AMY SUMMERS
After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in Journalism, I
worked in advertising, public relations and marketing. When my husband and I
had our twin sons, I decided I wanted to focus on being a mother while my
husband finished his intensive medical training. During my ten years home, I
was able to dabble in some freelance writing. As a woman who has never held a
gun or fished anywhere besides my grandmother’s backyard as a child, I dug
myself a nitch as an outdoor writer. I edited and worked for a writer and we
published in print and online outdoor magazines. This goes to show that a good
writer can write about anything.
When my last child went to school, I was ready to return to my career.
Unfortunately, the landscape had changed and the few jobs that I did interview
for required a commitment of travel and overtime. Neither of these were
conducive to family life.
I had taught Parish School of Religion (PSR) and been involved with Vacation
Bible Schools long before I had started a family. I had always enjoyed working
with teenage students and had always thought I would enjoy being a teacher. I
went back to school to get a certification to teach high school English.
As a teacher, my goal is to help students improve their writing. For those that
aspire to be professional writers, I believe I can help them prepare for a career in
writing. For those who do not consider themselves good writers, I hope to help
them find their voice. All careers require some type of writing and everyone
needs to know how to put together words to inform, persuade, describe, or
entertain. Another lifelong skill I hope to instill is a love of reading. There are
many different types of books that can appeal to many different types of readers.
The goal is to match students to the right reading that will encourage them to
pick up books in lieu of television, computers, and video games… at least some
of the time.
I hope to inspire my students to think deeper than they ever have before about
what they read. I want them to be able to express themselves in their own words,
not words I feed them or edit the heck out of.
Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to
multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and
interesting. -- Aldous Huxley
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105
Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. -- Mason
Cooley
On writing: The Lord shall open unto thee His good treasure, the heaven to give
the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and
thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. -- Deuteronomy
28:12
Show me the books you read, and I’ll show you who you are. – Unknown
Argumentative Writing
Senior English
Amy Summers
18 classes (6 weeks)
Rationale: Students have become comfortable with writing persuasive papers, but Core Standards are now
requesting that it be expanded to a broader format that introduces both sides of an argument. Rather than
pushing a one-sided agenda, students will focus on offering several claims for one side while acknowledging that
there are valid counterclaims from the opposition. This less-biased approach hopes to give perspectives to both
sides of the argument for the reader AND the writer.
Summary: Students will learn how to make an effective argument. They will be able to identify the parts of a
solid essay, research a subject of their choice, support their claims, make counterclaims, and give an overview of
the subject that sways readers to seeing things his or her way. They will see how word choice, use of facts, and
emphasizing emotions will help make their points.
Objectives (Bloom’s Taxonomy – Cognitive)
Knowledge – Learn how to identify an argumentative essay.
Comprehension – Describe the different strategies of arguing.
Application – Determine what strategies work best for an argument.
Analysis – Given examples to review, what strategies make for good arguments, which were most and least
effective.
Synthesis – Using the techniques learned to interpret other argumentative essays, students will create their own.
Using the writing graphic organizer students will be able to organize their thoughts into well-thought out
paragraphs and a complete work.
Evaluation – By utilizing peer evaluation, students will get ideas of how to tweak things in their work. Also, by
having a peer look over their work, they may be enlightened by things they didn’t see or get new perspectives on
now familiar projects.
Length of Curriculum: 6 weeks; 1 day 50 min class, 2 at 85 minutes (18 class periods)
Materials and Resources: Classroom, computers, access for students to grammargallery.org to work on activities,
digital library, pens, paper for notes
Formative Assessment: Homework and class work graded regarding mini-lessons, sample argumentative speech
review, writing graphic organizer, peer review
Summative Assessment: Students will turn in a final argumentative essay at the conclusion of the course. After
it has been graded, students will have one week to make up to 50 percent higher than that score.
Teacher Calendar
Day One –
Introduction to Argumentative writing and how it differs from persuasive writing. (See Animal Testing persuasive
vs. argumentative sheet). What are the different ways we argue? We will go over persuasive devices.
Day Two –
Give students the writing organizer sheet and have them come up with an argument, points of the argument, and
a conclusion for “Should parents share embarrassing photos and stories of their kids online?”
Day Three –
Continue analyzing argumentative essay project. Go over as a class.
Day Four-The All Important Thesis. What it is, how to write it, examples. Mini-lesson on complex sentence structure.
