The plastic race
Plastic: The positives and the problems
What are the positive features of plastic?
Plastic problems What problems does plastic create?
Plastic problem-solving
What is being done to help fix the problem?
1
2
Start 5
You drop a plastic jug, but it doesn’t break! Go forward 1.
9
13
17
You remind your parents to take reusable bags to the store. Go forward 2.
Assessment Can the student recall the main information from a text? Can the student recognize different perspectives related to the topic?
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans The Plastic Plague / The Plastic-free Challenge © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Fluent Plus reading stage
You will need: a die; one counter per player How to play: 1. Take turns rolling the die and moving your counter. 2. Follow the instructions on the square you land on. 3. The winner is the first player to reach the finish.
Use what you have learned about plastic to fill in the chart below.
Plastic positives
Lesson Plans
Activity card
Blackline master
You say no to a plastic straw with your drink. Go forward 4.
6
10
You recycle your plastic drink bottle. Go forward 3.
14
18
3
Level P (38)
4
Your new toy has a lot of plastic packaging. Go back 1.
7
You buy bottled water instead of refilling your drink bottle. Go back 4.
11
8
12
You make a poster that tells others how to recycle plastic. Go forward 2.
15
Your plastic wrap blows away and down a drain. Go back 4.
19
All other rights reserved.
20
Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing
okapi educational publishing
Content vocabulary
decompose environment flexible Great Garbage Patch ivory landfill material natural organic plastic recycle reusable reuse
Phonics
• Identifying the suffixes “ible” and “able” as in flexible and reusable • Identifying the /er/ sound as in first and nervous
Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com
Running words: 1,735 Text type: Narrative
Text structures and features The Plastic Plague
The Plastic-free Challenge
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans The Plastic Plague / The Plastic-free Challenge © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice.
When a family decides to stop using plastic, not everyone is happy. But maybe going plastic-free isn’t that uncool after all.
16
Finish
© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US.
The Plastic Plague outlines the history of plastic and its uses today. It also examines some solutions to the problem of plastic waste. Running words: 1,084 Text type: Explanation
Reading strategies
• • • • • •
able of contents and chapters T Headings and sub-headings Flowchart and table Introduction, conclusion, glossary, index Table of contents and chapters with headings Illustrations and dialogue
• I ntegrating information from the visual images and graphics • Making inferences about the character’s feelings and motives
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Phonics 3(2) (A) (i) Decode multisyllabic words with multiple soundspelling patterns. 3(2) (A) (ii) Decode multisyllabic words with closed syllables. Reading 3(6) (B) Generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information. 3(6) (F) Make inferences and use evidence to support understanding. 3(9) (D) (ii) Recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding.
Writing 3(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including brief compositions that convey information about a topic, using a clear central idea and genre characteristics and craft. Speaking and Listening 3(10) (B) Explain how the use of text structure contributes to the author’s purpose.
Lesson 1 The Plastic Plague
Lesson 2 The Plastic-free Challenge Key concepts • T he invention of plastic changed the way people made things. • P lastic waste is a big problem. • P eople are devising ways to solve the problem of plastic waste.
Returning to the book
Key concepts • Reducing plastic waste helps to protect the environment, but it can be a difficult task. • Doing things differently from other people can be challenging.
Provide multiple opportunities for students to read and interact with the book again – with teacher support, with a partner, and independently. Choose activities that are appropriate for your students.
Developing fluency Have students take turns to read a page with a partner. Say: As you read, ensure that your voice is clear and smooth so that your partner can hear you and understand what you are reading.
Before reading
After reading
Getting ready to read
Talking about the book
Encourage students to activate their prior knowledge. Ask: What things are made from plastic? Discuss. Ask: Why are so many things made from plastic? What makes it such a useful material? Make a list of students’ ideas. Point out objects that are made from a range of different materials (e.g. wooden ruler, glass window, wool sweater, plastic chair, etc.). Support students by highlighting objects that are made of plastic.
