Unit Plan 10 (Grade 8 ELA): Launching Argument Writing
8th graders learn to craft strong argumentative claims, match reasons with credible evidence, and organize logically with clear cohesion and audience awareness while practicing effective discussion and collaboration to refine ideas.
Focus: Claims, reasons, audience awareness; planning arguments
Grade Level: 8
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing—Argument; Reading—Evidence; Speaking/Listening—Discussion)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
We kick off our argument cycle by learning to make a clear, defensible claim, choose reasons that actually prove it, and plan logical organization with an eye on audience. Students will practice finding and citing textual evidence from short sources and collaborate to test and refine claims before drafting in later units.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Craft a focused claim that can be defended and organized logically; acknowledge plausible alternate/ opposing claims (W.8.1a).
- Select relevant evidence and pair it with logical reasoning, demonstrating understanding of the topic/text and citing precisely (W.8.1b; RI.8.1).
- Use cohesive devices (words/phrases/clauses) to clarify relationships among claim, counterclaim, reasons, and evidence (W.8.1c).
- Contribute to purposeful academic discussions to pressure-test claims and refine plans (SL.8.1).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 8
- W.8.1a–c: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence:
- (a) Introduce claim(s); acknowledge/distinguish alternate or opposing claims; organize reasons/evidence logically.
- (b) Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence from accurate, credible sources; show understanding of topic/text.
- (c) Use words/phrases/clauses to create cohesion and clarify relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, evidence.
- RI.8.1: Cite textual evidence that most strongly supports analysis.
- SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led).
Success Criteria — student language
- My claim is arguable, specific, and fits the audience/purpose.
- Each reason directly proves the claim (not just a topic).
- I match each reason with best-fit evidence and a sentence of because/so what reasoning, with a precise citation.
- I can name a credible counterpoint and plan how to address it.
- My plan uses cohesive language that shows the logic from claim → reason → evidence.