Grade 5 Lesson 3
Item
Page
Lesson Plan
Page 2
Student Activity Handout 1
(Argument and Support
Lesson Handout)
Page 5
PowerPoint Presentation
(Go to View->Full Screen)
Page 6
VISION-SETTING
Marlins Think Tank: Fifth Grade Language Arts
Lesson Plan #3
OBJECTIVE.
KEY POINTS.
What is your objective? 
What knowledge and skills are embedded in the objective? 
Student will be able to:
1. Strong Arguments Have:
1. RI.5.8. Explain how an author uses
reasons and evidence to support particular
points in a text, identifying which reasons
and evidence support which point(s). (text
features; reason and support)
2. RI.5.4. Determine the meaning of general
academic and domain-specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic
or subject area. (vocabulary)
o
o
o
Facts
Data/Statistics
Are not too emotional
2. Vocabulary is a tremendously important
aspect of learning because we are smarter
when we know more words!
ASSESSMENT.
Describe, briefly, what students will do to show you that they have mastered (or made progress toward) the objective. 
Students will be able to identify the aspects of a strong argument and write their own arguments
utilizing their knowledge of what makes a strong argument.
OPENING (10 min.)
MATERIALS.
How will you communicate what is about to happen?  How will you communicate how it will happen? 
How will you communicate its importance?  How will you communicate connections to previous lessons? 
How will you engage students and capture their interest? 
What is the most pressing social concern in society today that is being ignored by our
government? What do we choose to ignore because it is easier to ignore than to make
change happen? Write at least four sentences.
PowerPoint
Student
Notebooks
DETERMINING METHODS
After students have written for five minutes, the teacher will begin: Let’s share some of
your ideas! (Calls on hands) Beautiful! Your thoughts about changing the world can
happen if you make them happen.
Our Do Now brings up a super important idea: that we have to make the changes that
we want to see in the world. This is the focus of what we are doing today: focusing on
making strong arguments with reason and evidence.
We will also focus on vocabulary today. Vocabulary is the single most important thing
to learn, in school and outside of school. Vocabulary is the difference between
understanding the world and being confused by the world.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW MATERIAL (10 min.)
How will you explain/demonstrate all knowledge/skills required of the objective, so that students begin to
actively internalize key points? 
Which potential misunderstandings do you anticipate? How will you proactively mitigate them?  How will
students interact with the material? 
Students will have ten minutes to write down the vocabulary words that we will be
focusing on in class today.




Interscholastic (adjective): Occurring between two or more schools.
Enact (verb): To put into practice (a belief, idea, suggestion).
Ban (verb OR noun): To officially or legally prohibit.
Deliberation (noun): Long and careful consideration or discussion.
Teacher may say: Write each of these words down. We will see them in context, and
use them ourselves, a little later in class.
PowerPoint
Student
notebooks
GUIDED PRACTICE (10 min.)
How will students practice all knowledge/skills required of the objective, with your support, such that they
continue to internalize the key points? 
How will you ensure that students have multiple opportunities to practice, with exercises scaffolded from
easy to hard? 
We are going to read an opinion letter that focuses on baseball; specifically, the letter
argues that young baseball players should only be allowed to use wooden bats.
While we read, complete the following assignments:
1) Underline the vocabulary words that you just wrote down when you see them
in the letter.
2) Underline EVIDENCE that the author provides to make his argument stronger.
Strong arguments have:

Facts:
o “The NCAA has also banned composite metal bats and has been
discussing switching to wood.”
o “The use of wood bats teaches players to become better hitters and
shows their true skills. This allows college and high school players to
prepare for the next level.”

Data/Statistics:
o “The risk of a pitcher or infielder getting hit with a line drive is higher
and more deadly.”

Are not too emotional:
o “While playing baseball, it has come to my attention that metal bats,
aluminum or composite, give hitters an advantage over pitchers, are
more costly, more dangerous, and are cheating players out of
bettering their skills.”
o “I believe this a step in the right direction to creating fairer and safer
competition.”
PowerPoint
“Marlins
Think Tank:
Fifth Grade
Argument
and Support
Lesson”
Handout
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE (25 min.)
How will students independently practice the knowledge and skills required of the objective, such that they
solidify their internalization of the key points prior to the lesson assessment? 
PowerPoint
Activity Number One: Think about something (in sports or in life) that you think must
be changed. It could be something at school, something in your neighborhood, or
something in your household. Write a letter (at least fifteen sentences) that calls for
the change to occur. In your letter, make sure that you include the elements of a
strong argument. Also use two of the vocabulary words that we learned today.
Underline your facts/data and your vocabulary words.
Activity Number Two: Create a Frayer model for TWO of the vocabulary words that
we have learned today. The Frayer model outlines are on the second page of the
“Marlins Ed: Fifth Grade Argument and Support Lesson” handout. Remember:
vocabulary matters!
“Marlins
Think Tank:
Fifth Grade
Argument
and Support
Lesson”
Handout
Student
notebooks
We will have the opportunity to share our letters with the class. Here are some tips for
public speaking:
o
o
o
o
o
Make eye contact with your audience
Speak slowly and clearly
Maintain posture
Use your hands to gesture
Have confidence! You are amazing!
Lesson Assessment: Once students have had an opportunity to practice independently, how will
they attempt to demonstrate mastery of the knowledge/skills required of the objective? 
Teachers will utilize the letters that students wrote to determine if students mastered
the objective: identifying and creating strong arguments.
CLOSING (5 min.)
How will students summarize and state the significance of what they learned? 
PowerPoint
Today we covered two very important topics: vocabulary and creating strong
arguments. For our closing, on the bottom of the page on which you wrote your letter,
write one thing that you learned today and WHY it matters. Great job!
Student
notebooks
Marlins Think Tank: Fifth Grade Argument and Support Lesson
Advocacy Letter By Dan S., Hartland, WI
November 11, 2010
Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association
c/o Sports Advisory Committee
5516 Vern Homes Drive
Stevens Point, WI 54482-8833
Dear Sports Advisory Committee:
For the past three years I have participated in baseball at my high school. Baseball has
become a huge part of my life and I recognize and appreciate the steps you have taken
to better the sport. Recently, you have enacted a new regulation outlawing the use of
composite metal bats. I believe this a step in the right direction to creating fairer and
safer competition. However, I have a suggestion that I believe is a better way of doing
this.
While playing baseball, it has come to my attention that metal bats, aluminum or
composite, give hitters an advantage over pitchers, are more costly, more dangerous,
and are cheating players out of bettering their skills. I ask you consider outlawing all
metal bats and allow only wood bats. The use of wood bats teaches players to become
better hitters and shows their true skills. This allows college and high school players to
prepare for the next level. Many will argue using wood bats kills trees and is more
expensive than using metal bats. This is because wood bats break often, but breakage
can be avoided. Composite wood bats are available, which rarely break and are less
than half the cost of metal bats. Today, High School baseball players are bigger,
stronger, and more skilled. Because of this, using metal bats is much more dangerous.
The risk of a pitcher or infielder getting hit with a line drive is higher and more deadly.
The NCAA has also banned composite metal bats and has been discussing switching
to wood. This, along with your action, is a step moving towards the use of wood bats. In
due time, college and high school baseball will ban metal bats. In my mind, if that is the
future, why not change it now?
As the organization with the power to affect and better High School baseball, I hope you
take my proposal into deliberation. With your action, baseball can become better,
safer, and fairer.
You may feel free to contact me at any time. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Dan S.