We know students in upper elementary and middle school can make
an argument to have a pizza party, to get out of detention, or to prove a
point. So, why do they find it hard to write strong arguments from text? Persuasive
writing is a skill that’s easier said than done because it is not about conflict or winning. Instead, it’s about
having a reason and supporting that reason with evidence.
Before I have students write a persuasive paper, I like to have them practice determining an author’s
reason and supporting evidence from a nonfiction text. I do this weekly in small groups.
One day per week, for 10 minutes, I use a text that students
have either been exposed to before (science or social studies text) or a
nonfiction leveled book at their instructional level.
How I Explicitly Teach Author’s Reasons and Evidence
Tell
your group that they’ll be exploring answers to questions about a text, such
as: What point was the author trying to make? How do you know? Where’s the
evidence? Explain that an author’s point is an idea she or he is trying to make
in their writing and that evidence is the proof that supports their point. Read
a paragraph from a nonfiction text. The paragraph should include an author’s
point with two instances of supporting evidence.
Have
students turn and talk to discuss what they think the author's point is, along
with evidence that supports it. Then have students share their answers moving
from author’s point, to reason, then evidence, and then clear up any
misconceptions and errors.
Once
I have taught this for about 6-8 weeks, I put out task cards for students to
practice in centers. I give students
about 2 weeks with the set since there are so many other things that they are
required to do each day. After 2 weeks,
we review the answers in reading group and discuss the answers. Specifically, I am looking for errors and for
students to explain their reasoning. If you would like to see the cards that I created and use, you can see them here.
Stay tuned for another post about teaching students to write persuasive essays!
Happy Teaching,
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