Unit 2.

1: Making Your Voice Heard Wild Animals

Grade: 6

SMART Targets
Focus

Task

Deadline

Comprehensi Wild Animals

10/31 (A)
on (Info.)
arent
11/1 (B)
pets/Let
People Own
Exotic
Animals
Writing
Argumentati
10/31 (A)
ve essay:
11/1 (B)
Should
people keep
exotic
animals as
pets?
Language
Critical
10/31 (A)
Vocabulary 11/1 (B)
(p. 231)
Part-to-whole
analogies (p.
231)
Spelling
correctly (p.
232)
Speaking &
Mock Trial
10/31 (A)
Listening
(Small group)
11/1 (B)
project
Free Choice

Grade
25 test
marks

25 test
marks

10 quiz
marks

25 test
marks
(presentatio

Close Reader

Views on
Zoos (p. 63)

10/31 (A)
11/1 (B)

n)
25 project
marks
(preparation
)
10 quiz
marks

Comprehension
Task: To compare and contrast alternate
arguments about keeping exotic animals as
pets
Lesson 1 Comprehension Check Questions
1. Trace and evaluate an argument (RI1.1; RI3.8): Read
the title and lines 1-8. Explain what the writers
claim is in this article and identify a phrase that
shows the authors position.
2. Trace and evaluate an argument (RI1.1; RI3.8): Read
lines 9-16. Identify the three reasons the author
presents that support the claim that wild animals
arent pets.
3. Trace and evaluate an argument (RI1.1; RI3.8): Read
lines 17-23. Identify an example used to support a
claim. Explain which reason identified in question 2
that the evidence best supports.
4. Trace and evaluate an argument (RI1.1; RI3.8): Read
lines 24-25. Paraphrase the counter-argument
presented in the article.
5. Trace and evaluate an argument (RI1.1; RI3.8): Read
lines 42-48. What is the authors opinion of how

states regulate exotic animals? What support does

the author give to illustrate the reason? Evaluate
whether the evidence supports a claim presented
by the author or identifies a different claim that the
evidence supports.

Lesson 2 Comprehension Center

Analyze the Text (p. 226, q.1-5)

Lesson 3 Comprehension Check Questions

1. Trace and evaluate an argument (RI1.1; RI1.3): Read
lines 4-15. Identify the authors claim and
paraphrase, or tell in your own words, the reasons
the author gives to support this claim.
2. Analyze Language (RI2.4): Read lines 10-12. Does
the phrase federally inspected facilities have
positive or negative connotations? Why?
3. Compare-and-Contrast arguments (RI1.1; RI2.4):
Read lines 16-21. Review lines 26-32 of Wild
Animals Arent Pets. How are the two sets of
evidence alike? How are they different?
4. Analyze Language (RI1.1; RI2.4): Read lines 22-25.
Identify an example of loaded language and explain
why the author uses it.

Commence Analyze the Text task (p. 229, Q14)

Lesson 4 Comprehension Center

Complete Analyze the Text task (p. 229, Q1-4)
Complete Analyze the Text task (p. 230, Q1-4)

Writing Task
Should People Keep Exotic Animals as
Pets?
Task: Write a five-part essay that argues
whether people should or should not be
able to keep wild animals as pets. Your
essay should contain evidence from both
articles and at least one other
appropriate source found through
research
Lesson 1: Plan Create an essay plan that
identifies your claim, 3 reasons why you
have taken this position. Write an
introductory paragraph that:

Write: Define what wild animals are and

identifies 3-5 examples of wild animals.
Identify a positive and negative of having
a wild animal for a pet. State your claim
and the three reasons that support your
claim.
Lesson 2: Plan Identify textual evidence
from Wild Animals Arent Pets that can
be used to illustrate any reasons you
have identified about why wild animals
should not be pets, or select a piece of
evidence that you can counter-argue if
you are choosing the opposing position.
Write a main-body paragraph, citing
textual evidence from Wild Animals
Arent Pets, that explains, illustrates,
and elaborates on why people should not
keep wild animals as pets, or a counterargument against evidence from the text.
Lesson 3
Continue writing your essay, ensuring you
have three main-body paragraphs that
explain reasons to support your claim
using textual evidence, and a counter-

argument to dismiss the opposing point

of view.
Lesson 4
Complete your five-part essay on the
topic. Review your work with a peer,
checking spelling, writing conventions,
and content. Ensure you have a minimum
three pieces of textual evidence cited and
that your conclusion answers the essay
prompt fully.
Lesson 5: Submit writing

Language Tasks (10 quiz Marks)

Lesson 1: Critical Vocabulary (p. 231): Ensure you
have words and definitions copied in your notebook.
Answer questions 1-4, identifying all examples that
match the definition.
Lesson 2: Vocabulary Strategy: Part-to-whole
analogies: Define analogy. Answer questions 1-4

Lesson 3: Language Conventions: Spell Words

Correctly. Use a dictionary to help you identify which
homophone is used correctly in each sentence.
Lesson 4: Review and amend responses if necessary.
Complete a final, neat version with your final
responses.
Lesson 5: Submit Language Quiz

Project Mock Trial

Task: You must prepare and present a 2-5
minute presentation that presents an
argument on a topic of your choice. You may
work in groups of 1-3 on this project. You must:
Identify and plan a five-part argument on a topic
of your choice

 Research the topic to find evidence you can use

to support your argument and images that will
illustrate your argument for the viewer
Create a five-part speech on the topic
Create a PowerPoint of poster display that will
enhance the listeners understanding of the
topic and support your argument
Give a 2-5 minute presentation in which you
present your argument to the class (lesson 5)