Title of Unit Persuasive/Argumentative Writing Grade 9th

Level

Subject English Language Arts Time 3 weeks

Frame

Developed By Stephanie Connell

Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results

Broad Areas of Learning

How are the BAL incorporated into this unit?

The BALs of this lesson are procedural and metacognitive.

We will follow procedures in the writing process to understand how to write persuasively.
We will be thinking about the reasons behind our learning, and why we believe the way we do to come up with good arguments to persuade other
reader’s thinking.

Cross curricular Competencies

How will this unit promote the CCC?

Explore and interpret the world using various literacies:

 Use various literacies to challenge and question understandings and interpretations
 Use ideas and technologies in ways that contribute to creating new insight

Express understanding and communicate meaning using various literacies

 Create, compute, and communicate using a variety of materials, strategies, and technologies to express understanding of ideas and experiences
 Respond responsibly and ethically to others using various literacies
 Determine and use the languages, concepts, and processes that are particular to a discipline when developing ideas and presentations
 Communicate ideas, experiences, and information in ways that are inclusive, understandable, and useful to others

Use moral reasoning processes

 Consistently apply fundamental moral values such as “respect all”

Engage in communitarian thinking and dialogue

 Model a balance in speaking, listening, and reflecting

 Ensure each person has an opportunity to contribute
 Demonstrate courage to express differing perspectives in a constructive manner

 Be sensitive to, and respectful of, diversity and different ways of participating
Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)

 Students will analyze how authors develop an argument with reasons, evidence, and rhetoric
 Students will practice arguing with and without the support of textual evidence
 Students will practice constructing an argument with three reasons and evaluating arguments for their effectiveness
 Students will select the topic for their argumentative essay based on research done on provided real-world articles
 Students will write a thesis statement for their argument, support it with reasons, and acknowledge the counterargument
 Students will complete a persuasive/argumentative paper

Enduring Understandings Essential Questions

What understandings about the big ideas are desired? (what you want students to What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the
understand & be able to use several years from now) content? (open-ended questions that stimulate thought and
What misunderstandings are predictable? inquiry linked to the content of the enduring understanding)
Students will understand that... Content specific….

Related misconceptions… FNMI, multicultural, cross-curricular…

What does it mean to persuade?
Why would you want to argue your point of view or belief
with someone else?
What are the benefits to persuading others?
dd
 Students will be able to logically argue their point of view using evidence,
reason, and rhetoric. They will also understand that their point of view is not the only one
that matters and that opinions that can be backed up by facts are just as important as
their own.

Two predictable misunderstandings are the difference between facts and options, and the
refusal to see someone else’s side.

Knowledge: Skills
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? This content knowledge may What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? List
come from the indicators, or might also address pre-requisite knowledge that students will the skills and/or behaviors that students will be able to
need for this unit. exhibit as a result of their work in this unit. These will come
from the indicators.
Students will know... Students will be able to…
 Analyze the authors claims
 Determine point of view and purpose in a text
 Argue their own claims and persuade the audience to
understand
 Determine valid reasoning and facts
 Support their beliefs
 Create clear and coherent writing
 Strengthen their writing process
 Gather information
 Draw evidence from reliable sources
 Distinguish reliable sources.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.5
Analyze in detail how an author's ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular
sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses
rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1.A
Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and
create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1.B
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out
the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge
level and concerns.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses 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.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1.D
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1.E
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument
presented.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types
are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying
a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose
and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language
standards 1-3 up to and including grades 9-10 here.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.8
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using
advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the
research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.A
Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research
on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills? (describes the learning activity in
“story” form. Typically, the P.T. describes a scenario or situation that requires students to apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate their understanding
in a real life situation. Describe your performance task scenario below)
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
G – Goal
What should students
accomplish by completing this
task?
R – Role
What role (perspective) will
your students be taking?
A – Audience
Who is the relevant audience?

S – Situation
The context or challenge
provided to the student.
P – Product, Performance
What product/performance will
the student
create?

There will be a number of summative assessments throughout the unit that show students how they use arguments in real
life. The final assessment will be their essays, and this will be the rubric I will grade them with:

Criteria Score Feedback

Introduces precise claim.

