Mini-Unit

Writing Position Papers for 7 grade ELA

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Description of context: This mini-unit is designed for seventh grade students in a Language Arts classroom.
Classes will be 50 minutes long and will meet every day. The school will be in a suburban setting with students
of varying race and socioeconomic status. Students in the class will be at different levels in terms of academic
achievement, making scaffolding and differentiation an essential part of the instructional process to ensure that
all students receive the attention they need to succeed. Since argumentative writing is a large part of seventh
grade writing, all 7 grade Language Arts teachers in the school will be teaching argumentative writing and will
collaborate with each other to ensure that students are receiving the best instruction possible. Language Arts
teachers will also collaborate horizontally with their interdisciplinary teams of four to find connections between
subjects. For example, since the debate topics in the mini-unit will be science-themed, the science, math, and
social studies teacher can incorporate these topics within their own classrooms.
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The class will have 24 students and will be focusing on Common Core writing standard 7.1: "Write arguments
to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence." It will teach the multiple sub-standards A-E which
include organization and rebuttals, finding credible sources, clarification of relationships, writing formally, and
concluding statements. Common Core writing standard 7.8 will also be addressed to teach students how to
research and find reliable sources. Students will compose a position paper about an approved topic in which
they will create an argument and be required to effectively support it using evidence they have researched.
Rationale: It is important that students know how to write convincing arguments because the media is around
us every day making arguments. A goal of this mini-unit is that students will recognize this and be able to form
their own opinions by looking at topics objectively. One of the things heavily relied on in this mini-unit to
achieve these goals is writing groups. Writing groups are a group of four students that will sit together, learn
together, and help each other with their writing. The groups will be made up of students of varying ability so
that lower performers can learn from higher performers and the higher performers can learn from each other.
These groups will be carefully picked with student's needs and relationships in mind so that students will be
outside of friend groups but still have productive conversations. According to Gretchen Horvan (2012), these
writing groups are effective because students have a specific audience for their words and writing becomes
communication. Students in writing groups feel as if their thoughts are worth sharing because they have peers
that will read, consider, and contribute to their writing and every student will have a period where they are the
center of attention. Students in writing groups feel more comfortable with writing and sharing their writing.
Each class session will also be ended with an "exit slip." Students will be given a question to consider after each
lesson as a form of formative assessment so that the teacher can see if the students are grasping ideas and
therefore make modifications to ensure that students are understanding of the material (Marzano, 2012, p. 80)
Students will also have the opportunity to ask any questions they have about the class.
References
Hovan, G. g. (2012). Writing for a Built-in Audience: Writing Groups in the Middle School Classroom. Voices
From The Middle, 20(2), 49-53.
Marzano, R. J. (2012). The Many Uses of Exit Slips. Educational Leadership, 70(2), 80-81.
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Coming into this unit, students are expected to have some experience with
argumentative writing according to 6th grade Common Core writing standards. However, this mini-unit is
designed for students to further build on these skills and go into much more detail than students have previously
been exposed to. The students will have had to write smaller writing assignments in grades before them, but not
with this much detail or attention to organization and persuasive argumentation. This will be student's first
experience writing a complete position paper. Students will be writing to each other to attempt to convince their
classmates to believe that they are right. This position paper will be a form of communication with students

rather than to a teacher or for themselves. Students will use their prior knowledge of writing, grammar,
spelling, and argumentation as a foundation to build upon and write an effective, complete position paper.
Calendar:
Day 1
Exploring
relevant
issues

Day 2
Student
research
day

Day 3
Argumentative
paper
organization

Day 4
Means of
persuasion

Day 5
Strong arguments

Day 6
Group
debates

Day 7
Outline papers

Day 8
Introductions and
conclusions

Day 9
Peer reviews

Day 10
Students turn in final
drafts

Day 1
Explore relevant issues using procon.org and online newspapers
Teacher will introduce the position paper.
Students will pick a topic of interest and have it approved by teacher.
Activity: Have students explore at least two different topics (pro-con website).
Exit slip/Assessment: topic, summary of debate, positions to take, and star which one they would like to do.

Day 2
Research day: Teacher will instruct students on how to identify reliable sources and use library databases.
Activity: Students will begin a Know/Want to know/Learned chart to state what they know about the topic,
what they want to know, and what they have discovered through their research.
Students will use netbooks to explore library databases about their approved chosen topic. Students will work
on a chart similar to this to organize research:
Author(s)

Date Published

Title

Summary

Link

Reliable?

Exit slip/Assessment: KWL charts

Day 3
Argumentative paper organization: Teacher will give presentation on the parts of a position paper and how to
organize information (Introduction, claim/thesis, evidence, warrants, conclusions).
Activity: Students will decide their claim, share with their writing groups, and find at least three pieces of
evidence from their prior research. Students will be instructed to research on their own at home
Exit slip/assessment: What is your claim?
Day 4
Means of persuasion: Instruct students about ethos, pathos, and logos.
Activity: In writing groups, students will receive a variety of advertisements. Students will identify the means
of persuasion used.
Students will be required to find their own advertisements that use ethos, pathos, and logos for class discussion
the next day.

