Name: Caroline Roberts Date Submitted: 12.14.

13 (to LeCompte) Subject: Connecting Content- Service Learning Date Taught: October 15, 2013 Title: Issues- What it is or isnt?

TEKS/Content Standards: 5.24 - Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: D- identify different points of view about an issue, topic, or current event 5.26 - Social studies skills. The student uses problem- solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to A- use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution Lesson Objectives: The students will learn what the term issue means. They will be able to name several issues and identify those that are important in the community. Finally, they will decide (vote) on one issue they want to study.

Content Overview (provide an adult-level content overview for all social studies lessons of at least 500 words): Academic Integrity KIDS projects grow out of community needs, yet are an integral part of the academic curriculum. Teachers are too busy with existing curricular demands to take on any projects that represent yet another thing to teach. Service-learning offers an effective instructional strategy that helps students meet state learning standards and achieve measurable outcomes while fostering experiences that are connected and meaningful for both students and teachers. By tying service-learning projects to local curriculum requirements, teachers play an important facilitation roleactively helping students link their community experiences with lasting academic learning. Projects that are relevant to real life help to motivate and maintain student interest. Because service-learning involves many different methods of teaching and assessment, it can engage students who dont respond well to traditional classroom approaches. It also appeals to high-ability students, allowing them to reach beyond the set curricula and think critically about problems theyve identified. By giving students at all levels opportunities for growth and expression, service-learning helps them to apply and demonstrate new knowledge. Apprentice Citizenship The KIDS model views young people as vital community members who can apply their knowledge, skills and energy to meet real local and regional needs. Students develop expertise in community issues by seeking out and working with local experts, community organizations and government agencies. Community members value the work that students do because it meets genuine needs. Through the KIDS process, students develop civic awareness and skills needed for effective citizenship: critical thinking, conflict resolution, attentive listening, information- gathering, cooperation, decision- making, advocacy and problem- solving. Student Ownership By challenging students to identify and solve community problems, KIDS projects help young people find new direction and meaning in their livesboth in and beyond school. Students practice making decisions through small group work, classroom meetings, and one-on-one interactions with adults. The adults share in learning, acting more as partners than as experts. By working alongside students and providing role models, community members can enhance students aspirations. KIDS projects tend to generate enthusiasm and a sense of adventure among students, which may translate at first into commotion and confusion but ultimately results in authentic student learning. A KIDS classroom can look very different than a traditional onewith noisy committees of students sharing findings, maps and charts sprawled everywhere, and flip charts overloaded with ideas. Problem-solving provides a context in which students with different talents emerge as leaders. Students become the experts, driving the entire process of planning and implementing projects. Through the KIDS process, students learn that they have the power to make a difference. They also learn a great deal about what strengths they have to share with their families, friends and communities.

What Service- Learning Looks Like If school students collect trash out of an urban streambed, they are providing a valued service to the community as volunteers. If school students collect trash from an urban streambed, analyze their findings to determine the possible sources of pollution, and share the results with residents of the neighborhood, they are engaging in service-learning. In the service-learning example, in addition to providing an important service to the community, students are learning about water quality and laboratory analysis, developing an understanding of pollution issues, and practicing communications skills. They may also reflect on their personal and career interests in science, the environment, public policy or other related areas. Both the students and the community have been involved in a transformative experience. Authentic service-learning experiences, while almost endlessly diverse, have some common characteristics (taken mostly from Eyler & Giles, Where's the Learning in Service-Learning?, 1999): They are positive, meaningful and real to the participants. They involve cooperative rather than competitive experiences and thus promote skills associated with teamwork and community involvement and citizenship. They address complex problems in complex settings rather than simplified problems in isolation. They offer opportunities to engage in problem-solving by requiring participants to gain knowledge of the specific context of their service-learning activity and community challenges, rather than only to draw upon generalized or abstract knowledge such as might come from a textbook. As a result, service-learning offers powerful opportunities to acquire the habits of critical thinking; i.e. the ability to identify the most important questions or issues within a real-world situation. They promote deeper learning because the results are immediate and uncontrived. There are no "right answers" in the back of the book. As a consequence of this immediacy of experience, service-learning is more likely to be personally meaningful to participants and to generate emotional consequences, to challenge values as well as ideas, and hence to support social, emotional and cognitive learning and development. Service-learning is not: An episodic volunteer program An add- on to an existing school or college curriculum Logging a set number of community service hours in order to graduate Compensatory service assigned as a form of punishment by the courts or by school administrators Only for high school or college students One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community The distinctive element of service-learning is that it enhances the community through the service provided, but it also has powerful learning consequences for the students or others participating in providing a service. Service-learning is growing so rapidly because we can see it is having a powerful impact on young people and their development. It is a dynamic process, through which students' personal and social growth is tightly interwoven into their academic and cognitive development. According to scholars Eyler and Giles (1999), with the service- learning model "experience enhances understanding; understanding leads to more effective action."

Prerequisite Skills: Students will have to identify what a problem is. Students will have to know what a community is. Students will have to know what volunteering is.

Materials/Supplies/Technology: Notecards Chart paper Images of community problems Websites about service learning Markers Computer

Lesson Instructional Model (circle appropriate model(s) for the lesson): Inquiry/5E Ask questions Literacy Read Aloud Word Study Guided Reading Shared Reading Literature Circle/Novel Study Shared Writing Writing Workshop SS Role-playing Simulation Service Learning Learning Center Cooperative Learning Debate/Conflict Resolution Other: _____________________________ Steps/Sequence of Activities Correlated to Instructional Model: 1. Show students images of community issues (3) focus on defining a problem, community and volunteer. 2. Ask what they see in each image (show one image at a time)- record their answers 3. What are some other issues in our community? record answers 4. Narrow the list to two of the most important issues. Write one sentence as an example. 5. Talk about voting in simple terms. 6. Write down your choice and write sentence. 7. Vote on issue, 8. Collect cards- announce winner- and if necessary run off 9. Now we have our issue congrats. 10. Okay wait we have to fix this issue be thinking and be ready to start a revolution.

Direct Instruction Define terms

Differentiation: If the activity is too hard, and the students are having trouble writing, the students could draw a picture of the issue or find one on the computer/iPad.

Evaluation: Students will vote on an issue to study and state in one sentence why they think that issue is important.

Analysis of Assessment(s): This lesson had little to assess, but each student was able to come up with two or more issues they were passionate about. Each student was about to speak of two to three ideas regarding issues they would like to solve in the community. They voiced how the issues influence their community and why the topic is important to them personally. They seemed to understand the projects motive.

