Building Arguments with 8th Grade

 8th grade will be starting the Persuasive writing unit soon, so the teachers approached me about reviewing the databases the students will be using. I decided to use Gale Opposing Viewpoints to practice building an argument. 

First, we did a quick review over how to use the database, what was included, and how they can find and cite their information. 

To model looking at both sides of an issue to build their argument, we looked up the issue Fast Fashion. I asked the question why we need to look at both sides in order to build an effective argument. It took every class a little bit to get to the reason, but we did get there. I needed the students to understand that when we are writing a persuasive article, we are not trying to persuade peope that already think the same way we do, we are persuading people that think differently. If we look at their side of the issue and the reasons they think the way they do, we can build better arguments. 

Group work 

The next step after modeling is to get in groups to look up their issue. For time sake, since I only have the classes for 45 minutes, I assigned each group a topic in Opposing Viewpoints. I also assigned them a slide number so they knew which slide to work on. 

Students recieved an editable version of the google slide. *I made a copy of this for each class coming to the library.* On their slide, they write the two sides of the issue giving the two strongest arguments for each. Then, after reading both sides of the issue, students write their opinion stating reasons and support from the articles. 

Conversations 

This activity sparked some really good conversations about hearing both sides. Several of the students mentioned that they had never thought of certain issues in this way after reading the opposite side of what they believed. 

Feel free to grab the template to do this activity with your students.