EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 1
 Reflection
 Argument Exemplar
 Nonfiction Options
 Enthusiasts vs Critics
BELLRINGER REFLECTION: ANNOTATE INTRO LETTER.
THEN, RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.
 How did you do in AP English last semester?
 Have you reached the goal you set for yourself at the beginning of the
year? If not, what got in the way? If so, what helped?
 What are some realistic improvements you can make next semester?
 What are your strengths/weaknesses in English?
 What can your teacher do to help you succeed this semester?
INCENTIVES FOR CHARITY ARGUMENT
 Exemplars:
 Prompt & Scoring
High?
Medium?
Low?
NONFICTION OPTIONS
 In Cold Blood
 The Tipping Point
 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
 Yes, And
 Incognito
 The Social Animal
Enthusiast or Critic?
• Read the topics and decide whether you are an enthusiast or a
critic. You will document either (Y) for enthusiast (agree with
issue or yes to the question) or (N) for critic (disagree with issue
or no to the question) in the left hand column.
• Discuss each persuasive topic within your group.
• Decide who is an enthusiast and who is a critic.
• Highlight the three topics that are most interesting to you.
Controversy Argument
Mrs. Shaw--AP English
Contemporary life is marked by controversy. Choose a local, national, or global issue with which you are
familiar. Then, using appropriate evidence, write an argument that carefully considers the opposing
positions on the issue, defends and argues one side, and proposes a solution, compromise or overall insight.
This essay will be scored according to the AP rubric, and should demonstrate your understanding of effective
argument. As always, MLA format (Times New Roman, 12 Font, double-spaced, one-inch margins) is
required for workshop and instructor submission.
This assignment must also be submitted to turnitin.com in addition to the paper copy on or before the due
date (workshop draft will be submitted to turnitin.com only).
With your instructor submission, you must include a Works Cited, with at least 3 sources cited
parenthetically in your essay (in MLA format).
Topic/Thesis Options Due:_________
Workshop Draft (Submitted to turnitin) Due: ____________
INSTRUCTOR SUBMISSION DUE:_______
REMINDER: READ NONFICTION BOOK
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 2
 Response & Impromptu
 Mac Writer page 435-440
 Audience and Purpose
 Thesis Statements
CONTROVERSIAL SITUATION
 Since schools have seen a rise in gang violence,
stealing, and discipline problems, many schools and
school districts are considering requiring students to
wear uniforms. Are there benefits or drawbacks to
requiring students to wear school uniforms?
 persuade others that school uniforms should or
should not be required. Defend your position with
specific reasons supported by detailed examples.
AUDIENCE & PURPOSE
Mac Writer page 435-439
 Record 3 Most Important Concepts
 Narrow to 1 in Teams
Prewriting Checklist page 440
 What issue do you feel strongly about?
What is your view on the issue?
 What is your purpose? Who is your
audience? What tone will you use?
 How will you generate and develop
supporting evidence?
“Parenting 101”
 What is the SUBJECT? The general topic, content, and
ideas contained in the text.
 What is the OCCASION? The time and place of the
piece, the current situation.
 Who is the AUDIENCE? The group of readers to
whom the piece is directed.
 What is the PURPOSE? The reason behind the text.
 Who is the SPEAKER? The voice that tells the story.
THESIS STATEMENTS
 What is a thesis statement?
 How do I get a thesis?
 How do I know if my thesis is strong?
Controversy Argument
Thesis Statements
 Your first task is to choose a topic for your essay. You will also need to have a second and third choice just in case your
topic is chosen by two other classmates.
 On the lines below, re-word the topic so that it becomes a THESIS STATEMENT rather than a general question;
for example, “Are teen curfews effective and constitutional?” might be rephrased as “Teen curfews are neither effective
nor constitutional, and should be abolished in our community.”
 Thesis Statement #1:
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement #2:
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement #3:
___________________________________________________________________________________________
REMINDERS: WORK ON CONTROVERSY ARGUMENT
READ NONFICTION BOOK
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 3
 Response & Impromptu
 Mac Writer page 440-444
 Strategies for Argumentation-Persuasion
 MLA Format Review
 Exemplars & Brainstorm
CONTROVERSIAL SITUATION
 There is much discussion as to whether some
video games are responsible for aggressive
behavior. Many adults want violent video
games banned.
 Consider how you feel about video games and
their effect on behavior. Convince others to
see your point of view with evidence that
supports your opinion.
STRATEGIES FOR ARGUMENT & PERSUASION (MAC WRITER)
 Blue= #1 (440-441)
 Green= #2 (442-443)
 Round 1: Paraphrase important idea
 Round 2: Same idea, better sentence
(try a semicolon ;)
 Yellow= #3 (443)
 Round 3: Same idea, better sentence
 Red= #4 (444)
 Round 4: Same idea, better sentence
(try a colon :)
(try a dash – )
MLA REMINDERS & BRAINSTORM
Controversy Argument Ideas
 MLA Documentation
 Write thesis and main points
 Exemplar
 Rotate and add
idea/suggestion/feedback
REMINDERS: WORK ON CONTROVERSY ARGUMENT
READ NONFICTION BOOK
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 4
 Response & Impromptu
 Everything’s an Argument page 549-585
 “Open Letter to Writing Student”
 Exemplars & Brainstorm
CONTROVERSIAL SITUATION
 Imagine that your school district has proposed
saving money by eliminating extracurricular
sports, clubs, music, theatre, etc. from the high
school program.
 Think about the possible effects of cutting
extracurricular activities. Decide whether you
are for or against this proposal. Defend your
position with specific reasons supported by
several detailed examples.
“OPEN LETTER TO WRITING STUDENT”
 Read and Annotate
 Discuss: What 3 points are most relevant to us?
NONFICTION READING HINTS

1. What observations are made in the book? Does the author examine economics and politics, family traditions, the arts, religious beliefs?

