Barberi - Unit Plan - Day 8 Grade/Subject: 8th Grade English Teacher: Andria Barberi Number of Minutes: 50 minutes Lesson

Title/Topic: Agree to Disagree Dates: 1/16/13 STANDARDS/BENCHMARKS/GLCE/HSCE addressed in this lesson: L.8.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. W.8.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.8.5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. OBJECTIVES Through these learning activities, the student will demonstrate the ability to: Students will choose a thesis statement for their arguments. Students will find evidence to support their arguments using their text. Students will compare and contrast their thesis with a counter argument. Time: ANTICIPATORY SET/INTRODUCTION Agree to Disagree: The phrase "Let's agree to disagree" will be written on the white board with a note telling students to pick up the handout from the front of the classroom. INPUT Task Analysis 1.) Agree to Disagree: The phrase "Let's agree to disagree" will be written on the white board, with a note telling students to pick up the handout from the front of the classroom. The teacher will begin class by going over the handout, which is the unit argument assignment, with students. The teacher will read the directions and ask for questions. The timeline will be tight with one day to review argument writing and write rough drafts, a day for peer reviews and revision, and a day to type up arguments on the class blog and comment on other students' blogs. Once all questions have been answered regarding the assignment, student helpers will hand back Exit Tickets from the previous day. The teacher will tell students to leave these out because there is helpful advice on the majority of them to help them clarify their arguments, and this is important because today we are reviewing the important elements of an argument essay.

5 min

2.) Argumentative Essay Prezi: The teacher will review the steps in writing an argumentative essay with students by using a prezi modified for use with 8th grade students. The focus of the instruction will be creating a counter argument with support, as these aspects of argument writing should be developed in 8th grade. At each of the main areas of writing (thesis, body, counter argument, conclusion) the teacher will model writing by toggling back and forth between the prezi and a word document, and students will take notes/write ideas for their arguments. Thesis: The effects of creating a movement like The Wave with a motto, salute, and membership cards in a school environment. Using this topic, the students and teacher will come up with a few arguments for and against this statement. For example: Creating a movement with a motto, salute, and membership cards is the best way to have an inclusive community in a school. Against example: Creating a movement with a motto, salute, and membership cards creates a feeling of suspicion and excludes people. (We will try to come up with a few different versions so there are a variety of topics.) It will be up to students to decide which side of the argument they would like to support.

30 min

Barberi - Unit Plan - Day 8 Body: Each argument should have at least three pieces of supporting evidence. As a class we will come up with 1 piece of supporting evidence for each side of the argument. For example: After the second day of The Wave all of the students in Mr. Ross' history class sat together at lunch, including Robert Billings. Before this day Robert always sat by himself. Against example: If only some of the students in a school know the salute, those who do not know the salute will not be included and will feel left out.

30 min

Counter Argument: Each essay needs more than just an argument for or against something like The Wave, the argument must address the counter argument and explain why the counter argument is not correct. Using the for/against examples above the class will brainstorm ways to state that those arguments are incorrect. For example: Though some may say that students will feel left out if they do not know the salute, they don't realize that all students will have a chance to learn the salute once they join the movement. Therefore, any students who wants to be included will be allowed to join and learn the salute. Against example: It is true that all of the students in Mr. Ross' class began sitting together at lunch, but while they were sitting together some students did not like it when Laurie said she wasn't sure The Wave was a good idea. Therefore, students who liked The Wave were included but then students who didn't like The Wave were threatened to be excluded. Conclusion: The conclusion must restate the thesis, therefore we will practice restating the original thesis statements we made. For example: The best way to have a supportive environment in a school is to have a group with shared phrases and symbols. Against example: There is no way to make students come together through a movement because eventually they won't trust each other and students don't naturally want to be include others. 3.) Rough Drafts: Students will have the remainder of class to write out their rough drafts. They should use examples from the book, and the ideas we reviewed. The teacher will be available to help students and address common questions. Because the students are only being asked to use their books as a reference, and because at this point in the semester we have done a lot of writing work, less time is being given to create arguments. *Students can not copy the examples we did as a class word for word, but they may follow the general structure if necessary. 6.) Wrap Up: Right before the bell rings the teacher will remind students that they will be doing peer reviews tomorrow, so if they haven't finished their rough draft they should do so for homework. Students will be given points for having their rough draft completed at the beginning of the hour tomorrow. LEARNING STYLES Visual/Auditory: Students will review and learn from a prezi presentation given by the teacher on argumentative essays. Intrapersonal: Students will choose a thesis statement based on their beliefs and justify it through evidence in the text. METHODS Prezi presentation Individual introspection and writing INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES Presenting Information: The teacher will present information on argumentative essays through a prezi presentation and through the assignment and rubric given to the students.

10 min

1 min

Barberi - Unit Plan - Day 8 Presenting Information: The teacher will present information on argumentative essays through a prezi presentation and through the assignment and rubric given to the students. Checking for Understanding: The teacher will evaluate student understanding through thesis creation, etc. during the prezi presentation and argument modeling. The teacher will circulate the room as students work on their rough drafts to answer questions and identify areas of confusion. Guided Practice: The teacher will instruct students how to craft an argumentative essay, focusing on the counter argument through the prezi presentation. The teacher will model all parts of the construction of an argumentative essay during the presentation. Independent Practice: Students will work individually on their argument rough drafts. CONCLUSION/CLOSURE Wrap Up: Right before the bell rings the teacher will remind students that they will be doing peer reviews tomorrow, so if they haven't finished their rough draft they should do so for homework. Students will be given points for having their rough draft completed at the beginning of the hour tomorrow. REFLECTION Have I given enough time for the construction of rough drafts? Should I set up workshop time so I can work one-on-one with students? Was the presentation clear? Are there areas of confusion I haven't addressed? Should I have given students other perspectives or texts from which to draw conclusions/thesis statements? Should I have waited until later in the novel for this activity? ASSESSMENT The assessment in this lesson is formative. The teacher assesses student understanding during the presentation because students will be chiming in with their ideas for crafting thesis statements, supporting evidence, etc. The teacher will also assess student work formatively while circulating the room during individual work time. RESOURCES NEEDED Argumentative Essay Prezi Argument Assignment Handout & Rubric Copies of The Wave Student notebook paper Pencils CLASSROOM SET-UP: Traditional group seating: groups have 4-6 desks per group. The white board will have instructions for the beginning of class and the agenda will be on the in the upper left hand corner.