New! Argumentation Skill Packs

Introducing brand new Raz-Plus Argumentation Skill Packs for Grades 3-5! These comprehensive sets of instructional materials—including resources for in-class and online practice—help students build key critical thinking skills as they learn to analyze and respond to arguments.

Each lesson plan follows the “teach, practice, and apply” instructional approach, supporting students as they learn to identify and explain claims, reasons, evidence, point of view, and more.

What is it?

Along with complete lesson plans, Argumentation Skill Packs offer two important new teaching tools: 1) brand new Animations to support instruction, for the first time from Reading A-Z and Raz-Plus, and 2) Interactivities, a new form of independent practice.

Argumentation Skill Packs also address contemporary Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening standards.

• Reading: identifying claims, reasons, and evidence from a text.
• Writing: composing an opinion and providing reasons to support it.
• Speaking and Listening: identifying claims and evidence presented by a speaker, and following agreed-upon rules for discussion.

Where is it?

Access Argumentation Skill Packs under the Key Reading Skils section on Raz-Plus and Reading A-Z.

How Do Teachers and Students Use It?

Teachers can guide instruction and spark lively discussions using each pack’s lesson plan, projectable animation, writing prompts, and model passages—and then assign students Interactivities for independent practice online through the Kids A-Z student portal.

The first lesson within each set introduces argumentation as a concept, and defines claims and points of view. Each subsequent lesson provides elements in support of each claim, such as reasons or evidence. Teachers can follow the lessons in their order of sequence, building upon each previously learned concept, thereby giving students a well-rounded understanding of argumentation skills.

Teachers can complement instruction by projecting the product’s 3-minute animation, which brings concepts to life and sparks discussion. The lesson plan guides instruction, showing the teacher when to stop the animation for class discussion. The Model and Practice Passages allow students to read various types of arguments and practice their new skills. The Writing Prompts also provide an opportunity to use higher order thinking skills to write about arguments. Students then practice analyzing arguments and answering questions using the Interactivities.

Flexibility and Support

• With four lesson packs per grade, available online and via mobile, and assignable through the Kids A-Z student portal or by using printable versions of the activities, these packs are flexible and easy to use. Each pack provides five practice passages, which the teacher can project while asking students to apply new skills, independently and in whole-class discussions, citing evidence and supporting their claims.
• Writing Prompts provide students with an opportunity to reflect on the passages they’ve read and write pencil-and-paper responses based on the skills being taught. For English language learners, they also provide a comfortable, secure setting for practicing their new language. Argumentation Skill Packs also provide extensive vocabulary support, extremely helpful for students at any level and from every background.
• Each lesson plan includes the following sections, guiding the teacher through the best ways to use each lesson in the classroom: Introduce and Connect, Teach the Skill, Apply the Skill in Context, Write and Share, Extend the Lesson (an extension activity), and Independent Practice.
• Printable and projectable Independent Practice Activities can be assigned as Interactivities or printed out by the teacher and assigned to students for completion in class or as homework. Their answers are then discussed in class.
• Additional tools and resources supporting each pack:
  • Built-in interactive tools for highlighting, underlining, circling, framing, and more – with each projectable passage.
  • Practice passages for individual, paired, or small-group independent or guided practice.
  • Interactivities for student independent practice with key skills, along with completed Interactivity data in the Activity Report.
  • Answer Key attached to each lesson plan to monitor student understanding.

Solving an Important Problem for Teachers

The ability to analyze arguments is a key critical thinking skill. It helps students better comprehend the nonfiction texts they will encounter in school and daily life.

Teachers know they need resources to teach argumentation skills, along with ways for students to access resources online for independent practice. We’re excited to solve both of these problems with our new Argumentation Skill Packs!

Students will learn how to pinpoint an argument’s specific claims and supporting evidence, then evaluate their validity and respond appropriately to their reasoning using Interactivities via the Kids A-Z portal. Just one of many Raz-Plus resources designed to challenge, engage, and educate your intermediate students, our new Argumentation Skill Packs are a vital addition to your repertoire.