Secondary English Language Arts: Revised ed:TPA Lesson Plan Template

Name: Jason Hameister

Lesson Title: Toms River Week 5 Post-Reading
Grade Level: 11th
Lesson Goals
Central Focus: Describe the central focus (of the unit) and explain how this lesson reflects the central focus.
The central focus of this unit is for students to explore the theme of environmental pollution and its effects on communities by way of
engagement with complex informational texts. This lesson addresses this central focus in that students are using their culminating
knowledge of Toms River and the supplementary texts that theyve encountered throughout the unit in order to form concrete opinions
about the entities that are most responsible for the problem, and the ways in which the texts indicate that it is affecting and being
addressed by the community.
List the title, author, and write a short description of the text(s) used in this lesson.
Title: Toms River
Author: Dan Fagin
Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin, tells the story of the Ciba company, named Toms River Chemical
Corporation when it made its move to Toms River, and its method of hazardous waste material disposal. Within the text, he describes
the history of the Ciba company; a company, first called Mller-Pack, that produced dyes, paints etc. during its time. It began in
Switzerland after an accident in a lab showed scientists how to produce a new type of dye. They decided to rid the waste from the
production process into lagoons and holes around the factory, after law enforcement wanted to stop them from polluting water in
Switzerland they began dumping the waste in the Rhine river, effectively taking the waste into Germany. However, the company was
forced to move around several times during this time period because there were cases in the communities surrounding the company,
wherever it moved, of illness that was continuously found to be because of pollution in the water. So, the company would move before
full cases could be made against them. The company decided then to move to Cincinnati, Ohio where in time similar cases popped up
forcing them to move again, to Toms River, New Jersey, this time. Throughout the book Fagin also includes a history of Toms River, a
somewhat secluded little town in a bay that allowed for pirates, access to trade by the sea, and porous soil that the Toms River
Chemical Company could dump waste into. Eventually the company built a pipeline to bring the waste into the ocean, this was after
some cases of illness cropped up and then it was found that the pipeline was leaking waste. The book explains the chemistry of
making the vat dyes that were originally made in Toms River and also explains the waste removal processes that the company
conducted. However, the book also explains the cases of childhood cancer that were also found in astonishing rates in Toms River.
Most prominent was the story of Michael Gillick and his mom, Linda Gillick; Michael has cancer and although he was told he wouldnt
survive through childhood he was 21 when Fagin wrote the book, but his quality of life was severely lessened because of the
medication for and the course of the cancer. Linda Gillick is a very prominent figure in leading the charge against the hazardous waste
dumping of the company and has fought to tell her sons story and put a stop to this pollution. The book ends with the company

moving yet again.

Conceptual/Theoretical Framework (draw from research and readings in CI and English coursework):
According to a study conducted by Judith Langer, it became evident that the students were more actively engaged in their school
work more of the time when English and literacy were treated as social activity. The barometer activity will allow for students to
engage in a literacy-centered practice that is more social, and thereby more engaging, and therefore more productive.
For his part, Jim Burke emphasizes the importance of giving students writing tasks that include specific product goals, which is
something we attempted to do in this lesson. The goal of the writing assignment for this days lesson is for students to arrive at a
conclusion regarding a given yes or no question, and to support it with text. By giving students a clear objective and a specific target
before starting them on the writing process, we enable them to limit outside noise and instead focus on creating clear writing that suits
the intended task.
Standard(s) Addressed (use examples from both the Common Core State Standards and the Illinois Professional Teaching
Standards):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.B
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the
strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.10
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11-CCR text complexity
band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
1I) stimulates prior knowledge and links new ideas to already familiar ideas and experiences
2N) facilitates learning experiences that make connections to other content areas and to life experiences
3C) understands cultural, linguistic, cognitive, physical, and social and emotional differences, and considers the needs of each

student when planning instruction

Recall your central focus and explain how the standards (above) and learning objectives (below), that you have identified, support
students learning:
In order for students to be able to demonstrate the ability to track various themes throughout an entire novel, they must first be able to
comprehend the literature, and that process can be scaffolded by incorporating prior knowledge early in a unit. These standards and
goals are designed to aid student learning by doing just that helping students to comprehend the literature and incorporating prior
knowledge into the unit. This particular lesson is designed in response to the cooperating teachers early evaluations that students
were struggling to grasp the text without these additional supports. By gathering outcome data, we were able to adjust instruction to
incorporate more scaffolds into the reading process, and in this particular lesson, we gather additional student data such that we can
again reassess how students are handling the material and decide how to proceed in the way that allows students the most
meaningful learning experience, relative to what they need. In this way, we can ensure that students are receiving the appropriate
amount of support throughout the unit.
Materials/ Instructional Resources:

Class set of Toms River

Class set of The New Yorker article (attached)
Chalkboard / Chalk
Paper / Writing utensils
Chromebooks

*Learning Objectives (Add additional objective boxes as

needed):

*Assessment (both formal and informal)- Evidence of Student

Understanding:

Objective 1: Students will begin to consider the broader

implications of pollution and the sociopolitical influences that
allow or even encourage it.

