Authentic Argumentative Writing for the Middle School Classroom
Writing an editorial formed by discussions on the recent crisis in Texas and global warming
Learning Module
- Creator(s):
This unit aims to teach both argumentative texts as well as the research and writing process. The lesson progression is formulated around Kalantzis and Cope's Learning by Design Pedagogy (2015) as well as Place Based Learning.
Learning by Design
The unit walks through first experiencing the known, then conceptualizing by naming, then analyzing critically, and finally applying appropriately (Cope & Kalantzis 2015) . It aims to be student centered by encouraging students to be the creators of their learning and their classmate's learning. Furthermore, it is authentic in its resources and products by using real world examples and audiences.
Place Based Learning
What truly inspired me to create this lesson unit was my research on 'Place Based Learning' for my literature review for this course. This approach to education allows students to learn through connections to local problems creating a more valuable and meaningful learning experience (Akbas & Çakmak, p. 184, 2019). I aimed to do this by choosing a relevant and local problem of the Texas winter storm. The problem that rises with place based learning is that it is specific to a very narrow population. This lesson is truly designed to be used in Austin, Texas during the 2021 school year. While I at first was concerened about creating such an expansive lesson for such a small window of opportunity, I find comfort in knowing it is truly relevant and meaningful for my students and plan to implement it with them next term.
I also hope that this lesson can easily be adapted and used in the future by other teachers as a way to experience and learn through natrual disasters in their local areas. It provides a model on how to first cope with these seemingly more frequent trategies and to then even use it as a foundation for further meaningful learning.
In The Power of Place, it discusses how global issues present themselves in a local context and to look first at the local allows students to find purpose and understanding when it is applied to the global issue (Ark et al., p. 49, 2020). This idea motivated the structure of this unit. First, the unit looks at the local problem of the winter snow storm in Texas. It then connects this extreme weather to a larger global issue of climate change. This bridge hopefully motivates students to become more active in global issues as they see how it is affecting their own personal lives.
This school year is shaping up to be one you will remember for the rest of your life: from total remote learning in August, to the hybrid model in September, wearing masks in school, constantly telling your teacher they are on mute, learning new online platforms, the list goes on and on. No one would guess the horrific circumstances a winter storm would bring to our community as well in February.
In this unit we will focus on argumentative writing with through the lens of first, our own circumstance here in Austin, Texas, and then a wider lens, looking at climate change. This project will require you to be skeptical and critical of the information you find during your research. You will then have to produce an 'editorial' or an opinionated piece based in reason with strong supporting evidence. Your editorial piece might also have a chance at being published in the local and/or school newspaper.
This unit is divided into eight sections with each section spanning about a week of instruction. For each section, you are expected to be engaged in classroom discussions as well as online discussions. Below you will find the grading expectations for this unit.
Grading Expectations:
Comment: Respond to each section thoughtfully using the 'Comment' guiding question/statement and read/respond to your peer's ideas as well. These will each be combined into one formative grade.
Update: Using the 'Update' guiding question/statement, research and learn to create your own update that your peers can learn from. Then, read each of your peers updates and comment on at least two other updates. Each set of update and comments will be one formative grade.
Editorial: This will be the final product to show your learning throughout this unit. It will be graded against a rubric and be a summative grade.
This unit is aimed for middle school students, specifically 8th grade students. The lesson can easily be adapted for 6th and 7th grades, the only adjustment will be scaffolding the model texts or lowering their lexile. While this lesson does touch on informational literacy and finding accurate sources, ideally this skill is being spiralled throughout the year and has already been touched on in previous units.
This unit is designed to teach argumentative texts in a place-based authentic manner. The materials and activities have been carefully selected to motivate student engagement and be purposeful inside and outside the classroom. It aims to foster a love of learning among students by connecting the material to their own community and the world around them.
This unit is designed for a term at my school which is nine weeks long. Each section should be around a week in duration, some taking a little less time and some a little more. I also factored in a week that always gets eaten up somehow.
