Today we focused on developing our writing following the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning model (to which we additionally appended "Rebuttal"). Students began by viewing a short commercial clip in which an elementary school student presents an argument that her father is, in fact, an alien. Students identified the claim and supporting evidence, and then generated their own logical reasoning linking the evidentiary support to the claim. We specified the "Claim" component as "what" you know (your position or thesis); the "Evidence" component as "why" you believe your claim to be true; and the "Reasoning" piece as "how" the evidence connects and builds support for the claim. The three collectively act as the legs of a stool atop which your persuasive argument is perched. Without any one of the legs, the argument is on shaky ground and is largely unsupported.
We viewed arguments missing one component or another to familiarize ourselves with counterexamples. We also demonstrated how to construct effective rebuttals to counterarguments offering their own counterclaims and counterevidence.
But our primary focus was on the "Reasoning" component (based on observation and formative assessment of previous student writing), which was analogized as a bridge connecting Claim with Evidence. Students practiced constructing these reasoned arguments with several examples, allowing for a gradual release of responsibility. Ultimately, they will compose a fully fleshed-out argument with Claim, Reasoning, Evidence, and Rebuttal regarding their predictions of this month's snowfall. Several lists of constructive vocabulary terms were reviewed in order to help them with this task, such as words indicating logical conclusions (because, therefore, so, thus, hence, etc.), words indicating transition and organization (first, second, third, then, next, afterwards, initially, ultimately, finally), words indicating degrees of uncertainty (usually, probably, typically, often times, in most case, indicates, suggests), words indicating cause and effect (if, then, consequently, as a result), and words indicating counterfactuals to be used in a rebuttal (but, however, on the other hand, conversely, alternatively, although).
Students then in the final portion of class turned to their prioritized list of meteorlogical factors and dove into the trove of data to beagn isolating key pieces of evidence upon which to build their predictions. Tomorrow in class, they will compose their final draft paragraph incorporating the Claim-Evidence-Response-Rebuttal structure.
We viewed arguments missing one component or another to familiarize ourselves with counterexamples. We also demonstrated how to construct effective rebuttals to counterarguments offering their own counterclaims and counterevidence.
But our primary focus was on the "Reasoning" component (based on observation and formative assessment of previous student writing), which was analogized as a bridge connecting Claim with Evidence. Students practiced constructing these reasoned arguments with several examples, allowing for a gradual release of responsibility. Ultimately, they will compose a fully fleshed-out argument with Claim, Reasoning, Evidence, and Rebuttal regarding their predictions of this month's snowfall. Several lists of constructive vocabulary terms were reviewed in order to help them with this task, such as words indicating logical conclusions (because, therefore, so, thus, hence, etc.), words indicating transition and organization (first, second, third, then, next, afterwards, initially, ultimately, finally), words indicating degrees of uncertainty (usually, probably, typically, often times, in most case, indicates, suggests), words indicating cause and effect (if, then, consequently, as a result), and words indicating counterfactuals to be used in a rebuttal (but, however, on the other hand, conversely, alternatively, although).
Students then in the final portion of class turned to their prioritized list of meteorlogical factors and dove into the trove of data to beagn isolating key pieces of evidence upon which to build their predictions. Tomorrow in class, they will compose their final draft paragraph incorporating the Claim-Evidence-Response-Rebuttal structure.