EDUC 482 Argumentative Unit Plan

Introductory Lesson Plan
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse
partners on topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS. ELA-Literacy.W.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Objectives
 Electronically or handwritten, students will describe in detail an advertisement that they have recently
seen.
 In small groups and as a class, students will effectively articulate the details of the advertisement they
wrote down.
Rationale
This is intended as a kickstart to convey to students the idea that arguments are present every single day in their
lives. The writing activity is a way for students to self-recognize elements of argument/rhetoric that are present
in advertisement.
Materials Needed: Pencil/Pen, Electronic Device
Activity/Time Description
“AD” Quick-Write: 8-10 minutes
Think-Pair-Share: 10 minutes
Class Discussion: 25 minutes
Closure/Assessment: 5 minutes
Introduction  “AD” Quick-Write
 The teacher will ask the students to describe in-detail an advertisement that they
have recently seen or one that they remember that particular stuck with them.
The teacher will ask the students to try and articulate the “Who, What, Why and
When” of the advertisement. The teacher will then outline the lesson objectives
for the day.
Instruction  The teacher will introduce the unit around the enduring understandings.
Practice  The teacher will ask the students to form pairs and share their advertisements
with one another, commenting on what elements of the advertisement made it
effective or not-so-effective.
Differentiation  N/A
Mentor Text &
Application
 Student descriptions of advertisement will serve as the mentor text for this
lesson.
Share  The teacher will bring the class back together after 10 minutes of Think-Pair-
Share and ask for volunteers to share with the class what their group discussed;
it will be expected that all groups contribute.
Closing Questions  What elements of the advertisements were particularly effective?
 Why do we think they were effective?
Assessment  Exit Slip: Collect advertisement descriptions for participation points.
Homework  A short outline of an idea for an advertisement for a product, students will be
encouraged to think about what elements they identified today and apply them
in their outline.

Argumentative Elements Lesson Plan
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3: Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric,
identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Litearcy.RL.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development
over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details.
Objectives
 Using their homework, students will be able to accurately evaluate the main claim and supporting
evidence in each other’s advertisement.
 In small groups, students will effectively comment on each other’s advertisement; commenting on what
they liked and what could be improved upon.
Rationale
This lesson is centered around using student homework from the last lesson (a short description of an
advertisement they developed) to further improve upon their abilities to recognize elements of argumentation
that they may not be able to “name” yet. The lesson additionally uses direct instruction from the teacher to put
the proper names for these elements out on the table. The main reason for the homework is to have material to
situate teaching the Toulmin model in, as well as to give them some experience writing an informal argument.
Materials Needed: Student homework
Introduction: 5 minutes
Direct Instruction: 10 minutes
Group Work: 20 minutes
Closure/Assessment: 5 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will address any immediate questions about the homework and
outline the lesson objectives.
Instruction  The teacher will introduce or refresh (depending upon pre-assessment) the
concepts of main claims and supporting evidence as well as ethos, pathos and
logos. The teacher will fully explain these ideas to students and relate them to
student descriptions from lesson plan one.
Practice  The students will then form small groups of 3-4 and take turns reviewing their
respective advertisements. The students will be asked to write down what they
think each person did well, and one thing that they could have done differently.
Additionally, the students will be asked to identify the main claim of each
argument as well as a supporting piece of evidence. The time allotted is split so
the first ten minutes is for thorough reading and marking. The second ten
minutes is for group discussion about each respective member’s work and to
offer and receive feedback.
Mentor Text &
Application
 Student homework: Short outline for an advertisement

Share  After the group activity has been completed, the teacher will bring the class
back together and ask each group to share common themes, ideas, main claims,
and supporting evidence that they encountered.
Closing Questions 
Assessment  Group/Class Discussion fulfilling LO 1 & 2 for participation points.

