High School English and Language Arts UDL Instructional Unit - Lesson 1

BACK TO HS ELA UDL Instructional Unit

Objectives:

• Students will identify the three main purposes for which authors write: to inform, to entertain, and to persuade.
• Students will analyze how authors use rhetoric to articulate and advance their point of view or purpose.
• Students will summarize various articles they read in newspapers.

Essential Questions:

• Why do authors write?
• What makes a piece of writing "effective" or "ineffective"?
• How do authors use rhetoric to convey their purposes and points of view?

Vocabulary:

Entertain – to provide amusement and/or enjoyment

Inform – to give facts or information

Persuade – to cause someone to do or believe something through reasoning or argument

Materials:

• Assorted newspapers (local, regional, national)
• Chart paper/Smartboard/overhead/computer
• An editorial (chosen by the teacher; copies for each student)
• Dictionary (online or hard copy)
• "Analyzing an Author's Purpose and Use of Rhetoric" worksheet
• YouTube clip of "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry
• "Ode to Billy Joe" lyrics sheet
• "Ode to Billy Joe Exit Slip" worksheet

Introduction

a. Activate Prior Knowledge

1. As students enter the class, provide each student with a newspaper. (It is not necessary for everyone to have the same newspaper, nor do the newspapers need to be current.)
2. Ask students to brainstorm reasons why authors write. Chart the students' ideas on chart paper, Smartboard, overhead, or computer.
3. Once everyone has had a chance to voice his/her ideas, ask students to review the chart and determine categories for the ideas listed. (Hopefully, students will be able to deduce the three main reasons authors write: to inform, to persuade, or to entertain. If they are unable, tell them there are three main reasons authors write: to inform, to persuade, or to entertain.)
4. Write "Inform," "Persuade," and "Entertain" on a new sheet of chart paper, on the Smartboard, on the overhead, on the computer, etc. Ask students to search their newspapers to find a piece of writing that was intended to "inform." Allow students to share a summary/synopsis of what they found in their newspapers, and note this information on the chart under the "Inform" heading (e.g., "an article about delays on a road construction project", "an article about a robbery", etc.). After everyone has contributed ideas for the "Inform" category, have the students search their newspapers for pieces of writing that were written to "persuade." Follow the same process as before. Finally, do the same thing for to "entertain."
5. Ask students, "Can an author ever have more than one purpose for writing?" As a class, discuss this and have the students look for examples in their newspapers (e.g., an article about a football game could be written to inform \[give the highlights and scores\] but also to entertain \[if the game is particularly exciting\] or even to persuade \[if the author provides his/her own commentary on the game\]). Explain to the students that while authors may have more than one purpose for writing, there is typically one main purpose and focus. You may also want to review the chart made back in step 3 to see if any of those pieces of writing had more that one purpose. If so, as a class, have the students decide what the main purpose of the writing was. (For example, the insurance ad with the gecko was entertaining, but the main purpose of it is to persuade people to buy that company's insurance. OR for example, the feature article about the children who set up a lemonade stand to raise money for their local animal shelter gave several facts but was written more to entertain and appeal to the audience's emotions.)
6. Finally, explain to the students that the purpose of that introductory activity was to show that newspapers are a good example of the three purposes for which authors write. Specifically, point out:
• News articles are intended to inform.
• Feature articles are intended to entertain.
• Editorials are intended to persuade.
• Advertisements are intended to persuade.

1. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• No accommodations
2. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• provide answers to choose from (should be text but may be accompanied by symbols)
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)

Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator

• provide answers to choose from (should be text but may be accompanied by symbols)
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• provide personal copy of chart (use text, symbols, tactile qualities, etc.)
3. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• provide answers to choose from (should be text but may be accompanied by symbols)
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• sort reasons into the three categories on a given chart
• pre-plan a contribution with the general education teacher so the student can participate in the activity
4. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• provide options to choose from
• summarize some of the articles
• add symbols to text for some articles
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• pre-plan a contribution with the general education teacher so the student can participate in the activity
• provide personal copy of 3-column chart (add symbols if necessary); allow student to write or copy a representative words for articles in the chart

Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator

• provide options to choose from
• summarize some of the articles
• add symbols to text for some articles
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• pre-plan a contribution with the general education teacher so the student can participate in the activity
• provide personal copy of 3-column chart
  • add symbols if necessary
  • add color to columns
  • add texture to the columns
  • outline the columns with glue, puffy paint, yarn, etc.
  • provide containers (e.g., shoe boxes, food storage containers) for a 3-D version of the chart columns
  • provide digital chart with summarized articles
  • provide index cards, sticky notes, or tactile representations/concrete objects with representative text/symbols for the articles (some will need to be pre-planned)
• color code/add texture to the cards/notes corresponding to the columns on the chart (student could work on matching colors/textures; NOTE: if student is only matching color or texture, he/she is not learning concept, but this is a strategy that can move the student towards the concept)
• add hook-&-loop tape to chart and cards/notes/tactile representations
• allow student to move cards/notes/tactile representations onto chart
5. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• provide options to choose from
• summarize some of the articles
• add symbols to text for some articles
• have student read one or more articles
  • have student read words he/she knows
  • have student read selected new words while a peer or adult reads the others
  • have student use a text reader
  • have student activate a recording using AT
  • have a peer or adult read to the student
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• pre-plan a contribution with the general education teacher so the student can participate in the activity
• provide access to the same chart that the student used in
6. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• add types of articles (news, features, editorials, advertisements) to the appropriate columns of the student's chart; use symbols, colors. textures as necessary

b. Establish Goals/Objectives for the Lesson

1. Explain to the students that while today's lesson is partly focused on determining an author's purpose using newspaper articles, they will also be asked to consider the degree to which an author is successful in accomplishing his/her intent.
2. Ask students, "When an author writes to inform, what should he/she include in his/her writing?" (Chart students' answers. Answers will likely include "facts," "details," "information regarding who, what, when, where, why," etc.)
3. Ask students, "When an author writes to persuade, what should he/she include in his/her writing?" (Chart students' answers. Answers will likely include "a stance on the issue," "reasons that support the author's stance," "information against the other side," "supporting facts/statistics/evidence," etc.)
4. Ask students, "When an author writes to entertain, what he/she should include in his/her writing?" (Chart students' answers. Answers will likely include, "descriptive language," "humor," "action," "emotion," etc.)
5. Explain to the students that in today's lesson, they will analyze newspaper writings to determine the author's purpose and determine the author's effectiveness in communicating his/her intent.

1. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• No accommodations
2. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• provide options to choose from
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• pre-plan a contribution with the general education teacher so the student can participate in the activity
• use sticky notes to write down classmates' responses so that the student has a personal copy of the chart the teacher is making; prepare sticky notes with symbols for "likely" answers
3. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• provide options to choose from
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• pre-plan a contribution with the general education teacher so the student can participate in the activity
• use sticky notes to write down classmates' responses so that the student has a personal copy of the chart the teacher is making; prepare sticky notes with symbols for "likely" answers
4. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• provide options to choose from
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer (verbal, sign, writing, pointing, eye-gaze, AAC/AT)
• pre-plan a contribution with the general education teacher so the student can participate in the activityuse sticky notes to write down classmates' responses so that the student has a personal copy of the chart the teacher is making; prepare sticky notes with symbols for "likely" answers
5. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• No accommodations

Lesson Body

1. Have the students search the Internet or use a dictionary to find a definition for the word "rhetoric." As a class, discuss the multiple but related meanings of the word rhetoric. For the purposes of this lesson, tell the students that "rhetoric" will be defined as simply, "the effective use of language."
2. Present the students with an editorial. (A specific editorial is not included with this lesson so that you may select an editorial that is timely, relevant to your community, etc. Just be sure the editorial you choose is issue-based and obviously persuasive in nature regardless of whether or not you agree with the points raised in the editorial. You could also have students search their newspapers or the Internet for examples of editorials.)
3. Read aloud or have the students take turns reading aloud the editorial.
4. Ask the students, "What is was the author's purpose for writing this editorial?" (to persuade the audience to…) Then have the students identify/summarize the author's point of view/stance.
5. Ask the students to analyze the author's use of rhetoric and ask, "What words, phrases, or sentences does the author use to make his/her point of view particularly impactful?" AND "Does the author use any words, phrases, or sentences that weaken or distract from his/her point of view? Chart the students' findings and discuss how each helps or hurts the author's intent.
6. Ask the students, "So, was the author successful in articulating his/her point of view through his/her use of rhetoric?" Allow the students to answer yes or no, supporting their answers with specifics from the text.

1. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer yes/no
  • count examples and non-examples to compare
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to select word corresponding to his/her opinion
2. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• allow student to choose, using preferred mode of communication, resource to use
  • if the student uses the computer:
• provide access using AT
• provide a text reader
• manipulate visual (e.g., color, size, font style)
• provide model of word "rhetoric" for the student to work from, type into keyboard, etc.
• copy, print, or have student write word and definition to review as needed throughout the lesson(s)
  • add symbols to text

Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator:

• allow student to choose, using preferred mode of communication, resource to use
  • if the student uses the computer:
    • provide access using AT
    • provide a text reader
    • manipulate visual (e.g., color, size, font style)
  • provide directions, in the student's preferred mode of communication, on accessing the appropriate web page
• provide model of word "rhetoric" for the student to work from, type into keyboard, etc.
• copy, print, or have student write word and definition to review as needed throughout the lesson(s)
  • add symbols to text
  • add color/texture/concrete objects to text
  • put word and definition on separate cards with hook-&-loop tape so student can connect them
3. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• provide editorial supplemented with symbols
• provide summary of editorial

Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator

• provide editorial supplemented with symbols, textures, objects
• provide summary of editorial
4. No accommodations
5. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• have student read summarized or preplanned section of text
• have the student read specific words in the text that he/she knows or is learning (concentration should be on words related to concept but could include high frequency words)
  • use AAC/AT to read
  • pre-plan a word or phrase to read
• using same presentation mode as student has been used to, provide options of author's purpose for student to choose from
• allow to student to answer using preferred mode of communication

Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator

• have the student read specific words in the text that he/she knows or is learning (concentration should be on words related to concept but could include high frequency words)
  • use AAC/AT to read
  • pre-plan a word or phrase to read
• using same presentation mode as student has been used to, provide options of author's purpose for student to choose from
  • provide only 2 options to choose from
  • provide only 1 option (errorless learning strategy)
• allow to student to answer using preferred mode of communication
6. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• have student highlight words in the text (on paper or digitally – use same presentation format as in this lesson, Lesson Body, 2) that are examples and non-examples that contribute to author's purpose
  • use different colors of highlighters for examples and non-examples
  • have student mark (or use pre-marked sticky notes) + by examples, - by non-examples
  • have student use different color sticky dots to mark examples (e.g., green) and non-examples (e.g., red)
7. Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator
• have student highlight words in the text (on paper or digitally – use same presentation format as in this lesson, Lesson Body, 2) that are examples and non-examples that contribute to author's purpose
  • use different colors of highlighters for examples and non-examples
  • have student mark (or use pre-marked sticky notes) + by examples, - by non-examples
  • have student use different color sticky dots to mark examples (e.g., green) and non-examples (e.g., red)
  • reduce number of examples/non-examples
  • focus on examples, not non-examples

Practice

1. Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Have each pair/group choose an article or other piece of writing from the newspapers they used in the Introduction part of the lesson.
2. Have each pair/group complete the "Analyzing An Author's Purpose and Use of Rhetoric" worksheet for their chosen article.
3. Once finished with the worksheet, have the students present their findings to the whole class. (Each group must verbally summarize their chosen article then provide the rest of the class with the information they wrote on their worksheet.

1. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• provide article in same format as the student used in this lesson, Lesson Body, 2
2. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• have student write or copy his/her name, the title of the article, the name of the newspaper, and the name of the author
  • provide worksheet digitally so the student can use the keyboard to complete
  • have the student stamp his/her name
  • have student cut article title, newspaper name, and author's name from newspaper and glue to worksheet
• use same strategy as in this lesson, Introduction, a., 5 to have student read the article
• have the student compare the content of the article to the information in the chart completed in this lesson, Introduction, b., 2-4 to decide the purpose of the article
  • have the student select and indicate his/her selection on the worksheet (circle, mark, verbalize, point, touch, eye-gaze, etc.)
• use the same strategy as in this lesson, Lesson Body, 5 to have the student find and annotate examples of rhetoric that advance the author's point of view (vary number of examples to meet needs of individual students)
• use the same strategy as in this lesson, Lesson Body, 6 to have the student answer the question about the effectiveness of the author's communication of the point of view
3. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• have student use preferred mode of communication to present (including AAC/AT)
• pre-plan a portion of the presentation
• Allow student to choose what to present

Closure

a. Revisit/Review Lesson Objectives

1. Ask students to name the three purposes for which authors write.
2. Ask students to explain what authors must do to be effective when they write to inform.
3. Ask students to explain what authors must do to be effective when they write to entertain.
4. Ask students to explain what authors must do to be effective when they write to persuade.

1. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer
• review and allow student to use the charts from this lesson, Introduction, b., 2-4
• provide options to choose from (according to the student's skill, the choices may include 1 or more plausible distractors or may only have all 3 correct answers)
2. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer
• review and allow student to use the charts from this lesson, Introduction, b., 2
• provide options to choose from (according to the student's skill, the choices may include 1 or more plausible distractors or may only have correct answers to choose from)
• vary number of required answers based upon student skill
3. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer
• review and allow student to use the charts from this lesson, Introduction, b., 3
• provide options to choose from (according to the student's skill, the choices may include 1 or more plausible distractors or may only have correct answers to choose from)
• vary number of required answers based upon student skill
4. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader/Emerging Communicator
• allow student to use preferred mode of communication to answer
• review and allow student to use the charts from this lesson, Introduction, b., 4
• provide options to choose from (according to the student's skill, the choices may include 1 or more plausible distractors or may only have correct answers to choose from)
• vary number of required answers based upon student skill

b. Exit Assessment

1. Have the students watch/listen to the song "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZt5Q-u4crc). Provide the students with copies of the lyrics so that they can follow along.
2. Have each student complete and turn in the "Ode to Billy Joe Exit Slip" worksheet. (This information will be used at the beginning of the next lesson. Collect both the worksheets and the lyric sheets.)

1. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• provide lyrics supplemented with symbols, textures, objects as necessary
• provide lyrics digitally with a text reader
• enlarge font
• allow student to work with fewer (4-1) stanzas
• annotate examples of rhetoric for each type of author's purpose according to the purpose (e.g., place small sticky notes with "inform" (supplement with whatever accommodation to the text the student is used to, such as symbol, color, or texture)
• annotate examples of rhetoric for 2 types of author's purpose according to the purpose (e.g., place small sticky notes with "inform" (supplement with whatever accommodation to the text the student is used to, such as symbol, color, or texture)

Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator

• provide lyrics supplemented with symbols, textures, objects as necessary
• provide lyrics digitally with a text reader
• enlarge font
• allow student to work with fewer (4-1) stanzas
• annotate examples of rhetoric for each type of author's purpose according to the purpose (e.g., place small sticky notes with "inform" (supplement with whatever accommodation to the text the student is used to, such as symbol, color, or texture)
• annotate examples of rhetoric for 2 types of author's purpose according to the purpose (e.g., place small sticky notes with "inform" (supplement with whatever accommodation to the text the student is used to, such as symbol, color, or texture)
• annotate examples of rhetoric for one type of author's purpose according to the purpose (e.g., place small sticky notes with "inform" (supplement with whatever accommodation to the text the student is used to, such as symbol, color, or texture)


Since this is for assessment, at least one plausible distractor must be given if the student is selecting from multiple choice options and the student must select his/her answer independently.




2. Additional Considerations for Emerging Reader
• provide worksheet with the same text accommodations as the student has used in previous parts of this lesson (e.g., supplemented with symbols, textures, digitally with text reader, adult reader)
• allow student to complete the worksheet using preferred mode of communication
• allow student to use all charts developed in this lesson (Introduction, a, 2 and Introduction, b., 2-4); use only the charts related to the author's purpose(s) selected in this lesson, Closure, b., 1
• provide options for the student to choose from (since this is for assessment, at least one plausible distractor must be given and the student must select his/her answer independently)
• require the student to answer questions 1 and 2 only

Additional Considerations for Emerging Communicator

• provide worksheet with the same text accommodations as the student has used in previous parts of this lesson (e.g., supplemented with symbols, textures, digitally with text reader, adult reader)
• allow student to complete the worksheet using preferred mode of communication
• allow student to use all charts developed in this lesson (Introduction, a, 2 and Introduction, b., 2-4); use only the charts related to the author's purpose(s) selected in this lesson, Closure, b., 1
• provide options for the student to choose from (since this is for assessment, at least one plausible distractor must be given and the student must select his/her answer independently)
• require the student to answer questions 1 and 2 only
• if the student is only using annotated text showing one form of author's purpose (this lesson, Closure, b., 1), require the student to answer question 1 only.

Resources

Song "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZt5Q-u4crc).

Proceed to Lesson 2