Connecting to the Topic/Issue

Consider:
  • What do I already know about this issue?
  • What do I not know about this issue?
  • Why is this issue important?
  • Who is affected by this issue? 
  • How are they affected?​
  • If you could find it, what evidence would best support your argument?

Topics, Text Sets & Prompts

401 Prompts for Argument Writing from the NY Times
AllSides: Issues
​Middle School Debate: Topics
Issue Lab Research 
The New York Times Room for Debate
The New York Times Four Decades of Argument and Illustration: Op EdPBS Frontline
The Perspective
Pew Research Center: Topics
ProCon.org
​ProCon.org leveled articles on Newsela
Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project Collections of digital text sets on topical issues
​​Youth Voices
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Video debates about topical issues

Tools

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Debate/discussion platform.
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Tool for breaking down claikms.

Instruction

  • Introduction using The Giving Tree: Introduction to Argument using Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. Tell students that they will be participating in a debate, arguing for one of the following: either the tree in the story is stronger or the boy in the story is stronger. Students take notes during read aloud, split into sides, share format and go!.
  • Poetry (A Poem a Day) for Collective Interpretation.
          Have students read a poem short and as long as 2 pages.
          Have students annotate for what pops out at them (language, images etc.)
          Have students read aloud, 2-3 times by different students.
          Summative Q: How would the poet like you to live your life after reading this

Graphic Organizers

Central Question Diagram & Youtube Tutorial
​Argument Essay Structure
​Argument Writing Rubric
Debate Guide To Speaking and Listenting: from Middle School Debates
​Costs Benefits Organizer: from Middle School Debates
reasongraphicorganizer.pdf
File Size: 23 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
rebuttalgraphicorganizer.pdf
File Size: 23 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
argument_writing-_helpful_terms.pdf
File Size: 140 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Logic

Rhetorical Devices
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​Persuasion
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​A playlist of debates in the movies.
  • Persuasive elements are there to get us to believe the argument
  • Rhetorical elements say,  "I'm an expert and I don't need to unpack that for you"

Analyzing Tone

Persuasive Tone Descriptors: confident, authoritative, exaggerated, hyberbolic, mitigated (cautious), judgmental, emotional investment, assumptive (not informed), false authority (cocky/arrogant), internal contradiction, shift in tone, more objective or more subjective.

General Thoughts

  • Debate is a method for teaching and practicing argument.
  • Trivial topics can't be argued well.
  • Argument requires both creating evidence based claims and a supported opposition
  • Students will naturally realize when they need information to back up a reason; if info is made up, it will be opposed by other side.
  • Present argument to convince a particular authentic audience.
  • Learn history through argument by analyzing history's real court cases.
  • Release text strategically; lead kids down a path of critical thinking. "I think because" For ex: 1st text what did you see? 2nd text did you see anything else? Go back to 1st text any similarities? 3rd text anything that you saw in others? Read again: What do you see now that you didn't see the first time?
  • Introduce technical terms. Define and have students look for evidence of term in text.
  • Have students identify which clues of reliability are explicit vs. implicit
  • Have students test assumptions using probing questions
  • Have students compare/contrast texts for reliability
  • When you can't find the perfect text, you may have to write it!
  • Give students the opportunity to share an argument that they're having before teaching argument within content area.
  • Students need to be aware of False Logic: makes assumptions, oversimplifies or reason doesn't match outcome
  • Students often see nonfiction text as factual, difficult to see point of view and bias.

Professional Texts

  • Gladwell, Blink. Section on Mitigated Language
  • Gladwell, Tipping Point. Sections on Blues Clues, Sesame St and Dora
  • Birkenstein, Cathy. They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing.
  • Willhelm, Jeff. Oh, yeah. Discusses making curricula culturally relevant; includes many logic exercises here)
  • Fletcher, Jennifer. Teaching Argument
  • Kuhn, Deanna. Argue with Me developmental pathways 
  • Everything's an Argument. Aargument shouldn't be a unit of study; should be a culture!
  • Tatum, Alfred. Why Teach Argument
  • Tufts, Paul. Grit​