Toulmin Model Lesson Plan
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
Objectives
 Students will be able to effectively revise their advertisement assignment using the Toulmin model.
 Students will be able to understand, identify, and apply elements of the Toulmin model.
 Using a handout, students will be able to accurately identify the main claim, grounds, and warrant of a
sample argument.
Rationale
This lesson is focused on teaching the Toulmin model in the context of student writing. At this point, students
have learned and applied traditional rhetorical techniques to their assignment and this lesson will further develop
their understanding and grasp of argumentative strategy. The Toulmin model is a modern model that facilitates
the development of well-organized and thought out argumentative writing. Students will be asked to revise their
advertisements using elements of the Toulmin model. An emphasis will be placed on creating strong warrants
and rebuttals. The goal is for students to be able to start thinking of possible rebuttals to their arguments so that
this becomes part of the natural process of planning and conducting an argument.
Materials Needed: PowerPoint, Toulmin Handout, Student advertisements, Pen/Pencil
Introduction/Questions: 5 minutes
Toulmin PowerPoint: 15 minutes
Toulmin Model Practice: 10-15 minutes
Revision: 10 minutes
Closure: 5 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will outline the lesson objectives for the day and introduce the
lesson as well as fielding any questions.
Instruction  The teacher will go through the Toulmin model PowerPoint presentation. The
teacher will place an emphasis on slides 3-6 that deal directly with main claim,
grounds, warrant and rebuttal.
Practice  The teacher will model the sample argument on the PowerPoint presentation
and then present the sample “Old Cars” argument to the students. The teacher
will conduct the first argument as a class exercise. The second argument will be
done individually on the provided handout where the students will be asked to
identify and label the main claim, grounds, and warrants of a sample argument.
Mentor Text &
Application
 Student Essays
Revision  The students will be asked to revise their advertisements to include elements of
the Toulmin model with an emphasis on strong warrants and rebuttals.
Closing Questions  Exit Slip: Why is the Toulmin model important to be aware of? What does it
help you do or not do?
Assessment  Collect student revisions to assess and awarding of participation points. They
will be handed back with feedback next meeting.

Evaluating Mentor Texts Lesson Plan
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
Objectives
 In small groups and class discussion, students will be able to accurately identify and evaluate elements of
the Toulmin model using the Eminem Chrysler mentor text.
Rationale
This lesson is centered around giving students a mentor text for their final draft of their advertisement outline.
This advertisement is especially relevant to students and as such generates interest. Additionally, by showing
students that argumentation is culturally relevant to them it helps further cement the enduring understanding of
rhetoric and argumentation being important in their daily lives.
Materials Needed: YouTube, Eminem Chrysler Advertisement, Projector, Pens/Pencils
First Viewing: 5 minutes
Quick-Write: 5 minutes
Think-Pair-Share: 5 minutes
Second Viewing: 5 minutes
Closure: 10 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will introduce the lesson and outline the lesson objectives for the
day.
Instruction  The teacher will provide context for the advertisement and then play it for
students. After the advertisement, the teacher will ask the students to do a
quick-write and jot down what they noticed about the commercial. An emphasis
will be placed on identifying rhetorical elements within the advertisement.
Think-Pair-Share  The teacher will ask the students to pair up and discuss what they wrote down
about the advertisement. The teacher will walk around the classroom and help
any groups that appear to be struggling.
 After students are done discussing, the teacher will play the advertisement again
and ask students to look for elements that they may have missed the first time.
Mentor Text  Chrysler 2000 Super Bowl Commercial featuring Eminem
Share  After the video has played a second time, the teacher will bring the class back
together and ask them what rhetorical techniques they identified in the
advertisement. The teacher will use the projector to make a chart of what the
students answer with.
Closure  The teacher will introduce the final project and handout student advertisements
containing feedback.
Assessment  Quick-Writes for participation points.
Homework  Revised draft for workshop.

