Lesson Plan - Should Schools Serve Flavored Milk?

Turn and Talk
Engage students in the topic by inviting them to turn and talk with a partner about what they like to drink with school lunch. 

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• petition 
• artificial 

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read the debate, have them look for the main arguments on each side.

1. What did Esteban Perez do to bring about change at his school?
Esteban started a petition, got other students at his school to sign it, and then presented it to the principal. 
^{(RI.4.1 TEXT EVIDENCE)}

2. What do people on each side of the debate say flavored milk does to kids’ health?
People who think schools should serve flavored milk say it improves kids’ health by providing nutrients like vitamin D, calcium, and potassium. People who don’t think schools should serve flavored milk say it harms kids’ health because it has too much added sugar. 
^{(RI.4.9 INTEGRATING INFORMATION)}

3. What clues in the text help you understand the meaning of the word crave?
The phrases “even more sweet treats” and “the more sugar your body is going to ask for” help show that the word crave means to want something a lot.
^{(RI.4.4 WORD MEANING)}

FEATURED SKILL: Opinion Writing
Use the skill builder “Support Your Stance” to have students plan a persuasive essay about flavored milk at school.
^{(W.4.1 OPINION WRITING)}