LESSON TITLE  "Cuidemos nuestro ambiente" part 1

LESSON SKILL TARGETED  Shrum and Glison's Reading comprehension model

CLASS LEVEL      IV
 

TARGETED STANDARDS

1.1 Interpersonal Communication 1.2 Interpretive Communication 1.3 Presentational Communication 3.1 Making Connections 3.2 Acquiring Information

I. OBJECTIVES

1.1         Students will discuss their opinions about environmental problems in the world and in Latin America.
1.2/3.1/3.2   Students will read and demonstrate understanding of an article about environmental problems by filling out a chart of basic information
1.1/3.1/3.2  Students will demonstrate further understanding of the article by discussing the relationships between the causes and effects of environmental problems and filling out a flow chart
1.3         Students will present monologues based on their understanding of the main ideas of the article

II.  MATERIALS

A.  Article "Cuidemos nuestro ambiente" from Venezuelan newspaper
B.  Reading comprehension chart and flow chart
C.  Overhead with transparencies of charts

A.  Pre-reading

1.  Teacher leads a brainstorm of the word 'ambiente,' students provide any meanings or contexts of the word they have learned or heard
2.  Paying attention to the title and photo of the article, students imagine what kind of 'ambiente' is being discussed in the article.  Teach phrase 'medio ambiente'.
3.  Anticipation of themes of the article:  based on the title and the photo, students and teacher brainstorm what information the article will contain.
4.  Working in pairs, students list all the environmental problems they know of in the world and decide which they feel is the most severe and why.
5.  Teacher facilitates a quick review of the environmental problems, their significance and the reasons that were discussed by students in pairs.

B.  Identification of main elements

1.  Class reads first paragraph of article together; reviews the main themes of the article indicated by the paragraph.
2.  Individually, students skim the rest of the article and complete the chart, identifying which environmental issues are mentioned in the article and classifying them by category.
3.  In pairs, students compare charts and discuss conflicting answers if necessary.

C.  Identification of details
 

1.  Individually, students read the article and fill out the second chart, a flow chart-like activity that identifies the relationship between factors that cause environmental hazards and their results.

D.  Organization/revision of main ideas/details

1.  In pairs, students compare charts and discuss conflicting answers.
2.  Teacher facilitates a review of 2nd chart, filling in a transparency of the flow chart on board and clarifying points when necessary.

E.  Recreation of text

1.  Students discuss in groups of four whether they think the author is optimistic or pessimistic about our ability to reverse environmental damage, and present their opinion to the class with 2 examples from the text that defends their position.

F.  Reaction to text/exploration of intertextuality

1.  Students adopt the personality of one of the following: Henry Ford, a trout, a public garbage can, a farmer.  As that character, they prepare and present, either on video or using power point, a 2 minute monologue/presentation in which they detail how they affect and are affected by the environment.
2.  Students research environmental issues that affect Venezuela using the Internet, starting with links from the Ministerio del Ambiente y Recursos Naturales de Venezuela at http://www.marnr.gov.ve

A.  Information about the environment from the newspaper article

V. TECHNOLOGY USED

A.  Overhead
B.  Internet
C.  Video/power point (according to student's selection)