With recent concerns about climate change and rising oil prices, the world is looking for alternative and cleaner energy sources. One possible solution is nuclear power; however, there are advantages and disadvantages to consider.
In this extended writing task (LDC module), students will discuss the scientific and societal advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power. They will read, analyze, and gather/cite relevant information from text(s) and write an argumentative essay arguing whether the U.S. should continue to pursue nuclear energy as a viable energy option, acknowledging competing views. You may also have students discuss current/past examples to illustrate/clarify their position as an optional demand. In addition to the Colorado Academic Standards, this module focuses on the following priority standards from the Common Core State Standards:
• RST.10: Read closely, analyze and evaluate multiple texts pertaining to development and use of nuclear power.
• RST.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. be introducing the first part of standard RST.1. Students will do deeper with this standard in the spring LDC module.)
• SL.6: Acquire and use academic language while speaking, listening, writing and thinking. • Develop a claim and counterclaim.
• WST.1: Write an evidence-based argumentative essay including competing views with valid reasoning and relevant evidence.
• SL.1: Initiate and engage in a variety of collaborative discussions.
This module explicitly addresses Colorado Academic Standards (CAS): SC09-GR.HS-S.1-GLE.3: Matter can change form through chemical or nuclear reactions abiding by the laws of conservation of mass and energy. As outlined in the district scope and sequence for Chemistry, this module is designed to be implemented following the completion of the second unit, Fun with the Periodic Table.
Considerations
• Consider assigning students to two different heterogeneous groups for the duration of this module: a reading group and a writing group. Students should work with their reading group on the first read (or reads) of a text, but should work with their writing group to complete the graphic organizers for each text and then again during the peer editing process. Consider where appropriate, assigning part or all of a mini-task (mini-tasks or portions of mini-tasks designed to be completed independently) for homework.
• Within the scoring guide for each mini-task, we have detailed student products that can be monitored; the product suggested for formative assessment has been bolded.
Special Note:
This module’s instructional ladder uses several fields in ways not conventional to LDC for the purpose of meeting requirements of Denver Public Schools and its common module approach.
SkillandMini-TaskRepetition. Toprovideclarityaroundthesequencingoftheteachingofthesameskill multiple times in this module, the same skill and/or mini-task sometimes appears multiple times in the Instructional Ladder’s “Reading Process.”
Mini-TaskPrompts. Tomeetthelocalmandateofincludingcontent/languageobjectives(CLOs)ineverylesson, these mini-task prompts include the sentence starter “students will be able to (SWBAT).” While these are not strictly “student-facing” as required by LDC, each CLO is always communicated to students in this format as a daily goal.
