UWP Lesson Plan Template

Teacher Name: Alex Jensen Grade Level: 9th Grade English

Target Content/Lesson Topic: Water Scarcity Date: 4/19/24

This lesson is for a(n) __X__ whole class _____ small group _____ individual

Planning
Essential Question Why should we care about water scarcity?
- What is the essential question that Who is affected by water scarcity?
this lesson addresses?
- What is the core purpose of the
lesson that includes the strategies
and skills necessary to accomplish
the deeper learning in the standard?
Sequencing Students have just finished up writing an essay about a story that they believe must be preserved or
- How does this lesson fit into the remembered, and conducted research about the story/topic that they chose.
larger unit of study? Students are now in a unit about sustainability, and started with an anticipation guide. This lesson introduces
- Focus on a logical/hierarchical them to the concept of water sustainability, which is one of the sub-topics in this unit, and can start thinking
sequencing of skills (e.g., main ideas about what they want to research. They will also be practicing how to evaluate a text and cite relevant textual
before details, similarities before evidence. Throughout the rest of the unit, they will continue to practice these skills.
differences).
State Learning Standards R.9-10.1 - Cite relevant textual evidence that strongly supports analysis of what the text says
List the complete, relevant grade- explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences; develop questions for further exploration. (RI & RL)
level standard(s).
Learning Target(s) and Learning LT: I can cite relevant textual evidence.
Objective(s) LO: Students will be able to cite relevant textual evidence that supports analysis of the text.
- Choose your learning target(s) and
objective(s) based on the relevant
state learning standard(s).
- Write focused targets and
objectives that describe the specific
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September 2021
 learning outcome (what students
should be able to do as a result of
the lesson).
- Be sure they are stated in
observable and measurable terms
(e.g., ABCD+T).
Grouping Students will mostly be working independently besides the whole-group discussions. They will have the option
Describe how and why students are to work with someone near them while working on the questions, although they are more likely to choose to
grouped based on work by themselves.
- homogeneous, heterogeneous,
randomized
- ability, interest, IEP goals, social or
social-emotional, behavioral,
language acquisition
Co-Teaching Strategy My mentor teacher will assist with classroom management as necessary, but I will be the one leading the lesson.
Does this lesson involve co-
teaching? If not, state N/A. If yes,
identify the co-teaching model and
what role each teacher will play.
-One Teach, One Observe; One
Teach, One Assist; Station Teaching;
Parallel Teaching; Supplemental;
Alternative; Team Teaching

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September 2021
 Differentiation Content – information will be presented both visually and orally
Describe how you will meet
individual students’ needs by
adjusting the content, process, Process – students can either fill out the graphic organizer while they’re reading or after
product, and environment based on
their readiness, interests, and learning
preferences. Product

Environment – preferential seating

IEP Goals Relevant to Lesson (Add rows as necessary.)

N/A
Accommodations and/or Modifications Required for Students in Special Education (Add rows as necessary.)
N/A
Supports for English Language Learners (Add rows as necessary.)
N/A

Assessment
Formative Assessment I will perform an informal formative assessment when students start to finish the reading. I will walk around
- How will you monitor student and look at what they have on their graphic organizers, provide feedback, and answer any questions as they
learning throughout the lesson? come up.
- Be specific about how your practice
assessments connect directly with the
lesson objective.

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September 2021
 Formative Evaluation Criteria Approaching expectations – has less than 3 entries under each category
- What material(s) will you use to Meets expectations – has at least 3 entries under each category with page numbers
evaluate learning?
- Attach a copy of your checklist,
rubric, observation criteria, or other
measure.
Summative Assessment Throughout this unit, students will be investigating either water, agricultural, social, or energy sustainability.
How will students demonstrate They will create a portfolio containing the information that they gather during the course of the unit.
mastery of the standard?
Note: This assessment does not have
to occur during/after this lesson but
in upcoming lessons.

Summative Evaluation Criteria Mentor will use a rubric with 4 main categories: analyzing, organizing, producing text, and using language.
- What material(s) will you use to
evaluate learning?
- Attach a copy of your checklist,
rubric, observation criteria, or other
measure.

