argumentative essaycompleteinstructioncurriculumunitplan

h t t p : / / t e a c h e r 1 s t o p . c o m

2014

Argumentative Essay

Instructional Curriculum

Complete 4-week Unit

Plan Incorporating Companion English Language Arts

Standards Simultaneously

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ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY INSTRUCTIONAL CURRICULUM

INCORPORATING COMPANION ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS

SIMULTANEOUSLY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION AND TIMEFRAME……….………………………………….…2-3

GETTING STARTED-ENGAGING LAUNCH……………………………………….4

STEP 1-PRIOR TO PREWRITING ACADEMIC VOCABULARY………………..5

STEP 2-GETTING TO KNOW ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS……………………6

STEP 3-PRE-WRITING ACTIVITIES AND ROUGH DRAFT…………………7-9

STEP 4-REVISIONS, EDITING AND PUBLISHING…………………………….10

STEP 5-REFLECTION AND APPLIED LEARNING…………………………11-12

CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………….….13

APPENDIX A - ELA COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS……………..14-15

APPENDIX B – ENGAGING LAUNCH ACTIVITY………………………..…16-17

APPENDIX C – ACADEMIC VOCABULARY PRACTICE………………..…18-19

APPENDIX D – ACADEMIC VOCABULARY TEST WITH ANSWERS….20-25

APPENDIX E – SAMPLE ESSAY WITH PRACTICE SHEET……………..26-28

APPENDIX F- ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY DIAGRAMMED……………….…29

APPENDIX G – SUGGESTIONED ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY TOPICS…..30

APPENDIX H – ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY GRADING RUBRIC…………...31

APPENIDX I – ESSAY ANALYZATION-RECIPRICAL TEACHING….……..32

This is a complete unit plan with all resources included that hyperlink to

slideshare.net, youtube videos and especially designed companion practice sheets.

All work is done and includes complete plans for the whole month-long unit. You

will have more time to spend on your family and your students. Easily incorporates

the workshop model complete with time for student conferencing.

mailto:[email protected]



INCORPORATING COMPANION ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS

SIMULTANEOUSLY

Curriculum Outline

Common Core State Standards

ELA Writing Standards Grades 6-12

Standards 1.a.b.c.d.e, and 4-10

“MY BRAIN HURTS!” said one of my students as we were working through the

academic vocabulary lesson in this unit (Step 1 activities). Wonderful! That means

we have achieved rigor in our classroom. After all, we want to stretch our students’

brains, mold and shape them as our students grow into educated citizens. When a

student tells me his brain hurts, I know that I have an engaged and challenged

learner, and I smile satisfactorily.

WELCOME! As a teacher, you know that writing is a process. You also know that

in order to effectively teach anything, scaffolding the process is by far one of the

best approaches to facilitate learning for your students. There are numerous

effective methods in teaching, but having a solid, organized, easy-to-incorporate

curriculum will increase student learning ten-fold. In a thesis written for a

Master’s in Education for Curriculum Development and Instruction in Reading, two

instructional methods to teaching sentence writing were reviewed. What were the

findings? Simply stated it says “From this research, the recommendation then is for

consistent, clearly stated objectives along with a complete plan and implementation

of that plan to teach [Insert skill here].” (Salsbury, 2012, p. 19)

So, we all need a plan. In this document, you will find a clearly stated, complete

plan and implementation (curriculum) for the teaching of Argumentative Essays to

students in grades 5-9. The objectives are taken straight from the Common Core

State Standards, and this plan is written to directly address the objectives stated

(Appendix A).

This course, using the Scaffolded Instructional Method is directed toward 7th grade,

but can easily be adapted to meet the needs of middle school grades 5-9.

This curriculum as a Project Based Learning approach, works very well with the

Workshop Model because students do most of the work using hands-on methods,



incorporating critical thinking skills with rigor and relevance while the teacher is

able to move about the room stopping to conference with selected students and

groups of students asking targeted questions to draw out student critical thinking.

Before we begin the lesson, decide on the published format. If you have access, this

essay should be in electronic format and printed using Word, Pages, Word Perfect,

Apache (open source), Google Docs or some type of word processing software. As

part of the Common Core State Standards Appendix A, students need to understand

formal publishing and all the connotations surrounding it. They must understand

that their finished essay should look and be professionally written. This will

prepare them for their career. In addition, as an optional assignment, I have my

students publish these essays to Wordpress.com (free), and require them to read

their peers’ essays and to make relevant comments. Visit us at

https://teacher1stop.com for more great lesson plans, informational articles,

teaching strategies and resources.

Approximate Timeframe:


http://teacher1stop.com

https://teacher1stop.com/


GETTING STARTED

Engaging Launch (30 minutes) -- Appendix B -- Students will perform a short

skit. Use the attached script and pick 3 students to come to the front of the room

and role play by reading the script. In order to increase effectiveness, be sure to

select students who will engage loudly and “ham-up” the skit.

Follow-up Discussion Once students have finished the two skits, have students do a

compare and contrast on the two approaches. Draw out the discussion regarding

why in the first scenario Mikaela was left upset and feeling like she hates her

parents; whereas in the second scenario she ends up with approval to attend?

