Standards- See Appendix A
Essential question
In what direct and indirect ways do natural disasters affect our society?
Application
Students will create a list of direct and indirect ways that the natural disaster of their choosing affects society.
Students will select a role and write to a specified audience on the topic and format specified (RAFT activity).
Students will share their work with a partner and then present to a small group.
Instruction, information and Resources
Instruction- Show models how to write a persuasive essay in the format of an advice column, a note, a formal request, letter, or a plea.
Information- Identify a role, the audience, the format, and topic of the presentation based on the natural disaster researched on Task II.
Resources- Model samples of an advice column, a note, a formal request, letters and pleas.
Evidence- Students will produce a written sample following the specified format in the assigned topic.
Procedure
The teacher reviews the work done in tasks I and II and asks for voluntary students to read their myth and research paper regarding the natural disaster of their choice, Next, the teacher explains that in today's class they are going to role play and use what they have learned so far to create a writing piece. The teacher presents different samples of the format outcomes and explains how they need to choose a role and its corresponding audience.
In the next step, the essential investigative question is read aloud and individually students are asked to complete the RAFT activity in Appendix B. Students are then paired and are asked to share their role with a partner and brainstorm. Next, small groups are formed and each individual explains the role they are playing, who their audience is, and what is their topic. In turn, students proceed to read their work to the small group until everyone has had time to share. Students will be able to ask questions once the student sharing has completed reading their work. Finally, the students self assess their performance.