Lesson 26: A Raisin in the Sun, Argumentative Writing, Part 3

Use this brief partner conversation to connect Lesson 25’s analysis of the ending A Raisin in the Sun to today’s writing task. Invite students to ground their first instinct in specific text rather than a general feeling. Have students turn to a partner and keep the prompt visible while they speak.

Turn and Talk

Say these Directions: In Lesson 25, we looked closely at the final scene and what it means that Mama carries the plant with her. Today, we are using that analysis as the starting point for an argument about whether buying the house is a dream realized or a dream deferred. This work matters because strong arguments do not just say what we think, they show exactly why, using evidence and reasoning. I’m going to ask a question. In your response, be sure to refer to a specific moment in the text that leads you to your opinion.

• Ask: Is Mama’s decision to buy the house in Clybourne Park more of a dream realized or a dream deferred, and what moment from the play makes you feel that way?

  • I lean toward a dream realized because in the final scene, Walter tells Mr. Lindner that the family is going to move into the house anyway. That moment shows they are claiming dignity instead of giving in.

  • I lean toward a dream deferred because even after Mama buys the house, the family still faces racist pressure and loses the money. The moment when Ruth says there are no Black families in Clybourne Park makes the dream feel risky and incomplete.

• Say: Partner A, share your response first for 30 seconds. Partner B, listen for the text moment your partner names. Then switch.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Now that you have taken an initial position, you are ready to study the language moves that help arguments sound clear and connected.

Use this mini-lesson to show that transitions are not decoration. They guide a reader through the writer’s thinking by signaling claim, evidence, and explanation.

Language Study

Say these Directions: Compare two versions of the same, brief argument. The argument relies on this quote from the text: “We have decided to move into our house because my father—my father—he earned it for us brick by brick.” (p.148)

Display these two versions of the same argument:

Version 1

Mama’s decision is a dream realized. Walter tells Mr. Lindner that his father earned the house “brick by brick” (p. 148). The house represents sacrifice. Big Walter is gone. Mama can realize his dream.

Version 2

Mama’s decision is more of a dream realized than a dream deferred. Specifically, in the final confrontation with Mr. Lindner, Walter says that his father earned the house “brick by brick” (p. 148). This shows that the house represents years of sacrifice. Although Big Walter is gone, Mama can realize his dream.

• Ask: Which version of the argument is clearer and stronger? Let’s take a closer look at what makes the second version so effective.

Display the chart.

Use a Think-Aloud to explain the difference between the two versions of the argument.

• Say: When I compare these two versions, I notice that Version 1 has the right ideas, but the reader has to do too much work to connect them. Version 2 acts like a bridge: it tells me the claim first, then uses one word, specifically, to point me to the exact evidence. uses the phrase this shows that to explain why the evidence matters. The last sentence combines two sentences with a dependent clause so that we see how the statement about Big Walter relates to the claim. Strong writing does not just drop a quote onto the page; it instead guides the reader step by step from opinion, to proof, to reasoning. I want to see you include at least one transition before evidence, and one after evidence so that your reasoning is visible.

• Ask: What do the transitions add to Version 2?

  • The transitions make the sentence easier to follow because they show where the evidence starts and where the explanation begins. “Specifically” tells the reader a detail is coming, and “this shows that” tells the reader why the quote matters to the claim.

Say these Directions: Take 20 seconds to whisper-read Version 2 to yourself and select one transition you might use in your own essay.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: You now have sentence-level tools to use as you plan and draft your full argument.

Students need a clear plan before drafting. Explain that the chart they create will be the map that keeps their essay focused and precise. In Part B, Students will begin drafting based on their charts. Encourage them to keep the transitions list visible so they can intentionally connect ideas.

Part A: Build the Argument Outline (W.7.1.a, W.7.1.b, W.7.1.c) (15 minutes)

Rehearse and Refine

Say these Directions: Copy the chart below into your journal and use the Rehearse and Refine routine to get started. Partner A, explain your claim and one piece of evidence. Partner B, listen for whether the claim answers the exact prompt, then switch. After that, complete your chart independently.

Teach: Building an Argument

• Say: I’m going to make a chart to organize my thoughts and information. First, watch how I reread the prompt carefully. Then you will complete your own chart with a claim, two pieces of evidence from the play, a counterclaim, a rebuttal, and a conclusion sentence. Add at least two transitional words or phrases you might use when connecting evidence to your claim.

• Say: The first thing I do is reread the prompt. I notice that it asks me to choose between two ideas: dream realized or dream deferred. That means my claim cannot be vague, like “Mama buys the house and it is complicated.” I need a claim that clearly answers the exact question. I might write, “Mama’s decision is more of a dream realized than a dream deferred because the house gives the family dignity and a future, even though racist barriers still threaten them.”

• Say: Next, I identify evidence that supports my claim.These are when Mama announces the house in Clybourne Park and when Walter rejects Mr. Lindner in Act III.

• Say: Then I plan a counterclaim that says the dream is deferred because the family loses the money and faces white resistance.

• Say: Finally, I rebut that counterclaim by explaining that the family still moves forward, which makes the decision a powerful act of resistance.

