argumentative writing for 6-12 social studies

ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING FOR 6-12 SOCIAL STUDIESAngela Orr [email protected] &Katie Anderson [email protected]

Make sure to grab a playing card!

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Pre-Survey: Before the SessionBEFORE the session, how well did you understand each of the following?

Not at all Somewhat Moderately Mostly Completel

yThe application of CCSS for English Language Arts / History / Social Studies in my content area 1 2 3 4 5

The Instructional Shifts 1 2 3 4 5

BEFORE the session, to what extent did you feel competent in each of the following areas?

Not at all Some what Moderately Mostly Extremely

Implementing the instructional shifts in your instruction 1 2 3 4 5Developing lesson plans that are aligned to CCSS 1 2 3 4 5Teaching students grade-level social studies content using complex texts aligned to CCSS. 1 2 3 4 5

Implementing Research Based Discussion Strategies for whole class discussion 1 2 3 4 5

Implementing the Close Reading methodology 1 2 3 4 5Implementing Document Based Questions 1 2 3 4 5Implementing explicit teaching of academic vocabulary in lesson planning. 1 2 3 4 5

Implementing strategies for more effective argumentative writing. 1 2 3 4 5

Argumentative Writing: A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching (and NOT just assigning) Writing

Our Ambitious Objectives: Understand and apply the definitions of argument: claim,

reasoning, evidence, and counterclaim; Learn to write and instruct sentence and paragraph level

arguments from art as well as primary and secondary sources;

Engage in the work of learning basic techniques for writing power sentences for claims, reasoning, and evidence;

Employ highlighting and sorting strategies for recognizing argument in authors’ works;

Practice ways to isolate and teach quoting and paraphrasing evidence;

Work with counterclaim stems.

Tracking Your Plan

Students who become reading detectives will learn to be better writers. Students who make deliberate writing decisions will become more critical and aware readers. That is, good readers are generally better writers, and reverse is also true. Reading and writing instruction cannot be separated, as rich and interesting text provides the basis for writing with evidence.

Overarching Principle

This is not “Essay Writing 101,” because students have to practice the individual skills before applying them to larger writing assignment.

Empowerment Through Practice

How can we reconcile these two ideas?

Write less, more often. Focus on quality.

Language of Writing Standard 1

Read Writing Standard 1. With a partner, please come up with

your own definitions of claim, counterclaim, reasoning, and evidence.

These might be refined as we work through some ideas.

Definitions for Writing Standard 1

Argument - “Super Claim”: The overarching idea of an argumentative essay that makes more than one claim. In some cases, an argument has a single claim, but in

sophisticated writing in 8th-12th grade, multiple claims are made.

Claim: a simple statement that asserts a main point of an argument (a side)

Reasoning: 2 parts – a) the “because” part of an argument and the explanation for why a claim is made; b) the explicit links between the evidence and the claim; the explanation for why a particular piece of evidence is important to the claim and to the argument

Evidence: support for the reasoning in an argument; the “for

example” aspect of an argument; the best evidence is text -based, reasonable, and reliable.

Parts of an Argument (super simple version)

Overarching Argument (Super Claim) I deserve this job.

Claims I am a self-starter. I work hard. I collaborate well with others. I learn knew things quickly.

Evidence & Reasoning Last summer, I worked for my uncle for three months, 35 hours a

week, doing construction. While my friends were sleeping in, I chose to get up early and earn my keep.

Although I had never had used power tools before, within only 2 weeks, I was put in charge of a small job that required me to use three different tools.

Counterclaim (another side that contradicts your claim)

Another far too simple example

Claim: Pizza is a healthy alternative to fast food.

Evidence: Pizza is made with tomato sauce.

Reasoning: Tomato sauce has many vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants, so eating pizza with tomato sauce can be a healthy alternative.

Why Descriptive Thesis Statements are NOT Arguable Claims

Following are examples of descriptive thesis statements students write in high school. Each is drawn from the top-scoring AP English Language and Composition papers posted on the College Board website: “To be a writer, one must have an elite understanding of diction, syntax

and tone. These literary devices are utilized by writers, including Eudora Welty, as a method for expressing the message that they wish to convey to readers.”