Procedures

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September 2021
 Opening: Introduction and • As class starts, I will start by telling them that we’ll be practicing annotation today
Connection to Previous Learning • Ask them what they remember about annotation
● Anticipatory Activity (Hook) o What’s the point?
● Activate prior knowledge. o What types of things can you mark?
● Be sure students understand • Today we will be reading an article about water scarcity, practicing annotation, and answering some
procedures and instructions for questions
the lesson. • Pass out reading and graphic organizer
● Establish clear expectations. • Get highlighters/markers
● Model concept. • Explain directions for graphic organizer
The groupings/instruction/lesson o Either while they’re reading or after they’re finished, they need to write down what they’ve
progression may look different in different marked in the corresponding category
parts of the lesson! o By the end, they need to have at least 3 things for each category
• Project my copy of the reading; show them how to make a key at the top
• We’re going to start with me showing them how I would do it
o Read the first paragraph out loud, then pause and think about if there’s anything we want to
mark
o Repeat for second paragraph
• We will do the next two paragraphs together
o Read the third paragraph out loud, then ask them what they would mark
o Tell them my ideas if they miss anything I think is important
o Repeat for fourth paragraph
• Remind them that they will need to have 3 things for each category in their graphic organizer

During: Lesson Progression • For the next two paragraphs, they will be working on their own, but I will be around to answer any
In this portion of the lesson, you will questions
be letting go and letting students • For the last page, they will be working independently
engage in productive struggle; • I will perform my formative assessment as I notice students start to finish the reading and graphic
engaging in gradual release (“I do, we organizer
do, you do”), inquiry, guided or
• After they finish filling out their graphic organizer, start working on the questions at the end
independent practice, or other
o Your graphic organizer will help you answer some of the questions
learning methods. Please write what
o For questions 3, 5, and the last 3, they need to use evidence from the text to support their
you are looking for in terms of:
answers

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September 2021
 ● Students’ thinking and how • Continue to walk around as they’re working to answer any questions and check in with how they’re
they will start the lesson. doing
● Provide appropriate support
(not explaining how to do it).
● Provide worthwhile
extensions.
● Provide opportunities for
students to engage in using
the academic language.
This is where you will be suggesting
or modeling specific strategies
and helping students choose which
strategy makes sense to them.
However, you must make sure ideas
come from students.
Closing: Wrap-Up and Extension • To wrap up, we will discuss the answers to the post-reading questions
End the lesson with a final review of • Then, we will discuss what they put in their “questions” category of their graphic organizer
key ideas and knowledge. This is o What does this article make you wonder? What do you want to learn more about?
where you have students talk about o These are questions that they can use to guide their research for their portfolio
their thinking and share strategies
with the whole class. It’s important
to name strategies and use academic
vocabulary here, extending the lesson
to broader ideas.
● Promote a community of
learners.
● Listen actively and probe
thinking without evaluating
or telling them how you
would do it.
Summarize main ideas and identify
future problems that they would be
able to solve using the thinking you
have discussed. Provide a brief

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 preview of what the next lesson will
include.
Curricular and Instructional Reading: “Water Scarcity: A Global Issue” by Shelby Ostergaard, 2017; from www.commonlit.org
Resources or Materials Post-reading questions; from same source
- List and provide a brief rationale Graphic organizer
for all necessary lesson resources and
materials. If not original, cite the
source.
- Attach/link a copy of all materials
the teacher and students will use
during the lesson; e.g., handouts,
questions to answer, slides,
worksheets, and so on.
Supplies, Equipment and Writing utensil
Technology Highlighters (blue, green, yellow)
- List all other supplies that need to Projector
be available.

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September 2021
 Name: Class:

Water Scarcity: A Global Issue

By Shelby Ostergaard
2017

In areas where water is easily accessible, it's easy to forget that access to clean water can mean
the difference between life and death. In this informational text, Shelby Ostergaard discusses the
different factors that contribute to water scarcity in various regions throughout the world. As
you read, take notes on the causes and effects of water scarcity.

[1] Consider yourself lucky whenever you pour

yourself a glass of water. Today, on every
continent in the world, there are people who,
because of water scarcity, spend their entire
day looking for clean water.