Discuss the difference in the logic and the arguments associated with the

consequences. Let the students tell about their experiences like these and see if

they can relate what they did and what they might have done differently. Finally,

pull the discussion back around so that you can introduce the Argumentative Essay,

and in order to establish relevance how it can be helpful in their own lives and why

writing a formal argument is important to their critical thinking and learning.

Getting Started




Step 1 (Prior to Pre-writing) – Vocabulary Instruction and Development (2-3

class hours)

a. Use the following PowerPoint along with its included activities to

introduce students to the 12 academic vocabulary words vital to their

understanding of and ability to write a comprehensive, effective

argumentative essay: http://tinyurl.com/b2wzmg2. This is the

PowerPoint you can download straight from teacher1stop.com complete

with all the companion pieces. It is also available here:

http://www.slideshare.net/ksalsbur/argumentative-essay-vocab.

This assignment can take students up to 3 days to complete depending on

your Block or Hour time frame. My slower students needed more than 2 hours,

while my gifted students mostly completed it in a little over an hour

b. Students should complete the following vocabulary practice assignment on

their own, and then use peers and teacher to check for understanding.

The following task gives students practice using their new academic

vocabulary knowledge: http://tinyurl.com/bl48vdf or Appendix C

c. Using the workshop model, check for understanding of vocabulary terms

with a class discussion then have students take the Academic Vocabulary

Test for Argumentative Essays. I have included the document along with

the test answers. Please note that all files can be downloaded via .docx for

Word or as a .pdf in Adobe. http://tinyurl.com/caftrqg or Appendix D

***Important -- Make sure you incorporate the academic vocabulary terms

throughout the whole argumentative essay process continually referencing them as

they write. ***


http://tinyurl.com/b2wzmg2

http://teacher1stop.com/

http://www.slideshare.net/ksalsbur/argumentative-essay-vocab

http://tinyurl.com/bl48vdf

http://tinyurl.com/caftrqg


Step 2 (Getting to know Argumentative Essays):

a. (about an hour) Use sample Argumentative essays to help children

understand what the finished product will look like. These can be located

on the Internet, so choose a few and present them to students. In

addition, you should use several different teaching strategies, such as

Reciprocal Teaching to help students understand these articles. Try

locating some of these here: http://www.squidoo.com/teachers-helping-

teachers as well as here: http://teacher1stop.com/index.php/teaching-

strategies-2.html?limitstart=0

b. (30-40 minutes) I have written an Argumentative essay and attached a

companion worksheet as a sample of how best to use examples when

teaching. http://tinyurl.com/a55u8cy or Appendix E

c. (30-40 minutes) Lastly, on this step have students outline an

argumentative essay on a separate sheet of paper for a great way to get

students to show their understanding and knowledge. It should look

something like this: http://tinyurl.com/b5tsc3f or Appendix F

***Reminder: Make sure students continue to use the academic vocabulary terms

throughout all processes!

Writing and Research


http://www.squidoo.com/teachers-helping-teachers

http://www.squidoo.com/teachers-helping-teachers

http://teacher1stop.com/index.php/teaching-strategies-2.html?limitstart=0

http://teacher1stop.com/index.php/teaching-strategies-2.html?limitstart=0

http://tinyurl.com/a55u8cy

http://tinyurl.com/b5tsc3f



Step 3 (Pre-writing Activities and Rough Draft Writing):

In this step we will begin to produce an Argumentative Essay. It will be helpful if

students keep one of the sample Argumentative Essays with them

as they write so they can refer to it. If this is their very first

argumentative essay (and if they are in 7th grade it probably is),

they will struggle with their understanding of the process, purpose

and what they see as their finished product. After all, no one has

ever bothered to ask them their opinion about something before.

This is all new to them. It is a timely process, but well worth it as you will be

amazed at the increase in the use of their critical thinking skills. You will see a

virtual light bulb go off as they discover how best to argue their point. Here’s a nice

2 minutes introductory video found on about.com:

http://video.about.com/homeworktips/How-to-Write-an-Argument-Essay.htm

a. (15-30 minutes) Choose a topic your students have interest in to argue

and use as an example. For instance, “Students should not be made to

wear uniforms to school, or all students should be allowed to use a cell

phone at school.” If they pick a topic they have interest in, they will

enjoy writing the essay much better. Attached is a list of possible

topics Appendix G. Some of my students even argue which gaming

station is the best and cite facts and statistics about the product to

make their case e.g. “Xbox has the best graphics.” You may want

students to talk in groups so they can brainstorm ideas for arguments.

