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Argument, Bias, and Persuasion
Have students track arguments through texts as they examine logical reasoning, bias, and persuasive techniques such as emotional appeals, character attacks, and slippery slopes..
- Career Center
Mentor Texts for Teaching Argument Writing
admin 01.29.18 Booklists Reading Writing
As a follow-up to our November 2017 #NCTEchat, Using Mentor Texts , we asked our social media community to share some of their favorite mentor texts with us. In the first part of this series, we’ve compiled educators’ favorite mentor texts for teaching argument writing. To see the original messages this list is based on, click here .
Did we miss one? Please let us know on Twitter!
Should There Be Zoos?: A Persuasive Text by Tony Stead with Judy Ballester and her fourth-grade class Examines the opposing viewpoints of a fourth-grade class on whether zoos are helpful or harmful to animals; written in persuasive language.
Hey, Little Ant by Phillip M. and Hannah Hoose , illustrated by Debbie Tilley What would you do if the ant you were about to step on looked up and started talking? Would you stop and listen?
A Pig Parade Is a Terrible Idea by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes Could anything possibly be more fun than a pig parade!? You wouldn’t think so. But you’d be wrong. A pig parade is a terrible idea.
I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow Alex just has to convince his mom to let him have an iguana, so he puts his arguments in writing.
Have I Got a Book for You! by Mélanie Watt Mr. Al Foxword is one persistent salesman! He will do just about anything to sell you this book. Al tries every trick of the trade.
Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barrett This well-loved book by Judi and Ron Barrett shows the very youngest why animals’ clothing is perfect . . . just as it is.
Stella Writes an Opinion by Janiel Wagstaff, illustrated by Dana Regan Meet Stella. She has lots of opinions. When Ms. M. tells the class they get to write an opinion, Stella gets excited. But how will she choose what to write about?
I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow Writing letters to his mom convinced her to let him get his pet iguana, so Alex puts pencil to paper again, this time determined to get his own room.
They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel In this celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many views of one cat and the ways perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see?
Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James It’s vacation time, so Emily has to write to her teacher for help when she discovers a blue whale living in her pond. Mr. Blueberry answers that she must be mistaken, because whales live in the ocean, not in ponds.
Red Is Best by Kathy Stinson Young Kelly’s mom doesn’t understand about red. Sure, the brown mittens are warmer, but the red mitts make better snowballs. No doubt about it, red is best.
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: We quit! The supporting details are great to get students to think and write about the why instead of just writing a list of demands.
One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail Sophia tries varied techniques to get the giraffe she wants more than anything in this playfully illustrated story about the nuances of negotiation.
She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger In this book, Chelsea Clinton celebrates thirteen American women who helped shape our country through their tenacity, sometimes through speaking out, sometimes by staying seated, sometimes by captivating an audience.
Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner Way back when “skirts were long and hats were tall,” Americans were forgetting Thanksgiving, and nobody seemed to care! Thankfully, Sarah Hale appeared.
Earrings by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Nola Langner Malone She wants them. She needs them. She loves them. Earrings! What won’t a girl do to finally get her ears pierced?
Upper Grades
This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women , edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman Based on the NPR series of the same name, This I Believe features eighty Americans―from the famous to the unknown―completing the thought that the book’s title begins.
Everything’s an Argument by Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz This bestselling text shows students how to analyze all kinds of arguments—not just essays and editorials, but clothes, cars, ads, and website designs—and then how to use what they learn to write their own effective arguments. Making a Visual Argument: Claire Ironside’s “Apples to Oranges” was specifically mentioned.
Dear Mr. President: Letters to the Oval Office from the Files of the National Archives by Dwight Young and Brian Williams Drawn from the extensive holdings of the National Archives, these carefully chosen letters remind us that ours is a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” which entitles us to make our views known to our leaders.
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela The autobiography of Nelson Mandela, one of the great moral and political leaders of our time.
Good speeches are exemplars of argument, evidence, genre blending, word choice, and more.
“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” by Patrick Henry, delivered March 23, 1775, St. John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia
“ Ain’t I a Woman? ” by Sojourner Truth, delivered 1851, Women’s Convention, Akron, Ohio
“ The Destructive Male ” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, delivered 1868, Women’s Suffrage Convention, Washington, D.C.
“ Toward a More Perfect Union ” by Barack Obama, delivered March 18, 2008, The Constitution Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Any speech by Barack Obama, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., or Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Newsela Current events stories tailor-made for classroom use. Indexed by broad theme, stories are student-friendly and can be accessed in different formats by reading level.
The New York Times Upfront Magazine by Scholastic Upfront gets teens talking about today’s most important issues with current events for grades 9–12.
“ The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me ” by Sherman Alexie, Los Angeles Times, April 19, 1998
Atticus Finch’s closing argument in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Declaration of Independence
Abigail Adams’s letters to John Adams
Barack Obama’s Town Hall response where he compares gun control to auto safety
Book descriptions are taken from the Goodreads website.
A Step-by-Step Plan for Teaching Argumentative Writing
February 7, 2016
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For seven years, I was a writing teacher. Yes, I was certified to teach the full spectrum of English language arts—literature, grammar and usage, speech, drama, and so on—but my absolute favorite, the thing I loved doing the most, was teaching students how to write.
Most of the material on this site is directed at all teachers. I look for and put together resources that would appeal to any teacher who teaches any subject. That practice will continue for as long as I keep this up. But over the next year or so, I plan to also share more of what I know about teaching students to write. Although I know many of the people who visit here are not strictly English language arts teachers, my hope is that these posts will provide tons of value to those who are, and to those who teach all subjects, including writing.
