Candidate Names: Allison Smith and Sophie Lee

TAG Strategy in this lesson: Creative Problem Solving

LESSON NAME: Food for Thought

Time Needed (Hours/Days): 2- 45-60 minute periods

Grade:3 Subject: ELAR and Science

STANDARDS/ELEMENTS: CCGPS, GPS/GSE (where applicable) and TAG Standards

Advanced Communication Skills: Advanced Research Skills:
7. The student responds to contributions of others, Choose an item.
considering all available information. Choose an item.
8. The student participates in small group discussions to
argue persuasively or reinforce others good points.

Creative Thinking and Problem Solving Skills: Higher Order Thinking Skills:
2. The student designs, applies, evaluates, and adapts a 7. The student examines an issue from more than one point
variety of innovative strategies to when problem solving of view.
(e.g., recognizes problems, defines problems, identifies Choose an item.
possible solutions, selects optimal solution, implements
solution, and evaluates solu
10. The student monitors and reflects on the creative
process of problem solving for future applications.
CCGPS Standards:
On:
ELAGSE3RI1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis
for the answers.
ELAGSE3RI7 Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate
understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
ELAGSE3SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Adv/Accelerated:
ELACC4RI1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
ELACC4RI5: Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas,
concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION(s)
What do you do with an idea?
How can one idea create many impacts in the world around me?
GOAL:
Know:
-to evaluate information and data to determine a problem in a real-world context
-to support ideas with evidence from the text
Understand:
-how to apply the creative problem solving process to generate ideas and a final solution
-that ideas generated during the brainstorming process develop into a possible solution
-that solutions resolve or minimalize negative effects and can impact the world around us
-there may be more than one solution to a problem
Be able to:
-Develop a creative solution based on information given about a topic (food waste)
-Thoroughly explain to an audience the solution and its impact on the environment
- Justify solution with supporting evidence

ROLE: Students will become experts on the topic of food waste in America. Based on their understanding
of the issue, they will develop a solution to this problem and assume the roles of writers of printed or
presented material for The Department of Agriculture.
AUDIENCE: The audience will members of The Department of Agriculture.
PRODUCT: Students will have a choice of writing for a newspaper/newsletter article, persuasive speech,
or song to present on behalf of The Department of Agriculture. The product will focus on the solution to
food waste in America based evidence from their research.
EXPECTATION: See rubric below

PERORMANCE TASK:
Hook: Instruct students to NOT throw out any of their solid food left-overs from lunch (throw out drinks).
Each student should bring back his/her tray or lunch box to class with all remaining waste or garbage.
Once back in class, have the students collectively dump their waste into containers marked trash and
left-over food. Once finished sorting the items students will make observations and make predictions
about what happens to all this left-over food?

Performance Task: Students will engage in the creative problem solving process to create a solution to
food waste in America. First, students will investigate this topic, identify a mess and then create a
solution to the mess they identify. The performance task will ask students to choose a method from a
choice board (attached) to share and explain their solution to the mess of food in America with The
Department of Agriculture.
Assessment Strategies: Students will be assessed using the analytic rubric below.
 Choice Board Activities for Food for Thought Problem Solving Activity
Write a persuasive speech that Write a newspaper article
you will give to the Department or editorial that you will
of Agriculture. Explain your publish in the Department
solution to issues related to of Agriculture monthly
Food in America. Be sure to newsletter. Explain your
include facts and evidence to solution to the issues of
support your reasoning from the Food in America. Be sure
information youve been given to include facts and
throughout the process. evidence to support your
reasoning from the
information youve been
given throughout the
process.

Write a song or poem

that you will perform
during the entertainment
break during the Annual
Symposium of
Department of
Agriculture. Explain
your solution to the
issues of Food. Be sure
to include facts and
evidence to support your
reasoning from the
information youve been
given throughout the
process.
 Food for Thought Solution Rubric
Student Name: __________________________________________
Criteria 1- Not Evident
Solution Presentation Only demonstrates 1 of the
following:
(x2)
__ideas are organized
__presentation is appropriate for
The Department of Agriculture
__presentation is engaging for the
audience
__audience can easily understand
the solution
Explanation and Evidence Only demonstrates 1 of the
(x2) following:
__Explanation of solution is clearly
described
__Accurate facts from text are used
__Accurate facts from text features
are used
__Details are used to support why
or how the solution will impact the
environment
Word choice, grammar and Only demonstrates 1 of the
conventions following:
__ Proper capitalization and
punctuation is used
__ Variety of sentence structures
are used
__ Spelling does not distract
readers from understanding
__Thoughtful word choice and
vocabulary is used
Total: __________/20
Comments:
2- Emerging
Only demonstrates 2 of the
following:
__ideas are organized
__presentation is appropriate for
The Department of Agriculture
__presentation is engaging for the
audience
__audience can easily understand
the solution
Only demonstrates 2 of the
following:
__Explanation of solution is clearly
described
__Accurate facts from text are used
__Accurate facts from text features
are used
__Details are used to support why
or how the solution will impact the
environment
Only demonstrates 2 of the
following:
__ Proper capitalization and
punctuation is used
__ Variety of sentence structures
are used
__ Spelling does not distract
readers from understanding
__Thoughtful word choice and
vocabulary is used
3- Proficient
Demonstrates 3 of the following:
__ideas are organized
__presentation is appropriate for
The Department of Agriculture
__presentation is engaging for the
audience
__audience can easily understand
the solution
Demonstrates 3 of the following:
__Explanation of solution is clearly
described
__Accurate facts from text are used
__Accurate facts from text features
are used
__Details are used to support why
or how the solution will impact the
environment
Demonstrates 3 of the following:
__ Proper capitalization and
punctuation is used
__ Variety of sentence structures
are used
__ Spelling does not distract
readers from understanding
__Thoughtful word choice and
vocabulary is used
4-Exemplary
Demonstrates ALL the following:
__ideas are organized
__presentation is appropriate for
The Department of Agriculture
__presentation is engaging for the
audience
__audience can easily understand
the solution
Demonstrates ALL the following:
__Explanation of solution is clearly
described
__Accurate facts from text are used
__Accurate facts from text features
are used
__Details are used to support why
or how the solution will impact the
environment
Demonstrates 4 of the following:
__ Proper capitalization and
punctuation is used
__ Variety of sentence structures
are used
__ Spelling does not distract
readers from understanding
__Thoughtful word choice and
vocabulary is used