Exit slip/Assessment: Do you think one mode is more effective than others or are they all equally important?
Why?
Day 5
Strong arguments: Teacher will begin with a think-pair-share activity for students to discuss their
advertisement findings. Teacher will choose 4-5 student-chosen advertisements to discuss with the class.
Teacher will then instruct on how to write a strong argument by incorporating ethos, pathos, and logos,
connecting evidence and warrants to claims, and techniques to write persuasively.
Activity: Students will write rough drafts of one of their paragraphs. In writing groups, classmates will identify
which means of persuasion they used.
Exit slip: Who is the audience for your paper? What are some things you can do in your paper to convince them
to believe in your claim?
Day 6
Group debates
Activity: There will be three topics (orca captivity, animal testing, and alternative energy vs. fossil fuels) that
have been assigned to six groups writing groups of four. Students will have been previously instructed on which
side they are arguing (for or against). Groups will have 3 minutes each to state their case and evidence. Groups
will then have an opportunity to ask the opposing group questions (2 minutes each). The whole class will take a
vote on which side was most convincing.
Exit slip/Assessment: Which group made the most convincing argument? What made it convincing?
Day 7
Outline papers: Students will use the handouts they received on Day 3 to organize their papers and rough drafts.
Activity: Use paper outline below to begin outlining paper.
Claim/thesis:
Reason 1:
-Example/evidence, warrant
-Example/evidence, warrant
Reason 2:
-Example/evidence, warrant
-Example/evidence, warrant
Reason 3:
-Example/evidence, warrant
-Example/evidence, warrant
Rebuttal:
- The opposition believes that____
- What I think is better because___
Conclusion:
-Restatement of thesis
-Why its important
Exit slip: What are your three reasons to support your claim?
Day 8
Introductions and conclusions: Teacher will present brief intro on introductions and using a hook. Teacher will
present argumentative mini-lesson presentation on conclusions.
Activity: After conclusion presentation, have students work on their own conclusions.
Exit slip: Why are conclusions important?
Day 9
Peer reviews: Teacher will instruct students to share their first drafts with the students in their writing group.
Teacher will offer optional one on one conferences for paper help during class.

Activity: Students will fill out the following form for each paper they review:
What is the thesis/what is being argued?
What are the three reasons given?
Is there a strong introduction and conclusion?
Two things they did well:
One thing to improve on:
Exit slip: Did getting help from your group members help you with writing your paper? What did you learn?
Day 10
Students will turn in their final drafts

Rubric for final position paper:

CATEGORY

4 - Above Standards

3 - Meets Standards

2 - Approaching Standards

1 - Below Standards

Introduction
and
Conclusion

The thesis statement

names the topic of the
essay and outlines the
main points to be
discussed.

The thesis statement

names the topic of the
essay.

The thesis statement outlines

some or all of the main points to
be discussed but does not name
the topic.

The thesis statement

does not name the topic
AND does not preview
what will be discussed.

Support for
Position

Includes 3 or more pieces

of evidence (facts,
statistics, examples, reallife experiences) that
support the position
statement. The writer
anticipates the reader's
concerns, biases or
arguments and has
provided at least 1
counter-argument.

Includes 3 or more
pieces of evidence (facts,
statistics, examples, reallife experiences) that
support the position
statement.

Includes 2 pieces of evidence

(facts, statistics, examples, reallife experiences) that support the
position statement.

Includes 1 or fewer
pieces of evidence (facts,
statistics, examples, reallife experiences).

Evidence and
Examples

All of the evidence and

examples are specific,
relevant and explanations
are given that show how
each piece of evidence
supports the author's
position.

Most of the evidence and

examples are specific,
relevant and explanations
are given that show how
each piece of evidence
supports the author\'s
position.

At least one of the pieces of

evidence and examples is relevant
and has an explanation that shows
how that piece of evidence
supports the author\'s position.

Evidence and examples

are NOT relevant
AND/OR are not
explained.

Sources

All sources used for

quotes, statistics and
facts are credible and
referenced.

All sources used for

quotes, statistics and
facts are credible and
most are referenced.

Most sources used for quotes,

statistics and facts are credible
and referenced.

Many sources are

suspect (not credible)
AND/OR are not
referenced.

Persuasion

Paper uses frequent

variety of means of
persuasion including
ethos, pathos, logos, and
convincing terminology.

Paper uses a variety of

means of persuasion
including ethos, pathos,
logos, and convincing
terminology.

Paper uses one or two means of

persuasion of ethos, pathos,
logos, and somewhat convincing
terminology.

Paper only uses one or

no mean of persuasion
and does not use
convincing terminology.

Closing
paragraph

The conclusion is strong

and leaves the reader
solidly understanding the
writer's position. Effective
restatement of the
position statement begins
the closing paragraph.
States why the issue
matters.

The conclusion is
recognizable. The
author's position is
restated within the first
two sentences of the
closing paragraph.

The author's position is restated

within the closing paragraph, but
not near the beginning.

There is no conclusion the paper just ends.

Audience

Demonstrates a clear
understanding of the
potential reader and uses
appropriate vocabulary
and arguments.

Demonstrates a general
understanding of the
potential reader and uses
vocabulary and
arguments appropriate
for that audience.

Demonstrates some
understanding of the potential
reader and uses arguments
appropriate for that audience.

It is not clear who the

author is writing for.

Uses formal writing style

that is mostly
professional.

Uses some formal writing but uses Paper is informal.

first person.

Formal writing Maintains a consistent

formal writing style that is
professional.