Lesson Plans - Details

Argumentative Essay Writing

  • 25 April 2018
  • Posted by: Sherine McFarlane
  • Number of views: 14226
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Argumentative Essay Writing
Students’ age range: 16-18
Topic: Is cheating getting better or worse in schools?
 
Description: To begin the lesson the teacher will present the topic to students and briefly discuss the lesson’s objectives.

Teacher will use the compass point strategy as a prompt to get students to start thinking and recording their thoughts on cheating in schools. Students will then be instructed to draw the compass points and complete the questions. (Teacher will allow students to share their responses with the entire class).

Students will be randomly placed in groups of three. Each group will create a graphic organizer stating the pros and cons of cheating in school.
(After each group has developed the grid it will be invited to share its views and reasons with the class, and identify the major arguments as compared to the minor arguments.
The teacher will use students’ responses to create a large Pros and Cons grid on the board. Teacher and students will discuss the grid in details).
Students will then be introduced to the article on cheating in schools
(https://www.forbes.com/sites/ehrlichfu/2013/08/22/cheating-in-schools-and-colleges/#4b2519ac37aa)

Another teacher will visit the class a resource personnel. This teacher will discuss the article with students who would have already read it and wrote their concerns prior to the teacher’s visit.

Out of Class Assignment: Students will be instructed to read other articles on cheating in schools. They will also be asked to write their questions in preparation for the fish bowl session.

When students return to class they will utilise the fish bowl strategy to further explore the topic cheating in schools. To begin the fish bowl, the inner circle or fish bowl will consist of one member from each group. (The teacher will also create the rules with students and discuss same before the activity begins).

Teacher will ask students to reflect on the discussions during the fish bowl activity and all they have learnt about cheating in schools from other discussions thus far and then take a position/stance on it. Using the Cubing strategy, students will then write two arguments in support of their position and one against it. This will be done as fast writing activity without attention to structure and spelling.

Teacher will then take students through a video on argumentative writing using the multi-media projector. Teacher will pause the video at intervals to entertain and discuss any questions that students may have.

Students will then be asked to use the tablets (provided by the school) and log on to the internet where in pairs they will watch the introduction of the argumentative essay. Students will then use their previously identified arguments to create an argumentative introductory paragraph.

Students will then be placed in groups of four where they will compare their introductions and use their collaborative ideas to create an introduction for the group essay. Students will then proceed to completing the group essays within their respective groups.

The group essays will be presented in class and the best one vote on and selected based on an argumentative writing checklist/rubric developed by the teachers and students. The best essay will be posted on the school’s notice board and the group will be given tangible reward by the teacher.

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