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22 Building Arguments

Page
193
from
Write on Course 20-20

Building Arguments

Start-Up Activity

Ask for volunteers to role-play an argument between a baseball player and an umpire who has just called the player "out" when sliding in to home plate. If your two volunteers are like most middle schoolers, they will act out a yelling match. If they do, stop them after a time and ask the class what they are observing. Is either side persuading the other? Or are they digging in all the more?

Now ask your volunteers to calmly discuss the play, each trying to persuade the other using logic and sound reasons. Afterward, ask the class to explain the differences between the yelling-match argument and the other one. Stress that you want them to use the second approach to making arguments in class, not the yelling approach. This chapter will show them how.

Think About It

“The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion.”

—G. K. Chesterton

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.5

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.6.W.1.1

LAFS.6.W.2.4

LAFS.6.W.2.5

LAFS.7.W.1.1

LAFS.7.W.2.4

LAFS.7.W.2.5

LAFS.8.W.1.1

LAFS.8.W.2.4

LAFS.8.W.2.5

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.22.b.10

110.22.b.11.C

110.22.b.10.B.ii

110.22.b.10.A

110.22.b.10.B

110.22.b.10.C

110.22.b.10.D

110.23.b.10

110.23.b.11.C

110.23.b.10.B

110.23.b.10.A

110.23.b.10.C

110.23.b.10.D

110.24.b.10

110.24.b.11.C

110.24.b.10.B.i

110.24.b.10.B.ii

110.24.b.10.A

110.24.b.10.C

110.24.b.10.D

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 194 from Write on Course 20-20

Thinking and Writing Arguments

Ask your students what makes a lousy argument. They might say that the person is just plain wrong, but on matters of opinion, a strong argument will convince the reader that the person is right. What makes a weak argument? Lack of reasons, contradictions, poor examples, faulty logic, bias, falsehoods—it's quite a long list. Then ask students what makes a strong argument. After they respond, lead them through the three bullets at the top of the page.

Then preview the chapter using the material under "Becoming a Persuasive, Logical Thinker."

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 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Persuasive Writing
Form:
Personal EssayPersuasive Paragraph
21st Century Skills:
Critical ThinkingBuilding Arguments
English Language Arts:
Writing

Page 195 from Write on Course 20-20

A Closer Look at Arguments

With the first point on the page, help students understand that they need a debatable topic. Otherwise, they have no need or room to build an argument.

With the second point on the page, help students understand the difference between opinion and fact. Facts can be checked or proven to be true. For example, two people sitting in the same room can have opposite opinions: "It's cold in here." "No, it's quite comfortable." However, the thermometer has the fact: "It's 68 degrees." Argument writing focuses on stating a position (opinion) and supporting it with reasons (facts).

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 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Persuasive Writing
Form:
Persuasive EssayPersuasive Paragraph
21st Century Skills:
Critical ThinkingBuilding Arguments
English Language Arts:
Writing

Page 196 from Write on Course 20-20

Write an opinion statement, support your opinion, and organize your facts.

Teach your students how to construct a strong opinion statement by using the graphic at the top of the page. The Helpful Hint also helps students avoid absolute statements, which are difficult to support.

Then help your students understand the difference between strong support (provable facts) and weak support (unprovable statements).

Finally, help students realize that building an argument is a logical process, arranging facts in an order that convinces the reader of the opinion.

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 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Persuasive Writing
Form:
Persuasive EssayPersuasive Paragraph

Page 197 from Write on Course 20-20

Avoiding Fuzzy Thinking

Lead your students point by point through these common logical fallacies (jumping to conclusions, exaggeration, half-truths, and so on). Help them see that this type of thinking makes arguments weak and unconvincing.

After presenting the "fuzzy thinking" on these two pages, challenge your students to find examples of three of these thinking mistakes in political speeches or advertisements. Have students bring their examples to the next class and share them. Lead a discussion about how these fallacies make the political speech or advertisement less persuasive.

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 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Persuasive Writing
21st Century Skills:
Critical ThinkingBuilding Arguments