7th Grade ELA - 2/10

Lesson Plan for 2/10 (Slip or Trip Day 1)

Context: This lesson occurs on day three of the argumentative writing unit. Students have
taken pre-tests for the unit, and they have briefly been introduced to new vocabulary words:
argument, evidence, and support. These three words are crucial building blocks for the unit, as
one of my main goals for students writing is to make a clear argument, provide evidence for the
argument, and explain how the evidence supports their argument. This activity is designed to
introduce students to this process via a Whodunnit scenario. The activity is designed to take 2
days, as the first day will largely be spent reviewing content vocabulary and building background
for the activity.
Students will view a picture and hear/read a story which accompanies the picture. The
goal for students is to make an argument regarding whether a husband tripped and fell down
the stairs to his death or if he was tripped by his wife. While there is no definite right or wrong
answer, students will argue one side or the other, draw evidence from the picture or story, and
explain how the evidence supports their argument. For the rest of the unit, students will use this
process to analyze argumentative writing and speeches, and eventually they will use this
process to produce their own argumentative essay.
Content Objective: Demonstrate understanding of argument, evidence, and support.
Language Objective: Create an argument, provide evidence, and support the evidence in the
Slip or Trip activity.
Standards Addressed: W.7.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and
relevant evidence.
Engage/Motivation: Pair-share: What is an argument? What is evidence? What is support?
Key Vocabulary/Building Background: tiff, autopsy, country club
Content Vocabulary: argument, evidence, support
Tasks: What will the students be doing?
-SSR/Morning Math (15 minutes).
-Pair-share: What is an argument? What is evidence? What is support? powerpoint (10
minutes).
-Building Background: Slip or Trip? vocabulary powerpoint (10 minutes).
-Distribute papers/materials for the activity (2-3 minutes).
-Teacher will project the Slip or Trip picture and read the accompanying story aloud (5
minutes).
-Students will use the picture and the story to create an argument. They will draw upon
evidence from the story and picture and explain how the evidence supports their argument.
Teacher will chart responses from students (15-18 minutes).

-Dismiss the neatest and quietest tables (1-2 minutes).

Evidence: What will demonstrate student understanding?
Students will fill in the handout, and discussions following the activity will demonstrate
understanding of argument, evidence, and support. Understanding of vocabulary will be
assessed formatively through pair-shares.

1st 1st Hour

3rd 3rd Hour

4th 4th Hour

5th 5th Hour

6th 6th Hour