EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)

Tiered Lesson (Differentiated by Readiness)

Name & Student Number: Kamellia Steens
Lesson Topic: Secondary Source Analysis
Curriculum Area: English (Studies)
Year Level: 10

Brief description (2-4 sentences) of the broader unit into which this lesson fits, and where it fits into that
unit:
In this unit, students will be learning how to investigate a current issue in their community using both primary
and secondary sources. The purpose of this unit is for students to gain knowledge and understanding of the
importance of investigation and research when writing a formal report. It will also assist students
understanding of how an ethically researched report is more credible to its audience.
Students will be completing a number of tasks on primary and secondary sources in order to assist them with
their research process. They will then be conducting a survey of a set of questions related to the issue they
wish to explore. They will then be graphing these surveys and analysing the information they have gathered.
Once they have categorised the information, they will begin writing a report on the evidence they have
gathered. They will use minimal secondary sources to assist in substantiating their findings.

Learning Objectives*. As a result of engaging with the lesson, students will:
*As appropriate, these should be based on the Australian Curriculum. You can include specific references to ACARA in parentheses where you
have taken an objective verbatim (ACMMG006), or use language like Adapted from.. if you have made some changes to statements from
ACARA, but been guided by these.

Understand conventions for citing others, and how to reference these in different ways (ACELA1568)
Understanding who to cite in essays, reviews and academic assignments and when it is appropriate to
use direct quotations or to report sources more generally

Identify and analyse implicit or explicit values, beliefs and assumptions in texts and how these are influences
by purposes and likely audiences (ACELY1752)

Understand that (Concepts, principles, big ideas. Make sure your objectives are statements that work in the form, students
will understand that)

As a result of this lesson, students will understand that effective investigating not only informs, but also
intrigues and interests audiences. They will also understand that credible research assists in altering an
audiences attitudes and beliefs.

Know (e.g. facts, vocabulary, dates,
information)
-How to identify credible and reliable sources
of information
-How to analyse an article to determine if it is
a valid and useful piece of information
-How to be selective in choosing an article as a
secondary source to support their report

Be able to (do) (Skills, processes)
-Read an online article thoroughly and with criticism
-Analyse a text through recognising the authors intentions
-Discuss ideas and questions with peers to assist in forming
new opinions
-Be more selective in finding secondary sources
EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Essential Questions
-What are the direct benefits to asking your own questions, as opposed to only gathering second hand
information?
-How does credible research add to the relevance of published articles?
-Why is the process of investigation so important when producing certain texts?

Lesson Title: Secondary Source Scavenger Hunt

Pre-assessment of Students Readiness

At the end of the lesson previous to this one, I gave the students a short quiz instructing them that it is a
simple pre-assessment for the following lesson. The quiz asks the students a range of questions about what
they know about credible and biased research. The purpose of this pre-assessment task was to gain an
understanding of what each student already knew about the topic in order to differentiate this lesson by
readiness levels. From this assessment, I have been able to differentiate a tiered lesson based on three
readiness levels-advanced, intermediate and basic. (See Appendix 1 for Pre-assessment Quiz)

Lesson Plan
Lesson Sequence

10:50am Students arrive after recess and the
teacher will instruct them to retrieve the
laptops for this lessons use. The teacher will
conduct a role call after they come back and
are settled.

10:55am Whole Class Discussion-
Recap of last lessons content on the difference
of primary and secondary resources. The
teacher will ask students questions to help
them recall what they learnt.
Discussion on what todays topic of study will
focus on. The teacher will talk briefly about
how secondary sourced evidence can assist in
substantiating primary sourced evidence,
especially in a report format. The teacher will
refer to the essential questions (already
written on the board as part of lesson
preparation) and allow students the chance to
see how they relate to todays activity.

11:05am Tiered Activity-
Students will be divided into three groups.
The higher readiness level group is called the
Sherlock Holmes group, the intermediate
group is called the Bruce Wayne group and the
basic readiness level group is caller the
Explanatory notes

The importance of introducing the lesson with a review of
last lessons focus is to refresh the students minds with
what was taught previously. It is also a good strategy to
help those students who are struggling with some of the
concepts still. If the purpose and content of the lesson is
constantly reiterated, it is more likely that they will
remember the concepts. It also helps to ask students
questions about what they learnt last lesson, instead of just
telling them because it gets them to think and access the
information for themselves. This also helps wake them up
and gets them involved and engaged in the class.

Being clear with the students about what you will be doing
in this lesson, gives them an objective to work towards
during the lesson.












EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
MacGyver group. The teacher will explain the
general task instructions to the class as a
whole and then after, will explain to each
group what is required of them in more depth.
Each of the groups will receive a task sheet
(See Appendix 2). They are to read the
directions and complete their worksheets.

