Argument & Debate |
Connecting to the Topic / Issue
Consider:
-What do I already know about this issue?
-What do I not know about this issue?
-Why is this issue important?
-Who is affected by this issue?
-How are they affected?
-If you could find it, what evidence would best support your argument?
-What do I already know about this issue?
-What do I not know about this issue?
-Why is this issue important?
-Who is affected by this issue?
-How are they affected?
-If you could find it, what evidence would best support your argument?
Topics, Text Sets & Prompts
- AllSides: Issues
- Bites
- C-Span Classroom Deliberations
- Intelligence Debates
- Issue Lab Research
- The New York Times Four Decades of Argument and Illustration: Op Ed
- The New York Times Room for Debate
- PBS Frontline
- The Perspective
- Pew Research Center: Topics
- ProCon.org
- Youth Voices Discussions
- 401 Prompts for Argument Writing from the NY Times
Tools
Instruction
-Introduction using The Giving Tree:
Introduction to Argument using Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. Tell students that they will be participating in a debate, arguing for one of the following: either the tree in the story is stronger or the boy in the story is stronger. Students take notes during read aloud, split into sides, share format and go!
-Poetry (A Poem a Day) for Collective Interpretation.
Have students read a poem short and as long as 2 pages.
Have students annotate for what pops out at them (language, images etc.)
Have students read aloud, 2-3 times by different students.
Summative Q: How would the poet like you to live your life after reading this
Introduction to Argument using Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. Tell students that they will be participating in a debate, arguing for one of the following: either the tree in the story is stronger or the boy in the story is stronger. Students take notes during read aloud, split into sides, share format and go!
-Poetry (A Poem a Day) for Collective Interpretation.
Have students read a poem short and as long as 2 pages.
Have students annotate for what pops out at them (language, images etc.)
Have students read aloud, 2-3 times by different students.
Summative Q: How would the poet like you to live your life after reading this
- Debate Team Carousels: Developing Support for Different Sides of a Controversial Issue (Scroll down for activity) via Educational Leadership)
- To Eat Or Not to Eat (Actively Learn knowledge set exploring elements of argumentative writing)
- They Say, I Say Sentence Templates and Transitions
- Engage NY: Building Evidence Based Arguments
- ARE Intro Fill In: from Middle School Debates
- How to Build an Argument Tip Sheet
- UNC Chapel Hill Argument Handout
- UNC Chapel Hill Evidence Handout (Clearly defines different types of evidence and how to determine what makes good evidence)
- UNC Chapel Hill Statistical Evidence Evaluation Handout
Graphic Organizer
- Argument Essay Structure
- Argument_Writing_helpful_Terms.pdf
- Argument Writing Rubric
- Central Question Diagram & Youtube Tutorial
- Costs Benefits Organizer: from Middle School Debates
- Debate Guide To Speaking and Listenting: from Middle School Debates
- Reasongraphicorganizer.pdf
- Rebuttalgraphicorganizer.pdf
Logic & Rhetoric
Persuasion
|
A playlist of debates in the movies.
-Persuasive elements are there to get us to believe the argument -Rhetorical elements say, "I'm an expert and I don't need to unpack that for you" |
Analyzing Tone
Persuasive Tone Descriptors:
confident, authoritative, exaggerated, hyberbolic, mitigated (cautious), judgmental, emotional investment, assumptive (not informed), false authority (cocky/arrogant), internal contradiction, shift in tone, more objective or more subjective.
confident, authoritative, exaggerated, hyberbolic, mitigated (cautious), judgmental, emotional investment, assumptive (not informed), false authority (cocky/arrogant), internal contradiction, shift in tone, more objective or more subjective.
General Thoughts
-Debate is a method for teaching and practicing argument.
-Trivial topics can't be argued well.
-Argument requires both creating evidence based claims and a supported opposition
-Students will naturally realize when they need information to back up a reason; if info is made up, it will be opposed by other side.
-Present argument to convince a particular authentic audience.
-Learn history through argument by analyzing history's real court cases.
-Release text strategically; lead kids down a path of critical thinking. "I think because" For ex: 1st text what did you see? 2nd text did you see anything else? Go back to 1st text any similarities? 3rd text anything that you saw in others? Read again: What do you see now that you didn't see the first time?
-Introduce technical terms. Define and have students look for evidence of term in text.
-Have students identify which clues of reliability are explicit vs. implicit
-Have students test assumptions using probing questions
-Have students compare/contrast texts for reliability
-When you can't find the perfect text, you may have to write it!
-Give students the opportunity to share an argument that they're having before teaching argument within content area.
-Students need to be aware of False Logic: makes assumptions, oversimplifies or reason doesn't match outcome
-Students often see nonfiction text as factual, difficult to see point of view and bias.
-Trivial topics can't be argued well.
-Argument requires both creating evidence based claims and a supported opposition
-Students will naturally realize when they need information to back up a reason; if info is made up, it will be opposed by other side.
-Present argument to convince a particular authentic audience.
-Learn history through argument by analyzing history's real court cases.
-Release text strategically; lead kids down a path of critical thinking. "I think because" For ex: 1st text what did you see? 2nd text did you see anything else? Go back to 1st text any similarities? 3rd text anything that you saw in others? Read again: What do you see now that you didn't see the first time?
-Introduce technical terms. Define and have students look for evidence of term in text.
-Have students identify which clues of reliability are explicit vs. implicit
-Have students test assumptions using probing questions
-Have students compare/contrast texts for reliability
-When you can't find the perfect text, you may have to write it!
-Give students the opportunity to share an argument that they're having before teaching argument within content area.
-Students need to be aware of False Logic: makes assumptions, oversimplifies or reason doesn't match outcome
-Students often see nonfiction text as factual, difficult to see point of view and bias.
Professional Texts
-Gladwell, Blink. Section on Mitigated Language
-Gladwell, Tipping Point. Sections on Blues Clues, Sesame St and Dora
-Birkenstein, Cathy. They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing.
-Willhelm, Jeff. Oh, yeah. Discusses making curricula culturally relevant; includes many logic exercises here)
-Fletcher, Jennifer. Teaching Argument
-Kuhn, Deanna. Argue with Me developmental pathways
-Everything's an Argument. Argument shouldn't be a unit of study; should be a culture!
-Tatum, Alfred. Why Teach Argument
-Tufts, Paul. Grit
-Gladwell, Tipping Point. Sections on Blues Clues, Sesame St and Dora
-Birkenstein, Cathy. They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing.
-Willhelm, Jeff. Oh, yeah. Discusses making curricula culturally relevant; includes many logic exercises here)
-Fletcher, Jennifer. Teaching Argument
-Kuhn, Deanna. Argue with Me developmental pathways
-Everything's an Argument. Argument shouldn't be a unit of study; should be a culture!
-Tatum, Alfred. Why Teach Argument
-Tufts, Paul. Grit