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Revised: 9/28/2016

SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Grade08 Unit 02 Writing Unit Template

Argument Writing

Writing Standards:W.8.1,W.8.4,W.8.5,W.8.9

Language Standards:L.8.1,L.8.2,L.8.3,L.8.6

UNIT DESCRIPTION

This argumentative writing unit asks students to reflect on the issues presented in the Informational Reading Unit in

order to plan and craft a persuasive speech. Students will use persuasive techniques and present a clearly organized

argument, supported with evidence gathered through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of relevant

sources. Emphasis will be given to the development of a claim supported with clear reasons and relevant evidence,

appropriate attention to task, purpose, and audience, the introduction of a counterclaim and a call to action. Writing a

persuasive speech will challenge students to develop strong persuasive techniques and disciplined planning, drafting,

and revision skills.

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STANDARDS

Writing Standards:

W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and

relevant evidence.

a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s)

from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons

and evidence logically.

b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant

evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating

an understanding of the topic or text.

c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and

clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons,

and evidence.

d. Establish and maintain a formal style.

e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from

and supports the argument presented.

W.8.4 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.)

W.8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults,

develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising,

editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well

purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions

should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and

including grade 8 on page 66.)

Language Standards:

L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English

grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

a. Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives)

in general and their function in particular sentences.

b. Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice.

c. Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative,

conditional, and subjunctive mood.

d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and

mood.

L.8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English

capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or

break.

b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.

c. Spell correctly.

L.8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,

speaking, reading, or listening.

a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the

conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects

(e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty

or describing a state contrary to fact).

Embedded Standards: W.8.9, W.8.10, L.8.4, L.8.5, L.8.6, SL.8.1, SL.8.3, SL.8.4

Writing Rubric

Link to standards-based rubric (This rubric is based on the NYS 6-8 4 point rubric but revised to fit persuasive writing)

Writing Assessment

Writing Prompt:

Think back to the previous unit’s reading selections. Reflect on the issues that we read about. Choose one issue that you believe history should not

repeat itself with. Write a persuasive speech in which you persuade your audience why we should never repeat this historical, social issue.

In your speech, be sure to include the following:

Introduce your claim with a thesis statement (your position on the issue)

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Acknowledge the opposing view’s position (counterargument)

Distinguish your position from opposing position

Use supportive evidence when discussing both positions

Provide a concluding statement that supports your position

Suggested topics:

Should it be legal for children to be used as laborers to benefit society and the economy?

Do unions protect the rights of industrial workers?

Do immigrants deserve equal treatment as naturally born citizens?

Post Assessment (Post-Assessment):

Read Teen Curfews, by Todd Foster. Write a persuasive speech where you take a stand on the issue.

In your speech, be sure to include the following:

Introduce your claim with a thesis statement (your position on the issue)

Acknowledge the opposing view’s position (counterargument)

Distinguish your position from opposing position

Use relevant evidence to support your position

Provide a concluding statement that supports your position

* Assessment text can be found in the Glencoe, Course 3 textbook, on page 561.

Mentor Texts for Think Alouds Resources for Informational/Descriptive Writing

Speech to Support Unit:

Michelle Obama Speech on childhood obesity (use segments, as

appropriate)

Angelina Jolie Persuasive Speech

Mentor Text (for teaching points):

Virtual High Schools Text and Think Aloud/ Mini Lesson Resource

*If students do not choose to write about the previous unit’s issues, see

the following texts as reference for a social issue.

From Glencoe In Time Magazine:

A Symphony of Her Own by Lev Grossman (Lexile 950)

An Elusive Dream in the Promise Land by David Thigpen (Lexile

1260)

Not Just An African Story by Richard Schickel (Lexile 1080)

Starving for Friendship by Audrey Brashich (Lexile 1050)

Big Ideas Essential Questions

Writers use topics that they feel strongly about to persuade an

audience.

Persuasive writing allows a writer to address a difference in

opinion.

Writers state an opinion, defend it, and convince others to

agree with them.

How do we convince the world today to learn from historical social

injustices?

How does an author persuade their readers?

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Vocabulary Anchor Charts

Alternate

Argue

Claim

Counter

Evidence

Oppose

Persuade

Components of a Persuasive Speech

Standard/

Outcome

Teaching Points

(Lesson Objectives) Checks for Understanding Scaffolds & Supports

Instructional

Resources & Tools

Generating /

Brainstorm

2.1a Writers research relevant

evidence to support their claims by

using accurate, credible sources.

2.1b Writers generate ideas about

a topic by asking:

What do I know about this? What

do my sources tell me?

(Teacher to students: In order for a

writer to take a stance on an issue

he or she must gather information

and then decide on a claim.)

a. Completed graphic organizer of

pros and cons related to the claim

students choose to make.

b. Quick Write: What evidence will

be included in your speech? How

does the evidence persuade the

audience?

Text Coding of research

article.

Working with a peer to

identify relevant evidence.

Conferencing Questions:

What are the pros and

cons to your issue? After

looking at both sides of the

argument, where do you

stand? Why?

Completed speech outline

with relevant evidence for

the both sides of the claim.

Complete an outline for

support and organization.

Planning,

Drafting &

Revising

2.2 Writers develop a thought-

provoking introduction by drawing

on opposing views or the

controversy around a topic

Quick Write: Is your claim clear and

debatable?

Review examples of

informative text that is

designed to persuade the

audience. Examine the

claim within those texts.

Provide examples of

interesting leads or hooks.

Explain that a claim is

similar to a thesis

statement.

Introduce a claim by

engaging the reader

LearnZillion Lesson

Resource on writing

the persuasive essay:

Use pg. 2 as a

resource for the

introduction and

thesis statement.