Water scarcity is pretty much what it sounds

like — when water is so scarce in a region that
the people there do not have enough clean
water to drink. While the majority of people
on earth have access to water, there are still
millions of people who do not. According to "In line" by Daniel Bachhuber is licensed under
reports the United Nations created as part of CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
the Water for Life initiative and the non-profit
water.org, one in ten people do not have access to clean water. Worldwide, that is roughly 783
million people. Imagine 783 million people who struggle daily for the clean drink of water that
luckier people wake up to. There are two kinds of water scarcity. The first is physical water
scarcity, which occurs in areas without natural water resources, such as deserts like the Sahara.
The second is economic water scarcity, which occurs in areas where there are enough water
resources for people to use, but they are poorly managed and allowed to be contaminated.

Physical water scarcity is most often caused by drought. A drought occurs when it rains far less
in a given area than it usually does, creating shortages in water supply. Droughts can be
declared after as little as 15 days without rainfall and can continue indefinitely. The longest
drought in recorded history lasted for 400 years in the Atacama Desert in Chile. However, most
modern droughts are not nearly so severe. In the United States, the National Drought
Mitigation Center finds only the panhandle1 of Oklahoma and northern Georgia experiencing
‘extreme drought’. California experienced severe drought between 2012 to 2017, while Florida

1. a narrow strip of territory projecting from the main territory of a state

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 experienced severe drought between 2006-2007, and again in 2017. Droughts are considered
severe when water shortages become common and extreme when major crop2 loss occurs.
Globally, the Center shows that there is ‘extreme drought’ in the Middle East and eastern
Australia and ‘severe drought’ in parts of northern Africa.

Droughts are a natural process that have occurred throughout history. The effects of prolonged
drought often depend on both severity and how people react to them. Sometimes, like in
California, drought can simply lead to a change of what is easily available for purchase in
grocery stores. Others, like the 1900 drought in India, which had a death toll between 250,000
and 3.25 million, can lead to mass migration, famine,3 and humanitarian crisis.4 Droughts can
start unexpectedly and last indefinitely. This unpredictability is a major factor in what turns
droughts from unpleasant to deadly. Climate scientists are currently predicting that the same
human activities which will lead to global climate change will trigger5 more droughts. The
droughts triggered will be less natural and therefore even more unpredictable.

[5] Economic water scarcity, on the other hand, is the result of plentiful water resources being
mismanaged and leading to contamination and disease, sometimes as a result of war or
conflict. In addition, water overuse and pollution are increasing global water insecurity.
Contamination occurs whenever something is mixed into a water supply; if it is harmful to
humans, animals, or plants, it is then referred to as pollution. Pollution can be as simple as a
dead animal dumped into the river that supplies a village, or as complex as large multinational
corporations building factories that pollute water sources. It can include oil, carcasses,
chemicals, and fecal matter. When any one of those is dumped into a main water supply, it
contaminates the entire supply, rendering it undrinkable.

Economic water scarcity occurs all over the world. In Linfen, China, residents say that they
choke on coal dust daily and cannot drink the water because of the coal mixed into it. In
Ranipet, India, leather tanning wastes contaminate groundwater6 with the chemical hexavalent
chromium, leading to water that residents say stings like an insect. This is the same chemical
whose presence in a California’s water supply triggered a massive lawsuit against Pacific Gas
and Electric Company, as depicted in the 2000 film Erin Brockovich. Worldwide, water is not
always contaminated as a result of corporate pollution. In Mexico City, after a 1985 earthquake
damaged the pipes and tunnels the city had built for water, the government could not manage
to repair the damage. Now, over 30 years later, the city still does not have access to clean
drinking water. Drinking the water in any of these places, including parts of the USA, will lead to
health problems.

2. A crop is a type of plant that is grown for food, especially grain, vegetables, and fruit.
3. extreme shortage of food
4. a singular event or a series of events that threatens the health, safety, or well-being of a
community of people
5. Trigger (verb) to cause (an event or situation) to happen or exist
6. water that collects or flows beneath the Earth’s surface

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The consequences of waterborne diseases are deadly. They can lead to bacterial infections,
typhoid fever, cholera, skin trauma and even brain damage.

