Give Students Specific Product Goals
Teachers set specific product goals by giving students specific writing goals. The goals include the format, the purpose, and any other specifics that the teacher deems necessary.
An example of a product goal is to write an argument supporting an opinion.
First students must write with a purpose. Students will pick any story that they have read. You will need to put some restrictions or qualifiers on this. You might want to give them a choice of three stories from their anthology. The student task is to write an argument essay that persuades readers that one particular story is better than the other two. Students choose one narrative element into which to go into detail: character, setting, or plot.
What is the purpose of this piece of writing? One purpose might be to have readers agree with the argued choice. Another purpose might be to understand your (the writer's) reactions to this group of stories.
Who is the audience for this essay? Your audience might be your classmates and your teacher. Your audience could be your school book club. You might write your article as an Amazon review. In that case, your audience would be the folks looking for a book to read online. If you write a blog or have a website, your audience would be your blog readers and fans.
Sometimes, the teacher might want you to write something other than an essay. Other choices could be a story review or report. Students could have a discussion or debate about the stories. Some tech-savvy students might create a video or podcast.
When my students write an argument in which they support an opinion, I look for three key writing traits:
Lesson Plan for Prewriting an Argument Essay
The student must choose the story. Encourage the student to choose one that made an impression on him. The student will jot down the title. The student will think about each story and element in the story. The student will need to ask himself: Why is that element important in the story? The student will choose the one that he feels the strongest.
Next, the writer will formulate his claim. The author bases his substantial argument on a claim proven with evidence and reasons. Every claim should guide the debate. Every detail should support the thesis statement. If a claim cannot be supported, then the writer should come up with another claim.
Think about your audience and purpose. The prewriting stage is the best time to think about audience and purpose as it will help guide your planning. Your audience is the particular group that the writer is trying to persuade. Your audience may not share your opinion, so your purpose will be to convince them that 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.
Some good questions to ask yourself as the writer of the argument essay:
Identify your support. A strong argument includes substantial reasons that tell why you believe the way that you do. Each reason should be backed up with concrete evidence that is relevant, or closely related to that reason. Try to include a variety of proof.
Consider opposing claims. You've probably heard folks say that there are two sides to every argument. You may not want to acknowledge that someone might have a different opinion than you; if you do, your readers will take you more seriously. You must address opposing claims or counter arguments directly point by point. When you do this, you will earn respect for your claim by showing that it will stand on its own against different opinions.
Student Task 1: Share your working claim with a classmate who is familiar with the story you chose. Ask: What reasons and evidence can I include addressing alternative viewpoints?
Student Task 2: Outline your writing plan. Record your claim, reasons, and evidence. Finally, write one opposing claim readers could have and how you will respond.
Drafting: The following outline will help you draft a clear and concise argument:
I. Introduction (paragraph 1)
A. Introduce your topic to your audience with an engaging question or anecdote. This hook is important to snag your reader.
B. Identify the title and author of the literary text you will be discussing.
C. State your claim with confidence. (thesis)
D. Give three reasons for your claim. (Three points)
II. Body (paragraphs 2, 3, 4)
A. Each paragraph is related to one point in the first (introduction) paragraph.
B. You must present your reasons and evidence in a logical order. You could start with your most significant or compelling reason, or end with that.
C. Use transitions to clarify the relationships among your claim, reasons, and evidence.
D. Acknowledge at least one opposing claim. Respond with reasons and evidence that show your claim is stronger than the opposite viewpoint.
E. Establish and maintain a formal style by using an assured tone (attitude) and by avoiding the casual language.
III. Concluding section (paragraph 5)
A. Restate your claim in different words.
B. End with a powerful quotation, question, or insight that follows your argument.
Student writing task:
Develop a first draft of your argument following the plan in the lesson. Make sure that you include several transitions to show the relationship among your ideas.
An example of a product goal is to write an argument supporting an opinion.
First students must write with a purpose. Students will pick any story that they have read. You will need to put some restrictions or qualifiers on this. You might want to give them a choice of three stories from their anthology. The student task is to write an argument essay that persuades readers that one particular story is better than the other two. Students choose one narrative element into which to go into detail: character, setting, or plot.