Lessons on Crafting a

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Standard/

Outcome

Teaching Points

(Lesson Objectives) Checks for Understanding Scaffolds & Supports

Instructional

Resources & Tools

Persuasive Essay

(LearnZillion)

2.3 Writers acknowledge alternate

or opposing claims by addressing

both sides of an issue.

(Teacher to students: Addressing

possible arguments against your

claim keeps the writer in control

and further persuades the

audience to accept your claim.)

Quick Write: What evidence does

the opposing side use to support

their claim?

Working with a partner,

brainstorm

counterarguments about

your claim. Plan evidence

that you would use to

argue the

counterarguments.

Conferencing Questions:

What are the opposing

arguments of your claim?

How can you argue

against them? What is the

strongest point against your

stance that you can

confidently argue against?

Acknowledge a

counterclaim by

critiquing your own

argument

LearnZillion Lesson

2.4 Writers support claims with

relevant evidence, using accurate,

credible sources by asking

themselves “does this support my

claim?”

Quick Write: What are the three

strongest pieces of evidence you

have to support your claim? Put

these in order of most relevant to

least relevant and elaborate with

supportive details for each piece

of evidence.

Conferencing Questions:

How does your evidence

relate to each other in

each paragraph?

Use of boxes and bullets

strategy (LearnZillion)

Graphic Organizer

for evaluating a

writer’s argument:

Glencoe Course 3,

pg. 541

Strengthen body

paragraphs by

connecting

evidence to the

claim

LearnZillion Lesson

2.5a Writers organize and structure

their work by ensuring evidence is

presented in a clear and logical

manner.

(Teacher to students: Today we are

going to work on revising our work.

The word “revision” literally means

a. Peer Conversation: Have

partners exchange papers, read

each other’s topic sentences to

see if (a)they present a clear

argument and (b) the evidence

presented is relevant to the topic

sentence?

Conferencing Questions:

What do you feel is your

strongest point? Do you

have enough evidence to

support your claim?

Working with a partner,

review essay drafts. In the

Topic Sentence and

Paragraph Structure

Resource

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Standard/

Outcome

Teaching Points

(Lesson Objectives) Checks for Understanding Scaffolds & Supports

Instructional

Resources & Tools

‘to see again.’ During this phase

you will look at your essay with new

eyes and make sure it

communicates your beliefs

effectively to the audience.)

2.5b Writers create clear

relationships among the claims,

counterclaims, reasons, and

evidence by using a variety of

transitions.

(Teacher to students: Transitional

words, phrases and clauses help

you show how ideas are related to

each other.)

b. Revision Activity: Highlight any

transition words you used. Ask

yourself, “Do they help describe

the relationship between ideas? Do

they help move from one

paragraph to the next?”

body of the essay, rank the

strength of the evidence

starting with the most

powerful.

Look through sample texts

and identify transition

words. Have students write

the words on sticky notes.

Create a class poster of

transition words or have

partners work together to

include transition between

ideas.

Conferencing Questions:

What transitional words did

you use to show the

relationships between your

thoughts and ideas?

Using Transition

Words Resource

(LearnZillion)

2.6 Writers utilize the conclusion as

their final opportunity to convey a

claim with conviction to the

audience.

(Teacher to students: Writers can

end a persuasive speech in many

ways. Quotes, predictions,

questions, and a call to action are

methods that help to summarize a

speech.)

Think-Ink-Pair-Share: What

methods can you use in the

conclusion to further persuade the

audience?

Provide definition of a call

to action: a statement that

tells the audience what

actions you want them to

take as a result of the

knowledge you have given

them.

Examine strong conclusions

in sample speeches.

Closing a Persuasive

Speech Resource

Drafting a

Conclusion (LearnZillion)

Write a concluding

statement by

rewording main

points

LearnZillion Lesson

Editing &

Publishing

2.7 Writers show respect for the

reader by applying what is known

about conventions (check

punctuation, capitalization,

spelling, and grammar).

Editing Activity: With the use of an

editing/ proofreading checklist,

students should make any

necessary corrections.

Mini Lessons as needed on

punctuation, capitalization,

grammar, citing sources,

etc.

Peer editing with a

proofreading guide.

Conferencing Questions:

General Strategies

for Proofreading

Resource

Proofreading Marks

Resource

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Standard/

Outcome

Teaching Points

(Lesson Objectives) Checks for Understanding Scaffolds & Supports

Instructional

Resources & Tools

What aspects of writing are

you and your partner

focusing on during peer

editing? What constructive

advice do you have for

your partner?

2.8 Writers practice the delivery of

their speeches by practicing in a

quiet place, in front of friends or

adults, or with an audio/ video

tape recorder.

Think-Ink-Pair-Share: You’ve heard

that practice makes perfect, but

how can you practice a speech?

Review etiquette for giving

a speech.

Provide a feedback sheet

for partners, if practicing in

pairs.

Tips for delivering a

persuasive speech:

Glencoe Course 3,

pg. 588

Speaking Writers present speeches

Writers present speeches in small

groups made up of peers,

teachers, and other adults.

Self-Reflection:

Was your thesis well-defined?

Did you use evidence to

differentiate fact from opinion?

Did you anticipate and answer

counterarguments?

Did you maintain a reasonable

tone as well as eye contact?

Anchor Chart:

o Look at the audience.

o Speak loudly and

clearly.

o Speak in a slow, natural

tone. Look at your

notes only when you

need a reminder.

o Use clear, correct

language. Do not use

slang.

o Stand up tall.

Unit Speech rubric

Post Assessment

Students administered Post

Assessment and are graded on

Rubric.

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Suggested Pacing Calendar

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

December 12 December 13

December 16 December 17 December 18 December 19 December 20

December 21-January 5

Holiday

January 6 January 7 January 8 January 9

Unit Assessment Unit Assessment