Curriculum / ELA / 5th Grade / Unit 3: Protecting the Earth: Plastic Pollution / Lesson 2
ELA
Unit 3
5th Grade
Lesson 2 of 16
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Explain how plastic ends up in a gyre and what happens to it once it is there.
Book: Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World's Oceans by Danielle Smith-Llera pp. 4 – 10 — to the top
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Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved
What happens to plastic trash once it is in the ocean? Use the diagram on page 9 and evidence from the text to support your answer.
An example response to the Target Task at the level of detail expected of the students.
Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding
What is a gyre? Use the map on pages 6–7 to explain what it is.
Using details from pages 4-7, describe what Captain Moore saw in the ocean. What effect did this have on Captain Moore?
What did Ebbesmeyer learn as a result of tracking the path of thousands of bath toys that spilled into the ocean?
Based on pages 8–10, what is the effect of the gyre on the plastic within the ocean? Why is this a problem?
Why does the author include the diagram on page 9? How does it help the reader better understand what happens with plastic trash?
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
microplastic
n.
very small pieces of plastic
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RI.5.3 — Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.5.4 — Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.5.4.b — Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).
RF.5.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.5.4 — Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
RI.5.1 — Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RI.5.4 — Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
RI.5.7 — Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
RI.5.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4—5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
SL.5.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
W.5.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Lesson 1
Lesson 3
Explain what it means to have a plastic problem.
RI.5.3
Explain why the author uses the words grotesque, astounding, and dramatic to describe what Moore and his team found.
L.5.4.c RI.5.3
Explain how Leo Baekeland invented plastic.
Analyze how plastic became such a large part of everyday life.
L.5.2.a RI.5.3
Explain what evidence the author uses to emphasize how much plastic is in the ocean and its impact on the ecosystem.
RI.5.3 RI.5.8
Analyze how plastic has a negative impact on ocean ecosystems and humans.
Explain what the author means by the quote, "we need to think about the items we are using not just on beaches, but also inland and communities far upstream as well."
Writing – 3 days
Write two strong paragraphs describing why we have a plastic pollution problem and how plastic pollution impacts the ocean.
L.5.2.a W.5.2 W.5.2.a W.5.2.b W.5.2.e W.5.7 W.5.9
Opinion Writing – 4 days
Write an opinion piece defending whether or not single-use plastics should be banned by citing evidence from multiple texts and building an argument.
L.5.2.e L.5.3.a RI.5.8 SL.5.1 SL.5.4 W.5.1 W.5.1.a W.5.1.b W.5.5 W.5.8
Explain what strategies the author recommends to help reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean and the pros and cons of the strategies.
RI.5.3 RI.5.9
Explain what "stealth microplastics" are and what steps we can take to reduce plastic waste from microplastics.
Describe how Shelby’s actions show that a single person can make a difference.
Assessment
Write multiple paragraphs that describe a solution for reducing the school’s use of plastic after researching different alternatives. Create a presentation to convince others around the school to take part and minimize the school’s use of plastic.
L.5.2.a L.5.2.e L.5.3.a L.5.3.b L.5.4.c SL.5.4 SL.5.5 SL.5.6 W.5.1 W.5.1.a W.5.1.b W.5.2.a W.5.2.b W.5.2.e W.5.6 W.5.7 W.5.9
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