Finally, world conflicts drive water insecurity. When a region is embroiled7 in a conflict or war, it
becomes much more difficult for the people in that region to access water. Sometimes it is
simply because there is too much violence. In conflict zones, like in Afghanistan or South Sudan,
even walking to a well can become deadly, not to mention what happens when the water is
further away than across the village. Some governments, especially dictatorships, restrict
access to water to exert8 control over the people they govern. Additionally, modern weapons
often have a side effect of polluting water. Dzerzinsk, Russia has a contaminated water supply
because it was the country’s primary chemical weapons manufacturing site throughout the
Cold War. Chernobyl, Ukraine, the infamous site of a nuclear meltdown, still has contaminated
water because of that meltdown.

Water is life. That’s not an exaggeration or a metaphor. Large swaths of people die from
waterborne diseases, or from dehydration, as a direct consequence of water scarcity. A human
body is largely made of water, and daily water intake is absolutely necessary to replenish that.
Water is more important for survival than food, and global access to water is a fundamental
human issue. It is the first thing that humans need. As water scarcity increases globally, we are
all in danger. Without water, without that first thing, life slowly starts to shut down.

"Water Scarcity: A Global Issue" by Shelby Ostergaard. Copyright © 2017 by CommonLit, Inc. This text
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

7. Embroil (verb) to involve something or someone in conflict or difficulties

8. Exert (verb) to exercise or put to use

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 Text-Dependent Questions
Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete
sentences.

1. PART A: Which of the following best describes the author's main claim in the text?
A. Water scarcity is not something that humans have any control over, as it is
caused by natural events.
B. Humans can reverse the damage they have inflicted on the Earth's water
supplies if they reduce their pollution output.
C. Widespread water scarcity threatens the right that all humans should have
to access clean drinking water, as it is essential to live.
D. Water scarcity is an issue primarily caused by humans that needs to be
addressed by humans.

2. PART B: Which detail from the text best describes the answer to Part A?
A. "Droughts are a natural process that have occurred throughout history.
The effects of prolonged drought often depend on both severity and how
people react to them." (Paragraph 4)
B. "In Ranipet, India, leather tanning wastes contaminate groundwater with
the chemical hexavalent chromium, leading to water that residents say
stings like an insect." (Paragraph 6)
C. "Chernobyl, Ukraine, the infamous site of a nuclear meltdown, still has
contaminated water because of that meltdown." (Paragraph 8)
D. "Water is more important for survival than food, and global access to
water is a fundamental human issue." (Paragraph 9)

3. How does physical water scarcity compare to economic water scarcity?

A. Physical water scarcity is caused when there is naturally a lack of water in
an area, while economic water scarcity is caused when humans alter a
once useable water source.
B. Physical water scarcity is caused solely by droughts, while economic water
scarcity is caused by humans' contamination of water.
C. Physical water scarcity is caused by a natural lack of water in an area,
while economic water scarcity is caused by a region's inability to afford
water.
D. Physical water scarcity is caused by humans' contamination of a water
source, while economic water scarcity is caused by the lack of natural
water sources in an area.

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4. How does the introductory quote "Consider yourself lucky whenever you pour
yourself a glass of water" (Paragraph 1) contribute to the text?
A. It persuades readers to feel guilty about their access to water.
B. It shows that most people take their drinking water for granted.
C. It hints at a future in which people may not have access to drinking water.
D. It encourages readers to reflect on their own access to water.

5. What evidence does the author use to support the idea that contaminated water can
negatively impact people's health?

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 Discussion Questions
Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be
prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. How does your own access to water compare to that of people who live in areas
experiencing water scarcity? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and
other literature, art, or history in your answer.

2. In the context of the article, who's in control: man or nature? How does the text
explore the relationship between humans and nature? How do the ways in which
humans influence their environment ultimately impact themselves? Cite evidence
from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your
answer.

3. In the context of the article, what are the costs and benefits of technology? How has
the development of new technology negatively impacted the availability of clean
water? How could technology be used to improve humans' access to clean water?
Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history
in your answer.

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 Name: ________________

Block: ______

Water Scarcity Graphic Organizer

Directions: After reading the article “Water Scarcity: A Global Issue,” write down each thing
that you annotated in the corresponding column. Include the page number with each entry.

