School Start Time Adapted from a presentation by Tom Fox, National Writing Project (June 16, 2014) A Mini-Unit on Teaching Argument

TITLE and EMPHASIS # of Lessons *Resources ARGUMENT SKILLS PRODUCT ELE- MENTS OF ARGUM ENT CLOSE READING STRATE- GIES RESPONSE TO READING SAMPLE TEXT SETS WRITING INTO THE DAY TO JUMPSTART ARGUMENT 4 Lessons Entering Skills: Recognize claims Identify potential evidence Foundational Skills: Describe a conversation among nonfiction sources Craft a claim with supporting evidence Multi- paragraph first draft Claim Evidence Use of sources: illustrating, authorizin g, borrowing, extending, & countering Text and marginal annotations Write informally responding to text Draw a simple graphic & write to explain School Start Time 3 shared readings: print

Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4 Read article 1. Underline main claim. Identify author’s strongest evidence. Write informally 5-7 minutes: --What do you want to know more about? --Where do you stand on this issue today? Read article 2. Underline main claim. Identify author’s strongest evidence. Write informally 5-7 minutes. Read article 3. Draw a simple graphic that represents the relationship among these three articles. Write a short explanation of your graphic. Save it to use tomorrow. Re-read your graphic and explanation from Day 3. On the graphic, mark your own position in the conversation. Write a short argument that makes a claim and cites evidence from the three readings to support your argument. Mini-Unit Sequence

Writing Standards Emphasized in the Mini-Unit Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence…demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources. 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 discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

What Standards Might This Mini-Unit Meet? Info. Reading 1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Info. Reading 2 Determine…key supporting details and ideas. Info. Reading 8 Delineate …specific claims in a text. Info. Reading 10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction … proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. Writing 1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts… Writing 9 Draw evidence from … informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Writing 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.

Reading #1 1. Read “The Early Bird Gets the Bad Grade.” 2. Underline or note in the margin the main claim of the article. 3. Highlight what you consider to be the writer’s strongest evidence. 4. Then write informally for 5-7 minutes: What do you want to know more about? Where do you stand on this issue today? Keep your writing in your notebook.

Reading #2 1. Read the teenage writer’s essay, “Should School Stay Early?” 2. Underline or note in the margin the main claim of the article. 3. Highlight what you consider to be the writer’s strongest evidence. 4. Then write informally for 5-7 minutes, adding on to what you wrote yesterday.

Reading #3 1. Read the last article from the Associated Press, “High schools with late start times help teens but...” or the article “Are Teenagers Sleepwalking Through High School?” 2. Draw a simple graphic that represents the relationship among these three articles. 3. Write a short explanation of your graphic. Save it to use tomorrow. Teens, Sleep, and School Start Time Article 3 says Article 2 says Article 1 says

Writing 1.Take out the graphic and explanation that you composed yesterday and read it over. On the graphic, mark your own position in the conversation. 2. Write a short argument that makes a claim and cites evidence from the three readings to support your argument. NOTE: We will revisit your argument later to analyze your use of textual evidence.