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50 min
Student Lesson
Lesson 36: Argumentative Writing, Part 5
Content
Students will support claims with logical reasoning and relevant evidence as they draft argumentative essays about a contemporary barrier to opportunity.
Language
Students will use simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal relationships among ideas in an essay draft.
How can understanding the experiences of others help us think critically about fairness and opportunity?
Knowledge-Building:
Students build on their research into contemporary barriers to opportunity, continuing to draw connections between the systemic barriers faced by the Younger family and the barriers that shape people’s lives today.
Enduring Understanding:
To understand our dreams, we must understand the systems that shape them.
Future Lessons:
Students will revise body paragraphs, develop counterclaims, and craft conclusions that make the case for what should change and why equitable opportunity matters.
Unit Performance Task:
Today’s drafting work moves students directly into the performance task: turning a claim, evidence, and solution into the opening of a coherent argument essay.
| Lesson Flow | Purpose of Learning Experience |
|---|---|
Launch5 Minutes | Students will activate thinking about what an argumentative reader needs first and connect Lesson 35’s claim work to today’s drafting. |
Literacy Lab10 Minutes | Students will learn how to structure an essay introduction and use sentence types to show relationships among ideas. |
Learning in Action30 Minutes | Learning in Action Part A: Draft the Opening and Build the Argument (W.7.1.b, W.7.4) Students will use their research notes to draft an introduction and develop body paragraphs with evidence and reasoning. Learning in Action Part B: Peer Feedback and Revision Moves (L.7.1.b, W.7.4) Students will revise for clarity, sentence relationships, and stronger claim development through peer feedback and conferencing. |
Material List
Unit 3 Lesson 36 Student Edition
Students’ Research Notes graphic organizers
Performance Task Handout
Routines
Turn-and-Talk
Language Study
Think-Pair-Share
Quick Write
Partners should face each other and both speak. Keep the discussion quick and focused so students enter drafting with a clear purpose.
Say: In Lesson 35, we turned our research into a precise claim that named a barrier, an affected group, and a solution. Today, we are using that claim to begin writing an essay that answers the unit question about how systems or barriers shape people’s opportunities. This matters because our final performance task asks us not just to gather evidence but to use our voice clearly and logically.
Say these Directions: Take a look at the essay prompt:
How does this barrier shape people’s opportunities, and what can we do to make things more equitable?
Say: Turn to your partner and talk about this question:
Ask: What does your reader need to know first before you develop your argument?
My reader needs to know what barrier I am writing about, who is affected by it, and why it matters before I start listing evidence. If I jump right into details, the argument can feel confusing.
Say: Partner A, share first for 30 seconds. Partner B, listen for one idea you want to build on. Then switch.
Connection to Today’s Learning
Say: Now that you have named what a reader needs first, you are now ready to study how an introduction is built sentence by sentence.
Use the ongoing teacher model topic of employment. Explain that today’s model zooms in on one employment barrier—the gender pay gap—so students can see how a researched argument begins.
Today, we are studying how an introduction does four jobs in a small amount of space. Possible Introduction Sequence: It starts with something concrete and relatable, explains the barrier, shows the impact, and ends with a clear claim. Read the following sample introduction:
Say these Directions: Review this sample introduction:
Every day, millions of women go to work and do the same job as their male colleagues, but they take home less money. This is called the gender pay gap, and it affects women across nearly every industry in the United States. Over time, earning less means saving less, retiring later, and having fewer opportunities to build financial security. This is not just unfair; it is a barrier that shapes what is possible for half the population. Companies should be required to publicly report salary data so that pay disparities can be identified and addressed.
Ask: What does this sample introduction help the reader understand before the evidence appears?
It helps the reader understand the barrier, who is affected, and why it matters. The introduction also makes the writer’s claim clear before the body paragraphs start proving it.
