1. Opinion Mini-Unit NAME / SCHOOL Lessons adapted from materials developed by Jean Wolph, Louisville Writing Project and the National Writing Project i3 College Ready Writers Program, funded by the Department of Education. Should we _____________?

2. 2 WritingReading Argument MINI-UNIT Emphasis # of Lessons ARGUMENT SKILLS PRODUCTELEMENTS OF ARGUMENTCLOSE READING STRATEGIES RESPONSE TO READINGSTOPICS Draft, Feedback, Revise, Reflect Close reading strategies Writing & talking to develop knowledge on topic or issue Making a strong claim 5 Lessons Entering Skills: Foundational Skills: Writing a claim that is debatable, defensible, and compelling. Use specific evidence from a text to support it, providing attribution. Making a comment about evidence. Digging Deeper: Developing the context (introductory material to provide background to the reader) Product: Multi- paragraph guided draft Kernel Essay Revision Claim Evidence Studying models to improve our writing Highlighting key words and definitions Highlighting sources of information Writing in response to texts Turn and Talk It Says/I Say notes SHOULD WE _____________? 3 shared texts (chart, video, article) Mini-Unit Overview

3. Writing Standards Emphasized in the Mini-Unit Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using valid reasoning. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources …. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources…and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism …. Draw evidence from …informational texts …. Write routinely over longer and…shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline- specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

4. Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Days 5-6Days 7-9Day 10 Study chart. Turn and Talk. Write Explain what the chart says Tell what you think about it Review student model. Revise to lift the quality of our responses. Add to our writing. Evidence Attribu- tion Note: This portion later becomes the OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM. Take notes from a video text. I Say/ They Say Review possible notes. Add to lift the quality of our notes. Write from I Say/ They Say chart Use sentence stems to attribute information to the source. Comment on evidence. Peer Feedback Revision Read article twice. Mark key words Note informa- tion that is important or that you have a reaction to Add to writing Reread writings and notes. Write what you are thinking now. Make a claim. Write a kernel essay. Revise to increase sense of authority and credibility Mini-Unit Sequence NOTE: Most students can complete this work in 5 days or less. These lessons are chunked for short daily sessions.

5. In this unit, we will read about an issue, examine the facts, and make a claim. Claim: A statement of opinion that others can either agree with or disagree with

6. Writer’s Notebook (Day 1): What does the __________________ (organization) say about _________ (topic)? What do you think about these facts and statistics? (Insert chart here.)

7. Sample Response [insert teacher model or student sample] Where do you see the writer explaining what the chart shows? Where do you see the writer telling what he thinks about this information? Did you do both of these moves as a writer? If not, try again!

8. Writer’s Notebook (Day 2): Add to or revise your entry by using the words “For example,...” and then refer to the chart for specific information. Try to show the difference between ________________. Add a line that shows where this information came from [chart should have basic bibliographic information listed for students to cite]. [insert chart again]

9. Sample Response: OVERVIEW OF THE ISSUE [insert teacher model or student sample] Where do you see the writer using words like “For example,...” to introduce specific information? Where do you see the writer showing the difference between “then” and “now”? Where do you see the writer showing us where this information came from? Did you do each of these moves in your writing? If not, try again!

10. Sample Response, cont. / HERE’S WHAT I AM THINKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE: [insert teacher model or student sample] Add a line like this: A question some people raise is __________. Fill in your own question. Example: what should be done about childhood obesity?

11. Day 3: A text with an answer to our question [insert synopsis of video] [List any key terms students might not know.] [Insert photo or screenshot of the title]

12. Watch the video. Jot down facts you hear in Column 1. Afterward, we’ll take time to add our reactions in Column 2. [video link] Show minutes [x to x]. Watch it twice. It SaysI Say

13. Some Key Points You Might Have Captured It says: [insert teacher model to ensure students are supported in doing this well—we are teaching them about note-taking by having them revisit their own notes and add points they may have missed]

14. What do YOU say? I say: Make a comment about each idea you recorded from the video.

15. Day 4: Add to your notebook entry...use your “They Say / I Say” chart to add a paragraph or more to your writing about the school lunches. Use sentence starters like these: “As [fill in name of someone from the video] says, “ “The video [fill in title] explains …” “ According to …” “Supporting my example, …” “Just as [expert’s name] says in [his/her] [interview, speech, or whatever]…” “Although the video [fill in title] says …” “While [expert’s name] explains …”

16. Sample Response [insert teacher model, circling the commentary to show the difference between citing evidence and explaining it]

17. Peer Feedback: Review your partner’s new paragraph(s). Did he/she use sentence starters that show where the evidence came from? Did he/she make a comment about the evidence? “As [expert’s name] says, “ “The video [title] explains …” 1. Underline the starters you find. 2. Make a * anywhere you see an opportunity for your partner to add one of these phrases. 3. Circle the comments your partner wrote about the evidence (the facts). 4. Draw an arrow to show where your partner COULD make comments about the facts. 5. Switch papers and talk about your suggestions. 6. REVISE your own writing based on these suggestions. “ According to …” “Although the video [title] says …”

18. Day 5: Researching READ the title: “[insert title]” by [author], [organization or publication]/ [date]. A headline gives the GIST (main idea) of the news article. What is ____________[insert key term]? What do we think the main idea of this article will be?

