Evaluate Argument: “Kindness Contagion" | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G7:M2:U2:L3

Evaluate Argument: “Kindness Contagion"

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.7.2, RI.7.8

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RI.7.10, SL.7.1, L.7.4, L.7.6
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can evaluate whether evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the argument. (RI.7.8)
  • I can evaluate whether reasoning is sound. (RI.7.8)
  • I can evaluate the strength of an argument. (RI.7.8)
  • I can acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify my own views. (SL.7.1d)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 (RI.7.2)
  • Work Time A: Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher (RI.7.8)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - RI.7.2 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Whole Class: Evaluate Argument: "Kindness Contagion" - RI.7.8 (15 minutes)

B. Pairs: Evaluate Argument: "Kindness Contagion" - RI.7.8 (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Discuss to Evaluate Argument: "Kindness Contagion" - SL.7.1 (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Make Connections: Students fill out the "Argument" section in the "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher about how the author is making connections between medical and social epidemics in this article.

B. Independent Research Reading: Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • RI.7.2 - Opening A: Students grapple with the difference between central ideas and main claims.
  • RI.7.8 - Work Time A: Students reread "Kindness Contagion," focusing on analyzing the argument.
  • RI.7.8 - Work Time B: Students work in pairs to evaluate the argument in "Kindness Contagion."
  • SL.7.1 - Closing and Assessment A: Students engage in a collaborative discussion about the strength of the argument in "Kindness Contagion."
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become ethical people by showing respect as they reflect on how emotions and behaviors can spread among people, and working to become effective learners by collaborating as they work in triads throughout the lesson.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Ask those partners who are more easily evaluating the evidence to partner with peers who are struggling to help them determine whether the evidence is relevant and sufficient and the reasoning is strong.
  • An optional Mini Language Dive, intended for use after students evaluate argument in "Kindness Contagion" Work Time A, is available in the supporting materials download. ^

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In the previous lesson, students began analyzing the argument in "Kindness Contagion" by identifying the main claim, points, and the evidence supporting them. In this lesson, students return to the article to evaluate the evidence and reasoning the author uses to support his claims as well as the validity of the overall argument. This will allow students to engage more deeply with the text and the ideas it develops.

Support All Students

  • The subject matter in this excerpt includes mentions of homelessness and ungenerous behavior. Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this chapter that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually.
  • Students may need additional support with recording their answers on their note-catchers. Consider grouping those students together for additional support when necessary. ^

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students' Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catchers to ensure they understand how to trace and evaluate the author's arguments.
  • During the discussion, monitor students' use of the Conversation Cues that allow them to gather more information from their peers.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will continue to examine the ideas of social contagion and epidemics by looking at an article that advances an argument against taking these ideas too literally. Students will closely read this article for central ideas and to analyze the argument and practice discussing it in preparation for the mid-unit assessment, when they will do the same with a new article.

In Advance

  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 at each student's workspace.
  • Strategically group students into triads for the work in this lesson, with at least one strong reader per triad.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 7.I.A.1, 7.I.B.5, 7.I.B.6, 7.I.C.10, and 7.I.C.11.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson includes a teacher-led, whole-class evaluation of the argument before peer practice.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to evaluate the argument in a complex text. They may not be accustomed to passing judgment on a published work written by an adult. As necessary, assure students that evaluating a person's argument is not the same as passing judgment on the person themselves and that as with peer critique, it is beneficial to both the reviewer and reviewee to evaluate when something is well done or needs more work.

Vocabulary

  • relevant, sound, sufficient (A)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Academic word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Opening A)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Work Time A)
  • Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 2, Work Time B)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 13, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Vocabulary log (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • "Kindness Contagion" (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher (from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 2, Work Time B)
  • Independent reading journal (one per student; begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, Work Time B)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 (example for teacher reference)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 (one per student)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningLevels of Support

A. Engage the Learner - RI.7.2 (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3. 
  • Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use a total participation technique to review their responses.
  • Repeated routine: follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as in previous lessons.
  • Direct students' attention to the learning targets, and remind them that in this lesson they will be looking more closely at the evidence and reasoning in the article "Kindness Contagion." As necessary, use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart together with students to determine the meanings of the words relevant (related to what is being discussed), sufficient (enough, as much as is needed), and sound (having a solid base; makes sense). As necessary, record these words on the academic word wall with translations in home languages, where appropriate, and invite students to record these words in their vocabulary logs.