Day Five –
Brainstorm ideas for an argumentative essay, points to make, points the other side would make, etc. Mini-lesson
on importance of work choice.
Day Six-Parts of a writing argument, how to structure, write an outline; mini-lesson on five paragraph essay. Show
examples of good and bad argumentative essays.
Day Seven -Go over homework from class before and review how to write an argument; mini-lesson on how to embed a
quote.
Day Eight –
Continue researching essay subject on the high school library database.
Day Nine –
Another day for research, note taking, questions.
Day Ten –
Another day of research, note taking, questions; mini-lesson how to format sources in text and biography.
Day Eleven –
How to write an outline, take notes, etc.
Day Twelve –
Read and review a sample argumentative essay. Identify the different parts of the essay by using highlighters.
Day Thirteen –
Rough draft due.
Day Fourteen –
Rough draft returns and individual conferences; begin writing final draft.
Day Fifteen –
Individual conferences continued and writing draft.
Day Sixteen –
Mini-lesson in issues that have arisen; more writing and conferences on final drafts
Day Seventeen –
First draft due; Peer reviews; partner will mark argument and points.
Day Eighteen –
Paper due and begin next unit, will be given a chance to fix errors and make up to 50 higher than your first grade
(1 week from this date).
LESSON PLAN
Heading
Senior English
Amy Summers
Argumentative Essay vs. Persuasive Time Frame 1 hour 50 mins (2x)
Rationale
Rather than write a paper to push a view or agenda, the argumentative essay teaches
students how to research and illustrate a well-rounded understanding of a topic. It also
demonstrates a lack of bias that will enhance the level of trust that the reader has for
both the writer and his/her opinion. Addressing both sides also gives the writer the
opportunity to refute any arguments the opposition may have, and thus, strengthening
his/her own argument by diminishing the opposition's argument.
- To determine the parts of what makes a good argument
- To learn to research on the computer facts that support your argument
- Will be able to organize ideas into a strong argument
Animal Testing persuasive vs. argumentative handout, begin assimilating material for rest
of unit
Objectives
Reading Material
Instructional *
Initiating
Framework
Lesson Plan *
Direct Presentation and Collaborative
Format
Grouping
Single, pairs, whole class
Materials &
Resources
School – Board, writing utensils, computers
Teacher – PowerPoint presentation, Summative assessment handout, Animal Testing
handout, writing organizer sheets
Student – paper, writing utensils
Literary Strategy
Venn Diagram, writing organizer sheets (attached),
Phase One
-
Look at Animal Testing handout and Argumentative vs. Persuasive handout
As a class, make a Venn diagram that identifies similarities and differences of
argumentative and persuasive writing
Phase Two
-
Go over PowerPoint of the different ways we argue, have students give examples
Phase Three
-
Identify five main parts of an argumentative essay and label them in the Animal
Testing handout. May work in pairs.
Phase Four
-
Formative
-
Give students the writing organizer sheet and have them come up with an
argument, five points of the argument, and a conclusion for “Should parents share
embarrassing photos and stories of their kids online?” See article
http://voices.yahoo.com/should-parents-post-embarrassing-photos-their-kids6947980.html?cat=25 to gather facts.
Begin working together on Phase Four and have them turn in their writing
organizers the next class period
Assessment
Summative *
-
Begin thinking about own subject for final argumentative essay
-
Finish writing organizer for “Parents embarrassing their children” topic
Assessment
Homework
Assignment
Persuasive Writing v. Argumentative Writing
Persuasive
Argumentative
Goal
To get reader to agree with you/your
point of view on a particular topic
To get reader to acknowledge that your side is
valid and deserves consideration as another
point of view
General Technique
Blends facts and emotion in attempt to
convince the reader that the writer is
“right.”(Often relies heavily on
opinion.)
Offers the reader relevant reasons, credible facts,
and sufficient evidence to prove a valid and
worthy perspective.
Starting Point
Identify a topic and your side.
Research a topic and then align with one side.
Viewpoint
A single-minded goal based on a
personal conviction that a particular
way of thinking is the only sensible way
to think. Writer presents one side— his
side.
Acknowledge that opposing views exist, not only
to hint at what a fair-mind of reader, but to give
the opportunity to counter these views tactfully
in order to show why your view is the most
worthy. Writer presents multiple perspectives,
although is clearly for one side.
(Persuasive writing may include ONE
opposing point, it is then quickly
dismissed/refuted.)