“In the excerpt from One Writer’s Beginnings, Eudora Welty conveys a positive tone toward her childhood experience. She accomplishes this through the use of descriptive diction, impressionable images, and unusual syntax.”

These are NOT argumentative claims because the writers’ strategy is to create a thesis statement that is DESCRIPTIVE. The writer is describing some aspect of the main text, and that’s all their doing. It’s like saying, “Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a play about two star crossed lovers and two warring families.”

Adapted from UW Writing Program

Why Descriptive Thesis Statements are NOT Arguable Claims

Descriptive Informative Thesis: “To be a writer, one must have an elite understanding of

diction, syntax and tone. These literary devices are utilized by writers, including Eudora Welty, as a method for expressing the message that they wish to convey to readers.”

Argumentative Claim: “It was Eudora Welty’s steady exploration of the superficially

tranquil middle-class world -- a society of men, women and children attempting to navigate complicated lives in the awful world of racial mayhem left behind by the Civil War -- that made her the most usable example of excellence for succeeding generations of Southern writers.”

The Traditional Five Paragraph Essay*Essay with Thesis

Paragraph 1: Introduction and thesis with three reasons.Paragraph 2: First reason morphs into topic sentence followed by supporting evidence.Paragraphs 3 & 4: Same as paragraph 2 with second and third reasonsParagraph 5: Conclusion with a restatement of thesis (different words) and…

Essay with Argument

Paragraph 1: Introduction and argument (super claim) with three claims.Paragraph 2: First claim restated followed by supporting evidence and detailed reasoning (in HS includes counterclaims for each claim)Paragraphs 3 & 4: Same as paragraph 2 with second and third claims, reasoning, and evidenceParagraph 5: Conclusion with a restatement of argument (different words) and an analysis countering the counterclaim(s)

We are not necessarily advocating the use a traditional five paragraph essay. This example is to demonstrate the relationship between traditional language (thesis) and CCSS language (claim).

THE ROLE OF REASONING IN ARGUMENT

Evidence & Reasoning• Evidence is ALWAYS evidence for something! Reasoning

gives us that answer!

• Example Statistic: 74% of high school students read at a minimum of an 8th grade level.

American schools are failing! According to a new national study, 26%, or, in

other words, 1 in every 4 high school students, cannot read at a 9th grade level. If 1 in 4 people in the country had a disease, we would call it an

epidemic of mass proportions!

In a recent study of U.S. students’ reading, the U.S. was given a B

average. 74% of high school students reads at or above an 8th grade level,

the level necessary to read most newspapers and popular fiction texts.

The study factored in the nearly 10% of students who have learning disabilities or are learning a second language to

come to the average grade of “B.”

Reasoning Matters After you introduce evidence into your writing, you must

say why and how this evidence supports your argument. What turns a fact or piece of information into evidence is the connection it has with a larger claim or argument: evidence is always evidence for or against something, and you have to make that link clear with reasoning.

We should not assume that our readers already know what we are talking about. The audience can’t read our minds: although they may be familiar with many of the ideas we are discussing, they don’t know what we are trying to do with those ideas unless we indicate it through reasoning.

Adapted from UNC at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Writing Center

Questions to Develop Reasoning

So what? Why should anyone care about this evidence?

What does this information imply? I’ve just described what something is like or how I

see it, but why is it like that? Why is this information important to understanding

why I made my claim? How is this idea related to my claim? What

connections exist between them? Can I give an example to illustrate the application of

this evidence? What are the consequences of thinking this way or

looking at a problem this way? (for evidence of a counterclaim)

Reasoning Matters (Example)Weak use of evidence

Today, we are too self-centered. Most families no longer sit down to eat together, preferring instead to eat on the go while rushing to the next appointment (Gleick 148). Everything is about what we want.

