Argument and Advocacy: Researching Debatable Issues

In this informational unit, student will use multimedia sources to research a debatable issue of their choice. Our culminating projects will include a persuasive poster and and persuasive essay relating to this "hot topic." Debatable issues from years past include school start times, homework in schools, allowance for kids, video games, social media use by kids, plastic water bottles, and voting rights. Students will primarily use this website to conduct their research.

RI.5.1 - I can accurately quote a text when providing evidence.

RI.5.2 - I can determine two or more main ideas and how they are supported by key details and summarize nonfiction texts.

RI.5.5 - I can determine the overall text structure of an informational text and support my answer with evidence.

RI.5.6 - I can analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.

RI.5.9 - I can integrate information from several texts on the same topic to write about the subject knowledgeably.

W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.5.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

W.5.6 With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting.

W.5.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Argumentative Writing Rubric with Standards