Distinguishes the claim(s) from

alternate or opposing claims.
Creates an organization that establishes
clear relationships among claim,
counterclaims, reasons and evidence.

S – Standards & Criteria for Develops claim and counterclaims

Success fairly, supplying evidence for each while
Create the rubric for the pointing out the strengths and
Performance Task limitations of both in a manner that
anticipates the audience's knowledge
level and concerns.

Provides a concluding statement or

section that follows from and supports
the argument presented.

Uses words, phrases, and clauses to link

the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships
among claim(s) and reasons, between
reasons and evidence, and between
claims and counterclaims.
 Integrates information into the text
selectively to maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and following a
standard format for citation.

Demonstrates command of the

conventions of standard English
grammar and usage, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation.

Establishes and maintains a formal

style.

The “real world” summative assessments will be along the lines of class debating on topics that students do not agree upon
so they can argue them. They will see that they support their point every day, and writing it only makes our claims even
stronger.

Other Evidence Student Self-Assessment

Through what other evidence (work samples, observations, How will students reflect upon or self-assess their learning?
quizzes, tests, journals or other means) will students
demonstrate achievement of the desired results? Formative and
summative assessments used throughout the unit to arrive at
the outcomes.

The students will have class discussions, exit slips, rough drafts, The students will be given graphic organizers that allow them to address strengths and
graphic organizers, and a final paper to prove they have weaknesses in their writing. They will also keep a portfolio of all the changes they have
achieved the learning goals. made to their work so they can see how much they have learned.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan

What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
  achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
 equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained? Have the learners been
part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to be addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance learning?

We will go over the expectations of the day and review a little bit every day so that students know what is going on. The students will all have a unique
perspective on controversial statements; they will each have something valuable to bring to this unit as a whole. I will address their interests by giving them
a voice in debating their point of view on relevant topics. If time permits, I will have them debate something like their favorite movies because they will all
have something to say about that. I am sure that ELL students will need some sentence starter for discussion, and they may also want someone to read the
articles to them.

The learning will occur communally. This unit will rely on class discussion and student opinions. The desks can be put into groups with a walkway in the
middle to make debating easier.

How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)

I will introduce this lesson using their own opinions. I will relate arguing to their everyday life and make them a part of the discussion.

What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the unit? How will you
equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
# Lesson Title Lesson Activities CCCs Resources