For Lighter Support

  • Before students complete the entrance ticket, challenge them to discuss the difference between central ideas and main claims. They can define these terms and give examples of them from the "Kindness Contagion" article for their classmates who need heavier support. Orally processing their thoughts and teaching others will enable them to produce a stronger response on the entrance ticket.

For Heavier Support

  • Before students complete the entrance ticket, encourage them to discuss the difference between central ideas and main claims with classmates who need lighter support. These classmates can define these terms and give examples of them from the "Kindness Contagion" article. Orally processing their thoughts and understanding the terms will enable them to produce a stronger response on the entrance ticket.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Whole Class: Evaluate Argument: "Kindness Contagion" - RI.7.8 (15 minutes)

  • Review the appropriate learning targets relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can evaluate whether evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the argument."

"I can evaluate whether reasoning is sound."

  • Ask students to take out their copies of the "Kindness Contagion" and the Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catchers.
  • Remind students of their work in the previous lesson identifying the main claim, points, and evidence in the article. Tell students that in this lesson, they will look more closely at evaluating the evidence and reasoning, to see if it is relevant and sound.
  • Direct students' attention to the Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catchers. Together, review the author's main claim (Kindness is contagious and takes on new forms as it spreads.).
  • Ask:

"What are the main points that the author uses to support this claim?" (Kindness is contagious. Kindness can take on new forms as it spreads.)

  • Focus students on the first point they identified on the note-catcher. Tell them that first, they will discuss the validity of the evidence, and then the reasoning.
  • Ask students to draw on their work with vocabulary in Opening A as they Think-Pair-Share:

"What does it mean to say the evidence is relevant?" (It means that it is related to the claim or point being made.)

"What does it mean to say the evidence is sufficient?" (Sufficient means "enough." So it means that there is enough evidence to prove a claim.)

  • Direct students' attention to the Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catchers, focusing on the evidence they identified for the first point as they Think-Pair-Share:

"Is the evidence we identified for the first point relevant? Why or why not?" (It is relevant because it is related to how kindness is contagious.)

"Is the evidence we identified for the first point sufficient? Why or why not?" (It is sufficient because there is enough evidence to prove the author's point about how kindness is contagious.)

  • Instruct students to underline the occurrence of every "Yes" in column 3 on their note-catchers. See the Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher (example for teacher reference) for guidance.
  • Now tell students that they will evaluate whether the reasoning used to connect the pieces of evidence to each other and to the claim is sound. Ask students what they think sound means in this context. Guide students to an understanding that sound means, tight, or reasonable, and without any unsupported gaps.
  • Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

"Is the reasoning we identified for this evidence and point sound? Why or why not?" (It is sound because it connects the evidence from the study to show how the ideas relate. It also connects the evidence to the point and helps support the author's overall argument.)

  • Instruct students to underline every instance of "Yes" in column 3 on their note-catchers. See the "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher (example for teacher reference) for guidance.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • After Work Time A, invite students to participate in a Mini Language Dive in small groups to explore a sentence from "Kindness Contagion" that provides relevant evidence in support of the main argument in the text. The sentence also helps students to address L.7.2a because it contains an example of how commas are used to separate coordinate adjectives.
  • Challenge students to make an argument evaluation checklist to support their analysis. Items may include:
    • Relevant evidence: Does the evidence relate to the point? 
    • Sufficient evidence: Are there at least two pieces of evidence for each point?
    • Sound reasoning: Does the author explain the evidence? Do the explanations make sense?

For Heavier Support

  • N/A

B. Pairs: Evaluate Argument: "Kindness Contagion" - RI.7.8 (15 minutes)

  • Review the appropriate learning targets relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can evaluate whether evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the argument."

