Systemic Discrimination? Service Dog not Allowed Reading Response Article 009

This informational text is about Critical Thinking and how to seek out high quality information from both sides to help make an informed opinion about controversial topics.

In Canada, a Human Rights Tribunal said it was okay for a school to deny a boy with autism his service animal in class.

This ruling is controversial. It has sparked debate over service dogs in school. It also shows barriers that students with disabilities face in the education system.

The take-away message is that we can make more informed decisions by becoming full minded. 

It’s important to think about the information you have. Then, try to figure out what information you might be missing. Finally, we need to go out and look for that missing information and consider how it might be right. 

Students get an opportunity to think about different points of view: the parents who say this is discrimination, the school board who says what they provide is enough, the human rights tribunal that agrees with the school board, and an accessibility lawyer that says the human rights tribunal failed. 

This article comes in 4 differentiated reading levels:

• File 4A. Grade 5
• File 4B. Grade 7
• File 4C. Grade 9
• File 4D. Grade 11

NOTE: Reading grade levels are approximate.

• I used Hemingway Editor to re-write each paragraph for the different grade levels:
• Hemingway determines the “grade level” of your text using the Automated Readability Index. Although there are many different readability formulas that calculate different grades, bottom line is there are 4 different versions of the article.
• EACH BODY PARAGRAPH in the article is numbered. All 4 differentiated versions of the articles contain the same paragraph structure. (So paragraph 1 has the same facts in all three reading levels.)

Service dog not allowed in class to help boy with autism.

This package includes 

• Informational Text article written at 4 different reading levels
• a mini lesson on Critical Thinking
• 8 discussion questions with SAMPLE ANSWERS
• a paragraph response package with brainstorming handout and rubric

✅ OPTION 1:  DISTANCE LEARNING with GOOGLE CLASSROOM

Create an assignment in your Google Classroom

Attach this link so students can view the slideshow:

• https://educircles.org/present/article-009
• Slideshow includes quick talking points from the article, discussion questions, and a video to watch. 

Create a copy of the reading article for each student (FILE #4)

• There are 4 different reading levels (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d).
• Choose the one that is appropriate for your class.
• You can use a higher or lower reading level for students based on ability.
• Students answer the discussion questions directly in the Google Doc 

OPTIONAL: Create a copy of the paragraph response Google Docs (FILE #6) 

• Students fill out the brainstorming graphic organizer (double-entry journal)
• Students write a paragraph to one of the discussion questions

✅ OPTION 2: NO PREP Independent Work Packet

Print the NO PREP PDF (FILE #0)  

• It includes everything you need for this reading article at the middle grade level (Grade 7)
• If you need a different grade level, just print the appropriate PDFs. (FILE #4a, 4b, 4c, 4d)

✅ OPTION 3: FACE to FACE Learning / If you want to EDIT the files

• Modify the Google Slides or Google Docs to fit your specific classroom needs.
• Teach using the Google Slideshow (FILE #3)
• Give students a copy of the reading article (FILE #4a, 4b, 4c, 4d)
• OPTIONAL: Give students a copy of the paragraph response (FILE #6)

✅ For more information visit https://educircles.org/article/009

• Slideshow includes quick talking points from the article, discussion questions, and video. 
• Includes links to the references cited in this article.

BONUS READING STRATEGY VIDEO LESSON: 

• This article goes well with the reading comprehension strategy called EVALUATING
• Here's a FREE YouTube VIDEO for students that explains the strategy. (This way it's easier to teach with DISTANCE LEARNING)
• LINK: COMING SOON

ABOUT our Learning Articles

Our 21st Century Learning Articles give you information about an issue that you can discuss with your students.

• The lesson slideshow includes talking points and discussion questions on our Educircles website.
• A student handout package is available for download from our TpT store. 
• This includes printable handouts of the informational text at three different reading levels in PDF and Google Docs format. 
• BONUS: When we publish a new learning article, it can be downloaded for FREE for a limited time to people who subscribe to our email newsletter on Educircles.org - click here for more information

Software Requirements 

This package includes several files in a Google Drive folder. 

• The files are numbered in the order that you need them.
• You need a Google account to be able to add the package folder to your Google Drive

According to TpT’s help documents: 

• TpT will give Buyers an “Add to Google Drive” button. 
• Upon tapping that, TpT will make a unique copy of your file/folder and add it to the Buyer’s Google Drive, so each Buyer has a different link unique to that Buyer.  

This lesson is linked to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as well as the Province of Ontario Language Arts Curriculum.

The preview file shows you screenshot and thumbnail previews of exactly what you get in this product.