Brainstorming For Your Own Argument

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Objective

SWBAT create a list of possible argument topics to choose from.

Big Idea

The more the merrier.

Lesson Author

Kristal Doolin

Corbin, KY

Grade Level

Seventh grade

Subjects

English / Language Arts

Standards

RI.7.6

Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.

W.7.1

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

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

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.

Warm Up

15 minutes

Today is Free Read Friday. (The link here takes will take you to an earlier lesson with my reflection explaining Free Read Friday.) Students will read their personal library books for the first 15 minutes of class.

Independent Work

30 minutes

Knowing Your Students

Today, we will continue what I introduced yesterday and brainstorm topic ideas for argument writing. Again, this is all about exposing students to information and ideas, so through Edmodo I will link students to several sites for a variety of ideas topics they would think of such as -

Pro/Con.org's college or not? (There are several others on this site, but I want to link to specific debate pieces on this site due to content concerns I've mentioned before in a previous lesson.)

100 Easy Argument Topic Ideas

New York Times -200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

New York Times Upfront Magazine's (for students) Debate Archives

Lastly, local issues are great, so if your local newspaper has an online site link to the editorial content. If a local paper isn't the best source, look to the nearest large city for material.

I will give students TIME (this is the important part - they need time). I'll allow them to browse the sites and discuss at tables as I move about the room facilitating.

Wrap Up

10 minutes

To wrap up class today, I will have them revisit the journal entry from yesterday to look at their previous thinking. Then, I'll tell students to (based on what they wrote yesterday and what they discovered today) list three possible topics for their own argument piece in order of preference 1-3 with a reason for choosing each.

Students will leave this in the caddy for me to collect and review.

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3rd Grade ELA » Informational Writing Project