Argument Essay Unit | Argument Writing How-To | Argument Writing Questions

Looking for comprehensive and engaging lesson plans to take your students from research to finished product?

Your students will start off by analyzing three comics and a photographic series. After that, they’ll do a close reading of three published opinion pieces on cell phones. More research will be done jigsaw style and in cooperative groups, and once students have started on a writing workshop with the student guide provided here, they will refine their writing through focused lessons with specific examples and practical exercises, all based on professional writing examples.

Get you students thinking critically, reading challenging non-fiction, and writing about a topic close their hearts: cell phones.

When you teach argumentative essays with these plans you will:

• help your classes understand the elements of good writing by examining real-world mentor texts

• easily get your classes to break down and understand those articles by using the no-prep handouts included here

• teach powerful mini lessons that will improve your students’ writing skills

• quickly show your classes how to write effective argument essays with grabbers, compelling organization, strong thesis statements, correctly cited and integrated evidence, and a counterclaim

• fulfill common core requirements for argument writing

• get your students excited about conducting research by focusing on a topic that teens care about—cell phones

• engage your classes in interesting discussion on important topics by using the ready-to-go lessons

• challenge your students to question their assumptions about cell phones

• teach your students how to formulate their own opinion by reading factual texts

• easily conduct writer’s workshop, peer conferences, and teacher conferences using the guides and proven tips

Included in this resource:

—extensive notes for the instructor and answer keys for all questions

—a lesson on cell phone visuals in which students analyze cartoons and photographs

—links to and questions on three published argument essays on cell phones

—a jigsaw activity in which students will conduct further research

—links and descriptions of all sources needed for the paper

—a 10-step writing workshop guide for students

—a lesson on writing grabbers including examples and exercises

—a lesson on organization including examples and exercises

—a lesson on citation including examples and exercises

—a lesson on counterclaim including questions for students

—a printable peer conference handout

—a teacher conference checklist

—a unit checklist for a process grade

—an appendix with links to useful how-to articles

In all, enough for sixteen days of reading, writing, analyzing, and thinking based on real published writing. Your students will improve their skills, produce quality research-based argument essays, and gain awareness of the drawbacks and risks of cellphone use.