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Unit Plan
Thinkport Education

Thinkport: Writing Explanation Part 3: Building an Argument

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In this module, students will explore how claims, counterclaims, evidence and reasoning are used to write an effective argument. Students will read an article that addresses the question, "Should Congress consider comprehensive climate...
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Unit Plan
Thinkport Education

Thinkport: Writing Explanation Part 1: Claims, Evidence and Reasoning

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In this module, students will explore how claims, evidence and reasoning are used to write an effective explanation. Students will read an article that addresses the question, "Should Congress consider comprehensive climate change laws?"
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Unit Plan
Thinkport Education

Thinkport: Writing Explanation Part 3: Building an Argument

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In this module, students will explore how claims, counterclaims, evidence and reasoning are used to write an effective argument. Students will read texts that discuss the climate change debate.
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Unit Plan
Thinkport Education

Thinkport: Writing Explanation Part 2: Well Written Explanation

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In this module, students will write an explanation based on the claims, evidence and reasoning about climate change that they identified in Writing Explanation Part 1: Claims, Evidence, Reasoning.
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Unit Plan
Thinkport Education

Thinkport: Writing Explanation Part 1: Claims, Evidence and Reasoning

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In this module, students will explore how claims, evidence and reasoning are used to write an effective explanation. Students will read an article that addresses the question of whether climate change is now confirmed after record high...
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Unit Plan
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Conditional Reasoning and Logical Equivalence

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
How do we recognize logically equivalent conditional statements? Conditional (or "if-then") statements can be difficult to master, but your confidence and fluency on the LSAT will improve significantly if you can recognize the various...
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Deductive Reasoning

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This free encyclopedia site from Wikipedia gives a definition and examples of deductive reasoning. It also has links to related terms and topics.
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Unit Plan
E Reading Worksheets

E Reading Worksheets: Persuasive Essay Worksheets

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A collection of assignments related to persuasive writing are provided on this site. Scaffolded assignments related to writing an effective introduction and identifying both sides of an issue are included. Exemplar persuasive essays with...
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eBook
Web Center for Social Research Methods

Research Methods Knowledge Base: Deduction and Induction

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site provides a good explanation of deductive and inductive thinking.
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Handout
Other

Wsu: Improving Your Argument

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Students writing persuasive essays run the risk of using inaccurate or illogical reasoning. This site by Weber State University provides pointers to help eliminate this problem. Several dos's and don'ts are given, as are 14 common...
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Activity
Other

Fallacy Files: Begging the Question

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Discusses the error in logic behind the fallacy of Begging the Question (also known as Circular Argument, Circular Reasoning, Circulus in Probando, Petitio Principii, or Vicious Circle). Although a great deal of information about the...
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Handout
Other

Speaking Effectively: Supporting the Talk

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This substantial section focuses on supporting the main points of your speech or presentation. Find out how to avoid faulty reasoning and irrational appeals.
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Article
Other

The Nizkor Project: Fallacies

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The Nizkor Project: Fallacies is a text provides an explaination of fallaces. It identifies the specific kinds of fallacies as well as gives a couple of examples.
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Activity
Brown University

Brown University: Critical Writing and Thinking

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Resource explains exactly what critial writing and thinking are, questions to help you think critically, paper writing tips, troubleshooting, and more.
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Activity
Other

Kennesaw State University: Either/or

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Clearly defines the either/or logical fallacy. Four detailed examples are also provided. Some controversial topics are used as examples, but no opinion of these topics is expressed.
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PPT
Austin Independent School District

Austin Independent School District: Logical Fallacies [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A slide show explaining different types of fallacies in persuasive texts including personal attack, bandwagon, appeal to authority, and many more. Then try to find the fallacy in several examples; answers and explanations provided.
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Interactive
iCivics

I Civics: Games: Argument Wars

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Games in which players act as lawyers arguing head to head before a judge about real Supreme Court cases.
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Activity
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

Depaul University: Center for Urban Education: Evaluate Support for a Claim[pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This resource provides a downloadable worksheet to use after reading a nonfiction text. Students will evaluate an author's support for a claim by answering the questions and prompts provided on the worksheet.
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Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Handbook: Methods of Reasoning

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A list (with examples) of common errors in logic including the following: non sequiturs, hasty generalization circular argument, ad hominem, ad populum, and red herring.
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Article
Other

Critical Thinking: Basic Questions & Answers

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An interesting interview with Richard Paul discussing what critical thinking means. There are many insights as to what critical thinking involves and how it should be used in the classroom.
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Article
Other

Becoming a Critic of Your Thinking

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This resource presents an article that explains why it is important to be someone who is a good thinker. Provided are four strategies for critical thinking.
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Activity
University of North Carolina

University of North Carolina: The Writing Center: Fallacies

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Discussion of common fallacies, along with definitions, examples, and tips on avoiding them.
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Article
Other

Responsible Thinking: Analyzing Arguments and Evidence

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Contains many points to consider when analyzing someone's arguments and evidence, such as the hidden assumptions, cultural assumptions, and testability. Each is explained in a short paragraph with a link to additional discussions on...
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Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Handbook: Logic in Argumentative Writing

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An explanation and examples of several different types of logic that can be used in argumentative writing.