8th Grade Argumentative Unit
Should High School Students be Allowed to Play Football?
Task 1
Watch Video and Complete Video Activity
• Video clip “Do Athletes Face Unnecessary Parent Pressure?” Video from KCRA.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqypa_oNQVI
Video Note Activity: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fy54eDjZAdhKy-RUD6s6DoZrOmRevCe4AOMJBirnQP4/edit?usp=sharing
Task 2
Read Text with Readers Notes
• “What in the Name of High School Football” by Hank Hill
Task 3
Read Text with Readers Notes
• “Are High School Sports Good For Kids?” by Daniel Gould
Writing Activity to Support Text Comprehension
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TVLUKrOEpSSIJ30uRrxgZSRfSgKPZJ1uQ6EzgsMA2s8/edit?usp=sharing
Task 4
Watch 3 Videos and take notes to support your research
Writing Notes Page: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zFw3rCQbK36qJhqm_HZ43TumTmiSnc83dtVDQVEktBM/edit?usp=sharing
• Video clip "Notebook: Kids and Sports" Video from CBS news http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-WqlorsBM
• Video clip "Report: Pressure on Teen Athletes Soars" Video from WCPO, Cincinnati, Ohio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_9jUEz7AE
• Video clip "Sports: How Much Is Too Much?" Video from KCRA.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrP68OD355w
Task 5
Watch Video and Complete Graphic Organizer to Support Comprehension
“High School, College Football Comes With Risk” by Jeffrey Perkel http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=4508074&page=1
Graphic Organizer
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oOF8U9qdM1yp2Q34bRKmhxnyhnG0zs6SdVvE1XVkn4M/edit?usp=sharing
Task 6
You have done more research on this issue now, and you know even more about the pros and cons of youth sports. Now, imagine that your school district is going to make a final decision about continuing to fund sports programs in the schools. You have a chance to write a letter that will be read to the mayor, printed in the paper, or presented to the head of the school board or PTA. Your letter should state a claim or thesis by taking a clear side, backing it up with research, and refuting the other side. Your job is to argue whether, overall, sports are good or bad for kids. Letters are really just a form of essay, so use what you know about essay writing to structure your letter. Be sure to back up your claim with reasons and evidence, supported by facts and details from multiple sources you studied and analysis of those sources. Be sure to cite important references.
Be sure to:
Watch Video and Complete Video Activity
• Video clip “Do Athletes Face Unnecessary Parent Pressure?” Video from KCRA.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqypa_oNQVI
Video Note Activity: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fy54eDjZAdhKy-RUD6s6DoZrOmRevCe4AOMJBirnQP4/edit?usp=sharing
Task 2
Read Text with Readers Notes
• “What in the Name of High School Football” by Hank Hill
Task 3
Read Text with Readers Notes
• “Are High School Sports Good For Kids?” by Daniel Gould
Writing Activity to Support Text Comprehension
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TVLUKrOEpSSIJ30uRrxgZSRfSgKPZJ1uQ6EzgsMA2s8/edit?usp=sharing
Task 4
Watch 3 Videos and take notes to support your research
Writing Notes Page: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zFw3rCQbK36qJhqm_HZ43TumTmiSnc83dtVDQVEktBM/edit?usp=sharing
• Video clip "Notebook: Kids and Sports" Video from CBS news http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-WqlorsBM
• Video clip "Report: Pressure on Teen Athletes Soars" Video from WCPO, Cincinnati, Ohio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_9jUEz7AE
• Video clip "Sports: How Much Is Too Much?" Video from KCRA.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrP68OD355w
Task 5
Watch Video and Complete Graphic Organizer to Support Comprehension
“High School, College Football Comes With Risk” by Jeffrey Perkel http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=4508074&page=1
Graphic Organizer
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oOF8U9qdM1yp2Q34bRKmhxnyhnG0zs6SdVvE1XVkn4M/edit?usp=sharing
Task 6
You have done more research on this issue now, and you know even more about the pros and cons of youth sports. Now, imagine that your school district is going to make a final decision about continuing to fund sports programs in the schools. You have a chance to write a letter that will be read to the mayor, printed in the paper, or presented to the head of the school board or PTA. Your letter should state a claim or thesis by taking a clear side, backing it up with research, and refuting the other side. Your job is to argue whether, overall, sports are good or bad for kids. Letters are really just a form of essay, so use what you know about essay writing to structure your letter. Be sure to back up your claim with reasons and evidence, supported by facts and details from multiple sources you studied and analysis of those sources. Be sure to cite important references.
Be sure to:
- Introduce your topic
- State a claim: make clear what you are arguing for or against in this letter
- Organize your reasons and supporting details in paragraphs
- Use relevant information from the sources you studied to support your claim
- Acknowledge and refute the counterclaim
- Include direct quotes from sources when appropriate
- Maintain an essayist’s tone
- Use transitional words and phrases
- Write a conclusion