So let’s begin with argumentative writing, or persuasive writing, as many of us used to call it. This overview will be most helpful to those who are new to teaching writing, or teachers who have not gotten good results with the approach you have taken up to now. I don’t claim to have the definitive answer on how to do this, but the method I share here worked pretty well for me, and it might do the same for you. If you are an experienced English language arts teacher, you probably already have a system for teaching this skill that you like. Then again, I’m always interested in how other people do the things I can already do; maybe you’re curious like that, too.
Before I start, I should note that what I describe in this post is a fairly formulaic style of essay writing. It’s not exactly the 5-paragraph essay, but it definitely builds on that model. I strongly believe students should be shown how to move past those kinds of structures into a style of writing that’s more natural and fitting to the task and audience, but I also think they should start with something that’s pretty clearly organized.
So here’s how I teach argumentative essay writing.
Step 1: Watch How It’s Done
One of the most effective ways to improve student writing is to show them mentor texts, examples of excellent writing within the genre students are about to attempt themselves. Ideally, this writing would come from real publications and not be fabricated by me in order to embody the form I’m looking for. Although most experts on writing instruction employ some kind of mentor text study, the person I learned it from best was Katie Wood Ray in her book Study Driven (links to the book: Bookshop.org | Amazon ).
Since I want the writing to be high quality and the subject matter to be high interest, I might choose pieces like Jessica Lahey’s Students Who Lose Recess Are the Ones Who Need it Most and David Bulley’s School Suspensions Don’t Work .
I would have students read these texts, compare them, and find places where the authors used evidence to back up their assertions. I would ask students which author they feel did the best job of influencing the reader, and what suggestions they would make to improve the writing. I would also ask them to notice things like stories, facts and statistics, and other things the authors use to develop their ideas. Later, as students work on their own pieces, I would likely return to these pieces to show students how to execute certain writing moves.
Step 2: Informal Argument, Freestyle
Although many students might need more practice in writing an effective argument, many of them are excellent at arguing in person. To help them make this connection, I would have them do some informal debate on easy, high-interest topics. An activity like This or That (one of the classroom icebreakers I talked about last year) would be perfect here: I read a statement like “Women have the same opportunities in life as men.” Students who agree with the statement move to one side of the room, and those who disagree move to the other side. Then they take turns explaining why they are standing in that position. This ultimately looks a little bit like a debate, as students from either side tend to defend their position to those on the other side.
Every class of students I have ever had, from middle school to college, has loved loved LOVED this activity. It’s so simple, it gets them out of their seats, and for a unit on argument, it’s an easy way to get them thinking about how the art of argument is something they practice all the time.
Step 3: Informal Argument, Not so Freestyle
Once students have argued without the support of any kind of research or text, I would set up a second debate; this time with more structure and more time to research ahead of time. I would pose a different question, supply students with a few articles that would provide ammunition for either side, then give them time to read the articles and find the evidence they need.
Next, we’d have a Philosophical Chairs debate (learn about this in my discussion strategies post), which is very similar to “This or That,” except students use textual evidence to back up their points, and there are a few more rules. Here they are still doing verbal argument, but the experience should make them more likely to appreciate the value of evidence when trying to persuade.
Before leaving this step, I would have students transfer their thoughts from the discussion they just had into something that looks like the opening paragraph of a written argument: A statement of their point of view, plus three reasons to support that point of view. This lays the groundwork for what’s to come.
Step 4: Introduction of the Performance Assessment
Next I would show students their major assignment, the performance assessment that they will work on for the next few weeks. What does this look like? It’s generally a written prompt that describes the task, plus the rubric I will use to score their final product.
Anytime I give students a major writing assignment, I let them see these documents very early on. In my experience, I’ve found that students appreciate having a clear picture of what’s expected of them when beginning a writing assignment. At this time, I also show them a model of a piece of writing that meets the requirements of the assignment. Unlike the mentor texts we read on day 1, this sample would be something teacher-created (or an excellent student model from a previous year) to fit the parameters of the assignment.
Step 5: Building the Base
Before letting students loose to start working on their essays, I make sure they have a solid plan for writing. I would devote at least one more class period to having students consider their topic for the essay, drafting a thesis statement, and planning the main points of their essay in a graphic organizer.
I would also begin writing my own essay on a different topic. This has been my number one strategy for teaching students how to become better writers. Using a document camera or overhead projector, I start from scratch, thinking out loud and scribbling down my thoughts as they come. When students see how messy the process can be, it becomes less intimidating for them. They begin to understand how to take the thoughts that are stirring around in your head and turn them into something that makes sense in writing.
For some students, this early stage might take a few more days, and that’s fine: I would rather spend more time getting it right at the pre-writing stage than have a student go off willy-nilly, draft a full essay, then realize they need to start over. Meanwhile, students who have their plans in order will be allowed to move on to the next step.
Step 6: Writer’s Workshop
The next seven to ten days would be spent in writer’s workshop, where I would start class with a mini-lesson about a particular aspect of craft. I would show them how to choose credible, relevant evidence, how to skillfully weave evidence into an argument, how to consider the needs of an audience, and how to correctly cite sources. Once each mini-lesson was done, I would then give students the rest of the period to work independently on their writing. During this time, I would move around the room, helping students solve problems and offering feedback on whatever part of the piece they are working on. I would encourage students to share their work with peers and give feedback at all stages of the writing process.
If I wanted to make the unit even more student-centered, I would provide the mini-lessons in written or video format and let students work through them at their own pace, without me teaching them. (To learn more about this approach, read this post on self-paced learning ).
As students begin to complete their essays, the mini-lessons would focus more on matters of style and usage. I almost never bother talking about spelling, punctuation, grammar, or usage until students have a draft that’s pretty close to done. Only then do we start fixing the smaller mistakes.
