Informative AND Argumentative Essay Writing Units - Digital for Middle School

Make teaching informative and argumentative essay writing easier using these NO PREP, DIGITAL lessons with FOUR weeks of step-by-step VIDEO lessons, texts, notes, organizers, and more!

Objective: At the end of 4 weeks, middle school students will have written and edited one 5-paragraph informative essay AND one 5-paragraph argumentative essay.

This unit is fully digital through the use of Google Slides and is perfect for at-home learning, blended learning, or in a remote teaching situation.

What's included:

✅ Teacher's Guide with directions and links to share on any learning management system such as Google Classroom, Canvas, and more!

✅ An embedded introduction video along with "tech tips".

✅ A pdf of two original non-fiction texts for each unit:

➡️The text set for the informative essay consists of 2 original non-fiction texts about the Mount Rushmore and Pipestone National Monument.  Thus the prompt asks students to explain why these places are so significant that should be under national protection.

➡️The text set for the argumentative essay consists of 2 original non-fiction texts about the existence of Atlantis.  Thus the prompt asks students to decide if, based on the evidence, Atlantis was a real place or not.

✅ Interactive, guided, and digital notes with fill-in-the-blanks for content and picture flaps that need to be positioned by the student.

✅ Movable picture flaps

✅ Text boxes already placed into the notes

✅ Editable directions for the student

✅ 8 Embedded Videos for each unit (16 videos total!) that match each set of the notes and the writing process - including planning! (Over 2 hours of video instruction for both units!)

✅ Self-Grading Quizzes (on Google Forms) for each section.

✅Two ways to use these units: Teacher-paced (for general education students) and Student-paced (for advanced students) - Included videos to explain!

✅ Informative and Argumentative Essay Digital Notebooks (For the Teacher-paced option)

➡️ NOTE: Students will need access to Google and YouTube. The videos are hosted on YouTube and embedded into the Google Slides.

Using these text sets, notes, and videos in Google Slides, these units teach:

1.  The Writing Process:

• Read the prompt
• Flip the prompt
• Read and Mark the Text
• Plan

2.  The introduction paragraph with:

• Hook (Background information)
• Arch/Bridge (Transition sentence)
• Thesis

3.  The body paragraphs with:

• Answer topic sentence
• Citing evidence
• Explaining with commentary
• Ingeminating (repeat the cycle of cite and explain with new evidence)
• Top it off with a conclusion

4.  Counterclaim paragraph (argumentative only) with:

• Feature the other side
• Affirm with evidence
• Underscore the essay's position
• Cite evidence
• Explain with commentary
• Top it off with a conclusion

5.  Conclusion paragraph with:

• Affirm the thesis
• Trim the point
• The call to action

Your students will love the interactive notes and that they can watch the videos as many times as they need! You will love that 4 weeks of work is done!

TEACHERS LIKE YOU SAID:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Magic in the Middle said, "Such a comprehensive resource. I am amazed at how beneficial it has been. Thank you!"

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Peggy O. said, "Excellent resource! Thank you!"

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dena W. said, "This is an excellent resource. Thank you!"

Supports Common Core Standards:

CCSSCCRA.W.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSSCCRA.W.8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

CCSSCCRA.W.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

CCSSCCRA.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSSCCRA.W.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

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You will also LOVE:

Argumentative Introduction Paragraph Practice

Argumentative Body Paragraph Practice

Informative Introduction Practice

Informative Body Paragraph Practice

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Thanks, and Enjoy!