Audience
Writer needs to know intended
audience and their beliefs. Then,
writer can “attack” and attempt to
persuade audience to his side.
Doesn’t need an audience to convince. The writer
is content with simply putting it out there.
Attitude
They want to gain another “vote” so
they “go after” readers more
aggressively. Persuasive writing is
more personal, passionate and emotional.
Writers simply want to share a conviction,
Give Examples
whether the audience ends up agreeing or not.
Persuasive Essay:
Argumentative Essay:
Animal Testing
Animal testing has benefited human health. People
do not contract polio anymore because of a vaccine
tested on animals. Advances in antibiotics, insulin,
and other drugs have been made possible through
research done on animals. Animal testing should
continue to benefit medical research.
In order for scientists to create new drugs, they
have to be able to test them. Scientists have found
that many animals have similar physical processes to
humans. Watching how a new drug affects an animal
makes it possible to find out how new drugs might
affect the human body.
The cost of animal testing makes it an affordable
option. Laboratory animals are in abundance. It is
easy to breed rats and other animals and to keep
them in labs.
Animal testing saves human lives. It would be
wrong to test new drugs on humans. How many
people would die because doctors could not administer medication before compiling all the information
about a new drug? When surveyed, 99% of all active
doctors in the United States stated that animal
research has paved the way to many medical
advancements. An impressive 97% of doctors support
the continuous use of animals for research.
Animal testing should be continued for medical
research. It provides a safe method for drug testing
that is inexpensive and easy to maintain. Doctors
endorse the usage of animals for testing. It is possible
that the cure for AIDS could come about through
animal testing.
Medical research involving animals has dramatically improved the health of the human race.
Without animal testing, the cure for polio would not
exist and diabetics would suffer or die from their
disease. Despite these benefits, some people believe
that animals should be not be used for testing medical techniques and drugs. This essay will outline the
advantages of animal testing.
Animal testing allows scientists to test and
create new drugs. Animals such as monkeys or
rabbits have similar physical processes to humans.
This allows scientists to test the effects of certain
drugs. If a drug produces adverse effects in animals,
it is probably unfit for human use.
Animal testing is cheap. There is a large
supply of animals for medical research. Animals are
easily bred and maintained safely in controlled labs.
The costs of testing on humans would be extremely
high.
Many people argue that animal testing is
cruel. In some cases, this is true. However, it would
be much more cruel to test new drugs on people or
children, or to let people die because there was not
enough information about a drug. Furthermore,
legislation in most countries sets standards for
animal treatment, and laboratories have guidelines to
prevent cruelty.
Opponents of animal research also say that
information from animals does not apply to humans.
They point to certain commercial drugs, which have
been withdrawn because of side effects in humans.
While it is true that animal systems differ from human systems, there are enough similarities to apply
information from animals to humans.
Animal rights campaigners claim that we
don’t need new tests because we already have vast
amounts of information. However, many new deadly
infections appear every year and new treatments and
drugs are needed to combat these deadly plagues.
Animal testing is needed in the world we live
in. Our responsibility is to manage the animals in our
care and balance their suffering against the good that
comes from them.
Animal Testing
KEY
Underline Claim (my side)
Circle Counterclaim (The other side)
Types of claims:
1. Claims of Fact or Definition
These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a
settled fact.
Example
What some people refer to as global warming is actually nothing more than normal, longterm cycles of climate change.
2. Claims of Cause and Effect
These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to
occur.
Example
The popularity of SUV's in America has caused pollution to increase.
3. Claims About Value
These are claims made about what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how
we would rate or categorize something.
Example
Global warming is the most pressing challenge facing the world today.
4. Claims About Solutions or Policies
These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a
problem.
Example
Instead of drilling for oil in Alaska we should be focusing on ways to reduce oil
consumption, such as researching renewable energy sources.
Writing Graphic Organizer
Name_______________________
Date_________________________________
Subject ____________________________________
Introductory Paragraph
Hook the audience:
Give a little background on the issue:
Thesis Sentence (remember – dependent clause, independent clause format):
Body Paragraph #1
Reason #1
List out your Evidence of Support
Body Paragraph #2
Reason #2
Body Paragraph #3
Reason #1
List out your Evidence of Support
Conclusion Paragraph
Handout for Summative Project
Restate Your Main Idea
PERSUASIVE DEVICES
Graphic Organizer
Directions: Try to incorporate these persuasive devices into your Argumentative
paper. As we discuss write definition on left side and place your examples in the 2nd
column.