Step 7: Final Assessment
Finally, the finished essays are handed in for a grade. At this point, I’m pretty familiar with each student’s writing and have given them verbal (and sometimes written) feedback throughout the unit; that’s why I make the writer’s workshop phase last so long. I don’t really want students handing in work until they are pretty sure they’ve met the requirements to the best of their ability. I also don’t necessarily see “final copies” as final; if a student hands in an essay that’s still really lacking in some key areas, I will arrange to have that student revise it and resubmit for a higher grade.
So that’s it. If you haven’t had a lot of success teaching students to write persuasively, and if the approach outlined here is different from what you’ve been doing, give it a try. And let’s keep talking: Use the comments section below to share your techniques or ask questions about the most effective ways to teach argumentative writing.
Want this unit ready-made?
If you’re a writing teacher in grades 7-12 and you’d like a classroom-ready unit like the one described above, including mini-lessons, sample essays, and a library of high-interest online articles to use for gathering evidence, take a look at my Argumentative Writing unit. Just click on the image below and you’ll be taken to a page where you can read more and see a detailed preview of what’s included.
What to Read Next
Categories: Instruction , Podcast
Tags: English language arts , Grades 6-8 , Grades 9-12 , teaching strategies
57 Comments
This is useful information. In teaching persuasive speaking/writing I have found Monroe’s Motivated sequence very useful and productive. It is a classic model that immediately gives a solid structure for students.
Thanks for the recommendation, Bill. I will have to look into that! Here’s a link to more information on Monroe’s Motivated sequence, for anyone who wants to learn more: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/MonroeMotivatedSequence.htm
What other sites do you recommend for teacher use on providing effective organizational structure in argumentative writing? As a K-12 Curriculum Director, I find that when teachers connect with and understand the organizational structure, they are more effective in their teaching/delivery.
Hey Jessica, in addition to the steps outlined here, you might want to check out Jenn’s post on graphic organizers . Graphic organizers are a great tool that you can use in any phase of a lesson. Using them as a prewrite can help students visualize the argument and organize their thoughts. There’s a link in that post to the Graphic Organizer Multi-Pack that Jenn has for sale on her Teachers Pay Teachers site, which includes two versions of a graphic organizer you can use specifically for argument organization. Otherwise, if there’s something else you had in mind, let us know and we can help you out. Thanks!
Dear Jennifer Gonzalez,
You are generous with your gift of lighting the path… I hardly ever write (never before) , but I must today… THANK YOU… THANK YOU….THANK YOU… mostly for reading your great teachings… So your valuable teachings will even be easy to benefit all the smart people facing challenge of having to deal with adhd…
I am not a teacher… but forever a student…someone who studied English as 2nd language, with a science degree & adhd…
You truly are making a difference in our World…
Thanks so much, Rita! I know Jenn will appreciate this — I’ll be sure to share with her!
Love it! Its simple and very fruitful . I can feel how dedicated you are! Thanks alot Jen
Great examples of resources that students would find interesting. I enjoyed reading your article. I’ve bookmarked it for future reference. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Sheryl!
Students need to be writing all the time about a broad range of topics, but I love the focus here on argumentative writing because if you choose the model writing texts correctly, you can really get the kids engaged in the process and in how they can use this writing in real-world situations!
I agree, Laura. I think an occasional tight focus on one genre can help them grow leaps and bounds in the skills specific to that type of writing. Later, in less structured situations, they can then call on those skills when that kind of thinking is required.
This is really helpful! I used it today and put the recess article in a Google Doc and had the kids identify anecdotal, statistic, and ‘other’ types of evidence by highlighting them in three different colors. It worked well! Tomorrow we’ll discuss which of the different types of evidence are most convincing and why.
Love that, Shanna! Thanks for sharing that extra layer.
Greetings Ms. Gonzales. I was wondering if you had any ideas to help students develop the cons/against side of their argument within their writing? Please advise. Thanks.
Hi Michael,
Considering audience and counterarguments are an important part of the argumentative writing process. In the Argumentative Writing unit Jenn includes specific mini-lessons that teach kids how, when and where to include opposing views in their writing. In the meantime, here’s a video that might also be helpful.
Hi, Thank you very much for sharing your ideas. I want to share also the ideas in the article ‘Already Experts: Showing Students How Much They Know about Writing and Reading Arguments’ by Angela Petit and Edna Soto…they explain a really nice activity to introduce argumentative writing. I have applied it many times and my students not only love it but also display a very clear pattern as the results in the activity are quite similar every time. I hope you like it.
Lorena Perez
I’d like to thank you you for this excellence resource. It’s a wonderful addition to the informative content that Jennifer has shared.
What do you use for a prize?
I looked at the unit, and it looks and sounds great. The description says there are 4 topics. Can you tell me the topics before I purchase? We start argument in 5th grade, and I want to make sure the topics are different from those they’ve done the last 5 years before purchasing. Thanks!
Hi Carrie! If you go to the product page on TPT and open up the preview, you’ll see the four topics on the 4th page in more detail, but here they are: Social Networking in School (should social media sites be blocked in school?), Cell Phones in Class, Junk Food in School, and Single-Sex Education (i.e., genders separated). Does that help?
I teach 6th grade English in a single gendered (all-girls) class. We just finished an argument piece but I will definitely cycle back your ideas when we revisit argumentation. Thanks for the fabulous resources!
Glad to hear it, Madelyn!
I’m not a writing teacher and honestly haven’t been taught on how to teach writing. I’m a history teacher. I read this and found it helpful but have questions. First I noticed that amount of time dedicated to the task in terms of days. My questions are how long is a class period? I have my students for about 45 minutes. I also saw you mentioned in the part about self-paced learning that mini-lessons could be written or video format. I love these ideas. Any thoughts on how to do this with almost no technology in the room and low readers to non-readers? I’m trying to figure out how to balance teaching a content class while also teaching the common core skills. Thank you for any consideration to my questions.