What is the purpose of this piece of writing? One purpose might be to have readers agree with the argued choice. Another purpose might be to understand your (the writer's) reactions to this group of stories.
Who is the audience for this essay? Your audience might be your classmates and your teacher. Your audience could be your school book club. You might write your article as an Amazon review. In that case, your audience would be the folks looking for a book to read online. If you write a blog or have a website, your audience would be your blog readers and fans.
Sometimes, the teacher might want you to write something other than an essay. Other choices could be a story review or report. Students could have a discussion or debate about the stories. Some tech-savvy students might create a video or podcast.
When my students write an argument in which they support an opinion, I look for three key writing traits:
- Idea development includes an engaging introduction that states a claim or a position. The essay must provide logical reasons and relevant evidence to support the claim. The argument addresses the counter argument. The development must offer a concluding section that summarizes the claim.
- Students must organize their ideas, reasons, main points, and evidence in a logical and meaningful way. The student must use transitions to create cohesion and who a relationship among the ideas.
- Students must use language and conventions in an efficient way. The writing must maintain a formal style. The student must use modifiers correctly. The writing must reflect correct grammar, usage, and mechanics. Students must spell all words correctly.
Lesson Plan for Prewriting an Argument Essay
The student must choose the story. Encourage the student to choose one that made an impression on him. The student will jot down the title. The student will think about each story and element in the story. The student will need to ask himself: Why is that element important in the story? The student will choose the one that he feels the strongest.
Next, the writer will formulate his claim. The author bases his substantial argument on a claim proven with evidence and reasons. Every claim should guide the debate. Every detail should support the thesis statement. If a claim cannot be supported, then the writer should come up with another claim.
Example:
The most important ingredient in Gary Soto's Seventh Grade is a conflict every middle schooler can relate to: trying to impress someone you like without making a fool of yourself.
Think about your audience and purpose. The prewriting stage is the best time to think about audience and purpose as it will help guide your planning. Your audience is the particular group that the writer is trying to persuade. Your audience may not share your opinion, so your purpose will be to convince them that 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.
Some good questions to ask yourself as the writer of the argument essay:
- Do I expect my audience to agree with my claim?
- 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 selected story?
Identify your support. A strong argument includes substantial reasons that tell why you believe the way that you do. Each reason should be backed up with concrete evidence that is relevant, or closely related to that reason. Try to include a variety of proof.
- Anecdotes--brief, personal stories.
- Quotations--direct statements from the literary text.
- Examples--instances of an idea or a situation.
- Informal polls--get the opinions of people who feel the same way that you do.
- Statistics--use them to your advantage.
Consider opposing claims. You've probably heard folks say that there are two sides to every argument. You may not want to acknowledge that someone might have a different opinion than you; if you do, your readers will take you more seriously. You must address opposing claims or counter arguments directly point by point. When you do this, you will earn respect for your claim by showing that it will stand on its own against different opinions.
Student Task 1: Share your working claim with a classmate who is familiar with the story you chose. Ask: What reasons and evidence can I include addressing alternative viewpoints?
Student Task 2: Outline your writing plan. Record your claim, reasons, and evidence. Finally, write one opposing claim readers could have and how you will respond.
Drafting: The following outline will help you draft a clear and concise argument:
I. Introduction (paragraph 1)
A. Introduce your topic to your audience with an engaging question or anecdote. This hook is important to snag your reader.
B. Identify the title and author of the literary text you will be discussing.
C. State your claim with confidence. (thesis)
D. Give three reasons for your claim. (Three points)
II. Body (paragraphs 2, 3, 4)
A. Each paragraph is related to one point in the first (introduction) paragraph.
B. You must present your reasons and evidence in a logical order. You could start with your most significant or compelling reason, or end with that.
C. Use transitions to clarify the relationships among your claim, reasons, and evidence.
D. Acknowledge at least one opposing claim. Respond with reasons and evidence that show your claim is stronger than the opposite viewpoint.
E. Establish and maintain a formal style by using an assured tone (attitude) and by avoiding the casual language.
III. Concluding section (paragraph 5)
A. Restate your claim in different words.
B. End with a powerful quotation, question, or insight that follows your argument.
Student writing task:
Develop a first draft of your argument following the plan in the lesson. Make sure that you include several transitions to show the relationship among your ideas.
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