NOTE: Instead of this assignment, the following is an optional

PowerPoint that includes an introduction to how to write the essay

along with pre-writing and selection of topic activities. You can find

this here: http://tinyurl.com/l3uhevc

b. (15-30 minutes) Students will now write their claim. Explain to

students that as they learned in their work from Step 1 that a claim is

a “strong statement that can be challenged.” Then invite them to write

their own claim about the topic they just chose. Use your example

topic and write one on the board to show students. Be sure to check

each student’s claim individually and discuss with any students who

may have written it inaccurately. Explain to students that in order to

write an effective claim, they must make a statement about their

argument. For instance, many students will write “Should students

have curfews?” This is not a claim for an argumentative essay. They

need to offer their strong opinion, e.g. “Students should not have

curfews.” You may wish to have them turn these in so you can check


http://video.about.com/homeworktips/How-to-Write-an-Argument-Essay.htm

http://tinyurl.com/l3uhevc


them, but I have found that they understand better when you discuss

their claim on a one-on-one basis if there is time in the classroom.

c. (45-60 minutes) Once they have written a great claim, they can begin

writing their supporting arguments in outline format. Use the sample

from Appendix F as a possible roadmap for them to follow. For 7th

graders especially, they should write no less than 3 arguments. They

will expand on these, but they need to start with 3. More than this can

become cumbersome for both the student and the teacher. This part of

the process is where you’ll hear the most “I don’t know what to write”

statements. “This is too hard.” I don’t understand,” and so on, but

don’t be deterred! You must use your wonderful teacher-questioning

skills to “draw out” your students. Stay focused and positive.

You will also hear questions like “how long does this need to be?” I tell

my students that it should be as long as it needs to be to make their

point. This does not set well with them, so outline it in this way:

Paragraph 1 – Introduction, claim and arguments overview;

Paragraphs 2-3-4 expands on their 3 arguments; and Paragraph 5 in

their conclusion in which they clinch their argument. For 7th grade

and younger, this is plenty long. It is a daunting task for them. Be

sure to use your relevant examples with kiddos. They will be more

engaged. You can write these on the board or document camera and

leave them up for easy student reference. Here are my examples:

“Students should be made to wear uniforms to school.”

Argument #1: more cost-effective for parents

Argument #2: students do not have to worry about selecting

their clothes each day

Argument #3 it puts students on a more equal basis and cuts

down on bullying.

You will want to grade student argumentative essays in steps, ☼♫☺Helpful hint!

otherwise you’ll find yourself grading 100 essays taking 15 minutes for each essay.

Find times throughout this process to put a grade in the grade book or parents,

students and administration will complain about the lack of grades.

d. (20-40 minutes) Students should now write their

counterarguments. Many students really struggle with this

concept. They do not understand what the term means, why it

is so important, and how to dispel the counter argument once

they write it. Once again, leading by example works very well



here. Ask them what the other side would say. Then, ask them

why the other side is wrong. From there, provide a

counterargument example:

“Some may say that school uniforms are very expensive

because they must be high quality to hold up through all

the washings, and one needs at least 5 of them for the

week, but this argument won’t stand because most kids

have around 15-30 outfits for school in their closet, so

purchasing only 5 would be a lot less expensive than

buying a whole wardrobe for school.”

e. (20-30 minutes) Now is a good time to pass out the rubric and review it

with students if you haven’t already. I find that many students tend to

lose this if handed out too early. They need to see it when it has

become relevant to them – Appendix H.

f. (2-4 hours) Putting it all together and writing the first draft. This is

where it gets tough. Everything the students have done so far has been

“pre-writing activities”. It is now time to actually write their rough draft

argumentative essay, again, leading by example. Have students get out

the argumentative essay examples they had read earlier and review them.

Then have them write their introductory paragraph which has their claim

and briefly their 3 arguments. Once this is accomplished, they should

write a paragraph using each of the 3 arguments and expanding on their

concept with anecdotes, facts, statistics and expert testimonial. If they

are using research materials such as magazine articles, they will of course

need to cite their sources. Tell students to be sure and make a citation of

every source they find in order to refer back to it at a later date. A good

way to ensure that they do this is offer a grade for this part of the

assignment. If their sources are cited accurately, they will earn extra

points. This part of the assignment seems to take the longest and can be

cumbersome for students who are not used to writing. They don’t like it

and fight it every step of the way, while others zoom through it easily.

Your students will get far apart at this point, so you will want to have

extra things for those students to work on who finish early.



Step 4 (Revisions, Editing and Publishing):

a. (45-60 minutes) Revision time using reciprocal teaching.

Located at http://tinyurl.com/mz6ylhb is a wonderful teaching

aid that really helps students make good changes to their

document (Appendix I). Students work together in teams of 2 or

3 to review each other’s papers answering the questions on the

worksheet with short-answer. It allows them to see what others

have done as well as makes them aware of what they have done

when writing their essay. Again, have students turn these in for

points.

b. Have students invite others to review their work and offer

suggestions. Whether using the workshop model or not, be sure

to have one-on-one discussions with your students during this

time. You can certainly start with the students who have

finished their essays early and continue to consult with students

as they finish their drafts and are working on their revisions.

c. (45-60 minutes) Re-write their “perfect” essay preparing it for

publication. Edit any typos.

d. (20-30 minutes) Next is a wonderful strategy…students must

“grade” their own essay BEFORE they turn it in using the

rubric that was handed to them at the beginning of the pre-

writing process. They must put a grade on it. Tell students that

they must be honest with themselves and fair about their work.

(What’s that you say….they can’t find their rubric? For shame!!!