1 See How It’s  Think-Pair-Share to answer the questions I propose. Model a balance in Looking at the real world
Done in the  Read mentor texts (real work argumentative/persuasive writing) speaking, listening, writing activity worksheet.
Real World  Group study of mentor texts with writing activity and reflecting. Articles:
 Whole class discussion and another Think-Pair-Share https://parenting.blogs.nyt
This lesson would be to improve their writing by showing them examples of Ensure each imes.com/2014/02/13/stud
mentor texts. The articles are from real-world publications and are linked to person has an ents-who-lose-recess-are-
things that the students will care about and relate to in their own lives. I picked opportunity to the-ones-who-need-it-
the articles “Students Who Lose Recess Are the Ones Who Need it Most” and contribute. most/
“School Suspensions Don’t work” because they are well written and interesting https://www.bostonglobe.c
for students. The students will read these texts and find quotes from the author Demonstrate om/magazine/2014/12/21/
that back up his or her beliefs. The students will be asked whom they think did courage to express school-suspensions-don-
a better job, and they will be asked to defend their answer. I would ask them differing work-time-for-something-
to look for relatable stories, statistics, and facts that the author used to perspectives in a better/kXQMRlfBWccB8hPd
influence their readers. Throughout this unit, the students can refer back to constructive uwoHTK/story.html
these articles to see how professional writers approached argumentative manner.
writing. PowerPoint
2 Arguing without Model a balance in https://www.bostonglobe.c
Textual  Agree or Disagree sides, give a statement, have students defend their speaking, listening, om/metro/regionals/north/
Support stance. and reflecting. 2013/02/10/billerica-
 Explain to them that they are continually arguing their point in real life, parents-plead-for-
so they are already experienced at this. Ensure each return/NOR9eqAiJDmMFnZ
 Go over PowerPoint and notes about the three types of appeals so they person has an AMiAAXL/story.html
can look for them in the articles to help them find the support for the opportunity to
author's claims contribute. https://www.nacacnet.org/
 Students will be given this statement: “Schools should stop using letter news--
grades, and instead only use written feedback to track achievement.” Demonstrate publications/newsroom/na
 Then, I will provide students with multiple articles from opposing courage to express cac-survey-grades-matter-
viewpoints for homework. Students will be asked to support their differing most-in-college-
option on the above statement using one or more of these articles. perspectives in a admission-/
They will also be asked to categorize the appeals the authors make constructive
(logos, ethos, pathos) manner. https://www.washingtonpo
 This is an excellent way to connect written arguments with the arguing st.com/local/education/ma
that students do without even thinking about it. Students have specific Consistently apply ny-elementary-schools-
options about many topics, and once they see that they already have fundamental moral abandon-letter-
the skill base for writing persuasive essays, they will be more confident values such as grades/2011/09/21/gIQA3
“respect all”. pllrK_story.html?
in doing this for this unit. I would explain to them that something as
simple as their option on whether a movie was good or bad is an utm_term=.2de074fac1f1
example of arguing for persuasion. They want their friends to see why
they liked or didn’t like a particular movie. I would try multiple high- https://www.insidehighere
interest statements and have them go to the side they agree with and d.com/news/2010/05/03/g
talk about it. This will also help them practice good listening and rading
communicating skills.
Finally, I will explain to them to them that that arguing is something we always http://www.chicagotribune
do, whether it is convincing your parents you deserve a cell phone or a car, you .com/news/local/breaking/
are trying to persuade them to see things your way. You are good at providing ct-middle-school-grades-
evidence; you just do not realize it yet. Then I would explain to them that we met-20160601-story.html
would do this again tomorrow, but with a given topic and articles to provide
evidence. I will introduce to them the three types of appeals in persuasive PowerPoint
writing so they can keep their eye out for these as support and proof in each
article. This is intended to help them know what to look for in the text.

3 Arguing with I will introduce a discussion strategy called “Philosophical Chairs.” In this, the Create, compute, “Billerica Parents Plead
Textual students will still be verbally arguing, but this time they will understand the and communicate for Return to A-B-Cs”
Support using a variety of
advantage that textual evidence adds when trying to persuade another person.
materials, “NACAC Survey: Grades
I will tell the students to split into two groups: those who agree that schools strategies, and Matter Most in College
should use letter grades and those who think they should only use written technologies to Admission”
feedback. Students must have their articles on hand so they can use direct express
quotes to strength their opinions. This helps students understand that pulling understanding of “Many Elementary Schools
information from a higher authority does improve their argument. This will ideas and Abandon Letter Grades”
experiences
take up most, if not all, of the class period because there were many articles
the students could quote from, and each student needs a chance to speak their “No Grading, More
 opinion. The Summative Assessment will be exit slips. The students will each Learning”
write down what their opinion was on the topic of letter grades in school, and Respond
responsibly and “Parents Push Back
back up their opinion with three supporting reasons that they talked about
ethically to others Against School Report
during “Philosophical Chairs.” This will hold them accountable for learning and Cards with No Letter
using various
is excellent practice for writing a thesis statement. literacies Grades”

PowerPoint
Determine and use
the languages,
concepts, and
processes that are
particular to a
discipline when
developing ideas
and presentations

Model a balance in
speaking, listening,
and reflecting.

Ensure each
person has an
opportunity to
contribute.

Demonstrate
courage to express
differing
perspectives in a
constructive
manner.

Consistently apply
fundamental moral
values such as
“respect all”.

4 Improving Our The students will practice constructing an argument with three reasons and Create, compute, Argument Cards
Arguments evaluate arguments for their effectiveness. They will begin thinking about their and communicate Performance Assessment
topic for their essays. using a variety of Scoring Rubric
Students will use a graphic organizer called Argument Cards to write arguments materials,
based on the Philosophical Chairs activity. These cards have a central argument strategies, and
and three supporting reasons for them. Students will pair up and fill out the technologies to
cards. They will hang them on the front board in two categories: agree and express
disagree. After this, students will read what their classmates did and vote on understanding of
ideas and
the best argument – one argument from each side. Students will vote by
experiences
 placing a post-it note next to the argument to ensure that they will only vote
once. The students will then explain why they voted as they did. This will help Respond
students realize what makes an argument sound. responsibly and
Finally, I will show them what their performance assessment will be for this ethically to others
unit. I will tell the students that they will be writing an argumentative essay and using various
that they can choose from one of four topics to write about. The topics will be - literacies
Social Networking in School, Cell Phones in Class, Junk Food in School, and
Single-Gender Education. I will provide them with the articles for whatever Model a balance in
topic they choose. speaking, listening,
and reflecting.