2. What is the central idea discussed in the book? What issues or ideas does the author explore? Are they global, sociological, political,
economic, spiritual, scientific?

3. Do the issues affect your life? Directly, on a daily basis, or more generally? Now or sometime in the future?

4. What evidence does the author use to support the book's ideas? Is the evidence convincing? Definitive? Speculative? Does the author
depend on personal opinion, observation, and assessment? Or is the evidence factual—based on science, statistics, historical documents,
expert opinion?

5. What kind of language does the author use? Is it objective and detached? Or passionate and earnest? Is it polemical, inflammatory,
sarcastic? Does the language help or undercut the author's premise?

6. What are the implications for the future? Are there long- or short-term consequences to the issues raised in the book? Are they
positive or negative...affirming or frightening?

7.What solutions does the author propose? Who would implement those solutions? How probable is success?

8. How controversial are the issues raised in the book? Who is aligned on which sides of the issues? Where do you fall in that line-up?

9. Talk about specific passages that struck you as significant—or interesting, profound, amusing, illuminating, disturbing, sad...? What was
memorable?

10. What have you learned after reading this book? How has it broadened your perspective?
 Everything’s an Argument
page 549-585
REMINDER: WORKSHOP CONTROVERSY ARGUMENT NEXT CLASS
*MUST SUBMIT DRAFT TO TURNITIN.COM BEFORE CLASS
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 5
 Response & Impromptu
 “On Writing Well: Simplicity” (?)
 Concise Summaries
 Workshop Controversy Argument
CONTROVERSIAL SITUATION
 Currently, there is much debate over the way
teacher salaries are calculated.
 How do you think teachers should be given
raises? Should it be based on years in the
classroom? Student test scores? Quality of
instruction?
 Convince others to see your point of view
with evidence that supports your opinion.
“ON WRITING WELL: SIMPLICITY”
 Read and Skim Revisions
 Discuss in Team
 Cite Important Quote– 8 Words or Less
WORKSHOP CONTROVERSY ARGUMENTS
 Logon to turnitin.com
 Find Class
 Peer Mark– Click on Write Review
 Click Start Review
 Respond to a peer’s paper using the questions in the right-hand column
 DO NOT HIT SUBMIT until instructed to do so
REMINDER: NONFICTION BOOK TEST NEXT CLASS
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 6
 Brainstorm
 Exposition Explanation
 Nonfiction Book Test
BRAINSTORM: MONEY
 Think about the idea of wealth and poverty in modern
society (or in another time in history).
 How does the division between the rich and the poor
affect individuals and communities?
THE MONEY EXPOSITION
Discuss American attitudes towards wealth, poverty, and social class (or a subtopic that must be approved
by Shaw). This composition will be scored according to the AP rubric, and should demonstrate your
understanding of effective expository writing. As always, MLA format is required for workshop and
instructor submission. This assignment must also be submitted to turnitin.com in addition to the paper
copy on or before the due date.
Workshop Draft Due: ____________
INSTRUCTOR SUBMISSION DUE:_______
EXEMPLAR
 Roundtable: Money Exposition Student Example
 How did this writer tackle the task?
NONFICTION BOOK TEST
 Draw one assessment question out of treasure chest.
 Please use your selected question to demonstrate a full understanding of
your nonfiction book.
 You may address one other question (from bookmark) if you think it will
help demonstrate your comprehension of the text.
 Please indicate (paraphrase in title) which question you are addressing in
your essay response
REMINDER: CONTROVERSY ARGUMENT DUE NEXT CLASS
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 7
 Controversy Argument DUE
 Reflection
 Controversy Defense
 Intro to Synthesis
CONTROVERSY ARGUMENT REFLECTION
Talk a little bit about the process of composing your controversy argument.
How helpful were the brainstorming, organizing, revising, workshopping activities?
Then, do the SOAPS for your own argument:
 What is the SUBJECT? The general topic, content, and ideas contained in the text.
 What is the OCCASION? The time and place of the piece, the current situation.
 Who is the AUDIENCE? The group of readers to whom the piece is directed.
 What is the PURPOSE? The reason behind the text.
 Who is the SPEAKER? The voice that tells the story.
CONTROVERSY DEFENSE
INTRO TO SYNTHESIS
SYNTHESIS STEPS
 READ THE SOURCES
 ANALYZE THE ARGUMENTS
 ESTABLISH A POSITION
 DEVELOP AND REFINE THESIS
 ARGUE YOUR POSITION
RESEARCH/OUTLINE EXPOSITION (OPTIONAL)
EMBRACING CONTROVERSY
DAY 8
 Brainstorm
 Money Exposition
 Brain Teaser
BRAINSTORM: AMERICAN DREAM
 Blue person rotate to next
 Some critics state that the
“American Dream” no longer
exists in modern American
society.
 Discuss this idea, taking a
position on what the American
Dream actually is, and whether
or not it still exists.
team and share idea with
partner.
 Yellow rotate two teams and
share idea.
 In new team, summarize
ideas and discuss what else
interests you about the
topic. (Or how you might use
it in your exposition.)
MONEY EXPOSITION
Discuss American attitudes towards
wealth, poverty, and social class.
BRAIN TEASER
Synaptic Exuberance
REMINDER: WORKSHOP EXPOSITION NEXT CLASS
 Writing Adventure #7
Television Synthesis
WRITING ADVENTURE #7: TV SYNTHESIS
 Round 1: Highlight 3 Sources
Score 2,4,6,8 & Explanation
 Scoring & Exemplars
 High, Medium, or Low?
 Round 2: Score 2,4,6,8 & Explanation
 Round 3: Score 2,4,6,8 & Explanation