GENERAL INFORMATION

Subject(s)
LanguageArts(English)
TopicorUnitofStudy
Argumentation,ClassroomDebate
Concept(s)
Studentswillbegindiscoveringhowtosupporttheirargumentsusingreasonandsupport.
StudentswillpracticetheformatofthefinalclassroomdebateusingSPARdebatestrategies.
Essentialquestion?
Howdoweargueourpersonalclaimsinaneffectivemanner?
Grade/Level
Grade8
TimeAllotment
1classperiods.1.25Hrs.perclass.
AssessmentofPriorKnowledge
Studentswillparticipateinascaffoldingreviewofthevocabularywordsfromthepreviouslessons(ethos,
pathos,logos,openingandclosingstatement).
InstructionalMaterials
Studentsneedawritingutensilandpaper.
Resources

Materialsandresources:
SMARTBoard

Technologyresources:
Prezipresentationtool.

Thenumberofcomputersrequiredis1.

Summary
Studentswillreviewvocabularywordsandtheformatofourclassroomdebatebeforeacquiringnew
strategiesforsupportingclaimsandarguments.Studentswillparticipateinamockdebatethatonly
requireseightclassmembers.Studentswillbasethesedebatesbasedonclassroomdiscussiononhowto
supportyourselfinaclassroomdebateusingreasonandevidence;althoughonlyeightstudentsparticipate
inthemockdebate,allstudentsareresponsibletodetermineaclaimthatincludesreasonandsupport.

STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES

Standards
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MDMarylandCollegeandCareerReadyStandardsMathandELA/Literacy(2013)

Subject:EnglishLanguageArts&LiteracyinHistory/SocialStudies,Science,andTechnicalSubjects
Grade:Grade8students:
ContentArea:EnglishLanguageArts
Strand:SpeakingandListeningStandards
Domain:PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas
Standard:

4.Presentclaimsandfindings,emphasizingsalientpointsinafocused,coherentmannerwithrelevantevidence,soundvalid
reasoning,andwellchosendetails;useappropriateeyecontact,adequatevolume,andclearpronunciation.

MDMarylandContentStandards

Subject:READING/ENGLISHLANGUAGEARTS
Grade:8
ContentStandard:Standard6.0Listening(Listening)
Area:A.Listening
IndicatorStatement:2.Demonstratecomprehensionandliteraryanalysisstrategiesandskillsforavarietyoflistening
purposesandsettings
Objective:b.Interpretthespeechorperformanceorpresentation

LessonObjective(s)
Studentswillapplytermsfromclassroomdiscussiontoamockdebateandgroupwork.
Studentswillanalyzeandassessamockclassroomdebateanddiscussion.
Studentswilljustifypersonalpositionsthroughamockclassroomdebate.
Affectiveobjectives:
Studentsdemonstratebeliefinvalidcounterpoints.
Sydneyinviteandshareideaswithoneanother.

PROCEDURES AND MODIFICATIONS

Introduction(Motivation)
Studentshavetenminutestocompletetheirdaily"Write,RightNow!"writingprompt.Studentsmustuse
theline,"Couldyousparesomechange,please?"somewherewithintheirshortprompt.
Teaching/Activities
1.Asaclass,wewillreviewvocabularywordsfromthepreviouslessons(ethos,pathos,logos,opening
andclosingstatement).
2.Studentswillworkonaddingsubstancetotheirclaimsbyusingreasonandresearch.Asaclass,wewill
defineanddifferentiatebetweenaclaim,reason,andevidenceandhoweachaffectstheother.
3.Theinstructorwillwalkthroughanexampleofaclaimthatincludesreasonandresearchusingthe
exampleofraisingthedrivingageto18.
4.Studentswillbeseparatedintotwogroupsonegroupwillsupporttheuseofhomeworkwhiletheother
asksforaban.Eachpersoninthegroupmustestablishaclaimfortheirsidethatincludesareasonwith
support.
5.Eachgroupwillmeet,createanopeningstatement,andthenelectfourmemberstoparticipateinthe
mockclassroomdebate(eighttotal).Therestofthestudentswillbecomepartofthecrowdthatwilldecide
awinner.Thegroupswillparticipateinaquickdebatethatfamiliarizesstudentswiththeformatandtime
limitofafulldebate.
6.Theclasscompletesthedebate.
7.Instructorguidesstudentsintoadiscussionaboutthequalityofthedebate,whichanalyzeseachgroup's
supportandevidence.
Closure
TheclassvotesinordertodecidewhichteamwontheSPARdebate.Studentsexplainwhytheyvotedfora
particularsideasanexitticket.
DifferentiatedInstruction

IhavetodifferentiateinstructionforBlockTwoinordertofacilitateseveralIEPs.Ifulfillthisbyguided
theirinstructionalittlebitmorethantheothertwoclassesthisincludesreadingasagroupandcompleting
theexercisestogether.

ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION
Assessment/Rubrics
Studentswillbeformativelyassessedusingtheirexitticket.
Reflections
Thestudentsgenerallyexceledduringtoday'sactivity,butafewstudentshadissueswithdifferentiating
betweentheclaimandthereasonmanywantedtocombinethetwointheclaimsectionsothisprompted
somemorereviewbeforewemovedon.Ieventuallybrokeitdownastheclaimbeingtheanswertothe
research question while the reason was the "because" that stemmed from the claim (CLAIM: School
uniformsshouldbemandatoryREASON:becauseitlimitsstudents'individuality).Thiswastheonlypart
ofthelessonthatseemedshaky,butoncewediscusseditfurther,thestudentswereabletoapplythe
knowledgetotheactivity.