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Lesson 7: Emphasize, Minimize
Description
As a precursor to writing a rough draft, students learn that you can’t ignore evidence for the other side of an argument. Students learn how to use complex sentences to minimize or emphasize evidence when they argue. This lesson may not take an entire class period, so you may want to combine it with your own sentence-writing exercises or with another lesson.
Objectives
The student will:
- Determine which part of a complex sentence minimizes an idea and which part emphasizes an idea.
- Write complex sentences designed to emphasize or minimize evidence in an argument
Lesson Prep
Step by Step
OPTION A: POWER POINT
WORK THROUGH the “Emphasize/Minimize” Power Point presentation.
DISTRIBUTE one “Emphasize/Minimize” worksheet to each student.
EXPLAIN the directions for the two worksheet activities. (Students should be familiar after working through the Power Point quiz.)
GIVE students time to complete the worksheet activities.
REVIEW answers with the class.
CLOSE by having students silently think up one sentence on their own. Have students share their sentence with a partner.
OPTION B: WORKSHEET ONLY
ANTICIPATE by asking students to consider the following two sentences:
- Although Ruby did rob the bank, she did not take very much money.
- Although Ruby did not take very much money, she did rob the bank.
Ask students which one seems to emphasize that Ruby robbed the bank (the second one), and which one seems to emphasize that she didn’t take very much money (the first one).
PROJECT the projection master chart. (If you canno project, you can read the sentences and A/B options aloud.) Go through each example and have the class answer "A" or "B" as a chorus.
DISTRIBUTE one “Emphasize/Minimize” worksheet to each student.
WORK THROUGH sets 1 through 5 together with the class.
EXPLAIN the directions for the activity on the second side of the worksheet.
GIVE students time to complete the worksheet activity.
REVIEW answers with the class.
CLOSE by having students silently think up one sentence on their own. Have students share their sentence with a partner.
Recommended Sequence
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