Remote/Distance Learning for 4th nine Weeks for 2019-20

Plans for Week of April 6 through April 10

8th grade Language Arts

Objective: Students will organize and write an argumentative essay.
Assessment:
 A second outline and essay based on an FSA style packet
Activities: See below

We’re still working on Argumentative Writing.

You’ve played with an argument you feel strongly about. Let’s

now take it up a notch. Or more like ten or twenty notches!

You’ll be reading through a packet of info about the U.S.

penny (Yep, the one cent coin with Abe Lincoln’s face) in order
to do the following assignment…

Assignment: You will write an argumentative essay to

defend whether or not the penny should continue being
produced and used in US currency.
 Read the sources carefully.
 Gather evidence from all the sources.
 Plan carefully. Remember to use evidence from all the
sources, and don’t over-rely on one source.
 Cite your source when presenting the evidence.
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 Then, write the essay.

 Proofread after.

First, turn in your planning outline.

Here’s the outline template again

 Claim:
o Reason:
 Evidence:
 Evidence:
o Reason:
 Evidence:
 Evidence:
o Counterclaim:
 Evidence:
 REBUTTAL:

Then you’ll revise your planning if needed, and then write your
essay.
When writing your essay…
 Make the CLAIM the LAST sentence of your intro
paragraph.
 Make sure your CLAIM is clearly stated.

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 You should have at least TWO REASONS for your

argument. You can have more. Each REASON will have
its own paragraph in the body.
 Have at least TWO EVIDENCES for each REASON.
 CITE your EVIDENCE!
 You must use evidence from all the sources. One
source might be used more than the others, but DON’T
OVER-RELY on any one source.
 Remember at this stage of your writing career, “’MORE
IS MORE’, not ‘less is more’”. Give me plenty of detail
and elaboration!
 Use plenty of non-babyish transition words and
phrases!
 Don’t be redundant. Don’t start sentences with the
same word. Don’t keep using the same words over and
over and over.
THEN, GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK!!!!!
Now go back and proofread! Read aloud and slowly, and
you’ll find your mistakes more easily!