Access Point Number | Access Point Title |
ELA.9.C.1.AP.3 | Argue a position, supporting claims using logical reasoning and credible evidence from multiple sources, rebutting counterclaims with relevant evidence, using a logical organizational structure, elaboration, purposeful transitions and a tone appropriate to the task. |
Name | Description |
A.I. In Our World | Using the case study, “What if I Used A.I. To Build My Site?” students will research the historical, legal, and ethical impacts of A.I. and write an argument for or against the use of A.I. in a competitive business situation. |
Expanding the Business: Writing an Argument | Using the case study, Should the Business Expand? students will create an argument for expanding the business or not expanding the business. Students will compose a business communication to the owner of the case study business that provides their argument for or against expansion, to include logical reasoning and evidence. |
Comparing Unsecured Loans | Students will conduct research to identify, compare, and discuss characteristics of personal loans, student loans, and unsecured credit cards in this lesson plan. |
Comparing Secured Loans | Students will conduct research to identify, compare, and discuss characteristics of auto loans, mortgages, and secured credit cards, in this lesson plan. |
Extemporaneous Speaking Practice: A Socratic Seminar | In this lesson intended for the debate classroom, students will read through pivotal court cases in preparation for an Extemporaneous Speaking Socratic Seminar. Teachers will divide their class up into two groups. Each student in each group will get 10 minutes to prep individually after the question has been posted on the board. When prep time is over, the whole group debates using refutation, claim, warrant, data, impact format. They have 15 minutes for each student to make his/her argument. |
Congressional Argument and Free Speech | In this lesson plan, students will work collaboratively to make arguments for and against a proposed piece of legislation: A Bill to Eliminate Bot Social Media Accounts to Stifle Misinformation. |
Congressional Debate: Learning Station Rotation | In this lesson plan intended for a debate class, students will create Congressional arguments based on proposed legislation randomly assigned to them at different stations. |
Unsecured and Secured Loans | Students will conduct research to identify characteristics of secured and unsecured loans, in this lesson plan. |
Wear Sunscreen: A Satirical Take on the Time-Honored Graduation Speech | This close reading lesson focuses on Mary Schmich's comical commencement speech essay, "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young." Students will take an in-depth analysis to discover her powerful satirical style, as well as the power of social nuances. Students will focus on academic vocabulary and answer high-level text-dependent questions as a guide for their comprehension of the essay, evaluating if her choice of words and wisdom remain valid, relative, and sufficient for the youth of today. |
The Hangman: A Discussion | In this lesson, students will be challenged with self-discovery as they gain a deeper understanding of the poem, "The Hangman," by Maurice Ogden. Teachers will guide students using text annotation to focus on specific word choice and examine its impact on the poem. Further, students will gain a deeper understanding of the poem through responding and discussing the answers to text-dependent questions. In the culminating writing assignment, students will demonstrate their understanding through a written response that is supported by details from the text. Text-dependent questions and key, rubric for the writing task, and other handouts are included as attachments with the lesson. |
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - An Intro to Analysis & Argumentation Part II of III | This is part two in a three part series that covers Ismael Beah's memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. In this lesson students will have independently read, outside of class, chapters 8-14. In class, students will create position statements as they read several informational articles and speeches about a variety of topics. Students will participate in a whole class discussion to assist them with their creation of position statements. |
Name | Description |
High School Debate: Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists | Students will participate in a debate using the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. This could be a verbal, silent, or alley debate. One group will represent the Federalists and be given information relating to their arguments. The other group will act as the Anti-Federalists and be given information relating to their arguments. Provide students time to prepare their arguments either individually or as a team, then commence the debate. |
Lincoln-Douglas Cross Examination – Argue Like Your Life Depends on It! | This is an activity that can be used as often as needed to review/reinforce how to use cross examination in debate. For the purposes of this lesson, we will stick with LD debate, but many of the tactics can be used in other formats like public forum. Also, this lesson focuses on the topic as if it is being introduced for the first time, so it should be modified for later uses. |
The Great Mini Debate: American Ideas (High School) | Students will debate which foundational ideas found in American documents are most important in the Great Mini Debate. Students will use evidence from the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble and the Bill of Rights to support their arguments. The Great Mini Debate Cheat Sheet will prompt beginning debaters as to what should go in each speech of the debate. |
An Introduction to Lincoln-Douglas Debate & the Public Good | This slideshow and accompanying notes introduce what Lincoln-Douglas debate is (a values/morals debate) and how it is conducted. Students will learn everything from timeframes to how “flow” works. |
Name | Description |
The Power of a Great Introduction | In this animated video from TEDed, students will learn the process of writing an engaging and insightful introduction. They will also examine how to compose an introduction that is tailored to a specific thesis. Looking at Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, they will identify the fundamentals of writing a great introduction by examining this masterpiece. |