Lisa Johnson
Lincoln County Middle School
Language Arts
Watch The Video
 Utopia / Dystopia
 Quick write your first thoughts. Discuss.
Making a Claim
In this unit we will make a claim on whether or not
society would benefit from a utopian society. We will
back our claim up with valid reasoning and relevant
evidence.
Claim: An argument that people can either agree or
disagree with.
What is your response to this
statement?
“Just as a day is a balance of dark and light, so is life.”
 Write.
 Discuss.
What might our initial working
claims look like?
 Because of the struggles that humans face, a utopian
society would be better.
 Even though humans face struggles that can be very
tragic, a utopian society would not be better.
Watch the video and complete
It Says/I Say chart
 In your notebook, create a t-chart. On the left side
write “It Says” and on the right side write “I Say.”
 Utopia - The Perfect World
 As you watch the video, record what it says about utopian
societies on the “It Says” column of your chart.
 Discuss.
“I Say!”
 Now take some time to record your thoughts about the
video in the “I Say” column.
 Discuss.
Using the information you acquired watching the video, write a
paragraph explaining your thoughts and feelings about the possibility of
living in a utopian society. Use sentence starters like the ones below. Be
sure to go beyond just reporting what was said. COMMENT about each
fact or idea that you mention.
 “The video [insert the title] explains …”
 “ According to …”
 “Supporting my example, …”
 “Just as the commentator in the video explains…….”
 “Although the video says …”
 “While the video explains …”
Sample Student Response
 According to the video, “Utopia, A Perfect World,”
humans crave a society free from depression, war and
hunger. I wonder if that would even be possible,
considering how selfish and unkind we are as a human
race. Could we ever overcome our self-centered
human traits in order to create such a society?
Peer Review
 Review your partner’s new paragraph(s). Did he/she
use sentence starters that show where the evidence
came from? Did he/she make a comment about the
evidence?
 “The video explains……..”
 As the video states……..”
“ Although the video says…….”
“According to……….”
1. Underline the starters you find.
2. Make a * anywhere you see an opportunity for your partner to add one of
these phrases.
3. Circle the comments your partner wrote about the evidence (the facts).
4. Draw an arrow to show where your partner COULD make comments
about the facts.
5. Switch papers and talk about your suggestions.
Research
 Read the Article Experiments with Utopia available at
www.ushistory.org.
 Looking at the title, what do you think the main idea
of the article will be? Discuss.
 First reading: Highlight important terms and
definitions. (This will help you later when we quote
the text.)
Second Reading
Divide into groups:
 RE-READ Experiments with Utopia by www.ushistory.org.
For the first reading you highlighted important terms
and definitions:
 For the second reading:
On Sticky notes, capture the most important
information that stands out to you as a group.
Add To Your Writing
 Using the evidence from the article Experiments with
Utopia, add to the writing that you have already done. Has
the article changed your opinion in any way? What
evidence might you add from the article that can back up
your working claim?
 Re-read what you have written so far.
Then write what you are now thinking. These questions
may help:
Is a utopian society a good idea? Would it help us solve our
many social issues? Is it even important to worry about
solving these problems? Explain your thinking.
What’s your answer to the problem? What
should we do HERE? NOW? Bring it home.
Let’s brainstorm claims about this issue.
Good claims
 Show the writer’s position on the issue
 We should or we should not …
 It would be better to ….
 Try to narrow the topic. You could focus on
human suffering, depression or universal health
care, for example.
Possible Claims
 The world would be a better place if we lived in
utopian societies.
 Universal health care would solve the problem of our
government having to pay for the uninsured.
 A utopian society would end the violence that has
overtaken our world.
 A utopian society would restrict human feelings and
make it impossible for us to have fulfilling lives.
Brainstorm and “Vet” Our Claims
 Let’s create a class list of claims!




Does the writer take a position on the issue, pro or con?
Does the writer narrow the topic? How?
Can we see what direction the writer plans to go? How?
Is the claim debatable, defensible, and compelling? In
other words, is there evidence that could be used to
support it AND would readers care about this angle on te
topic?
 Choose one that interests you.
Here’s What I am Thinking
 Write your claim at the end of your notebook
entry and then write a paragraph or more
explaining what needs to happen.
More Research
 Read the article From Utopia to Dystopia: Technology,
Society and What We Can Do About It, by Alijandro
Garcia De L Garza.
 Using the “Connecting Evidence to a Claim: Argument
Planner,” write down any information about the article
that stands out to you. This evidence can be used as
you continue to build your claim.
Completing a Draft from Your Notebook
Entries Using a Kernel Essay Structure
(Bernabei)
 Overview of the problem (Would society benefit from
a utopian society?)
 Some people think…….(the opposition)
 But here’s what I’m thinking…….(your claim and
evidence)
 In the end, I say……….(conclusion—what you want your
audience to do or believe)
The “Big” Section of Your Essay is this one:
But Here’s What I’m Thinking…
That’s where you will cite evidence and
explain how it supports your claim.
Review the chart, notes, and article for any support that
will help you convince your readers. Select the most
compelling and relevant pieces of evidence and try to
apply them to your claim.
Use a starter to introduce each piece of evidence (fact).
Explain how and why it helps you prove your claim.
Completing the Draft: Write a conclusion (IN
THE END, I SAY)
 Leave us with something to think about. You might
ask a rhetorical question or leave us with a thoughtprovoking quote.
 Make clear what you want us to do or believe about
utopian societies.
Revision: Kicking out the scaffolding
 Overview of the problem
 Some people think…….
 But here’s what I’m thinking…
 In the end, I say…
Consider removing
the “I” and just SAY
it!