Teachers

Common Core Standards:

The project is specifically designed to teach students skills and concepts from the ELA-Literacy standards in the Common Core curriculum.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 7 here.)
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research

Project Overview:

This project is divided into two sections. The LEARNING section, then the WRITING section.

LEARNING: The pages under "What is it" and "Skills You Need" are designed as review and practice of specific skills needed to write an argumentative essay. There is an information packet that students fill out with checkpoints for formative assessment on how each student is understanding the concepts and mastering the skill.

WRITING: The writing section begins with "Pick a Topic" and proceeds through "Write Your Paper." There are two handouts for this section. The Notes page and the Writing Graphic Organizer. Against here are checkpoints along the way to help assess student progress and understanding.

ASSESSMENT: The Assessment sheet is taken directly from the SBAC rubrics and is a summative assessment of the final writing product.

Pacing:

Our goal is to complete the LEARN section in 3 days, then the writing section in about 7 days. It is designed as a 2 week project, but teachers can break the sections up, or just use pieces of the project as needed. Students can set their own pace, as needed for the acquisition of the learning concepts and skills.

Differentiation:

For students who need simpler, more concrete and scaffolded lessons: The GUIDED ARGUMENT section is a parallel project that will be easier for them to master the various skills and concepts. There is a LEARN and DO section. There are separate handouts and expectations. Like the main project, there are many GUIDED ARGUMENT section and need a modified curriculum.

For students who need a CHALLENGE: Under "Pick a Topic" there is a challenging section to choose from. These topics provide much more complex, higher level reading, as well as more difficult processing. Students will have to create their own PRO/CON chart before they can begin to write, which requires an extra step and a much deeper level of thinking.

The entire project is self-paced and independent. Students can progress at their own rates, review information as needed or move more quickly.

Handouts:

Handouts are attached to the appropriate pages in the project. They are also attached below.