Illustrated lesson that provides pro and con arguments for analysis.

1. Assisted Suicide Debate: Our Laws Should
Protect the Most Vulnerable Among Us

2. Assisted Suicide Debate:
An Analysis of Persuasive Text
A Common Core Lesson
By
Dean Berry, Ed. D.
Gregg Berry, B. A.
Common Core Curriculum Solutions
www.commoncorecurriculum.info

3. Common Core Reading Standards
Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, assessing whether
the reasoning is sound and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; recognize when
irrelevant evidence is introduced.

4. Common Core Speaking
and Listening Standards
Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-
one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on topics, texts,
and issues, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.

5. Common Core Speaking
and Listening Standards
Delineate a speaker’s argument
and specific claims, evaluating
the soundness of the reasoning
and relevance and sufficiency of
the evidence and identifying when
irrelevant evidence is introduced.

6. Reading with Your Eyes and Your Brain
Skillful readers learn how to read persuasive or
opinionated text with a very critical eye. They
realize that the author’s purpose is to convince the
reader to believe what the author is saying and to
consider the arguments given as valid even if they
violate logical reasoning and lack supporting
evidence. The author’s motive may be to get the
reader to buy something, vote a certain way,
change an attitude, or behave differently.

7. • In order to avoid manipulation by the author, good
readers learn how to detect poor reasoning and faulty
arguments. They are able to identify the various
logical fallacies or smoke screens that attempt to
cover up the lack of strong supporting evidence for
each claim. During this lesson, we will examine an
article and separate the fluff from the substance and
determine whether or not we believe the author
makes a strong or weak argument.

8. What does a good reader look for?
As you read the following article, attempt to separate the
unimportant language and innuendo from the heart of the
matter. Look for the primary message that contains the claim or
claims that the author is making. As a reader, your job is to look
for arguments that support the author’s claim and include
reasonable examples and factual statements. However,
recognizing the claim and supporting evidence takes practice.

9. Take a Few Notes
Complete the chart below using the
information provided in the following frame.
You will need this chart for the following
frame.
• Author’s Claim:
• Evidence:
• Reasoning:

10. Author’s Claim: May be an answer to the question
posed, a proposed solution to the problem, or the thesis
of the persuasive text.
Evidence: Could include appropriate analogies,
clearly presented facts, statistical data, quotations or
testimonials, or anecdotal examples.
Reasoning: Should explain how the evidence
supports the claim and needs to avoid using logical
fallacies.
Three Essential Requirements
for a Persuasive Argument

11. Recognizing the thesis sentence
and author’s claim is critical
The thesis sentence or claim is typically the ONE
sentence in the text that asserts, controls, and
structures the entire argument. Without a strong
persuasive, thoughtful thesis or claim, an article might
seem unfocused, weak, and not worth the reader's time.
• A good thesis sentence will make a claim.
• A good thesis sentences will control the entire
• argument
• A good thesis will provide a structure for the author’s
argument.

12. Let’s Practice Writing Some Claims
• Select two of the topics below and write a statement for each that
makes a claim about how to solve a problem.
• Reducing Terrorism
• Bullying at School
• Reducing Heart Attacks
• Reducing Traffic Accidents
• Reducing Wars in the Middle East
• Reducing Poverty

13. How much evidence is provided by the author?
When you read the article, examine the author’s
claim and determine if the supporting evidence is
adequate to substantiate the claim. After reading
the selection, you will be asked to develop an
outline showing the claim and supporting
arguments with examples and factual statements.

14. What does evidence look like?
When we read a persuasive text, we must read very closely to ensure that the
arguments that are presented include very specific, credible evidence. For example,
we should look for statistical data such as numbers and scores, analogies that
compare similar claims and solutions, quotations or testimonials supporting the
claims, or anecdotal examples that substantiate the claim.

