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.