documents) |
| Summarizing |
Word |
HTML (with links to documents) |
| Techniques Used to Convey Messages in Media |
Word |
HTML (with links to documents) |
Essential Questions:
| What are sources of current events? |
| Why is it important to record and organize relevant information from a nonfiction source? |
How is an appropriate note taking method or organizational strategy when recording information from a newspaper/magazine article, editorial or news program? |
| What kind of information is stated in a multi-paragraph summary? |
| What are reading strategies and why is it important to practice these strategies in 7th grade? |
| What are media techniques? |
| How are media techniques used to convey messages in various media? |
Summative Assessment and Scoring Guides:
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATION CONTINUUM
TARGETED LEARNING represents the specific Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) that are taught and assessed in this unit. Student mastery of these skills is expected at this grade level. PREVIOUS LEARNING indicates student’s probable beginning skill level. FUTURE LEARNING provides the “next step” for instruction or student application of communication arts skills and concepts. Bolded terms are glossary items.
PREVIOUS LEARNING |
TARGETED LEARNING |
FUTURE LEARNING |
Apply decoding strategies to problem-solve unknown words and develop vocabulary through text using roots and affixes, context clues, and a glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus when reading.
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R1 Apply decoding strategies
cueing systems-meaning, structure,
and visual to problem-solve
unknown words when reading
and develop vocabulary
through text using roots, affixes
context clues, glossary, and
dictionary
|
Apply decoding strategies to problem-solve unknown words in order to read 8th grade text.
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When reading 6th grade material, students must be able to apply strategies to self-question and correct, infer, and visualize; predict and check using cueing systems such as meaning, structure, and visual. |
R1G During reading, develop and apply strategies to self-question and correct, infer, visualize, predict and check. |
Apply strategies in order to develop vocabulary through text using roots and affixes, context clues, a glossary, dictionary and thesaurus in order to read and comprehend 8th grade text; predict and check using cueing systems such as meaning, structure, and visual in order to read 8th grade text.
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Use a note-taking systems to organize information from oral presentations and written text, and record relevant information using a variety of note-taking and organizational formats.
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W3B Record and organize relevant information using an appropriate note-taking method and organizational strategy.
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Select and use an appropriate method for note-taking at the 8th grade level.
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Write summaries of text from magazines, newspapers, and/or informational articles. |
W3D Write a multi-paragraph summary of a newspaper/magazine article, editorial or news program that includes supporting evidence from source. |
Write a multi-paragraph summary including supporting evidence from one source in order to summarize tow or more articles and write a brief informational paper integrating supporting information from both sources in 8th grade. |
Identify and explain viewpoints conveyed in various media (e.g., videos, pictures, websites, artwork, plays and/or news programs) |
IL2 Identify and explain techniques used to convey messages in various media. |
Identify and explain techniques used to convey messages in various media in order to analyze and synthesize two or more messages conveyed in various media in 8th grade. |
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