Persuasive Device
Rhetorical Device
Logos/Logical Argument
Pathos/Emotional Appeal to your Audience
Ethos/ Credible Source
Research
Example
THE ALL-IMPORTANT THESIS
As Greek logicians used this word, it meant a “premise or proposition to be stated and then
proved through logical analysis and argumentation.”
More importantly, a thesis statement focuses both the writer’s and reader’s attention on
specific issues to be developed within an essay.
Some thesis statements on funerals:
Example:
“Funerals in America.”
Not a complete sentence. Doesn’t take a stand or make a claim about the topic.
Example:
“I will write about funerals in America.”
The focus is on “I”, not Funerals. Still, says nothing about your topic.
Example
“I have been to five funerals in the past year.”
Who cares? This is not argumentative because it is purely fact.
Example
“I like going to funerals.”
This statement is not arguable because it is a question of taste, not reason or argument.
Example
“Funerals are sad, frightening, and depressing events.”
This statement is too broad. This needs to be limited or narrowed.
Example
“Funerals are helpful.”
Better. Most thesis statements focus on the predicate, so we should try to expand this a bit
more. Helpful for whom? Why? How?
Example
“Funerals help the bereaved come to terms with death.”
Much better. But do you have enough to say about “coming to terms with death.”
Example
“Funerals help the living by giving them a chance to understand the finality of death, to feel a
sense of comradeship with other mourners, and to reflect on their mortality.”
This statement is so much better because can be argued against. Also, it provides an
organizational pattern for the essay.
Thesis Statements pattern can serve as an aid:
Independent clause(s) + restricting clause(s)
[general ideas are stated]
[qualifying idea(s) defined]
Example:
“University education is more beneficial than technical training [independent /
generalization] because at the university the students have the opportunity to learn technical
and career related skills as well as to acquire perspectives on life from studying subjects like
philosophy, art, and literature [restricting idea].”
Let’s write some thesis statements!!
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE TYPES
Outline 1:
1. Give your thesis statement.
2. PRO idea 1. State the reason people feel this way.
1. Highlight evidence
2. Give statistics
3. Share a personal experience or a story.
3. PRO idea 2. State the reason people feel this way.
1. Highlight evidence
2. Give statistics
3. Share a personal experience or a story.
4. CON(s) + Refutation(s)
1. Highlight evidence
2. Give statistics
3. Share a personal experience or a story.
4. Explain why these might be true BUT....
5. Conclusion
1. Highlight the overview of your topic.
2. State some of the general effects.
3. Give your opinion on how these general effects will impact your topic.
4. Conclude with your opinion or a “call to action.”
Outline 2:
1. Give your thesis statement.
2. CON(s) + Refutation(s)
1. Highlight evidence
2. Give statistics
3. Share a personal experience or a story.
4. Explain why these might be true BUT....
3. PRO idea 1
1. Highlight evidence
2. Give statistics
3. Share a personal experience or a story.
4. PRO idea 2
1. Highlight evidence
2. Give statistics
3. Share a personal experience or a story.
5. Conclusion
1. Highlight the overview of your topic.
2. State some of the general effects.
3. Give your opinion on how these general effects will impact your topic.
4. Conclude with your opinion or a “call to action.”
Argumentative Paper Format
INTRODUCTION
o 1-2 paragraphs tops
o PURPOSE: To set up and state one’s claim
o OPTIONAL ELEMENTS
Make your introductory paragraph interesting. How can you draw your readers
in?
What background information, if any, do we need to know in order to
understand your claim? If you don’t follow this paragraph with a background
information paragraph, please insert that info here.
o REQUIRED ELEMENTS
If you’re arguing about an issue or theory – provide brief explanation of your
issue/theory.
STATE your claim at the end of your introductory paragraph
BACKGROUND PARAGRAPH
o 1-2 paragraphs tops; Optional (can omit for some papers). Also, sometimes this info is
incorporated into the introduction paragraph (see above).
o PURPOSE: Lays the foundation for proving your argument.
o Will often include:
Summary of works being discussed
Definition of key terms
Explanation of key theories
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE PARAGRAPH #1
o PURPOSE: To prove your argument. Usually is one paragraph but it can be longer.
o Topic Sentence: What is one item, fact, detail, or example you can tell your readers that
will help them better understand your claim/paper topic? Your answer should be the topic
sentence for this paragraph.
o Explain Topic Sentence: Do you need to explain your topic sentence? If so, do so here.
o Introduce Evidence: Introduce your evidence either in a few words (As Dr. Brown
states ―…‖) or in a full sentence (―To understand this issue we first need to look at
statistics).
o State Evidence: What supporting evidence (reasons, examples, facts, statistics, and/or
quotations) can you include to prove/support/explain your topic sentence?
o Explain Evidence: How should we read or interpret the evidence you are providing us?
