ESL III WDMCS Budget Cut Feedback

Student Teachers Name: Kelsey Konecky

Date: 12/07/15 (Mon)
Lesson Title: Opinion Writing - Modeled example and guided pre-writing
Subject: ESL III
Instruction time: 44 minutes
Students level by grade: 10th & 11th grade
Standard(s) to be addressed:
Lesson Background
West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) has recently been holding public feedback sessions and
workshops on the proposed budget cuts for the 2016-2017 school year. There is currently a list of 15
proposed cuts (list available online at: http://www.wdmcs.org/2015/11/cost-saving-measures-presentedpublic-feedback-sessions-scheduled/) that would total $710,607 in savings. WDMCS is also requesting
public feedback through an online feedback form that will close on Dec 12th. The School Board will
make final decisions regarding budget cuts at their Dec 21 st meeting.
In recent weeks, students in this ESL III class have been learning about the difference between facts and
opinions, how to support opinions with facts to make stronger arguments, and how to write paragraphs. In
the last few class sessions students have been presented with the reality of district budget cuts and the
process through which the district is requesting feedback from students, teachers, and the public. Crystal
and I also showed students the feedback form, information given online about the process, discussed the
list of proposed cuts, and discussed the importance of students opinions and their ability to advocate for
themselves and others in their community. Students each received a list of budget cuts and were asked to
rank them on a scale of 1-5, 1 meaning that the student strongly disagrees with the item being cut, and 5
meaning that the student strongly agrees with the item being cut. On Friday Crystal had begun modeling
an example for students using a graphic organizer and her opinion on 1 item on the list#6 holding
meetings after school hours. Students have been made aware that they will be writing an opinion on at
least 1 item on the list of proposed cuts and submitting their writing using the online feedback form.
ELP standards
9-12.2 (Level 3) Participate in conversations, discussions, and written exchanges on familiar topics,
texts, and issues. Build on the ideas of others. Express his/her own ideas. Ask and answer relevant
questions. Add relevant information and evidence. Restate some of the key ideas expressed.
9-12.4 (Level 3) Construct grade appropriate oral and written claims and support them with reasoning
and evidence.
9-12.9 (Level 3) Create clear and coherent grade-appropriate speech and text.
9-12.10 (Level 3) Make accurate use of Standard English to communicate in grade-appropriate speech
and writing.
Learning Objectives for this lesson (Written using verbs from Blooms Taxonomy):
Students will be able to

Analyze an example of opinion writing and identify its components using a guided worksheet

Apply opinion writing strategies to express opinions about at least 1 proposed budget cut item

Identify facts, reasoning, and personal experiences that may be used to support opinions

Identified student needs and plans for differentiation:

This class is entirely made up of ELLs at or around Proficiency Level 3 (Some students fall closer to
Level 2 or Level 4). Students are placed in groups based on their personality, work ethic in class,
first/native language (L1), and English proficiency. Some students are placed with others who speak the
same L1 some are not, depending on the individual, but all students are placed in groups of 3-5. The class
is often heavily focused on discussion so student desks are set up in small clusters.
In this particular lesson, students will be given a guided note taking chartthe use of which will be
modeled for them, sentence starters to help them with their writing, as well as vocabulary and cultural
explanations/support as necessary.
Specific resources needed for this lesson:
Computer, projector, ranked student budget cut lists, student graphic organizers, pens/pencils, whiteboard,
dry erase markers
Instructional method(s) used in this lesson:
Co-teaching, questioning, modeling, sentence frames, guided note taking, small and large group
discussions, vocabulary/cultural focus as needed

Lesson Sequence:
(Continued from Friday)
Outline Example
Crystal will lead students through her process of writing by modeling a guided outline using her opinion
on list item #6 holding meetings after school hours She will think out loud and illicit student
participation as she goes.
Guided Note Taking
Kelsey will help students dissect the given example for the strategies used, type of information included,
and what students can use in their own writing. She will write sentence starters and ideas on the board,
help students fill in the Example section of their own charts as needed, and illicit student discussion.
Pre-writing/Chart Brainstorming
Teachers will circulate through the room to help students as needed.
Students will choose 1 item from the proposed cut list to focus their opinion on. Then they will jot down
their ideas in the Your Work section of their guided notes using the example and their notes on sentence
starters, and types of information to include as inspiration.

(If time)
Writing a 1st Draft
Students will get a chromebook from the cart, start a Google doc for their opinion paragraph and begin
typing. Students may also spend time finding information online to help them support their opinions.
Teachers will circulate through the room to help students as needed.