1. Argumentative Writing in History and Social Studies Classrooms
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Estevan Leyva
2014/2015
Introduce yourself and the Session in this Series you are offering (repeat slides 1-7 at the beginning of each session). *

2. Grounding Activity “I’m In!” 1. Name 2. Course and Grade Level
3. One hope you have for our
time together…
followed by “I’m In!”
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Introduce yourself and the Session. In this Series you are offering an argumentative writing series. First, to ground our work we would like to begin by participating in this activity so that we can get to know a little more about who you are: Start with an I’m In activity: “My name is____, and one hope I have for this training is___, and I am In!”

3. Professional Development Norms
Presume positive intentions
Respect what others are saying
Be fully present
Be mindful of air time
Keep the focus on students
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4. CCSS Connection The instructional shifts in History and Social Studies
Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction.
Regular practice with complex texts and their academic vocabulary.
Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence from the texts, both literary and informational text.
Considering these shifts, what is effective instruction and what does it look like in the classroom?
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Ask participants to read the blue words as you read the black words. Once all 3 shifts have been read, then ask participants to Think-Pair-Share their response to the question in red: Considering these shifts, what is effective instruction and what does it look like in the classroom?

5. Master Plan Guiding Principles
English Learners (ELs) are held to the same high expectations of learning established for all students.
ELs develop full receptive and productive proficiencies in English in the domains of listening, speaking, reading & writing.
ELs are taught challenging academic content that enables them to meet performance standards in all content areas.
ELs receive instruction that builds on their previous education and cognitive abilities and that reflects their language proficiency levels.
ELs are evaluated with appropriate and valid assessments that are aligned to state and local standards and that take into account the language development stages & cultural backgrounds of the students.
The academic success of ELs is a responsibility shared by all educators, the family and the community.
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Tell participants: “The 3 instructional shifts are shifts for all learners. Our district’s Master Plan Guiding Principles guide teaching and learning for all learners. With a shoulder partner, take turns reading through these principles.”
English Learner Master Plan, 2012, Pages 2-3 *

6. Teaching and Learning Framework
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Tell participants: “In addition, to the 3 shifts and the Master Plan, we need to also align our teaching and learning to our TLF framework- especially our three focus elements.” *

7. ISIC Instructional Focus Elements
Teacher’s questions require rigorous student thinking and invite students to demonstrate understanding through reasoning. Students themselves formulate questions to advance their understanding about the content/concept or text under discussion. Teacher differentiates questions to make learning comprehensible for all students in the class.
Teacher uses intentional, differentiated strategies to engage all students in intellectually challenging student-to-student
discussions. Teacher creates conditions for students to assume considerable responsibility for the success of the discussion
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Instructional projects, activities and assignments are aligned to the instructional standards, require higher levels of thinking, are culturally relevant, and may include real-world application.
Tell participants: “For the past few years, our TLF focus elements in ISIC have been: 3b1, 3b2, and 3c1. Take a few moments with a partner, how might your school already be addressing these elements?”

8. Triple Track Agenda
Content – How might the information used today support my personal learning?
Classroom – How might I apply these strategies in my classroom with my students?
Facilitation – How might I apply these strategies when collaborating with my colleagues or facilitating meetings?
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Tell participants: “During our time together, we have structured the learning through the lens of a Triple Track Agenda. Take a moment as an individual to read through the triple track agenda information on this slide.”

9. Session 1
Argumentation within Common Core Reading, Writing, Language and Speaking/Listening Standards for History and Social Science
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Tell participants: “Today’s session will focus on argumentation within Common Core and how argumentation is threaded in all of the strands: reading, writing, language and speaking/listening.”

10. Objectives
Participants will develop a common understanding of argumentation.
Participants will experience how to structure an argumentation writing task through the use of differentiated activities.
Participants will learn how effective questioning strategies can drive instruction.
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Tell participants: “Take a moment to read through our objectives for today and think about what might be your professional learning goals during our time together.”

11. What might be the elements of an effective argument?
Brainstorm some ideas for elements of an effective argument on a post-it note
Mix-Pair-Share your ideas with others
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Tell participants: “Considering our focus on argumentation, what might be the elements of an effective argument?” Participants post their thoughts on TodaysMeet and take notes about other people’s responses. Whip around the room for participants to share out one of their notes at the end.

12. Argumentation and Persuasion: What’s the Difference?

13. Strategy: Think–Pair-Share
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Tell participants: “In a moment we’ll engage in a close read of an excerpt from Appendix A of the Common Core Standards document. In the excerpt, you’ll read about theorist and critic Neil Postman.Take a moment to think about this quote from him. Then pair up with someone near you to share and discuss your responses with each other.
Strategy: Think–Pair-Share

14. Explore, Reflect, Apply and Share
How might you use the close reading strategies below in an argumentation unit?
Marking The Text
Final Word Protocol
Create a Silent Chalk Talk
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Ask participants to share with a shoulder partner then whip around the room to have participants all share out an idea

15. Objective 2 Participants will unpack and
bundle grade level standards and deconstruct a performance task from an argumentation unit.
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Tell participants: “We are now moving on to examining your grade level standards in reading, writing, language, & speaking and listening. We’ll also deconstruct a performance task from an argumentation unit.”

