Civically-Engaged Content-Area Literacy Teaching Writing

The Power of Argument

By National Writing Project
Back to Opening the Walls of the Classroom and the Boundaries of the Park

Independence National Historical Park and the Philadelphia Writing Project work with eighth grade Philadelphia students to explore the question, “What constitutes the Declaration of Independence as an argument?”

The Power of an Argument Lesson Plan uses the Declaration of Independence as an example of a powerful written argument, and is based on this inquiry question: How can I harness the power of an argument to change the world? Designed for middle school students, the lesson can be used in the classroom for a unit on argument writing. The lesson includes a guide for teachers as well as a packet for students. Additional resources include background information about the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution, and photos and multimedia.

This post is part of the Opening the Walls of the Classroom and the Boundaries of the Park collection.

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