How does this evidence prove the point you are trying to make in this paragraph? Can be
opinion based and is often at least 1-3 sentences.
o Concluding Sentence: End your paragraph with a concluding sentence that reasserts
how the topic sentence of this paragraph helps better understand and/or prove your paper’s
overall claim.
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE PARAGRAPH #2, 3, 4 etc.
o Repeat above
Argumentative Paper Format pg. 2
COUNTERARGUMENT PARAGRAPH
o PURPOSE: To anticipate your reader’s objections; make yourself sound more objective
and reasonable.
o Optional; usually 1-2 paragraphs tops
o What possible argument might your reader pose against your argument and/or some
aspect of your reasoning? Insert one or more of those arguments here and refute them.
o End paragraph with a concluding sentence that reasserts your paper’s claim as a whole.
CONCLUSION PART 1: SUM UP PARAGRAPH
o PURPOSE: Remind readers of your argument and supporting evidence
o Conclusion you were most likely taught to write in High School
o Restates your paper’s overall claim and supporting evidence
CONCLUSION PART 2: YOUR “SO WHAT” PARAGRAPH
o PURPOSE: To illustrate to your instructor that you have thought critically and analytically
about this issue.
o Your conclusion should not simply restate your intro paragraph. If your conclusion says
almost the exact same thing as your introduction, it may indicate that you have not done
enough critical thinking during the course of your essay (since you ended up right where
you started).
o Your conclusion should tell us why we should care about your paper. What is the
significance of your claim? Why is it important to you as the writer or to me as the reader?
What information should you or I take away from this?
o Your conclusion should create a sense of movement to a more complex understanding of
the subject of your paper. By the end of your essay, you should have worked through your
ideas enough so that your reader understands what you have argued and is ready to hear
the larger point (i.e. the "so what") you want to make about your topic.
o Your conclusion should serve as the climax of your paper. So, save your strongest
analytical points for the end of your essay, and use them to drive your conclusion
o Vivid, concrete language is as important in a conclusion as it is elsewhere--perhaps more
essential, since the conclusion determines the reader's final impression of your essay. Do
not leave them with the impression that your argument was vague or unsure.
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY RUBRIC
Category
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
Thesis statement
Thesis statement
provides a clear,
strong statement
of the position
on the topic.
Thesis statement
provides a clear
statement of
your position on
the topic.
Thesis statement
is present, but
does not make
the position
clear.
There is no
thesis statement.
Support for
position
Includes at least
three pieces of
evidence
(examples,
statistics,
anecdotes,
textual evidence)
that clearly and
strongly support
the thesis
statement.
Includes at least
three pieces of
evidence
(examples,
statistics,
anecdotes,
textual evidence)
that support the
thesis statement.
Includes at least
two pieces of
evidence
(examples,
statistics,
anecdotes,
textual evidence)
that attempt to
support the
thesis statement.
Includes one or
no pieces of
evidence
(examples,
statistics,
anecdotes,
textual evidence)
that may or may
not support the
thesis statement.
Transitions
A variety of
thoughtful
transitions are
used to show
how ideas are
connected.
Transitions show
how ideas are
connected, but
there is little
variety.
Some transitions
show how ideas
are connected,
but some
connections
between ideas
are unclear.
Huh?? The
transitions
between ideas
are unclear or
non-existent.
Closing
Paragraph
The conclusion is
strong and
leaves reader s
solidly
understanding
the author’s
position and the
main points of
the essay.
The conclusion
leaves readers
with an
understanding of
your position and
the main points
of the essay.
The conclusion
attempts to leave
readers with an
understanding of
your position and
the main points
of the essay, but
these are not
clear.
You left readers
hanging! There
is no conclusion
or it does not
leave the reader
with any clear
understandings
of your position
or the main
points.
Structure and
Punctuation
Grammar,
Spelling
X
Used various
sentence styles
and lengths;
avoided run-ons
and fragments;
used appropriate
punctuation
Did a fair job on
varying sentence
structure; may
have made a few
small mistakes in
run-ons,
fragments and
punctuation
Did you even
edit your essay?
