Standards Correlations

R.1, R.2, R.6, R.8, W.1, SL.1

About the Article

Students will take a side in a debate. They will find text evidence to support their opinion and use it to attempt to persuade others in writing.

Key Skills

Argument writing, speaking and listening, central idea and details, text evidence, evaluating an argument

Lesson Plan: Should You Be Allowed to Skip School When Youre Stressed?

1. Preparing to Read 

Have students preview the text features by asking:

  • What is the topic of the debate? Prompt students to use the debate title and the heading on the chart as clues.
  • What are two opinions people might have about this topic? 

2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

  • Depending on the reading level of your students, read the debate as a class or divide the class into groups.
  • Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to highlight evidence supporting each side as they come across it. Using two different highlighter colors may be helpful.

3. Skill Building

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

  • Which opinion has the best evidence to support it?
  • Is one side stronger than the other? Why?
  • What is your opinion? What evidence helped you form your opinion?

For more advanced readers: Do you think the author has an opinion on this issue? What is your evidence? 

4. Writing

  • Have students complete the chart in the magazine.
  • Go further: Use our Argument Writing activity, available in a higher and lower level version. Guide students to express their opinions on the debate topic by completing this activity. Encourage them to refer to the chart they filled out in the magazine.  (Click here to see all your Skill Builders.)

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Text-to-Speech