Reflection: I thought this lesson went very well. It was very interesting to see what each of my students is passionate about. It was eye-opening to hear of some of the issues that they wanted to help solve in their communitiesfrom Waco water problems to gun violence. All was voiced and my students enjoyed being able to voice their own opinion about topic issues that pertain to their community. This lesson pumped up my students for the rest of the project. They could not wait to start the entire project in the last two weeks of my TA semester. We were able to take a vote on the issue most wanted in our group and that was Waco water contamination. It was tough for some of my students but they were all very passionate about continuing on with this project.

Name: Caroline Roberts Date Submitted: November 1, 2013 Date Taught: November 4, 2013 Title: Research Lesson 2- Waco Water Contamination

Subject: Connecting Content Service Learning TEKS/Content Standards: Social Studies

(5) History. The student understands important issues, events, and individuals in the United States during the 20th and 21st centuries (26) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to: (A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution; and (B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision. Language Arts (11) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to: (A) summarize the main ideas and supporting details in a text in ways that maintain meaning and logical order; (B) determine the facts in text and verify them through established methods;

Lesson Objectives: Students will understand importance of research by a mini-lesson on research found in persuasive letters and will be assessed based on material they have highlighted (research found in letter).

Students will understand Hoyt strategies by my teaching in a mini-lesson and will be able to follow through filling out a strategy in later days this week. Students will also learn how to problem solve using the Hoyt strategies as a way to best describe how to best solve the contamination issue pertaining to Waco water. Content Overview (provide an adult-level content overview for all social studies lessons of at least 500 words): Waco Water Projects: Addressing Capacity, Taste and Odor.

The City of Waco remains committed to providing a safe and plentiful supply of water for our citizens. Work is underway on $80 million in improvements to our water treatment system. Phase One has been completed with the completion of construction on the 42" water distribution line and upgrades at our Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant. This will improve our treatment capacity at that plant from 45 million gallons to 66 million gallons per day. Similar improvements will take place at our Riverside Plant and when the entire project is completed the City of Waco will be able to treat a maximum of 130 million gallons of water per day. In Phase Two, the City of Waco is also making the transition to a new treatment process called "dissolved air flotation." This will address issues with the taste and odor problems caused by by-products of algae in the North Bosque River Watershed. PHASE ONE Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant upgrades and modifications Cost: $16 Million Status: Completed 2006 PHASE TWO Construction of the Dissolved Air Flotation Facility (DAF Plant) Cost: $40 Million Status: Completed 2011 History of Waco Waters 1925 - City leaders consider using the Bosque River for the primary water supply in Waco. 1926 - City passes a $3.5 million bond to fund building the original Lake Waco. 1929 - Construction begins on Lake Waco. 1930 - Construction on the first Lake Waco Dam completed which guaranteed Waco the rights to 39,000 acre-feet of water. 1950 - In the midst of a drought, The City of Waco begins planning for future water needs. 1956 - City officials lobby for the construction of a new dam with leadership from Jack Kultgen and Harlon Fentress. 1958 - Construction begins on the dam. In the Lake Waco Dam authorization language from Congress guaranteed Waco priority water rights to our existing 39,000 acre-feet as well as the option to acquire additional water rights and the option to acquire all future water rights. New business in Waco receives a huge boost. 1964 - Lake Waco Dam is completed and provides long- term, dependable water supply for the citizens of Waco. The City of Waco is given water rights to 59,000 acre-feet of water rights from Lake Waco. 1979 - The City of Waco requests feasibility study on raising the level of the lake. 1983 - Study is completed and 7 feet is considered most feasible lake level. 1998 - Waco City Council votes to increase the Lake Waco Pool by seven feet giving the City of Waco 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply.

2003 - Impoundment of water begins. With the Lake Waco Pool Rise, the City of Waco water rights to 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply from Lake Waco for a normal lake level of 462.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention When it rains, it pours - motor oil, fertilizer, pet wastes, and other pollutants end up in the storm water runoff that goes down the storm drains. Unlike the wastewater that comes from our homes, storm water runoff does not receive treatment before it enters larger waterways. That's why it's important to dispose of oil properly and to use garden chemicals in accordance with their labels. The Storm Water section is responsible for administering the City's storm water permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This permit details the steps the City will take to help prevent and mitigate the impact non-point source pollutants have on our receiving waters. For more information on storm water pollution prevention, as well as ways in which you can help, please call (254) 750- 1664.

http://www.wacowater.com/waterhistory.html

VIP Overview 1. Give each student 3-5 pieces of sticky notes. (Limiting the number of points students may select forces them to be strategic in their reading.) 2. Students either listen to or read independently a page or two of text (depending on grade level). 3. Choice point: Hold a class discussion about the text before having students decide on their Very Important Points (VIPs), or ask students to select VIPs before class discussion. 4. Each child places one VIP sticky note at a point in the text and tells a partner why that spot is important.

5. Small groups of students may work collaboratively to create a group list of points, ranked by importance. Prerequisite Skills: Know vocabulary: Note taking Categorizing information Materials/Supplies/Technology: Chart Paper Non-fiction text Notecards Highlighters Graphic Organizers Articles and Government Statistics Lesson Instructional Model (circle appropriate model(s) for the lesson):

Inquiry/5E

Literacy Read Aloud Word Study Guided Reading Shared Reading

SS

Role-playing Simulation Service Learning Learning Center Cooperative

Direct Instruction Learning

Literature Circle/Novel Study

Shared Writing Writing Workshop

Debate/Conflict Resolution

Other: Research and Fact Finding Steps/Sequence of Activities Correlated to Instructional Model: 1. Overall launch- make sure kids have a complete understand of issue (5 min) 2. Students will decorate their project folders. - - What can you draw that will show what our issue is? Write name

Use what you know about our issue to create the folders.

3. Understand persuasive letters (10 min) a. Why are we researching? b. Why do we need to have an opinion? c. - We will be using an anchor chart to show important parts of letters and research

Sticky notes will be used to show their points. Each child will have a different marker so I can tell whose note is whose. Blue- Maya (3) Red- Kennedy (4) Green- Ayari (2)

- - -

4. Linda Hoyt Strategies (20 min) a. VIP i. What do you think it means for information to be important? ii. Students will understand how to find very important points in the articles iii. Model b. Alphabox i. Explain the meaning and point of the alphabox ii. Students will understand why an alphabox is useful iii. Model the alphabox so that in future lessons students are able to complete one - - - Used sample persuasive letter to model the alphabox Used green paper and titled alphabox at top. Y and Z were paired together.

