Lesson 40: Argument Essay, Drafting Body Paragraphs, Part 1

Think-Pair-Share

• Say: Today, you will begin drafting your argument essay by writing Body Paragraph 1. This paragraph will develop one main idea that supports your claim using strong evidence and clear reasoning. Before we begin, let’s review how your full essay should be structured.

Display the following argument essay structure for students to review:

• An introduction paragraph that presents context about Animal Farm and includes your claim

• Body Paragraph 1 that develops one main reason supporting your claim, using evidence from Animal Farm and one additional unit text, with clear reasoning

• Body Paragraph 2 that develops another reason supporting your claim, also using evidence from Animal Farm and/or one additional unit text, with clear reasoning

• A counterclaim paragraph that presents an opposing view and responds to it with a rebuttal

• A conclusion paragraph that reinforces your argument and reflects on the larger idea about revolutions and ideals

Say these Directions: Turn to your partner and briefly discuss: What makes a strong body paragraph in an argument essay?

• It has a clear topic sentence connected to the claim.

• It includes evidence from the text.

• It explains why the evidence matters.

• It connects back to the main argument.

If students focus only on “including quotes,” reinforce: A strong paragraph does not just include evidence—it explains how the evidence proves the claim.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, your goal is to write Body Paragraph 1 of your argument performance task by turning your evidence into a clear, structured paragraph.

Students learn another strategy for combining evidence in argument body paragraphs.

Mini-Lesson: Using Evidence Blocks to Build a Body Paragraph

• Say: In Lessons 31 and 32, you learned a strategy called TREE to help you develop argument body paragraphs. Today, we are going to learn another strategy for combining evidence in an argument body paragraph called the evidence block strategy. Let’s look at how to turn your evidence blocks into a strong body paragraph. A body paragraph should focus on one main idea that supports your claim. It should include:

  • a topic sentence

  • evidence from Animal Farm

  • evidence from another text in the unit

  • reasoning that explains why the evidence matters

  • a sentence that connects back to your claim

Step 1: Review an evidence block.

Display the following and read aloud:

• Claim: Revolutions betray their ideals when leaders control truth and use fear to silence questioning.

• Body Paragraph Focus: Leaders control information to maintain power.

  • Evidence Block #1 (Animal Farm): The pigs control information and silence opposition. Squealer changes the truth and convinces the animals to trust Napoleon.

  • Evidence Block #2 (Informational Text): The article “Russian Revolution” explains that people wanted land and food, but new leaders like Stalin also controlled information and suppressed opposition.

  • Evidence Block #3 (Connection): In both cases, people begin with hope, but the revolution’s leaders manipulated information to stay in power, causing the revolution’s ideals to fade.

Step 2: Combine the evidence and draft a paragraph.

• Say: Now observe how these ideas, when combined, become a paragraph. Notice how I explain each example.

Display and read aloud the following model paragraph.

Leaders control information to maintain power, which causes revolutions to betray their ideals. In Animal Farm, Squealer manipulates the animals by changing the truth and convincing them to trust Napoleon, which prevents them from questioning his authority. For example, he convinces the animals that Napoleon does everything for their best interest by making claims that it is “absolutely necessary” that the pigs move into the farmhouse (p. 66). This shows that the pigs are not promoting equality but are instead controlling how the animals think. Similarly, the Russian Revolution began with promises of “peace, land, and bread,” but new leaders also controlled information and limited opposition. As a result, people were unable to challenge those in power. Together, these examples demonstrate that when leaders control truth and silence questioning, revolutions lose their original ideals.

Step 3: Have students reflect on the writing moves from evidence blocks to paragraph drafting.

• Ask: What did I add when turning the evidence block into a paragraph?

Guide students to identify:

• Topic sentence (clear idea)

• Evidence is explained, not just stated

• Use of connecting words or phrases (similarly, as a result)

• The final sentence connects back to the claim

• Say: Notice that the reasoning explains why the evidence proves the claim, not just what happens.

• Ask: Where do you see reasoning in the paragraph? How is this different from just listing evidence? Compare the evidence blocks with the paragraph. Note what’s been kept in, what’s been left out, and how the paragraph’s text has been organized.

Instruct students to turn and talk with a partner about where they see reasoning in the paragraph.