Make sure you made extra copies to hand to them.)

e. Hand in completed essays along with their rubrics with grades

on them and give them a treat for a job well done! Whew!


http://tinyurl.com/mz6ylhb


Step 5 (Reflection and Applied Learning):

Finally, here we reflect on the writing. This is perhaps the most

important of all the steps. Students need to be aware of what they have

learned and how they can apply it in their daily lives, why it is important

and how it has taught them to be more credible with their parents,

teachers, peers and others.

Exercise: Students will now write about their experience. Here are some

suggested questions that students should answer in their Reflection. This

reflection should be in paragraph form and turned in for a final grade.

Points to ponder and write about:

What could I have done better

What are we most proud of?

What did I learn about how to write an argumentative essay?

What did I learn about arguing my point?

What did I learn about citing my sources and plagiarism?

What would be helpful for your next informational text essay?

How can I apply these skills to my everyday life?

Please include at least 5 paragraphs detailing the process you went

through, how it helped you become a better writer, what you would enjoy

writing about for your next topic, which essay interested you the most and

why

Optional exercise 1…have students present their essays OR their

reflections to the class. This will apply to Common Core State Standards

SL.7.3, SL.7.4, SL.7.5, andSL.7.6

Optional exercise 2...set up a Wordpress.com free account. Use student

emails to invite them to post on your site. This will allow you complete

access over what is published and all comments posted. Next, have

students set up their account with their email and passwords that you

have access to. Then, they need to accept your invitation to post. From

there, have students copy and paste their essays to the weblog, format

these (there will be spacing issues), and post. Following this, students

should view each other’s essays and make relevant, quality, professional

comments offering helpful feedback to the students. Students should

comment on no less than 5 essays and grade these for points. CCSS.ELA-

Literacy.W.7.6


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/6/



Wordpress.com is an amazing forum where you can showcase student

work. There is a setting on Wordpress.com in which you can make the

page searchable to the different search engines. I click “no” on this to

keep student anonymity. These pages are live on the Internet, so make

sure students only post their first name or a selected user name. In this

way their anonymity is protected. Next, send home the hyperlink to the

parents so that they can see their student’s published work. This

assignment was prompted and inspired via the development of an amazing guide

I helped to test about using Word Press for Common Core writing lessons to be

available at CompassPublishing.org, Fall 2013.


http://compasspublishing.org/


Conclusion

Having taught this project a few times, some of the great things I have learned are:

1) Students will always surprise you, especially if you are one of the

great teachers who get to know your students. Invariably you will be

surprised at their ability or lack of ability to write a great essay. I have

found that the ones I expected greatness from, were somewhat lackluster

in their approach, while others who I didn’t expect as much from turn out

greatness.

2) Students are not used to anyone asking their opinion and don’t

exactly know how to react to this. Some will rise the occasion, while

others will continue to question you (browbeating you into answering for

them?) until you have responded enough times that they somehow have

obtained your opinion to use for their own.

3) Students need time to digest what their opinion is and why they

think this way. Many students like to parrot their parents, teacher or

other adult because the think that’s what they are supposed to do.

Inviting them to be their own person and have an opinion is awe-inspiring

for many.

4) It’s vital that you do not let your own opinion show so that you

never belittle a student’s own thoughts. Students will ask you point

blank what you think about whatever it is that they are writing about.

No matter how many times they ask, do not answer. You’ll end up writing

the essay for them if you’re not careful. If they are struggling with their

arguments and their opinion, I have provided them with both sides on

occasion, but I don’t really like doing that either.

I would really enjoy hearing back from you in your endeavor. Write to me at

[email protected] and offer any feedback or suggestions you would like.

Thanks so much and good luck.




APPENDIX A

English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 7

Text Types and Purposes

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with

clear reasons and relevant evidence.

o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate

or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning

and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and

demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create

cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and

evidence.

o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.

o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1e Provide a concluding statement or section

that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Production and Distribution of Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the

development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and

audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in

standards 1–3 above.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and

adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising,

editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose

and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should

demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade

7 here.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce

and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and

collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.



http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/1/a/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/1/b/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/1/c/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/1/d/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/1/e/



http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/7



Research to Build and Present Knowledge

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a

question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related,

focused questions for further research and investigation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print

and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and

accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of

others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts

to support analysis, reflection, and research.

o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9a Apply grade 7 Reading standards to

literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time,

place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a

means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history”).

o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9b Apply grade 7 Reading standards to

literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific

claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the

evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims”).

Range of Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time

for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting

or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and

audiences.

Resource:

"English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 7." Common Core State

Standards Initiative. Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2012. Web. 20 June

2013. <http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7>.





http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/9/a/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/7/9/b/



APPENDIX B


ENGAGING LAUNCH SKITS

SKIT “A”

SCENE ~ Parents and their 13-year-old daughter Mikaela are having a discussion

regarding whether or not she can go to the movies alone with her 2 friends. Mikaela

is very distraught…ranting and yelling at her parents.

MOM - I said no! You can’t go.

MIKAELA - But that’s not fair. My friends’ parents said that Paige and Jessica can

go, why won’t you let me?

DAD – Mikaela, don’t talk to your mother like that. She said no and that’s final.

MIKAELA – Just tell me why. You never let me go anywhere!

