- Describe the “argument writing tool” that you’d like to share with other teachers--this could be from the CRWP mini-units, CRWP other online material, or a tool YOU have developed. If you are choosing between two tools, ask your colleagues for advice!
- Respond to another post.
- Upload a draft of your “Argument Writing Tool” powerpoint and handout (using Kellie’s as a model).
- Respond to another teacher’s draft.
Monday, April 3, 2017
Designing your "Argument Writing Tool" presentation
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I recently shared an argument writing tool with a colleague that I hadn't used in a long time. It's a thesis generator and it basically flips the thesis/evidence/explanation sequence on its head. It instead asks students to generate an original thesis by first choosing a topic (such as, say, whether Atticus is a good father), then finding 4-6 strong pieces of evidence, then explaining what the evidence shows about Atticus, and then finally developing a thesis that is built on the evidence and explanation. I've used this with developmental college writing classes, but I wonder if it would be helpful for HS students, too, as they develop their ability to create more nuanced, original theses. I'll put a scanned copy of it and an example in our shared Dropbox.
ReplyDeleteAmanda, The Thesis generator is something that I have looked into and it is indeed helpful. I have created a graphic organizer that is a modified version of this that is really helpful. It is a 4 step process. It is extremely helpful when a prompt is provided, but it can be utilized to come up with one from scratch. The first step is to ask a question about the topic you are interested in or turn the prompt into a question. EX. How is white and black poverty depicted in the media? Step 2 is to turn that general question into a declarative statement EX. Black and whit poverty are portrayed differently in the media. Step three is two name three reasons how or why they are depicted differently. Finally, step 4 is to combine step 2 and 3 together to come up with an original and comprehensive thesis. It has been a huge success for my students this year.
DeleteThat sounds really useful, Marc. I wonder if we could even combine the tools and ask students to look at evidence before they go to step 3?
DeleteI have edited a version of the notecatcher and claim development tool for use by my most challenging students: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13pr4NdjcFEDVDomDZBsA0USQ7zWrQnt7M-J399HoFHk/edit.
ReplyDeleteOur topic for Q4 is whether high school sports interfere with academics, so I am hopeful that some of them will be able to produce some good, well-reasoned claims. I fear that the challenge will be for them to be open enough to process and respond thoughtfully to the idea that high school sports should be eliminated. We followed the process STEP-BY-STEP in Q3, so they should be able to do this reasonably independently.
I really like your tool because it breaks everything down for the students, step-by-step. I have found that requiring the students to look at things in this way enriches their thoughts and forces them to analyze on a deeper level. The sources and their credibility assures that students are looking at a variety of sources with a critical eye, and we know that is something they don’t always do. I also think it is helpful to have built-in annotations on the students’ claims as they work through them. This should help streamline their thinking and truly focus on what it is they want to argue within their papers. I would be interested in seeing what the students came up with during quarter three to see how their writing grows during the fourth quarter, especially because they will be working with less guidance from you.
DeleteMy students struggle with textual analysis, so I created something to help them dig more deeply into text. The textual analysis chart that I created can be accessed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sItAlymzXNJiT37gL1yk-jcGXS30my62jRnposu8-PM/edit
ReplyDeleteThe students use the chart to identify their textual evidence and work their way through analyzing it. I used this with a few essays, and the quality of their writing significantly improved. I'll be interested in seeing how it goes with their next argumentative piece.
I like the 4-part prompt for thinking it through. Some of my kids are struggling to say something new.
DeleteI love this, Danielle. If I were still in the classroom I'd totally steal it! I'm wondering if you've used it with both fiction and non-fiction. It seems like it's geared more for literary analysis and I'm wondering if you've had to change it for informational texts at all. Thanks for sharing!
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ReplyDeleteI am keeping this short as the long description I just wrote was completely erased. I am using Mini-Unit 1 Making Informal Arguments- The Mini Unit uses Reality TV. I was thinking about using the media's portrayal of white and black poverty through T.V and Literature. I will Be focusing on excerpts from two nonfiction books that give alternative perspectives of white and black poverty. J.D. Vance's book, Hillbilly Elegy" and Ta-Nehisi Coates' book "Between the World and Me". I will USe the portrayals of Black and White poverty through the lens of Hollywood by showing popular t.v shows that depict the experiences of both the white and black poor. Students will explore, compare and contrast these perspectives in order to make a claim that leads to a thesis for an argument essay.
ReplyDeleteWow, Marc. I want to be in your class. Have you decided which TV excerpts/episodes you will be using?
ReplyDeleteDo you have a graphic organizer to developing the claim? If not, check out my link above.
I agree, Marc. This sounds like fun! It also got me thinking about that commercial that's been on about how cigarettes are marketed more in black neighborhoods...have you seen it? Here is the address if you want to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cfo4Nblmp8
DeleteThere have been negative and positive reactions from both the white and black communities (you can see those on youtube, as well). Might be an interesting way of thinking about marketing to white and black folks (for example, do the commercials vary during "Black-ish" from those shown during "Duck Dynasty"). You might not even just address the representation, but how companies view them as consumers. Just a thought!
Marc,
DeleteI think that sharing a text set and the rationale behind the text set is a great idea. You might want to include on your Powerpoint the inquiry or focal question that's guiding the unit and students' final argument essays. This could help other teachers envision how each text in the text set provides a useful perspective for the students' final essay.