5. Closure (5 min) a. Restate what was learned b. Reiterate Hoyt Strategies and persuasive writing to prepare them to write their own letters

Differentiation: Students who are struggling with the assignment will be guided through the strategies more in depth to ensure maximum knowledge gained. Students who grasp information fast will be asked to write down the things they learned

and to fill out an alphabox with things necessary to a classroom.

Evaluation: Each student will highlight each of the research information pieces found in the persuasive letter sample. Students excelling will fill out an Alphabox and complete VIPs accurately.

Name Ayari Kennedy Maya

Highlighted Articles Yes Yes Yes

Filled in Alphabox Yes Yes Yes

Filled in VIP sheet Yes Yes Yes

Each student present completed the activities. They each learned exactly how to use each research strategy correctly so they can independently view the issue articles tomorrow.

New info stated on anchor chart (amount): Ayari- 3 Kennedy- 4 Maya- 3 Analysis of Assessment(s): My assessment showed how thoughtful and passionate my students are about the service learning project we are completing. They are very much enjoying the research process and the strategies we are using to guide us in that process. They loved learning of the new strategies (Linda Hoyt) that they can use to help them in their research. They were very excited to continue to use them

Reflection: The main idea behind this first lesson of the research process was to understand the strategies we would be using to further our research and/or guide us through the research process. The bulk of the lesson was successful. It was hard for each student to complete both strategies in the short amount of time allotted for this lesson, but altogether it went very well. My students were able to comprehend the articles (3) I put in front of them and were able to come up with a couple VIPs and filled in their alphaboxes to the fullest extent of their knowledge. They are very passionate about the project and are excited to see what more is in store.

Name: Caroline Roberts Date Submitted: November 1, 2013 Date Taught: November 5, 2013

Subject: Connecting Content Service Learning Title: Research Lesson 2- Waco water contamination TEKS/Content Standards: (23) Research/Research Plan. Students ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them. Students are expected to: (A) brainstorm, consult with others, decide upon a topic, and formulate open-ended questions to address the major research topic; and (B) generate a research plan for gathering relevant information about the major research question.

(26) Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas. Students organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience. Students are expected to synthesize the research into a written or an oral presentation that: (A) compiles important information from multiple sources; Lesson Objectives: Students will highlight articles and gain knowledge of our article by filling out Alphaboxes and VIP strategy sheets accurately with important words and information using a variety of sources to complete them. Students will create a list of two to three questions for their to-be-conducted interviews and will know who they will be interviewing by the end of the lesson. Content Overview (provide an adult-level content overview for all social studies lessons of at least 500 words): Waco Water Projects: Addressing Capacity, Taste and Odor. The City of Waco remains committed to providing a safe and plentiful supply of water for our citizens. Work is underway on $80 million in improvements to our water treatment system. Phase One has been completed with the completion of construction on the 42" water distribution line and upgrades at our Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant. This will improve our treatment capacity at that plant from 45 million gallons to 66 million gallons per day. Similar improvements will take place at our Riverside Plant and when the entire project is completed the City of Waco will be able to treat a maximum of 130 million gallons of water per day. In Phase Two, the City of Waco is also making the transition to a new treatment process called "dissolved air flotation." This will address issues with the taste and odor problems caused by by-products of algae in the North Bosque River Watershed. PHASE ONE Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant upgrades and modifications

Cost: $16 Million Status: Completed 2006 PHASE TWO Construction of the Dissolved Air Flotation Facility (DAF Plant) Cost: $40 Million Status: Completed 2011 History of Waco Waters 1925 - City leaders consider using the Bosque River for the primary water supply in Waco. 1926 - City passes a $3.5 million bond to fund building the original Lake Waco. 1929 - Construction begins on Lake Waco. 1930 - Construction on the first Lake Waco Dam completed which guaranteed Waco the rights to 39,000 acre-feet of water. 1950 - In the midst of a drought, The City of Waco begins planning for future water needs. 1956 - City officials lobby for the construction of a new dam with leadership from Jack Kultgen and Harlon Fentress. 1958 - Construction begins on the dam. In the Lake Waco Dam authorization language from Congress guaranteed Waco priority water rights to our existing 39,000 acre-feet as well as the option to acquire additional water rights and the option to acquire all future water rights. New business in Waco receives a huge boost. 1964 - Lake Waco Dam is completed and provides long- term, dependable water supply for the citizens of Waco. The City of Waco is given water rights to 59,000 acre-feet of water rights from Lake Waco. 1979 - The City of Waco requests feasibility study on raising the level of the lake. 1983 - Study is completed and 7 feet is considered most feasible lake level. 1998 - Waco City Council votes to increase the Lake Waco Pool by seven feet giving the City of Waco 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply. 2003 - Impoundment of water begins. With the Lake Waco Pool Rise, the City of Waco water rights to 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply from Lake Waco for a normal lake level of 462.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention When it rains, it pours - motor oil, fertilizer, pet wastes, and other pollutants end up in the storm water runoff that goes down the storm drains. Unlike the wastewater that comes from our homes, storm water runoff does not receive treatment before it enters larger waterways. That's why it's important to dispose of oil properly and to use garden chemicals in accordance with their labels. The Storm Water section is responsible for administering the City's storm water permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This permit details the steps the City will take to help prevent and mitigate the impact non-point source pollutants have on our receiving waters.

For more information on storm water pollution prevention, as well as ways in which you can help, please call (254) 750- 1664.

http://www.wacowater.com/waterhistory.html

Prerequisite Skills: Know vocabulary: Note taking Categorizing information Materials/Supplies/Technology: Articles Hoyt Strategies Notecards Writing utensils Lesson Instructional Model (circle appropriate model(s) for the lesson):

Inquiry/5E

Literacy Read Aloud Word Study Guided Reading Shared Reading

SS

Role-playing Simulation Service Learning Learning Center Cooperative

Direct Instruction Learning

Literature Circle/Novel Study

Shared Writing Writing Workshop

Debate/Conflict Resolution

Other: Crafting Questions Steps/Sequence of Activities Correlated to Instructional Model:

1. Overall launch (5 minutes) a. Reiterate Hoyt Strategies to ensure knowledge after students sped through the activities b. VIPs and Alphaboxes

c.

