Declaring Identity: Being Jazz (2020)

Lesson 16
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ELA

Unit 11

6th Grade

Lesson 16 of 28

Objective


Write a letter communicating perspective on bullying and persuade the reader to agree with the position.

Readings and Materials


  • Website: What Is Bullying by StopBullying.gov 

  • Website: How Does Bullying Affect Health and Well-Being?” by US Department of Health and Human Services 

  • Website: Bullying Statistics by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center 

  • Book: Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Some have argued that people today are far too sensitive about bullying. They believe that bullies “toughen kids up” and bullying makes kids more successful because it teaches them to persevere and overcome challenges.

Imagine that someone has written an editorial for the local newspaper arguing this position. Using the articles that we read yesterday in class and also everything we have read thus far in Being Jazz, write a letter to the newspaper responding to this editorial. You must take a clear position on whether or not you agree with the author of the editorial and provide evidence to support your position.

Your letter must:

  • Take a clear position: do you agree or disagree with the author’s claim about bullying?
  • Provide evidence, including at least one from the informational texts and one from Jazz’s memoir
  • Include thoughtful analysis of how your evidence supports your position
  • Provide a strong concluding statement that clearly communicates your position

Lesson Guidance


  • Unpack the prompt. Discuss the desired outcome of the letter.
  • Remind students that they have already studied the way that an author can develop an idea and support it with statistics, facts, and anecdotes. Explain that a strong persuasive argument often will include all three.
  • Discuss how students can use structure to strengthen their argument—persuasive texts often end with the most powerful argument. If possible, provide an exemplar.
  • Just as with analytical essays, the conclusion is an opportunity to drive your point home; it is essential that the person you are writing to understands what position you want them to take.
  • Students should spend the remainder of the class writing their letters and complete them for homework.

Notes

  • This is a one-day task, so students’ letters will be rough. However, they have already built significant scheme through their work yesterday as they studied bullying statistics and by reading Being Jazz.
  • In a persuasive letter, it is appropriate to write using the first person. Students may wish to include their own experiences of bullying; because time is limited, have students begin by drawing on facts and statistics from the nonfiction texts and an anecdote/example from Being Jazz. They can then draw on their own experiences if they have sufficient time.
  • This lesson can also be an opportunity to teach about strong opening hooks.

Common Core Standards


  • W.6.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
  • W.6.1.a — Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
  • W.6.1.b — Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
  • W.6.1.e — Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.

Next

Interpret words and figures of speech Jazz uses in her memoir and analyze their impact.

Lesson 17
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