MOM – Now that’s not true and you know it. Just last week we let you go with your

friends to the park on Saturday to hang out, and remember what happened? You

were caught flirting with a group of boys whom I know were up to no good. You are

not allowed to associate with those boys and you know it!

MIKAELA - They were just there. We didn’t plan to meet them there. It just

happened.

MOM – Really, Mikaela? How do I know that? How can I trust anything that you

say? You have lied to us on numerous occasions.

DAD – Whether you know it or not, we are trying to protect you. We will not allow

our daughter to go to the movies at night with no chaperone and that’s final.

MIKAELA (screaming) – I hate you! I hate you both! You are ruining my life!

MOM (quietly) – I’m sorry you feel that way, but our decision is final. Please go to

your room and calm down.

MIKAELA (leaving) – I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. You just make me so mad.



SKIT “B”

SAME SCENE ~ Parents and their 13-year-old daughter Mikaela are having a

discussion regarding whether or not she can go to the movies with her 2 friends.

Mikaela is very distraught, but this time she is using logic to reason with her

parents.

MOM – I said no.

MIKAELA – Can I ask why?

MOM – Because last week when I let you go to the park on Saturday to hang out

with your friends I caught you hanging out with that group of boys who are not

trustworthy. You know you are not allowed to be around those boys.

MIKAELA – You’re right. I’m sorry. When Jessica and Paige and I arrived at the

park we were just messing around with the soccer ball, kicking it and passing it.

The ball got loose and rolled away. One of the boys picked it up, and we went over

to talk to them and ended up hanging out. I’m really sorry. I knew I wasn’t

supposed to be with them. I promise I won’t do it again.

DAD – That remains to be seen. But for now, you are not allowed to go to the

movies at night unchaperoned.

MIKAELA – Oh, we are chaperoned. You know Mrs. Cox, right? Paige’s mom?

She has agreed to pick us up and stay with us at the movie theater.

MOM – Oh, I didn’t realize that. But really, Mikaela we don’t have the money right

now. I’m sorry.

MIKAELA – I will pay for it with my baby sitting money. I have $160 saved up, so I

can spare a little.

DAD – I thought you were saving for a car when you turned 16.

MIKAELA – I am, but I have some yard mowing lined up for next summer as well

as more baby-sitting jobs, so I think I can afford to spend a little to have some fun.

DAD – What do you think, Mom? This all sounds reasonable.

MOM – Ok, you can go. Just be home by 11:00, alright?

MIKAELA (racing from the room) – We will. The movie starts at 7:30, so we should

be home in plenty of time. Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad! Love you both.



APPENDIX C

Argumentative Essay

Academic Vocabulary

Directions: Use full sentences to answer the following questions.

1. Write a statement making a “claim” that you might wish to use for an

Argumentative Essay.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2. Write a “testimonial” about the last book that you read recommending it to a

friend.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3. Provide supporting “evidence” as to why you are recommending this book to

your friend.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

4. Write a statement showing “bias” for or against the use of cell phones in

school.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

5. Tell me an “anecdote” about something that happened to you while using

your cell phone in class. Provide plenty of details and use full sentences.

This should be at least 2 or 3 sentences long or more.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

6. Provide an example of a “statistic” regarding the number of people who use

cell phones in today’s world. This does not have to be true as it is only an

example.

Name: ________________________

Date: _________________________

Hour: _________________________



________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

7. Now give an example of a “fact” associated with cell phone usage. Again, this

does not have to be true because you are not researching; you are showing

that you understand what a fact is.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

8. Write a statement that would be a “misrepresentation” of the word

“challenge.”

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

9. Give an example of an “expert,” and remember to use a full sentence.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

10. What could be the possible “consequence” of using your cell phone in class,

and again remember to use a full sentence in your response.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

11. “Analyze” the following statement: “Obstacles are things that a person sees

when he takes his eyes off of his goal.” ~E. Joseph Cossman. Use 2-3

sentences in your analysis.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

12. Think for a moment and provide what you believe could possibly be a good

topic for your argumentative essay. Be sure to use a full sentence.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________



APPENDIX D

Argumentative Essay

Academic Vocabulary Test

Directions: Write the correct answer in the blank beside the number.

1. _____ “Brains not brawn will take you further in life,” is an example of:

a. A claim

b. A fact

c. Evidence

d. An anecdote

2. _____ “This is the best book I’ve read. It has action, suspense and great

characters…all the elements of an engrossing memory” is an example of a:

a. Consequences

b. An anecdote

c. Testimonial

d. Fact

3. _____ “During the first quarter of 2012, there were nearly 8,000 people killed in

traffic accidents in the U.S.” is an example of:

a. Testimonial

b. Bias

c. Claim

d. Statistic

4. _____ “There have been 44 presidents in the United States” is an example of a:

a. Claim

b. Fact

c. Testimonial

d. Bias

5. _____ “Two pair of glasses, $12,000, one billfold, one watch, and a belt” can be

considered:

a. Bias

b. Evidence

c. Testimonial

d. Misrepresentation

6. _____ “A person practicing law without a law degree” would be considered:

a. Misrepresentation

b. Evidence

c. Bias

d. Statistic

Name___________________

Date____________________

Hour____________________



Argumentative Essay Academic Vocabulary Test, Page 2

7. _____ When reporting the news, an announcer stated “this is why guns should be

banned” is an example of:

a. Evidence

b. An Expert

c. Bias

d. Testimonial

8. _____A doctor being interviewed about the causes of Multiple Sclerosis is an example

of:

a. Testimonial

b. An Expert

c. Bias

d. Anecdote

9. _____“When I was young, I used to dream about…” could be the start of an example

of:

a. Bias

b. Statistic

c. Claim

d. Anecdote

10. _____ When you write a constructed response to an essay question, you must _______

the question before you can answer it.