Standards: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading for Grade 8
8.8 Multiple genres: The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts. The student is expected to:
(E) analyze characteristics and structures of argumentative text by:
(i) identifying the claim and analyzing the argument
(ii) identifying and explaining the counter argument
(iii) identifying the intended audience or reader
8.10 Composition: The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions. The student is expected to:
(A) plan a first draft
(B) develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing
(C) revise drafts for clarity, development, organization, style, word choice, and sentence variety
(D) edit drafts using standard English conventions
(E) publish written work for appropriate audiences
8.12 Inquiry and research: The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes. The student is expected to:
(D) identify and gather relevant information from a variety of sources
(F) synthesize information from a variety of sources
(G) differentiate between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials
(H) examine sources for reliability, credibility, and bias, including omission
(I) display academic citations and use source materials ethically
Materials Needed:
My Objectives:
I can use my schema (background knowledge) to connect and reflect on the given topic.
I can create and ask important questions to begin to build a better understanding on a given topic.
First, watch this video and reflect back on your week during the winter storm that hit our community. Notice the beauty of the snow that rarely reaches our region contrasting with the desolation as the city stood at a standstill with people stuck in their homes, many lacking proper resrouces.
(DroneATX, 2021)
Next, complete this survey (linked here) to check in on how your personal week went and again take some time for some personal reflection. It will also have a second section that will help your teacher know what you remember about argumentative texts.
Comment
Comment on this module with a peak and a valley from your week. Remember a peak is a high point or a positive aspect you experienced, while a valley is a low point or a negative aspect you experienced. Look at your teacher's comment below as a model example. Remember to read through your classmate's comments and respond with connections and uplifting remarks.
Update
Create your own update about living through this experience through the lens of an interview. Create at least five questions and interview someone you know who experienced this storm. It can be someone from within your household, or someone else you know who had an interesting experience. Then either voice record, video record, or transcribe (type) your interview in a Q & A format for your classmates to learn from. Remember it is important to hear and learn from multiple stories and sources. Don't forget to read through and comment on your classmates' updates!
This section is based around the 'experiencing the known' process in Kalantzis and Cope's Learning by Design pedagogy (2015). Students will use their schema and background knowledge to reflect on the week of the winter crisis.
This section also begins to implement the ideas of Place-Based learning. It hopes to connect the topic of argumentative texts to recent and relevant topics within the students' own lives. Hopefully this authentic structure builds intrinsic motivation among students and builds classroom engagement. This means they will find the desire internally to learn the content in these modules because it is so relevant in their lives. This idea hopes to mold students into life long learners, rather than students motivated by their grades or other outside forces.
Teachers need to be aware that some students might have had a traumatic experience through this week and encourage reflection as a way to begin to heal. Teachers should get in touch with their school counselors while implemnting this section to ensrure students have all tools available to them to process this experience.
Survey and Schema Finder:
My teacher comment that will be posted as comment and model example:
Ms. Hubley's peak: My peak was watching my dog, Lula, romp in the snow. She absolutely loved running wild and sticking her snout in the layer of snow that covered our backyard.
Ms. Hubley's valley: My valley was helping a friend travel to our home. Their home had been without electricity for 24 hour with no hope of turning back on. With their home slowly losing heat, the decision was made to pick them up to go to our home that fortunately had heat and electricity. Although I am from Chicago, traveling across town on icy and snow packed roads touched by no salt or plows and seeing so many cars abandoned or stuck, was a completely new and scary experience to me.
My Objectives:
I can analyze with a skeptical (questioning) eye for the reliablity and credibility of a source.
Then, watch this video about how to determine if a source is both reliable. In our world, we are constantly inundated (flooded) with information. It is vital (important) to become critical consumers of this information overload. What does it mean to be a 'critical consumer'? This means to think about the information being presented to you with a skeptical eye, to observe it carefully before using it.