• I see reasoning after the part that includes the evidence about the pigs moving into the farmhouse. The paragraph explains the evidence by showing how the pigs control what the animals think about their inequitable actions.

Say these Directions: Now look at your own evidence blocks. Choose one idea you plan to use for Body Paragraph 1. Write one or two sentences that begin turning your evidence block into a paragraph by adding a topic sentence or explaining one piece of evidence. Be prepared to share how your sentence moves beyond listing evidence to explaining your ideas.

Part A: Draft Body Paragraphs (W.8.1.a-d, W.8.4, W.8.9.a) (20 minutes)

Tell students to take out their journals, their finalized claim (Lesson 38), their introduction (Lesson 39), and all their argument writing from previous lessons, including lessons 14, 22, 26, 31, and 32.

Say these Directions: You will now begin drafting the body paragraphs of your argument essay. These paragraphs should focus on one main idea that supports your claim. Use your evidence blocks as a guide, but make sure you expand them into clear, complete sentences with an explanation. You can also use the TREE strategy from Lessons 31 and 32 to support your body paragraph development.

Remind students that the body paragraphs must include:

• a topic sentence connected to your claim

• evidence from Animal Farm

• evidence from one additional unit text

• reasoning that explains how each piece of evidence supports the claim

• a concluding sentence that connects back to the claim

• Use of words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and make connections between your claims, evidence, and reasoning

• Use of formal language and style

• Say: As you write, remember that your goal is not just to include evidence, but to explain what that evidence shows. After each example, ask yourself: What does this prove about the revolution and its ideals? Return to the text to locate and verify your evidence before writing.

Circulate as students write, and provide support as needed.

• If students list evidence without explanation, prompt: “What does this evidence prove about your claim?”

• If students summarize instead of analyzing, prompt: “What is your one main claim that you are trying to prove in this paragraph?”

• If students struggle with integrating quotes, prompt: “Can you blend the quote into your own sentence so it flows naturally?”

• If students write only one source, prompt: “Where is your second source? How does it support the same idea?”

• If reasoning is repetitive, prompt: “Can you explain this in a new way or add a second sentence?”

• Use these additional prompts as needed.

  • Ask: How does your second piece of evidence connect to your first? What pattern are you showing?

  • Say: Use vocabulary from the unit, such as propaganda, manipulation, equality, or control, to strengthen your analysis.

Provide students with a confidence continuum (i.e., 1–5). As needed, model how to demonstrate a level of confidence using the continuum.

Part B: Peer Feedback (W.8.5) (10 minutes)

Students engage in peer feedback to receive guidance on the drafts of their body paragraphs.

Peer Review Protocol

Organize students into pairs to engage in peer feedback.

Say these Directions: Share your body paragraph(s) with your partner. Read your partner’s paragraph carefully and use the checklist below to guide your feedback.

Display the Body Paragraph Checklist:

Body Paragraph Checklist

✔ Topic sentence clearly connects to the claim.

✔ Evidence from Animal Farm is included and explained.

✔ Evidence from another unit text is included and explained.

✔ Evidence is embedded and cited properly.

✔ Reasoning explains why the evidence supports the topic sentence (not just what happened).

✔ Paragraph stays focused on one main idea within the topic sentence.

✔ Writing is clear, formal, and easy to follow.

Transition students into giving feedback to their partners using the Body Paragraph Checklist.

Say these Directions: Give your partner one glow (something they did well) and one grow (one specific suggestion to improve the paragraph).

Say these Directions: After receiving feedback, take a few minutes to revise your paragraph. Make at least one specific improvement to your reasoning, clarity of your topic sentence, or how your evidence is explained.

Turn and Talk

Transition students into partners to reflect on their body paragraph drafting work.

Say these Directions: Take a moment to reflect on your work today. Think about how your body paragraph supports your overall claim. Discuss the following with a partner: What did you do well in your paragraph (topic sentence, evidence, or reasoning)? What is one area you still need to improve?

• Something I did well was explain my evidence through reasoning. I’m struggling to write formally; I say things a lot or sound like I’m talking to a friend instead of writing formally.

Complete and revise at least one body paragraph based on the feedback you received today. Make sure your paragraph includes:

• a clear topic sentence

• evidence from Animal Farm and one other text

• reasoning that explains why the evidence supports your claim

• a concluding sentence that connects back to your argument

Be prepared to share your paragraph in the next lesson.