Activity: SB 3.

8 Debate It: Organizing and

Communicating an Argument
Date: Friday and Monday
02/27/15 and 03/02/15
Teacher: Rodriguez
NVACS Standard(s):
Collaborating Teachers: ELA 6 Teachers
RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text
Subject(s): ELA
and how it is conveyed through particular
Essential Questions:
details; provide a summary of the text
1. How can talking and working with
distinct from personal opinions or
others help one analyze a novel?
judgments.
2. How do internal and external forces
RI.6.1, RI.6.6, RI.6.7, RI.6.9, RI.6.10
help people grow?
Objective: I will paraphrase to explain the
main idea of an article about the pros and
cons of social networking; plan my
argument about social networking and
present my position on the controversy in a
debate.
Warm-Up/Introduction:
Write down the objective and explain how you plan on accomplishing it. Before beginning
the lesson, students will answer the following questions in their books:
1. What is online social networking?
2. Do you or someone you know use online social networking? Explain.
NEPF IS 3.3 Teacher assists all students to use existing knowledge and prior
experience to make connections and recognize relationships. Students are
using their prior experience with social networking to engage in the lesson.
Daily Review (identify instructional standard/indicator):
Essential questions, debate, controversy, perspective, argumentation, reasons, evidence,
citation, credibility, visual displays
Concept/Skill Development (including 3+ high level questions) & (identify
instructional standard/indicator):
Discuss warm-up and daily review
Have students read the chart and caption to think about how they relate to the
data provided. Remind students that paying attention to nonfiction text features
will aid comprehension. Discuss their reaction to the data. (Activity 1)
Review how to use metacognitive markers when reading the articles. Conduct a
guided reading of the article, stopping to use metacognitive markers. (Activities 25)
Practice & Application (Guided/Independent/Group Practice) (identify
instructional standard/indicator):
1. Students will write their position on social networking and write two questions on
what they want to know about the impact of social networking on kids.
2. After reading the article, students will respond to the Key Ideas and Details
question: What one benefit seems most important? Why?
3. Students will read the second article with partners and will continue to use the
metacognitive markers.

4. After reading the article, discuss as a class and have students answer the Key
Ideas and Details question: Which adverse effect seems most significant?
5. In partners, students will complete the graphic organizer comparing and
contrasting the evidence from the two texts.
6. To practice speaking and listening, students will participate in a Save the Last
Word for Me discussion. One student will share their quickwrite, while the other
members respond to what the student shared. Then the student who shared will
have the last word. All students will take turns sharing.
7. Groups will be assigned a Pro or a Con side. They will conduct more research by
reading text 3. They will read closely and use metacognitive markers to gather
information on their assigned side.
8. Students will summarize 3-4 ideas from the text that supports their side of the
argument.
9. Using a KWHL chart, students will individually fill out the K, W, and H sides.
10.
Individually, they will conduct their own research to get their questions
answered. They will take notes on any information they learned in the L column.
11.
Students will share and compare notes with their group.
12.
In their groups, students will complete the graphic organizer to organize their
ideas. They will refer to the graphic organizer as they conduct their debate.
13.
Groups will participate in a modified debate.
NEPF IS 3.1 Teacher provides opportunities for extended productive
discourse among students. During debate, students will engage in a
productive discussion of their claim, using evidence and reasons to justify
their responses.
14.
After the debate, students will answer the following reflection questions: How
did the activities leading up to this Embedded Assessment help you to be
successful? What activities were especially helpful, and why?
*Rigorous Curriculum (identify instructional standard/indicator):
Identify specific activities that the students will complete and the Depth of
Knowledge level they will be exhibiting.
Read and Analyze the argument of several sources. (DOK 3)
Conduct research (DOK 3)
Debate (DOK 4)
Assessment (Formative - include Homework - & Summative) (identify
instructional standard/indicator):
Pay attention to students ability to read and use metacognitive markers. Check the
responses they record in their Venn Diagram. Check students ability to complete the
graphic organizer. Grade students on their debate using the rubric on page 210.
Long-Term Review & Closure (identify instructional standard/indicator):
Students will answer the reflection questions and share their responses with the class.
Discuss; How do you effectively communicate in order to convince someone?
Supplementary Materials:
Ipads
Poster paper

Potential Modifications to Lesson:

To support students understanding, show a
successful student model from the class

and ask the student to use a think aloud to

describe the process he or she used to
complete it.