19. Day 5, cont.: Mark the Text READ “[insert title]” by [author], [organization or publication]/ [date]. First reading: Highlight important terms and definitions: [insert list of all expert names, organizations, key content terms] This will help us later when we quote the text!

20. Day 6, cont.: Second Reading RE-READ “[insert title]” by [author], [organization or publication]/ [date]. On sticky notes, capture facts and data that seem important or that you’d like to comment on (you have a reaction to share). [insert example]. [insert example]

21. Add your sticky notes to the notebook writing you have completed so far Try to a find place that this information “fits” and stick your notes there. OR Add it to the end of your notebook writing, if your sticky note is something you haven’t talked about yet. Look back at your article highlighting. Add a line that tells where the information came from.

22. Writer’s Notebook (Day 7): Re-read what you have written so far. Then write what you are now thinking. These questions may help: Is [topic] a good idea or not? Is [topic] a problem or not? Is [topic] important or not? Explain your thinking.

23. Day 7, cont.: What’s your answer to the problem? What should we do HERE? Bring it home! WRITE A CLAIM! We’ll brainstorm claims about this issue (next slide). But first… Good claims Are debatable: There is more than one side; it’s not just your opinion. “I like [insert topic]” isn’t a good claim because even though it shows your preference or opinion, there’s no argument to be made. Are defensible: There is text-based evidence available to support the claim. Are compelling: Others will care about debating the issue. “[insert topic] is important in our lives” is not a good claim. We would say, “So what? Everybody knows that.” Show the writer’s position on the issue We should or we should not … It would be better to …. Are focused--so we’ll try to narrow the topic. We could focus on [insert aspect of topic] or the [insert aspect of topic] or [insert aspect of topic] or [insert aspect of topic] or [insert aspect of topic].

24. Possible Claims: [WHO] should (or should not) do [WHAT] because [WHY] [insert several good examples that are pro] [insert several good examples that are con] What Other Claims Could We Make?

25. Introducing Claims: Here’s What I’m Thinking [insert teacher model of an introduction]

26. Are these good claims? Good claims are debatable, defensible, and compelling. [repeat teacher model here from prior slide] Does the writer take a position on the issue, pro or con? Is there evidence to support it? Will others care? Does the writer narrow the topic? Can we see what direction the writer plans to go?

27. Create a class list of Claims. Check each one! Does the writer take a position on the issue, pro or con? Does the writer narrow the topic? How? Can we see what direction the writer plans to go? How? Choose one that interests you.

28. Day 8: Completing a Draft: Here’s What I’m Thinking Option 1, Kernel Essay (Bernabei) Overview of the problem... Some people think... Here's what I'm thinking... In the end, I say...

29. Here’s What I’m Thinking Write your claim at the end of your notebook entry and then write a paragraph or more explaining what needs to happen.

30. Add evidence to support your claim 1. Remind your reader about any evidence that you’ve written about so far. Explain how it supports your claim. 2. Review the chart, notes, and article for any other support that will help you convince your readers. 3. Use a starter to introduce each piece of evidence (fact). Explain how and why it helps you prove your claim.

31. Day 9: Completing a Draft: Write a conclusion (IN THE END, I SAY) Option 1, Kernel Essay (Bernabei) Overview of the problem... Some people think... Here's what I'm thinking... In the end, I say...

32. Completing a Draft: Option 2 Drafting Organizer EvidenceConnectionPossible Outcome or Result The text says…I say…If we do this… Review your notebook entries and notes. Select the most compelling and relevant pieces of evidence and try to apply them to your claim. Then turn each row into a paragraph for your essay. Insert your claim paragraph from Day 6 (possibly at the beginning) and draft a closing paragraph in which you make clear what readers should now know, do, or think.

33. Writer’s Notebook, Day 10, Revision. Read what you have written so far. What Key Words or Phrases might you want to provide definitions of for your reader? These will give your writing authority. Who says? Go back to the highlighting of the article and add any names of people or programs that you need. These will give your writing credibility.

34. Teacher Feedback Writing a strong claim Identifying the source of the evidence Accurately representing facts Selecting facts to support the claim Commenting on the facts (explaining how they apply to or support the claim)