Student Advertisement Workshop Lesson Plan
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5: Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by
particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development
Objectives
 In small groups, students will be able to accurately identify the main claim, grounds, warrants, and
rebuttals in each other’s writing.
 In small groups, students will be able to articulate what the central idea of each other’s writing to include
what elements make it so.
Rationale
This lesson is intended for students to gain peer feedback on their drafts of their respective advertisement
outlines. They will be expected to work in small groups for the majority of the lesson, taking turns carefully
reading each other’s advertisements and offering constructive and thoughtful feedback. At the beginning of class
students will be asked to “sideshadow” their drafts to give their peers a scaffolding on which to approach the
text.
Materials Needed: Student Drafts, Pens/Pencils
Individual “sideshadowing”: 5 minutes
Small Group Work: 30 minutes
Closure/Sharing: 10 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will introduce the lesson and outline the lesson objectives for the
day. The teacher will briefly introduce the “sideshadow” technique.
Individual Work  The students will sideshadow their drafts which essentially is identifying what
they think are strengths, weaknesses and questions in their own writing.
Small Group Work  The students will form small groups of 3-4 and take turns reading and making
notes in each other’s drafts. After a group has finished reading they will be free
to discuss their respective drafts and comment on it with likes/dislikes and
suggestions for improvement. The teacher will sit in with each group and
observe conversation.
Mentor Text  N/A
Share  The students will be asked to share their findings from the workshop and any
ideas that they found particularly compelling.
Closing Questions  The teacher will take any closing questions and remind students that the final
draft will be due the following Monday.
Assessment  Assessment for this lesson will be satisfied through teacher observation of
conversation and awarded participation points.

Media Training Day
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentation to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add
interest.
Objectives
 Utilizing a media lab, students will be able to effectively use multimedia software to begin their final
project.
Rationale
This lesson serves two major functions within the unit. First, it is an introduction to the unit final assessment.
The students’ assignment will be to create a promotional campaign item utilizing their advertisement drafts from
the first half of the unit. Students will be able to choose between creating a brochure, poster, or a video
advertisement. The options are for the sake of differentiation and to also allow students to flex their creative
muscles through a variety of mediums. Second, it is intended as a media training day in which students are able
to learn and practice using a variety of multimedia creation tools for their final project.
Materials Needed: Media lab with access to: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, iMovie (or equivalent),
Video Camera
Introduction to final project: 8 minutes
PowerPoint Training: 10 minutes
Microsoft Word training: 12 minutes
iMovie Training: 15 minutes
Closure: 5 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will tell the students that they have been tasked with creating a
promotional campaign item using their advertisement outlines.
 The teacher will tell the students that they have the option of creating either a
brochure, poster or video advertisement.
 The teacher will handout the rubric for the final project.
Media Training  The teacher will poll the students on their comfortability on each platform to
pre-assess working knowledge.
 The teacher will show the students how to create a brochure format using
Microsoft Word.
 The teacher will show the students how to create a poster format using
Microsoft PowerPoint.
 The teacher will show the students how to operate a video camera and how to
import the footage to iMovie (or equivalent) and show them basic editing
techniques (transitions, special effects etc.).
Practice  The students will be able to use remaining time on each presentation to practice
using each platform.
Differentiation  Option to choose from: brochure, poster, or video advertisement.
Mentor Text  N/A
Homework  Select a medium in which to create their final project.
Closing Questions  Exit Slip: Does your advertisement outline naturally lend itself to one of the
medium options? What are the strengths of your advertisement outline; what
does it best appeal to?
Assessment  Informal formative observation throughout lesson for participation points.

Final Project Workshop #1
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
interest.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
Objectives
 Using media technology and or software, students will begin to create their final projects.
Rationale
The first project workshop day is to give students an opportunity to get a start on their final projects.
Additionally, this will give the teacher a way to assess which students may need the most help in creating their
product and allow lower-level students ample time to be successful in creating their multimedia project. While
the students will already have a basis for their final project; it is important to allow them time in the media lab as
this project isn’t necessarily a straightforward matter of transposing their outlines.
Video Camera
Class Introduction/Lesson Objective(s): 5 minutes
Individual Work: 40 minutes
Closure: 5 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will outline the lesson objective for the day and take questions
about the final project that students may have.
Individual Work  The students will be given the majority of class time to work on their final
projects that they have identified for the last periods homework.
 Students who have chosen to do a video presentation will be allowed to leave
the class to conduct their filming. The teacher will have a pre-arranged
agreement to have this done in an area that is under adult supervision.
Monitoring  The teacher will be proactive in monitoring student work during the workshop
time. The teacher will also look for any students that may be struggling and
assist them in generating ideas or aiding them in their use of multimedia
software.
Mentor Text &
Application
 Student advertisement outline
Homework  N/A
Closure  The teacher will ask the students if they have any questions or concerns about
the final project or workshop and address them as needed.
Assessment  Informal formative assessment throughout for participation points.