15. What does the research say?
1.Statistical Evidence
• Statistical evidence is the kind of data people tend
to look for first when trying to prove a point. That’s
not surprising when you consider how prevalent it
is in today’s society. Remember those McDonald’s
signs that said “Over 1 billion served”? How about
those Trident chewing gum commercials that say
“4 out of 5 dentists recommend chewing sugarless
gum”? Every time you use numbers to support a
main point, you’re relying on statistical evidence to
carry your argument.

16. What do you think?
Use your imagination
What are some possible types
of statistical evidence?
For deodorant?
Air Pollution?
Poor Math Grades?

17. What do the experts say?
2. Testimonial Evidence
• Testimonial evidence is another type of evidence
that is commonly turned to by people trying to
prove a point. Commercials that use
spokespersons to testify about the quality of a
company’s product, lawyers who rely on eye-
witness accounts to win a case, and students who
quote an authority in their essays are all using
testimonial evidence.

18. Stand and Deliver
Who can give us a testimonial about one
of these?
Red Bull
Starbucks caramel macchiato
Crest Toothpaste
Taco Bell cheesy gordita crunch

19. Do personal observations
support the claim?
3. Anecdotal Evidence
• Often dismissed as untrustworthy and meaningless,
anecdotal evidence is one of the more underutilized
types of evidence. Anecdotal evidence is evidence
that is based on a person’s observations of the
world. It can actually be very useful for disproving
generalizations because all you need is one example
that contradicts a claim.

20. •Be careful when using this type of
evidence to try and support your
claims. One example of a non-native
English speaker who has perfect grammar
does NOT prove that ALL non-native English
speakers have perfect grammar. All the
anecdote can do is disprove the claim that
all immigrants who are non-native English
speakers have terrible grammar.

21. You CAN use this type of evidence to support
claims, though, if you use it in conjunction
with other types of evidence. Personal
observations can serve as wonderful
examples to introduce a topic and build it up –
just make sure you include statistical
evidence so the reader of your paper doesn’t
question whether your examples are just
isolated incidents.

22. Use Your Imagination
• Create an anecdote or personal observation about
a situation and solution that seems to work very
well. Use one of the following topics:
• Background Checks for Gun Purchases
• Using Google Search for Homework Problems
• Dashboard Cams in Police Cars

23. Do similar situations provide evidence?
4. Analogical Evidence
• The last type of evidence is called analogical
evidence. It is also underutilized, but this time for a
reason. Analogies are mainly useful when dealing with
a topic that is under-researched. If you are on the
cutting edge of an issue, you’re the person breaking
new ground. When you don’t have statistics to refer to
or other authorities on the matter to quote, you have to
get your evidence from somewhere. Analogical
evidence steps in to save the day.

24. • Take the following example: You work
for a company that is considering
turning some land into a theme park. On
that land there happens to be a river
that your bosses think would make a
great white-water rafting ride. They’ve
called on you to assess whether or not
that ride would be a good idea.

25. • Since the land in question is as yet undeveloped,
you have no casualty reports or statistics to refer
to. In this case, you can look to other rivers with
the same general shape to them, altitude,
etc. and see if any white-water rafting casualties
have occurred on those rivers. Although the rivers
are different, the similarities between them should
be strong enough to give credibility to your
research. Realtors use the same type of
analogical evidence when determining the value
of a home.
• When you use analogies to support your claims,
always remember their power.

26. How do you evaluate the author’s claim?

27. Let’s Review These Ideas
Discuss and Take Some Notes
• What are some types of evidence that we might
look for?
• What kind of emotional appeals might the author
use? How should the reader deal with these?
• Why should we expect the author to recognize or
refute opposing claims?
Also, take notes on the following page so you can
use these prompts when you read the article.

28. When we read the article, use these
phrases to record your notes showing
the evidence used in the text.
•According to the text…
•The author stated…
•For instance…
•For example…
•Because…
Copy These Prompts

29. Annotating the text as you perform
close reading is a great way to
ensure effective critical reading.

30. As you take margin notes, identify
assumptions, opinions, faulty arguments,
weak or strong evidence, and key words
or phrases.

