GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
WRITING STRATEGY
TC H A RT S
RATIONAL
• Helps students organize ideas
for argumentative/persuasive
essays
OBJECTIVE
• Given a prompt, the 10th grade biology
student will construct a t-chart with
one column labeled “pro” and the other
column labeled “con” including three
examples in each column with evidence
cited correctly
• Helps students:
BENEFIT
• Be informed readers
• Weigh both sides of arguments
• Understand fact vs opinion
Must have three
points in each
column
ASSESSMENT
Includes
citation for
each point
• Must be cited
correctly
EXAMPLE
PRO
CON
“The five-month-old boy has the usual
Dr David King from the pro-choice
DNA from his mum and dad, plus a tiny
group Human Genetics Alert, said: "It is
bit of genetic code from a donor.
outrageous that they simply ignored
US doctors took the unprecedented
the cautious approach of US regulators
step to ensure the baby boy would be
and went to Mexico, because they think
free of a genetic condition that his
they know better…”
Jordanian mother carries in her genes.”
EXAMPLE
PRO
CON
Eliminates Leigh Syndrome from the
baby’s DNA
“The five-month-old boy has the usual
Dr David King from the pro-choice
DNA from his mum and dad, plus a tiny
group Human Genetics Alert, said: "It is
bit of genetic code from a donor.
outrageous that they simply ignored
US doctors took the unprecedented
the cautious approach of US regulators
step to ensure the baby boy would be
and went to Mexico, because they think
free of a genetic condition that his
they know better…”
Jordanian mother carries in her genes.”
EXAMPLE
PRO
CON
Eliminates Leigh Syndrome from the
baby’s DNA
“The five-month-old boy has the usual
Dr David King from the pro-choice
DNA from his mum and dad, plus a tiny
group Human Genetics Alert, said: "It is
bit of genetic code from a donor.
outrageous that they simply ignored
US doctors took the unprecedented
the cautious approach of US regulators
step to ensure the baby boy would be
and went to Mexico, because they think
free of a genetic condition that his
they know better…”
Jordanian mother carries in her genes.”
EXAMPLE
PRO
CON
Eliminates Leigh Syndrome from the
baby’s DNA
Goes against US regulations
“The five-month-old boy has the usual
Dr David King from the pro-choice
DNA from his mum and dad, plus a tiny
group Human Genetics Alert, said: "It is
bit of genetic code from a donor.
outrageous that they simply ignored
US doctors took the unprecedented
the cautious approach of US regulators
step to ensure the baby boy would be
and went to Mexico, because they think
free of a genetic condition that his
they know better…”
Jordanian mother carries in her genes.”
EXAMPLE
PRO
CON
Eliminates Leigh Syndrome from the
baby’s DNA
Goes against US regulations
“The five-month-old boy has the usual
Dr David King from the pro-choice
DNA from his mum and dad, plus a tiny
group Human Genetics Alert, said: "It is
bit of genetic code from a donor.
outrageous that they simply ignored
US doctors took the unprecedented
the cautious approach of US regulators
step to ensure the baby boy would be
and went to Mexico, because they think
free of a genetic condition that his
they know better…”
Jordanian mother carries in her genes.”