Learning Experience Plan

Subject: English Grade level: 9

Unit: Argumentative Writing Length of LEP (days/periods/minutes): 3 periods
Topic: Writing an argument
Content Standards: (include only standards addressed in this LEP) 9-10 W1:
Literacy Standards: (include only standards addressed in this LEP)
Learning Experience Outcomes (knowledge/skills):
Students will make an argument using the correct language in order to write an argument that is clear,
takes one position, and does not use personal pronouns.
Students will write supporting evidence sentences to support an argument in order to support the
argument they have written.
Students will write a whole paragraph that includes an argument with three supporting detail sentences
that has evidence from the text.
Learning Experience Assessments:
Homework worksheet that focuses on making arguments.
Exit ticket that students must write the key components to making an argument with supporting
details.
Paragraph that has an argument with at least three supporting details for the argument the student
makes.
Differentiation (What will you do to meet the needs of students at these different levels?)
Approaching- Provide extra help and extra examples of other paragraphs that set good
examples for the student.
On-Level- Give students an opportunity for extra credit by giving them three a more
challenging article and they must write an argument for the subject.
Beyond- Give the students a chance to select their own topic of argument and write a
paragraph the way it was taught in class.

Materials Procedures/ Strategies

Day 1 (add additional days as needed)

Sponge Activity (activity that will be done as students enter the room to
get them into the mindset of the concept to be learned)
Powerpoint Ask the class, is homework really effective? Allow the students to make
an argument based on their own knowledge, yes or no and why?
Students will write in their notebooks the answer they chose. If they said
yes students will go to one side of the classroom. Those that said no will
go to the opposing said forming as a mini debate. Hear at least two
Smartboard or explanations from each side.
projector
Anticipatory Set (focus question/s that will be used to get students
thinking about the day’s lesson)
Propose the questions, What is an argument? How do we form
arguments and defend them?

Worksheet for Activating Prior Knowledge (what information will be shared

homework printed with/among students to connect to prior knowledge/experience)
out Connect making an argument to having a conversation with a friend.
Ask the students “Have you ever gotten into an argument with a friend
or family member and both of you believed you were correct? How did
you defend your point of view during the conversation?
Direct Instruction (input, modeling, check for understanding)
Step One: The teacher will describe what an argument is and why it is
important for students to be able to write about.Students should be able
to chime
Step Two: The teacher will read aloud two short passages about the
effectiveness of homework. One passage will be in favor of homework
and one passage will not be in favor of homework.
Step Three: The teacher will make an argument for homework and
highlight details from the text that will allow the students to see why she
made that argument.
Step Four: The teacher will do the same for the argument not in favor of
homework.
Step Five: The teacher will demonstrate the proper language that should
be used. No personal pronouns!
Guided Practice (how students will demonstrate their grasp of new
learning)
The students will work in pairs to try to form their own argument based
off the passages the teacher used. As the students work together the
teacher will chime in and circle the room helping students while they
form arguments. The argument should be one sentence with just one
supporting detail. After the students have worked together the class will
share out together and the class can help each other and work with the
teacher to correct and comment on each other’s arguments. The teacher
should be making sure that the students are making clear arguments
while using the correct language.
 Independent Practice (what students will do to reinforce learning of the
lesson)
Students will receive a worksheet for homework with small made up
prompts that allow them to choose a side and make an argument. There
will be three prompts and students should write one argument for each
prompt. Students will use the proper language for making an argument
and must do all three arguments in order to get full credit

Closure (action/statement by teacher designed to bring lesson

presentation to an appropriate close)
To finish out the class, ask the students to take what they have learned a
step further and see how this lesson can get a little harder. Students can
talk with partners and then share out a few ideas based on how this
lesson can get harder.

