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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Contrasting Evidence: “Games Can Make a Better World” and “Video Games Benefit Children, Study Finds”

For Teachers 7th Standards
Anecdotes, analogies, testimonies, statistics. The most powerful arguments rely on multiple types of evidence. Scholars explore the topic as they read contrasting evidence about the benefits of video games. They complete Venn diagrams to...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Paraphrasing and Evaluating Sources: “Gaming Can Make a Better World”

For Teachers 7th Standards
Explore how gaming might make the world a better place. To dissect the statement, scholars watch video clips about the benefits of video games. While listening, pupils make notes in their researcher's notebooks, attempting to discern the...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Finding Relevant Information and Asking Research Questions: The Benefits of Video Games

For Teachers 7th Standards
Video games may not be so bad after all. As scholars read the text "The Many Benefits, for Kids, of Playing Video Games," they summarize the gist in their researchers' notebooks. Next, pupils draft supporting research questions based on...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Evaluating an Argument: “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”

For Teachers 7th Standards
Does the Internet negatively affect peoples' brains? Scholars complete a Tracing an Argument note catcher to evaluate the question as they read the text "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Exploring both sides of the issue, they add their...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Logic and Argument: Evaluating the Argument in “Beyond the Brain”

For Teachers 7th Standards
The brain is not the mind. Scholars explore the claim by reading an informational article about neuroscience research, "Beyond the Brain." As they read, they answer text-dependent questions and complete an anchor chart to evaluate...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment: Tracing and Evaluating Arguments

For Teachers 7th Standards
Give water the attention it deserves. Scholars watch Corporations Need to Pay More Attention to Water and respond to questions as part of their end of the unit assessment. They then complete the assessment by reading and responding to...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Tracing and Evaluating Arguments: “The Future of Water” and The Big Thirst

For Teachers 7th Standards
Can scholars predict the future? They try as they first watch the video The Future of Water to capture details and trace the argument. Next, individuals complete the Tracing an Argument note catcher to guide their thoughts. To finish,...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Evaluating an Argument in The Big Thirst

For Teachers 7th Standards
Don't argue with me! Scholars first evaluate the argument in The Big Thirst. Learners work with partners to determine if the text supplies enough evidence to support the claim. They then complete a Tracing an Argument Note catcher for...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing the Central Claim in The Big Thirst

For Teachers 7th Standards
Quench the class's thirst for knowledge while building analytical skills. Scholars listen as the teacher reads excerpt from the book The Big Thirst. They then complete a close read and answer text-dependent questions from pages one...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Mid-Unit Assessment: Drafting the Position Paper

For Teachers 7th Standards
Halftime! Scholars write the rough draft of their position papers to serve as the mid-unit assessment. At the end of the sessions, pupils turn in their rough draft essays and work on independent reading.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing a Model Position Paper: “Facebook: Not for Kids”

For Teachers 7th Standards
It's time to take a position! Scholars learn to write a position paper by analyzing a model paper titled Facebook: Not for Kids. After studying the model paper, learners think about their own papers using the Position Paper Planner. They...
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PPT
Education Bureau of Hong Kong

Decision-Making

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Designed to be included in the fourth lesson in the "Learning and Teaching of Critical Thinking Skills" series, this presentation models for viewers how to use the Decision Making worksheet to weight factors.
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PPT
Education Bureau of Hong Kong

Fundamentals of Critical Thinking

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Analyzing arguments is key to critical thinking. Colorful slides teach viewers how to recognize the structure of an argument, the claims, and the validity of the evidence used to support an argument. Then, provided scenarios permit...
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Workbook
Education Bureau of Hong Kong

Fundamentals

For Students 9th - 12th
"Fundamentals," the first lesson in a series of eight, introduces the basic concepts and strategies covered in a series of resources designed to teach high schoolers critical thinking skills. The worksheets and activities in this first...
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Workbook
Education Bureau of Hong Kong

Evaluating Casual Claims

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Responsible decision making relies on the ability to a recognize, analyze, and evaluate claims. The worksheets and activities in this 32-page packet teach learners how to distinguish among opinions, reasoned arguments, facts, and logical...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part 1: Drafting the Essay

For Teachers 7th Standards
Young writers use the class time to complete a draft argumentative essay.  In answer to the Pygmalion end-of-unit prompt they discuss the change seen in Eliza's inner identity. 
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Writing an Argument Essay: Developing Claims and Reasons

For Teachers 7th Standards
Scholars begin working on the end-of-unit writing prompt for Pygmalion. They must analyze their collected text evidence to determine what information is compelling enough to include in their argumentative essays. The teacher guides them...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Reading Closely: Introducing Chávez’s Commonwealth Club Address and Considering the Plight of the Farmworker

For Teachers 7th Standards
How can a persuasive speech help inspire social change? Scholars read along as they listen to the first half of César Chávez's 1984 speech, "Commonwealth Club Address." Next, pupils use graphic organizers to analyze one of Chávez's...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Writing an Argumentative Essay: Crafting a Claim

For Teachers 7th Standards
As scholars prepare to craft their essays based on Katherine Paterson's Lyddie, they learn about using compelling reasons in their writing. Next, they develop a claim about whether Lyddie should sign a petition to speak out against...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Framing Lyddie’s Decision and Practicing Evidence Based Claims

For Teachers 7th Standards
Scholars grapple with whether the title character of Katherine Paterson's novel, Lyddie, should sign a petition about working conditions at the factory. They engage in close reading and discussion before adding their thinking about the...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing Text Structure: “Teen Slang: What’s, Like, So Wrong with Like?”

For Teachers 7th Standards
What did you say? Class members read Teen Slang: What’s, Like, So Wrong with Like and make notes in the margin to determine the gist. They then analyze the text to identify claims made and the evidence to support the claims. After ...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Scaffolding to Essay: Using Details to Support a Claim

For Teachers 7th Standards
Show me the evidence. Writers analyze the Command of Evidence row of the rubric for A Long Walk to Water essay. Pupils work in pairs to determine how the writer of a model essay meets the demands of the rubric. They then use a Forming...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing a Model Position Paper

For Teachers 8th Standards
What's the difference between a position speech and a position paper? Scholars use a rubric to analyze a model essay about Michael Pollan's food chains to understand what makes them unique. Additionally, pupils create anchor charts...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment Parts 1 and 2: Evaluating Arguments and Claims

For Teachers 8th Standards
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? As part of the end-of-unit assessment for The Omnivore’s Dilemma, scholars watch a video about organic eggs versus conventional farm eggs. They use graphic organizers to collect evidence as they...