Ask students to talk about the book. Encourage discussion by choosing questions that are appropriate for your students. Ask them to support their answers by referring to the photographs and the text. What properties can plastic have? How are people attempting to reduce plastic waste? (Literal) Why is plastic such a widely used material? How has this impacted on the environment? (Inferential) What things can you do to reduce the amount of plastic you use? (Synthesizing) What do you think is the author’s opinion about plastic? Why do you think this? (Critical)
Vocabulary building Say: We’re going to read a book about plastic and plastic waste. Have students brainstorm words they think might be in the book. Use students’ ideas to create a group list. Add key content vocabulary to the list if required.
Introducing the book Give each student a copy of the book and have them read the title and the contents page. Ask: What does “plague” mean? What does the title make you think of? Have students prepare for reading by thinking and talking about the book. Ask: How has the author organized the information? What positive and negative aspects of plastic use might be discussed in the book?
During reading Ask each student to read the text independently. Monitor students as they read and support them where appropriate. If necessary, ask them to stop reading and remind them to use the reading strategies you are focused on. Say: This book has images and graphics that help you understand the text. Look closely at these as you read. If necessary, support students by focusing on a particular graphic. For example, for pages 18–19 ask: What does this flowchart explain about plastic waste and sea animals?
Have students show what they have learned about plastic by filling in the Blackline master Plastic: The positives and the problems.
Reviewing reading strategies Encourage students to identify what they did to help themselves as readers. Say: I noticed that you used information from the images and graphics, as well as information in the text, to understand the content. That’s great reading!
ELL support • I mages and graphics support and extend the written text. • Each chapter poses and answers a key question. • The glossary supports students’ understanding of vocabulary.
Word work Phonics Write the words flexible, reusable, and moldable on a chart. Ask: What do these words have in common? Draw out that the endings of the words sound the same but have two different spellings. Ask: What other words end with this sound? Make a list (e.g. responsible, terrible, renewable, achievable). Add these words to the chart.
Exploring words Ask: What is plastic like? What properties does it have? Write a list of words (e.g. strong, lightweight, flexible, etc.). Discuss the words listed. Ask: What sort of words are these? What is their purpose? Discuss and draw out that these words describe what something is like, so they are called “adjectives.”
Writing Model writing an opinion piece about the problem of plastic waste. Say: I am going to write about my view on plastic waste. Talk aloud as you write, to demonstrate your thinking. For example, you could say: I will begin by giving my opinion. Write on a large chart, for example: I think plastic waste is a terrible problem. If it ends up in the ocean, it can kill sea animals. We must help to solve this problem. Have students write about the positives and negatives of plastic use. Prompt them by asking: In what ways is the “plastic plague” a good thing? In what ways is it bad?
Sharing and presenting Have students share their writing in small groups. Encourage them to provide positive feedback and ask questions after each student has shared.
Returning to the book Provide multiple opportunities for students to read and interact with the book again – with teacher support, with a partner, and independently. Choose activities that are appropriate for your students.
Developing fluency Have students in small groups take turns to read a page. Encourage them to read with fluency and expression. Say: When you read dialogue, try to make your voice sound the way the character would speak if they were saying those words.
Before reading
After reading
Word work
Getting ready to read
Talking about the book
Phonics
Encourage students to activate their prior knowledge. Say: Imagine your family decided they would no longer use any plastic. What would you have to stop using? How would you feel about this? Have students talk with a partner. Discuss as a group. Support students by helping them to identify things made of plastic. You could do this by going on a “plastic hunt” in the classroom or school to identify plastic objects.
Ask students to talk about the book. Encourage discussion by choosing questions that are appropriate for your students. Ask them to support their answers by referring to the illustrations and the text. Why did the mother want her family to go plastic-free? Who was in favor of it? Who wasn’t? (Literal) Why was the main character against going plastic-free? What happened to make her change her attitude toward it? (Inferential) Why don’t more people go plastic-free like this family? How could people be encouraged to do this? (Synthesizing) What message did you get from this book? Did reading it encourage you to take action on plastic use? If so, what might you do? (Critical)
Write the first sentence from page 16 on a chart. Circle the words first and nervous. Ask: What do these words have in common? Discuss and draw out that they both have the /er/ sound. Brainstorm and list other words with this sound (worm, curl, etc.). Highlight the different ways this sound is represented.
Vocabulary building Write the word plastic-free on a chart. Say: What do you think it means to go plastic-free? Discuss. Add the words environment and challenge. Discuss what each word means. Have students take turns saying a sentence with two or more of these words in it to a partner.