What do you remember from our mini-lesson yesterday?

d. What is a VIP? e. What is an Alphabox? f. What are we using these strategies for?

2. Article One and Two (now just Article Three) (15 minutes) a. Alphabox - - Students independently fill out their alphaboxes and ask questions when needed. Ayari: Can I put this word in the box? My answer: Yes, and put whatever YOU think is important. It does not matter what I put in my boxes or you put in yours as long as you can write about it in your opinion letter.

b. VIPs - - highlighted items

filled in chart with highlighted

3. Interview Mini- Lesson (7 minutes) a. What is an interview?

b. What makes up an interview? c. What can we do to have great interviews and find good information for this project?

4. Coming up with interview questions and people to interview (10 minutes) 5. Closure (5 minutes) a. Restate what was learned about the issue

It was planned to do the interview mini-lesson and questions the next day, but there was enough instructional time available to complete this during todays lesson. Differentiation: One question is acceptable and students can draw main fact or idea. The students who are struggling will only be required to complete one type of strategy on the two articles. Students who excel will be asked to complete one for article one and another for article two.

Evaluation:

Students will highlight articles and gain knowledge of our article by filling out Alphaboxes and VIP strategy sheets

accurately with important words and information.

Name Ayari

Alphabox Ayari was struggling with what to put in her alphabox. With only a few pointers she was able to work the rest of the class independently. Kennedy swung through the Alphabox strategy with ease. She understood that each letter was the start of a word and loved completing the chart. Maya finished the Alphabox without struggle. She also helped Ayari once she was finished to make sure she was understanding the material.

VIP These were much easier for Ayari. She highlighted the articles with the points she felt most important.

Kennedy

Kennedy enjoyed finding what she thought were the most important pieces of information for each article and completed it correctly.

Maya

Maya loved the VIPs. She loved using a highlighter then filling out each very important point on the worksheet given.

Students will create a list of two to three questions for their to-be-conducted interviews and will know who they will be interviewing by the end of the lesson.

Student Name

Who will be interviewed Ms. Keathley Dr. Howell Ms. Gibson

Number of Questions

When will they interview Monday Monday Monday

Ayari Kennedy Maya

3 3 3

Analysis of Assessment(s): My assessment for this lesson showed me how important this issue really is for my students. They understand, more fully, the research process and all that it entails. They also understand the idea of creating questions to use in interviews to see what other people think of the issue they are so passionate about. They became very excited and nervous for the interviews. They love that they can see, through the interview, the passion others feel towards their issue.

I had to complete this lesson one-on-one with one of my students due to the fact that he was absent for the research based lessons. Reflection: This lesson went very well. My students were able to fill in the alphaboxes and VIPs with information that pertained to our issueWaco water contamination. I feel as if this entire research process has been very rushed and we have been unable to fully grasp the information which is very important at this stage of the project. They would have enjoyed spending more time on the research to fully understand what each article was saying. I would for sure allow more time for the research part of the project. It is very important for the students to fully comprehend the information to move on in the project.

Name: Caroline Roberts Date Submitted: November 8, 2013 Date Taught: (Monday 11/11/13 due to field trip for all of Mountainview last Thursday) Subject: Connecting Content - Service Learning TEKS/Content Standards: (5) History. The student understands important issues, events, and individuals in the United States during the 20th and 21st centuries (9) Geography. The student understands how people adapt to and modify their environment. The student is expected to: (A) describe how and why people have adapted to and modified their environment in the United States, past and present, such as the use of human resources to meet basic needs; and (B) analyze the positive and negative consequences of human modification of the environment in the United States, past and present (26) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to: (A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution; and (B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision. Lesson Objectives: Students will practice interview questions. They will practice interviewing one another. They will conduct the interview in person. Students will fill out two Hoyt strategies for Article Three by using information gained in my mini-lesson on Monday. Content Overview (provide an adult-level content overview for all social studies lessons of at least 500 words): Waco Water Projects: Addressing Capacity, Taste and Odor. The City of Waco remains committed to providing a safe and plentiful supply of water for our citizens. Work is underway on $80 million in improvements to our water treatment system. Phase One has been completed with the completion of construction on the 42" water distribution line and upgrades at our Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant. This will improve our treatment capacity at that plant from 45 million gallons to 66 million gallons per day. Similar improvements will take place at our Riverside Plant and when the entire project is completed the City of Waco will be able to treat a maximum of 130 million gallons of water per day. In Phase Two, the City of Waco is also making the transition to a new treatment process called "dissolved air flotation." This will address issues with the taste and odor problems caused by by-products of algae in the North Bosque River Watershed. PHASE ONE Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant upgrades and modifications Cost: $16 Million Status: Completed 2006 PHASE TWO Title: Research lesson 3- Waco water contamination

Construction of the Dissolved Air Flotation Facility (DAF Plant) Name: Caroline Roberts Cost: $40 Million Status: Completed 2011

History of Waco Waters 1925 - City leaders consider using the Bosque River for the primary water supply in Waco. 1926 - City passes a $3.5 million bond to fund building the original Lake Waco. 1929 - Construction begins on Lake Waco. 1930 - Construction on the first Lake Waco Dam completed which guaranteed Waco the rights to 39,000 acre-feet of water. 1950 - In the midst of a drought, The City of Waco begins planning for future water needs. 1956 - City officials lobby for the construction of a new dam with leadership from Jack Kultgen and Harlon Fentress. 1958 - Construction begins on the dam. In the Lake Waco Dam authorization language from Congress guaranteed Waco priority water rights to our existing 39,000 acre-feet as well as the option to acquire additional water rights and the option to acquire all future water rights. New business in Waco receives a huge boost. 1964 - Lake Waco Dam is completed and provides long- term, dependable water supply for the citizens of Waco. The City of Waco is given water rights to 59,000 acre-feet of water rights from Lake Waco. 1979 - The City of Waco requests feasibility study on raising the level of the lake. 1983 - Study is completed and 7 feet is considered most feasible lake level. 1998 - Waco City Council votes to increase the Lake Waco Pool by seven feet giving the City of Waco 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply. 2003 - Impoundment of water begins. With the Lake Waco Pool Rise, the City of Waco water rights to 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply from Lake Waco for a normal lake level of 462. Stormwater Pollution Prevention When it rains, it pours - motor oil, fertilizer, pet wastes, and other pollutants end up in the storm water runoff that goes down the storm drains. Unlike the wastewater that comes from our homes, storm water runoff does not receive treatment before it enters larger waterways. That's why it's important to dispose of oil properly and to use garden chemicals in accordance with their labels. The Storm Water section is responsible for administering the City's storm water permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This permit details the steps the City will take to help prevent and mitigate the impact non-point source pollutants have on our receiving waters. For more information on storm water pollution prevention, as well as ways in which you can help, please call (254) 750- 1664. http://www.wacowater.com/waterhistory.html STEPS TO CONDUCTING AN EMAIL INTERVIEW 1. Research Topic 2. Ask questions that are informed through the research. 3. Conduct a subject-specific interview. 4. Start with a minimal number of questions for e-mail interviews. (http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2010/01/11/how-to-conduct-an-interview/) Prerequisite Skills: Know vocabulary Be able to fill out Hoyt Strategies Understand importance of interview Completed interview questions Materials/Supplies/Technology: Notebook paper Clipboard