a. Analyze

b. Claim

c. Facts

d. Testimonial

11. _____Studying hard and getting an “A” on a test is an example of:

a. Facts

b. Consequences

c. Bias

d. Statistic

Match the following terms with their synonym:

12. _____Statistic e. Recommendation, endorsement

13. _____Claim f. Falsification, Distortion

14. _____Facts g. Number, figure

15. _____Anecdote h. Truths, data

16. _____Bias i. Signs, proof

17. _____Expert j. Story, tale

18. _____Testimonial k. Study, examine

19. _____Consequences l. Assertion, Allegation

20. _____Analyze m. Professional, knowledgeable

21. _____Misrepresentation n. Slanting, prejudice

22. _____Evidence o. Penalties, rewards



Argumentative Essay Academic Vocabulary Test, Page 3

23. (5 points) Constructed response: Take your time and use some of your academic

vocabulary words to answer these questions. Be sure to include 3-4 complete

sentences and use R.A.D. (Restate, Answer and support your answer with 3 Details).

When writing an argumentative essay, what types of things could you include to

argue your point and get your reader agree with your claim? Why are these things

important?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Constructed response grading: 1 point for complete sentences and grammar, 1 point

for restate & answer and 1 point for each supporting detail….3 details



Argumentative Essay

Academic Vocabulary Test

Directions: Write the correct answer in the blank beside the number.

24. __A___ “Brains not brawn will take you further in life,” is an example of:

a. A claim

b. A fact

c. Evidence

d. An anecdote

25. __C___ “This is the best book I’ve read. It has action, suspense and great

characters…all the elements of an engrossing memory” is an example of a:

a. Consequences

b. An anecdote

c. Testimonial

d. Fact

26. __D___ “During the first quarter of 2012, there were nearly 8,000 people killed in

traffic accidents in the U.S.” is an example of:

a. Testimonial

b. Bias

c. Claim

d. Statistic

27. __B___ “There have been 44 presidents in the United States” is an example of a:

a. Claim

b. Fact

c. Testimonial

d. Bias

28. __B___ “Two pair of glasses, $12,000, one billfold, one watch, and a belt” can be

considered:

a. Bias

b. Evidence

c. Testimonial

d. Misrepresentation

29. __A___ “A person practicing law without a law degree” would be considered:

a. Misrepresentation

b. Evidence

c. Bias

d. Statistic

30. _C____ When reporting the news, an announcer stated “this is why guns should be

banned” is an example of:

a. Evidence

b. An Expert

c. Bias

Name___________________

Date____________________

Hour____________________



d. Testimonial

31. __B___A doctor being interviewed about the causes of Multiple Sclerosis is an

example of:

a. Testimonial

b. An Expert

c. Bias

d. Anecdote

32. __D___“When I was young, I used to dream about…” could be the start of an

example of:

a. Bias

b. Statistic

c. Claim

d. Anecdote

33. __A___ When you write a constructed response to an essay question, you must

_______ the question before you can answer it.

a. Analyze

b. Claim

c. Facts

d. Testimonial

34. ___B__Studying hard and getting an “A” on a test is an example of:

a. Facts

b. Consequences

c. Bias

d. Statistic

Match the following terms with their synonym:

35. __G___Statistic e. Recommendation, endorsement

36. __L___Claim f. Falsification, Distortion

37. __H___Facts g. Number, figure

38. __J____Anecdote h. Truths, data

39. __N___Bias i. Signs, proof

40. __M___Expert j. Story, tale

41. __E___Testimonial k. Study, examine

42. __O___Consequences l. Assertion, Allegation

43. __K___Analyze m. Professional, knowledgeable

44. __F___Misrepresentation n. Slanting, prejudice

45. __I___Evidence o. Penalties, rewards



46. (5 points) Constructed response: Take your time and use some of your academic

vocabulary words to answer these questions. Be sure to include 3-4 complete

sentences and use R.A.D. (Restate, Answer and support your answer with 3 Details).

When writing an argumentative essay, what types of things could you include to

argue your point and get your reader agree with your claim? Why are these things

important?

Example answer: When writing an argumentative essay, I would include facts from

experts to state my case. People will believe an expert over someone less

knowledgeable. I would also include statistics whenever possible in order to further

solidify my case. An anecdote will also help to make my case as well as entertain my

reader.