Sentence from the Model | Sentence Type | What It Does for the Reader |
|---|---|---|
Every day, millions of women go to work and do the same job as their male colleagues, but they take home less money. | compound | gives a concrete, relatable problem and signals contrast |
This is called the gender pay gap, and it affects women across nearly every industry in the United States. | compound | names and defines the barrier clearly |
Over time, earning less means saving less, retiring later, and having fewer opportunities to build financial security. | simple | explains impact in a focused way |
Companies should be required to publicly report salary data so that pay disparities can be identified and addressed. | complex | states the claim and shows purpose |
Say: Now consider these optional sentence-level revision moves:
Appositive Move: The gender pay gap, a long-standing workplace barrier, affects women across nearly every industry.
Counterargument Setup: Although some people argue that the pay gap is only the result of personal choices, evidence shows that unequal systems still shape earnings.
Ask: Look at the original claim sentence and the counterargument setup revision. What does the sentence structure change, and how does that change what the reader understands about the argument?
The original claim uses a complex sentence with so that to show purpose—it explains what the solution would accomplish. The counterargument setup uses although to show contrast—it acknowledges another view before pushing back. Both are complex sentences, but they do different jobs. Choosing the right structure depends on what relationship I want the reader to see.
Chunk | Meaning | Function |
|---|---|---|
Although some people argue that the pay gap is only the result of personal choices, | another side of the issue | concession that acknowledges a different view |
evidence shows that unequal systems still shape earnings. | the writer’s response | rebuttal that strengthens the claim |
🎯 PURPOSE Support students in analyzing how sentence structure and organization help an argumentative introduction guide a reader into a claim. Language Focus: sentence relationship words appositives for precise definition concession language with although claim language Before Drafting (Preparation Step - Optional): Students orally rehearse one barrier sentence and one impact sentence before writing. Encourage students to compare the rhythm of the model sentences with how they might explain the issue aloud in their own words, then transform that oral language into academic written language. |
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🗣️ SAY / ASK Point to the way sentence types signal meaning: contrast, cause, effect, and purpose. Invite students to name the job of each sentence in everyday language first, then restate it in academic language. “You said, ‘This sentence tells what it is’—we can say: ‘This sentence defines the barrier for the reader.’” “You said, ‘It shows what happens later’—we can say: ‘This sentence explains the long-term impact of the barrier.’” The first sentence is effective because it helps the reader picture ___. This sentence defines the barrier by explaining ___. A complex sentence can show cause or contrast when I write ___. |
👁️ WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED If students confuse the claim with background information → Prompt: “Which sentence takes a position about what should change? That is the claim.” If students label sentence types without explaining their purpose → Prompt: “Now add the job of the sentence. What relationship does it help the reader understand?” Students explain what a sentence does for the reader, not only what kind of sentence it is. Students use terms such as barrier, impact, claim, contrast, or purpose while discussing the model. |
Check for Understanding (W.7.1.b, L.7.1.b) | |
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Write one possible opening sentence for your essay. Your sentence should either begin with a concrete example of the barrier or define the barrier clearly for the reader. | |
Teacher Tip: If needed, remind students to begin with either “Every day . . . ,” “In many communities . . . ,” or “The ___ barrier affects . . .” Then prompt them to reread their sentence and ask, “Does this help my reader understand the issue right away?” |
Connection to Today’s Learning
Say: Students have now studied one possible structure for an introduction and are ready to draft their own argument essays using research notes, claim work, and solution thinking from Lessons 34 and 35.
[FLAG: non-standard routine — tagging inferred]
Students should draft in their journals while keeping their research notes nearby. Confer with individuals and small groups; if available, the librarian can support students in locating one more detail or checking source attribution.
Say these Directions: Before you start drafting, pull out your Research Notes graphic organizer and your claim. Keep both of these documents open beside your journal; you’ll be using them to build your introduction and at least one body paragraph today.
Before you begin writing your own argument draft, evaluate the following sample argument excerpt:
Every day, women across the United States show up to work, complete the same responsibilities as men, and still bring home smaller paychecks. The gender pay gap, a long-running barrier in employment, affects women in nearly every industry. Over time, lower wages mean less savings, weaker retirement security, and fewer chances to build wealth. Because this barrier limits opportunity long after payday, companies should be required to report salary data publicly.