31. How much evidence is provided by the author?
Examine the claim for the amount of
supporting evidence that directly relates to
the claim. After reading the selection, you will
be asked to develop an outline showing the
claim and supporting arguments with
examples and factual statements.

32. Let’s annotate part of the text. Read the following
pages and copy the sections that include the claim
and supporting arguments. As you write them on
your paper, circle the claim and identify the
arguments and evidence.
• Circle the Claim
•Underline the supporting arguments
•Box in each type of evidence

33. Assisted suicide debate: Our laws should
protect the most vulnerable among us
• By Maureen M. Ferguson
• Published May 13, 2015 FoxNews.com
• Facebook15 Twitter10 livefyre45 Email Print
• Our family spent days at the bedside of my beloved
mother-in-law as she lay dying at Johns Hopkins
hospital. She had been diagnosed with advanced bone
marrow cancer four years earlier, and now her doctors
told us her death was certainly imminent. She was
unconscious and on hospice care, and we were told she
would slip away at any moment.

34. Defying those predictions, she recovered
and went on to live another two years. They
were two incredibly precious years, in
which she took her three grandchildren to
Disney World, saw her eldest son married,
her youngest daughter graduate from high
school, and made Christmas dinner that year
in her high heels.

35. Reread this anecdotal example. Would it
be logical to generalize from this case to
other cases that could be affected by
the right to assisted suicide for patients
with painful, terminal illnesses?
Defying those predictions, she recovered and went
on to live another two years. They were two
incredibly precious years, in which she took her
three grandchildren to Disney World, saw her
eldest son married, her youngest daughter
graduate from high school, and made Christmas
dinner that year in her high heels.

36. As you read this page, examine the special
words that the author chose to use.
As the national debate over physician-assisted suicide
picks up steam – currently under consideration in 2
states --we should keep such cases in mind. Proponents
of these bills claim only those with less than six months to
live would be allowed to avail themselves of doctor
prescribed suicide, but patients frequently outlive their
prognosis. Even the best doctors, like those at Hopkins,
are not omniscient and cannot always accurately predict
when a person will die.

37. Why do you think the author chose
to use these kinds of words. Is it
accurate and fair to characterize the
opponent as dispensing despair?
People facing grave illnesses deserve to
be treated with authentic dignity and
truly compassionate care. Instead of
legally enshrining and dispensing
despair, let’s embrace life, even at the
end, with all its challenges and
mysteries.

38. What does the first sentence imply
about ill people who choose to end their
life with physician assisted suicide?
People facing grave illnesses deserve to
be treated with authentic dignity and
truly compassionate care. Instead of
legally enshrining and dispensing
despair, let’s embrace life, even at the
end, with all its challenges and
mysteries.

39. Is this case of a U.S. senator who functioned effectively
for two years while having cancer a good argument
against the right of individuals to have physician
assisted suicide when they are near death? Why?
Many recall the case of the late Senator Ted Kennedy,
who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given
only four months to live. However, he went on to live
almost two more years as an active U.S. Senator. After
his death, his widow Victoria Kennedy campaigned
against physician-assisted suicide in Massachusetts
saying this policy, “ask(s) us to endorse patient suicide —
not patient care — as our public policy for dealing with
pain and the financial burdens of care at the end of
life. We’re better than that.”

40. Would you consider the second
sentence a statement of opinion? Is
it backed up with evidence?
In advocating for physician-assisted suicide, groups like Compassion and
Choices (formerly known as The Hemlock Society) espouse tragically
misleading slogans like “Death with Dignity.” Treating a person with authentic
dignity and compassion could never involve helping that person commit
suicide. The dictionary defines suicide as the very “destruction of one's own
interests or prospects.” A group promoting physician-assisted suicide is still
just promoting suicide. And suicide has always been recognized as a tragedy.