Hoyt Strategy Worksheets Writing untensil Typed interview questions on iPad iPad

Lesson Instructional Model (circle appropriate model(s) for the lesson): Inquiry/5E Literacy Read Aloud Word Study Guided Reading Shared Reading Literature Circle/Novel Study Shared Writing Writing Workshop Steps/Sequence of Activities Correlated to Instructional Model: 1. Overall Launch (5min) a. What do you remember from the articles last week? b. What do you still want to know? c. Expectations for Interviews 2. Catching Up Luis a. Have him work with Maya to do the research since there is not enough time for him to read every article and complete the Linda Hoyt strategies b. Have him come up with his own argument and reasons based on things he deems important in the articles. c. Have him come up with interview questions and who he will interview 3. Restating Interview Questions (5 minutes) 4. Interviews (20 minutes) - My students will be interviewing the people they have chosen with the questions that we wrote up the previous day during small group. 5. Closure (5 min) SS Role-playing Simulation Service Learning Learning Center Cooperative Debate/Conflict Resolution Other: Interviewing

Direct Instruction Learning

Differentiation: Students will be expected to only complete one Hoyt strategy if they are struggling so that I at least have something to ensure that they are continuing to work as a part of the group. Students will be guided through interviews if their nerves get the best of them and will have my help asking questions if needed. Evaluation: Students will understand meaning of interviews and will be able to e-mail the person who they want to interview with a brief summary of the project and the questions they would like to be answered.

Analysis of Assessment(s): My assessment shows that there was a lot of adapting that had to be done because I had one student added to my group. I had to catch up Luis so that he would be able to understand the project and be able to interview someone on time in order for this project to run smoothly. Luis was able to finish all the material for today and will continue to be caught up for the remainder of the project. My students really enjoyed the aspect of interviewing someone. Because of lack of time, my students had to email their interviews to other TAs at Mountainview Elementary so that they could be completed. They were sad that, again due to lack of time, that they would be unable to conduct the interviews in person. Reflection: Today was a very stressful day. My students felt very rushed to make their interviews as best as they could. They felt like there was not enough time in one day to come up with the best interview and carry it out. It would be nice to have more time allotted for the interview. It was almost not completed by my group due to the lack of time. They were able to complete the interviews by e-mail (only 2 replies) and were happy with the results.

Name: Caroline Roberts Date Submitted: November 8, 2013 Date Taught: November 12, 2013

Subject: Connecting Content Service Learning Title: What makes up a great persuasive letter? TEKS/Content Standards: (12) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) identify the author's viewpoint or position and explain the basic relationships among ideas (e.g., parallelism, comparison, causality) in the argument; and (B) recognize exaggerated, contradictory, or misleading statements in text. (19) Writing/Persuasive Texts. Students write persuasive texts to influence the attitudes or actions of a specific audience on specific issues. Students are expected to write persuasive essays for appropriate audiences that establish a position and include sound reasoning, detailed and relevant evidence, and consideration of alternatives.

Lesson Objectives: Students will understand the make-up of a persuasive letter by listening attentively to a mini-lesson on this new skill and by writing out the steps of persuasive letter writing after the lesson is complete. Students will craft a strong opinion statement on our issue after I model the writing of one and be able to use signal words to make their statement more strong and concrete. Students will be able to come up with reasons for their argument by reading articles provided for them while filling out VIPs and will create at least three reasons that support their argument. Content Overview Steps of Persuasive Letter Writing - - - - - Date, Address, Greeting Introduction - Used to grab the readers attention Opinion Statement - Strong language to clearly write your opinion statement Arguments - Organized, logical reasons for opinion Conclusion - Solution to issue; challenges reader to think differently

Waco Water Projects: Addressing Capacity, Taste and Odor. The City of Waco remains committed to providing a safe and plentiful supply of water for our citizens. Work is underway on $80 million in improvements to our water treatment system. Phase One has been completed with the completion of construction on the 42" water distribution line and upgrades at our Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant. This will improve our treatment capacity at that plant from 45 million gallons to 66 million gallons per day. Similar improvements will take place at our Riverside Plant and when the entire project is completed the City of Waco will be able to treat a maximum of 130 million gallons of water per day. In Phase Two, the City of Waco is also making the transition to a new treatment process called "dissolved air flotation." This will address issues with the taste and odor problems caused by by-products of algae in the North Bosque River

Watershed. Name: Caroline Roberts PHASE ONE Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant upgrades and modifications Cost: $16 Million Status: Completed 2006 PHASE TWO Construction of the Dissolved Air Flotation Facility (DAF Plant) Cost: $40 Million Status: Completed 2011