Related Assessment: Students will participate in a Barometer

Activity, in which they will stand on the side of the classroom (or inbetween the two sides) that reflects their position on whether the
blame for the cancer outbreak in Toms River should be shouldered
by corporations or by government organizations. They will then

attempt to convince their classmates to join their side.

Explain the Assessments Alignment with the Objective:

By having a dialogue regarding the causes of toxic pollution,
students are necessarily participating in a critical investigation of
industry and government regulations thereof (or, perhaps, lack of
regulations). In so doing, students are demonstrating that they are
thinking about the causes of industrial pollution.

Describe the form of Student feedback that accompanies

the assessment:
Student feedback to this assessment will come in the form of
positionality within the room, changes in student position, and
verbal arguments.

Objective 2: Students will reflect and respond in writing to the

thematic knowledge that theyve attained through their reading
and in-class discussions.

Related Assessment:
In light of the content of the assigned reading for todays lesson,
students will be asked to respond in writing to the question of
whether they believe that the resolution of a monetary settlement
with no admission of guilt from the company was truly the best way
for the families and the community to move on. Students will be
asked to support their position using a combination of evidence
from the book, previous supplemental materials, and personal
opinion.

Explain the Assessments Alignment with the Objective:

This assessment aligns with the objective in that it gives students
the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the assigned readings in
order to form their opinions regarding the outcome of the events
described and their connections to bigger-picture theme of

community.

Describe the form of Student feedback that accompanies

the assessment:
The student feedback that we will receive for this assessment will be
in the form of a semi-formal writing response, to be completed on
Chromebooks.

Lesson Considerations
Pre-Assessment:
For this lesson, the pre-assessment will take the form of a Barometer Activity in which students stand on the side of the room that
corresponds to their position on a topic of potential disagreement. Student placement and the ensuing discussion will provide a
glimpse into the way students are beginning to think about major societal issues related to the environment and the responsibility that
various entities have to preserve it.
Prior Academic Learning and Prerequisite Skills: (Cite evidence that describes what students know, what they can

do, and what they are still learning to do.)

From students engagement with previous readings, we learned that students can read for comprehension and make connections to
particular themes when prompted to do so. They are also largely well-versed in the traditional academic theme essay, as they have
had significant prior exposure to the traditional structure throughout their time as English students. However, many students enrolled
in this class have shown difficulty relating texts to real-world events in their essays, and would prefer to stay within the text while
writing. Many students also require additional in-class supports to effectively independently read grade-level materials.

Personal, cultural, and community assets related to the central focusExplain what you know about your students
everyday experiences, cultural and language backgrounds and practices, and interests.
There are 2,383 students currently enrolled in school and 593 of those students are currently in eleventh grade. 1,073 students are
female and 1,310 are male. Seventy-five percent of students are White, five percent are Black, fifteen percent are Hispanic, three
percent are Asian, and two percent are two or more races. Sixty-five percent of students identify with Christianity, twenty percent

identify with Judaism, and fifteen percent identify with Islam. Thirty-eight percent of students are from low income. Six percent of
students are learning English as a second language. Fourteen percent of students have Special Needs. In our eleventh grade
classroom, there are twenty students. Of these twenty students, nine are White, three are Black, five are Hispanic, and three are
Asian. English and Spanish are spoken in the classroom. One student in the class has a mild visual impairment that requires the
student to be placed towards the front of the classroom as well as receive materials with enlarged print.
Misconceptions:
Some potential misconceptions about my students may be that:
Students who speak primarily Spanish cannot meaningfully contribute to a mainstream-level English Class
They cannot be motivated to learn.
This text is beyond their academic capacity.
While language, motivation, and readiness are absolutely vital to take into account with regard to the delivery of this lesson and this
unit, there are accommodations that can be made and structural aspects to this particular lesson that can enable students to be
successful in this classroom during this learning segment and beyond.