Mentor Text Analysis
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
Objectives
 Using provided mentor texts, students will be to accurately identify examples of rhetorical techniques on
a handout.
 In small groups and as a class, students will effectively comment on and describe characteristics of the
mentor texts presented.
Rationale
This lesson is to give students a final chance to observe ideas in a mentor text that they may find useful to
implement in their own final projects. As there are three different mediums available for this project there will
also be mentor texts for each different medium presented. Small group and class discussion is used to allow
students to bounce ideas off of each other in a collaborative manner that may inform individual final projects.
Materials Needed: YouTube, Mentor Texts (3 mediums), Characteristics Handout
Introduction/Lesson Objective(s): 5 minutes
Video Advertisement Mentor Text: 8 minutes
Small Group/Class Discussion: 8 minutes
Brochure Mentor Text: 5 minutes
Poster Mentor Text: 5 minutes
Closure: 3 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will introduce the lesson and identify the lesson objectives.
Mentor Texts  Video advertisement: Gatorade | The Secret to Victory
 Brochure: Mount Rushmore
 Poster: Rosie the Riveter
 Each mentor text is chosen to represent not only the medium but different
rhetorical approaches that the students can use on their final project.
 For example, the Gatorade commercial utilizes celebrity endorsement; the
Mount Rushmore brochure utilizes testimonials, and the Rosie the Riveter
utilizes nationalism and approach at the general public through the blue-collar
workforce.
Small Groups  The teacher will ask the students to form small groups before the video
advertisement presentation and ask that they remain in those small groups for
the remainder of the class. The students will briefly comment on each mentor
text in their small groups after each presentation; what they like, what they
notice etc. and write down their thoughts on the provided handout. The teacher
will ask for students to briefly share with the class what they noticed after five
minutes of small group conversation.

Homework  The teacher will ask the students to think about a technique that they observed
and how they might implement it in their own project.
Class Discussion  The teacher will give students time to volunteer their observations but will keep
this part of the lesson relatively brief in order to present all three mentor text
mediums. The students will be encouraged to write down observations from
their classmates in their notes so that they may use them in their projects.
Closure  The teacher will remind the students that they will have their final workshop
day tomorrow and reinforce the lesson objectives. The teacher will also field
any questions or concerns.
Assessment  Informal formative assessment for small group and class discussion. Formal
formative assessment for the characteristics handout for accuracy and
completion points.

Final Project Workshop #2
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
interest.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
Objectives
 Using their previous work, students will finish their final projects and prepare to present them.
Rationale
The final workshop day is to allow students time to finish working on their final projects. It is particularly aimed
at allowing the teacher to assist students who may be struggling with an aspect of their final project. If necessary,
the teacher will arrange for students who need more time to work in the media lab before and after class if their
schedule allows it. Most students should be putting on the finishing touches of their project and the extra time
they have is to be devoted to preparing a presentation of their product which will be covered in this lesson plan.
Video Camera, Presentation Handout
Individual Work: 40 minutes
Closure: 2 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will introduce the lesson and outline the lesson objective for the
day.
 The teacher will introduce their presentation for next classroom meeting. The
students will be expected to give a brief overview and presentation of their
product along with a rationale and what their argument is for their specific
product.
 The teacher will hand out the rubric for the presentation.
Individual Work  The students will work on finishing their final products and preparing for their
presentation on the next class meeting.
 The teacher will monitor the classroom by walking around and offering
assistance to those who need it.
 The teacher will ask students how their project is coming along and a brief
overview of what they have chosen to do.
Monitoring  The students should all remain in the classroom at this stage because all video
advertisements should have already been filmed and be in the final editing
stage. The teacher will perform additional general monitoring to ensure that
students are on task.
Mentor Text  N/A
Homework  Final projects will be due for presentation on next class meeting.
Closure  The teacher will ask for any closing questions or concerns and schedule
additional time in the media lab for those who may need it.
Assessment  Informal formative through observation for participation points.