Introducing the book Give each student a copy of the book and have them read the title and the contents page. Ask: What clues do the title and the chapter headings give you about the plot of the story? Have students prepare for reading by thinking and talking about the book. Ask: Why would someone want to stop using plastic? Do you think not using plastic would be a challenge? Why?
During reading Ask each student to read the text independently. Monitor students as they read and support them where appropriate. If necessary, ask them to stop reading and remind them to use the reading strategies you are focused on. Encourage students to make inferences about a character’s feelings and motives. For example, for page 20 ask: How is the main character feeling about Kevin’s interest in her lunchbox? How can you tell? Discuss the character’s motives. Ask: Why did she hide her lunchbox?
Reviewing reading strategies Encourage students to identify what they did to help themselves as readers. Ask: Does thinking about how a character is feeling and why a character does something help you to understand the story? Give an example from the book.
ELL support • I llustrations support the story. • The story is written in the first person. • Chapter headings signal the direction of the plot.
Exploring words Discuss words and phrases that enrich the text. For example, on page 7: Dad shot me a look. Ask: How is this different from: Dad looked at me? Discuss the following: … the laughingstock (p. 11), … it was a monster (p. 12), I trudged back … (p. 22), My face turned bright red. (p. 25).
Writing Ask: How can our school limit the amount of plastic waste it produces? Discuss and make a list of ideas. Use these ideas to model writing an article that gives readers ideas on how they can reduce plastic waste. Talk aloud as you write and invite students to contribute. Ask: Who would like to have a go at writing the word “environment” in this sentence? Have students write a letter to their families explaining why plastic waste is bad for the environment and suggesting simple ways that their family could reduce their use of plastic.
Sharing and presenting In small groups, have students take turns sharing the letters they have written for their families.
Synthesizing: Talk about the pair After reading The Plastic Plague and The Plastic-free Challenge discuss students’ new learnings. Ask: What did you learn about plastic that surprised you? What do you still wonder about plastic? Discuss students’ responses.
In groups, have students play The Plastic Race found on the Activity card.
The plastic race
Plastic: The positives and the problems
What are the positive features of plastic?
Plastic problems What problems does plastic create?
Plastic problem-solving
What is being done to help fix the problem?
1
2
Start 5
You drop a plastic jug, but it doesn’t break! Go forward 1.
9
13
17
You remind your parents to take reusable bags to the store. Go forward 2.
Assessment Can the student recall the main information from a text? Can the student recognize different perspectives related to the topic?
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans The Plastic Plague / The Plastic-free Challenge © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Fluent Plus reading stage
You will need: a die; one counter per player How to play: 1. Take turns rolling the die and moving your counter. 2. Follow the instructions on the square you land on. 3. The winner is the first player to reach the finish.
Use what you have learned about plastic to fill in the chart below.
Plastic positives
Lesson Plans
Activity card
Blackline master
You say no to a plastic straw with your drink. Go forward 4.
6
10
You recycle your plastic drink bottle. Go forward 3.
14
18
3
Level P (38)
4
Your new toy has a lot of plastic packaging. Go back 1.
7
You buy bottled water instead of refilling your drink bottle. Go back 4.
11
8
12
You make a poster that tells others how to recycle plastic. Go forward 2.
15
Your plastic wrap blows away and down a drain. Go back 4.
19
All other rights reserved.
20
Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing
okapi educational publishing
Content vocabulary
decompose environment flexible Great Garbage Patch ivory landfill material natural organic plastic recycle reusable reuse
Phonics
• I dentifying the suffixes “ible” and “able” as in flexible and reusable • Identifying the /er/ sound as in first and nervous
Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com
Running words: 1,735 Text type: Narrative
Text structures and features The Plastic Plague
The Plastic-free Challenge
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans The Plastic Plague / The Plastic-free Challenge © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice.
When a family decides to stop using plastic, not everyone is happy. But maybe going plastic-free isn’t that uncool after all.
16
Finish
© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US.