History of Waco Waters 1925 - City leaders consider using the Bosque River for the primary water supply in Waco. 1926 - City passes a $3.5 million bond to fund building the original Lake Waco. 1929 - Construction begins on Lake Waco. 1930 - Construction on the first Lake Waco Dam completed which guaranteed Waco the rights to 39,000 acre-feet of water. 1950 - In the midst of a drought, The City of Waco begins planning for future water needs. 1956 - City officials lobby for the construction of a new dam with leadership from Jack Kultgen and Harlon Fentress. 1958 - Construction begins on the dam. In the Lake Waco Dam authorization language from Congress guaranteed Waco priority water rights to our existing 39,000 acre-feet as well as the option to acquire additional water rights and the option to acquire all future water rights. New business in Waco receives a huge boost. 1964 - Lake Waco Dam is completed and provides long- term, dependable water supply for the citizens of Waco. The City of Waco is given water rights to 59,000 acre- feet of water rights from Lake Waco. 1979 - The City of Waco requests feasibility study on raising the level of the lake. 1983 - Study is completed and 7 feet is considered most feasible lake level. 1998 - Waco City Council votes to increase the Lake Waco Pool by seven feet giving the City of Waco 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply. 2003 - Impoundment of water begins. With the Lake Waco Pool Rise, the City of Waco water rights to 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply from Lake Waco for a normal lake level of 462. Stormwater Pollution Prevention When it rains, it pours - motor oil, fertilizer, pet wastes, and other pollutants end up in the storm water runoff that goes down the storm drains. Unlike the wastewater that comes from our homes, storm water runoff does not receive treatment before it enters larger waterways. That's why it's important to dispose of oil properly and to use garden chemicals in accordance with their labels. The Storm Water section is responsible for administering the City's storm water permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This permit details the steps the City will take to help prevent and mitigate the impact non-point source pollutants have on our receiving waters. For more information on storm water pollution prevention, as well as ways in which you can help, please call (254) 750- 1664. http://www.wacowater.com/waterhistory.html

Prerequisite Skills: - Understand how to write a letter - Understand what persuasion is Materials/Supplies/Technology: - - graphic pencil organizer

- - -

pen lined notebook paper VIP

Lesson Instructional Model (circle appropriate model(s) for the lesson): Inquiry/5E Literacy Read Aloud Word Study Guided Reading Shared Reading Literature Circle/Novel Study Shared Writing Writing Workshop SS Role-playing Simulation Service Learning Learning Center Cooperative Learning Debate/Conflict Resolution Other: Persuasive writing Steps/Sequence of Activities Correlated to Instructional Model: Launch: 1. I will review the elements of a persuasive letter - I will use anchor chart to go over each step of the persuasive letter writing process. - Step ONE: write the date, address and greeting - Step TWO: Write an introduction- grabs the attention of the reader; explains issue briefly - Step THREE: Write a statement of opinion strong language to state opinion - Step FOUR: Write reasons for your argument logical, organized reasons for opinion; at least three - Step FIVE: Write a conclusion to you letter solution to issue or challenges the reader to act differently. Determining Audience of the Letter We will research different people that play a big part in the Waco Water Department and which people it would make the most sense to write a letter to pertaining to our issue. Then, each students will choose a separate person to write their persuasive letter to. Teaching and Modeling I will model the writing of a strong opinion statement by writing one myself on the flip chart in my classroom. I will teach each students the importance of a strong opinion statement and how this can shape the entirety of the letter. I will model using phrases such as in my opinion and personally. Arguments/Reasons Each student filled out an alphabox the previous week. We will use these alphaboxes to figure out how we each want to argue our opinions. We will write the opinions based on the articles read. We will list our arguments on the graphic organizer. Closure: Reiterate steps of letter writing and how they can use their graphic organizers to better write their persuasive letters the next.

Direct Instruction

Differentiation: Students that are struggling coming up with three arguments will be pointed towards one they could possibly be made in the articles read based on what the group as a whole highlighted and sticky-noted. - Students who fly through the activities will be asked to come up with more arguments. Evaluation: -

I will be evaluating based on the efforts put forth in todays lesson. Ayari: Achieved Notes Expresses a strong opinion statement X Struggled at first Provide at least three reasons for the opinion given Develop reasons with evidence and research X X Used strategies well Continued to research and write accordingly

Kennedy: Achieved X X X Notes Struggled at first GREAT! Used strategies well

Expresses a strong opinion statement

Provide at least three reasons for the opinion given Develop reasons with evidence and research

Luis: Achieved Not strong X X Notes I will be working with Luis to better his opinion statement. Provided reasons but could clean them up Shows that he understands the research

Expresses a strong opinion statement Provide at least three reasons for the opinion given Develop reasons with evidence and research Maya

Expresses a strong opinion statement

Achieved X

Notes Finished before everyone- great opinion statement

Provide at least three reasons for the X Used strategies opinion given Develop reasons with evidence and X Great job! Great evidence! research Analysis of Assessment(s): My assessment shows me that most of my students understood the act of and followed through writing a strong opinion statement to start out their letters, understood and followed through stating reasons as to why they believed what they wrote and understood and followed through developing reasons with evidence and research. L struggled because he was not present for the research lessons, but is catching up as best as he can to make the end product great. I will continue to work with him to do so. It is hard that we do not have an adequate amount of time and resources to do the appropriate research and drafting for the persuasive letter. With three TAs in one classroom it was hard to determine who was able to use the technology when. We did not have the resources for all of us to use research as part of an everyday lesson. Reflection:

As I look back on the letter writing stage of this project, I remember just how frustrated my students were with the time they were given to write what was supposed to be a great persuasive letter. They loved the idea of writing to someone in the Waco Water Department to speak of their cause, but there was not enough time to perfect the end product. The first draft took more time than I had wanted and allotted for, but my students were satisfied. They still wished they had more time and resources to make the letter the best they could.

Name: Caroline Roberts Date Submitted: November 8, 2013 Date Taught: November 13, 2013

Subject: Connecting Content Service Learning Title: Writing Persuasive Letters- Part Two TEKS/Content Standards: (12) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) identify the author's viewpoint or position and explain the basic relationships among ideas (e.g., parallelism, comparison, causality) in the argument; and (B) recognize exaggerated, contradictory, or misleading statements in text. (19) Writing/Persuasive Texts. Students write persuasive texts to influence the attitudes or actions of a specific audience on specific issues. Students are expected to write persuasive essays for appropriate audiences that establish a position and include sound reasoning, detailed and relevant evidence, and consideration of alternatives. History: (18) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of individual participation in the democratic process at the local, state, and national levels. The student is expected to: (A) explain the duty individuals have to participate in civic affairs at the local, state, and national levels; and (B) explain how to contact elected and appointed leaders in local, state, and national governments. (24) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (A) differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software; interviews; biographies; oral, print, and visual material; documents; and artifacts to acquire information about the United States; (B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions; (C) organize and interpret information in outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps; (D) identify different points of view about an issue, topic, or current event; and (25) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social studies terminology correctly; (B) incorporate main and supporting ideas in verbal and written communication; (C) express ideas orally based on research and experiences; (D) create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies; and (E) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation. Lesson Objectives: Students will write persuasive letters that consist of: - introductions that provide useful background information about the topic - expresses a strong opinion statement - provides at least three logical reasons to support their opinion - develops reasons with evidence and research - and uses transitional words and phrases to link and clarify ideas. They will do so by recollecting information taught last week and yesterday about how to write an opinion letter and by using their alphaboxes and VIPs crafted the week before.

