Standards

Include at least one reading and one writing

Include at least one SOL and one CCSS
SOL 8.6 (R) The student will read,
comprehend, and analyze a variety of
nonfiction texts.
e) Analyze details for relevance and accuracy.
f) Differentiate between fact and opinion.
g) Identify the main idea.
SOL 8.7 (W) The student will write in a variety
of forms, including narration, exposition,
persuasion, and informational.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1 Write arguments to
support claims with clear reasons and relevant
evidence
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1 Cite the textual
evidence that most strongly supports
an analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.
Content/Topi
c (the English
stuff youll
teach)
Finding the
main idea.
Using
supporting
details
Forming an
argument.

Text (s)

Supreme Court justices serve

as long as they want, many
say that's too long (Newsela)
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com
/2016/02/15/good-questionwhy-do-supreme-courtjustices-serve-life-sentences/
(CBS video on why supreme
court justices serve for life)

UKDs
Students will understand that:
Fact and opinion play different roles
in producing and resolving conflict.
Conflict can bring forth creation.
Students will know:
The concept of a main idea
The format of an argument.
Students will be able to:
Craft an argument using supporting
details (Create) CCSS.W.8.1
Respond to specific details of an
argument (Analyze). SOL 8.6.e
Determine the main idea of a
passage (Comprehend). SOL 8.6.g
Differentiate between fact and
opinion (Analyze). SOL 8.6.f
Strategy/Strategies
(from Beers) and Why
Chosen

Follow-up/Writing
Activity

Logographic Clues.
The logographic clues
will help students to
look for details in the
text, and will help
them organize those
details for later use.

After working
with a partner on
say something,
students will
independently
write a letter to
the author of the
article either
agreeing or
disagreeing with
their point.
Students will
need to respond
to specific details
from the article
to support their
points.
Name: Bailey Washington Lesson Topic: Argument Grade: 8 Class Length: 90 Minutes

Steps in the Lesson

1.HookWewillwatchabrief,30secnewscliponJusticeScaliasdeathtointroducethecurrentevent

thathassparkeddiscussionacrossthecountry.Wewillthenhaveabriefdiscussiononwhythisis
important.
2.EssentialQuestion1.Howcanconflictcreatediscussion?(Howcanconflictbringforthcreation?)

3.CulminatingTaskWewillwatchaquickvideoonwhySupremeCourtjusticesserveforlife.Wewill
thenreadanopinionarticleonthesamesubject.Studentswilldiscussthearticlewithaclassmatebefore
writingalettertotheauthorinwhichtheyagreeordisagreewiththeirpointofview.
4.DirectInstructionandModeling(IDo)WewillwatchabriefvideoonwhySupremeCourtJustices
servelifesentencesasaclass.AfterthevideofinishesIwillaskstudentstovolunteerandtellmesome
ofthemajordetails.Iwillusethelistofdetailsthattheycomeupwithtodecideonthemainidea
(SupremeCourtJusticesserveforlifesothattheycanriseaboutpolitics.However,nowthatlife
expectancyhasgottenolder,justicesareservingforanextremeamountoftime.)whileexplainingmy
reasoning.
Howdidthevideoframethemainidea?Wastherebias?Howdoweknow?
5.Onasheetofpaper,studentswillcompleteaquickanticipationguide.Theywillanswereithertrueor
falsetothestatement,SupremeCourtJusticesshouldservelifeterms.
6.WedoIwillreadthearticlewithstudentsfollowingalongontheirownpapers.Beforeweread,
studentsshouldcomeupwiththreesimplesymbols:onefortopicsentence,oneforfact(astatementthat
canbeproved),andoneforopinion(astatementthatcannotbeproved).Asweread,Iwilllabelthefirst
sectionwithmyownsymbols.Fortherestofthetext,Iwillpauseaftereachparagraphandaskstudents
wherethesymbolsshouldgo.
Howdotheimportantdetailssupportthemainidea/argument?
7.Youdotogetherstudentswillgettogetherwithapartneranddeterminethemainargumentofthetext.
Theyshouldusethedetailsthatwejusthighlighted,andattempttoimitatemyprocessfromstep4.
8.Discussion:Isthisanopinionpiece?Howdoweknow?Wherecanweseetheauthorsbias?Why
isthisimportant?Whatdoestheauthorwantmetothink?
9.IdoIwillmodelwritingalettertotheauthortomystudents.Iwillsummarizehismainarguments,
takeastand,andrespondtothreeoftheauthorssupportingdetailsdirectly.
10.YoudoaloneStudentswillwritealettertotheauthoroftheopinionpieceinwhichtheyimitatemy
model.Theywillsummarizethemainargumentintheirownwords,takeastand,andrespondtothreeof
theauthorssupportingdetails.Mymodelwillremainontheboardforthemtoreferto.
ShouldthetermsofSupremeCourtJusticesbelimited?Whyismyopinionimportant?
11.DiscussionHowdidthedeathofoneman,JusticeScalia,influenceadiscussioninourownlives?Is
thisaconflict?
12.ExitcardOnanindexcardstudentswillwritequickdefinitionsofamainargumentandsupporting
detailswithanexampleforeach.

MATERIALS ATTACHED: (E.G., PowerPoints, Graphic Organizers, etc.)

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/02/15/good-question-why-do-supreme-courtjustices-serve-life-sentences/ -Video that explains why Supreme Court justices serve

for life. (Step 4)

Initial Plans for Adjusting Instruction/Materials to Meet Diverse Needs of Students

Need (Discuss at least 3)

Plans for Adjustment to instruction and/or materials

English Language Learners

Students who struggle in the

area of __________
(Reading, writing, thinking)

Students who are advanced

in the area of ________
(Reading ,writing, thinking)
Other (as revealed in
formative assessment):

Closed captioning will be used for the videos in step 1 and 4.

I will check in with English Language Learners during step 7
to ensure they understood the article and arent missing any
important vocabulary.
The videos should help spark student ideas. For students
who are struggling to determine their point of view or
argument, I while provide a list of details from the article
written in statement form. The students will either agree or
disagree with the statement so that they can see how their
argument might play out.
During step 6, students more advanced in thinking will be
given a sheet identifying common fallacies in arguments to
go over instead of participating in the discussion. While
writing their letters, these students should attempt to find
and point out one fallacy in addition to the assignment.
Students who are unable to identify what a main argument
and supporting details are will work with me the next class.
We will go over the information again before looking through
a few short arguments to find their main arguments and
details.