(Teaching Without Frills, 2018)
Then, read this article from USA Today:
Next, comment on this module reflecting on if you heard or saw any of the misinformation about the winter storm on your own social media. Discuss how we can all be better at analyzing information and making sure information we share is true.
Finally, create your own update sharing a reliable souce of information on the winter storm. In your update, discuss how you know it is reliable looking at the author, publisher, and presentation of the information. Then discuss what information you were able to learn about the winter storm. Don't forget to read through and comment on your classmates' updates!
Standards Focus:
8.12 Inquiry and research: The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes. The student is expected to:
(D) identify and gather relevant information from a variety of sources
(F) synthesize information from a variety of sources
(G) differentiate between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials
(H) examine sources for reliability, credibility, and bias, including omission
(I) display academic citations and use source materials ethically
Learning Objective:
Students will be able to look critically at many informational sources to find trustful information and paraphrase it in their own analysis with accurate citations.
Informational literacy is the key to argumentative writing. Before students can form their own opinions based in reason, they need to be able to find reliable sources and information. After researching informational literacy through project based learning, teachers argue "middle school is a critical window to teach informational literacy" (Gillian et al., p. 39, 2021). Students of this age are beginning to be exposed to an abundant amount of information as well as starting to form their own opinions and ideas on this information. It is "crucial to help young people come to see themselves as skeptical, critical consumers of online information" (Gillian et al., p. 39, 2021).
Since the article is authentic and therefore written for an adult audience, I suggest spending time walking through the article together as a class in order to discuss difficult vocabulary to ensure student comprehension. Chunking and working through the article using annotating strategies and think, pair, shares, would be beneficial. However, I do encourage you to use annotating and reading strategies that your classroom is most familiar with and have been building throughout this school year.
This section aims to begin to build their knowledge on the topic of the winter storm, while also showing them how to question the information available to them online. You might notice the teacher provides very little information on the topic, the majority of the information will actually come from the students through their updates. Instead the teacher acts as a facilitator showing the students how to find and share accurate and reliable information. When teaching, it can be hard to give up the control over the content and information, but I encourage you to try to give students agency in this portion. If you have a student truly struggling with finding reliable information, you can guide them to this article (linked here).
Supplemental materials: The 'BrainPOP' video "Online Sources" is also very helpful in teaching this concept and can be used in place of the video in this module. However, I am aware not all schools have access to BrainPOP.
My Objectives:
I can discuss the purpose of an editorial piece or writing.
I understand the components of an editorial: claim, evidence, counter argument, rebuttal, and proposed solution.
By the end of this unit, you will be responsible for writing an editorial piece. This is a form of argumentative writing that gives an opinion on topical issue usually written by an editor of a newspaper. This is a form of argumentative text that is written and read by major news sources all around the world. Your editorial piece might also have a chance at being published in the local and/or school newspaper.
First, watch this video by New York Times where their editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal discusses tips for writing an effective editorial.
(The New York Times Learning Network, 2014)
Comment
Comment on this module discussing what he meant by "It's based on principal but it's also based in fact" then choosing one of the seven tips he discussed. Include why you think this tip was either important or useful.
Update
Make an update around one of our new vocabulary terms. You must research the term that corresponds with your birthday. Make sure your post defines your term and gives an example. It must include either a picture or video to explain your term. Don't forget to read through and comment on your classmates' updates!
Standards Focus:
8.8 Multiple genres: The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts. The student is expected to:
(E) analyze characteristics and structures of argumentative text
Learning Objectives:
Students will begin to understand the purpose of argumentative texts and one example of its function in the real world. They will begin to understand the different components used to create an argumentative text.
This section is based around the 'conceptualizing by naming' process in Kalantzis and Cope's Learning by Design pedagogy (2015). Students will learn the different parts of an editorial through student updates as well as hear from an expert in the field to learn more about the topic.
The benefit of writing an editorial rather than other forms of argumentative writing is its authenticity. It is a form of writing students see in the real world which builds purpose and meaning behind the activity.