Language Objectives and Demands

Identify a Language Function:
Language Function. Using information about your students language assets and needs, identify one language function essential
for students within your central focus. Listed below are some sample language functions. You may choose one of these or another
more appropriate language function for this lesson.
Analyze

Argue

Describe

Evaluate

Explain

Interpret

Justify

Synthesize

While this lesson incorporates many of the language functions, justification is likely the most relevant. Throughout this lesson,
students are being asked to identify their position as it relates to issues regarding industrial pollution and its effects on the
surrounding communities, and to justify their positions. Within the context of the barometer activity, this is achieved by way of verbal
appeals to their classmates. Later, the students articulate their position through writing and are asked to justify their thought process.
In this way, students utilize the texts in order to justify their answers to some of the higher-level thematic questions that are posed by

the book and that modern, global, capitalist society face moving forward.
Vocabulary:
Settlement (legal)
Sociopolitical

Learning and Linguistic Accommodations: Describe the instructional accommodations that you must make, as the classroom
teacher, in order to address the learning needs of students with special needs and students who are not English proficient or
students who use varieties of English.
Accommodations for students with Special Needs:
For this lesson, students will be doing writing on chromebooks, which will be helpful to our student with visual disabilities, as we will
be able to adjust text size and brightness such that he can read and write comfortably and accomplish the assigned writing task.
This student will also be seated at the front of the room and we will write largely and neatly on the chalkboard and explain what were
writing as we write it, as well as re-explain instructions verbally, as necessary.
Accommodations for students who are not proficient users of Standard English:
Because students will be using Chromebooks to write their responses, they will have access to tools that will enable them to translate
words or phrases that they may otherwise not have the English vocabulary to express. Instructions will also be re-explained and reworded such that students are able to understand and participate in the learning tasks for the day. Responses also will not be
graded for grammar usage or spelling.
Explain your instructional decision-making and the way you plan to support student learning when using whole class, small groups,
and individualized assignments. In addition, explain accommodations for students who have special needs and students
who are not proficient users of Standard English as part of whole class and small group arrangements
In addition to the learning accommodations detailed above, by allowing students to discuss their responses to the Semantic Mapping
assignment in small groups and as a class, students with learning and language needs will have something of a built-in support as
their answers can reflect their interpretations of the classroom discussion rather than only the information that they are able to draw

directly from the text.

Another important aspect of the group discussion format with regard to students with learning and language needs is the inclusion of
their perspectives in the discussion. In order for this to happen, those students must feel as though their perspectives are valued in
the classroom and feel comfortable sharing. As such, we will re-iterate the expectation that the classroom is a judgment free zone,
and remind students that everyone has something meaningful to offer. We will also take care to avoid placing pressure on these
students to respond during the barometer activity, such that they can participate at a level with which they are comfortable. The most
prominent response type that students will engage with in this lesson will be written, so in the event that students dont feel
comfortable speaking up will still have the opportunity to demonstrate their learning and engagement.

Time

*Lesson Plan Details

5 min.

Lesson Introduction
We will begin the class by having the students stand up and then explaining that standing on the left side of the room
indicates belief that dye manufacturers were primarily responsible for the cancer outbreak in Toms River. Students will
then move about the room such that their placement demarcates their position along that spectrum. This will serve as an
informal formative assessment of students original attitudes.
Learning Activities Once students have situated themselves, we will prompt them to begin persuading others to join their side. If students are
initially hesitant, I may begin by saying The companies polluted the water; why would you blame anybody else? to which
a student might reply Because the government let them do it. This will ideally create something of a debate in which
students are justifying their opinions with textual content and moving about the room as their opinions change. When it
becomes clear that students have reached an impasse, we will pause to allow students to reflect by discussing whether
their opinions changed throughout the course of the activity which arguments they found most persuasive.
Next, students will begin reflecting upon the information theyve learned throughout the past three days of reading,
instruction, and activities by way of an informal writing assessment. Students will respond to the question of whether the
monetary settlement with no admission of guilt was truly the best way for the community to move forward. This
assignment aligns with the central theme of our unit and requires elements of perspective-taking, knowledge of the

circumstances of the event, and the formation of an ideological perspective as to what should be done to rectify situations
such as these.
Describe how your planned formal and informal assessments, including a written product, will provide direct evidence of
students abilities to construct meaning from, interpret, OR respond to a complex text throughout the learning segment.
The barometer activity and the written response to the prompt will provide evidence of students abilities to respond to a
complex text in that they will have to pay particular attention to particular elements of the text and develop a meaningful
understanding of the texts major characters, organizations, and themes in order to satisfactorily complete the writing
assignment and to make valuable contributions to the class discussion. Further, both of these activities force the student
to take a stance on an issue that is central to the text, which is a response to the text in and of itself.

Closure
At the conclusion of the period, we will assign the next day of reading homework. The essay will serve as the Exit Ticket
for the day, and the students will submit it before they leave the classroom.
Extension
If time allows, we can allow students to discuss their responses to the prompt as a class and/or to peer review one
anothers essays and encourage students to challenge one anothers perspectives.

Resources and References (use APA or MLA listing the information from the conceptual framework
above as well as from any other categories where cited a source):
Burke, Jim. The English Teachers Companion: A complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum, and the
Profession. 4th ed., Heinemann, 2012
Langer, Judith A. Beating the Odds: Teaching Middle and High School Students to Read and Write Well.
American Educational Research Journal, vol. 38, no. 4, Jan. 2001, pp. 837880.

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