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21 Building Arguments

Page
157
from
All Write

Start-Up Activity

Ask for a volunteer to read page 157 aloud. Then discuss the two different types of arguments. During your discussion, inform students that the ability to build academic arguments is an important skill that they can learn. And to do so, they will need to think critically about topics that matter to them.

Next, have students write a list of opinion statements about things happening in your school. Model an opinion statement of your own so they get a sense of what you are asking for. Explain that this chapter will teach them how to turn an opinion into a compelling argument.

Think About It

“There is no point asserting what the heart cannot believe.”

—Aleksander Solzhenitsyn

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.6.W.1.1

LAFS.7.W.1.1

LAFS.8.W.1.1

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.22.b.10

110.22.b.11.C

110.23.b.10

110.23.b.11.C

110.24.b.10

110.24.b.11.C

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 158 from All Write

Persuasive Thinking and Writing

Ask for a volunteer to read the first part of page 158. Discuss the bulleted list that identifies the critical elements of an effective argument. Then review with students the steps for building an argument (the second part of the page). Have students list these words in their notebooks: debatable, opinion, objections, and evidence. Provide definitions and examples for each one. (The term controversial is explained in the text.)

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.6.W.1.1

TEKS Standard:

110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.C

NE ELA Standard:

LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

Mode:

Persuasive Writing

21st Century Skills:

Building Arguments

English Language Arts:

Prewriting

Page 159 from All Write

Developing Strong Arguments

The next two pages discuss forming and supporting an opinion. On page 159, review the information under “Choosing a Debatable Topic.” Ask for volunteers to offer additional debatable topics. Some examples include:

Requiring a fee for extracurricular activities
Eliminating youth football
Instituting a dress code

Next, read and discuss the information under “Writing a Strong Opinion Statement.” Model writing an effective opinion statement for your students. Then have them revise the opinion statement they created during the chapter start-up activity, or have them write a new one on a different topic.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.6.W.1.1

TEKS Standard:

110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.C

NE ELA Standard:

LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

Mode:

Persuasive Writing

Form:

Persuasive Essay

21st Century Skills:

Building Arguments Problem Solving Critical Thinking

Page 160 from All Write

Developing Strong Arguments (Continued)

Read aloud and discuss the information under “Supporting Your Opinion.” Refer to page 273 in your discussion, which shows the difference between a fact and an opinion. Provide some other examples of provable versus unprovable facts:

Provable facts:

Other schools in our conference offer volleyball.
Our school district has no money for extracurricular activities.

Unprovable facts:

Volleyball builds self-esteem.
An activity fee makes participation more meaningful for students.

(You might also refer students to pages 274–275, which give examples of unclear thinking.)

Next, read and discuss the rest of page 160. Be sure that students understand these two terms: concede and counter. Here is an example concession: Our school already offers many sports, and none of these sports are inexpensive. Even so, volleyball may offer students a special opportunity.

Finally, to wrap-up the chapter, consider reviewing the infographic for b uilding a rock-solid argument and the "7 C's of Argumentation" video.