Argumentative Writing: Start to Finish With a Certified Writing Teacher

As a Writing teacher of six years, I will help your child build their argumentative writing skills from the ground up! This argumentative essay writing class is built to suit the academic needs of students ages 11-14. We will begin with a foundation of learning the key argument writing vocabulary terms, look at mentor texts, write paragraphs, and turn those paragraphs into full essays! 

What will this course cover and include?
*Argument writing academic vocabulary
*Mentor texts (so students can see what a great essay looks like)
*Engaging texts
*Argumentative writing rubric
*Paragraph writing
*Graphic organizers to help students visualize their thoughts
* Essay Writing
*Peer and self reflection
*Feedback
*Revising and editing

I will provide a great deal of scaffolding throughout this course to ensure student success! I like to model writing for students, then have everyone to work together, and finally have students working independently to produce writing.

We will work together in class, and students will complete any unfinished or newly assigned work on their own. I will provide "office hours" or on-demand tutoring sessions to help with these independent assignments. 

Students can begin this class with little knowledge to learn the basics, and if students already have a background in argument writing, I will provide them with the enrichment they are looking for!


Week 1:
Introduction and vocabulary (argument writing key terms)

Week 2:
Look at a mentor essay and outline the key parts of an argument essay (Essay Title: Students and Physical Education--I authored this essay)

Week 3: 
Practice. stating claims and counterclaims (we will use a variety of topics and examples in this lesson)
Write an argumentative paragraph (the topic will be about teens and cell phone usage)

Week 4:
Look at the essay writing rubric 
Begin the argument writing process (Title of article: Professional Athletes' Salaries: Do They Deserve Them? I authored this article.)

Week 5:
Complete the essay together
Get feedback

Week 6:
Begin an essay with more independence (Titles of the stories we will read: The Final and The Move--I authored these stories about a student studying for a difficult final exam and a student moving to another state. Students will argue which scenario is more difficult)
Students can take time to ask questions about their essay drafts.

Week 7:
Get feedback about essays (I will provide feedback for each essay)

Week 8:
Write an argumentative essay completely independently (The title of the article is Endangered Animals: African Elephants. I authored this article. )
Get feedback (I will provide feedback for each essay)