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Argument Writing
for Middle School
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike4.0 International License 2020
US Dept of Education, IES Award R305A
Pennsylvania State University and University of Pittsburgh
What policy should your
school follow about
school lunches?
UNIT 1
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Related Resources
Triple Q is based on three types of queries, as described in the Teacher Guide Introduction.
These were drawn from elements in our prior research. A sampling of publications about that
work is below, should you like further information.
Beck, I. L, McKeown, M. G, & Sandora, C. A. (2020). Robust Comprehension Instruction with
Questioning the Author: 15 Years Smarter. New York: Guilford Press.
Crosson, A.C. & Lesaux, N.K. (2013). Connectives: Fitting another piece of the
vocabulary instruction puzzle. The Reading Teacher, 67 , 193-200.
doi:10.1002/TRTR.
Crosson, A.C. & Lesaux, N.K. (2013). Does knowledge of connectives play a special role
in the reading comprehension of English learners and English-only students? Journal of
Research in Reading, 36, 241-260. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9817.2011.01501.x
Matsumura. L. C., Wang, E., & Correnti, R. (2016). Text-based writing assignments for college
readiness. The Reading Teacher , 70 (3), 347-351.
Matsumura. L. C., & Correnti, R., & Wang, E. (2015). Classroom writing tasks and students’
analytic text-based writing skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 50 (4), 417-438.
McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (1999). Getting the discussion started. Educational
Leadership, 57 (3), 25-28.
References and Acknowledgements
We would appreciate the inclusion of the following citation should you need a reference for our
Triple Q work for proposals and internal or external documentation:
McKeown, M.G., Crosson, A.C., Sartoris, M., Matsumura, L.C., & Correnti, R. (2020). Triple
Q: Argument writing for middle school (Units 1-3). Pittsburgh, PA. University of Pittsburgh.
We gratefully acknowledge the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) of the US Department of
Education for its support of the research for which these materials were developed. The work
does not necessarily reflect the views of the IES, and no official endorsement should be inferred.
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Overview of Unit 1 – Junk Food Wars
Lesson Activities Teacher Materials Student Materials
1 Discussion of Keep Healthy Meals in Schools (PRO Text)
o 10 min – Teacher sets up the concept of argument and provides a quick overview of the unit. Students learn that they will read and discuss some argument texts and then write their own argument in response to the following prompt: What policy should your school follow about school lunches? o 20 min – Teacher introduces Questioning the Author (QtA) and gives examples of gist queries. Leads whole group discussion of PRO text using QtA gist queries. o 10 min – Quickwrite: Do you agree with this author about the school nutrition standards? Explain why or why not. (Students write & share answers.)
o Lesson Script o Definitions Chart (small) o Argument Essay Chart (small)
o Notebook – Used in all lessons. (Student materials are in notebook unless noted.) o Text: Keep Healthy Meals in Schools - Tab 1 o Quickwrite 1 - Tab 2
2 Discussion of Eliminate School Nutrition Standards (CON Text)
o 5 min – Brief review of QtA. o 20 min – Whole group discussion of CON text using QtA gist queries. o 15 min – Quickwrite: What does each of these authors want you to think about this topic? (Students write & share.)
o Lesson Script o Text: Eliminate School Nutrition Standards –Tab 1 o Quickwrite 2 - Tab 2
3 Argument Map: PRO Text
o 5 min – Teacher introduces argument elements: claim, reasons & evidence. o 10 min – Teacher models mapping an argument about breakfast being the most important meal. o 25 min – Teacher uses QtA argument queries to help students identify elements in PRO text. During this discussion, teacher creates a map of the PRO text and students mark their text copy.
o Lesson Script o Definitions Chart (large) o Chart Paper o Large Post-Its o Sample Marked PRO Text
o PRO Text -Tab 1
4 Argument Map: CON Text
o 15 min – Teacher uses QtA argument queries to analyze and map the CON text argument. o 10 min – Teacher introduces counter-reason and rebuttal. Students examine and discuss examples in both texts. o 15 min – Quickwrite: What is the most convincing reason each of these authors gave? In your own words, briefly describe each reason and evidence the author provided to support it. (Students write & share.)
