ISSUE 3, LESSON 6 P.70 ACADEMIC WRITING

ACADEMIC WRITING TYPE A justification states a claim and supports it with logical reasons and relevant evidence. Evidence can include information from a text and examples from personal experience. A. The topic sentence clearly states the writer’s claim about the issue. B. Detail sentences support the claim with reasons and evidence from the text and the writer’s experience. C. The concluding sentence restates the writer’s claim about the issue.

Analyze Text Read this student model to analyze the elements of a justification. The article “The New Bully at School” has convinced me that schools should not be responsible for punishing cyberbullies. One powerful reason is that most cyberbullying is done off school property. For example, someone I know used her home computer to harass a teen that once bullied her. Her actions were wrong, but they had nothing to do with school. Additionally, schools cannot get involved in cyberbullying situations for legal reasons. In the article, the author emphasizes how one school lost a lawsuit when it suspended a cyberbully. Perhaps more importantly, I believe cyberbullying that does not break the law is protected by our right to free speech—even if that speech is cruel. For these reasons, I contend that schools should not be accountable for disciplining cyberbullies. _________________________________________________ _____________________________________ ________________________________________________ ___________ _______________________________________________________ ____________ __________________________________________________________ _________ ______________ _________________________________ ______________________

Mark and Discuss Elements Mark the justification elements and use the frames to discuss them with your partner. 1. Underline the writer’s claim. The writer’s claim is that _______________. 2. Box six transitional words or phrases. One transition (word/phrase) is ________________. 3. Highlight three reasons and underline three pieces of evidence with a red pen that support the writer’s claim. One (reason/piece of evidence) that supports the writer’s claim is __________________________. 4. Circle three verbs that express the writer’s opinion. One verb that expresses the writer’s opinion is _____. 5. Star four precise topic words. One example of a precise topic word is ________.

Choose Language for Writing Identify Precise Words Review the article to identify precise words and phrases for your justification and complete the chart in your workbook.

Prompt Should schools be responsible for punishing cyberbullies? Task Write a justification that states and supports your claim.

ORGANIZE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE TAKE NOTES – DESCRIBE YOUR CLAIM ABOUT SCHOOLS’ RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUNISHING CYBERBULLIES. My claim: I believe that schools (should/should not) _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Use academic language to restate your claim and write a topic sentence. Topic Sentence The article (title) ________________________ has convinced me that ____________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ List reasons and evidence from the text or personal experience that support your claim. Reason 1: __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Reason 2: __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Reason 3: __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ should be responsible for punishing cyberbullies. “The New Bully at School” schools should have the authority to discipline cyberbullies. Schools are responsible for guaranteeing that all students feel safe and secure. ******Look at p.17, at the passage beginning with “Most cyberbullying is done off-campus”. Paraphrase. Even if cyberbullying happens off campus, most of the resulting pain and humiliation causes a disruption at school (17). Cyberbullies often use cell phones to harass victims on school property. Studies show that more than 70% of students send text and picture messages on their phones, and at least 50% of students use their cell phones in school (19). Many cyberbullies use school property to threaten their victims. Last year, a group of students I know used a school computer to bully someone online through Facebook.

SHARING IDEAS AND EVIDENCE Share one reason and its supporting evidence with your partner using the following frame: One reason that supports my claim that schools _________ is _____________. A piece of evidence that supports this reason is _______________. Next, we will have students share with the class.