The purpose of the birthdays in the update is to randomize which students research which topic and also ensure that each topic has information about it. Another method of assigning can be done for to allow for more choice - like a sign up genius - just make sure that each term has students researching and presenting about it.
Supplemental Materials: I encourage you to find/collect hard copies of newspapers and magazines and allow students to find the editorial/opinion section to see real life examples of this form of writing.
My Objectives:
I can analyze an editorial and identify its components: claim, evidence, counter argument, rebuttal, and proposed solution.
I can analyze the effectiveness of an editorial's components.
First read through this editorial from our local newspaper, "The Austin American-Statesman":
Comment
Comment below with one strong/bold word choice used in the article and explain how this phrase/section of the article was particularly impactful to you.
Formative Assessment
Take this assessment (linked here) that requires you to analyze the different components of this editorial piece. Remember to go back to your classmate's updates in the last section to remember the meaning of our new vocabulary terms.
Update
Make an update around a different editorial article. Browse through the opinion articles on Newsela (linked here). Pick one about a topic that intrigues you. Read through the article then create a post sharing the link to the article and discussing the effectiveness of the piece. Don't forget to read through and comment on your classmates' updates!
Standards Focus:
8.8 Multiple genres: The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts. The student is expected to:
(E) analyze characteristics and structures of argumentative text by:
(i) identifying the claim and analyzing the argument
(ii) identifying and explaining the counter argument
(iii) identifying the intended audience or reader
Learning Objectives:
Students will critically analyze an editorial together as a class to scaffold the process of determining its effectiveness. Students will then independently critically analyze a different article independently.
This section is based around the 'analyzing critically' process in Kalantzis and Cope's Learning by Design pedagogy (2015). Students will analyze an authentic editorial written for a local newspaper about a relevant topic from their life.
Since the article is authentic and therefore written for an adult audience, I suggest spending time walking through the article together as a class in order to discuss difficult vocabulary and to ensure student comprehension. Chunking and working through the article using annotating strategies and think, pair, shares, would be beneficial. Make sure to discuss the components of claim, evidence, counter argument, and rebuttal. However, I do encourage you to use annotating and reading strategies that your classroom is most familiar with and have been building throughout this school year.
The assessment is in short answer responses to better encourage student thought and analysis. Some questions are more straight forward while some are more subjective and opinionated. Remember to be valid in your grading: Focus on their answers to the questions rather than their spelling or grammar. Focus on the evidence they used to support their point, rather than whether or not you agree with their point. With keeping these aspects in mind, it will ensure you are accurately measuring their growth in learning on this given topic.
My Objectives:
I can participate in the writing process as a class with the goal to reproduce it in the next module on my own.
I can research a topic with a skeptical eye for the reliability and credibility of a source.
The theme the topic for both our model editorial piece as well as your individual editorials will be based around climate change. This theme was selected for a few reasons:
First, watch this video giving you a brief overview of climate change.
(National Geographic, 2015)
Then watch this video specifically regarding our class topic which is the connection between climate change and extreme weather.
(TedED, 2020)
As a class we will complete a copy of this outline and then divide the paragraphs of the editorial by table groups. Walking through this process as a class will help us collaborate and learn how to write an editorial. Remember next you will be responsible for creating your own editorial individually.
Now that we have walked through the process as a class, you begin your individual process by selecting a topic and beginning to research. Listed below, you will find possible topic choices around climate change. You are welcome to chose one of these, or you can research and find another topic of your choice. Remember if you are creating your own topic, it has to either be a cause or an effect of climate change.
Possible topic choices:
Comment
Once you have picked your topic, comment below with a brief description of your topic and an explanation of why you picked it.
Update
Make an update showing one reliable source you have found on your topic. In your update, discuss how you know it is reliable looking at the author, publisher, and presentation of the information. Then discuss what information you were able to learn about your. Don't forget to read through and comment on your classmates' updates!
