1. Argumentative Essay Claim Writing

2. Monday, 4/13/15 Goal: I can introduce a claim that makes my stance on a topic clear to the reader. Homework: Your claim and notes (due at end of class as exit task) Reading Logs (due TOMORROW) Argumentative Essay (due Friday 4/17) Materials: Piece of paper, writing utensil, laptop (not until end of class) When done: Close your laptop, quiet down and wait for instructions

3. Classroom Expectations  Missing assignments!  When the bell rings, you must be in your seat or making your way to your seat.  You can talk to your friends during passing period.  New Bathroom Pass  You still need to sign out!  Don’t write on my board  If anyone wanted to follow you on Instagram, they would already be doing so.

4. Classroom Expectations  Rather than ask me “What are we doing today?” check out the front board! It will tell you!  Rather than ask me “Did we have any homework?” or “Do we have any homework tonight?” check out the front board! It will tell you!  We will have new seating charts tomorrow!

5. Let’s take a look at your old outlines…  Debate Outline:  Topic: Electronic devices – Should they be allowed in school?  Pro: Yes, they should be allowed in school  Con: No, they should not be allowed in school

6. Now let’s look at your new outline…  Catchy Hook/Opening Sentence:  Background Information about your issue:  Connection to the Constitution:  Connection to individual rights/common good:  My Claim Statement:  Notice how it starts with a broad hook and gets narrow towards your thesis claim just like your informative article!

7. Claim – Argument Writing Thesis  A claim is a single sentence at the beginning of your essay that clearly states what you believe (your opinion/attitude) about the topic.  A claim is made up of the TOPIC and your OPINION.  Your claim should be the last sentence of your introduction paragraph.  Your claim is only your opinion but you should state it as though it is a fact!  You claim does not need to include evidence or reasoning but it doesn’t hurt!

8. Claim  Please don’t start your claim with:  I’m going to tell you why…  This paper is about…  I think…  No, I do not believe that…

9. Rephrase that old claim  Topic: Electronic devices – Should they be allowed in school?  Con: No, they should not be allowed in school  New claim:

10. Find the claim  I’m going to give you three paragraphs.  Find the claim in each paragraph.  Write down that sentence on a piece of paper.  You will turn in that piece of paper with your exit task.

11. Find the claim  I think late homework should be accepted. Imagine you were a student sitting in your math class when your teacher says, “Okay, get out your homework!” You rustle around in your backpack for a while until you realize—oh no! You left your homework at home perfectly done. The teacher comes by your desk and you say, “I am sorry. I left my homework at home. My mom just had a baby, so I was taking care of her, and I just ran out the door without it.” Your teacher smiles at you. “It’s okay. I understand. Just bring it in tomorrow.” Isn’t that a better situation than “Oh, too bad! You don’t get any credit for it”?

12. Find the claim  Anxiety creases the brows of many students trying to finish their homework on time. If they don’t finish on time they won’t get any credit. Having a no late homework rule is a very bad idea. Students’ grades will drop, their work will be of lesser quality, and school won’t feel as welcoming. Students won’t be able to do work worth a lot of merit.

13. Find the claim “I’m sorry!” I say. Your teacher responds, “Sorry isn’t good enough! This assignment was due yesterday, not today.” Here I am on my knees begging for mercy at my teacher’s feet. Tears forming in my eyes, I feel like an out-of-order water fountain ready to explode! I sigh and back away like a puppy dog with its tail between its legs. I slump back down in my plastic, green chair and stare at the table. “I worked so hard,” I muttered silently to myself. The teacher turned her back on me and continued on with today’s lesson. I am against the no late homework rule because some students did the work but forgot it at home, and others forgot about the assignment but will make it up by the next day.

14. Which claim was best? 1. I think late homework should be accepted. 2. Having a no late homework rule is a very bad idea. 3. I am against the no late homework rule because some students did the work but forgot it at home, and others forgot about the assignment but will make it up by the next day.  Remember, your essays will have three arguments, not just two.  This means that if you include all of your arguments in your claim, the claim could become crowded and unclear.

15. Topic + Opinion = Claim  I’m going to give you three Would You Rather questions.  Please write a claim for each of these questions on a piece of paper  You don’t need to include any reasoning or evidence, I only need the claim.  Remember, a claim should be a single sentence!  Remember, a claim should be written as fact!  You will turn in this paper along with your exit task at the end of class.

16. 1.Would you rather be able to lift 100lbs telekinetically or 10,000lbs physically? 2.Would you rather become a sentient strawberry with the mind you have now (no physical ability for mobility or communication) or just become a regular strawberry with strawberry thoughts? 3.Would you rather have 100 sentient clones of Patrick Star (each one inch tall) that fly and are obedient, but are idiotic, or have the ability to once a week summon a pumpkin that tells bad puns and gives you a check for fifty dollars at each summoning, but every third summoning speaks with a redneck accent? 4.Would you rather have $10M when you turn 24 or the power to create a single $20 bill right now but the power has a 1 hour cooldown? 5.Would you rather be able to reverse one decision you make every day, or be able to stop time for 10 seconds every day. 6.9-lWould you rather have Morgan Freeman subconsciously narrate the rest of your life OR have a live studio audience that you can't see cheer for you when entering any building? 7.WYR sit on a duck and eat a cake or sit on a cake and eat a duck? 8.Would you rather never be able to express "thank you" or "sorry"? 9.Would you rather be the smartest person in the world or the stupidest, if you retained you current intelligence? 10.Would you rather be able to sleep comfortably where ever you are no matter the time, or never be able to sleep again but never have to sleep again? 11.Would you rather have hair for teeth or teeth for hair? 12.Would you rather meet your great, great grand parents or your great, great grandchildren? 13.Would you rather only need 3 hours of sleep a night or only need to sleep for 21-hours straight once a week? 14.Would you rather receive a free $10,000 a year from the moment you turn 20, or $30,000 a year from the moment you turn 40? 15.Would you rather go to MIT/Harvard and become the best in your field of choice or go to Hogwarts and become an average wizard. 16.Would you rather be covered in red paint, teleported 90 miles from your house, and come down with 100% amnesia for two weeks, only to fully come to your senses at the end of the two weeks, or become convinced that a fried egg is your best friend and he speaks to you telekinetically in Danny Devito’s voice. 17.Would you rather fight one wild bear with just a gun that has one bullet or fight a pack of twelve feral Chihuahua with a machete? 18.Would you rather fight one round in a ring with famous boxer Mike Tyson or live with the knowledge that at some point in the next five years, baseball player Randy Johnson will burst through your door and throw ten fastballs at you as you attempt to dodge? 19.Would you rather have the most perfect relationship possible with someone but after one year the other person will die and all your future relationships will pale in comparison or never meet that person at all? 20.Would you rather be a dinosaur with cancer or a human without cancer? 21.Would you rather eat a potato and feel its pain or be a potato 22.Would you rather have an alligator’s tail or a pelican’s beak? 23.Would you rather have racist gang affiliated tattoos all over your chest and back or a skull tattoo taking up most of your face? 24.Would you rather receive $100 every time you punch someone else in the face or receive $1000 every time someone else punches you in the face? 25.Would you rather have your face on your stomach or have a brand new face every day?

17. Exit Task  Write the claim of your essay  Remember:  It will be the last sentence of your introduction.  It should be a single sentence.  It should be made up of the topic and your opinion.  It should be stated as fact.  You need to also write this down in your laptop so you have access to it!

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