BOP #13 (CCAN TAKE PORTFOLIOS NOW) What makes an effective argument? Argument Notes Start Langley article

SRI 11/17th, 26-liners coming 11/19th…

Grab Your Portfolios

Essential Question of the Day: How do we convince people to think/believe something?

BOP #13: The Trees“The Trees” in this song and their battle acts as a metaphor. Listen to the song and pay attention to the lyrics. What are they fighting over and how does it relate to human nature?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeUvDOMgGY

Click to play…

LYRICS: “The Trees” by Rush

There is unrest in the forestThere is trouble with the trees

For the maples want more sunlightAnd the oaks ignore their pleas.

The trouble with the maples

(And they're quite convinced they're right)

They say the oaks are just too loftyAnd they grab up all the light.

But the oaks can't help their feelingsIf they like the way they're madeAnd they wonder why the maples

Can't be happy in their shade.

There is trouble in the forestAnd the creatures all have fled

As the maples scream "Oppression!"And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union

And demanded equal rights"The oaks are just too greedy

We will make them give us light."Now there's no more oak oppression

For they passed a noble lawAnd the trees are all kept equal

By hatchet, axe, and saw

Write in your Writing Journal (INB) for 7 minutes reflecting on these lyrics and

their message….: “The Trees” in this song and their battle acts as a metaphor. What

are the trees fighting over and how do they and their conflict relate to human nature?

What do they represent?

“One also encounters a depraved taste for equality in the human heart that brings the weak to want to draw the strong to their level and that reduces men to preferring equality in servitude

to inequality in freedom” ~~Alexis de Tocqueville, French political thinker

Read the quote above, write in your Writing Journal (INB) for 5 more minutes: How do these lyrics and the above quote relate to the story “Harrison Bergeron”?

Use your own paper and set up your Cornell notes –just follow the instructions in your “Notes” section of your portfolio on Cornell Notes:

1. Write your heading in the top left2. Write the Essential Question at the top:

EQ: How do we convince people to think/believe something?

3. Draw a line across the bottom and label “Summary”

4. Now draw a line up the left and label “Key Points

That’s it!

As always, when notes are taken, they are a grade. You will turn these in when the bell rings as an ext ticket – you cannot leave if you have no notes!

Persuasion

What makes a good argument?....How is it structured, what is

included, how valid? Discuss at your

tables – have someone write your

answers on their notes. Share…

EQ: How do we convince people to think/believe

something?

Persuasion

What is persuasion?Claim?Reasons?Evidence?

What is an argument?

Argument over an issue =

Claim

An argument usually is found in Non-Fiction (articles & essays) and has specific parts:

Reasons

+ + Evidenceto support a logical viewpoint

Parts of an Argument

CLAIM – an arguable statement on an issue What is an opinion some people have about

an issue? What do people argue about?

SUPPORT - reasons and evidence that the claim is reasonable and should be accepted How do you convince people to believe you?

What kind of examples would you use?

Types of Support

What’s the difference between: a REASON and EVIDENCE?

A Reason is: a general statement that answers WHY the writer thinks their claim. For example….

A writer claims: “More metal detectors should be installed in public schools.”

But WHY???? Reason: To reduce school violence

(that’s a reason…)

Types of Support

But how do you know your reason is VALID??!EVIDENCE!!!!

What is EVIDENCE? facts, statistics, experiences, comparisons – specific

examples that show why the claim is for realz. For example…..

A writer claims: More metal detectors should be installed in public schools (But WHY????) because this will reduce school violence.

But HOW do you KNOW??!

EVIDENCE!!! For example, after using metal detectors in Chicago school, officials went from confiscating 15 guns and 294 weapons in 92 to just two guns in 1995.

(Now that’s some goood evidence

Is This a reason or evidence?

Women are too emotionally fragile for combat. Reason

Smaller female soldiers have, on average, 45 to 50 percent less upper-body strength. Evidence

In direct combat, women would not have an equal opportunity to survive, or to help fellow soldiers survive. Reason

women with equal training as their male counterparts can outperform men. Reason

Women also tolerate hot and humid racing conditions better than men because of their smaller body size, according to a 1999 article in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. Evidence

CLAIM: Women should/should not fight in combat.

Persuasion

What argument is Vonnegut making about society?Write on your notes:

His Claim: ______________________________________

His Reasons – what characters/moments does he use in

the story to support (use 2)?: _______________________

EQ: How do we convince people to think/believe

something?

Thesis & Essay Structure

You are about to read an essay, and asked to find the thesis. What is it?

Thesis = a single sentence written by the author, usually in the introduction, that sums up the entire paper

In an argument, the thesis = claim + reasons

Example: The death penalty is wrong (claim) because (that word “because” is a big clue) it is immoral and innocent people are often wrongly condemned.

Thesis & Essay Structure

It will ask you about “The Body” of the essay. What is that?

It’s the paragraphs that follow the introduction

In this article: the first paragraph is the hook, the second paragraph is the actual introduction The third paragraph is where the body begins!

YOUR TURN!!

TIME TO READ!!

READING THE ARTICLE1. Read individually or as a group (take turns reading, everyone fills out the strengths and weaknesses – take turns on the group paper), and think about how to break down the argument. Notice words from the article to find the author’s: Claim Reasons EvidenceThen what do you think? Fill out the questions on the article…..