One reason this change matters is that unfair pay shapes a person’s future, not just one paycheck. According to Pew Research Center, women earned about 82 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2022. This evidence shows that unequal pay can build up over years and limit someone’s ability to save, pay for school, or support a family. In A Raisin in the Sun, Mama explains that Black families were often charged more for housing, which shows that systems can quietly block opportunity over time. Together, these examples show that unequal systems shrink choices and delay people’s dreams.
Although some people argue that pay differences mostly come from personal choices, that explanation leaves out how hiring, promotion, and workplace expectations shape those choices. When a system repeatedly produces unequal results, the problem is bigger than one person’s decision.
In the end, fair pay is not only about money. It is about whether people have a real chance to build stability and reach their goals. Public salary reporting would make hidden patterns easier to see and harder to ignore, which would move workplaces toward a more equitable future.
Say these Directions: Underline the sample argument’s claim. Circle the evidence in the body paragraphs.
Ask: How do those details help support the central claim?
Say: I already have a claim, but a claim alone is not a draft.
First, I look at my notes and decide which details belong in the introduction and which details should wait for body paragraphs. My introduction should not try to do everything; it should frame the issue and land on my claim.
Then I choose one strong piece of evidence for a body paragraph and ask myself, “How does this detail prove my claim?” If I cannot answer that question, I probably need different evidence or stronger reasoning.
Say: As I draft, I also watch my sentence variety so my writing shows relationships clearly instead of sounding like a list. A complex sentence with because, although, or so that can help my reasoning sound more precise.
Ask: In your own argument, which ideas will belong in your introduction, and which ideas should wait for your body paragraphs?
In my essay about transportation, my introduction should explain that unreliable bus routes make it harder for people to get to work and school. I should include the statistic from my article about missed shifts in a body paragraph because that detail works better as evidence.
Say these Directions: Open your journal and begin drafting. Start with your introduction, then move into at least one body paragraph that includes evidence and reasoning. As you draft, try to use at least one sentence that shows cause, contrast, or purpose clearly.
🎯 PURPOSE Support students in transforming notes, claims, and source details into a connected written argument using precise academic language. Language Focus: attribution frames cause–effect connectors contrast language reasoning verbs Before Drafting (Preparation Step - Optional): Students whisper-read their claim and one evidence sentence to hear whether the logic is clear. Invite students to orally explain their evidence to a partner before writing the reasoning sentence, using home language if helpful, and then shape that explanation into formal English. |
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🗣️ SAY / ASK During conferences, ask students to point to the exact sentence where the claim appears and the exact sentence where reasoning appears. Prompt students to use verbs such as shows, demonstrates, reveals, and suggests when explaining evidence. “You said, ‘This fact helps my point’—we can say: ‘This evidence supports my claim because it shows ___.’” “You said, ‘People get affected later’—we can say: ‘Over time, this barrier limits opportunities by ___.’” According to ___, this barrier affects ___ by ___. This evidence supports my claim because ___. Over time, the impact of this barrier includes ___, which makes opportunity less equitable. |
👁️ WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED If students list facts without explaining them → Prompt: “Add one sentence that begins ‘This evidence matters because . . .’” If students write an introduction that already includes all their evidence → Prompt: “Which detail should you save for body paragraph 1 so your draft has room to grow?” Students include a clear claim in or near the end of the introduction. Students use a connector such as because, although, so that, or over time to show relationships among ideas. |
Checklist (W.7.1.b, W.7.4) |
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You will turn in your draft introduction. After you have finished your draft, check that you:
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If students need more support with: Drafting the Opening and Building the Argument
Deciding What Belongs in the Introduction:
Have students say their claim aloud, then choose only one sentence to define the barrier and one sentence to explain impact before drafting more.
Turning Evidence into Reasoning:
Offer the stem “This evidence matters because ___,” and ask students to complete it before writing.
Written Expression:
Allow students to orally rehearse or record their paragraph first or use speech-to-text to capture ideas before revising them in writing.
Students should read a portion of their draft to one partner and listen for what is clear and what still needs development. After the partner exchange, students will revise immediately while the teacher and librarian continue conferring.
Say these Directions: Take turns sharing your introductions and body paragraphs with your partner. As you listen to your peer’s writing, notice one sentence that is already strong and one place where the writer could make the relationship between ideas clearer.
