Kira Jacobson

Generating Arguments About Climate Change

Sun, Apr 17, 2016 12:48 PM
Provides most resources needed

This article provides the context and structure needed for students to collaboratively construct, support, and share arguments on climate change. The scaffolding questions that are provided are very appropriate. They guide the lesson well and are used in initial discussion to assess and provide necessary background knowledge. The data that students will analyze and use to support their arguments is also provided. It reminds teachers to keep students away from talking about beliefs and focus on explanations of data. The arguments are formed in groups of 4 and displayed on a poster/whiteboard. One student stays to present their group’s argument and the others provide feedback for other groups’ arguments. An addition I would make is, even with my 9th and 10th graders, prepping them for providing feedback appropriately. I’d give explicit examples of language they should and should not use. (“You may be able to improve your argument by including data from the temperature graph” vs. “You should have used better data…”). I like that students have to first create an argument on how climate is changing, then another argument on what is causing the change, so that they can further develop their argumentation with better explanations, more data, and better counterarguments. Students are also asked to write their own arguments individually, then do another peer review using a peer-review rubric. I wish they provided an example of a peer-review rubric.