Here is a link to my Power Point:
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/presentation/d/14Xz2IMxE196UHiQ_Lsk7SRiHpAPopisdkm9OwYXaUBU/edit?usp=sharing
I adapted the chart slightly for argumentative writing, but the idea is the same.
Hi, Danielle.
DeleteThanks again for sharing this resource! Analysis is a difficult thought process to teach. Your chart helps to demystify this skill by making the thought process more tangible for students. After enough practice, I imagine that students would begin to take ownership of the process, giving their writing more depth and meaning. I appreciate that your Power Point gives an example of the context in which teachers could use this chart (the jigsaw activity).
OMG...disregard what I said above. This looks great.
DeleteDanielle, I think your tool is a really clear way to help students with the specific move from literal reporting of evidence to interpretation of evidence. Do you by any chance have a sample of student work that you could add to your powerpoint? If not now, you might consider later adding a student work sample so other teachers can really "see" how it works in practice.
DeleteLike Nicole, I have used the "Coming to Terms with Opposing Viewpoints" Notecatcher and Claim Development Tool with my students. In Q1, I integrated this mini-unit into our To Kill a Mockingbird unit as an opportunity for students to explore and develop an argument about a relevant present-day social justice issue. My ninth-graders needed a lot of guidance as they worked through the Claim Development Tool, but I was impressed with the more thoughtful, balanced, and nuanced claims that many of them created by the end of the process. I agree with Nicole that using the tool again would help my students take more ownership of the process.
ReplyDeleteNotecatcher and Claim Development Tool: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13pr4NdjcFEDVDomDZBsA0USQ7zWrQnt7M-J399HoFHk/edit
My PPT: https://docs.google.com/a/pghboe.net/presentation/d/1TCqwpdjoxyZPN7LVFCeMTd_89nYFZaq2aavkmz0oZNY/edit?usp=sharing
I love the idea of adding this into your ...Mockingbird Unit. That's a perfect fit. Did you discuss any of the police brutality text set with the kids or did you find that too volatile to discuss with them? Also, I find this note-catcher very "wordy." Did your students struggle with the amount they were asked to do in each row? It seemed to me like just the words in each box might discourage a struggling reader/writer.
DeleteHi, Kellie!
DeleteYes, we did read the text set, and my students handled the content well. In fact, these texts served as models to help my students understand how to consider someone else's viewpoint and make a convincing argument while still sounding professional and objective.
In the end the note-catcher did help my students produce better, more nuanced claims, but they needed A LOT of guidance through the process--more than I anticipated. And, I think the wordiness is contributed to my students' difficulty with this resource. I like the note-catcher a lot; I will work on simplifying the wording for the next time I use it with students. Hopefully, this will help them be more self-sufficient as they work through the process.
Renee,
DeleteI'm so glad that they handled the discussion well. Maybe we can chat at our last meeting about some of these tools that have potential but may need to be adapted a little for our use. I think if you were to share the note catcher and your modifications with other teachers in your building I'm sure they'd be happy to benefit from your own "trial and error."
Renee, I really appreciated the "what, why, how" organization of your Powerpoint and the term "working claim." To build on Kellie's questions and my comments to Danielle, I wonder if you might include (1) sample student work using the handout, and (2) a slide that gives some advice to other teachers about students' common "ah ha" moments and struggles or ways you supported them as they did this work.
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ReplyDeleteHere is the link for my powerpoint mini unit 1 making a claim.
ReplyDeletehttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0ZM6oBRJ0oLak5DX1h4ekdZeFE/view?usp=sharing
Marc, I really like the plan you have created to implement the mini-unit. I'm sure it's not a surprise, but the kids struggle with it so much. I've found that breaking it down and providing pop culture examples help them immensely. You can even take this idea further by asking them to think of their favorite movie/tv show and creating a claim to go with it before doing the final one for their papers.
DeleteAgain I apologize for being late to the group. Here is a link to my powerpoint...
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Fj7F-rttBuHyO5AKXsjLkZlSZ0upF3Ri5GMAs_9oC78/edit#slide=id.g1f4b9ff9f7_0_23
Katie's powerpoint as well as Danielle's & Renee's can be found in our shared Dropbox at:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nb97jmezcnrwn7l/AAAX5oHQROi1v1sXN2sORsuMa?dl=0
DeleteKatie, I really appreciated seeing how this multiple perspectives tool could be used in social studies, too. I also liked the sample completed chart on slides 6 & 8- I always find such samples really helpful. I found slide 3 to present a LOT of info at once and I wonder if you need it or if you might consider giving less info? I think the tool stands on its own well.
DeleteNicole, I looked at your Powerpoint (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YjoymnZO5sNwLopgxh_88BgDOgNP35TfOEVAKjYom6w/edit?ts=591c4f76#slide=id.g2238ef29d3_0_136)and it looks like you are sharing a lot of valuable strategies - a compelling text set, revised notecatcher, and two other argument writing tools. Very cool! A couple suggestions (1) I couldn't get any of the links to work and I really wanted to see your "planning a line of reasoning" tool. I think you need to reset the privacy settings to "anyone with the link can see." (2) You cover A LOT of ground in this presentation and I wonder if you would consider giving an overview of your unit/text-set but then zooming in on one tool and how you use it?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amanda!
DeleteI changed the sharing settings, and I think the links are working now. Maybe you can test one out if you have a minute.
I will definitely take your suggestion to devote most of the time to one tool - probably planning a line of reasoning."