Skip to Main Content

Lesson 3

We will write a synopsis of the arguments we are developing in response to the unit’s Central Question: How viable is the American dream of homeownership?

Lesson Goals

Reading and Knowledge

  • Gather and Organize Evidence: How well do I gather and organize relevant and sufficient evidence to support an argument about a controversial issue related to homeownership and the American Dream?

Writing

  • Form Claims: How well do refine and focus my claims and counterclaims so that they are clear, meaningful, and defensible?
  • Organize and Develop Ideas: How well do I write an expository synopsis of an argumentation plan that is coherent, well-reasoned, fully developed, and fully supported?

Texts

There are no texts for this Lesson.

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Write

As a class, we will review the Section Diagnostic’s task and the expectations for writing synopsis for arguments we are developing.

Review the Section 4 Diagnostic Checklist and its expectations, making sure you are clear about what writing a synopsis entails.

Activity 2: Write

We will write a synopsis that presents and explains the question or controversy each of us plans to address, the argumentative positions we plan to take, the supporting claims and evidence we plan to use, and our organizational plans.

Review all the research and planning you have done to prepare for writing your final argument. Write a synopsis of your proposed argument addressing the following:

  • Specifically explain the issue within, and your perspective on, your subtopic.

  • Clearly communicate and explain the argument’s central position and each of its supporting claims, including at least one counterclaim.

  • Describe the organizational plan you intend to use to present your argument.

  • Explain how you will use evidence and reasoning to develop the argument, and identify the main sources you intend to cite.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss

We will review our synopses with partners, make any final edits, and submit them to our teacher for final review and commentary.

Pair with an editing partner and read through their synopsis to determine how well it meets the following criteria:

  1. Overall, does the synopsis help the reader understand the elements of the argument and their relationships?

  2. How likely is it that the argument will meet most of the criteria from the Evaluating Arguments Tool?

  3. What gaps in the research and evidence need to be addressed?

  4. What specific aspects of the planned argument still need to be further developed or communicated more clearly?

Use your partner’s feedback to make final revisions to your synopsis.

Activity 4: Write – Discuss

We will reflect on our work on the Section Diagnostic and assess how prepared we are for the Culminating Task.

Step 1

Choose at least three of the questions below and respond to them in your Learning Log:

  1. How well did you take necessary action to prepare for the task?

  2. What went well for you during the completion of this task?

  3. What did you struggle with during the completion of this task? How did you push through that struggle?

  4. How well did you actively focus your attention during this independent task?

  5. How well did you develop and use an effective and efficient process to maintain workflow during this task?

  6. What would you do differently during the next Section Diagnostic?

Review your Culminating Task Progress Tracker. Think about all you have learned and done during this section of the unit. Evaluate your skills and knowledge to determine how prepared you are for the Culminating Task.

  • Add or refine any skills and content knowledge required for the Culminating Task.

  • Evaluate how well you are mastering skills and knowledge required for the Culminating Task.

Step 2

Review the Central Question of the unit:

How viable is the American dream of homeownership?

Use the following questions to guide a discussion with a partner or small group:

  1. What new knowledge do you have that relates to the Central Question?

  2. What are you still curious about that relates to the Central Question?

  3. What is the relationship between the Central Question and the texts you have read so far? How do the texts shed light on the question? How does the question help you understand the texts?

  4. How has your response to the question evolved, deepened, or changed?

In your Learning Log, write your response to Question 3. You will return to this response in later lessons to examine how your understanding of the Central Question has evolved.