41. According to the text, why is the AMA
against physician assisted suicide? Does
this mean that all doctors are against it?
The medical profession knows this, which is why the
American Medical Association strongly opposes such
bills, saying, “physician-assisted suicide is
fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as
healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and
would pose serious societal risks.”
Disability rights advocates have been among the first to
recognize these societal risks, calling physician-assisted
suicide a “deadly form of discrimination.” This policy
unjustly singles out a class of people as having lives that
are less worthy and less deserving of protection.

42. Would new laws about physician assisted suicide
have to include mentally disabled individuals who
are not competent enough to make their own
decisions? Is the example below relevant to the
argument? Is it good supporting evidence?
The highly respected disability advocates at The ARC
have been particularly strong in fighting these bills at
the state level because of the disparate impact on those
with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The
disabled are especially vulnerable given the
discrimination they already face in a medical
environment increasingly squeezed by cost containment
pressures.

43. Is this an effective argument?
Why?
We can look to Oregon, the first state to legalize
assisted suicide, to see the results of this
experiment and they are not good. In a well-
documented case, a woman was notified by the
state health plan that coverage of her cancer
treatment was denied, but in the same letter was
reminded that the suicide pills were
covered. This is not an isolated incident.

44. Do any of the arguments on this page argue
effectively against the right of a severely ill,
terminal patient in pain to choose a doctor willing
to prescribe end of life drugs? Explain
• The so-called “safeguards” in the Oregon law (the same as those promised in
other states) have proved totally insufficient. There has been abuse of the
definition of “terminal illness” because many diseases can be considered
terminal if proper treatments are not given. Prescriptions for suicide have
been dispensed for those suffering from depression, diabetes, and
dementia. “Doctor shopping” is common because most family physicians
don’t want to prescribe suicide pills. Patients are given the overdose
prescription by a doctor who does not know them, and then are left to
overdose alone without any further medical care. Results are shrouded in
secrecy and reporting requirements minimal.

45. As you read this page, consider whether or
not a logical fallacy is being employed by
the author. We will study logical fallacies
later and review this article again.
Finally, the law is an important teacher, especially for
young people. What message does legalized, doctor
prescribed suicide send to teenagers, who already face
tragically high suicide rates? The ‘contagion effect’ of
suicide is well known amongst mental health
professionals. If adolescents see that our legislatures
condone suicide for those facing difficult
circumstances, would it be surprising to see an
increase in teenage suicides?

46. These exact phrases(in red) were
used by the author eight pages back
in this same article.
• Our laws should protect the most vulnerable among us, the elderly, the
disabled, the mentally ill, and the young, not assist in their
destruction. People facing grave illnesses deserve to be treated with
authentic dignity and truly compassionate care. Instead of legally
enshrining and dispensing despair, let’s embrace life, even at the end, with
all its challenges and mysteries. If life is all about love, then what better
time to love than in accompanying our beloved in their final days?
• Maureen Ferguson is Senior Policy Advisor for The Catholic Association.
See Next Frame to Go Back 8 Frames

47. Why do you think that the author took the unusual
step of repeating an entire paragraph at the end of
the article? Would you characterize the selected
language as factual or emotional based?
People facing grave illnesses deserve to
be treated with authentic dignity and
truly compassionate care. Instead of
legally enshrining and dispensing
despair, let’s embrace life, even at the
end, with all its challenges and
mysteries.

48. How does the author suggest we demonstrate love to
those close to us? Is this an opinion?
Can you think of other opinions on this subject ?
• Our laws should protect the most vulnerable among us, the elderly, the
disabled, the mentally ill, and the young, not assist in their
destruction. People facing grave illnesses deserve to be treated with
authentic dignity and truly compassionate care. Instead of legally
enshrining and dispensing despair, let’s embrace life, even at the end, with
all its challenges and mysteries. If life is all about love, then what better
time to love than in accompanying our beloved in their final days?
• Maureen Ferguson is Senior Policy Advisor for The Catholic Association.

49. Check your notes and share your
information from the text. How did you
answer the following?
•According to the text…
•The author stated…
•For instance…
•For example…
•Because…

50. Share Your Annotations
• Read the claim you identified to the
class
• Read one of the supporting arguments
• Explain of type of evidence, if any, that
the author used

51. Let’s Talk
•How might you summarize the
article you just read?
•What was the author’s main point
in writing the article?

