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Lesson 6

We will share additional information within research teams, and then individually begin to develop a perspective and position to drive the planning of our final argument.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I independently identify, read, and collect information from sources in my research team’s subtopic?

  • Can I understand the concepts of perspective and position as related to an argument I will develop?

  • Can I draft a clear and effective statement of position and some supporting claims for the argument I am likely to write?

Texts

There are no texts for this Lesson.

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss

We will meet in research teams to assess the state of our collective understanding of our subtopic and our individual directions for developing a final argument.

Check in with your research team regarding further thinking, reading, and research you have done.

Summarize what your team knows and thinks about the subtopic issue so far, and the range of individual responses you are considering.

Share your summaries and status updates with other research teams in the class.

Activity 2: Discuss

We will work first as a class and then individually to further determine and articulate our perspective on the subtopic issue, and to craft a position statement.

Participate in a review of the argumentation concepts of perspective and position.

From arguments you have read as a class, in teams, or individually, share examples of perspectives and positions that have been expressed on various public healthcare subtopics, issues, and controversies.

Using models provided by your teacher, consider ways to articulate a clear and concise statement of position.

Draft a position statement that communicates your thinking so far about your subtopic issue, question, and perspective.

Activity 3: Write

We will review the reading and research we have done in the unit to identify source texts and information that can help us develop our positions.

Reconsider the reading and research you have previously done in light of the position statement you just drafted. Respond to the following questions:

  1. Which ethical approaches or frameworks are most relevant to your topic, question, and position?

  2. Which texts and sources might contain information that you can use to develop and explain your position?

  3. Which arguments, if any, align with your position and might be used as models to build from?

  4. Which arguments, if any, oppose your position, and might be countered?

Analyze your draft position statement, considering what you will need to do to build an argument that substantiates your position.

Brainstorm a list of areas in which you might need to develop claims or counterclaims.

Activity 4: Read – Write

We will use the Section 3 Diagnostic Delineating Arguments Tool to begin to lay out a plan for our final argument.

Review the Section 3 Diagnostic Checklist.

Use the Section 3 DiagnosticDelineating Arguments Tool to capture and communicate the thinking you have done so far in planning an argument.

Clearly and specifically communicate the issue, question or controversy, purpose, perspective, and position you plan to address.

Identify two or three claims and at least one counterclaim that you think you might present in developing your position.

In preparation for presenting your plan to a peer review team, complete the tool for homework.