Good Afternoon!

1. NVC

2. Taking a Stand: The Battle of Thermopylae– Argumentative Writing

Essential Question: Did the Spartans sacrifice themselves to save Western Civilization at Thermopylae?

Take a Stand!

• Write 1 sentence answering the question: Did the Spartans sacrifice themselves to save Western Civilization at Thermopylae?– Sentence Starter: The Spartans DID/DID NOT

sacrifice themselves to save Western Civilization because ____________

• Find TWO QUOTATIONS (one from a primary source and one from a secondary source) that support your claim. Write them down

Persuasive Writing

STEP 0• Provide some CONTEXT– A little bit of background information on the topic

of the paragraph– Ex. Western Civilization is a tradition of beliefs and

values started in Europe and passed on to America.

STEP 1

• State your ARGUMENT

• What is this paragraph PROVING?

• Thesis Statement– Ancient Greece is the real birth place of Western

Civilization because the Greeks invented democracy.

STEP 2• Acknowledge the COUNTER ARGUMENT

• What might the other side think? – Acknowledge them so you can CRUSH them!

• Ex. While some might say Ancient Rome is the birth place of Western Civilization because of their system of laws, the evidence will show Ancient Greece really is the birth place of Western Civilization.

STEP 3• Add some EVIDENCE– Specific information or facts that support your

topic sentence. • in this case, a QUOTATION!

– Ex. According to Professor Tom Holland, “Everything we think of as features of our civilization today first came from Ancient Greece.”

STEP 4• Now add ANALYSIS– WHY or HOW does the evidence PROVE your

claim?– EX. Because the Greeks invented democracy,

voting, the use of reason to solve problems, and even map-making before any other peoples, they should be considered the creators of Western Civilization.

Final Steps• Repeat steps 3 and 4– Add more EVIDENCE and ANALYSIS!

• Add a CONCLUDING SENTENCE– Something to summarize your claim– “In conclusion, Greece is the birthplace of Western

Civilization because of the evidence I previously provided.”

Advanced• Thesis: Clearly answers ALL

aspects of the prompt in a clear and specific way

• Evidence– Pulls evidence from AT

LEAST TWO documents– Addresses the source– Evidence strongly

supports argument and main idea of the paragraph

• Analysis– Analysis fully explains the

evidence– Analysis gives specific

reasons how the evidence proves the argument

Proficient• Thesis: Answers ALL aspects of the prompt,

but might be short and not specific• Evidence

– Pulls Evidence from AT LEAST TWO documents

– Evidence is short and the source is not fully addressed

– Evidence supports argument, but not the best evidence

• Analysis– Analysis explains the evidence, but is

short, unspecific, or simply repeats what the evidence says

Basic• Thesis: Restates the question and does

not make an argument• Evidence: Evidence is not from the

documents, is inaccurate, or does not support the argument

• Analysis: Little or no explanation of the evidence.