52. Verbalize Your Summary
Using several sentences, turn
to another student and tell
them the main point of the
article.

53. Quick Write
How might you summarize the
article you just read? Use a
couple of sentences to write a
summary of the article.

54. We are going to read this article again and look for
possible logical fallacies that might invalidate some
of the authors arguments. We will review two of the
important fallacies for readers to understand.

55. Slippery Slope Fallacy
If you give them an inch, next thing
you know they will take a mile!
A slippery slope fallacy attempts to discredit a proposed
idea by arguing that its acceptance will undoubtedly lead
to a sequence of events, one or more of which are
undesirable. Though it may be the case that the
sequence of events may happen, this type of argument
assumes that it is inevitable that several more
undesirable events will occur, all the while providing no
evidence in support of that. The fallacy plays on the fears
of the audience that taking one step in the direction of a
solution they do not want will lead to an even worse
outcome in the near future.

56. Slippery Slope Definition
Definition: The arguer claims that a sort of
chain reaction, usually ending in some dire
consequence, will take place, but there’s really not
enough evidence for that assumption. The arguer
asserts that if we take even one step onto the
“slippery slope,” we will end up sliding all the way
to the bottom; he or she assumes we can’t stop
partway down the hill.

57. Slippery Slope Example
•Example: “Animal experimentation reduces our
respect for life. If we don’t respect life, we are
likely to be more and more tolerant of violent acts
like war and murder. Soon our society will become
a battlefield in which everyone constantly fears
for their lives. It will be the end of civilization. To
prevent this terrible consequence, we should
make animal experimentation illegal right now.”

58. Slippery slope fallacy wants us to believe
that if an idea is implemented, it will
cause more objectionable things to
happen whether we like it or not!

59. The slippery slope argument suggests that if
you select an untested solution, the remedy will
cause the problem to get progressively worse.

60. If you implement this solution, things will
eventually get worse and the end result will be
horrible. However, there is no evidence to indicate
that his will be true.

61. Is this a slippery slope fallacy?
Why or Why Not?
If we allow the government to implement any gun control laws
such as background checks or assault riffle bans, before you
know it, ordinary citizens will lose their right to have any
weapons to protect themselves from criminals and the
government.
Go to Next Frame

62. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
If we allow the government to implement any gun
control laws such as background checks or
assault riffle bans, before you know it, ordinary
citizens will lose their right to have any weapons
to protect themselves from criminals and the
government.

63. Is this a slippery slope fallacy?
Giving the government the power to view people’s
telephone records in order to identify potential
terrorists should not be done because it will
reduce people’s right to privacy.

64. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this a slippery slope fallacy argument?
Giving the government the power to view
people’s telephone records in order to
identify potential terrorists should not be
done because it will reduce people’s right
to privacy.

65. Is this a slippery slope fallacy?
"We've got to stop them from censoring
materials used in classrooms. Once they
start banning one form of literature, they
will never stop. Next thing you know, they
will be burning all the books!"

66. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this a slippery slope fallacy argument?
"We've got to stop them from censoring materials used in
classrooms. Once they start banning one form of literature,
they will never stop. Next thing you know, they will be
burning all the books!"

67. Solving problems with logical thinking is
essential if we are interested in seeking
truth.
Let’s examine another technique that is
often used to mislead audiences.

68. The Red Herring Fallacy
• Definition: Partway through an argument, the arguer goes off on a
tangent, raising a side issue that distracts the audience from what’s
really at stake. Often, the arguer never returns to the original issue.
• Example: “Grading this exam on a curve would be the most fair thing
to do. After all, classes go more smoothly when the students and the
professor are getting along well.” Let’s see what’s wrong with this
argument:
• Premise: Classes go more smoothly when the students and the
professor are getting along well.
• Conclusion: Grading this exam on a curve would be the most fair thing
to do.