o Lesson Script o Definitions Chart (large) o Chart Paper o Large Post-Its
o PRO & CON Texts -Tab 1 o PRO & CON Argument Maps -Tab 3 o Quickwrite 4 - Tab 2
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Lesson Activities Teacher Materials Student Materials
10 Language Choice o 10 min – Teacher uses sentences about a familiar topic to introduce the concept of signal words. o 20 min – Teacher uses QtA language choice queries to help students examine signal words in context and decide what they signal. o 10 min – Students and teacher work together to chart examples of commonly used signal words.
o Lesson Script o Signal Words Chart
o Worksheet: Signal Words - Tab 2 o PRO Text -Tab 1
11 Begin First Draft o 15 min – Students meet in pairs to review each other’s outline and provide feedback. o 10 min – Teacher models using an outline to write a first draft. o 15 min – Teacher goes over essay requirements and students start working on the first draft of their argument essay.
o Lesson Script o Teacher Outline Chart
o Peer Feedback 2 -Tab 4 o Small Post-Its o Teacher’s Model Draft -Tab 5 o Self Checklist - Tab 5 o Paper – Draft - Tab 5
12 Work on Draft o 40 min – Students continue working on their first draft. Teacher looks for and shares example sentences from students’ essays.
o Lesson Script (^) o Paper – Draft - Tab 5
13 Finish Draft o 10 min – Teacher uses a sample marked essay to help students understand how to mark argument elements and how to interpret the marks. o Students finish their first draft. o Students meet in pairs to read each other’s draft and mark the claim, reasons, and evidence. o Students begin revising their draft and preparing to write their final essay.
o Lesson Script o Sample Marked Essay -Tab 5 o Students’ Drafts
14 Begin Final Essay o 5 min – Teacher uses the scoring rubric to briefly review essay requirements. o 15 min – Teacher offers ideas for getting started on the revision process, and students examine revisions marked in a sample draft essay. o 20 min – Students begin revising their draft and writing their final essay.
o Lesson Script o^ Scoring Rubric - Tab 5 o Sample Draft & Final Essay -Tab 5 o Students’ Drafts o Paper – Final - Tab 5
15 Finish Essay o Students finish their essay and complete the Self Checklist. o If time permits, volunteers present their essays to the class.
o Lesson Script o Students’ Essays o Paper – Final - Tab 5 o Self Checklist - Tab 5
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Introduction to the Teacher’s Guide 2
Unit Overview
The title of this unit is Junk Food Wars. The two model argument texts are about school meals.
Specifically, they are about the nutrition standards that require schools to serve healthy foods and limit
calories. These standards were enacted when Congress passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010.
The first model text argues for the standards, and the second text argues against them. There is also a
table with assorted evidence about the standards and additional efforts to promote healthy food choices.
The writing prompt for the final essay is What policy should your school follow about school lunches?
In their essays, students are expected to provide a clear claim that responds to the prompt. In addition,
they are to provide two reasons why they believe their claim and to support each reason with at least one
piece of evidence from the texts or table. Students may go beyond the texts to find additional evidence,
but they should say where they got their information so the reader can decide whether it's convincing.
The unit includes 15 lessons. In Lessons 1 through 4, students read and discuss the PRO and CON texts,
analyze arguments within and across the texts, and work collaboratively to create an argument map for
each text. In Lesson 5, students adopt a position on the standards, then examine the Assorted Evidence
table and identify evidence that supports their position. Except for Lesson 3, all of these lessons contain
quickwrites that ask students to respond to the texts.
Students begin planning their argument essay in Lesson 6. The lesson begins with students brainstorming
claim ideas that answer the writing prompt. The teacher then models writing a claim, and students
compare and evaluate sample claims. In Lesson 7, students write a rough draft of their own claim, then
meet in pairs and provide feedback on each other’s claim. In Lesson 8, the teacher models outlining a
claim, reasons, and evidence, and students begin their own argument outline. The student binder includes
an outline template to help them organize their argument. In Lesson 9, the teacher models adding a
counter-reason and rebuttal to the teacher’s outline, and students finish their outline.
Lesson 10 introduces signal words, and students examine how authors use them to help readers follow the
logic of their argument. In Lesson 11, students meet in pairs and provide feedback on each other’s outline.
The teacher then models using an outline to write a first draft. Students work on their draft in Lessons 11
and 12. They finish their draft in Lesson 13, then pair up and mark the claim, reasons, and evidence in
each other’s draft. Students examine a sample draft revision in Lesson 14, then begin revising their draft
and writing their final essay. They finish their essay and complete a Self Checklist in Lesson 15.
