Use supporting details in writing and when presenting an argument

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Procedures

1. Create a list of questions for class forum. Use discretion. Choose topics that are taken from recent headlines or happenings around school and in the community, topics that the student might already be aware of and that don't require deep background knowledge to understand. Pose these topics as questions (i.e- Do you think Beyonce (or any other popular celeb) is a good role model for kids? Why or why not? Explain your reasons).




Things to know before the lesson:



2. The teacher or parent's role in this exercise is to moderate the discussions. Ask for clarification if a student makes a vague statement. If the discussion becomes one-sided ask for a student with a different opinion to chime-in. Play devil's advocate and introduce ideas that might otherwise have gone overlooked, but do not let students gang up on each other (sometimes it happens).




3. The Student will feel strongly about things, but always ask them to back up their claim. Ask, "Why do you feel this way? What are your reasons?", every time a student gives an opinion. If the student can't support his or her statement, move on to someone else and come back to them later. You'd be amazed at how many great reasons they can come up with (when you're not looking). Take turns listening to opinions and reasons from each side of the argument.




Begin the lesson by asking the student:



4. "Why is it important to include supporting details in an essay? (student responses will vary depending on prior learning.) Supporting details help you understand the point that someone is trying to make. The topic sentence/thesis statement is the sentence in our essay that contains our point or main idea. When writing an essay it is important that we support our topic sentence/thesis statement with supporting details. Supporting details can include: reasons why we feel a certain way, examples that would give our statement credibility, facts that prove our statement is valid, or a description of an incident that would reinforce the idea we are trying to get across. Supporting details should be used any time we are trying to make a point, whether we are writing or engaged in a discussion. If we do not include supporting details to back-up our statements, then the main idea we are trying to get across is lost or weakened. The more supporting details we include the stronger our argument becomes.




5. Let the students know that they will be given several topics and must respond with a written statement that includes supporting details. Afterwards the students will share their statements and engage in a classroom discussion. You expect everyone to be respectful of each other's thoughts and follow the rules.




6. Rules for students: RESPECT each other. You must WRITE DOWN your answer to the question. You must READ your response off the page. You will RAISE YOUR HAND and WAIT to be recognized in order to speak.




7. You may give the student a sample topic (e.g.- Should school uniforms be mandatory?) and model a complete answer before starting discussions. (e.g- Yes, school uniforms should be mandatory because they can cost a lot less than the latest styles/brands and they will spare parents and students from having to spend time choosing school outfits, etc.)




8. Read the student a question (from list). Give them 2-3 minutes to write down their responses and their reasons. Once most of the class has an answer written down you may ask for a volunteer to read his or her statement and begin the discussion.




9. To ensure that the student is writing down responses, remind them that they must read their response straight off the page. If a student voices their opinion in the heat of the moment that's ok, too. Just remind them to explain why? why? why?




10. When you have covered enough topics and engaged in sufficient classroom discussion ask the students to reflect on the arguments presented. Review the reasons why certain arguments were stronger than others.



Suggestions:


• When identifying a weak argument, simply point out how much stronger the argument would be if additional details were added. Then ask for examples that could help strengthen the argument.



• It's easy to lose track of time with this lesson. Watch the clock.



• This is a good lesson to use before a substantial writing assignment like an essay. It gets students excited about having opinions and writing them down. Plus they think it's fun.



• Follow-up this lesson with a weak argument vs. strong argument exercise, where the student is given various arguments and he or she identifies each one as being weak or strong.

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