It was full of
invalid
sentences;
rampant with
run-ons and
fragments; and
or poor
punctuation
knowledge was
utilized.
X
Great job of
editing! You
checked your
spelling and
grammar; your
word choice was
spectacular
You may have
run spell check,
but editing
requires reading
and tweaking
word choice,
correct word
usage, etc.
Even if you don’t
have access to
spell check on
your computer
(which you
should!), there
are things called
dictionaries. You
also were lazy in
word choice.
Step it up!
Extras
Penalties (-1 to -20 pts)
-
-
Late (-5 pts a day up to four days late)
Incorrect formatting 12 pt Times New Roman, normal
margins, headings, double spaced, no typos (-1 to -10)
Gimmies (+1 to +2 pts)
-
-
Great title (+1 point)
Clean, crisp, stapled, collated (+1point)
Good Job following directions (+2 point)
Argumentative Writing
Student Handout
Mrs. Summers
Senior English
March 25 – May 10th
A good argument can make almost anyone
rethink their position on an issue. It requires
the writer to plan, have facts to back up his or
her argument, and to give other alternatives
that perhaps the person will discount.
Includes: analysis of
argumentative writing, Venn
diagram, filling in writing
graphic organizer, strategy
learning, peer review, writing
outlines, editing, and final
essay.
For Example:
Your parents are influencing you to take an ACT preparation course. Which is more effective?
Your mother hammers at you why you need to do take the class…
including things such as “you have to go to a college,” “because your
brother did,” and the favorite “because I said so!!”
Your mother tells you about the test and how colleges use it to grant
admission to school. She tells you what your options would be if you took the
course and if you didn’t and what the results could be… including things such
as “the pamphlet here says students score 8 points higher,” “taking a
preparation course before the test may mean you only have to take the 3
hour test once instead of twice,” and “your school psychologist says you will
feel more relaxed if you are prepared and thus won’t feel anxious like a lot of
others will.”
Annotating in Accordance with Common Core Standards
Argumentative writing is a unit that Christian Brothers High School (CBC) and my
cooperating teacher have taught seniors’ last semester for several years. Now with the focus
on Common Core Standards, CBC can see that they are doing a positive thing by doing this
before they send the young men on to college or into the working work.
Reading Information Text is heavily weighted in Common Core. Common core
recommends that teachers expose their students to more than basic literature, and CBC and
this unit require students to read studies and do research on non-fiction and media sources.
Students are required to cite strong and give textual evidence to support their views. Standard
six specifically deals with the author’s point of view and how his word choices contribute to its
power. This is particularly true when argumentative writing is concerned.
Word choice, writing to a specific audience and parallelism can make or break a reader’s
agreement to an argument. Standard nine of the standards in particular deals with the reading
to writing connection. It requires that students be able to draw from what they have read and
use it as evidence in their writing. That is exactly what is being asked of students in this
argumentative writing plan. Depending on the subject chosen by each writer, students are
indeed drawing from various types of texts to support their claims. Writing an argumentative
text also requires student writers to integrate their knowledge ideas gathered from various
texts and asks that they relay their sources in a universal standard.
In regards to writing standards, this assignment requires students to create texts that
when combined can convey complex ideas and concepts. Students have to choose the best
points and use precise style and a formal format in order to qualify as an effective argument.
The pinnacle of the essay involves two large focuses on the writing standards which are
developing a theory or thesis and providing a concluding paragraph that restates their view in a
concise sentence of two.
To wrap up the importance of the Common Core Standards, essays such as this
exemplify writing done after high school. At work, employees may have to write proposals for
purchase of new products, utilization of new policies or asking for raises. In college, these types
of essays are important not only in English and communication arts class, but also in courses
such as social studies. Also, students can’t be successful in law school without being pros at
argumentative writing. Being able to convince judges to see one way on evidentiary hearings or
to verbally persuade jurors to see a specific side of things, is absolutely crucial and can be the
difference in an innocent or guilty verdict!
Students can individualize this project by choosing a subject of interest to them. Thus
allowing them to gain further knowledge in areas that perhaps will greatly influence them. It
could help them make decisions in their personal lives, professional lives, or perhaps just
strengthen their opinions on interests or causes. These reading, research and writing skills will
be important wherever life takes them.
(I will also turn in a marked up copy of specific instants of use of strategies in this unit to
reinforce these common core ideals.)