Display a sample chart and complete it as you talk. Have students copy the chart structure into their journal.

SAMPLE CHART

• Ask: Which two text moments in the play best support your claim, and why?

  • I would use the moment when Mama tells the family she bought the house and the final scene with Mr. Lindner. The first moment shows the dream becoming possible, and the second moment shows the family refusing to give it up.

• Ask: What is one counterclaim a reader might make about Mama’s decision?

  • A reader might say the decision is really a dream deferred because the family is still facing racism, financial loss, and danger even after the house is bought.

Part B: Begin the Essay Draft (W.7.1.a, W.7.1.b, W.7.1.c) (15 minutes)

Modeled Writing

Teach: Drafting from the Outline

• Say: Now I am ready to turn my plan into paragraphs. I do not copy my chart word for word; I expand each note into full sentences that guide the reader. I start with my thesis because the reader needs to know my position right away. Then I take one piece of evidence at a time and add a transition before the detail and another after it, so my reasoning stays clear. When I reach the counterclaim, I do not switch sides completely—I briefly name the other view and then use a word like however to show my rebuttal. By the end of the draft, my reader should be able to follow my thinking without guessing how the details connect.

Display the following writing model if needed for support and guidance:

Mama’s decision to buy the house in Clybourne Park is more of a dream realized than a dream deferred. Even though the Younger family still faces racism and financial loss, the house gives them dignity and a real step toward the future they have worked for. This claim answers the exact prompt and sets up the argument that the dream is not easy, but it is still becoming real.

One example of this is when Mama announces that she has bought a house in Clybourne Park. Ruth immediately understands the risk because there are no Black families living there, which shows how much courage the choice requires. As Hansberry writes, the house becomes the family’s chance to leave behind the cramped apartment and move toward a better life. This evidence matters because the dream is no longer only something they talk about; it is becoming a real place they can go.

Another important moment comes in the final confrontation with Mr. Lindner, when Walter says that his father earned the house “brick by brick.” This shows that the house stands for more than property. It represents Big Walter’s labor, the family’s dignity, and their refusal to let white resistance control their future. A counterclaim is that the dream is deferred because the family loses the money and faces racist pressure. However, what this reveals is that barriers do not erase the dream. Instead, the family’s decision to move anyway proves that they are still claiming it.

In conclusion, Mama’s choice is ultimately a dream realized. Hansberry suggests that dreams can still be real even when the person encounters barriers. By moving forward together, the Youngers turn homeownership into an act of hope and resistance.

Say these Directions: Use your chart to begin drafting your essay in your journal. Write at least an introduction and one body paragraph today. Include at least two transition phrases: one will introduce evidence, and one will explain what the evidence shows. As you draft, use the checklist to check your work:

• Did I answer the exact prompt?

• Did I introduce my evidence?

• Did I explain how the evidence supports my claim?

• Ask: What transition are you planning to use first, and where will it go in your draft?

  • I am going to use “specifically” before my first piece of evidence when I introduce the scene where Mama announces the house. Then I will use “this shows that” after the evidence to explain why that moment supports my claim.

Lesson 26 Writing Rubric: Argument Paragraph — Dream Realized or Deferred?

Writing prompt: Write an argument paragraph that introduces a precise claim about whether a specific barrier — connected to the Younger family's dreams in A Raisin in the Sun — continues to limit people's opportunities today. Support your claim with evidence from research.

Students write a quick reflection on their work in Part B.

Quick Write

Say these Directions: Before you leave, pause and check the strength of your argument plan. This quick reflection will help you finish the essay with a clearer next step. Write 4–5 sentences that include your current thesis, two moments from the play that you used or plan to use as evidence, and one counterclaim you still need to answer.

• My current thesis is that Mama’s decision is more of a dream realized than a dream deferred because the house gives the family dignity and a future. One text example that I am using is when Mama tells the family she bought the house in Clybourne Park. Another is the final scene when Walter tells Mr. Lindner that his father earned the house “brick by brick.” The counterclaim I still need to answer is that the dream is deferred because the family loses the money and still faces racism.

Teach: Reflecting on Progress

• Say: If I were answering this Quick Write, I would check whether my thesis really takes a side or just sounds safe. Then I would ask myself whether my two pieces of evidence are the strongest examples to prove my claim, not just the first scenes I remembered. Last, I would make sure my counterclaim sounds fair, because a strong rebuttal starts by naming the other side accurately.

• Say: Today you practiced the same moves strong researchers and argument writers use in the final performance tasks: making a precise claim, choosing relevant evidence, and responding to another point of view. When you research modern barriers to opportunity later in the unit, you will need these exact moves again. The clearer your structure is now, the stronger your future argument will be.

• Ask: Which transition phrase or planning move helped your thinking become clearer today?

  • Using specifically helped me slow down and name the exact scene I wanted to use. That made my evidence feel more focused instead of random.

Instruct students to complete writing their argumentative essay draft, and to check that their work includes:

• a precise thesis that answers the prompt

• at least two pieces of evidence from A Raisin in the Sun

• a counterclaim and rebuttal

• transition phrases that connect claim, evidence, and reasoning