Hey Jones, To me, a class period is anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour; definitely varies from school to school. As for the question about doing self-paced with very little tech? I think binders with written mini-lessons could work well, as well as a single computer station or tablet hooked up to a class set of videos. Obviously you’d need to be more diligent about rotating students in and out of these stations, but it’s an option at least. You might also give students access to the videos through computers in other locations at school (like the library) and give them passes to watch. The thing about self-paced learning, as you may have seen in the self-paced post , is that if students need extra teacher support (as you might find with low readers or non-readers), they would spend more one-on-one time with the teacher, while the higher-level students would be permitted to move more quickly on their own. Does that help?
My primary goal for next semester is to increase academic discussion and make connections from discussion to writing, so I love how you launch this unit with lessons like Philosophical Chairs. I am curious, however, what is the benefit of the informal argument before the not-so-informal argument? My students often struggle to listen to one another, so I’m wondering if I should start with the more formal, structured version. Or, am I overthinking the management? Thanks so much for input.
Yikes! So sorry your question slipped through, and we’re just now getting to this, Sarah. The main advantage of having kids first engage in informal debate is that it helps them get into an argumentative mindset and begin to appreciate the value of using research to support their claims. If you’ve purchased the unit, you can read more about this in the Overview.
My 6th graders are progressing through their argumentative essay. I’m providing mini lessons along the way that target where most students are in their essay. Your suggestions will be used. I’ve chosen to keep most writing in class and was happy to read that you scheduled a lot of class time for the writing. Students need to feel comfortable knowing that writing is a craft and needs to evolve over time. I think more will get done in class and it is especially important for the struggling writers to have peers and the teacher around while they write. Something that I had students do that they liked was to have them sit in like-topic groups to create a shared document where they curated information that MIGHT be helpful along the way. By the end of the essay, all will use a fantastic add-on called GradeProof which helps to eliminate most of the basic and silly errors that 6th graders make.
Debbi! I LOVE the idea of a shared, curated collection of resources! That is absolutely fantastic! Are you using a Google Doc for this? Other curation tools you might consider are Padlet and Elink .
thanks v much for all this information
Love this! What do you take as grades in the meantime? Throughout this 2 week stretch?
Ideally, you wouldn’t need to take grades at all, waiting until the final paper is done to give one grade. If your school requires more frequent grades, you could assign small point values for getting the incremental steps done: So in Step 3 (when students have to write a paragraph stating their point of view) you could take points for that. During the writer’s workshop phase, you might give points for completion of a rough draft and participation points for peer review (ideally, they’d get some kind of feedback on the quality of feedback they give to one another). Another option would be to just give a small, holistic grade for each week based on the overall integrity of their work–are they staying on task? Making small improvements to their writing each day? Taking advantage of the resources? If students are working diligently through the process, that should be enough. But again, the assessment (grades) should really come from that final written product, and if everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing during the workshop phase, most students should have pretty good scores on that final product. Does that help?
Awesome Step 2! Teaching mostly teenagers in Northern Australia I find students’ verbal arguments are much more finely honed than their written work.
To assist with “building the base” I’ve always found sentence starters an essential entry point for struggling students. We have started using the ‘PEARL’ method for analytical and persuasive writing.
If it helps here a free scaffold for the method:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Paragraph-Scaffold-PEEL-to-PEARL-3370676
Thanks again,
Thank you for sharing this additional resource! It’s excellent!
I’ve been scouring the interwebs looking for some real advice on how I can help my struggling 9th grader write better. I can write. Since it comes naturally for me, I have a hard time breaking it down into such tiny steps that he can begin to feel less overwhelmed. I LOVE the pre-writing ideas here. My son is a fabulous arguer. I need to help him use those powers for the good of his writing skills. Do you have a suggestion on what I else I can be using for my homeschooled son? Or what you may have that could work well for home use?
Hi Melinda,
You might be interested in taking a look at Jenn’s Argumentative Writing unit which she mentions at the end of the post . Hope this helps!
Mam it would be good if you could post some steps of different writing and some samples as well so it can be useful for the students.
Hi Aalia! My name is Holly, and I work as a Customer Experience Manager for Cult of Pedagogy. It just so happens that in the near future, Jenn is going to release a narrative writing unit, so keep an eye out for that! As far as samples, the argumentative writing unit has example essays included, and I’m sure the narrative unit will as well. But, to find the examples, you have to purchase the unit from Teachers Pay Teachers.
I just want to say that this helped me tremendously in teaching argument to 8th Graders this past school year, which is a huge concept on their state testing in April. I felt like they were very prepared, and they really enjoyed the verbal part of it, too! I have already implemented these methods into my unit plan for argument for my 11th grade class this year. Thank you so much for posting all of these things! : )
-Josee` Vaughn
I’m so glad to hear it, Josee!!
Love your blog! It is one of the best ones.
I am petrified of writing. I am teaching grade 8 in September and would love some suggestions as I start planning for the year. Thanks!
This is genius! I can’t wait to get started tomorrow teaching argument. It’s always something that I have struggled with, and I’ve been teaching for 18 years. I have a class of 31 students, mostly boys, several with IEPs. The self-paced mini-lessons will help tremendously.
So glad you liked it, Britney!
My students will begin the journey into persuasion and argument next week and your post cemented much of my thinking around how to facilitate the journey towards effective, enthusiastic argumentative writing.
I use your rubrics often to outline task expectations for my students and the feedback from them is how useful breaking every task into steps can be as they are learning new concepts.