Stronger use of reasoned evidence

Today, Americans are too self-centered. Even our families don't matter as much anymore as they once did. Other people and activities take precedence. In fact, the evidence shows that most American families no longer eat together, preferring instead to eat on the go while rushing to the next appointment (Gleick 148). Sit-down meals are a time to share and connect with others; however, that connection has become less valued, as families begin to prize individual activities over shared time, promoting self-centeredness over group identity.

Why is this a weak use of evidence?

Discuss with the people next to

you.

Adapted from Indiana University Writing Center

Claim: Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.

Evidence 1: Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity.

Evidence 2: Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years.

Evidence 3: Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor.

Adapted from Purdue Writing Center

Which piece of evidence best supports the claim?

Claim: Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.

Evidence 1: Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity.Reasoning 1: Because cars are the largest source of private, as opposed to industry produced, air pollution switching to hybrid cars should have an impact on fighting pollution.

Evidence 2: Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years.Reasoning 2: Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a long-term impact on pollution levels.

Evidence 3: Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor.Reasoning 3: This combination of technologies means that less carbon pollution is produced.

Adapted from Purdue Writing Center

Reflect How might you introduce the elements

of argument? If you already do this, what works well? What could be tweaked?

What examples might you use to help your students understand these elements?

How could you reinforce using reasoning throughout all classroom activities?

Take notes on your “Plan” sheet.

Using Art & Political Cartoons to Jumpstart

Argumentative Writing

Art & Argument Art sources can provide a great visual entrée to

writing and substantiating claims.

Appeals to visual learners

Forces students to think as writers without the intimidation of complex text

Great way to practice as using art can take less time than reading a traditional text

The Problem We all Live WithNorman Rockwell, 1963 oil on canvas

Make a list of all of the details (evidence) you see. You do not yet need to know where the evidence leads…just that it is there. Do not jump to inferences.

What can you assert/claim about this painting? Why is this a valid claim?

With a partner, discuss what type of claim you can make for which there is evidence in the picture and for which you can reason.

In 30 words or less, write your claim and include reasoning and two pieces of evidence. Remember, the reasoning explains why the evidence supports your claim. The reasoning can come from within or outside of the text.

How could we find out if our claims and reasoning are true?

American ProgressJohn Gast, 1872

What claim can you substantiate with at least three pieces of evidence from the text? Use reasoning to explain how the evidence supports the claim.Step 1: Make a list of all evidence.

Step 2: Write a claim based upon that evidence.

Step 3: Use reasoning to make sure that your evidence clearly supports the claim.

Theodor Seuss GeiselMay 22,

1941

With a partner, discuss what type of claim you can make for which there is evidence in the picture and for which you can reason.In 30 words or less, write your claim and include reasoning and evidence.

Theodor Seuss GeiselMay 22,

1941

Reflection How might you introduce claims,

reasoning, and evidence in your classes?

Do you use art that would lend itself to a similar lesson?

Take notes on your planning page.

How can reading argumentative texts help students explicitly understand the elements of argument?

Highlighting Claims, Reasoning, & Evidence in Text

Claims, Evidence, Reasoning

Claims: What are the main ideas that support the author’s overall argument (super claim)?

Evidence: Concrete facts supporting the author’s claims.

Reasoning: So What? The author’s independent interpretation of the textual evidence. The facts don’t speak for themselves!

Ratify the ERA: By “George Steinmetz”

The ERA passed the House by a vote of 354-23 and the Senate by a vote of 84-8! I am surprised there is any debate about whether to ratify it.

The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868 and was supposed to ensure equality to “all persons.” Unfortunately, for the next 100 years, the Supreme Court concluded that the Amendment only applied to men. The court refused to strike down laws that discriminated against women.

Today, there are laws setting higher minimum wages for men, excluding pregnant women from disability benefits, forbidding women from working in specific jobs, requiring women to earn more than men to receive social security benefits, and excluding women from the military academies. This discrimination must end.

But, the ERA will also benefit men. For example, many criminal sentences are more severe for men, domestic violence laws are rarely enforced against women, men can be drafted into military service but women cannot, and child custody decisions are biased toward women. It is time for this discrimination to end, too.

