1. Get Ready To Learn Managers:
On-Task: Ensure that everyone is quiet and doing their job.
Attendance: Know who is absent from your group today.
Supply: Pick up your group’s supply envelope. (Location: red basket by the printer
Homework: Make sure everyone has a green checkmark.
Retriever: Check your folder for graded work. (located in between the inboxes.)
Collector: None
Enter class quietly and get your binder off the shelf.
Unpack and place the following on your desk:
GMS agenda
Pencil/Pen
ELA Binder
Last night’s homework
Place your back packs underneath your desk.
Need help with your homework?
Go to the Genius Bar (group)
Begin Calendar Journal Writing (10 minutes)

2. In today’s lesson, you will:
Be introduced to how to write an Opinion/Argumentative Essay.
Analyze a Mentor Text (Opinion/Argumentative Essay)
Review the Writing Process
Get Ready: Brainstorm for our Opinion/Argumentative Essay

3. How can Opinion/ Argumentative writing be used to influence people?
Essential Question
How can Opinion/ Argumentative writing be used to influence people?

4. What is an Opinion/Argumentative Essay?
In an opinion/argumentative essay, you state your opinion/argument about an issue and try to persuade others to agree with you.
Introduction
Supporting Reasons
Conclusion
Introduce the topic in an interesting way.
Clearly state your argument about it, as well as any opposing arguments or claims.
Support your argument with at least three clear reasons and relevant evidence.
Use facts and details from credible sources as well as your own experience.
Restate your argument, and sum up the reasons that support it.

5. After reading it, complete the activities in the box.
Analyze a Mentor Text
Let’s take a look at an example of an effective opinion/argumentative piece by a seventh grader.
After reading it, complete the activities in the box.

6. No Passion for Pennies! (Analyze a Mentor Text)
What is the writer’s argument?
What is the writer’s opposing claim?
What three clear reasons does the writer give as evidence?

7. No Passion for Pennies! (Analyze a Mentor Text)
What is the writer’s opposing claim?
What argument is restated in the conclusion?

8. Writing Process
Now that you have read and analyzed an opinion/argumentative piece, it’s now time for you to create your own by following the seven steps of the writing process.
Step One: Brainstorm
Step Two: Organize
Step Three: Draft
Step Four: Peer Review
Step Five: Revise
Step Six: Edit
Step Seven: Publish

9. Writing Assignment
Using one of your December Calendar Journal Topics, you will write your own Opinion/Argumentative Piece.
As you create the piece, remember the elements of the mentor text that were most effective.
Copy your topic onto your lesson handout.

10. December Calendar Journal Topics (Routine Writing)
Directions: Place this handout in the “Calendar Journal” section of your binder. Beginning this month, you will write all of your entries in the notebook located in your binder. If you do not have a notebook, use loose leaf paper BUT place each entry in the “Calendar Journal” section of your binder. Journal expectations are located on the back of this handout.. Due date: 12/20/13. (Total points: 10)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday 9
What do you think about the amount of violence on T.V. and in video games? 10
What do you think should be done to keep people who are under the influence of alcohol/drugs off the road?
In other words, what should be done to keep people from driving drunk? 11
What do you think are the top three things Griffin Middle School needs to improve or make better? 12
What do you think every parent/guardian should know about raising a 7th grader? (think about things you feel they do not understand)
My Topic 13
What do you think about recycling? Should everyone be made to recycle? 16
What do you think about students having cell phones/devices here at GMS? 17
What do you think are the top three things that stress out middle school students? 18
What do you think about illegal immigrants not having health care/insurance? 19
What do you think is the most important subject in school? 20
What do you think is the most important thing/tradition that families should do during the winter holidays?
Name: ______________________________ ELA 7-______ Group #: _____ Total Point Received: ____
I can write routinely for a shorter period of time (first 10 minutes of class) expressing my opinion on many different topics. (W.7.10)

11. Step #1: Brainstorm
Before you write an opinion/argumentative piece, carefully consider the claim you will make.
Hint: A claim is the argument that you will support/agree with.
Think about the good and the bad of each claim and then decide on the claim you will support.

12. Step #1: Brainstorm
Example: Should the one dollar bill be replaced with a coin? The writer of the mentor text had to decide how he feel about the issue, and then write at least five paragraphs explaining and supporting his opinion. Here’s how the writer of the mentor brainstormed claims.
Claim or Argument
Positive Aspects
(the good)
Negative Aspects
(the bad)
We should continue producing and using pennies
We have always used pennies.
We need them to make exact change.
Pennies are not worth much.
People do not value them.
We should stop producing and using pennies.
Pennies are just clutter/trash.
We can get along fine without pennies.
If we don’t have pennies, the prices of many products might go up as much as four cents.

13. Possible Claims/Arguments for ELA-7
I think there is/there is not too much violence on TV or video games.
I think people who are under the influence of alcohol and drugs should or should not be kept off the road.
I think that some improvements should be or should not be made to Griffin Middle School.
I think that every parent or guardian should know or should not know what it takes to raise a 7th grader.
I think that everyone should or should not recycle.
I think students should or should not have cell phones or devices here at Griffin Middle School.
I think some middle school students are stressed out.
I think that illegal immigrants should or should not have health care insurance.
I think that ________ is the most important subject in middle school.
I think that _________ is the most important think/tradition that families should do during the winter holidays.

14. Step #1: Brainstorm
Now that you have decided on a claim, you can use or create a graphic organizer to help you brainstorm ideas and details that will best support your argument.
Consider arguments that could be made opposing your claim.

15. Step #1: Brainstorm What is the opposing claim?
What is the claim/argument mentioned?
We should stop producing pennies.
What are the three reasons listed?
You can not buy things with them. No one even bothers to pick them up off the sidewalk.
We wait in line for people to find them. Pennies take time to produce at mint.
One penny costs more than a cent to produce.
What is the opposing claim?
Prices will go up if we don’t have pennies.
What is the counterclaim?
Stores will round up to the nickel on a total purchase.
The increase will be four cents or less.

16. Step #1: Brainstorm (put the opposite of your “claim/argument”)
Complete “Opposing Claim” and “Counter Claim”
Conference with Ms. Hines to move to Step #2
Opposing Claim
Include an opposing claim to show that you have considered the other side of the issue. You must have a counter claim,
Some people think that ______________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(put the opposite of your “claim/argument”)
Counter Claim
The reasons why the opposing claim is wrong.
List what is wrong with the “Opposing claim.
Use the other side of your handout as an example.

17. In today’s lesson, we learned how to:
Write an Opinion/Argumentative Essay.
Analyze a Mentor Text (Opinion/Argumentative Essay)
Begin the writing process
Brainstormed for our Opinion/Argumentative Essay

18. Total points available: 9
Assignment Title
Brainstorm G.O.
Due Date
Friday, December 13th
Total points available: 9