1. thesis statements: argument writing
a mini lesson for research

2. 6-Trait CRITERIA
CCSS
CRITERIA
An Exemplary Student…
A Proficient Student…
A Developing Student…
A Beginning Student…
Idea
Development
Developing
Topic
(Elaboration and Support)
--achieved all proficient criteria, plus:
--develops and supports claim and counterclaim with critical references to text
--includes a concluding statement that makes insightful connections to research, the real world and/or states a question for future investigations and/or makes reflections
--introduces precise claim/argument/thesis
--develops and supports claim and counterclaim with logical, organized reasons and relevant evidence, facts, data, definitions, concrete details or text citations
--uses accurate and credible sources
--provides concluding statement or section that follows and supports the argument presented
-- states a claim/argument/thesis that lacks clarity (introduction is vague or general)
--acknowledges but does not distinguish claim from counterclaims
--under-supports claim
--shows some misunderstanding of topic or text
--offers a concluding statement that is vague or general
-- lacks a claim/argument/thesis or is off-topic
--does not acknowledge counterclaim(s)
--offers a claim without support
--shows minimal understanding of topic or text
--is missing a conclusion or is off-topic
Organization
Format/
Structure
Transitions
Data/
Observation
--consistently uses a variety of transitional words and/or phrases to make insightful connections between ideas and concepts
--creatively formats to enhance comprehension
--clarifies the difference between claims and counterclaims
--organizes reasons/evidence logically to create a cohesive argument
--uses formatting (headings, graphics, charts, tables) appropriate to purpose that aids comprehension
--frequently uses a variety of appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts
--uses a structure that somewhat acknowledges and distinguishes between claim/counterclaim
--reasons/evidence not logically organized
--formats in a way that distracts from purpose
--uses transitions that lack variety and specificity to writing task, or are used inappropriately
-- lacks organization
--makes little attempt to format
--uses few or no transition
Conventions
Grammar
Usage
Punctuation
--has few to no spelling errors
--consistently demonstrates control of conventions
--employs varied sentence length and a structure to create a sophisticated style
--demonstrates control of standard English grammar and usage
--demonstrates command of the conventions of English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing
--has multiple spelling errors
--has multiple errors in capitalization or punctuation
--has multiple errors in grammar and conventions
--has spelling errors that distract reader
--has serious errors in capitalization and punctuation
--has serious errors in grammar and conventions
Word Choice/ Sentence Fluency
Precise language
Domain-specific
vocabulary
--uses a variety of sophisticated vocabulary to thoroughly convey depth of meaning
--uses precise language and/or domain specific vocabulary to accurately inform or explain topic
--uses varied sentence patterns for meaning, interest, and style
--uses limited domain-specific vocabulary
--minimally uses varied sentence structure
--lacks domain-specific vocabulary
--uses a redundant sentence structure
Voice
Audience
Style
--conveys strong command of subject in writing
--demonstrates a clear understanding of audience
--establishes and maintains a formal style and tone appropriate to the audience
--attempts to establish a formal style and tone
--does not write consistently with point of view
--writes with little sense of audience
--shows no evidence of formal style and tone

3. definition of an argument
An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

4. persuasive vs. argument
persuasive writing--aims to persuade readers that stated position is "correct"; the writer wants to “win over” the reader, often by appealing to emotions
argument writing--must present a strong claim and support that claim with “sufficient evidence” and relevant “valid reasoning.”

5. from research question to thesis statement. . .
use your preliminary research to guide you--freewrite and/or list your main subtopics you've discovered
consider the other side of the argument
be specific--only cover what you'll discuss and support in your paper
you topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper

6. do a quick freewrite to discover what your claim is
it sometimes helps to write yourself a little quickwrite exploring what you think about what you've researched so far
It's always bothered me that I feel like I can't create lesson plans that engage students' imaginations because I always "have to" do x, y, or z. After all of my initial research, I've realized that my gut feeling that imagination is so important is true, and even though teaching to higher standards is fair and rigorous for students, it is really important to maintain a culture of imagination in the classroom.

7. list your preliminary research subtopics
or you could consider your research question and list the categories you've noticed in the exploration of your topic
In what ways has the 21st century standards-based movement affected imagination and creativity in the classroom?
which direction did your research take you?
I discovered:
--standardization has permeated education in the US and took away teacher freedom
--with an over-focus on skills, teachers had less room to use imagination/creativity
--imagination is important for learners
--there are ways teachers can keep imagination alive in the classroom

8. consider the other side of the argument
there is always an "other side" of your argument--find it, research it, and acknowledge it
--in theory, standards bring higher expectation and rigor for all students and the idea that every students can achieve if given enough opportunity and time
--standards ensure the curriculum-what is taught-is the same in every classroom ensuring equal opportunity for all kids

9. The standards-movement is negative.
be specific
avoid a thesis that is too general
The standards-movement is negative.
avoid a thesis that is too specific to one of your research subtopics
No Child Left Behind is the sole reason students are not allowed creativity in the 21st century high school classroom.
find a specific and focused statement that reflects what you will reveal
Although the current trend of education promotes standards-based learning, teachers must continue to focus on the importance of imagination in the classroom.

10. don't be afraid to revise
writing is an organic process; papers can move in a different direction than you originally thought
you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper