Argument Paper

The Impact of Television on
Intelligence and Learning

Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 | Class 4 | Class 5

The Impact of Television on Intelligence and Learning

Objective: This class will allow students to reflect on the amount of time they spend watching television and to become more aware of their own behavior. This reflection will prepare students for the argument paper and generate some ideas or positions which students can use as a resource when writing the paper. The activity also allows students ideas to come to the forefront and use these ideas to complement the ideas in the texts when they are introduced to them reinforcing the mission of the course , students’ finding their own voices.

Allow students approximately ten minutes to complete each part of the questionnaire. After completing the questionnaire, allow students to share their responses thereby integrating independent reflection and whole group discussion, which will make the class more dynamic.

Part 1: Questionnaire on how much time students spend watching television

Ø Fill in the television shows and the amount of time spent watching television during the week.

	T.V. Shows	Time(s)	Total time:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Part 2

Make a list of other activities that you could have been involved in or completed instead of watching television. Include activities and/or responsibilities that you did not fulfill because you were watching television:

Part 3

Personal Reflection: Do you think that the amount of time you spend watching television impacts your learning positively or negatively? Explain your position in detail.

Conclude class #1 with a discussion of students’ personal reflections, which are the beginnings of their positions for their argument papers. Allow this discussion to be more in-depth, as it is the conclusion of the class, as well as the springboard for the next class. Allow students to share their responses and ask the class to respond to what others say. Students should state their own ideas and create a dialogue about the subject and there should be an openness / willingness in the class for disagreement and discussion.

Argument Paper: Class 2

The Impact of Television on Intelligence and Learning

Objective: This class will aid students in organizing and developing the information or ideas they produced in the previous class. This exercise reinforces the organization necessary when writing and also the process of adding and eliminating ideas when necessary to streamline and strengthen an argument. In addition, students will look at a text that discusses the topic the class will have been looking at and they will select information from this text with which they agree or disagree as an additional means of formalizing their argument.

Part 1

As an aid to bring students back to their ideas from the previous week, ask them to formalize their position on watching television and its impact on learning. Additionally, ask students to include from their questionnaire either pros or cons that they listed for watching television.

Position:

Pro:

Con:

Part 2

1. Read Malcolm Gladwell’s article Brain Candy a review of “Everything Bad is Good For You” by Steven Johnson as a class.

2. After the class has completed the reading allow students fifteen minutes to
re - review the article, annotating it and highlighting points which they find interesting, agree with, disagree with, are unsure about, etc.

3. Once they have completed the annotation, allow students to share their responses to the points made in Gladwell’s review.

4. Ask students to choose points that Gladwell makes in the review that aid them in strengthening their own position.

5. As a conclusion to the class, ask students to share their choices with the class and to explain to the class how the points they have taken from the article assist their own position.

Argument Paper: Class 3

The Impact of Television on Intelligence and Learning

Objective: This class will focus on creating an argument that is balanced through the use of counterargument. This exercise will aid students by introducing them to alternate points – of – view to that of Johnson. Students will discuss the importance of using both sides of the argument in an argument paper and have a discussion of the ideas presented in these alternative arguments to that of Johnson. Students will then consider how they can use these ideas as a supplement to their own ideas. Students will also realize how an argument is a clearly and carefully crafted piece of writing and that the crafted piece of writing results from a process similar to the one they are undergoing - generating ideas, comparing these ideas to the ideas that are circulating in our society, and then after careful consideration of their own ideas and the ideas in the published essays / articles creating a formal argument paper of their own synthesizing these various ideas and sources.

Research an alternate point of view (POV) from Johnson.

1. Introduction to the activity of this class: An argument that is well – balanced is one that is strong. Students may be using the review of Johnson to either support their argument or as a counterargument. It is important for students to understand that an effective argument uses factual information or positions from both sides of the argument.

2. In this class, we will research alternative POV’s to Johnson. If a classroom is equipped with computers and has access to the Internet, this could be an opportunity for the teacher to lead students through a research activity. If the classroom is not equipped with computers and Internet, a teacher may research a few articles or reviews that are in opposition to Johnson’s position.

3. Teacher may use the attached research articles with students. The articles have an alternate POV from that of Johnson. Teacher may have students read the articles in their entirety or create a group work assignment where students look at portions of the article and then present the findings in regards to the writer’s position to the class. When students present, a web diagram should be created on the board documenting student ideas.

Group work approach: Randomly assign students to groups of four students.

Write the questions below on the board or provide for students on a worksheet/webquest.

1. What is the author’s position?

2. What kind of information does the author use to support his position? (interview, statistics, factual information, information from other studies)

3. How does the author present the information? Ask students to look at the writer’s style in presenting the information – is there counterargument? Is the argument biased? Is the argument completely factual? Does the writer use figurative language? If the writer uses counterargument, what points from the opposing side does the writer use? Why does the writer use these points? How do these points impact the writer’s argument?

4. Ask students to consider all of the ideas that have been presented from this class and ask them to consider whether they are in agreement with these ideas or in opposition. Ask them to consider choosing 4-6 ideas that they might use to develop their argument and how they will use the ideas to strengthen their argument.

5. Whole group discussion: Each student will present their points from the previous assignment as the conclusion of the class.

Argument Paper: Class 4

The Impact of Television on Intelligence and Learning

Objective: These two classes will allow students the time to pull their writing together through teacher conferences and peer editing as the teacher wishes to utilize these approaches. The ultimate goal of this point in the writing process is for students to share their ideas with each other and the teacher as a means of affirming their work and creating a community of writers who look to each other for advice and ideas.

Writing Workshops

Ø Students will spend the next two classes organizing their argument into an outline and writing the first draft.