Practicing the Skill In groups of 2 or 3, choose two or three

paragraphs from the remaining text.1. Read the text2. Work together to find and highlight the

claim(s), evidence, and reasoning in the passage.

Reflection What was this process like for you/your

group? How could you implement this strategy

in your classroom? What to do with a weak argument?

Improve it! Ask students to write their own sentences improving the reasoning of a given argument.

Improving Weak Reasoning The ERA passed the House by a vote of

354-23 and the Senate by a vote of 84-8! I am surprised there is any debate about whether to ratify it.

Rewrite the reasoning in a way that strengthens its connection to the evidence.

Share out.

Take notes on your planner.

Putting the pieces of an argument together.

Note: This argument comes from www.procon.org

Sorting through an Argument

http://www.procon.org/

Argument: Putting the Pieces Together

Argument: Violent video games do, in fact, contribute to youth violence.

Given Claims:1. Violent video games desensitize players to real-life

violence.2. Playing violent video games increases violent

behaviors and scripts (or repetitive procedures in reactions to events).

3. Playing violent video games leads to a lower level of empathy for others.

Counter-Claim: 1. Violent juvenile crime in the United States has been

declining as violent video game popularity has increased.

Putting the Pieces Together Argument (Super Claim), Claims, Reasoning,

Evidence, Counterclaim Envelope Activity: “Violence in Video Games”

Information pulled from www.procon.org In your Number Groups (all 2s, all Jacks etc.):1. Discuss the argument, claims, and counterclaims

provided.2. Separate the pieces of evidence from the pieces of

reasoning.3. Find the two pieces of evidence and the two pieces

of reasoning for each claim and the counterclaim. All are related ideas , so you will have to be thoughtful

and engage with your peers in a discussion.

http://www.procon.org/

Argument/Super Claim: Violent video games do, in fact, contribute to

youth violence.

• Evidence & Reasoning• Evidence & Reasoning

CLAIM #1Violent video games

desensitize players to real-life violence.


CLAIM #2Playing violent video games increases violent behavior

and scripts (repetitive procedures in reaction to

events)


CLAIM #3Playing violent video games

leads to a lower level of empathy for others

• Evidence• Counter-Reasoning (the reasoning that

explains why this evidence and claim are invalid)

COUNTER CLAIMViolent juvenile crime in the

United States has been declining as violent video

game popularity has increased.

Would this work well with a certain type of text or topic?


How might you create a sorting activity for students?

Power SentencesClear, concise, specific…

in other words, awesome!

Why is it important to focus practice at the sentence level?

Now that we understand the elements of argument…

Power SentencesPower Sentences are clear, concise, and specific.

Clarity: there is no question about the meaning of your words; you clearly address the question, topic, claim, etc.

Concision: all “unnecessary” words and phrases are removed; long sentences are fine as long as written with concision.

Specificity: when appropriate, all words and ideas are definable (or have a clear antecedent) – e.g. not “thing,” “they,” “some people,” “in history,” “over time,” etc.

Power Sentences Every sentence has a job. A sentence’s job should be clear.

In this case, it’s making a small argument with a clear claim, relevant evidence, and reasoning that ties it all together.

If a sentence isn’t doing its job, it needs to be fired or retrained. When you fire a sentence, you also have to rehire

another. If firing seems like too harsh a punishment, just retrain the sentence to better do its job.

Writing Power Sentences from Sources

When you are writing from sources, you need to include evidence from the source.

QuotingParaphrasing

Noting

What are some ways to attribute your ideas in a specific yet concise fashion? Discuss with your group.

1. Read through this letter silently.

2. Follow along as I read it aloud.

3. With a group of 4, make a list of all of the details (evidence) you notice on this letter.

4. At the board (or poster paper) write a claim power sentence about this document.A. Claim with

evidence and reasoning.

B. ClearC. ConciseD. Specific

Chock Full o’ Power Sentences!

Travel in a clock-wise fashion with your group to the next power sentence. Determine: Is this power sentence doing its job so well that is should receive a promotion and award? Or could it be a bit better?

Using this criteria, edit the power sentence. Does it make and substantiate a claim? Is the sentence’s job clear? If you read the sentence aloud to a person who had not yet read this

text, would it be clear to them? Are there any words or phrases that could be edited to make the

sentence more concise? Are there enough specifics for this to be used in a piece of academic

writing? (Are there any words or phrases that are too vague?)

You must make at least three changes to improve the sentence. (Do not erase…make corrections around.)

Reflect After several revisions, how do these

sentences differ?

How could you justify spending this much time writing a single sentence?

How might you be able to use Power Sentences in your instruction? (Add ideas to your plan.)

Another Way to Use Power Sentences: Vocabulary Power Sentences

For each vocabulary word, write three power sentences which include appropriate context clues. Sentence 1: Statement Sentence Sentence 2: Question Sentence Sentence 3: Exclamation Sentence

What four ideas do students have to

understand to complete this work?

Vocabulary Power SentencesDefine for your students:

appropriate context clues (at least 2, often 3)

Statement Sentence

Question Sentence Exclamation

Sentence

Examples for CORONERStatement: The coroner investigated the dead body and determined the cause of death.Question: What evidence did the coroner use to confirm this death as a suicide?Exclamation: “Holy etymology,” exclaimed the coroner during the autopsy, as she found hundreds of blowfly larvae.

Make sure to include direct

instruction on the types of sentences.

Chock Full o’ Vocabulary Complete three

power sentences for the terms “civil rights” and “equal opportunity” from the letter from Jackie Robinson to the President. Statement Sentence Question Sentence Exclamation

Sentence

Power Sentences are:

ClearConciseSpecific

Vocabulary Power Sentences include:At least two context

clues

ENJOY YOUR LUNCH!Please mind the time.

WHAT WE DO WANT TO DO: Quoting & Paraphrasing

Correctly

Summarizing & Paraphrasing

Main ideas with a few details of a longer section of text in your own words

Think of: chapter summary

Putting a small section of text (paragraph or less) into your own words

Important type of textual evidence

Summary Paraphrase

Paraphrasing Practice• Please silently read the three paragraphs excerpted from

“The Geography of Chinese Power” article.

How to Paraphrase with Confidence• Think about the essence of the passage that you care about

sharing. Say it aloud in your own words.

• Change the structure of the sentence(s) that you are paraphrasing from – start and end in a different way.

• Then, change the actual words to ensure that your thought is your own.

• Check – do you have any groupings of two or more words that match the original that could be changed and keep the meaning the same?

Practice # 1:Ranking

Paraphrases

China today is consolidating its land borders and beginning to turn outward. China's foreign policy ambitions are as aggressive as those of the United States a century ago, but for completely different reasons. China does not take a missionary approach to world affairs, seeking to spread an ideology or a system of government. Moral progress in international affairs is an American goal, not a Chinese one; China's actions abroad are propelled by its need to secure energy, metals, and strategic minerals in order to support the rising living standards of its immense population, which amounts to about one-fifth of the world's total.

A. Unlike U.S. foreign policy of the past which was highly ideological, China’s relationships with other nations today are strategic and based in gaining important natural resources.

B. China today is starting to have an aggressive foreign policy like that of the U.S. 100 years ago, except that it does not have a missionary approach but rather is propelled by a need for resources.

C. China’s foreign policy ambitions are mean, like the U.S. was a century ago. China’s actions in other countries are about energy, metals, and strategic minerals to support its huge population which is one-fifth of the world’s total population.

D. China, a country with approximately 20% of the world’s population, is demonstrating a forceful foreign policy aimed not at spreading its beliefs or systems but rather at gaining access to energy and other natural resources.

Paraphrasing with Confidence1. Think about the essence of

the passage.2. Change the structure of the

sentence(s) that you are paraphrasing from – start and end in a different way.

