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Lesson 3

We will write a synopsis of our planned arguments in response to the Central Question: How is artificial intelligence affecting our world?

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 artificial intelligence?

Writing

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

Texts

Core

  • Unit Reader
    • “The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?,” Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne, Elsevier Inc., 2016

Materials

Tools

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read

As a class, we will review the task and expectations for writing a synopsis of our planned arguments.

Read the Section 4 Diagnostic Checklist, making sure you are clear about what writing a synopsis entails.

Activity 2: Write

We will write synopses that present and explain our argumentative positions, supporting claims, organizational plans, and use of evidence.

Using the task expectations as an outline, write an expository synopsis that addresses your final argument’s issue, perspective, position, claims, reasoning, and use of evidence.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss – Write

We will review our synopsis with a partner, make any final edits, and submit it to our teacher for final review and commentary.

Have an editing partner read through your draft synopsis, checking to see how well it meets the task’s criteria and answering the following questions:

  1. Overall, does the synopsis help a reader understand the elements in 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 or evidence need to be addressed?

  4. What specific aspects of the planned argument still need additional thinking or clearer communication?

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

Activity 4: Read – Write

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.

Step 2

Review the Central Question of the unit:

How is artificial intelligence affecting our world?

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

  1. What new knowledge do you have in relation to the Central Question?

  2. What are you still curious about in relation to the Central Question?

  3. What is the relationship between the 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.