A. Engage the Learner - W.8.1b (5 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 7.

• Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use a total participation technique to review their responses.

• Clarify any misconceptions about the role that the opening and closing sentences play in Proof Paragraphs (stating the reason that supports the main claim, and restating the reason supporting the main claim), and answer any questions from the group.

• Ask students to refer to their Practice Argument Essay Writing Plan graphic organizer, and review the opening and closing sentences they planned for the Proof Paragraphs in their practice essay.

• Direct students to Turn and Talk about the following questions:

"What opening sentence could you write that states a reason that supports your main claim?" (Responses will vary.)

"What closing sentence could you write that restates the reason that supports your main claim?" (Responses will vary.)

"What revisions will make these sentences stronger?" (Responses will vary, but students may mention they need to reword their sentences, include a "because" statement, etc.)

• Inform students that they will have the opportunity to refine the sentences in Work Time B.

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as in previous lessons.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

After Opening A, allow students to spend time working with partners to generate opening and closing sentences for Proof Paragraph 1 of their Practice Argument Essay immediately following the analysis and discussion of topic and closing sentences in Proof Paragraph 1 of the model essay, to allow for direct transfer of learning. Invite students to share their sentences with other groups to check the clarity of connections between their claims and topic and closing sentences. 

A. Analyze the Model: Proof Paragraph 1 – W.8.1b (10 minutes)

• Review the learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can identify the reasons, evidence, and reasoning in Proof Paragraph 1 of a model argument essay.”

• Remind students that one of the most important aspects of a Proof Paragraph is including evidence that directly supports the reasons stated. Within each Proof Paragraph, the author creates an “evidence sandwich.” Thinking about something we are all familiar with, a sandwich, will help us see how Proof Paragraphs are built. The “evidence sandwich” includes three parts:

  • The reason (bread)

  • The evidence introduced with context (the filling)

  • The reasoning (more bread)

• Ask students to retrieve their Model Essay: “Transportation Choices.” Read Proof Paragraph 1 aloud, prompting students to think about these three components of a Proof Paragraph as they follow along.

• Distribute and display the Analyze the Model: Proof Paragraph planner. Point out the organization of the handout to students. Tell them that it lists the text of Proof Paragraph 1, but it is chunked into three parts.

• Read aloud the first chunk of text. Tell students that this opening sentence is the reason. In the “evidence sandwich,” it is the top piece of bread. Label these parts on the Analyze the Model: Proof Paragraph handout and planner, using the Analyze the Model: Proof Paragraph planner (example for teacher reference) as needed.

• Continue on to the next chunk of text, and select a student to read the second chunk of text aloud to the group. Tell students that this chunk of text is the evidence. The evidence section of the “evidence sandwich” introduces the evidence with any context the reader needs to understand the evidence and then lists the actual evidence itself, which might include a quote.

• Ask partners to read the final chunk of text with each other. Tell students that this final, bottom bread section of the “evidence sandwich” is the reasoning. Remind students that in addition to selecting supporting evidence, another critical aspect of a Proof Paragraph is the reasoning. Explain that writers use this kind of connected thinking called “reasoning” to further explain and discuss their main claim.

• Reinforce the importance of using reasoning to develop the point and further explain the importance of the evidence.

• Share with students that they will be creating “evidence sandwiches” and paying careful attention to crafting adequate reasoning sentences as they write their Proof Paragraph 1.

• Think-Pair-Share:

“Describe the important elements of an “evidence sandwich.” (“Evidence sandwiches” have three parts—reason; context and evidence; and reasoning.)

“What are your important takeaways about how writers use reasoning in a Proof Paragraph?” (Students should point out that reasoning further explains the evidence, ties it to the reason and main claim, and helps the reader understand the writer’s thinking.)

• Invite students to help record important aspects of Proof Paragraphs on the Characteristics of Argument Writing anchor chart.

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

In Work Time A, invite a student to lead a think-aloud. Display the introduction of the model essay. Have the student annotate aloud, in real-time, the writer's thinking process. Invite students to note this thinking and recall the questions asked aloud. 

In Work Time A, host a think-aloud. In a small group of students who need the heaviest support, display the introduction of the model essay. Annotate aloud, in real-time, the writer's thinking process. Invite students to note this thinking and recall the questions asked aloud.

B. Orally Rehearse Proof Paragraph 1 - W.8.5 (10 minutes)

• Ask students to join their practice essay partner. Provide students an opportunity to verbally review the plan they created for Proof Paragraph 1 of their practice essay, planned in Lessons 5. Students should verbally rehearse each evidence sandwich they plan on using in their practice essay Proof Paragraph.

• As applicable, support students by prompting pairs to ask each other the following three questions:

"What will you write as your reason/bread?" (Responses should identify the reasons students already planned together in Lesson 5.)

"What will you write as your context and evidence/filling?" (Responses will vary.)

"What will you write as your reasoning/bread?" (Responses will vary.)

• Invite students to update the plan they created for Proof Paragraph 1 of their practice essay by recording their responses to the questions above.

C. Practice Essay: Draft Proof Paragraph 1 – W.8.1b (15 minutes)

• Review the learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can write Proof Paragraph 1 for my practice essay.”

• Tell students they are now ready to draft Proof Paragraph 1 of their practice essays.

• Invite students to retrieve their devices, gather any remaining materials from the list below, and refer to the Characteristics of Argument Writing anchor chart as they write:

  • Model Essay: “Transportation Choices”

  • Argument Writing checklist

  • Painted Essay® template

  • The Omnivore’s Dilemma

  • Practice Argument Essay Writing Plan graphic organizer

• Circulate to support students as they write and to identify common issues to use as whole group teaching points.

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.

A. Pair-Share Proof Paragraph 1 - W.8.1b (5 minutes)

• Display and invite students to retrieve their copies of the Argument Writing checklist. Point out the following criteria on the checklist:

  • W.8.1a

  • W.8.1b

• Invite each pair to swap Proof Paragraphs with another pair, paying attention to the criteria listed above.

• Ask students to share relevant feedback and to note any necessary revisions.

• As necessary, ask questions such as:

"What strengths can you identify in your partner's work?"

"What next steps can you name for your partner?"

• Invite students to record "Y" for Yes and the date in the final column of their Argument Writing checklist if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists have been achieved in their writing in this lesson. Invite students to apply feedback they received by revising their Proof Paragraph 1.

• Use total participation techniques to gather responses from the group regarding strengths and next steps for drafting their second Proof Paragraph independently in the next lesson.