Looking for a way to review argumentative essay writing with your middle school students WITHOUT having them write another essay? Students will use these task cards and outline to create an example or model essay!

Each one of these task cards represents a sentence that belongs in the essay. Tape these printable task cards to the desks and the wall. Then, after reading the prompt and texts, your middle school students will interactively answer the task cards in groups or with partners using the included outline.

When they have finished, they will have reviewed every single part of the essay and will have put together a sample or model essay as a result.

Easy to implement and super easy to grade, as everyone should end up with the same answers and essay!

Objective: Students will review what they know about structure as they plan and write a complete text-based argumentative essay.

What's included:
✅ Argumentative Writing Prompt
✅ 2 original non-fiction texts about Area 51
✅ 1 argumentative essay organizer/checklist
✅ Answer sheets for students
✅ 28 Task Cards
✅ Answers to the task cards and a fully filled-out answer sheet for the skeleton essay!

Your students will love the interactive nature of this activity, and you will love the results!

How it works:

1. Go through the essay writing process with the included writing prompt and texts with your students.

2. Place (tape) task cards on the desks in groups of 4.

3. Have students work collaboratively to answer those task cards. Each task card represents one sentence in the essay.

4. Students copy the complete answers on the answer sheets. This answer is the sentence in the essay.  Each task card is numbered.  Students match the number of the task card to the numbered box on the answer sheet.

5. As groups finish their set of 4 task cards, they rotate to a new group of 4 more task cards.

6. By the time students have filled in all 28 spaces on the answer sheet, they have a skeleton essay!

7. Then using the organizer/checklist, students mark where paragraphs should be on the skeleton.

8. Finally, students write out their essays on notebook paper (or special test paper) - not included.

TEACHERS LIKE YOU SAID:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Melissa B. said, "I loved the way this resource really breaks apart the parts of an argumentative essay."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Margo M. said, "Great resource for small groups!"

Support Common Core Standards:

CCSSCCRA.W.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

CCSSCCRA.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

_________________________________________________________

Click here to purchase this printable version WITH the digital version!

Click here for the DIGITAL ONLY version

_________________________________________________________

Having difficulty with a file?

Visit the FAQs section, submit a help ticket, ask a question via email (Lisa@mrsspanglerinthemiddle.com), or ask a question on the Q&A tab before leaving feedback.

_________________________________________________________

Let's connect!

Follow me to get 50% off for the first 24 hours of a new resource's release!

©Mrs. Spangler in the Middle (Elizabeth [Lisa] Spangler)

All rights reserved by the author.

Permission to copy for single classroom use only.

Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.

Thanks, and Enjoy!