We're finishing our third week of argument writing, our
seventh week of writing boot camp, the eighth week of instruction.
We've slowed down the pace considerably for the argument
unit, spending the first week talking about the format and practicing a very
basic template. The outlines were predicable, but I am okay with that as we
gave them a very simple topic (argue for a later curfew).
We also had them look at the convention speeches and
debate whether Obama should feel pleased with Clinton's speech or not. This wasn't a great assignment, but it did
allow us to incorporate current events and study rhetorical appeals in the
speeches.
The second week we gave them slips with reasons and
evidence for both sides of an issue and they worked in pairs to organize the
slips into the two sides of the argument. They had to figure out the claims and
organize the reasons and evidence, but all the research was done for them, allowing them to focus on
organization and transitions.
This final week we're doing a DBQ style synthesis essay.
Students will read several articles on boxing and then write an essay arguing
something about boxing. We've given them
the topic and some resources that can be used to help develop and support their
argument, but they have to come up with their own claim, organize their reasons
and evidence, provide a counterclaim and rebuttal.
Next year I think I'll give overviews of all three types
of writing in the first week and then spend more time looking at exemplars from
each genre to see how each meets the standard. After spending time looking at
professional and student mentor texts, then we'll start writing. I think
instead of giving multiple prompts for practice, I'll just give one and spend
more time peer editing and self-evaluating. I also want to have students write
a draft in each genre on the same topic so they can really see how they need to
shift their writing to meet the different standards.
~Jen P.
