Mastering the Art of Argumentative Essays

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Mastering the Art of Argumentative Essays

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you should have a good understanding of how to write an argumentative essay.

Introduce the lesson objective and explain what students will gain from this lesson.

What do you already know about writing an essay?

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that presents a point of view and argues that point with evidence. It is a type of essay that requires you to take a stance and support it with evidence.

Define what an argumentative essay is and explain how it differs from other types of essays.

Picking a Topic

Choose a topic that you are passionate about and that has two clear sides. Your topic should be narrow enough to argue in the length of your essay.

Give tips for choosing a topic and suggest some possible topics for the students to consider.

Introduction

The introduction should introduce your topic, provide background information, and end with a clear thesis statement that takes a stance on the issue.

Explain the purpose of the introduction and provide examples of strong thesis statements.

Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should start with a clear topic sentence that supports your thesis statement. Provide evidence to support your point of view and analyze that evidence. Use transitional phrases to connect your paragraphs.

Describe the structure of a body paragraph and provide examples of transitional phrases.

Counterarguments

Acknowledge and address counterarguments in your essay. This shows that you have considered multiple perspectives on the issue. However, be sure to refute those counterarguments with evidence and analysis.

Explain the importance of counterarguments and provide examples of how to address them in an essay.

Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement. End with a strong concluding statement that leaves a lasting impression on your reader.

Explain the purpose of the conclusion and provide examples of strong concluding statements.

Formatting and Citations

Be sure to follow the formatting guidelines provided by your teacher. Use proper citations to give credit to your sources and avoid plagiarism.

Review formatting guidelines and provide examples of proper citation formats.

Editing and Revising

Editing and revising are important steps in the writing process. Use spell check and grammar check to catch errors, and read your essay out loud to ensure that it flows smoothly.

Provide tips for editing and revising, and suggest that students exchange essays with a peer for feedback.

Practice Prompt

Practice writing an argumentative essay using the prompt provided. Use the skills and strategies you have learned in this lesson to write a strong essay.

Provide a practice prompt for students to work on and give them time to write their essays.

Review

Review the key concepts and strategies covered in this lesson. Remind students of the importance of practice and persistence in mastering the art of argumentative essays.

Summarize the main points of the lesson and encourage students to continue practicing their writing skills.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.