Additionally, we made the leap into blogging as a grade at https://mrsdsroadrunners.edublogs.org/2019/01/04/your-future/ It feels much like trying to learn to change a tire while the car is speeding down the highway. Reading your posts over the past years was a factor in embracing the authentic audience. Thank You! Trish
I love reading and listening to your always helpful tips, tricks, and advice! I was wondering if you had any thoughts on creative and engaging ways to have students share their persuasive writing? My 6th students are just finishing up our persuasive writing where we read the book “Oh, Rats” by Albert Marrin and used the information gathered to craft a persuasive piece to either eliminate or protect rats and other than just reading their pieces to one another, I have been trying to think of more creative ways to share. I thought about having a debate but (un)fortunately all my kids are so sweet and are on the same side of the argument – Protect the Rats! Any ideas?
Hi Kiley! Thanks for the positive feedback! So glad to hear that you are finding value in Cult of Pedagogy! Here are a few suggestions that you may be interested in trying with your students:
-A gallery walk: Students could do this virtually if their writing is stored online or hard copies of their writing. Here are some different ways that you could use gallery walks: Enliven Class Discussions With Gallery Walks
-Students could give each other feedback using a tech tool like Flipgrid . You could assign students to small groups or give them accountability partners. In Flipgrid, you could have students sharing back and forth about their writing and their opinions.
I hope this helps!
I love the idea of mentor texts for all of these reading and writing concepts. I saw a great one on Twitter with one text and it demonstrated 5-6 reasons to start a paragraph, all in two pages of a book! Is there a location that would have suggestions/lists of mentor texts for these areas? Paragraphs, sentences, voice, persuasive writing, expository writing, etc. It seems like we could share this info, save each other some work, and curate a great collection of mentor text for English Language Arts teachers. Maybe it already exists?
Hi Maureen,
Here are some great resources that you may find helpful:
Craft Lessons Second Edition: Teaching Writing K-8 Write Like This: Teaching Real-World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts and Mentor Texts, 2nd edition: Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature, K-6
Thanks so much! I’ll definitely look into these.
I love the steps for planning an argumentative essay writing. When we return from Christmas break, we will begin starting a unit on argumentative writing. I will definitely use the steps. I especially love Step #2. As a 6th grade teacher, my students love to argue. This would set the stage of what argumentative essay involves. Thanks for sharing.
So glad to hear this, Gwen. Thanks for letting us know!
Great orientation, dear Jennifer. The step-by-step carefully planned pedagogical perspectives have surely added in the information repository of many.
Hi Jennifer,
I hope you are well. I apologise for the incorrect spelling in the previous post.
Thank you very much for introducing this effective instruction for teaching argumentative writing. I am the first year PhD student at Newcastle University, UK. My PhD research project aims to investigate teaching argumentative writing to Chinese university students. I am interested in the Argumentative Writing unit you have designed and would like to buy it. I would like to see the preview of this book before deciding to purchase it. I clicked on the image BUT the font of the preview is so small and cannot see the content clearly. I am wondering whether it could be possible for you to email me a detailed preview of what’s included. I would highly appreciate if you could help me with this.
Thank you very much in advance. Looking forward to your reply.
Take care and all the very best, Chang
Hi Chang! Jenn’s Argumentative Writing Unit is actually a teaching unit geared toward grades 7-12 with lessons, activities, etc. If you click here click here to view the actual product, you can click on the green ‘View Preview’ button to see a pretty detailed preview of what’s offered. Once you open the preview, there is the option to zoom in so you can see what the actual pages of the unit are like. I hope this helps!
Great Content!
Another teacher showed me one of your posts, and now I’ve read a dozen of them. With teaching students to argue, have you ever used the “What’s going on in this picture?” https://www.nytimes.com/column/learning-whats-going-on-in-this-picture?module=inline I used it last year and thought it was a non-threatening way to introduce learners to using evidence to be persuasive since there was no text.
I used to do something like this to help kids learn how to make inferences. Hadn’t thought of it from a persuasive standpoint. Interesting.
this is a very interesting topic, thanks!
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Journal Buddies Jill | October 20, 2022 October 14, 2018 | Writing by Grade Level
33 Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School
Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School Students . Bonus! Many of these ideas are also GREAT for students and writers of all ages.
Good Grades in Essay Writing this School Year
Argumentative essays tend to require a little more research and logic than their cousin, the persuasive essay—but your middle school students will enjoy the opportunity to argue convincingly to readers all the same.
More importantly, as students research their papers, gather evidence, and form their positions and arguments, they’ll be learning and practicing a number of important writing and critical thinking skills.
The way to good grades for every student is to practice. Yes, some students will have to practice their essay writing skills more than others. It is the exploration and understanding of the essay writing process that lead to good writing.
This is why to support your students, we offer you…
Good Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas (and Free, too!)
With these 33 new argumentative essay topics for middle school students, you can help your students learn more about what makes a good argument and how to evaluate and decipher so-called “evidence.”
As they explore topics like the ways in which schools handle bullying and whether or not the Pledge of Allegiance should be required in schools, they’ll have the chance to see how biased some sources may be—and how those sources can be construed to support a particular side of an argument.
Whether students choose to argue for or against a given topic, you can be sure they’ll learn plenty about the components of an excellent argument either way.
You can help your writers form a point of view on topics they are interested in by using our ideas for your next homework assignment.
So get to it and…
Use these argumentative essay topics today to teach your middle-schoolers all about the process of delivering well-researched, evidence-based arguments to their peers. I’m sure you’ll be glad you did.
33 Middler Schooler Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas
- Do people have a right to Internet access?
- Do violent video games make people more likely to be violent in real life?
- Is it ever fair for minorities to receive special treatment or consideration?
- Does the average American have a healthy diet? What are the effects of good or bad eating habits on the healthcare system?
- Should students have a greater say in what they learn?
- Do girls or boys face more societal pressure—or do they face equal amounts?
