Writing Workshop Week: Writing an Argument

SUPPORTING AN OPINION

ADAPTED LITERATURE BOOK PAGES 162-163

HANDOUTS GIVEN IN CLASS FOR PREWRITE AND PLAN PART 1 AND PART 2

The Plan: This week, you will be writing your first major writing piece. It will be an argument

essay. You will be learning “Formulas” for each paragraph of your essay. When you follow these formulas, you be meeting all the requirements of the new common core essay rubric. You will be using these formulas to write your essays this year and next year. YOU MUST LEARN THE FORMULAS!

Prewrite and Plan: Today you will start to plan and prewrite for your argument essay. We will analyze what an argument prompt looks like so that you can write with the correct purpose and audience in mind.

Draft: Tuesday you will learn how to write your introduction

Draft: Wednesday you will learn how to write your body paragraphs

Draft: Thursday you will learn how to write your conclusion

Revise and Edit: Thursday you will get the chance to use the rubric to score a previously written essay. Then you will use the same rubric to revise and edit your own essay.

Publish: Friday you will write or type your final copy. This will be done in blue or black pen or typed on the computer.

Your Prompt:Recall the stories you have read in this unit. Which ones have made a lasting impression on you? Pick a story that is the most memorable to you. Which elements are most responsible for making the story so unforgettable? Write an argument that persuades your teacher and your classmates to agree with your claim. You must develop your claim and support it with logical and reasonable and relevant evidence from the text. You must organize your evidence in a persuasive, logical order and must use transitions to create cohesion and link ideas. You must consistently maintain a formal style, and you must show a strong command for the conventions of grammar, mechanics, and spelling. Reread this prompt. Underline the words that tell you the topic, the audience, and the purpose. Circle the type of writing you are being asked to do. Finally, number the tasks you must complete.

Prewrite and Plan: Why do some stories grab you and never let go? Your first

Reading Unit is filled with great stories told from fiction and poetry. Fill in the titles: “ “ by Mona Gardner p.32“ “ by Langston Hughes p. 68“ “ Rudyard Kipling p.78“ “ Katherine Paterson p. 48“ “ by Ernest Lawrence Thayer p. 134. . By SE Hinton

Prewrite and Plan: Why do some stories grab you and never let go?

Your first Reading Unit is filled with great stories told from fiction and poetry. Fill in the titles:

The Dinner Party “ by Mona Gardner p.32

“Thank You Ma’m“ by Langston Hughes p. 68

“Rikki-tikki-tavi“ Rudyard Kipling p.78

“The Last Dog “ Katherine Paterson p. 48

“Casey at the Bat “ by Ernest Lawrence Thayer p. 134

. The Outsiders. By SE Hinton

For each story, think about the element—plot, setting, or conflict that most affected you. Ask yourself : Why is that element so important to the story?

Look at some examples -

Most Memorable Stories

What element is so great and why?

1. “Seventh Grade”

1. Victor has conflicts that are easy to relate to, the plot stuff he goes through is funny too

2. “The Dinner Party”

2. Loved the surprise ending!

3. Stargirl 3. Deals with conflicts that have to do with fitting in I can relate to.

Prewrite and Plan: Why do some stories grab you and never let

go? Your first Reading Unit is filled with great stories told from fiction and poetry. Fill in the titles: “The Dinner Party “ by Mona Gardner p.32

“Thank You Ma’m“ by Langston Hughes p. 68

“Rikki-tikki-tavi“ Rudyard Kipling p.78

“The Last Dog “ Katherine Paterson p. 48

“Casey at the Bat “ by Ernest Lawrence Thayer p. 134

. The Outsiders. By SE Hinton

For each story, think about the element—plot, setting, or conflict that most affected you. Ask yourself : Why is that element so important to the story?

Most Memorable Stories

What element is so great?

Why is it so great?

1.

2.

3.

Prewrite and Plan Part 1 WS Name_______ #___Scan your list and choose ONE STORY about which you have the strongest opinion. You will develop your ideas more on this prewrite worksheet. Most Memorable Story Title Author

Memorable Plot Events: Memorable Setting Details

Page and Line #’s to cite as evidence page and line #’s to cite as evidence

Memorable Conflict Details Memorable Character Details

Page and line #’s to cite as evidence Page and line #’s to cite as evidence

Prewrite and Plan Part 2 WS

A solid argument is based on a claim (thesis) that you can prove with reasons and evidence. Your claim(thesis) should guide your argument; every detail you include in your writing should support this statement. If you find that your claim(thesis) can’t be supported well, then you should rework it or try a new approach.

Claim: The most memorable story of unit one is Gary Soto’s “Seventh

Grade” because the conflict that every middle-schooler can relate to, the plot has funny events, and the setting is so different from so

many other schools.

Prewrite and Plan Part 2 WS A solid argument is

based on a claim (thesis) that you can prove with reasons and evidence. Your claim(thesis) should guide your argument; every detail you include in your writing should support this statement. If you find that your claim(thesis) can’t be supported well, then you should rework it or try a new approach.

Write a claim for your essay:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________

Claim: The most memorable story of unit one is Gary Soto’s “Seventh Grade” because the conflict that

every middle-schooler can relate to, the plot has funny events, and the setting is so different from so many

other schools.

Prewrite and Plan Part 2 Think about your audience: Even this early in your writing, you

should consider your audience – the specific group of people you are trying to persuade.

Look back at your prompt. Does it specify your audience?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If not, you will have to determine an appropriate audience on your own. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your audience my not share your opinion, so the purpose of your argument is to convince them you are right. As you plan, draft, and later revise, you will have to consider what words and details will persuade your audience to accept your claim (thesis).

Ask yourself: Do I expect my audience to agree with my

claim(thesis)? _____________________________________________________

What other opinions might readers have? ____________________________________________________

What details can I include to persuade my audience to agree with my claim? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How much do my readers already know about my chosen story? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________