Standards Focus:
8.12 Inquiry and research: The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes. The student is expected to:
(D) identify and gather relevant information from a variety of sources
(F) synthesize information from a variety of sources
(G) differentiate between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials
(H) examine sources for reliability, credibility, and bias, including omission
(I) display academic citations and use source materials ethically
Learning Objectives:
Students will observe and collaborate to work through the writing process of an editorial together. Students will then begin to apply their knowledge of finding reliable sources as they start the research process.
The first half of this section models how to write an editorial. This will hopefully help students feel more confident in how to turn evidence from their research into a purposeful opinionated writing piece. Creating the outline together is important as planning is really the most important and foundational step of the writing process. Dividing up the paragraphs by groups helps fasten this process and encourage discussion among students with word choice and sentence formation. This portion would be great to follow up with a jigsaw where students are reformed into groups that have at least one person from each paragraph group and let the students combine and revise the essay as a whole for flow.
The second half of this section allows for students to again work on their informational literacy skills and applying these skills to finding reliable sources through their research.
Student topics are centralized around a theme, however offers choice, to engage them with choosing a topic that they are personally passionate about. This aims to allow for intrinsic motivation.
The research process has begun, and this can take a lot of effort and time for students. I encourage the chance for teacher appointments where students can request to meet with you and get help working through the process of learning.
I chose the topic of climate change as it is one that pairs well with the local problem we analyzed. I also felt it is a very important topic for current times. It can be paired easily with a cross curricular unit with science. I do believe in ELA you do not need to spend much time discussing the content of climate change as students should be learning through the research process rather than being teacher directed.
Supplamental materials: An option to help students through the research process, is to provide trustworthy research domains. For example: Newsela, TIME for Kids, National Geographic Kids, Smithsonian Tween Tribune, etc.
My Objectives:
I can research a topic with a skeptical eye for the reliability and credibility of a source.
I can apply my knowledge of editorials to create an outline for my own editorial on a chosen topic.
To continue your research you will need to find two more sources on your given topic to total three sources of information. You will then need to make a copy of these google slides (linked here). Complete this outline for your editorial. Remember since this is just a raw outline, you do not need to write in complete sentences or have completely formed ideas yet. This is just to capture the gist.
Comment (optional)
You can comment any questions you have below to get help from students or the teacher.
Update
Make an update with a picture of your completed outline. Don't forget to read through and comment on your classmates' updates!
Standards Focus:
8.10 Composition: The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions. The student is expected to:
(A) plan a first draft
Learning Objectives:
Students will finish their research process and begin to form their editorial outline drafts.
This section is based around the 'applying appropriately' process in Kalantzis and Cope's Learning by Design pedagogy (2015). Students will apply their understanding of argumentative writing and research to create their own editorial.
This outline is an integral part of the writing process that helps students form their ideas in a simplified way. If students can create a really strong outline and already start to receive peer feedback through comments on updates, this will ensure the rest of the writing process runs efficiently.
I again encourage the chance for teacher appointments to help ensure students feel confident in their learning and are on the right track in their editorials. This can be done with a google document with open editing access with a different slide/page for different class periods to add their name to a sign-up.
There are aspects of the outline that are optional that can be used for differentiation. This can either be by choice like it is presented here, or can be assigned to either challenge or modify the assignment.
My Objectives:
I can apply my knowledge of editorials to create the first draft for my own editorial on a chosen topic.
I can analyze my peer's editorial and identify its components: claim, evidence, counter argument, rebuttal, and proposed solution.
I can analyze the effectiveness of my peer's editorial components.
Use the rubric below to turn your outline into a first draft of your editorial in a Google Document. This should be about 1-2 pages double spaced. It should be submitted by (enter due date) for peer review.
Watch the video below to remember the value found in peer reviews.
(Edutopia, 2016)
Then, you will be required to peer review and evaluate two classmate's editorials. Follow the Peer Editing Guide to take turns playing the role of responder and writer. Finally mock grade their editorial using the rubric to help see the grade they are currently earning.