The Plastic Plague outlines the history of plastic and its uses today. It also examines some solutions to the problem of plastic waste. Running words: 1,084 Text type: Explanation
Reading strategies
• • • • • •
able of contents and chapters T Headings and sub-headings Flowchart and table Introduction, conclusion, glossary, index Table of contents and chapters with headings Illustrations and dialogue
• I ntegrating information from the visual images and graphics • Making inferences about the character’s feelings and motives
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Phonics 3(2) (A) (i) Decode multisyllabic words with multiple soundspelling patterns. 3(2) (A) (ii) Decode multisyllabic words with closed syllables. Reading 3(6) (B) Generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information. 3(6) (F) Make inferences and use evidence to support understanding. 3(9) (D) (ii) Recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding.
Writing 3(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including brief compositions that convey information about a topic, using a clear central idea and genre characteristics and craft. Speaking and Listening 3(10) (B) Explain how the use of text structure contributes to the author’s purpose.
The plastic race
Plastic: The positives and the problems
What are the positive features of plastic?
Plastic problems What problems does plastic create?
Plastic problem-solving
What is being done to help fix the problem?
1
2
Start 5
You drop a plastic jug, but it doesn’t break! Go forward 1.
9
13
17
You remind your parents to take reusable bags to the store. Go forward 2.
Assessment Can the student recall the main information from a text? Can the student recognize different perspectives related to the topic?
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans The Plastic Plague / The Plastic-free Challenge © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
Fluent Plus reading stage
You will need: a die; one counter per player How to play: 1. Take turns rolling the die and moving your counter. 2. Follow the instructions on the square you land on. 3. The winner is the first player to reach the finish.
Use what you have learned about plastic to fill in the chart below.
Plastic positives
Lesson Plans
Activity card
Blackline master
You say no to a plastic straw with your drink. Go forward 4.
6
10
You recycle your plastic drink bottle. Go forward 3.
14
18
3
Level P (38)
4
Your new toy has a lot of plastic packaging. Go back 1.
7
You buy bottled water instead of refilling your drink bottle. Go back 4.
11
8
12
You make a poster that tells others how to recycle plastic. Go forward 2.
15
Your plastic wrap blows away and down a drain. Go back 4.
19
All other rights reserved.
20
Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing
okapi educational publishing
Content vocabulary
decompose environment flexible Great Garbage Patch ivory landfill material natural organic plastic recycle reusable reuse
Phonics
• Identifying the suffixes “ible” and “able” as in flexible and reusable • Identifying the /er/ sound as in first and nervous
Text: Kerrie Shanahan Consultants: Susan Hill and Jenny Feely Designed by Derek Schneider Printed in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com
Running words: 1,735 Text type: Narrative
Text structures and features The Plastic Plague
The Plastic-free Challenge
Flying Start to Literacy Lesson Plans The Plastic Plague / The Plastic-free Challenge © 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd.
In addition to certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this work, the purchaser may make copies of those sections of this work displaying the footnote: “© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd”, provided that: (a) the number of copies made does not exceed the number reasonably required by the purchaser for its teaching purposes; (b) those copies are only made by means of photocopying and are not further copied or stored or transmitted by any means; (c) those copies are not sold, hired, lent or offered for sale, hire or loan; and (d) every copy made clearly shows the footnote copyright notice.
When a family decides to stop using plastic, not everyone is happy. But maybe going plastic-free isn’t that uncool after all.
16
Finish
© 2020 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US.
The Plastic Plague outlines the history of plastic and its uses today. It also examines some solutions to the problem of plastic waste. Running words: 1,084 Text type: Explanation
Reading strategies
• • • • • •
Table of contents and chapters Headings and sub-headings Flowchart and table Introduction, conclusion, glossary, index Table of contents and chapters with headings Illustrations and dialogue
• Integrating information from the visual images and graphics • Making inferences about the character’s feelings and motives
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Phonics 3(2) (A) (i) Decode multisyllabic words with multiple soundspelling patterns. 3(2) (A) (ii) Decode multisyllabic words with closed syllables. Reading 3(6) (B) Generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information. 3(6) (F) Make inferences and use evidence to support understanding. 3(9) (D) (ii) Recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding.
Writing 3(12) (B) Compose informational texts, including brief compositions that convey information about a topic, using a clear central idea and genre characteristics and craft. Speaking and Listening 3(10) (B) Explain how the use of text structure contributes to the author’s purpose.