- Do schools do enough to prevent bullying?
- Does reality television accurately depict real life? Do movies?
- Does nature or nurture play a bigger role in who we are?
- Do athletes, celebrities, and CEOs deserve to make more money than the average person?
- Is arts education as important as other types of curriculum?
- What is the greatest challenge today’s students face?
- What responsibilities do people have to help one another out?
- What one thing should all households be doing to conserve energy?
- Does pop culture have value?
- Should parents monitor their children’s Internet and/or social media usage?
- When it comes to government monitoring, which is more important—individual privacy or national security?
- How does the location someone grows up in affect who they become?
- Should the Pledge of Allegiance be recited (or required) in schools?
- Should official forms and documents have more than two options available when asking about gender?
- Do participation trophies have value or do they undervalue the achievements of the winners?
- Should children have restricted limits on the amount of screen time they can have on their cell phones, computers, and so forth?
- Is climate change real, and is it happening?
- What types of responsibilities does a government have to take care of its citizens?
- Knowing what we know about the dangers of smoking, should cigarettes be outlawed?
- Should students be required to learn a second, foreign language in school?
- What issue should lawmakers be most concerned about?
- Should Photoshopped magazine covers be banned?
- Should religion be kept out of politics or brought into it?
- Do celebrities have a right to privacy or do they forfeit some of that right by choosing to live in the public eye?
- Should peanut products and other common allergens be kept out of schools?
- Is it immoral to download copyrighted content illegally—or is it something that is a violation of the law, but not an issue of ethics?
I hope you enjoyed these argumentative essay topics for middle school writers.
Now, in case your students need more ideas, here are…
13 More Argumentative Research Paper Topic Ideas
A few of these topics are deep and may be better suited for more advanced writers. Of course, they may also be reworked and simplified for writers of all skill levels if needed.
- Should all kids have curfews?
- Are pets really “fur babies” and should they have the same rights as children?
- Are school uniforms a good idea?
- Should gym class (physical education) be required in school for all students?
- Do beauty pageants objectify the participants?
- Was the civil rights movement one of the most significant times in American history?
- Should the United States revise the history lessons taught in public schools?
- What events from history do you think must continue to be taught in public schools? (Great Depression, historical mistreatment of Native Americans, etc…)
- If a politician is caught lying, should they be required to instantly resign from their elected office?
- The minimum wage law in the United States is…
- Is too much homework harmful, helpful, or both?
- Do you believe access to a needed medical treatment is a human right?
- Young adults today are…
Ok, in case more writing prompt ideas are needed. Check out the resources listed below.
174 More Essay Writing Topics
- 31 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics
- 35 Essay Topics for Kids
- 37 Essay topics for 6th graders
- 36 Opinion Writing Prompts
- 35 Argumentative Essay Topics for High School Students
- Argumentative Writing Step-by-Step Plan
Until next time, keep on writing!
If you enjoyed these Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle Schoolers, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!
Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator
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Argumentative Essay Writing
Argumentative Essay Examples
Best Argumentative Essay Examples for Your Help
Published on: Mar 10, 2023
Last updated on: Mar 9, 2023
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Argumentative essays are one of the most common types of essay writing. Students are assigned to write such essays very frequently.
Despite being assigned so frequently, students still find it hard to write a good argumentative essay .
There are certain things that one needs to follow to write a good argumentative essay. The first thing is to choose an effective and interesting topic. Use all possible sources to dig out the best topic.
Afterward, the student should choose the model that they would follow to write this type of essay. Follow the steps of the chosen model and start writing the essay.
The models for writing an argumentative essay are the classical model, the Rogerian model, and the Toulmin model.
To make sure that you write a good argumentative essay, read the different types of examples mentioned in this blog.
Good Argumentative Essay Examples
Argumentative essays are an inevitable part of academic life. To write a good argumentative essay, you need to see a few good examples of this type of essay.
To analyze whether the example is good to take help from or not. You need to look for a few things in it.
Make sure it follows one specific model and has an introductory paragraph, organized body paragraphs, and a formal conclusion.
How to Start an Argumentative Essay Example
Learning how to start an argumentative essay example is a tricky thing for beginners. It is quite simple but can be challenging for newbies. To start an argumentative essay example, you need to write a brief and attractive introduction. It is written to convince the reader and make them understand your point of view .
Add body paragraphs after the introduction to support your thesis statement. Also, use body paragraphs to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your side of the argument.
Write a formal conclusion for your essay and summarize all the key elements of your essay. Look at the example mentioned below to understand the concept more clearly.
Check out this video for more information!
Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Example
Argumentative essays are assigned to university students more often than the students of schools and colleges.
It involves arguments over vast and sometimes bold topics as well.
For university students, usually, argumentative essay topics are not provided. They are required to search for the topic themselves and write accordingly.
The following examples will give an idea of how university students write argumentative essays.
Argumentative Essay Example for University (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Sample for University (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Examples for College
For the college level, it is recommended to use simple language and avoid the use of complex words in essays.
Make sure that using simple language and valid evidence, you support your claim well and make it as convincing as possible
If you are a college student and want to write an argumentative essay, read the examples provided below. Focus on the formatting and the vocabulary used.
Argumentative Essay Example for College (PDF)
College Argumentative Essay Sample (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Examples for Middle School
Being a middle school student, you must be wondering how we write an argumentative essay. And how can you support your argument?
Go through the following examples and hopefully, you will be able to write an effective argumentative essay very easily.
Argumentative Essay Example for Middle School(PDF)
Middle School Argumentative Essay Sample (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Examples for High School
High school students are not very aware of all the skills that are needed to write research papers and essays.
Especially, when it comes to argumentative essays, it becomes quite a challenge for high schools to defend their argument
In this scenario, the best option is to look into some good examples. Here we have summed up two best examples of argumentative essays for high school students specifically.
