Cornerstone Montessori Prep School

Weekly Lesson Plans for Course: EWC4U

Faculty Name: P. Wilczynski

Lesson Topic: Comparison and Contrast Essay

Overall Expectation(s).. big idea for your lesson
A. Investigating Writing
1. Writing, Writers, and the Writing Life:
demonstrate an understanding of writing as an art, a
craft,
and a career as they explore the work of a variety of
Canadian and international writers.

Class: Grade 11/12

Week of: Jan 16

Study Unit 2: Investigating Writers and their Craft

Specific Expectation(s) as per Ministry curriculum
1.1 read a range of teacher- and self-selected
models
of effective writing to become familiar with
the art, craft, and world of writing

1.3 analyse and assess the effectiveness of the

ways in which writers use elements of form

1.4 analyse and assess the effectiveness of the

ways in which writers use elements of style

B. Practising Writing
1. Exploring Ideas, Forms, and Styles:

generate
and experiment with ideas about writing content,
forms, and styles;

2.

Drafting and Revising: organize, draft, and revise

their writing, employing forms and stylistic
elements appropriate for their purpose and audience;

1.1 generate and explore ideas for potential writing

projects independently through reflection, reading,
listening, viewing, and research

2.1 select and organize ideas and information to

draft texts appropriate for the purpose and audience

2.2 use appropriate text forms and stylistic

elements
to communicate ideas and experiences
effectively in their writing

4.

Collaborative Writing: collaborate in the writing

process with peers by generating ideas, responding
to peers work, and assessing peers work in a
workshop setting.

4.1 generate and explore ideas for potential writing

projects collaboratively through brainstorming
and other discussions with a partner or as a
group in a workshop setting

4.2 provide constructive feedback to peers on

works
in progress by working with a partner or as a
group in a workshop setting

4.3 assess peers written drafts, working with a

partner or as a group in a workshop setting,
to aid peers in their revision process

C. Reflecting on writing
1. Metacognition: identify their strengths as writers
and areas where they could improve, and assess
the growth and development of their own writing style.

1.1 identify and explain specific creative choices

they made throughout the writing process to
help them better understand the art of writing

Success Criteria
Knowledge and Understanding
Assessment for Learning: Minds On discussion comparing other essay forms to comparison and contrast
Assessment for/as learning: Team board activity, compare and contrast side-by-side
Thinking:
Assessment as learning: Partnered writing point-by-point contrasting arguments and evidence
Application:
Assessment for learning: Write thesis for compare and contrast statements (working backwards)
Rubrics for Evaluation
Writing Workshop peer feedback rubric
Learning Goals/Enduring Understandings: What do you want your students to learn and do this week?
1. Understand advantages of comparative essays
2. Understand form and style of comparative essays (block and point-by-pint)
3. Effectively write a counter-argument to a position in an argumentative essay
Essential Questions: What are your leading questions?
1. How is a compare and contrast essay form useful to the writer?
2. Is a compare and contrast essay more effective at demonstrating a writers position than other forms?
3. What are advantages and disadvantages of either form of compare and contrast? (block form)
Prior Knowledge Required for Student Success: What do they need to know to be engaged in your lesson?
Understand general format of essay

Differentiated Instruction Details

Some students may need examples of compare and contrast essays on the internet
Activate Thinking: Elicit/Engage
Minutes Teaching Strategies
Faculty: what the teacher does
Student: what the student does
Minds On

What kind of topics are best

Think Pair Share, brainstorming
suited for a comparative essay? on board

Action: Explore and Explain

Minutes Teaching Strategies
Introduce, individual work

Faculty: what the teacher does

Student: what the student does

1. PowerPoint comparing block

and point-by-point format of
comparison essays
original counter argument.

1. Notes, questions

2. Explain

2.Read p. 246 as a class

3. Assist where necessary

3. Write an observational
statement. Partner writes a
contrasting statement to it.
Original partner writes a new
statement.

Collaborative work

Homework
4. Demonstrate introduction for a 4. Homework: Write a thesis
comparison and contrast essay
that would introduce the
statements you have written
with your partner

Consolidate: Evaluate, Elaborate, Extend

Minutes Teaching Strategies
Discussion

Next Steps: Teaching Strategies

Set up

5. Write an outline for block

format. What would the first half
of your essay present, and what
would the second half present a
comparison or contrast?

5. Write outline

Faculty: what the teacher does

Student: what the student does

Which format is most effective

Journal entry (200 words)
or compelling? Block or pointby-point? Why? Did any
comparison or contrast of your
own or your partner make you
see a new perspective about
something? Did the format help
accomplish this?
Faculty
Student
Introduce newspaper and
magazine article writing

Notes, questions

Assessment (Blooms Taxonomy)

Assessment For Learning

Assessment As Learning

Assessment Of Learning

Observation strategies

Self Reflection

Portfolios

Anecdotal notes

Participating fully

Unit Test

Learning goals & objectives noted

Listening Attentively

Self-assessment strategies

Test/quiz

Expressing appreciation

Peer-assessment strategies

Checklist

Reflecting on the learning experience

Final reflection

Outline of success criteria

Thinking critically & constructively

Speeches

Peer-assessment/self assessments

Working collaboratively

Projects

Flexibility in changing strategies

Assessing Improvement

Presentations

List of on hand strategies to use

Celebrating progress & achievement

Reports, oral/written

Insight in adjusting teaching methods

Demonstrating respect

Evaluation of learning/teaching process

Quantitative/qualitative resources

Valuing others in the class

Exams

Accommodations/Modifications
Increase time, space, amount

Peer tutor/Partner

Decrease

Use manipulatives

Change

Include visuals

Scribe

Extend

Oral explanation

Provide instruction throughout

Lesson Reflection/Evaluation: