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Plan powerful units
Grades 3-12 | ML Levels 3-5 | HANDOUT
Propel students from basic persuasives to sophisticated arguments
Introduce the writing modes
Tie the three major writing standards to the author’s purpose.
Purchase additional argumentative-writing resources.
Choose a position in 4 steps.
Teach students to first chart the perspectives before choosing a position.
Review the process for aligning with the strongest position, not personal opinion.
Collect details for all perspectives.
Identify details, facts, pros/cons, strengths/weaknesses, etc. for all sides.
Reasons are inferred from details collected.
Concord JH students infer reasons for and against genetic engineering.
Order reasons for maximum effect—2, 3, 1.
Crescendo to the strongest reason.
Step 2B Think Aloud model
Save the best for last.
Anchor Chart | Grades K-6 | Grades 7-12
Transition from persuasive to argumentative.
View an argument for NOT teaching counterclaims within sixth grade.
Animal Testing | Convert a one-sided persuasive to a two-sided argument.
Animal Testing | Generate a They say… I say… sophisticated argument.
Bottled Water | Convert a one-sided persuasive to a two-sided argument.
Bottled Water | Generate a They say… I say… sophisticated argument.