5 Students will pick their essay topic, write a thesis statement, support their claim Use various PowerPoint
Getting Started with three reasons, and acknowledge the counterargument. The students will literacies to Essay Planner
be given sample essays, so they can see what is expected of them by the end challenge and Articles
of the unit. After the students read over the sample essays, they will be asked question
to pick their topic for their compositions. understandings and
I will then do a mini-lesson about writing thesis statements. I will give students interpretations
a blank Essay Planner. I will teach students to write thesis statements that are
configured in a concession-thesis-reasons format. Students will read over the Use ideas and
technologies in
articles that pertain to their topic and make notes on them to help form their
ways that
opinion. I will have them write their thesis statement out and then write it in
contribute to
their Essay Organizer so they can keep on track. creating new
insight

6 Writers Part of the day will be spent on a mini-lesson on choosing sound evidence, and Use various Articles of choice
Workshop: the other part will be used for writing our drafts. I will teach them the types of literacies to Mini-Lesson sheets
Choosing evidence: facts/statistics, stories/anecdotes, examples, quotes from experts, challenge and Essay drafts
Evidence and scenarios. I will give them an anchor chart with examples of each type of question Sample Planner
evidence so they can refer back to it. We will go over relevant, sufficient, and understandings and Essay Planner
credible examples of evidence. interpretations

Use ideas and

technologies in
ways that
contribute to
creating new
insight

Determine and use

the languages,
concepts, and
processes that are
particular to a
discipline when
developing ideas
 and presentations

7 Writers Part of the day will be spent on a mini-lesson on integrating evidence into their Use various Articles of choice
Workshop: writing, and the other part will be used for writing our drafts. We will talk about literacies to Mini-Lesson sheets
Integrating direct quotes and paraphrases. We will talk about the difference between the challenge and Essay drafts
Evidence Into two, and how they can integrate it into their writing. We will work at smoothly question Sample Planner
Your Argument adding evidence by using the claim-evidence-reasoning pattern of writing. We understandings and Essay Planner
will go through ways to introduce the evidence and reasoning. interpretations

Use ideas and

technologies in
ways that
contribute to
creating new
insight

Determine and use

the languages,
concepts, and
processes that are
particular to a
discipline when
developing ideas
and presentations

8 Writers Part of the day will be spent on a mini-lesson on considering the audience, and Use various Articles of choice
Workshop: the other part will be used for writing our drafts. I would explain to them that it literacies to Mini-Lesson sheets
Considering is crucial for writers to discuss whom they are writing to because connecting challenge and Essay drafts
Your Audience with the audience will help convince them to believe like you. Thinking about question Sample Planner
the audience means thinking about counter-arguments. So we will go over the understandings and Essay Planner
proper way to address counter-arguments in our writing. I will have the interpretations
students change aspects of their writing to better address their audience.
Use ideas and
technologies in
ways that
contribute to
creating new
insight

Determine and use

the languages,
concepts, and
processes that are
particular to a
 discipline when
developing ideas
and presentations
9 Writers Part of the day will be spent on a mini-lesson on building background Use various Articles of choice
Workshop: knowledge, and the other part will be used for writing our drafts. The concept literacies to Mini-Lesson sheets
Building behind this is to teach the students about helping their readers understand. challenge and Essay drafts
Background Sometimes there are issues that people are not aware of, so if you do not build question Sample Planner
Knowledge the necessary background knowledge for these readers, they will be lost. I will understandings and Essay Planner
show them two examples of introductions – one that addresses background interpretations
knowledge and one that doesn’t. We will talk about the benefits of knowing the
background knowledge. Then I will have the students add background Use ideas and
technologies in
knowledge to their essays.
ways that
contribute to
creating new
insight

