OP-EDS

ARGUMENT MINI-UNIT
Sugar as a Social Issue

Linda Denstaedt
Oakland Writing Project (MI)
i3 Career and College Ready Writing Leadership Team
Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Interactive Tour
GOAL
Experience and reflect on
learning and teaching to
imagine mini-units on
argument writing

PROCESS
Engage as a student
Pause to Look Back
noting moves and
opportunities in
lessons
Pause to Look
Forwardimagining
use of a mini-unit

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Locate and
introduce yourself to
a thinking partner.

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

5-6 Day Unit Focused on

Structure and Line of Reasoning
Investigate Thinking and Structure

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Strategic
Reading
Process

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Something is
happening in
the world

Join the
Conversation
Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

Explore a
Topic

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

What are your thoughts on sugar and health?

Do you think it is a social issue?
Include examples from texts you have read or
personal knowledge and experience.

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

Title: Snickers Ad
Image Words
s
Descr Captu
ibe
re
image word
s
s
Bullet and/o
or
r
Numb phras
er
es
each
you
detail
hear

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Snickers

Link to video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MixNh9L7G5M

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Now, Im thinking

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Title: NYC Ad
Image Words
s
Descr Captu
ibe
re
image word
s
s
Bullet and/o
or
r
Numb phras
er
es
each
you
detail
hear

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

NYC Health

Link to video -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mt-i2aypew

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

Now, Im thinking

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

NY TimesRoom for Debate

Banning Supersize Sodas
Isnt the Answer

Georgianna Donadio

http://tinyurl.com/roomfordebate-supersize
Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Annotate/Code Reading
Lines that seem important or interesting
Lines you want to talk back to
Lines you want to push back on

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Now, Im thinking

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Look Back

What did we just do?

How will activities like these move students
toward argumentative writing?
Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Multiple
Views to
Explore
Angles on
a Topic

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

Improve the Food Not the Food Label

Health & Science Columnist

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

Mini-Unit
Page 7

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department

Quick
Research
to Plan a
Draft

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Curate Texts
Scan
Skim
Read
Annotate/Code Evidence
Examples
Expert
Push Back
Own Spin
Write a Plan
Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Revising
while
Drafting

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Slow
Drafting
Not the get-something-

down first draft

Be both a reader and

writer while drafting

Plan
Write
Pause
Reread
Rethink &
Revise while drafting

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Look Back

What did we just do?

How will activities like these move students
toward argumentative writing?
Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

Look
Forward

Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education

How does the design of this lesson support students in trying

new ways of thinking? How do these experiences support
students in writing arguments? How often should such a lesson
be repeated to develop processes that become habits?
How close is what you just did as a learner/reader/writer to what
your students are currently doing in argumentation? What will get
them ready to do this work? What kinds of things will you
consider in adapting these materials for your students and your
classroom?
What are the key components of this mini-unit? Where would this
unit be positioned in a year of learning? How do we use this
framework to design and plan OTHER writing experiences with
different materials or topics?
What are the challenges and opportunities in teaching this miniunit? What shifts will you need to make to do this work? What
kinds of support might you/your fellow teachers need as you take
up or adapt the mini-units lessons and materials?
Linda Denstaedt, Oakland Writing Project, for NWP CRWP funded by the Department
of Education