How to Critique an Argument

Lesson Class #4 & Class #5 Course Grade 12

Title/Focus ( 2 x 60 minutes) Critical
25 students Thinking

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson students will be able to:

1. Learning how to critique an argument (Understanding)
2. Applying logic to an argument (Applying)

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Whiteboard
Whiteboard markers
SMART board
Senator makes a fool of herself. Bill C-16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEfgf2GRk3Q
Tale of the Tape Read a Full Transcript of Macleans Debate
http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/tale-of-the-tape-read-a-full-
transcript-of-macleans-debate/
25 x copies of the Macleans debate printed for each student

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

All materials must be present to complete the lesson

Be aware of the time constraints and keep the students on task with the
strategies
Have YouTube video preloaded on the screen for when student walk into the
class

PROCEDURE

Introduction Time

Topic Write the agenda for the day on the board 20 min
The structure and discuss with class.
of an Pre-load the video for Senator makes a fool
argument of herself. Bill C-16 on the SMART Board.
The SMART board will be temporarily turned
off while the teacher gathers the classrooms
attention.
Whole group discussion prior to the video:
Ask class to assess the strengths of their

1
 arguments.
o Is what the speaker saying relevant to
the matter of discussion?
o Is this argument a logical argument?
Play video and tell students to pay close
attention and write notes (5:22 minutes).
After the video write The structure of an
argument on the board and call on students
individually and ask if they can remember the
structure of an argument.
Whole group discussion:
Are there any fallacies, inconsistencies, or
departure from the topic in the video?
Debrief the structure of the argument from
the video with the class.
o Are they on topic?
o Is what they are saying something
that makes sense?
Explain to the whole class that this a real-
world example of an up-to-date argument
Explain to students that it is good practice to
watch current events and to use prior
knowledge learned in class to critically assess
the argument.

Students Split the class into pre-assigned discussion 60 min

analyze groups (4) and have copies of the Macleans
transcript of debate printed for each student
Macleans Assign each student to read 1 paragraph
Debate silently to themselves and share with their
group members a summarization of the
points that they read.
In the four groups, assign students into the
position of: Justin Trudeau, Elizabeth May,
Tom Mulcair, and Stephen Harper
In groups of six, assign students to split into
partners

Topic Think- Pair- Share: Ask students to partner 20 min

Macleans with the person on their side of the table and
Debate discuss what they have read and what their
assigned leader represents in the debate
Allow class time for students to conduct self-
directed research using the internet to create
a debate for the next class

Conclusion Time
2
 Exit slip: Ask students to fill out small piece of paper with an 10 min
example of a deductive and inductive argument

Assessment

Observation of individual work during the analyze scripts activity (learning

objective #1). Formative. Completion/quality of their own contributed ideas
to class discussion (learning objective # 2). Summative.
Responses to discussions within groups, and as a class (learning objective
#1 and #2). Formative.