Lesson 4

Lesson Goals

Texts

Materials

Tools

• Mentor Sentence Journal

• Homeownership: Subtopic 1 Supplemental Texts Handout

• Homeownership: Subtopic 2 Supplemental Texts Handout

• Homeownership: Subtopic 3 Supplemental Texts Handout

• Homeownership: Subtopic 4 Supplemental Texts Handout

• Vocabulary Journal

Editable Google Docs

• Mentor Sentence Journal

• Vocabulary Journal

Activity 1: Read – Discuss – Listen

In our research teams, we will share and compare the draft questions we developed as homework in Lesson 2.

Step 1

Rejoin your research team and share your draft question with the team.

Think about how your question relates to the questions developed by other students on the team.

As a team, write a one-paragraph overview describing where your questions might lead each of you as you prepare to do more independent research and write your arguments.

Step 2

Share your team’s overview with other teams in the class.

If you have begun to rethink which subtopic issue you want to address after listening to your peers share, decide if you want to change to another group or continue with your current research team.

Activity 2: Discuss

In research teams, we will report on and discuss the texts we read and analyzed as homework in Lesson 2.

Review the summaries team members have prepared on the sources they read and analyzed for homework. For each text or research task, report what you have learned so far. Discuss how what you have learned might be used by other students in the research team to complete more independent research on the topic.

Activity 3: Read

Individually, we will determine what information sources or arguments we might use to develop our own arguments and then determine if we need to do further reading or research.

On your own, consider your research team’s discussion and identify sources that you have already read or intend to read from the supplemental text list that might help you develop your own perspective and argument.

Next, consider what is missing from your research and what subjects you want to research further through independent research. What perspectives are missing from your argument? What evidence are you lacking to support your evolving position?

Activity 4: Read – Discuss

We will explore the concept of faulty reasoning by identifying examples of logical fallacies before continuing our individual research.

Step 1

We have discussed how arguments are structured with claims and evidence and how reasoning is the glue between the claims and evidence. Reasoning is the explanation of how the evidence you select supports your claims. Before you embark further on your own individual research, we are going to learn about faulty reasoning, also known as logical fallacy, so that we can evaluate the arguments we are using for sound reasoning.

Faulty reasoning has to do with fallacies or errors that are misleading or unsound, which can make an argument invalid. There are several common logical fallacies that can show up in arguments, including the following:

• post hoc-ad hoc

• circular reasoning

• red herring

• hasty generalization

• slippery slope

• false dichotomy

Step 2

With a partner, conduct a Google search to explore the list of logical fallacies. Write the definition of each logical fallacy and provide at least one example of each fallacy in your Vocabulary Journal.

Step 3

Join another partner group to create a small group. Share your findings about the logical fallacies and make sure everyone in the group understands what each logical fallacy means by sharing examples of the various types.

Step 4

With your small group, return to Edsall’s argument, “Where Should a Poor Family Live?” from Section 2 of this unit. Review the essay and look for examples of faulty reasoning that you just explored and discuss possible examples with your small group.

Activity 5: Read – Discuss

In research teams, we will share what we have determined about our sources and our needs for further research. We will discuss whether and how each team should engage in further research to provide mutual support.

Step 1

Skim through your sources and look for any examples of faulty reasoning before reporting to your research team. If one of your sources does have faulty reasoning, you might not need to eliminate it completely. You need to be aware of and acknowledge the weakness of the sources, but you still may be able to draw credible evidence from certain parts of the source. Sometimes authors will lapse into a logical fallacy in just one aspect of their argument, which does not necessarily negate the use of the source altogether.

Step 2

Report to your research team on what you have decided so far regarding your sources.

As a team, determine if further collaborative reading or research is needed or if each member might now begin to work more independently to find more information via outside research.

Activity 6: Read

For homework, we will continue to research our subtopics.

For homework, continue your outside research, including Internet research and reading of supplemental and external texts based on the discussions and decisions of your research team.

Write new or interesting words you encounter in your Vocabulary Journal.