Curated OER
Organizing Your Argument
Constructing a well-organized argument is the focus of this tutorial, originally created for the Purdue University writing program. The slides can be adapted for any composition course or writing unit.
Curated OER
Fallacies of Weak Induction
A high-level introduction to fallacies of weak induction, including appeals to unqualified authority and ignorance, hasty generalizations, and weak analogies. Each fallacy is defined and shown with an example. For use mostly in college...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1
Focus on writing argument essays with your high schoolers. The lesson suggested here focuses on The Jungle, by Sinclair Lewis; however, the idea could be adapted for other texts. Check out the quick quiz provided at the end of the...
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
Was Bias A Factor? Make an Argument
The ability to analyze an argument is a skill emphasized by the Common Core standards. Offer your class an opportunity to develop and hone their skills by providing them the testimonies in an Oregon court case. After reading the facts of...
Waterford Union High School
Writing the Persuasive Essay
An excellent, in-depth resource would be an asset to your unit on writing an argument essay. It provides an explanation to each part of the essay as well as examples of transition words to strengthen your kids' writing. Additionally, the...
Curated OER
House and Holmes: A Guide to Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
Test your pupils' reasoning skills with several activities and a quick mystery to solve. Learners watch and analyze a few video clips that demonstrate reasoning in action, practice deduction with an interactive and collaborative...
Odell Education
Building Evidence-Based Arguments: "Cuplae poena par esto: Let the punishment fit the crime."
Should a criminal's punishment match the crime? An argumentative writing plan explores this question as class members investigate a variety of mixed-medium sources by experts in the field, form evidence-based claims, and support them...
Curated OER
Emotion or Reason?
Young scholars use persuasive devices to construct oral or written arguments. In this arguments lesson, students discuss the types of persuasive devices used in arguments and form groups to select a topic to research. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Transition Words and Phrases: Road Signs for the Reader
Therefore! However! Furthermore! Explore the power of transition words and phrases. Signal your readers by suggesting the relationship between different thoughts or points. Help them demonstrate an understanding of word relationships.
Curated OER
How to Write a Persuasive Paper
Students explore persuasive writing. In this writing lesson, students choose a side for or against a particular topic and develop specific logic and reasoning for their arguments. Students write a persuasive paper on that topic.
Curated OER
Persuasive/Argumentative Essay vs. Opinion writing
Reinforce persuasive and argumentative writing skills with this lesson, which utilizes SchoolNet News Network's website/SNN Monthly magazine. Young writers review journalism writing styles that help them explain that writing a persuasive...
Saskatchewan Elocution and Debate Association
Grab ‘N Go Debate
Here's a resource that provides debaters with the background information and worksheets they will need when planning a policy debate. Templates and sentence frames, as well as a rationale for using debates in the classroom, are included...
Curated OER
Conflict and Debate
Students take a medical issue and explore it, debate it, and convince others of their point of view. They improve research skills and writing skills. Students are able to define a problem, debate it, and identify which is the best...
Curated OER
Examine Persuasive Elements by Reading, Analyzing, and Discussing Persuasive Text
Pupils identify persuasive strategies and analyze arguments. In this persuasive writing lesson, students read "Chief Red Jacket's Reply" and "Reverend Cram's Speech to the Iroquois Nation" and chart major elements of each argument....
Curated OER
The Missing Link
What is the missing link? Provide your class with this incomplete essay (it's missing transition words), and have writers place words from the transition word bank into the essay. Also, since only three of the five paragraphs are...
Curated OER
Critical Consumerism
What are ads really selling? High schoolers examine persuasive techniques used by print and television advertisements. They generate a list of persuasive techniques they're familiar with, and review other types argumentation and...
Curated OER
Writing Session: Evaluative Writing
This evaluative writing PowerPoint provides a framework for developing the critical thinking skills needed to critique literary selections. Deductive and inductive reasoning skills are featured as well tips for building a good argument...
Wyatt Bingham
Comparative Essay: Tips for Timed Writing
This site provides a guideline for writing a comparative essay for the AP World History Test. It also provides practice exercises and samples.
Curated OER
The Mozart Effect
Learners develop a concept of why skepticism is important in science by looking at actual scientific studies regarding the effect of playing Mozart's music to infants. They record a journal of their inner thoughts and feelings while...
Virginia Department of Education
Persuasive Writing
Grab a debatable (or controversial) moment from your current reading, and use this task to progress the persuasive writing skills of your high school scholars. Divide your learners into four small groups and let them collaborate, debate,...
Curated OER
Children's Media and Censorship
High schoolers form opinions about children and television censorship after analyzing literature. They complete a journal writing activity to identify the topic and make a list of inappropriate television shows for children. Next, they...
Curated OER
Thesis statements: The Six Basic Claim Types
Evaluative or Analogical? The wolf in the story of "The Three Little Pigs" and the wolf in "Red Riding Hood" represent what can happen to the unprepared. Despite his defeat in the end, the Big Bad Wolf is a good example for kids because...
Jen London
Julius Caesar Funeral Speech Essay Assignment
"Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause." "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!" As part of a study of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, individuals as asked to compare the funeral speeches of Brutus and Mark...
Curated OER
Persuasive Elements
Investigate letters to the editor and their persuasive qualities. Break your class into reading groups and give each one a different article. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer to record their thoughts and opinions. There is...