Content Overview (provide an adult-level content overview for all social studies lessons of at least 500 words):

Steps of Persuasive Letter Writing - - Date, Address, Greeting Introduction - Used to grab the readers attention - Opinion Statement - Strong language to clearly write your opinion statement - Arguments - Organized, logical reasons for opinion - Conclusion - Solution to issue; challenges reader to think differently Waco Water Projects: Addressing Capacity, Taste and Odor. The City of Waco remains committed to providing a safe and plentiful supply of water for our citizens. Work is underway on $80 million in improvements to our water treatment system. Phase One has been completed with the completion of construction on the 42" water distribution line and upgrades at our Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant. This will improve our treatment capacity at that plant from 45 million gallons to 66 million gallons per day. Similar improvements will take place at our Riverside Plant and when the entire project is completed the City of Waco will be able to treat a maximum of 130 million gallons of water per day. In Phase Two, the City of Waco is also making the transition to a new treatment process called "dissolved air flotation." This will address issues with the taste and odor problems caused by by-products of algae in the North Bosque River Watershed. PHASE ONE Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant upgrades and modifications Cost: $16 Million Status: Completed 2006 PHASE TWO Construction of the Dissolved Air Flotation Facility (DAF Plant) Cost: $40 Million Status: Completed 2011

History of Waco Waters 1925 - City leaders consider using the Bosque River for the primary water supply in Waco. 1926 - City passes a $3.5 million bond to fund building the original Lake Waco. 1929 - Construction begins on Lake Waco. 1930 - Construction on the first Lake Waco Dam completed which guaranteed Waco the rights to 39,000 acre-feet of water. 1950 - In the midst of a drought, The City of Waco begins planning for future water needs. 1956 - City officials lobby for the construction of a new dam with leadership from Jack Kultgen and Harlon Fentress. 1958 - Construction begins on the dam. In the Lake Waco Dam authorization language from Congress guaranteed Waco priority water rights to our existing 39,000 acre-feet as well as the option to acquire additional water rights and the option to acquire all future water rights. New business in Waco receives a huge boost. 1964 - Lake Waco Dam is completed and provides long- term, dependable water supply for the citizens of Waco. The City of Waco is given water rights to 59,000 acre-feet of water rights from Lake Waco. 1979 - The City of Waco requests feasibility study on raising the level of the lake. 1983 - Study is completed and 7 feet is considered most feasible lake level. 1998 - Waco City Council votes to increase the Lake Waco Pool by seven feet giving the City of Waco 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply. 2003 - Impoundment of water begins. With the Lake Waco Pool Rise, the City of Waco water rights to 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply from Lake Waco for a normal lake level of 462.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention When it rains, it pours - motor oil, fertilizer, pet wastes, and other pollutants end up in the storm water runoff that goes down the storm drains. Unlike the wastewater that comes from our homes, storm water runoff does not receive treatment before it enters larger waterways. That's why it's important to dispose of oil properly and to use garden chemicals in accordance with their labels. The Storm Water section is responsible for administering the City's storm water permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This permit details the steps the City will take to help prevent and mitigate the impact non-point source pollutants have on our receiving waters. For more information on storm water pollution prevention, as well as ways in which you can help, please call (254) 750- 1664. http://www.wacowater.com/waterhistory.html

Prerequisite Skills: 1. Know how to write persuasive letter 2. Understand use of Hoyt Strategies and how to integrate into their letter Materials/Supplies/Technology: 1. Lined Paper 2. Anchor Charts 3. Sample letter for reference purposes 4. VIPs 5. Alphaboxes 6. Writing utensils

Lesson Instructional Model (circle appropriate model(s) for the lesson): Inquiry/5E Literacy Read Aloud Word Study Guided Reading Shared Reading Literature Circle/Novel Study Shared Writing Writing Workshop SS Role-playing Simulation Service Learning Learning Center Cooperative Debate/Conflict Resolution

Direct Instruction Learning

Other: _____________________________ Steps/Sequence of Activities Correlated to Instructional Model: 1. Lesson Launch - Writers use several ways to introduce their topic. In persuasive writing we will write a summary of the issue or topic addressed. We will incorporate strong points found in research. - Who are we writing to? - Professional writing 2. Turn and Talk - Students will pair up and discuss how they want to write their letters and how their use of language can affect the professionalism displayed in the writing. - They will try out possible leads 3. Draft Letter - They will write the date and address for their letter using Mountainviews address - They will work independently to create their lead.

4. - - - - - 5. - 6. - - 7. - - - -

Mini--Lesson 2 Logical Arguments How can we make logical arguments? What does it mean to be logical? Writers use arguments to support their opinions. Strongest least strong argument Opposing view? Turn and Talk Using the graphic organizer students will rate their arguments from least to strongest Writing Time Students will draft the rest of their letters independently Students will be able to refer to the transitional words and phrases chart as needed. Sharing Period Students will be given the opportunity to share their letters. They will explain why they wrote the way they did. This part of the lesson did NOT occur do to running out of time. We also did not complete the transitions in the letters.

Differentiation: - One of my students in particular will have to have more instruction than others. I will guide him throughout the writing process as best as I can without actually writing the letter for him/her. - Students who are not comfortable sharing will not have to do so. Evaluation: Ayari:

Lead is engaging. Introduction provides useful background information about the topic. Express a strong opinion statement. Provide at least three logical reasons to support opinion. Develop reasons with evidence and research. Use transitional words and phrases to link and clarify ideas.