69. • When we lay it out this way, it’s pretty obvious that the
arguer went off on a tangent—the fact that something
helps people get along doesn’t necessarily make it more
fair; fairness and justice sometimes require us to do
things that cause conflict. But the audience may feel like
the issue of teachers and students agreeing is important
and be distracted from the fact that the arguer has not
given any evidence as to why a curve would be fair.

70. Arguing Off the Topic to
Distract Your Opponent

71. When the author lacks evidence to support his/her claim,
the red herring strategy is useful if the author wants to use
logical fallacies to persuade an unsuspecting reader.

72. Red Herring fallacies are used to
change the focus of the argument to
something unrelated to the claim.

73. Is this a red herring fallacy?
Why or Why Not?
Trans fats should be made illegal since many
research studies have shown that they can
increase dangerous plaque in the arteries
and lead to fatal heart attacks.
Go to Next Frame

74. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
Trans fats should be made illegal since many
research studies have shown that they can
increase dangerous plaque in the arteries and
lead to fatal heart attacks.

75. Is this a red herring logical fallacy?
A teacher catches a student cheating
during a test. The student in response says,
“I know I’ve made a mistake. But think of
my parents. They’re going to kill me”.
Go to Next Frame

76. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
A teacher catches a student cheating during a
test. The student in response says, “I know I’ve
made a mistake. But think of my parents. They’re
going to kill me”.

77. Is this a red herring logical fallacy?
The problem of undocumented
aliens in the country is complicated
and needs to be solved. In
particular, the Dream Act should be
continued because it keeps families
together.
Go to Next Frame

78. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
The problem of undocumented aliens in the
country is complicated and needs to be solved.
In particular, the Dream Act should be continued
because it keeps families together.

79. Is this an example of
the red herring fallacy?
• In business, arguing against giving raises -
“Sure, we haven’t given raises in over five
years to our employees. You know, we work
really hard to make a good product. We try
to ensure the best customer service, too.”
Go to Next Frame

80. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
In business, arguing against giving raises - “Sure,
we haven’t given raises in over five years to our
employees. You know, we work really hard to
make a good product. We try to ensure the best
customer service, too.”

81. • In order to avoid manipulation by the author,
good readers learn how to detect poor
reasoning and faulty arguments. They are
able to identify the various logical fallacies
such as red herring, strawman,
overgeneralization, slippery slope, and
others. During this lesson, we will study two
of these logical fallacies. Review the
following excerpts from the article we read.

82. Do you think that the text in red could
be a logical fallacy? Does the red
herring fallacy apply here? Explain
We can look to Oregon, the first state to legalize
assisted suicide, to see the results of this
experiment and they are not good. In a well-
documented case, a woman was notified by the
state health plan that coverage of her cancer
treatment was denied, but in the same letter was
reminded that the suicide pills were
covered. This is not an isolated incident.

83. As you read this page, determine whether or not a
logical fallacy is being employed by the author. Could
the last sentence be an example of red herring,
overgeneralizing, or slippery slope? Explain
Finally, the law is an important teacher, especially for
young people. What message does legalized, doctor
prescribed suicide send to teenagers, who already face
tragically high suicide rates? The ‘contagion effect’ of
suicide is well known amongst mental health
professionals. If adolescents see that our legislatures
condone suicide for those facing difficult
circumstances, would it be surprising to see an
increase in teenage suicides?

84. Did you find a logical fallacy on
this page? Explain how it works.
Finally, the law is an important teacher, especially for
young people. What message does legalized, doctor
prescribed suicide send to teenagers, who already face
tragically high suicide rates? The ‘contagion effect’ of
suicide is well known amongst mental health
professionals. If adolescents see that our legislatures
condone suicide for those facing difficult circumstances,
would it be surprising to see an increase in teenage
suicides?

85. Additional Common Core
Standards Covered

86. Reading Standards
Cite the textual evidence that
most strongly supports an
analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.

87. Writing Standards
Use words, phrases, and
clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among
claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.

88. 88
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permission from the author