Grade 08 ELA - EC: E08.C.1.1.1

Continuum of Activities

The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.

This continuum of activities offers:

Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
Questions/activities that grow in complexity
Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance

Grade Levels

8th Grade

Course, Subject

English Language Arts

Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content

E08.C.1.1.1 E08.C.1.1.1

Introduce claim(s) for the intended audience, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and support the writer’s purpose by logically organizing reasons and evidence.

Activities

Identify the purpose of an introduction in argumentative writing.
Identify the purpose of claims in argumentative writing.
Identify the purpose of counterclaim in argumentative writing.
Identify the intended audience for argumentative writing.

Construct a claim to effectively introduce an argument.
Distinguish claims in argumentative writing from alternate or opposing counterclaims.

Construct an introduction for a piece of argumentative writing that introduces claims for the intended audience, acknowledges and distinguishes the claims from alternate or opposing claims, and supports your purpose for writing by logically organizing reasons and evidence.
Evaluate a written argumentative text to determine if claims are effectively introduced.

Answer Key/Rubric

Student identifies the purpose of an introduction in argumentative writing. The purpose of an introduction in argumentative writing is to state a claim to establish a writer’s position. The introduction also establishes a counterclaim as an alternate position and presents a logical organization of the ideas to be presented in the written argument.
Student identifies the purpose of claims in argumentative writing. A writer uses a claim in argumentative writing to state an idea that can be successfully argued with evidence.
Student identifies the purpose of a counterclaim in argumentative writing. A counterclaim is a contradictory or opposing claim in an argument. A writer considers and defends a claim in relation to a counterclaim in order to strengthen the argument of the writer.
Student identifies an intended audience for argumentative writing. Intended audiences for argumentative writing include individuals or groups a writer intends to persuade through the use of claims, supporting reasons, and deliberately selected evidence.
Student constructs a claim to effectively introduce an argument. Effectively constructed claims are clear and concise statements that state a position that can be further developed by the writer with supporting evidence.
Student distinguishes claims in argumentative writing from alternate or opposing counterclaims. The student accurately identifies a counterclaim within a piece of argumentative writing as being distinct from a writer’s claim. The student acknowledges purpose of the counterclaim to strengthen the writer’s position.
Student constructs an introduction for a piece of argumentative writing that introduces claims for the intended audience, acknowledges and distinguishes the claims from alternate or opposing claims, and support your purpose for writing by logically organizing reasons and evidence. The introduction constructed displays evidence of thoughtful choices made by the student to rationally introduce the argument. These choices include the use of concise language for clarity.
Student evaluates a written argumentative text to determine if claims are effectively introduced. Using direct evidence from an introduction to a written argumentative text, the student considers the appropriateness of the claims, supporting reasons, and counterclaims for the intended audience.