Constructed response grading: 1 point for complete sentences and grammar, 1 point

for restate & answer and 1 point for each supporting detail….3 details



APPENDIX E

The Wide World of Disney, 7 Up, an Apple, and Popcorn

An Argumentative Essay Against the Overuse of Soda

Grocery stores used to sell 7 Up in a cardboard carton with 8 16-ounce bottles

in each. My family loved 7 Up. Every Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. sharp our family of 6

would be sitting in the living room around the TV, each with a bowl of

popcorn, an apple and an iced glass of 7 Up all set to watch the Wide

World of Disney’s feature film of the week. We were each allowed one-

half of the contents of a bottle poured over ice in a glass once a week.

This continues to be a very special memory for me not just because of

the fellowship, but the tradition associated with getting something

special. Soda pop is no longer considered a special treat, but the norm

of everyday life. What changed? Why do kids consume so much more

soda than they used to? Yes, the packaging of soda is different, it’s

more readily available at convenience stores and machines, and there

are numerous new flavors and companies, but isn’t the soda the same?

Our kids should be made aware of the consequences of drinking too much soda before they

consume it.

According to mensgarage.com, the facts are that there are four major health risks

associated with the consumption of soda pop. These are: 1) Risk of getting type 2 diabetes;

2) Dangers of bone and tooth decay; 3) Beware of the caffeine effect; and 4) The gateway to

extra and empty calories i.e. weight gain and obesity.

When I started researching for this article, I’d heard about bone and tooth decay,

obesity and caffeine, but I hadn’t heard about the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes. That’s

even scarier than some of the others as it really changes a life style. If you lose your teeth,

well one could just get dentures to replace them. Too much caffeine can eventually lead to a

lot of lost sleep, and eventually take time off of your life, but diabetes is a whole other

“ballgame” so-to-speak. With Type 2 Diabetes, one wouldn’t be able to ever drink soda

again because of the risk and it involves a huge life-style change. This changes your quality

of life.

“On September 17, 2009, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA)

and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research released the report, Bubbling Over: Soda

Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California. This study found that 41% of children

(ages 2–11 years) and 62% of adolescents (ages 12–17 years) in California drink at least one

soda or other sugar -sweetened beverage every day. Regardless of income or ethnicity,

adults who drink one or more sodas or other sugar-sweetened beverages every day are 27

percent more likely to be overweight or obese.” Right there…that’s enough to have me limit

my intake of soda for the rest of my life. It’s hard enough trying to eat less and eat healthy,

but drinking my meal without filling me up and adding that many calories is just wrong.



Sitting in front of the TV and watching a movie is a sure way to attract the

munchies. I think Mom knew that, which is why she armed us with popcorn…considered

by most to be a healthy snack without too much butter, an apple and limited our soda

intake by making us split a bottle. I didn’t know the health risks associated with drinking

soda; I just knew I loved it.

There are some of you who will disagree with these

arguments and supporting details saying that none of this is true,

and others who will simply say, “I don’t care. I’m going to drink

as much soda as I want.” To you nah-sayers I respond with yes

all of this information is true, and if you decide to ignore these

facts, you will suffer the consequences of some or maybe even all

those major health risks listed above.

Maybe the question comes down to “do parents know the

health risks associated with soda?” If they did, wouldn’t they take precautions to ensure

that their children refrained from drinking too much? Maybe they don’t know, but look

kids, it’s time you shared this with them. Too much sugary drinks, namely soda and let’s

not forget those energy drinks that I haven’t even mentioned here and which exacerbates

the problem numerous times over, is not good for you.

One more time, soda is not healthy. So why not grab a glass of milk, juice or some

good ol’ tasty clear, clean water as a substitute. You can watch the pounds drop away, be

able to get a good night’s rest and keep all your teeth and bones in good shape. You could

even enjoy a soda once in a while when watching a Disney movie with your family. Don’t

forget the apples and popcorn!

Resources:

"Sugar Sweetened Beverages." Public Health Advocacy. California Center for Public Health

Advocacy, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. <http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org>.

Z, Taylor. "4 Major Health Risk's Of Drinking Soda." 4 Major Health Risk's Of Drinking

Soda. Men's Garage, 8 Feb. 2009. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.

<http://www.mensgarage.com/health/healthy-living-blog/4-major-health-risks-of-drinking-

soda/>.



7 Up Argumentative Essay Practice

Follow the directions listed after each number:

1. Go back to the article and DOUBLE underline the claim sentence (2 pts).

2. Draw a circle around all the facts and statistics listed in the article (3 pts).

3. Underline ONCE the Counterargument. A counterargument is a contrasting or

opposing side. This is used to dispel any arguments by refuting them and to

undermine an argument by deterring someone from action (2 pts).

4. Underline the anecdote using a dotted line action (1 pt).

5. Does this article have a testimonial in it (1 pt)? ___________________________

6. What could you include in this article to better make the author’s point? (2 pts)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

7. Analyze this article and offer any insight as to whether or not the author has

effectively argued her point. Use two or three sentences (3 pts)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Name:______________________

Date:_______________________

Hour:_______________________

Score:

14



APPENDIX F

Argumentative Essay Diagrammed

1. Opening paragraph

a. Anecdote or Analogy

b. Claim

c. Introducing supporting details

2. Paragraph 2

a. Fact

b. Statistic

c. Supporting details

3. Paragraph 3

a. More supporting details along with arguments

4. Paragraph 4

a. Another fact

b. A Testimonial

5. Paragraph 5

a. Counterargument

b. Another supporting argument

c. Another supporting argument

6. Paragraph 6

a. 2 more facts and a statistic

b. Supporting details

7. Paragraph 7

a. Claim restated

b. Supporting arguments restated

c. Conclusion



APPENDIX G

Argumentative Essay Suggested Topics

Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?