The Teacher’s Guide contains lesson scripts that support the teacher in facilitating discussions and
activities. The scripts include stopping points in the text or activity, queries to initiate discussion, and
follow-ups that encourage students to clarify and elaborate their ideas and respond to the ideas of their
peers. The scripts enable teachers to provide explicit supports for students’ writing by modeling such
processes as mapping an argument, writing a claim, creating an outline, and using the outline to write a
first draft. They also suggest problems to watch for and feedback to offer while students are planning,
writing, and revising their essays.
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Contents: Unit 1: Junk Food Wars
Tab 1 - Texts
- Keep Healthy Meals in Schools
- Eliminate School Nutrition Standards
- Assorted Evidence Table
Tab 2 – Worksheets
- Lesson 1 Quickwrite
- Lesson 2 Quickwrite
- Lesson 4 Quickwrite
- Lesson 5 Quickwrite
- Lesson 10 Signal Words
Tab 3 – Argument Maps
- Map of PRO text (Keep Healthy Meals in Schools)
- Map of CON text (Eliminate School Nutrition Standards)
Tab 4 – Planning your essay
- Essay Criteria
- Outline Template
- Peer Feedback 1
- Peer Feedback 2
Tab 5 – Writing your essay
- Teacher’s Model Draft
- Self-Checklist
- Draft paper
- Sample Marked Essay
- Scoring Rubric
- Sample Draft & Final
- Final essay paper
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Unit 1
Lesson 1 – Discussion of Keep Healthy Meals in Schools (PRO Text)
Introducing the Unit
Part 1 – Set Up the Concept of Argument
Hand out student binders.
Introduce topic:
Let’s think about how we use arguments. Not the kind of argument when you just have a
fight with someone, but when you want to persuade someone to adopt your idea. In that
kind of argument, you say what you think and provide reasons why you think so.
So for example, if your family was planning to get a new dog and you had an idea about
what kind to get, what could you say to convince your family to get that kind of dog?
Allow students to share ideas for a minute or two. As they share, ask follow-up questions
to help them focus on convincing their family rather than talking about the kind of dog
they want. Examples:
- Why would that be good for your family?
- How do you know that’s true?
- Would that be convincing?
Bird’s Eye View
Introducing the Unit (Parts 1 & 2) – 10 minutes
This lesson begins with a brief discussion to set up the concept
of argument and provide a quick overview of the unit.
Text Discussion (Parts 3 & 4) – 20 minutes
Each portion of text is then read aloud and discussed using
Questioning the Author gist queries.
Quickwrite (Part 5) – 10 minutes
Students then write about whether they agree with the author
and why.
Information
In Parts 1 and 2, you will introduce two charts that will be added
to in later lessons. Use magnets or tape to display the charts in a
prominent place in your classroom.
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Lesson 1 – Discussion of PRO Text 2
Show students the Definitions Chart and tell them
this is the definition we’ll use in this unit.
Ask: What makes a good argument?
Allow students to share ideas about this question
for a minute or two.
No conclusions need to be reached at this point,
but listen for and reinforce ideas related to the
need for strong reasons and/or some kind of
evidence.
Introduce idea of importance:
When might it be important to argue well?
Help students generate examples of important arguments. These could involve issues from
school, home, the news, etc., such as:
- a lawyer trying to convince a judge or jury
- a teacher who believes social studies is important and should be taught
- students trying to change the school’s dress code
- candidates running for office
Summarize importance of a convincing argument:
Important changes often come from people making arguments that convince
others to follow their ideas.
Part 2 – Introduce the Unit
Describe unit:
Over the next few weeks we’ll be working together around a topic called “Junk Food
Wars.” We’ll read and discuss some texts, and we’ll do some writing about the
arguments in the texts. Then you will write your own argument about school lunches.
For your argument essay, you will be asked to respond to this prompt:
Show students the Argument Essay Chart.
Read the prompt, then ask: What’s a policy?
Allow students to share ideas, then help them
agree that a policy is a plan of action or set of
guidelines for how something should be done.
For example, a dress code is a policy about what
people should wear or how they should dress.
Conclude intro:
So as we read and discuss, be thinking about the kind of argument you want to make.
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Lesson 1 – Discussion of PRO Text 4
Have students turn to the first text under Tab 1 in their binders.
