Using Argumentation as a Problem-Solving Tool AP Language and Composition Ms.

Schongalla

Solving Global Issues

Sunday, August 11, 2013

What makes global controversies so complex?

1.How should global issues, like hydraulic fracturing, be addressed? 2.When faced with complex problems, what values are in conict and how are these values apparent in the positions of each stakeholder involved? 3.What methods of reasoning best address the needs of all parties involved in this issue and how could these methods be used to determine solutions for other global issues? 4.How should the needs of each stakeholder involved in the debate be prioritized and why?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

CCSS English/Language Arts Standards

(Reading-CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.5) Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. (Reading-CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.5) Determine an author s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text. (Writing-CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.5) Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufcient evidence. a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the signicance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audiences knowledge level, concerns, value, and possible biases. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

CCSS Science and Social Studies Standards

(CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.8) Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.9) Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conicting information when possible.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

College Board Goals for AP Language and Composition

Produce expository, analytical and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/or secondary sources, cogent explanations and clear transitions; Analyze image as text;

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Analyzing a global concern:

Through an analysis of Hydraulic Fracturing, we will practice using argument to nd possible solutions to complex issues.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

We will:
1) Evaluate the conicting concerns of all stakeholders and identify the reasons why agreeing on solutions is so complex, 2) Apply methods of reason (learned earlier in the year) to determine best possible solutions to the issue and, 3) Defend the criteria used to determine if a solution is the best one using specic and appropriate language, evidence, and reasoning

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Diagnostic Assessments
What do we already know? What do we base our current assumptions about world issues upon? Do we already know some ways we can address global concerns?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Pre-Assessment Questionnaire: Using Argument as a Method of Problem-Solving

Objective: To connect prior knowledge to new skills and reect on personal growth Directions: Respond to the following questions with an example that illustrates your idea in preparation for the class discussion. 1. What is one problem that you would consider to be a global issue and what makes this problem large enough to impact the planet? 2. Who are the people, or stakeholders involved in this issue and what are their goals? 3. What values are in conict and how are these values apparent in the positions of each stakeholder? 4. What methods of reasoning do you think would best address the needs of all parties involved in this issue? 5. How should people respond to the issue you have identied as a global issue and why? Remember: Pre-Assessments will NOT affect your grade!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

We will also review:

Our learning styles inventory; how do our learning styles compare to the assessments we are about to perform? What does this information tell us?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Co-Creation of Scoring Rubric

What needs to be added to the argument rubric to reect our best work when it comes to using argument to analyze and solve global issues?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

This is the rubric we will add our ideas to:

Evaluating Argumentation - Cross-curricular Argumentation Rubric Interdisciplinary Goals: ! Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence (English-Language Arts) ! Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content (Science, History, Social Studies) ! Reason abstractly and quantitatively and construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (Mathematics) A Exceeds Standards
Thesis and supporting claims are ! deliberately chosen and include an explanation of the criteria used in making these assertions ! important evidence is selected over other evidence for stronger support ! and arguments are well-organized, using a method of organization that fits the intent of the argument Student anticipates the audiences knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases Argument is objectively developed and logically balanced, and wellsupported using evidence from multiple sources to establish credibility of conclusion being made; a preponderance of evidence from opposing viewpoints are considered and counter-arguments are offered in support the argument

A Exceeds Standards
All elements of argument logically transition between ideas based on the kinds of transitions that are most convincing for the kind of argument being constructed; opposing views are introduced clearly with clear refutations

B Demonstrates Proficiency
All elements of argument logically transition between ideas based on the best on the kinds of transitions that are most convincing for the kind of argument being constructed

C Meets Standards
All elements of argument logically transition between ideas

F Does Not Meet Standards

Transitions are weak or missing

B Demonstrates Proficiency
Thesis and supporting claims are ! deliberately chosen, ! important evidence is selected over other evidence for stronger support, and ! arguments are well-organized and convincing

C Meets Standards
Thesis and supporting claims are precise, significant, and organized

F Does Not Meet Standards

Thesis and supporting claims are vague, irrelevant, or disorganized

Common Core State Standards Initiative, (2012). Implementing the common core state standards. Retrieved from website: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy

Argument is objectively developed and balanced, and wellsupported using evidence from multiple sources to establish credibility of conclusion being made

Argument is objectively developed and supported

Argument is subjective or unsupported

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Multiple Perspectives of a Problem

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Analyze lm Promised Land by director Gus Van Sant; get parent permission forms signed Conduct Socratic Seminar about issue and ways of arriving at and evaluating solutions

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Family Connection
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Do your family members agree with your view of this issue? Why/ why not?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Character Prole
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Conduct research about the issue from perspective of stakeholder and write character proles assigned by teacher based on the views that particular stakeholder would have about fracking. Post your character prole, including fake name, motivation, and rationale for his/her response to the issue to the class online discussion board. Read through the other proles to get a sense of who will be participating in the Town Hall meeting and how your character would react to these other stakeholders.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Samples of Student Work:

Here are a few samples of character proles from previous years. What score would you give each of them and why?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Peer-Assessment and Self-Assessment

Post your character prole to our class online forum to solicit feedback from your peers and prepare for the debate! Use the rubric we created to judge your work on the character prole; submit the rubric with a written explanation of your progress. How might this be the same process your teacher will take when grading your arguments in the future?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Review!
Because we will be using the Toulmin Model we may need to review it. We will also review the methods of reasoning we learned, as well as the values they are based upon.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Play your character in the town hall debate

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Conduct Town Hall

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Conduct Town Hall meeting, write letters to the editor and vote; letters to the editor will be scored using building-wide common scoring rubric for argumentation based on Common Core State Standards that we have added our ideas to.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Letter to the Editor

Your nal assessment will be a written argument that follows the rubric, including using the Toulmin Model, considering multiple perspectives, identifying competing values and methods of reasoning, and offering what you believe to be the best method based on your values. Letters should be submitted in response to an online news forum as well as submitted to the teacher for the nal grade. Here are a few samples from previous years: how would you rate them and why?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Debrief
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Determine solution methods proposed during Town Hall and criteria that led to the communitys nal decision. What conditions must be present for the problem-solving methods proposed to be successful in a realworld situation? Re-visit how these methods and explain how these methods could be used to determine solutions for other global issues.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Questions or Concerns?

How will the planned assessments allow us to gather data that reects our skill level on the units standards? Is there something that should be added or removed from this plan?

Sunday, August 11, 2013