To kick off our argumentative unit, the students learned the difference between an opinion and an argument. The first goal was for the students to be able to identify whether a topic is just an opinion, or something that can be developed into a research-based argument. Once comfortable with that, the students then used a carousel brainstorm structure to identify different argument topics within the categories of animals, school, and technology. Some ideas they came up with were: Should there be zoos? Should students wear uniforms? Should cellphones be allowed in schools?
From the list of topics generated, we are focusing on the topic of zoos as a class. The students did a small amount of preliminary research to familiarize themselves with both sides of the argument. Yesterday, the students created a pro/con list for both an animal’s natural habitat and a zoo habitat. They worked hard filling in all sections of their table. To gather more ideas, the students used the structure give one, get one. By the end of the activity, the class had compiled lists of support for both habitats.
The next step for the students is choosing a side and writing a claim. Once written, the students will be gathering research to defend their side of the argument. Their claim, research, and support will be used to form an argumentative writing piece.
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