Current Event Claims: Supporting an Argument With Infographics

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

9

Overview

This activity is designed to challenge students to find a claim and evidence within a graphic data set. Students will previously have learned about claims and evidence and will use this activity as a way to show that they can identify them within a set of data. Teachers are welcome to present any argument, but the chosen resource argues around cell phone use in school making it relatable to today's students.

This learning activity was created as a result of the ALEX - Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) Resource Development Summit.

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.2

Analyze information from graphic texts to draw conclusions, defend claims, and make decisions.

UP:ELA21.9.2

Vocabulary

  • Graphic texts
  • Draw conclusions
  • Defend claims
  • Make decisions

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Graphic texts include information like tables, graphs, charts, digital dashboards, flow charts, timelines, forms, maps, and blueprints, that can be used to draw conclusions, defend argumentative claims, and make decisions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify and analyze information presented in graphic texts.
  • Draw conclusions, defend claims, and make decisions using information learned from graphic texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Graphic texts can be "read" and analyzed using the same skills used to analyze printed texts.
  • Information learned through graphic sources can be used to draw conclusions, defend claims, and make decisions.

Learning Objectives

  1. Students will be able to analyze a graphic text.
  2. Students will identify claims within a graphic text. 

 

Activity Details

1. Teacher will provide the Survey of Parents Regarding Cell Phone Policies in US Middle Schools, 2017 to students. 

2. Teacher will inform students that they will analyze the article in order to identify a claim. 

3. Teacher will read the headline of the article to students, and tell them that they have around 8 minutes to read the article with a group in order to determine a claim being argued. 

4. Students will work for 8 minutes. Teacher will circulate and assist as necessary. 

5. Teacher will reconvene the class and give the following instructions: "Now that you have read the article, take a moment to draft the claim that the author is making. Your group can have more than one, but you should have at least one claim found." 

6. Students will work while the teacher circulates for a few minutes. 

7. The teacher will reconvene the class after roughly 3 minutes. "What have you found to be the claim? Let's hear from each group." 

8. Students will share their responses. 

9. Teacher will ask students to then write out two pieces of evidence that support the claim they found. 

10. Students will submit final answers as a group.

Assessment Strategies

Teachers will assess student mastery by reading what students find to be the claim in an argument and the evidence they find to support it. 

Acceleration

Acceleration: Students who need to be challenged can be asked to write a response to the claim within the article. They could also be asked to identify more evidence. 

Intervention

Intervention: Students who need intervention could be directed to a set of paragraphs from the entire article to look for their claim to identify. 

Background / Preparation

Teacher Preparation: 

  • Prior to this lesson, teachers should have introduced what a claim is and what evidence is. This activity will be asking students to identify a claim in a given article.

Student Preparation: 

  • Students should have learned about claims and evidence.

Learning Activity (Before)

Defining Claim and Evidence

Total Duration

0 to 15 Minutes

Learning Activity (During)

Claiming Our School: Analyzing Infographics About Four-Day School Weeks

Learning Activity (After)

Current Event Claims: Supporting an Argument With Infographics

Materials and Resources

Teacher Materials: 

Student Materials:

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints. Survey of Parents Regarding Cell Phone Po…
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/QVNGKE131742649/OVIC?u=avlr&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xi…

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

Adrianna Padgett
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