Key Details Inferences/Claims Questions

Mentor Teacher Feedback form – Designing Strategy-Based Comprehension – Field Based Lesson Plan & Teaching Assignment EDU 412

Directions of Mentor Teacher: Thank you for taking the time to provide your expertise and feedback on this lesson. As part of the course EDU
412 Literacy Development, Parkside pre-service teachers (PST) plan and teach a lesson plan focused on supporting comprehension of a
discipline-specific text. Please consider the following areas to provide commentary, as well as your own observations:

● Modeling and clarity of expectations (does the PST model the reading strategy for the students? Are the expectations clear and
established frequently during all parts of the lesson?)
● Success of student comprehension of a text (did the students demonstrate purposeful comprehension, with the help of a during
reading strategy? Were the students prepared for the activity completed after reading the text?)
● Student engagement (were students engaged during the lesson? In what ways yes or what ways no?)

Comments from Lesson:

The PST began the lesson by explaining the expectations for the assignment to students. He then explained what he was looking for, modeled
how to begin annotating the document, and continued for the first few paragraphs. The expectations were clear, and PST reiterated them
throughout the lesson.

Students demonstrated purposeful comprehension of the lesson and the text by answering questions and following along with the PST’s
directions. The during-reading strategy highlighted specifics (inferences, unknown words, and key details). The students were asked to
complete a graphic organizer using the items they highlighted, which showed that they were prepared.

The students were mostly engaged in the lesson. Some students were on their phones and having a few side conversations. Overall, students
completed the assignment as the PST walked around during “work time.”

Sidenote: PST did a wonderful job working one-on-one with one student who is experiencing difficulty concentrating on long texts.

Mentor Teacher Signature: Renata Gasienica Date of Observation: 04/19/2024

Alex Jensen

Dr. Prince

EDU 412

Strategy-Based Comprehension Reflection

When thinking about what text I wanted to use for this lesson, I asked my mentor teacher what

they would be learning about around the time of my observation. She said they would be starting

a unit about sustainability, so I chose an article about water scarcity. Regarding the strategy

itself, I wanted to work on annotation with them. I’ve taught this strategy before with a different

group of students, and I wanted to make improvements compared to when I previously taught it.

My mentor teacher said that they had practiced annotation before, but that they would benefit

from another lesson on it.

As the lesson began, most students were engaged; most of them were staying off their phones,

asking questions at the appropriate times, and looking up at the board regularly. However,

engagement started to decline as they started working individually. Many of them started going

on their phones and talking instead of working, and most students needed redirection at some

point or another.

Regarding the graphic organizer that I used, I honestly don’t think that it was very helpful

or served much of a purpose. We spent more time than I had expected reading and annotating the

article itself, so not many students had used the graphic organizer in the way that I had hoped. If

I had to teach this lesson again, I would use a different kind of graphic organizer; something that

would serve a better purpose, like a KWL chart.

In terms of incorporating the data I collected from the literacy lives survey, the main

thing that I kept in mind was the fact that they reported having trouble staying focused and
staying off their phones. I put more effort into redirecting students when I noticed them on their

phones or getting off track, and provided positive reinforcement and encouragement as they

made progress. I also empathized with them when I noticed they were having trouble focusing,

and encouraged them when they were almost done. This helped to make things go more

smoothly when I was redirecting them. I expected that these things would be a struggle for them,

and being gentle but firm helped them receive the redirection better. In the future, I would like to

put more effort into including the data I collected into the content itself. For this lesson, I just

used a text that went well with the unit.

The feedback I received from my mentor teacher was all positive, and she noted how I

worked well with a particular student one-on-one. She didn’t mention any specific areas I could

improve upon, but in the future I would like to practice working with students in small groups

and one-on-one. I’ve only taught lessons using whole-group instruction, and I think that a lesson

like this one would work well using small-group instruction. Something that my supervisor

mentioned to me was that I was having trouble keeping up with students’ questions while they

were working individually, and spent a considerable amount of time working with one particular

student while the others needed help too. I think that this aspect of pacing takes practice, but

delivering the lesson to smaller groups and using co-teaching strategies would be beneficial and

would help me gauge things better.