Argumentative Essay Example for High School (PDF)
High School Argumentative Essay Sample (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Examples for O Level
The course outline for O levels is quite tough. O levels students need to have a good command of the English language and amazing writing skills.
If you are an O-level student, the following examples will guide you on how to write an argumentative essay.
Argumentative Essay Example for O Level (PDF)
Argumentative Essay for O Level Students (PDF)
5-Paragraph Argumentative Essay Examples
A 5-paragraph essay is basically a formatting style for essay writing. It has the following five parts:
- Introduction
In the introduction, the writer introduces the topic and provides a glance at the collected data to support the main argument.
- Body paragraph 1
The first body paragraph discusses the first and most important point related to the argument. It starts with a topic sentence and has all the factual data to make the argument convincing.
- Body paragraph 2
The second body paragraph mentions the second most important element of the argument. A topic sentence is used to start these paragraphs. It gives the idea of the point that will discuss in the following paragraph.
- Body paragraph 3
The third paragraph discusses all the miscellaneous points. Also, it uses a transitional sentence at the end to show a relation to the conclusion.
The conclusion of a five-paragraph essay reiterates all the major elements of an argumentative essay. It also restates the thesis statement using a more convincing choice of words.
Look at the example below to see how a well-written five-paragraph essay looks like
5 Paragraph Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Examples for 6th Grade
Students in 6th grade are at a point where they are learning new things every day.
Writing an argumentative essay is an interesting activity for them as they like to convince people of their point of view.
Argumentative essays written at such levels are very simple but well convincing.
The following example will give you more detail on how a 6th-grade student should write an argumentative essay.
6th Grade Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Examples for 7th Grade
There is not much difference between a 6th-grade and a 7th-grade student. Both of them are enhancing their writing and academic skills.
Here is another example to help you with writing an effective argumentative essay.
7th Grade Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)
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Short Argumentative Essay Examples
For an argumentative essay, there is no specific limit for the word count. It only has to convince the readers and pass on the knowledge of the writer to the intended audience.
It can be short or detailed. It would be considered valid as far as it has an argument involved in it.
Following is an example of a short argumentative essay example
Short Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)
Immigration Argumentative Essay Examples
Immigration is a hot topic for a very long time now. People have different opinions regarding this issue.
Where there is more than one opinion, an argumentative essay can be written on that topic. The following are examples of argumentative essays on immigration.
Read them and try to understand how an effective argumentative essay is written on such a topic.
Argumentative Essay Example on Immigration (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Sample on Immigration (PDF)
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If you are still in need of assistance, our argumentative essay writer can help you create a compelling essay that presents your argument clearly and effectively.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 7 types of arguments.
The seven types of arguments are as follows:
- Statistical
What is the structure of an argument?
The structure of an argument consists of a main point (thesis statement) that is supported by evidence.
This evidence can include facts, statistics, examples, and other forms of data that help to prove or disprove the thesis statement.
After providing the evidence, arguments also often include a conclusion that summarizes the main points made throughout the argument.
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7th grade argumentative essay
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Lesson Plan
Argument writing: claim, reasons, and evidence, view aligned standards, learning objectives.
- Students will be able to identify the three main parts of a written argument.
- Students will be able to outline an argument essay by stating a claim, listing reasons, and providing evidence.
Introduction
- Ask students to think about the following statement and be prepared to state whether they agree or disagree, and list one reason: *Dogs are better pets than cats. *
- Call on students to respond to the statement and to list their reasons. When they give a reason (for example, “Dogs are more fun”), press them to provide evidence (such as, “Dogs can be trained" or "Dogs can fetch”).
- Do this several times, making up new statements that you think will inspire your students. (“Beyonce is the best performer,” or “Football is the best sport”).
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5th grade reading & vocabulary
Unit 3: lesson 3.
- The structures of informational texts | Reading
- Analyzing an author's purpose | Reading
What is an argument? | Reading
- Evaluating a source’s reasoning and evidence
- Reading more than one source on a topic | Reading
- Inventing Progress: reading informational text; Competition and Collaboration 5
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How To Write A 7th Grade Argumentative Essay: A Step-By-Step Guide
Writing an argumentative essay is not that difficult especially when you are in 7th grade. Most students make the mistake of writing on topics that are not too controversial. You can always write on a subject on which the opinions are already made by majority of the people but the real challenge is writing on something on which the opinions are still divided. Here are a few pointers to help you write the perfect argumentative paper.
Writing a winning paper
When you are going to write you will have to follow a few guidelines. A well written argumentative essay will impress your teacher and help you get good grades. To do this you will have to write according to a specific format that helps the reader in understanding what you are trying to say. A persuasive paper has to bring out the best points of the argument to help convince the reader. It is very much like writing a script for a debate where you will have to present your side of the story and also do your best to defend it.
Things to keep in your mind:
- The first thing you will have to do is pick a topic to work on. There are many different topics to work on but make sure you select something that has enough materials to write on. You can always choose safe topics but a controversial subject makes it more challenging.
- After you have selected the topic you will have to start digging for facts. You will have to support your views with logics and facts. The information has to be accurate otherwise you will not be able to convince your reader.
- You may even go through a few websites to understand how the format should be. There are many websites that have sample papers to help students. Once you understand the structure you will have to start writing.
- You will have to plan your way according to the topic. You do not have to cram all the points you have found. Rather try to bring together the most relevant facts and elaborate on those. The order in which you arrange the points is also important.
- Try to keep the flow and continuity of your paper. Proper planning will ensure your transitions from one point to the next are effective.
- Do not forget to proofread once you have completed writing the whole paper.
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Argumentative Writing for 7th Grade – Flashcards
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Opinion techniques posters.
