Unit 3: Lesson 3 (April 1)

Writing Arguments


Share response to 'Does sport create violent people?' with a critical friend.

Provide feedback using the Argumentative Rubric

WARM: Area of strength

COOL: Area that could be improved

RAISE THE TEMP: What do you need to do to improve?


Persuasive Techniques

We use persuasive language to convince others to agree with our facts, share our values, accept our argument and conclusions, and adopt our way of thinking. There are many different ways to persuade people. Below are some of the more commonly used techniques.

• Appeals to emotion
• Evidence
• Inclusive/exclusive language
• Rhetorical questions
• Analogy 
• Hyperbole
• Generalisations  
• Jargon
• Repetition
• Alliteration and assonance
• Imagery/Figurative language  
• Tone 

Read and annotate 'The fraud of the student athlete claim'

Look for claim, evidence, counter-argument, and examples of persuasive techniques.

Formative Argumentative Writing (Due Tuesday, 5th of April) 

Develop your original piece on violence in sport into full argument. Take a strong stance and use persuasive techniques to convince your audience of your point of view. Your piece should be about 5-6 paragraphs in length (2 pages; double-spaced). All sources must be cited using MLA format (both in-text citations AND works cited page). Your writing will be graded using the Argumentative Rubric.

Argumentative writing outline (planning document)



H/W: Complete your formative argument and submit to dropbox before next class. 

Unit 3: Lesson 2 (March 30)

Do violent sports create violent people? 

Effects of Participation in Sports on Men’s Aggressive and Violent Behaviors

Share findings from the reading with your table. Create a google doc that lists main ideas and supporting evidence.

When developing an argument, we need 

• Thesis/claim (overarching idea)
• Supporting ideas/arguments (to support the thesis)
• Evidence for supporting ideas
• Analysis (how the evidence supports arguments/thesis)

Counter-argument: 

The problem of violent athletes is exaggerated.

SMALL TABLE DISCUSSION: Types of evidence for argumentative writing.


Developing an argument: Do violent sports create violent people? 

Create an argument to answer the prompt above. You will find the planner in your dropbox. You will need to create a thesis, provide supporting arguments with evidence, AND address and counter an opposing argument.


H/W- Complete your argument. Focus on cohesion and transitions. 

Unit 3: Lesson 1 (28th of March)

Unit 3: Identity, Gender and Worth in Sport

During this unit, we will be looking at how sport contributes to our understanding of gender, identity, sexuality and value in society.  You will be required to write an argumentative piece about a controversial issue in sport related to one of these themes. Your writing will be assessed using the Argumentative Rubric.

Constructing Identity through sport

How do sports contribute to society's construction of ‘male’ and ‘female’?

Draw the stereotypical ‘male’ and ‘female’ athlete. 

• Draw physical characteristics of the ‘perfect’ athlete. 
• Label/draw symbols of the personality characteristics of the ‘perfect’ athlete. 
• List the stereotypical sports these athlete's play

How does the media portray gender in sport?

Discuss #TWIRLGATE

Outrage after female tennis star is asked to ‘twirl’ on court

In response...  What if male athletes were asked the same questions as female athletes?

View the videos below and discuss the differences in the way male and female athletes are portrayed by the media. 

Sharapova ‘I feel pretty’ Nike commercial vs Roger Federer Nike Commercial

Possible counter-argument: Do these offer opposing ideas?

Misty Copeland UA vs Michael Phelps

READ: How the media portrays female athletes 

1) What is Lamoureux's thesis? 

2) What evidence is used to support her ideas?

3) How do the images add to her argument?

4) What is her call to action?

H/W: Read Effects of Participation in Sports on Men’s Aggressive and Violent Behaviors.

Make a list of key ideas and evidence (bullet points)

E.g. 1) Key idea

• evidence to support
• evidence to support

Unit 2: Lesson 7 (March 9)

Today is work time for your summative task. Your TED Talk and research portfolio are due on Tuesday, 15th of March.

Unit 2: Lesson 6 (March 7)

Skill building: Counter-arguments 

Reader's Journal is due TODAY

Lit Circle #4: Share your reflection with a critical friend. Provide feedback to each other based on 'claims and development' and 'organization' from presentation rubric.
Feedback method: Warm/Cool/Hints on how to raise the temperature. 


Concussion in Football: Does the NFL need to do more? 

Watch video from CBS. Discuss in your table groups what you know about this topic and your opinions.


Based on the presentation rubric, there are three components to developing your claim.

1) Distinct and compelling perspective (supported with evidence)

2) Explain the opposing perspective (recognize the other side of argument)

3) Counter opposing perspective (refute (prove wrong) the opposing perspective to strengthen your argument/thesis).


TASK: Work with a partner, to develop your claim to answer the question above. Make sure that you address an opposing perspective (in detail) and counter that perspective effectively. You will have 15mins to develop your ideas and then you will present to the class.