10 Writers Part of the day will be spent on a mini-lesson on citing sources, and the other Use various Articles of choice
Workshop: part will be used for writing our drafts. This mini-lesson will address plagiarism literacies to Mini-Lesson sheets
Citing Sources and MLA format. We will go over the different types of citations and their challenge and Essay drafts
proper arrangements. The students will create work cited pages and in-text question Sample Planner
citations throughout their papers. understandings and Essay Planner
interpretations

Use ideas and

technologies in
ways that
contribute to
creating new
insight

Determine and use

the languages,
concepts, and
processes that are
particular to a
discipline when
developing ideas
and presentations
11 Writers Part of the day will be spent on a mini-lesson on creating a good title, hook, Use various Articles of choice
Workshop: and closing, and the other part will be used for writing our drafts. I will explain literacies to Mini-Lesson sheets
Title, Hook, to them the reasons for well-developed titles, introductions, and closings. In challenge and Essay drafts
and Closing small groups, the students will come up with good titles for their essays and question Sample Planner
decide which one is the best. I will give them examples of hook statements, understandings and Essay Planner
and they can model their introduction sentence after whichever one they like, interpretations
or they can come up with their own. Finally, we will work on their conclusions.
We will talk about restating the thesis, summarizing main points, and closing Use ideas and
technologies in
thoughts/statements to leave the readers thinking. The students will now add
ways that
these revisions to their writing. Each time a student makes a change, they add
 their old draft to their writing portfolio so they can check their progress. contribute to
creating new
insight

Determine and use

the languages,
concepts, and
processes that are
particular to a
discipline when
developing ideas
and presentations
12 Writers The last mini-lesson will be on transitions. I will show them paragraphs with no Use various Articles of choice
Workshop: transitions, and they will come up to the board and add in transitions to make literacies to Mini-Lesson sheets
Transitions the sentences flow together. I will give them lists of transition words in a challenge and Essay drafts
variety of categories so they can add them to their writing. question Sample Planner
understandings and Essay Planner
interpretations

Use ideas and

technologies in
ways that
contribute to
creating new
insight

Determine and use

the languages,
concepts, and
processes that are
particular to a
discipline when
developing ideas
and presentations
13 Final Drafts As we went through all the mini-lessons, the students should have made a lot Use various Final Draft
of revisions to their first draft papers. Before they submit their essay, they will literacies to Articles of choice
be asked to do peer-reviews of two other papers. I would give them a rubric to challenge and Mini-Lesson sheets
“grade” their classmates on so that each student has at least two different question Essay drafts
people analyzing their papers. understandings and Sample Planner
Finally, they will submit their essays for final grading. interpretations Essay Planner
Use ideas and
technologies in
ways that
contribute to
creating new
insight
 Model a balance in
speaking, listening,
and reflecting

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)

Considerations Comments
Required Areas of Study: All aspects of this unit are aligned. The outcomes of the unit are affected by the
Is there alignment between outcomes, performance assessment and learning experiences. The assessment can only be done well if the
assessment and learning experiences? students have learned throughout the unit, and understand the skill sets that were taught.

Adaptive Dimension: For struggling students:

Have I made purposeful adjustments to the curriculum
content (not outcomes), instructional practices, and/or Sentence starters for discussion
the learning environment to meet the learning needs and Read aloud of articles
diversities of all my students? Movement around the classroom

For students who need a challenge:

Students who need to be challenged will be required to use more sources in their writing,
and they will be “peer revisers” for students who need help.

Instructional Approaches: Yes. I have teacher-led, student-led, whole-class, and independent instructional
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and student approaches.
centered instructional approaches?

Resource Based Learning: The students have access to all articles, PowerPoints, anchor charts, mini-lesson notes,
Do the students have access to various resources on an and graphic organizers throughout the unit.
ongoing basis?

FNM/I Content and Perspectives/Gender

Equity/Multicultural Education: Yes. I have made language help available and fostered a classroom that respectfully listens
Have I nurtured and promoted diversity while honoring to the point of views of their classmates. I have stressed that each person is unique in
each child’s identity? their background, culture, and identity so they will have differing opinions, and that is a
good thing.

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)