Play Nice: Analyzing Arguments

Greetings, Global Penners!

As you know, I am in the (slow) process of expanding the blog to include materials that not only suit AICE General Paper but also to both the AICE Global Perspectives 9239 and AP Seminar research courses.  Today’s post truly honors that intention :-)  The activity I’ve designed below will serve any and all of the three courses.  This is largely because I actually teach a block course that covers all THREE at once!!  I collectively refer to this crazy, uniquely-designed curriculum (thanks to a lot of brainstorming with my awesome boss) as The Global Writing Block, where my students get THREE college credits, during TWO hours of daily instruction, in ONE school year with me.  Talk about opportunity!  And because these curriculums play so

AP Seminar, AICE Global Perspectives, and AICE General Paper play so well together…heyyyy, no bullying Common Core, kids!

well together, it’s never overload…well, ok, it’s rarely overload ;-)

But even though the lesson below speaks to our AICE and AP curriculums, it has an added bonus…one that reaches out to any (U.S.) teacher, AP, AICE or other…it is fully aligned with the Common Core!

Specifically, this activity can be used in any of the following ways:

• End-of-Course Exam skills development (AP Seminar’s Section I/Parts A and B; Global Perspectives’ Paper 1)
• Common Core/FSA alignment (
• Argumentative writing skills (AICE General Paper, FSA Writing)
• Research writing skills (AICE Global Perspectives/Component 2; AP Seminar Tasks 1 & 2)

Take a look at your play space…

ANALYZING AN ARGUMENT

What’s the value in teaching our students to analyze the arguments of others?  Why, to strengthen their own skills in arguing, of course!  By observing the greats and not-so-greats, our students will gain a better perspective on what it means to argue logically, fairly, and credibly.  They will learn how to evaluate those arguments which undoubtedly exist in the world all around them; and as they begin to make their own, adult decisions, they will use these analytical and evaluative skills to develop their own opinions, values, and beliefs.

Materials:

• The Article: “Is It Time to Ditch the Penny?”
• The Handout:“Analyzing an Argument: Claims and Evidence”
• The Teacher’s Reference: “Analyzing an Argument: Claims and Evidence”
• The PowerPoint: “Analyzing an Argument: Claims and Evidence”

The awesome thing about this activity is that the handout (which I adapted from Scholastic’s Upfront resource materials) can be applied to virtually any argument your students can get their hands on…even their own!  I enjoy using this activity with the Debate articles that appear at the end of each Upfront magazine, so for those of you who are subscribers, have at it!  If you aren’t familiar with this excellent teen reading resource, I strongly recommend it.

The Toulmin Model for deconstructing an argument

If you want to take Argumentation a step further (i.e. AP Seminar and AICE Global teachers), here’s a great handout that breaks down arguments through the Toulmin Model-Colorado State University.  There are tons of materials out there regarding Toulmin, but this one is very straight-forward and provides easy access for students of all levels.  Thank you, ColoRADo State University :-)

Best of luck Arguing with Adolescents!  Play nice!

Genuinely,

Jill Pavich, NBCT

PS…I’m looking forward to this week’s AP Seminar training in Plantation, Florida…anyone attending?  See you there!