Are we too dependent on computers?

Are test scores a good indication of a school’s effectiveness?

Is child behavior better or worse than it was 20 years ago?

Should companies market to children?

Are actors and athletes paid too much?

Should English be the official language of the world?

Does boredom lead to trouble?

Does participation in sports keep teens out of trouble?

Is competition good?

Should girls ask boys out?

What’s the best type of homework?

Should all American citizens be required to complete a year of community service?

Should student’s textbooks be replaced by notebook computers?

Should students have to pass a basic skills test to graduate high school?

Should the government bring back the space program?

Should there be tougher federal restrictions for content on the internet?

Should students who commit cyber-bullying be suspended from school?

Is it appropriate for students and teachers to be friends on Facebook?

Should school athletes have to take drug tests?



APPENDIX H

RubiStar ( http://rubistar.4teachers.org )

Argumentative Essay Rubric

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Sources Using M.L.A.

format, all

sources

(information

and graphics)

are accurately

documented on

a "Sources"

page at the end

of the report.

Using M.L.A.

format, all

sources

(information

and graphics)

are accurately

documented,

but a few are

not in the

desired format.

All sources

(information

and graphics)

are accurately

documented,

but many are

not in the

desired format.

Some sources

are not

accurately

documented.

Paragraph

Construction

All paragraphs

include

introductory

sentence,

explanations or

details, and

concluding

sentence.

Most

paragraphs

include

introductory

sentence,

explanations or

details, and

concluding

sentence.

Paragraphs

included

related

information but

were typically

not constructed

well.

Paragraphing

structure was

not clear and

sentences were

not typically

related within

the paragraphs.

Quality of

Arguments--

Evidence and

Reasoning

Arguments

clearly relate to

the claim,

includes several

supporting

details and/or

logical

reasoning

statements.

Arguments

clearly relate to

the claim,

includes 1-2

supporting

details and/or

logical

reasoning

statements

Arguments

clearly relate to

the claim, but

no details

and/or logical

reasons are

given.

Arguments

have little or

nothing to do

with the claim.



Mechanics Few, if any,

grammatical,

spelling or

punctuation

errors.

Some

grammatical,

spelling or

punctuation

errors

Several

grammatical,

spelling, or

punctuation

errors.

There are so

many

grammatical,

spelling, or

punctuation

errors that it is

sometimes hard

to understand

Anecdotes and

Expert

Testimonial

There are more

than one expert

testimonials

and an

anecdotal

theme.

There is at

least one expert

testimonial and

one anecdote to

add to the

reader's

enjoyment.

There is either

an expert

testimonial or

an anecdote.

There are no

expert

testimonials or

anecdotes.

Amount of

Information

All topics are

addressed and

all questions

answered with

at least 2

sentences about

each.

All topics are

addressed and

most questions

answered with

at least 2

sentences about

each.

All topics are

addressed, and

most questions

answered with

1 sentence

about each.

One or more

topics were not

addressed.

Counter

Argument

Counterargume

nts are clearly

stated and then

dispelled with

logical

reasoning that

supports the

author's claim.

Counterargume

nts are clearly

stated and

somewhat

dispelled using

reasoning that

supports the

author's claim.

There is a

counterargume

nt but the

reason to

dispell it is not

clearly stated.

There is no

apparent

counterargume

nt

Facts or

Statistics

There are

several facts or

statistics

clearly used to

back up the

author's claim.

There are some

facts or

statistics used

to back up their

claim.

There is only

one fact or

statistics listed.

There are little

or no facts or

statistics used

and they don't

back up the

claim.



APPENDIX I

Reciprocal Teaching

Argumentative Essay Analyzation

READ these Directions before you start: Work in pairs to review your

Argumentative Essay. One person will read their essay to the other one. After

reading through it once, you will then interview the other person while writing

down answers to each of the questions together. Please be very detailed in your

responses. After you are finished with one paper, you will then do the other

person’s paper.

1. Whose paper are you reviewing? __________________________

2. Do you like their grabber? ______Yes or no? Would you change it? _____ yes

or no? If yes, please offer a suggestion.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3. What is their claim? Please write it here.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

4. Is this a good claim?____Yes or no? Why or why not?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

5. What are their 3 main arguments?

a. _______________________________________________

b. _______________________________________________

c. _______________________________________________

Name____________________

Hour____________________

Date_____________________



6. Do these arguments actually support the claim? Are they logically stated?

______yes or no. If not, please offer suggestions

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

7. What are the expert testimonials? Summarize here instead of copying them

word for word

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

8. What is their anecdote? Again, summarize.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

9. What facts have they included? Summarize.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

10. Did they include a counter argument? Please provide a short summary of

each one they included.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

11. Did they include a definite conclusion with a “clincher”?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

12. Did they argue their point successfully? Do you now agree with them? Why?

Or, Why not?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


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