Achieved X X

Notes Worked very hard Great job using articles

X X X

Did not have to change at all Had completed the day before Had completed the day before Did not get to this point in the lesson

Kennedy: Lead is engaging. Introduction provides useful background information about the topic. Express a strong opinion statement. Provide at least three logical reasons to support opinion. Develop reasons with evidence and research. Use transitional words and phrases to link and clarify ideas. Achieved X X Notes Great job! Hard work is evident. Used articles appropriately

X X X

Did not have to change at all Completed the day before Completed the day before Did not get to this point in the lesson

Luis: Lead is engaging. Introduction provides useful background information about the topic. Express a strong opinion statement. Provide at least three logical reasons to support opinion. Develop reasons with evidence and research. Use transitional words and phrases to link and clarify ideas. Achieved X X Notes Great job! I wanted to continue reading. Used the articles to the best of his knowledge and pulled through with a great use of information Much better! Completed the day before Completed the day before

X X X

Did not get to this point in the lesson

Maya: Lead is engaging. Introduction provides useful background information about the topic. Express a strong opinion statement. X Did not have to redo Provide at least three logical reasons X Completed the day before to support opinion. Develop reasons with evidence and X Completed the day before research. Use transitional words and phrases to Did not get to this point in the lesson. link and clarify ideas. Analysis of Assessment(s): My assessment shows me that my students are working very hard to create the best persuasive letters they possibly can. I saw a dramatic difference in work ethic because the short amount of time clicked in their minds and they began to work more diligently to complete the project as they wanted. I made this their project and let them guide it along as best they could. I facilitated them and taught the necessary things for the persuasive letters but I let them guide the project as a whole. They are working very hard, loving this project and all that it stands for. They want the end product to show just how passionate they are about the project. Reflection: This lesson was stressful to say the least. We had to cram a bunch of new information into a short lesson to get where we needed to be. The only thing we did not get to was writing transitions before each new paragraph of information. That will be easy to fit in with the advocacy project. We needed more time to complete the drafting stage of the project. The kids were more stressed than I was to complete perfect letters. We did not have the time to perfect everything about this project. We did the best that we could, but still did not finish to their liking. Achieved X X Notes Great leadvery engaging. Great use of research evident.

Name: Caroline Roberts Date Submitted: November 8, 2013 Date Taught: November 14, 2013

Subject: Connecting Content Service Learning Title: Final Drafts and Advocacy Project TEKS/Content Standards: English Language Arts: (12) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) identify the author's viewpoint or position and explain the basic relationships among ideas (e.g., parallelism, comparison, causality) in the argument; and (B) recognize exaggerated, contradictory, or misleading statements in text. (19) Writing/Persuasive Texts. Students write persuasive texts to influence the attitudes or actions of a specific audience on specific issues. Students are expected to write persuasive essays for appropriate audiences that establish a position and include sound reasoning, detailed and relevant evidence, and consideration of alternatives. History: (18) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of individual participation in the democratic process at the local, state, and national levels. The student is expected to: (A) explain the duty individuals have to participate in civic affairs at the local, state, and national levels; and (B) explain how to contact elected and appointed leaders in local, state, and national governments. (24) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (A) differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software; interviews; biographies; oral, print, and visual material; documents; and artifacts to acquire information about the United States; (B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions; (C) organize and interpret information in outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps; (D) identify different points of view about an issue, topic, or current event; and (25) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social studies terminology correctly; (B) incorporate main and supporting ideas in verbal and written communication; (C) express ideas orally based on research and experiences; (D) create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies; and (E) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation.

Lesson Objectives: 1. Students will write strong, relevant conclusions for their letters and by learning how-to in a mini-lesson taught by me and will be expected to do so independently. 2. Students will have a complete opinion letter by bringing together all parts written and writing a final draft of the letter after necessary revisions are made.

Content Overview (provide an adult-level content overview for all social studies lessons of at least 500 words): Research -Water is an important element in our lives.

-Dissolved Air Flotation Plant- helps odor and taste -There are lots of pollutants in the water- some common in all tap water in the US -how drinking tap water helps -saves overfill in landfills -Waco tries to conserve water as best they can through stormwater prevention plans and managing use of water across the city. What is a conclusion? the end or finish of an event or process. "the conclusion of World War Two" synonyms: end, ending, finish, close, termination, windup, cessation a judgment or decision reached by reasoning. "each research group came to a similar conclusion" synonyms:

deduction, inference, interpretati on, reasoning

Prerequisite Skills: - Students will understand how to write a full opinion letter. - Students will understand how to revise their papers (completed peer assessing before) - Understanding of the concepts of self-assessment and peer assessment

Materials/Supplies/Technology: 1. notebook paper 2. pencil

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

rest of opinion letter VIPs Alphaboxes Any other part of project they want to use to create conclusion White paper Markers

Lesson Instructional Model (circle appropriate model(s) for the lesson): Inquiry/5E Literacy Read Aloud Word Study Guided Reading Shared Reading Literature Circle/Novel Study Shared Writing Writing Workshop SS Role-playing Simulation Service Learning Learning Center Cooperative Learning Debate/Conflict Resolution Other: _____________________________ Steps/Sequence of Activities Correlated to Instructional Model: 1. - - 2. - - - - - - 3. Launch What do we know about opinion letters thus far? What can we do to complete our opinion letter? Teach time/Mini--lesson There are several ways to conclude your letter. I will model each type and write conclusions based on the sample letter read last week. Types: Summary of issue- shouldnt use if this is how they started Rhetorical question Strong quotation from a reliable source. ALREADY COMPLETED Transitions Words and Phrases - I will show my class how to write transitions words and have them incorporate them into their final draft of their letters. Writing Time - Students will add their final touches to their letters including transition words. Sharing - Students read letters to the rest of the small group. FINAL PROJECT Students will be drawing out the most important part of the project in their minds. They will pair up and draw the important things about the project to present to the whole class. They will also put phrases such as Clean our water or Tap Water Saves Trees on their papers. We went back on 11/15 to present to the entire class for about 30 minutes.

Direct Instruction

4. 5. 6. - - - 7.

Differentiation: -Students will not be expected to self-assess if struggle is apparent to write the letter at all. I will work with them to assess their letter and make necessary changes to fulfill the requirements of the letter. -Students who finish the assignment quickly will be expected to write out their final draft on an iPad to be emailed to me to print to send to the person chosen to write to. Evaluation:

This is the final day of writing. I will have separate rubrics (attached) to assess the student work after the day is complete. The final evaluation is posted at the end of the PDF. Analysis of Assessment(s): This assessment was pretty easy to complete. My students understood the use of transition words and phrases and were able to incorporate them into their letters. They also understood the importance of advocating for a great cause such as cleaning and better filtering drinking water in Waco, Texas. They became extremely excited to share with the entire group about ways they can help save Waco drinking water. Reflection: This was a great final day of the project. We were able to complete all the aspects of the project in a timely manner. I will we had more time for reflection on the project, maybe even an entire lesson to reflect, but the whole of the project went very well. It was amazing to see my students grow and become so passionate about bettering Waco water filtration for the communitys drinking water. Altogether, this project was a great way to advocate about the community but needs more time to appropriately do so.