3. Then, change the actual words to ensure that your thought is your own.

4. Check – do you have any groupings of two or more words that match the original that could be changed and keep the meaning the same?

5. Have you credited the author? Provided context of the original text?

“Having no choice in the matter, Beijing cares little about the type of regime with which it is engaged; it requires stability, not virtue as the West conceives of it. And because some of these regimes -- such as those in Iran, Myanmar (also known as Burma), and Sudan -- are benighted and authoritarian, China's worldwide scouring for resources brings it into conflict with the missionary-oriented United States, as well as with countries such as India and Russia, against whose own spheres of influence China is bumping up.”

Don’t fall into the trap of contextomy…surgically removing a quote from its context.

Quoting Evidence

Contextomy of Darwin: Origin of Species

“To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree.”

The quote in context is…

To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree. Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its possessor, can be shown to exist; if further, the eye does vary ever so slightly, and the variations be inherited, which is certainly the case; and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection, though insuperable by our imagination, can hardly be considered real.

Contextomy of Adams John Adams has often been quoted as having said: “This

would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it.”

Here are the words in their actual context. The meaning changes entirely.

“Twenty times, in the course of my late reading, have I been on the point of breaking out, ‘this would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!!!!’ But in this exclamation, I should have been as fanatical as Bryant or Cleverly. Without religion, this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in public company—I mean hell.”

QUOTING CORRECTLY

Quote… if you can’t say it any better and the author’s words are

particularly brilliant, witty, edgy, distinctive, a good illustration of a point you’re making.

if the source is very authoritative and has particular expertise.

if you are taking a position that relies on the reader’s understanding exactly what another writer says about the topic.

Be sure to introduce each quotation you use, and always cite your sources.

Avoid “plop quotations.” Introduce, discuss, or follow-up on every quote. Quotes don’t normally work well in their own sentence.

Hints for Using Quotes Sometimes, you should quote short fragments, rather than

whole sentences. Consider this interview transcript from Jane Doe about her reaction to John F. Kennedy’s assassination. She commented: “I couldn’t believe it. It was just unreal and

so sad. It was just unbelievable. I had never experienced such denial. I don’t know why I felt so strongly. Perhaps it was because JFK was more to me than a president. He represented the hopes of young people everywhere.”

The first three sentences of the quote are fairly redundant. You might want to quote the most important aspect of her interview, “the meatiest” part. Jane Doe grappled with grief and disbelief. She had viewed

JFK, not just as a national figurehead, but as someone who “represented the hopes of young people everywhere.”

Quoting With ConfidenceAnswer the following questions: Who said this? In what context?

What does it mean? How can we use this to support the claim? (What is our

reasoning for using this quote?) Then, create a passage that successfully integrates the quote (and contextualizes it and introduces it).

Helpful Words for Quote AttributionAny of these words can be placed in the past tense as well.

add remark exclaimannounce reply statecomment respond estimatewrite point out predictargue suggest proposedeclare criticize proclaimnote complain opineobserve think note

Snazzier Words forPurposeful Attribution

Finding the “meatiest” part of the quote

“And because some of these regimes -- such as those in Iran, Myanmar (also known as Burma), and Sudan -- are benighted and authoritarian, China's worldwide scouring for resources brings it into conflict with the missionary-oriented United States, as well as with countries such as India and Russia, against whose own spheres of influence China is bumping up.”

What part of this text provides us with the most quotable material?

How can we cut this down so as not to have a lengthy quote? What can we include

from the text as background/ context?

Claim: China poses a security threat to the U.S. Underline all of the areas of this section of text that could be used as evidence for this

claim. Choose the evidence that is most quotable:

you can’t say it any better the author’s words are particularly brilliant, witty, edgy, distinctive, it’s a good illustration of a point you’re making the source is very authoritative and has particular expertise your position relies on the reader’s understanding exactly what another writer says

about the topic Then, decide: what is the “meatiest” aspect of this evidence? What makes this

“meaty?” Could ellipses help you merge together two great parts of that are close together in

the text without taking out important context? Cut down the quotable section to include the “meaty” part but include no more than

eight words. Decide how you will introduce your quote (context and attribution). What word will

you use for purposeful attribution? How will you employ reasoning to link this evidence to the claim? Will that reasoning

come before or after the quote? In the space below, write your short paragraph using the claim from above and your

chosen quote and reasoning.