Conduct a discussion based on the questions indicated on pages 5 and 6.
Guiding a QtA Discussion Using Gist Queries to Promote Comprehension Questioning the Author gist queries are designed to help students figure out what the author is trying to say. Suggested responses are provided with each query. As students identify a major idea, write it on the board. This will help students remember what was stated and provide visual support for understanding the author’s message.
Troubleshooting Problems Students’ initial responses are likely to be incomplete or incorrect. They may misinterpret the text or offer ideas that don’t come from the text. To develop strong understanding of the text, follow up the responses to help students clarify, elaborate, or refocus their ideas: Reread a key line or two and repeat the query. Or use follow-up questions such as:
- What makes you think that?
- Is that what the author told us?
- What lines in the text say that?
- How does that connect to what we said earlier? Some students answer gist queries by reading text sentences verbatim, often without thinking about what the words mean. When this happens, prompt students to say it in their own words. For example, “That’s what the author said but what does the author mean?”
When students use their own words without being prompted, provide reinforcement by saying something like, “You did a great job of saying that in your own words.”
Response Slips If students do not respond to a question or if only a few students participate, have everyone write a one-sentence response. To make sure students are prepared to do so, you might have slips of paper ready to provide. After students write, you can have them read what they wrote or you can collect the slips and read a few answers. If you establish this as a routine, students may be more likely to respond orally.
Introducing Unfamiliar Words The words that are highlighted in your copy of the text are terms that might be unfamiliar to your students. Definitions can be found on page 6. Please provide brief explanations of these and other unfamiliar words as they arise during the reading.
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Lesson 1 – Discussion of PRO Text 5
Keep Healthy Meals in Schools
by Sara Martin
1 In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy Hunger-Free
2 Kids Act. This new law updated the nutrition
3 standards for school meals in an effort to help
4 students eat healthier foods. For decades, school
5 cafeterias have served mostly processed foods.
6 These foods are easy to prepare, but they tend to be
7 high in calories and low in nutrients. The new
8 standards require schools to offer more fruits,
9 vegetables, whole-grains, and foods that are low in
10 sugar, fat and salt. They also require schools to limit
11 portion sizes so students don’t get more calories than
12 they need. School meals should be healthy, so it is
13 important to keep the standards and give them time
14 to work.
15 One reason to keep the standards is that they are
16 beginning to make a difference. Former First Lady
17 Michelle Obama, a key player in getting the law
18 passed, wrote this two years after the standards
19 went into effect:
20 Today, 90 percent of schools report that they are
21 meeting these new standards. As a result, kids
22 are now getting more fruits, vegetables, whole
23 grains and other foods they need to be healthy.
24 A three-year study from the University of
25 Washington shows that the standards are helping
26 students make better food choices. Researchers
27 analyzed the food items selected by middle- and
28 high school students. They found that students are
29 now choosing more foods that are high in protein,
30 iron, calcium and vitamin C. They are also choosing
31 more foods that are low in calories.
32 Another reason to keep the standards is that they will
33 make even more of a difference as schools and
34 students adjust to them. This is not an easy
35 adjustment, but many organizations are helping. The
36 United Fresh Produce Association is helping schools
37 buy and use fresh produce. The U.S. Department of
38 Agriculture (USDA) is helping schools purchase
39 kitchen equipment needed to prepare healthy meals.
40 It is also providing toolkits with strategies for
41 helping kids choose healthy foods.
(32-41) How does this paragraph connect to what the author has been saying?
- It gives another reason to keep the standards: they will work even better as schools and students get used to them.
What makes the author think schools and students will get used to them?
- Schools are getting help to provide healthy meals and help kids choose healthy foods.
(lines 1-12) What's the author telling us about?
- Congress updated the nutrition standards for school meals. So now schools have to serve healthy foods & limit portion sizes.
(24-31) What is the author saying about this study?
- It found that kids are choosing healthier foods than they did before the standards.
How does this fit with what the author wants us to believe?
- It shows more about how the standards are making a difference.
(15-23) What reason does the author give for keeping the standards?
- Because they’re starting to make a difference.
Mrs. Obama says kids are getting more heathy foods. How does that connect to the idea that the standards are making a difference?
- It tells how they are making a difference (e.g., school meals are getting healthier).
(12-14) What is the author claiming here?
- She says we should keep the standards and give them a chance to work.
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
Triple Q (2020) Pennsylvania State University