A set of 11 opinion techniques posters with examples of different methods.
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7th grade Argument Writing Sort by Argument Writing: Removing Irrelevant Evidence Worksheet Would You Rather? Prompt #1 Worksheet What's Your Argument? Internet Access Worksheet Argument Writing Graphic Organizer: Should It Be Required? Worksheet Argument Writing Graphic Organizer: Solving Problems Worksheet
7th Grade Opinion 1170L Testimony Before the Senate Hearings on the Equal Rights Amendment Gloria Steinem In her speech advocating in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment, feminist Gloria Steinem seeks to dispel myths about women. 11th Grade Speech 1170L The Plea for Eight Hours Terence Powderly
This bestselling text shows students how to analyze all kinds of arguments—not just essays and editorials, but clothes, cars, ads, and website designs—and then how to use what they learn to write their own effective arguments. Making a Visual Argument: Claire Ironside's "Apples to Oranges" was specifically mentioned.
Argumentative Example Essays Grades 7-8 Essay scores are produced for the following grade ranges: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12. Thus a seventh grade essay is compared to models for both seventh and eighth grades. ... Use text evidence from the article to support your claim. Remember to refute the counter-claim as well.
Step 2: Informal Argument, Freestyle Although many students might need more practice in writing an effective argument, many of them are excellent at arguing in person. To help them make this connection, I would have them do some informal debate on easy, high-interest topics.
Ch 14: 7th Grade Language Arts: Argumentative Writing Try it risk-free for 30 days About This Chapter This chapter's video lessons offer 7th graders a fun way to improve their skills in...
Grade 7, Prompt for Argument Writing Common Core Standard W.CCR.1 Many people believe that television violence has a negative effect on society because it promotes violence, especially among children. Some researchers argue that the more violent media we consume, generally speaking, the more likely we are to behave aggressively in the real world.
33 Middler Schooler Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas 13 More Argumentative Research Paper Topic Ideas 174 More Essay Writing Topics The way to good grades for every student is to practice. Yes, some students will have to practice their essay writing skills more than others.
Grades: 3rd - 5th Types: Task Cards CCSS: RI.4.8, RI.5.8 Also included in: Argumentative Text Bundle Add to cart Wish List Argumentative Text - Reading Analysis & Writing - Distance Learning Compatible by Courtney Schermerhorn - Mommy is a Teacher 4.7 (203) $5.00 Zip Google Apps™ Need a facelift for your argumentative text curriculum?
7th Grade Argumentative Essay Example (PDF) Short Argumentative Essay Examples For an argumentative essay, there is no specific limit for the word count. It only has to convince the readers and pass on the knowledge of the writer to the intended audience. It can be short or detailed.
Writing An Argumentative Essay: Planning The Essay. Students start a Writing Improvement Tracker. Download Lesson Related Resources. ELA Grade 7 Curriculum Map ... Grade 7 ELA Module 2A, Unit 1, Lesson 16; Grade 7 ELA Module 2A, Unit 1, Lesson 16; Bilingual Language Progressions.
7th Grade Persuasive Writing Prompts Instructor: Adam Nystrom Adam owns a Master's degree in Professional and Digital Media Writing. During his time as a graduate assistant, he developed...
Grade 7 ELA Writing - Argumentative BACKGROUND and PURPOSE . The WY-TOPP ELA test has a Writing portion for grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. Each writing test contains one or more passages that relate to a prompt. Students are required to read passages associated with a topic, and then write a response based on a prompt. This type of text-based
Authorizing: Calling upon the credibility of a source to help support to your argument. Borrowing: Using the terminology of other writers to help add legitimacy to a point. Extending: Adding commentary to the conversation on the issue at hand. Countering: Addressing opposing arguments with valid solutions. Teaching students to identify these ...
Common Core Writing for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades for Argumentative Essays. by. Diana Rookstool. 5.0. (3) $5.00. PDF. This packet comprises teacher tools and student instructions for how to write an argumentative essay according to Common Core writing standards. A grading rubric, how-to guide, graphic organizer, and checklist are included.
ELA Curriculum - FCS ELA Curriculum
7th Grade Persuasive Essay Example How Reading Can Help? Reading can offer people the opportunity to meet new kinds of people and explore exciting places. Reading can also teach students about important people, events, or times in history. Even fiction books can sometimes show realistic topics that can make someone want to find out more about them.
Call on students to respond to the statement and to list their reasons. When they give a reason (for example, "Dogs are more fun"), press them to provide evidence (such as, "Dogs can be trained" or "Dogs can fetch"). Do this several times, making up new statements that you think will inspire your students. ("Beyonce is the best ...
Argument is when an author wants to convince you of their position. "This is my position; you should share this position, and here is why." Argument does not sneak, it does not come in through the back. It is supported by reasons, evidence, examples. Not just pure opinion, not just cherry-picked stories: data, fact, observable reality.
Writing an argumentative essay is not that difficult especially when you are in 7th grade. Most students make the mistake of writing on topics that are not too controversial. You can always write on a subject on which the opinions are already made by majority of the people but the real challenge is writing on something on which the opinions are ...
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Argumentative Writing for 7th Grade - Flashcards 🎓 Get access to high-quality and unique 50 000 college essay examples and more than 100 000 flashcards and test answers from around the world! ... Quotations, summaries or paraphrases from text passages to support a position ...
Results for ‛Year 3 Persuasive Writing Examples' 1 teaching resource Year 3 Persuasive Writing Examples Sort: Relevance . Grades Grade 5 1. Grade 6 1. Grade 7 1. Subjects English Language Arts and Reading 1. Resource Types Classroom Posters 1. More Filters File Format. Adobe Reader (.pdf) 1. Availability. Premium 1. Grades Grade 5 1; Grade 6 1;