Opposing Argument Sentence Starters…	Counter/Refutation Sentence Starters…
ü  Some will say that (my thesis) is not true because… ü  Some people might say that… ü  Some will argue… ü  Those on the other side of the issue may say that. ü  It’s true that… ü  While it is true that… ü  Admittedly…	ü  That is not the case.  As we see (bring up new evidence)… ü  While that may be the case, (my thesis) is still true because… ü  That point is true, but it is unimportant because… ü  Nevertheless, my point still stands because… ü  However, that point is not important because… ü  Transition words: but, yet, however, nevertheless, still

Work on Summative Presentation and Research Portfolio.

H/W- Continue to work on your summative presentation and research portfolio. It is due next Tuesday (15th of March). 

Unit 2: Lesson 5 (March 3)

Summative TED Talk

Lit Circle #3: Share TED Talk info from H/W. What was your talk about? What insights or questions do you have?  What connections/further reading have you found? 

With a partner, look at the Research Rubric and see where you would place yourself for 'questioning and investigating' and 'analysis of evidence'. 

Creating research portfolios: Research Portfolio Examples

What makes a great TED talk?

Discuss Murakami's advice on public speaking (pg 101)

What makes a great Ted-Talk?- read the TED commandments

Summative Task Proposal/Research portfolio (in drop)

• What ideas do you have about lessons that sport teaches us about life? 
• Review feedback/video from the formative and set improvement goals for the summative task. 
• Begin preparing for your summative task (research portfolio).

H/W- ‘What I talk about…’ Read chapters 8-9. Reader’s Journal- Choose one of Murakami’s lessons that you think you could learn from. Write a detailed reflection explaining how this lesson could be applied to your own life.

Unit 2: Lesson 4 (Feb 29)

Formative Presentations

Formative Assessment: Cheating in Sport

Today you will give your 2 min presentation on cheating in sport. I will give you feedback on the rubric below.

	Exemplary	Meets	Approaches	Area of Concern
Claim & Development	Presents information, findings and supporting evidence, using a distinct, compelling and/or memorable perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning; alternative or opposing perspectives are anticipated, addressed and countered	Presents information, findings and supporting evidence, conveying a distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning; alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed	Presents information, findings and supporting evidence, clearly, concisely and logically, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning	Presents information, findings and supporting evidence, but is not clear, concise, and/or logical - hard for the listeners to follow the line of reasoning.
Organization	Organizational structure includes an effective introduction and thought-provoking conclusion; sequences ideas strategically; uses subtle transitions to link sections	Organizational structure includes an effective introduction and conclusion; logical sequencing of ideas with a line of reasoning that is easy to follow; transitions to link sections	Organization structure includes an introduction and conclusion; sequencing of ideas is difficult at times to follow; transitions missing or formulaic.	Attempts a structure and organization to support the position. Organizational structure may be missing an introduction and/or conclusion; ideas hard to follow; no transitions between points.
Style & Delivery	Subtle, sophisticated confident/charismatic delivery that is clearly articulated with variation in pitch, tone, volume; maintains eye contact and avoids reading from notes; uses pauses, emphasis, facial expressions, gestures as appropriate and for effect and avoids distracting behaviors; shows appropriate use of conventions (e.g. avoids verbalized pauses)	Delivery is clearly articulated, demonstrating a variation in pitch, tone, volume; maintains eye contact; avoids reading from notes; uses pauses, emphasis, facial expressions, gestures as appropriate and for effect; and avoids distracting behaviors; shows appropriate use of conventions (e.g. avoids verbalized pauses)	Delivery attempts a clear articulation and variation in pitch, tone, volume; does not maintain eye contact and/or reads too much from notes; attempts to use pauses, emphasis, facial expressions, gestures, but not appropriately for effect; demonstrates some distracting behaviors; attempts appropriate use of conventions, but has some verbalized pauses	Delivery lacks awareness of/does not attempt to use delivery strategies; lacks articulation and variation in pitch, tone, volume; no eye contact due to reading from notes; no pauses, emphasis, facial expressions, gestures; distracting behaviors; excessive verbalized pauses

Summative Task: 

You will create a TED Talk around the theme of what sport teaches us about life. You may build upon one or more of the ideas we discuss in class or suggest your own idea. It is your responsibility to formulate a question/topic for your talk and present a 3-5 minute speech about it. 

Presentations will be due 15th/17th of March.

TED Talks are about ‘ideas worth spreading’ so your presentation should focus on a new idea or present an interesting angle on an old idea. You will research your topic in detail (recording your sources using Flipboard or in a research portfolio). You have a large amount of creative freedom in your presentation, but you must include some type of visual aid/presentation tool (Prezi, Keynote, PowerPoint, etc). Your visual aid is meant to enhance audience understanding of your ideas and add interest for the audience.

You will be assessed during your TED Talk for:

1. A compelling argument/thesis
2. Showing both your arguments and a counterargument
3. Effective introduction, transitions, and thought-provoking conclusion
4. Delivery should be confident, use vocalization and nonverbals
5. Use digital media to engage the audience

Your TED Talk will be assessed on the Presentation Rubric and  Research Rubric.

(Review as a class)

H/W: What I talk about…’ Chapter 5-7. Reader’s journal- Identify one idea that you could research further (e.g. mind/body connection-use of visualisation).  Find a TED talk (or another type of speech) that explores the idea further. Using your research skills, provide a summary of talk and provide your insights.