Reflection When and how might you allow students

to practice paraphrasing and quoting?

How well did you understand the article excerpt after this practice?


CounterclaimImagine a court case in session. Both the defense team and prosecution must be privy to the information and evidence of the other so that they are not "blind sided" in the middle of the court proceeding. The lawyers consider their opponent’s point of view and predict what they will argue. By doing this, the lawyer can write a super strong opening or closing statement that refutes the potential objections to their argument or case. Basic Way to Introduce a Counterclaim:1. Introduce the people who disagree.2. Explain how this belief can be refuted.

• Although scientists claim that...• Even though many citizens believe...

Here are specific examples:Even though the media portrays sharks as vicious creatures, humans are actually more dangerous to sharks than sharks are to humans.

Although some parents believe that their child is not a victim of bullying, student surveys reveal a different story--specifically that many kids do not report incidents that have occurred in a school day.

Counterclaim You must make it clear that you do not agree with the counterclaim!

Do not allow your audience to think you are simply contradicting yourself. For this reason, you should always find textual evidence that disproves or contradicts the counterclaim or the evidence in support of the counterclaim.

Counterclaim and Rebuttal“On the other hand, this person believes ______...”

“One may argue _________; however, _____...”

“This group/person feel that_________; however,_____...”

“Conversely, this person has established ______________. Although the point is valid, it fails to take into account________”

“This group/person rejects the idea of ____________. But this opposing viewpoint is weak because ____________”

WHAT MAKES THE COUNTERCLAIM HARD FOR STUDENTS?Make a list of possible obstacles to using effective counterclaims.

DBQs & Counterclaims• DBQs offer multiple perspectives of a topic.

• The counterclaim is evident either in the question itself or in the document bundle.• With your table, come up with an example of each of the above.

Quality over Quantity• Using the article on the ERA, please compose a Power

Paragraph that includes:• A claim• Three pieces of evidence to support the claim• Reasoning linking the evidence to the claim and making your

thinking explicit to the reader• A refuted (rebutted) counterclaim

• A Power Paragraph includes only Power Sentences• Clarity• Concision• Specificity

Writing Assessment• Choose your two non-negotiables for writing (e.g. no

texting language, capitalization and end punctuation).

• Only assess what you have explicitly taught.

• Assess no more than four attributes of effective writing for which you provided criteria to students ahead of time.

• At your table, discuss what attributes you would choose to assess in the Power Paragraphs just written. Why?

Feedback• Be clear in your assessment of the four or fewer attributes

you have chosen to assess.

• One thing you did really well was…

• One area that I would like you to work on is…

• You can turn in your rewrite of this by ______. Make sure it is stapled to the original and takes into account the feedback I gave.

How can teaching argumentative writing help us shift our instruction?

EvaluationsNow, AFTER the session, to what extent do you feel competent in each of the following areas?

Not at all

Somewhat Moderately Mostly Extremel

yImplementing the instructional shifts in your instruction 1 2 3 4 5Developing lesson plans that are aligned to CCSS 1 2 3 4 5Teaching students grade-level social studies content using complex texts aligned to CCSS. 1 2 3 4 5

Implementing Research Based Discussion Strategies for whole class discussion 1 2 3 4 5

Implementing the Close Reading methodology 1 2 3 4 5Implementing Document Based Questions 1 2 3 4 5Implementing explicit teaching of academic vocabulary in lesson planning. 1 2 3 4 5

Implementing strategies for more effective argumentative writing. 1 2 3 4 5

argumentative writing for 6-12 social studies

Documents

evidence argumentative

sophisticated writing

language of writing

definitions of claim

argument super claim

writing power sentences

larger writing assignment

deliberate writing decisions