Ask: What is already clear in your partner’s draft, and what is one next step that would make it stronger?
Your claim is clear because I can tell that school funding is the barrier and that you want more equal access to resources. A strong next step would be to add a sentence after your statistic that explains how that evidence affects students over time.
Say: Partner A shares first while Partner B listens and takes a quick note. Then switch. After both partners share, revise one sentence right away based on the feedback you received.
Say: When I revise, I do not only fix spelling or punctuation. I also look for the sentence where my thinking feels the weakest and ask whether the relationship between ideas is clear.
If I am showing contrast, I may need a compound or complex sentence with but, although, or however.
If I want to define a term precisely, I can add an appositive, which is a short renaming phrase tucked into the sentence. For example, instead of writing “The housing barrier affects families,” I can revise that sentence to “The housing barrier, a system shaped by unequal access and cost, affects families for years.”
Say: Revision is where my draft starts to sound more like an argument and less like a list of notes. One strong revision can make the whole paragraph easier to follow.
🎯 PURPOSE Support students in using peer feedback to revise for clarity, precision, and stronger logical relationships among ideas. Language Focus: feedback language contrast connectors appositive phrases revision verbs Invite students to rehearse feedback in everyday language first, then restate it in a more formal, academic way with a partner. |
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🗣️ SAY / ASK Model feedback that names a strength before suggesting a revision. Encourage students to quote or point to a specific sentence when giving feedback instead of speaking generally. “You said, ‘This part is confusing’—we can say: ‘The relationship between these two ideas is not yet clear.’” “You said, ‘Add more’—we can say: ‘Add a reasoning sentence that explains how this evidence supports your claim.’” One sentence that is already effective is ___ because ___. A revision that could strengthen the relationship between ideas is ___. You could use although, because, or however to show ___. |
👁️ WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED If students give vague feedback like “it’s good” → Prompt: “Point to one specific sentence, and name what it does well.” If students revise only for spelling and ignore logic → Prompt: “Which sentence should help the reader understand cause, contrast, or purpose more clearly?” Students give feedback tied to a specific sentence in the draft. Students revise a sentence to clarify contrast, cause, or purpose rather than only changing a word or two. |
Pulse Check (L.7.1.b) |
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Which sentence best uses sentence structure to show a concession and rebuttal clearly? A. Some people disagree about the issue, the evidence is stronger.
B. The barrier is unfair, and people should change it soon.
C. Although some people argue that the barrier is caused only by personal choices, the evidence shows that unequal systems play a major role.
D. Unequal systems play a major role because some people argue about the barrier.
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If students need more support with: Revising and Peer Feedback
Using Peer Feedback:
Give the stem “One clear sentence is ___ because ___. One place to revise is ___.”
Writing a Concession Sentence:
Offer the frame “Although some people argue ___, the evidence shows ___.”
Revising in Writing:
Allow students to orally tell the teacher or librarian how they want to revise the sentence before writing it down.
Have students reflect on their strongest sentence and explain why it works. Use student responses to guide revision and next steps in their argument writing.
Say: The writing you did today is the beginning of the performance task, not a separate assignment. A strong introduction helps your reader trust your thinking, and a strong sentence can become the backbone of a whole paragraph. When you can explain why one sentence works, you are also learning how to revise the rest of your essay with purpose.
Say these Directions: Underline the strongest sentence in your draft so far.
Ask: What is the strongest sentence in your draft so far? Why is it strong, and what is your next step in writing your argument and supporting your claim?
The strongest sentence in my draft is “Because schools in low-income neighborhoods often get less funding, students have fewer advanced classes and fewer chances to prepare for college.” I think it is strong because it clearly shows cause and effect instead of just naming the problem. My next step is to add a source detail after it and explain how that evidence supports my solution.
Scoring Rubric
Consult the rubric on the second page of the Performance Task Handout
Instruct students to take notes in their Journal on the following prompt:
Continue drafting your body paragraphs in your Journal. In each paragraph, use at least one piece of evidence from a credible source, and add one sentence that uses a connector such as because, although, or however to show the relationship between ideas clearly.