Sherlock Holmes group (Advanced readiness):
Students will be given a task sheet from the
teacher. They can choose to work individually
or with a partner if they choose. They will look
at a list of articles and select one and analyse
the source further using their prior knowledge
on credible and bias sources.

Bruce Wayne group (Intermediate readiness):
This group will also work with a partner for
collaborative support. They will look at a list of
articles and select one to analyse the source
further.

MacGyver group (Basic readiness):
The teacher will discuss in more depth what
this group of students is to do this lesson. This
group of students will complete their task
sheets with a partner also for collaborative
support.

11:40am Exit Journal Entry-
Students are instructed to stop the task and
are asked to complete an Exit Journal Entry in
their exercise books. See Lesson Closure for
details.

11:45am Pack up-
Students are instructed to pack up their
belongings and take their laptops back to the
English office.

11:50am Lesson ends
Once they return, they will be dismissed.







Sherlock Holmes group (Advanced readiness):
These students are more independent and confident in
their understanding of credible sources. Hence, why I have
noted that they can choose to work individually or with a
partner. This is to ensure that they do not feel left out, as
the rest of the class will be working collaboratively to
complete this task. However, they may feel that they want
to work independently. Their task sheets ask them minimal
questions, however, asks the students to explain their
reasoning for their given answers. The point of this is
because these advanced students work more independently
and do not require as many prompts in order to form
critical discussion. This has been noted from the pre-
assessment results.

Bruce Wayne group (Intermediate readiness):
This group has some prior knowledge of credible and bias
sources. They will work in pairs for collaborative support
and the teacher will check on them throughout the lesson
in order to gain an idea of their progress. Their set task uses
questions to prompt them in finding thoughtful answers
about their chosen article.

MacGyver group (Basic readiness):
These students will work on their task sheets with a partner
for moral and collaborative support. The teacher will check
on these students frequently and ask if any additional help
is required. These students have task sheets that give them
some information and then ask them lots of prompting
questions to help guide their learning process. The reason
for this task is so these basic readiness level students can
identify credible and bias sources of information through a
more scaffolded activity than the other two groups.

*All of the articles gathered have been selected specifically
based on student interest, i.e. technology, nutrition, graffiti,
current events, etc. Each differentiated group has the
choice of four very different articles

The Exit Journal strategy is a form of ongoing assessment
that will allow me to determine where is student is
EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
travelling in terms of their research and whether or not
they are grasping the concepts of credibility, biasness, and
author intention. This will also assist me in knowing which
students can apply these concepts to their future
investigative reports.

Lesson Closure/ Check for Understanding

In order to check for understanding at the end of the lesson, students will be required to complete a five
minute 3-2-1 Journal entry about what they have learnt today. I will write topics on the board for them to
copy into their books which will include the following: 3 things they have learnt or did not know about
secondary sources and credibility and/or biasness; 2 things they have questions about or are unsure of
relating todays task; and 1 way they see credible and reliable research working in the world around them or
in their upcoming investigative report. I will view each students work as a passport to leave the class. They
are to place their books in their folders and put them in the tray at the front of the room. This exit journal
strategy will allow me to see who is relating to the work and who needs more assistance. This means that I
can monitor the readiness of students rather than just assuming whether or not they have grasped the
concepts of this lesson.




Checklist of assignment components:
Complete, step-by-step lesson description, with notes explaining how the lesson represents an example of a
tiered lesson to address various readiness levels
Supplementary materials (e.g., copies of directions, handouts, etc. provided to students)
Copy and/or description of pre-assessment task used to assign individual students to appropriate tiers
Evaluation/ assessment criteria (e.g., rubric or checklist used to guide evaluation of student work)





















EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)

Appendix 1: Pre-assessment-quiz

Pre-assessment Quiz Name:

1. Do you know what credible research is? Explain.




2. Do you know what it is to be biased? Explain.




3. Explain author intention. Give an Example of author intention.




4. How can a piece of writing persuade you to believe the authors intention?





5. Read this text thoroughly. Draw a circle next to an example you consider to be biased, and draw a
star next to an example of persuasiveness.

All football players are angry, vicious people who use the football field to express their anxiety. It has been
reported that this sport draws males who are inherently distressed individuals who seek this activity as a
means to blow off steam. The following was reported in the magazine Sports and Mental Health, Everyone
who plays this sport, even from a young age, has issues relating to anger management. This has been a
pervasive problem that management of national teams must address head on. Unless football coaches
and officials take this issue seriously and recruit players who are more emotionally stable, our society might
incur problems. For example, some players visit bars and begin fights with patrons. Others engage in violent
activities like dog fighting and breeding pit bulls.

6. Explain whether you consider this to be a credible resource. Why/why not?




EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)

Appendix 2: Task sheets for differentiated task

Sherlock Holmes Group Task Sheet

Identifying credible sources Name:

Directions: You are to access one of the articles below, read through it thoroughly, and then answer these
questions thoughtfully and critically.

