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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing a Model Position Paper

For Teachers 8th Standards
What's the difference between a position speech and a position paper? Scholars use a rubric to analyze a model essay about Michael Pollan's food chains to understand what makes them unique. Additionally, pupils create anchor charts...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Introducing the Performance Task Prompt and Beginning a Visual Representation

For Teachers 8th Standards
What exactly is a visual representation? Scholars use a think-pair-share to answer questions and record their information on anchor charts. Next, they use what they've learned to create visual representations of their position papers on...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment: Presentation of Position

For Teachers 8th Standards
What is the difference between formal and informal language? Pupils rewrite their position speeches to adapt them for an audience of adults. Next, they present their speeches in small groups, attempting to answer the question, "Which...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Creating a Visual Component for the Speech: End of Unit Assessment Preparation and Practice

For Teachers 8th Standards
Eye contact, volume, pronunciation. Working with partners, scholars practice presenting their speeches about the best food chain. Additionally, they choose a visual component to support their end-of-unit speech.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Writing a Position Speech: Which Food Chain Would Be Best?

For Teachers 8th Standards
Eeny, meany, miny, moe. It's time to choose a side. Scholars learn about taking a position by watching a video of a speech about local organic food. Next, pupils use graphic organizers to plan their speeches about which food chain is...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Adding to Cascading Consequences and Stakeholders: Hunter-Gatherer Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Could the hunter-gatherer food chain feed everyone in the United States? To consider the question, pupils use their research and add to the Cascading Consequences chart based on Michael Pollan's hunter-gatherer food chain from The...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Further Research: Hunter-Gatherer Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
It's time to gather nuts, berries, and lots of information. Scholars continue on their quest to determine the consequences of each of Michael Pollan's food chains from The Omnivore's Dilemma. Using research questions developed in a...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Determining Cascading Consequences Using The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Hunter-Gatherer Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Focusing on the consequences of the hunter-gatherer food chain that Michael Pollan discusses in The Omnivore's Dilemma, teams work together to create hunter-gatherer food chain consequences charts. Next, scholars view other groups'...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Mid-Unit Assessment: Research Simulation

For Teachers 8th Standards
As part of a mid-unit assessment, scholars complete a research simulation about food deserts to mimic the research process. Afterward, they engage in a think-pair-share to discuss what they've learned throughout the unit.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Adding to Cascading Consequences and Stakeholders: Local Sustainable Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Equip the class to perfect their presenting skills. To prepare for an upcoming oral presentation, scholars create and analyze an anchor chart for effective speaking skills. Pupils also use their research to add to their Cascading...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Further Research: Local Sustainable Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Researchers review how to create citations, find reliable sources, and paraphrase. Next, using guided task cards and their researcher's notebooks, they investigate the question they developed in instructional activity eight about the...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Local Sustainable Food Chain: Determining Cascading Consequences Using The Omnivore’s Dilemma

For Teachers 8th Standards
What are the consequences of the local, sustainable food chain? Research teams explore the question as they review Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. The teams complete Cascading Consequences charts and then choose research topics...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Adding to Cascading Consequences and Stakeholders: Industrial Organic Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Researchers continue determining the effects of the industrial organic food chain that Michael Pollan describes in The Omnivore's Dilemma. In teams, pupils add to their Cascading Consequences charts and complete Stakeholders charts based...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Using Search Terms for Further Research: Industrial Organic Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Class members conduct independent research to continue examining the consequences of the industrial organic food chain from Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Pupils learn about source credibility and effective search terms, then...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Adding to Cascading Consequences and Stakeholders: Industrial Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Young researchers create a class Cascading Consequences chart to see how the industrial food chain affects people, animals, and the environment. They also work in teams to complete a Stakeholders chart for the industrial food chain model...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Preparing for Further Research: Industrial Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Using an informative resource, pupils discover how to write research questions that are focused, answerable, and relevant. Scholars evaluate resources about the industrial food chain from Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and then...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Determining Cascading Consequences Using The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Industrial Organic Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Organic versus conventional farming: which option is best? Pupils use Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma to determine the cascading consequences of the industrial organic food chain. They work in research teams to create an...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Further Research: Industrial Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Scholars extend their research of the food chain that Michael Pollan discusses in The Omnivore's Dilemma. They determine additional consequences of the food chain and add them to their Cascading Consequences charts. Additionally, pupils...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Determining Cascading Consequences Using The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Industrial Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Which of Michael Pollan's four food chains from his book The Omnivore's Dilemma would best feed everyone in the United States? Using a thought-provoking resource, scholars learn how to create a Cascading Consequences chart to answer the...
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Lesson Plan
NOAA

The Sea with No Shores

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Some habitats are more bio-diverse than others. Scholars examine an especially diverse environment as groups research different species in a specific ocean habitat. The class then uses their research to create three-dimensional bulletin...
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Lesson Plan
Pace University

Grades 6-8 Ecology

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Why are our national parks important? Scholars research the national parks and explore the basic ecology of these areas in a differentiated instruction unit on ecology. They learn about ecosystems, food chains, symbiosis, and biomes. The...
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eBook
Utah Education Network (UEN)

Utah Open Textbook: Biology

For Students 9th - 12th
Curriculum resources can be expensive—but not this one. An online textbook offers informational text for a complete high school Biology course. Topics include energy flow, body system, genetics, and evolution.
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PPT
Biology Junction

Ecology

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Psychologists study human relationships while ecologist study relationships between organisms in the environment. An introduction to ecology and the related vocabulary benefits scholars as they progress through the presentation and...
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PPT
Biology Junction

Energy Flow in an Ecosystem

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Every living thing requires a food source, thus the interconnections in ecosystems become complex. Scholars learn about these interconnections in a presentation on energy flow. It starts with the sun and moves through many different...