Name: Kim Russo Date: 3/19/14

Cooperating Teacher: Rebecca Burns

Grade Level: 6A Language Arts

Day 7: Dissecting The Argument Essay
Essential Questions
1. What structure makes for an effective argument essay?
2. How can we write clearly and effectively?
3. What role does audience play in writing an essay?

Common Core State Standards
1. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons
and relevant evidence.
2. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their
own clearly.
3. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims
in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from
claims that are not.

Student Objectives
1. Students will understand the different between a persuasive essay and an
argument essay.
2. Students will be able to identify the various components of an argument essay.
3. Students will be able to analyze an argument essay to understand its structure.
Prior Knowledge
Students will have had experience coming up with reasons based on their own thoughts.
They will have had experience identifying evidence in the articles but not from their own
experience.

Materials
1. Persuasive vs. Argument Writing Handout
2. Animal Testing Handout
3. Argument Essay on Getting a Driving License
4. Argument Essay on Zoos
5. Graphic Organizer Outline for the Driving License Essay
6. Highlighters/Pens
7. What to Include in an Argument Essay Handout

Instructional Plan
1. Motivational Beginning: The students will arrive in the classroom and complete
the Do Now activity written on the board, which will direct them to copy down
the nights homework and take out their homework from the night before. (5
minutes)
2. Body of Lesson:
a. Students will play musical chairs for sharing out their homework they
will rotate around the room, when the music stops, they will find a chair
and share their I charts they created for the article they chose. (5 min)
b. The teacher will then have several students share their I charts on the
document camera, taking the class through their claim, counterclaim,
reasoning, and evidence. The teacher will offer feedback where
necessary. (10 min)
c. The teacher will explain that they are now moving into the writing stage.
However before we start writing, we need to first understand the structure
of an argument essay and the difference between an argument essay and a
persuasive essay. The teacher will pass out the handout that details the
different between the two styles of writing (Persuasive and Argument).
d. The teacher will go through the two sides to clarify how argument writing
is different from persuasive writing. She will then pass out the animal
testing handout which has a persuasive essay and an argument essay. The
students must highlight the claims/viewpoints within the argument so
they understand that in an argument essay, you acknowledge the other side
of the argument. The teacher will then go over this with the students. (10
min)
e. The teacher will then explain that they are now going to look at argument
essays. The teacher will ask students to take out a highlighter and a pen;
she will then pass out the argument essay on getting a drivers license.
She will ask students to highlight the claim, reasons, evidence, and
counterclaim and label the highlighted parts with the correct vocabulary.
She will ask students to make notes of other things they notice within the
essay, either in the margin or at the bottom. After they have completed
this, they will discuss what they have highlighted and other things they
have noticed with their group. (10 min)
f. The teacher will ask the students what they have highlighted; she will
highlight and model it on the document camera as students share what
they have. She will also ask students what else they have noticed within
the essay. (5 min)
g. The teacher will then pass out the structure of an argument essay. This
document details what should be included in each section (Introduction,
Body, and Conclusion) and definition of new terms (hook, background
knowledge). The teacher will go over what should be included in each
section. She will then ask the students to go back to the essay and
highlight the hook, background knowledge, closing sentences etc. (10
min)
h. The students will then transfer the different aspects of the essay into the
graphic organizer (5 min)
3. Closure: The teacher will explain that for homework they should finish filling out
the graphic organizer and will need to come up with another hook and rewrite the
claim of the essay. The teacher will then explain that they will begin working on
writing the essay tomorrow. Tomorrow will be devoted to writing an introduction
of an argument essay. (5 min)
Assessment
1. The students will be formally assessed on their completion of the previous nights
homework.
2. The students will be informally assessed based on their ability to participate in the
class and group discussions.

Homework
1. The students will need to finish their graphic organizer and rewrite the claim and
hook.