Evaluating Leadership Approaches

Lesson Overview

• Unit: Voices of Identity: Du Bois vs. Washington
• Lesson: 5 of 5 – Culminating Argumentative Writing
• Class Size: 10 students
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Curriculum Area: English Language (Key Stage 4), GCSE Standards
• Focus: Writing to Argue and Evaluate

This lesson will guide students in crafting a well-structured thesis statement for an argumentative essay. It encourages critical analysis of the effectiveness of W.E.B. Du Bois’ and Booker T. Washington’s approaches to Black progress, applying persuasive writing techniques within a structured argument.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Construct a clear and compelling thesis statement that reflects a well-supported stance.
2. Develop an outline that integrates textual evidence effectively.
3. Justify their argument with logical reasoning and relevant examples.

Success Criteria

• A well-structured thesis statement is submitted by the lesson’s end.
• Students engage in analytical discussion on both leaders' approaches.
• Planned outlines demonstrate structured argumentation with supporting evidence.

Prior Knowledge

• Students are familiar with primary texts by Du Bois and Washington.
• Previous lessons have covered rhetorical strategies and historical contexts.

Lesson Structure

Starter (10 minutes) – Reflect & Debate

Task: Students engage in a quick-turn debate:

• Split the class into two small groups. One supports Du Bois, the other Washington.
• Each group has 3 minutes to identify one key argument from their respective thinker.
• Mini-debate: Each group has 1 minute to present and 1 minute to counter the opposing argument.

Teacher Guidance: Encourage justification through direct references to past readings. Prompt students to challenge assumptions logically.

Purpose:

This warms students up by activating prior learning and reinforcing key thematic ideas.

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Main Activity (30 minutes) – Outlining Arguments

Step 1: Crafting the Thesis Statement (15 minutes)

• Display sentence stems such as:
  • "Du Bois’ approach was more effective because…"
  • "Washington’s philosophy was better suited to…"
  • "While both offered invaluable guidance, ultimately… "
• Model an example on the board, breaking it into:
  • A clear stance
  • A reasoned justification
  • A preview of the argument structure

Student Task: Individually draft their own thesis statement, ensuring clarity and a direct answer to the question. Partner feedback follows.

Step 2: Structuring the Argument (15 minutes)

• Provide an argument outline template including:
  1. Introduction: Hook + Clear Thesis
  2. Paragraph One: Strongest supporting argument (with textual evidence)
  3. Paragraph Two: Counterpoint with rebuttal
  4. Paragraph Three: Additional strength of chosen leader’s approach
  5. Conclusion: Final reaffirmation of viewpoint

Student Task: Begin filling in their outline by identifying 2-3 supporting points and one counterargument.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence scaffolds for students who need additional structuring.
• More confident writers can be challenged to integrate an additional perspective, e.g., how their leader’s approach resonates today.

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Plenary (15 minutes) – Thesis Submission & Peer Critique

Exit Ticket: Each student submits their final thesis statement on a sticky note.

• Teacher quickly reviews and provides brief written feedback.
• Pairs conduct 5-minute critiques, ensuring clarity and argumentative strength.

Discussion Prompt: If your thesis were a tweet (280 characters), how would you phrase it for maximum persuasion?

Purpose:

Students leave the lesson with guidance on refining their thesis in preparation for their full essay.

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Assessment & Homework

• Formative: Thesis statements assessed for clarity, specificity, and strength of argument.
• Independent Task: Finish developing the full essay plan using structured feedback.

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Teacher Reflection & Next Steps

• Have students demonstrated a secure understanding of argumentative structure?
• Which aspects of their reasoning need reinforcement?
• Use observations to guide written feedback on their final essays.