Day 2 (add additional days as needed)

Sponge Activity (activity that will be done as students enter the room to
get them into the mindset of the concept to be learned)
Students will show the homework and go over it with the teacher. A few
students will read aloud theirs and the teacher can work with the
students to fix their argument.
Anticipatory Set (focus question/s that will be used to get students
thinking about the day’s lesson)
Do Now: Ask students to write down a time they were in an argument
and how they tried to convince the other person why they were correct.
Activating Prior Knowledge (what information will be shared
with/among students to connect to prior knowledge/experience)
Ask students about the lesson from the day prior. For example, what
kind of language is used when writing a formal argument? Where do we
get the information to back up your argument?
Smartboard or Direct Instruction (input, modeling, check for understanding)
projector
Step One: The teacher will display a short paragraph that presents an
argument.
Step Two: The teacher will choose the argument and write it in the
Printed exit ticket proper language on the board.
about arguments
Step Three: Next the teacher will find two supporting details from the
article and write in their own words how this detail is in support of the
argument he/she chose.
Step Five : Students will work in pairs to form their own arguments
from the same passage. The students will read aloud their arguments and
supporting detail that was written in their own words with no personal
pronouns.

Guided Practice (how students will demonstrate their grasp of new

learning)
Students will work in pairs and use the other excerpt from the article to
form the opposing argument than the teacher made. The students must
work together to form an argument and use the details of the article to
support their side of the argument. The teacher will be circling the
classroom and chiming into the pairs ensuring students are doing their
best work. After, the class will share out together their argument along
with the supporting evidence for their argument.

Independent Practice (what students will do to reinforce learning of the

lesson)
As an exit ticket, students will write what the key components of
making an argument and including supporting evidence. For example,
proper language, citing the author, relates supporting evidence to the
original argument.
Closure (action/statement by teacher designed to bring lesson
presentation to an appropriate close)
Before the exit ticket, students will share one thing they thought they did
well and one thing they think they need work on after learning this
lesson.

Day 3 (add additional days as needed)

Sponge Activity (activity that will be done as students enter the room to
get them into the mindset of the concept to be learned)
Students will receive their exit ticket from the day prior. Students can
turn and talk to a partner and see if they have similar ideas about what
the key components to making an argument with supporting details are.
After the students speak to each other the teacher will open the floor for
conversation to see what the majority of the students thought was most
 important when making an argument.
Anticipatory Set (focus question/s that will be used to get students
thinking about the day’s lesson)
Do Now: Open up a conversation about a debate students may have
watched or possibly been in and what kind of language was used
throughout the debate. Relate debates back to writing and the language
students should be using in their writing.
Activating Prior Knowledge (what information will be shared
with/among students to connect to prior knowledge/experience)
Teacher will play a short video of a debate and then connect it back to
Smartboard or writing formally and defending an argument with logically and clear
projector instructions.
Direct Instruction (input, modeling, check for understanding)
Print out of
Step One: Teacher will give another example of an argument on the
examples of others
board and find three supporting details from the article.
students argument
paragraphs Step Two: The class will work together with the teacher to write the
supporting details in their own words to formulate a proper paragraph.
Step Three: The teacher will put the students into groups and hand out
portions of past argumentative essays and students will read the
passages and point out the different language.
Step Four: Students will share out with their peers what was important
aspects of the paragraph from prior argument essays.
Step Five: The teacher will explain what the student's homework is. The
students will write a full paragraph based on the article given by the
teacher. Students should write one paragraph with an argument and at
least three supporting details. The paragraph should flow nicely with all
of the sentences being relevant and clear. The language should be proper
with no personal pronouns.

Guided Practice (how students will demonstrate their grasp of new

learning)
Students will work in small groups to read and analyze parts prior
student’s argumentative essays provided by the teacher. Students should
look for the main points we talked about in class such as language,
structure, flow of the sentences and citations. As the students work the
teacher will circle the classroom chiming into groups and assisting the
students. After, the students will be given the opportunity to share their
short paragraph with the class and the teacher can work with the class to
comment or correct the students' paragraphs.
Independent Practice (what students will do to reinforce learning of the
lesson)
For homework, students will use the supporting details we found in class
and write a paragraph . Students must select a side and write a short
paragraph with at least three supporting details and write them in their
own words and integrate them into a paragraph that flows well. The
paragraph should be at least five sentences and should have proper
citations with the correct language.
Closure (action/statement by teacher designed to bring lesson
presentation to an appropriate close)
To finish out the three day lesson, ask the students to discuss what they
think the three golden rules of writing an argument would be. Students
should write down the three rules they agreed on and the teacher will
collect them.