Activities

1. Given an informational text, identify the facts and opinions.

2. Given an informational text, identify transition words that signal the beginning of new evidence or examples.

3. Locate the claims and evidence for each side of a debate article with opposing views.

4. Write a basic paragraph supporting an opinion.

5. Evaluate the arguments within student-written essays and make recommendations for improvement where necessary.

6. Add evidence to an informational article to make the argument within the text more compelling.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Student uses given informational text and identifies the facts and opinions by marking text with a sticky note or underlining.  Student correctly identifies the facts and opinions within the article.  Student can explain how the fact can be proven.  Student understands that a fact is strictly defined and can be proven true or false often using statistics, evidence or some type of measuring device.   Student understands that an opinion is a belief, value or an expression of a person’s feelings that cannot be proven.
   
   
2. Student uses given informational text and identifies transition words that signal the beginning of new evidence or examples.  Student understands that transition words are used to help readers follow the direction of the writer’s thoughts.  Student understands that transition words show relationship between ideas, connecting one thought to another and often mark the beginning of new evidence.   Some common transition words used are, first, also, another, next, etc..  Student successfully circles transition words used before new evidence or examples.
   
   
3. Student locates the claims and evidence for each side of a debate article with opposing views.  Student looks for the main controversial statements that are supported or refuted within the debate.  The claims will be the central ideas and in opposition to each other.   Student locates the claims successfully.  The student successfully locates the evidence used to support each claim. 
   
   
4. Student writes a basic paragraph supporting an opinion.  Student understands that an opinion is a belief, value or an expression of a person’s feelings.  Student successfully writes an opinion statement as his/her topic sentence.  Student successfully writes three or four details which give support to his/her opinion.   Student uses transition words to assist his reader in following his/her ideas.  For example:

     Crows are very intelligent animals.  First, crows often use items they find in nature as tools to get food out of logs, branches or other small spaces.  Researchers have also proven that crows can recognize the faces of people that they have had contact with.  Lastly, owners of crows have reported that crows will playfully reach into their pockets to steal keys and other items, and this is a sign of intelligence.  

5. Student evaluates the arguments within student-written essays and makes recommendations for improvement where necessary.  Student reads multiple student produced essays.  Student identifies arguments within essays that have strong, specific support or evidence.   Student understands that specific evidence includes reasons, examples, statistics, and other details.   Student understands that a proficient essay has specific evidence that is accompanied by adequate explanation as well.  Students identify arguments within essays that have thin or vague support or do not have sufficient explanation accompanying the evidence.  Student understands that all sentences and details in an essay should be relevant or support the claim to be convincing.  Student understands arguments within the essay should be logical.  Student correctly evaluates student-written essays and makes thoughtful recommendations for improvement.
   
   
6. Student adds evidence to an informational article to make the argument within text more compelling.  Student makes an outline of the current arguments within the text.  Student considers areas where information may have been left out or evidence is vague or insufficient.   Student locates compelling, correct information that could be inserted into the article to strengthen the given text.  Student can correctly explain why this additional information would improve the argument.