"I can evaluate whether reasoning is sound."

  • Inform students that they will now work together in pairs to evaluate the evidence and reasoning for another point in the text. Circulate and support student partners as they identify and discuss the point, evidence, and reasoning. Identify and discuss with the class any common misconceptions coming from the discussion.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • N/A

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Time B, invite students to use the Argument: “Kindness Contagion” note-catcher ▲. from Lesson 2. This resource supports students’ writing and analysis with sentence frames.
  • Provide an argument evaluation checklist to support student analysis. Items may include:
    • Relevant evidence: Does the evidence relate to the point? 
    • Sufficient evidence: Are there at least two pieces of evidence for each point?
    • Sound reasoning: Does the author explain the evidence? Do the explanations make sense?

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Discuss to Evaluate Argument: "Kindness Contagion" - SL.7.1 (10 minutes)

  • Review the appropriate learning targets relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can evaluate the strength of an argument."

"I can acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify my own views."

  • Inform students that they will now engage in a discussion of the validity of the argument in "Kindness Contagion." Remind them to use their work evaluating points, evidence, and reasoning on their note-catchers as the basis of discussion. Tell students that as they discuss the individual points, evidence, and reasoning, they will naturally begin to discuss whether the overall argument is valid. Students should use the Conversation Cues they identified in the previous lesson to expand conversation and ask peers for more information. If necessary, post the Discussion Norms anchor chart, and review the cues.
  • To increase participation, consider having students form small groups. If necessary, display or prompt students with question such as:

"How do the points support the main claim? How are the points supported by the evidence and reasoning? Which of the points do you find most convincing? Which of the points do you have more questions about? Is the evidence relevant and sufficient? Is the reasoning sound? Overall, do you find the argument convincing?" See the Argument: "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher (example for teacher reference) for possible responses.

  • Circulate to monitor discussions and highlight use of relevant Conversation Cues.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets and the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.

For Lighter Support

  • Before the discussion, display the prompts listed in the lesson and challenge students to orally rehearse with a partner responses to each prompt. Rehearsal gives students confidence with language structures they can use in their discussions.

For Heavier Support

  • Before the discussion, display the prompts listed in the lesson and provide students with the following sentence starters.
    • The points support the main claim by . . .
    • The points are supported by evidence/reasoning such as . . .
    • I think the point about . . . is most convincing because . . .
    • I have more questions about the point about . . . For example, . . . 
    • The evidence is/is not relevant and sufficient because . . . 
    • The reasoning is/is not sound because . . .
    • Overall, I do/don't find the argument convincing because . . .
  • Allow time for students to complete the sentence starters in writing and orally rehearse their statements with a partner. Writing down and practicing sentences they can use in a discussion gives students confidence to increase their successful participation.

Homework

HomeworkLevels of Support

A. Make Connections

  • Students fill out the "Argument" section in the "Kindness Contagion" note-catcher about how the author is making connections between medical and social epidemics in this article.

B. Independent Research Reading

  • Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

For Lighter Support

  • Allow time at the end of class for students to pair with their classmates who need heavier support to discuss their thoughts about the homework prompt. Orally processing their thoughts will enable them to produce a stronger response on the homework.
  • Also for homework, provide students with copies of the “Conflicting Ideas” article they will read in class in the following lesson. Encourage students to read the article for homework, using strategies to define unknown words and recording gists after each paragraph to confirm comprehension.

For Heavier Support

  • Allow time at the end of class for students to pair with their classmates who need lighter support to discuss their thoughts about the homework prompt. They can use the sentence starters on the Argument: “Kindness Contagion” note-catcher ▲ from Lesson 2. Orally processing their thoughts will enable them to produce a stronger response on the homework.
  • Provide students with the differentiated copies of the “Conflicting Ideas” article ▲ they will read in class in the following lesson. The differentiated copy includes gists at the end of each paragraph to support students’ comprehension of the complex text. Encourage students to read the article for homework, using strategies to define unknown words and reading the gists to ensure comprehension.

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