1. State Standard(s):
3. Objective(s): By the end of the unit, students will know the parts of an introductory
paragraph and a concluding paragraph of an argumentative essay, and will write
paragraphs in their own argumentative essays that incorporate these elements.
5. Instructional Procedures:
a. Introduction: First, I will ask the students to watch a short TED talk in which
the speaker is setting up an argument for a claim. I will ask them what details
grabbed their attention, and why they think they did. I will lead this into an
activity in which they will get together in small groups to determine what they
already know about the parts of an introductory paragraph and a concluding
paragraph.
Next, for the extension of the lesson, I will have the students get back into their
groups to look at a model student essay, Screen Time?. Springboard (2014)
suggests that students chunk the introduction and the conclusion as directed, as
this will set them up for the analysis they are about to do (158). In their groups,
they will designate one person as the reader, while the rest mark each sentence in
the introduction and conclusion with the name of what part it plays in each
paragraph (Hook, Bridge, Thesis for introductions; Transition Word, Restatement,
Call to Action for conclusions).
c. Closure: At the end, the students will participate in think, pair, share to find
out something their partner learned about introductions and conclusions that they
didnt know, and share it with the class.
d. Extension and Contingency Plans: For the extension of the lesson, I will have
the students get back into their groups to look at a model student essay, Screen
Time?. Springboard (2014) suggests that students chunk the introduction and the
conclusion as directed, as this will set them up for the analysis they are about to
do (158). In their groups, they will designate one person as the reader, while the
rest mark each sentence in the introduction and conclusion with the name of what
part it plays in each paragraph (hook, bridge, thesis for introductions; transition
word, restatement, call to action for conclusions). If there is an emergency or
interruption during the class period, I will only show the Schmoop.com video
about introductions in class, and have the students watch the conclusion video
while they work on their final draft of their essays at home.
a. Formative: Students get back into their groups to look at a model student essay,
Screen Time?. Springboard (2014) suggests that students chunk the introduction
and the conclusion as directed, as this will set them up for the analysis they are
about to do (158). In their groups, they will designate one person as the reader,
while the rest mark each sentence in the introduction and conclusion with the
name of what part it plays in each paragraph (Hook, Bridge, Thesis for
introductions; Transition Word, Restatement, Call to Action for conclusions).
This assignment is worth 15 points 5 points for marking the introduction, 5
points for marking the conclusion, and 5 points for answering the questions about
what techniques the speaker has used to form the introduction and the conclusion
of the model essay.
8. Homework Assignment: Students will finish revising their argumentative essay and
incorporating what they learned in class into their introduction and conclusion
paragraphs.