Does the article seem too good to be true? If so, why? Explain your answer.



Who wrote this information? Are they a credible source? Give reasons for your answer.



When was the article written? Consider how the age of the article impacts its reliability. Explain your
answer.



Can the information be verified? What sources has the author used. Explain your findings.



How might the tone or style of the writing reflect its credibility?



Why does the author write this information? What is their intention?




Articles to choose from:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-27/an-north-korea-men-must-have-kim-jong-un-hair/5348626

http://indaily.com.au/flinders-news/2014/02/11/media-bias-whaling/

http://www.naturalnews.com/034601_India_GMOs_Monsanto.html

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/how-to-stop-your-smartphone-from-getting-
hacked-20140326-35gzb.html

EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Bruce Wayne Group Task Sheet

Identifying credible sources Name:

Directions: You are to access one of the articles below, read through it thoroughly, and then answer these
questions thoughtfully and critically. (Note that the questions that are not in bold are merely to help prompt
your answers-they can be used as a guide)

Does the article seem too good to be true?
Does the information seem unbelievable? Does it make sense to you or others? Is there a way to check if this information is true
or not?


Who wrote this information?
What is the authors education, training, or experience as it relates to this content? Does he or she have a professional title? Is
the author connected with an organisation? If so, can you determine if it is a respected organisation? If the author is unnamed,
can you take extra steps to find out information about this author?



When was the article written?
Does the author include the date for the information written? Is it important that the research is current? Why/why not?




Can the information be verified?
What sources does the author of this information use? Are these sources listed in this article? Can you find other sources that
share the same information, or is this the only source?




How might the tone or style of the writing reflect its credibility?
Does the article contain any grammatical or punctuation errors? Is the writing emotional and does it include language that has a
critical or demanding tone? Is the writing formally or informally written? Does it seem unfair or biased? If it is biased, are there
facts or other sites to verify what it states? Does it seem likely to anger or manipulate people?





Why does the author write this information?
What is the authors intention in writing this article? Is the article argumentative or persuasive in any way? If so, how is it
persuasive and why do you think the authors intentions were when writing their article like this?





EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Articles to choose from:

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/its-attitude-that-separates-street-art-from-graffiti-20140326-
35iof.html

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/junk-food-and-alcohol-exposure-more-prevalent-during-
sports-broadcasts-than-advertising-study-finds-20140327-35jro.html

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/building-blocks-for-healthy-eating-20140321-
358gd.html

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/



MacGyver Group Task Sheet

Identifying credible sources Name:

Directions: You are to access one of the articles below, read through it thoroughly, and then answer these
questions thoughtfully and critically. (Note that the questions that are not in bold are merely to help prompt
your answers-they can be used as a guide)

Does the article seem too good to be true?
Sometimes content seems so amazing that it makes the reader wonder if its true or not. Beware of this as it can indicate
unreliability and inaccuracy. Consider these questions: Does the information seem unbelievable? Does it make sense to you or
others? Is there a way to check if this information is true or not?




Who wrote this information?
Identifying the author can help you determine the credibility and truthfulness of your source. Consider these questions: What is
the authors education, training, or experience as it relates to this content? Does he or she have a professional title? Is the
author connected with an organisation? If so, can you determine if it is a respected organisation? If the author is unnamed, can
you take extra steps to find out information about this author?




When was the article written?
For certain topics, how old the information is can impact the reliability. Consider these questions: Does the author include the
date for the information written? Is it important that the research is current? Why/why not?



Can the information be verified?
To check the accuracies of information, we might consider these questions: What sources does the author of this information
use? Are these sources listed in this article? Can you find other sources that share the same information, or is this the only
EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
source?



How might the tone or style of the writing reflect its credibility?
The design of a website in which the article is written will not necessarily mean it is unreliable. What is most important is the
writing. The way in which an article is written can reveal clues about its credibility. Consider these questions: Does the article
contain any grammatical or punctuation errors? Is the writing emotional and does it include language that has a critical or
demanding tone? Does it seem unfair or extremely slanted to a point of view and biased? If it is biased, are there facts or other
sites to verify what it states? Does it seem likely to anger or manipulate people?





Why does the author write this information?
Sometimes people write articles that contribute to unreliability, bias, or untruths. Consider these questions: What is the
authors intention in writing this article? Is the article argumentative or persuasive in any way? If so, how is it persuasive?



Articles to choose from:

http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/graffiti-artists-in-srinagar-aim-to-go-beyond-
vandalism/#more-73026

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/call-to-ban-sale-of-energy-drinks-to-kids/story-
fn3dxiwe-1226866429391

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/pilot-passes-out-minutes-after-takeoff/story-
fn3dxiwe-1226866344721

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/supermarket-giant-coles-admits-to-stocking-
food-past-its-use-by-date-at-adelaide-store/story-fni6uo1m-1226865629350