Final Project Presentations
Argumentative Unit
By Dan Kelly
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and
style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
Objectives
 Students will be able to effectively present their final projects to the classroom giving a brief overview
and explanation of it as well as a rationale and what their argument is.
 Using peer-feedback forms, students will be able to give effective feedback on their assigned reviewee.
Rationale
This lesson is to give the students the opportunity to show off all their hard work and creativity on their final
argumentative project. The students will have had access to rubrics containing criterion for their final projects
and presentations, so they know what is expected of them. The rationale and argument is required to reinforce
the end objective of this unit which is to create a well-designed, organized and logical argumentative
promotional campaign product. The students will also be peer-reviewing two of their classmates on both their
overall project and presentation, commenting on things they did well, things that they wish were explained more
in-depth, and things that they learned from it.
Materials Needed: Computer, Projector, Student Final Projects, Peer-feedback Forms
Presentations: 45 minutes
Closure: 2 minutes
Introduction  The teacher will introduce the lesson and outline the lesson objectives.
 The teacher will have already placed two peer-feedback forms on each
student’s desk.
 The teacher will briefly explain the peer-feedback forms and then start the
presentations.
Peer-Feedback
Forms
 Each student will be asked to provide peer-feedback for two assigned
classmates.
 The students will be asked to comment on the effectiveness of their reviewee’s
product, argument and presentation.
 The students will be commenting overall on things the reviewee did well, things
that they wish they would have done/explained more in-depth, and what they
learned from the presentation and project.
Presentations  The students will be allotted 3 minutes to briefly explain their projects as
outlined above. The students that aren’t presenting will be tasked with peer-
feedback. If all presentations aren’t finished in this class period, then they will
be finished at the next meeting.
Closure  The teacher will reinforce the importance in argumentation in student’s daily
lives and take any immediate questions or concerns.
Assessment  The presentations and final projects will be graded by the teacher in a formal
summative manner.

Unit Calendar
1. Introduction to argumentation in advertising
a. Homework: Outline for an advertisement created by student
2. Elements of Argumentation
a. Main Claim
b. Supporting Evidence
c. Group Work
3. Toulmin Model & Revision
a. Teaching of the Toulmin model
b. Revision of their advertisement to incorporate the Toulmin model
c. Identification and application of Toulmin model
4. Chrysler Commercial Mentor Text
a. Analysis of Chrysler commercial
b. Introduction of final project
c. Rubric handout
d. Homework: Further revised draft
5. Workshop
a. Group workshopping of advertisement drafts
b. Homework: Final draft of advertisement outlines
6. Media Training Day
a. Introduce students to final project: Creating a promotional campaign from their advertisement.
(Brochure, Poster, Advertisement)
b. Train students on using media creation tools.
7. Workshops
a. Workshop
b. Focus on lower level students who may be struggling
8. Mentor Text Analysis
a. Brochures
b. Poster
c. Advertisements
9. Workshop
a. Media lab workshop
b. Homework: Final Draft
10. Presentations
a. Practical applications of unit
b. Final project and presentations due.

Unit Overview
Content Standards Covered
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with
diverse partners on topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and
style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
interest.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5: Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by
particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Enduring Understandings
 I understand how to use media to create a piece of argumentative writing.
 I understand the importance of argumentation and how it is applicable and present in my daily life.
 I understand and can identify, apply, evaluate, and create using all elements of argumentative writing.
 I understand the importance of rhetoric and know the intrinsic value in ethos, pathos, and logos.
Essential Questions
 How is advertising related to the field of argumentation and what is the significance of that realization?
 How do all the elements of an argumentative writing work in conjunction to create a cohesive whole?
 How does ethos, pathos, and logos inform writing for both the reader and author?
Assessment
Informal Formative: Small group, class discussion, participation.
Formal Formative: Class handouts
Formal Summative: Final draft of advertisement outline, final project and presentation.
Final Assessment
Create a piece of argumentative writing using one of three mediums (brochure, poster, video) in conjunction
with the task of creating a promotional campaign product. Students will utilize their developed advertisement
outlines that they created and turned in during the first half of the unit.
Theme
This unit is focused on identifying, applying, and creating argumentative writing through advertisement.
Students will be utilizing a heavy amount of media throughout this unit to not only learn argumentation but also
to create it. Students will start by identifying key components of argumentation and rhetoric. They will then
progress to applying these elements in writing and culminate in the final project outlined above.

EDUC 482 Argumentative Unit Plan

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EDUC 482 Argumentative Unit Plan