Rubric:
Standards Focus:
8.10 Composition: The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions. The student is expected to:
(B) develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing
(C) revise drafts for clarity, development, organization, style, word choice, and sentence variety
(D) edit drafts using standard English conventions
Learning Objectives:
Students will complete their first writing draft and begin to engage in peer reviews to begin their editing and revising stage of writing.
This sections requires students to continue to apply their knowledge. During the actual writing process, I suggest giving students a set amount of time. With an outline, the actual writing should not take long, especially as a first draft.
Students should again have the opportunity for teacher appointments throughout the first draft creation.
The purpose of the peer reviews also invite students to critique and analyze this writing form with a specific purpose, the purpose of guiding and helping their fellow classmates. Students will meet together while they review to be more detailed and have the chance to discuss and explain themselves when needed.
The purpose of the specific comments encourages students to both uplift their classmates, but also have an opportunity to help improve their writing. Students will need to understand the difference between editing and revising in order to follow those instructions effectively.
My Objectives:
I can apply my knowledge of editorials to create the final draft for my own editorial on a chosen topic.
I can use peer critiques to improve my writing.
Now it is time to write your final draft. Remember this version will be graded by your teacher using the rubric (notice there is a new criteria). Take your time to really change and improve your writing piece. Use the peer feedback to help find weaknesses in your writing. Please highlight all changes made to this new version.
With your permission, this final version will be submitted to be published for the school and local newspaper. Use this as fuel to make it the best it can be!
Rubric:
Standards Focus:
8.10 Composition: The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions. The student is expected to:
(B) develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing
(C) revise drafts for clarity, development, organization, style, word choice, and sentence variety
(D) edit drafts using standard English conventions
(E) publish written work for appropriate audiences
Learning Objectives:
Students will use peer feedback to edit and revise their original drafts to create a strong and effective editorial piece.
This section aims to instill the idea that writing is a process. It hopefully shows students the value in feedback from others and that their writing can always grow and improve.
The purpose of using the motivator of publishing the piece (as an option) is to allow authenticity through audience. Students need to see their work as not just something made for the teacher with the sole purpose of a grade, but rather as a way to inform the world around them. This is in fact the true purpose of writing, is it not?
If a school paper or local paper is not a viable option for your classroom, think of another way to 'publish' their pieces. Perhaps you might send out a classroom newsletter or can share with another ELA class, anything where the audience is larger than just the teacher.
Akbas, Y., & Çakmak, S. (2019). The effect of place-based education integrated project studies on students’ problem-solving and social skills. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 5(1), 183–192.
*American-Statesman Editorial Board. (2021). Power outages leave millions of Texans desperate for heat and safety. Austin American-Statesman.
Ark, V. T., Liebtag, E., & McClennen, N. (2020). The power of place: authentic learning through place-based education. Hawker Brownlow Education.
Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2015). A Pedagogy of multiliteracies: Learning by design. London: Palgrave Macmillan. doi:https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137539724
*DroneATX (2021). Snow day in Austin, TX! (2-15-21). Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3bEVXBJmhU.
*Edutopia (2016). Peer critique: Creating a culture of revision. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8FKJPpvreY
Gillian E. Mertens, Jon Mundorf, Taylor Bainter, John Bourn & Angela M. Kohnen (2021) Wisdom begins in wonder: Implementing identity-based information literacy instruction across the content areas, Middle School Journal, 52(2), 38-47, DOI: 10.1080/00940771.2020.1868059
*Guynn, J. (2021). Facebook says it cracked down on climate change lies. Then came false power outage claim during Texas winter storm. USA Today.
*National Geographic (2015). Climate change 101 with Bill Nye. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtW2rrLHs08
*TedED (2020). Is the weather actually becoming more extreme? - R. Saravanan. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCPTbfQyMt8
*The New York Times Learning Network (2014). How to write an editorial. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GkN4qul82Y.