16. Reading, Thinking, and Writing About History

17. Key Principles for Integrating Literacy and History
Pose central historical questions that may have many possible answers, and use primary historical sources to investigate
Develop students’ background knowledge to support their historical thinking and literacy strategies
Present content in developmentally appropriate ways
Employ a cognitive apprenticeship approach to support students in learning new literacy practices
Adapt the curriculum to students’ needs while continuing to highlight disciplinary thinking and writing

18. Starting with the End in Mind for an Argumentation Unit
Was the United States Justified in Going to War with Mexico?
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Now that we’ve unpacked and bundled our standards, we’re ready to design a performance task that assesses your grade-level reading, writing, language and speaking/listening standards. First, you’ll examine a 6th grade argumentation unit where students read multiple print and non-print texts to research an essential question: Do violent video games make people more violent in real life?

19. The Reading and Writing Process
Cognitive Apprenticeship
Structured Academic Controversy
Historical Question
IREAD
Plan
Write
“Selling” of the Historical, Thinking, Reading, & Writing Process
H2W

20. What is Structured Academic Controversy?
3 min
Structured Academic Controversy is an example of a method that builds questioning into the entire process of instruction.
Please let us know if you would like us to model it with your students.

21. Structured Academic Controversy: Steps
Introduction of Topic, Process, & Question
Careful Reading of the Text
Clarification
Presentation of Positions
Reversal of Positions
Free Discussion
Whole Class Debrief
Student Reflection
Home Surveys, Video Clips, Essay, connect to Theme
2 min
These are the steps to participate in Structured Academic Controversy (SAC)

22. Closed Vs. Open Ended Questions
Closed Questions
Imply that teacher has a predetermined correct response in mind
Recall of facts
Simple comprehension where answer has been previously provided
Open Questions
Allow for range of responses
Encourage students to think beyond literal answers
Help teacher to assess student’s understanding of content
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( 2 min)
Review Slide
What is the difference between closed ended and open ended questions? Which questions provide more rigor for the students? Why?

23. Starting with the End in Mind
for a Unit that uses Questioning Techniques
What causes people to seek political, social or economic change?
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2 min
Here is an example of an SAC that you can do with your students.

24. Starting with the End in Mind for a Unit that uses Questioning Techniques
Essential Question: What causes people to seek political, social or economic change?
Text/Topical Question: Should our democracy have the power to prohibit unauthorized public demonstrations?
Strategy: Structured Academic Controversy
Content links: World, US, Gov’t, Law
2 min
The source for this lesson is drawn from the Deliberating.org website.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
These lessons build inquiry through topics, questions, and protocols that support the content and Civic Engagement.

25. Cognitive Apprenticeship Modeling Process
Name and explain what is being modeled
Clearly show how to model
Show how you think when you use the strategy you are modeling
Recap by noting the strategy that was just modeled and the key thinking and actions that took place

27. Document Based Lesson Approach
Central Historical Question
Background Knowledge
Short Lecture
Timeline of events
Images
Document A
Document B
Explicit Strategy Instruction
Sourcing
Contextualization
Close Reading
Corroboration
Discussion
5 min
Source: Reisman, Avishag, (2012) Reading Like a Historian: A Document Based History Curriculum Intervention in Urban High Schools

28. Differences Between Traditional HSS Instruction and Reading Like a Historian Questioning Approach
Traditional Textbook Instruction
Reading Like a Historian
Goals
Present students with a chronology or progression of historical events, concepts, and people.
Engage students in legitimate historical inquiry.
Role of Facts
Students memorize facts in order to perform on standardized tests that emphasize recall.
Background knowledge helps students contextualize and make meaning of primary documents.
Role of Texts
Students read a single authoritative text.
Students interrogate historical accounts in multiple primary sources.
Philosophy on Learning Process (Epistemology)
Historical knowledge is the accumulation of discrete facts about the past.
Students construct historical knowledge by reading and reconciling accounts in multiple historical documents.
5 min
Turn and talk
Source: Reisman, Avishag, (2012) Reading Like a Historian: A Document Based History Curriculum Intervention in Urban High Schools

29. It’s all about the Students
What would your students see, hear, and feel through the use of Document Based Argumentative Writing based on questioning and inquiry?
Working with a partner, fill in what your students might see,
hear, and feel in your classroom with through the techniques we have learned/discussed today.
Cognitive Apprenticeship
IREAD
H2W
SAC
Estevan
10 minutes

30. Give One, Get One
Write down one way you might apply something you have learned today on a signed sticky note and another way you might apply something you have learned on a 2nd signed sticky note.
Circulate and find a peer to share ONE of your next steps. Read one of your sticky notes aloud to that person, and hand him/her the sticky note. Allow him/her to do the same.
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Do not provide commentary or engage in discussion around each other’s next steps; simply listen.
Repeat the process with a different peer in the room.
When you have two sticky notes from two different peers, return to your seat.
At the end, have participants share out their colleagues plans for applying their learning. What might be some similarities and differences in how participants are planning to apply their learning? How might the Common Core facilitator best support the school site? What follow-up classroom visits or demos in classrooms might be needed?

31. Next Steps….
Continue to work with your school site team to implement some of the strategies introduced in this session.
If planning or refining a unit, select complex text, and and create an argumentative performance task.
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.
Inform participants that as their Common Core facilitator, you are there to support their next steps and positively impact teaching and learning in the classroom.

32. Evaluation
bit.ly/isicfeedback

33. Contact Information
Estevan Leyva
Thank you!
We innovate and transform learning to inspire excellence.