Argument and Perspective

Overview

This 25-minute lesson is designed for an 8th grade small group (8 students) with special needs (Level C placement). It focuses on building students' ability to identify the author’s purpose, point of view, and use of argument and evidence in informational texts, aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for ELA. The lesson features explicit instruction, frequent comprehension checks, a Kagan cooperative learning structure, and dyslexia-friendly supports.

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Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1

• Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

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Learning Objectives

• I can identify the author's claim and the evidence used to support it.
• I can explain the author’s purpose and point of view.
• I can distinguish bias and conflicting evidence in informational text.

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Success Criteria

• Students can underline or highlight the claim and the supporting evidence in a text passage.
• Students can verbally explain the author’s purpose and tone in their own words.
• Students can recognize examples of bias and conflicting evidence with teacher prompting.

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Materials

• Dyslexia-friendly printed text passage (~150 words) on a familiar topic with a clear author’s argument
• Colored highlighters or markers
• Whiteboard and markers
• Vocabulary cards with definitions and visuals
• Kagan “Think-Pair-Share” structure posters or anchor chart

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Vocabulary (5 minutes)

Explicit Instruction

• Introduce key vocabulary (claim, argument, evidence, bias, viewpoint, purpose, conflicting evidence, author’s tone) using vocabulary cards with simple definitions and visuals.
• Say each word aloud and have students repeat chorally.
• Provide a very brief example for each word using student-friendly language.
• Check for understanding: Quick thumbs-up/thumbs-down or show me card for each word.

2. Guided Reading & Annotation (10 minutes)

Activity:

• Give each student a dyslexia-friendly passage printed on colored paper to reduce visual stress.
• Model how to read the passage aloud slowly and highlight the author’s claim in yellow, supporting evidence in green, and vocabulary words in pink/highlight to scaffold comprehension.
• Highlight bias and conflicting evidence, explaining these as you go.
• Use explicit think-aloud strategies: “I think the author’s claim is... because the evidence says...”

Kagan Activity - Think-Pair-Share:

• Students first think individually about the claim and evidence, then pair with a partner to discuss what they found.
• Finally, each pair shares one idea aloud with the group.

Check for understanding: Ask pairs to share a sentence summarizing the author’s purpose or point of view.

3. Group Discussion & Tone Exploration (5 minutes)

• Using the whiteboard, write the word “Tone” and briefly discuss how the author might feel about the topic (e.g., angry, hopeful, biased).
• Have students suggest words that describe the author’s tone and explain why they think so using evidence.
• Teacher guides students to notice specific words or phrases in the passage that show tone.

Check for understanding: Quick oral quiz – “Name one word that shows the author’s tone.”

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Differentiation Strategies

• For students with reading difficulties: use dyslexia-friendly text format (e.g., OpenDyslexic font, colored overlays), read aloud by teacher or audiobooks.
• For students who need additional support: one-on-one prompting during the Kagan activity and sentence starters for discussions, e.g., “The author’s claim is... because...”
• For students needing sensory breaks: provide stress balls or allow brief movement before group discussion.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Have students write a short paragraph identifying the strongest argument and suggesting a counterargument.
• Challenge students to find an article on a similar topic and compare author’s perspective and tone.

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Assessment

• Formative checks via Kagan Think-Pair-Share responses and oral answers during the tone exploration.
• Teacher quick notes on individual student highlight accuracy and verbal explanations.
• Exit ticket: students write or say one claim and one piece of supporting evidence from the passage.

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Reflection & Next Steps

• Use student responses to determine topics for more explicit practice or reteaching.
• Plan Day 2 around differentiating between fact and opinion using similar structures and vocabulary.

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This lesson incorporates explicit instruction and multiple modes of engagement tailored for special needs students, ensuring clear mastery of CCSS skills through accessible text and cooperative learning.