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English · Grade 10

Argumentation and Counterclaims

Learners argue the way careful thinkers do: by understanding the other side first. Working on a city's debate over banning gas-powered leaf blowers, and taking John Stuart Mill's warning that someone who knows only their own side knows little of that, they anticipate audiences' concerns, state counterclaims fairly, choose rebuttal strategies, recognize five more fallacies, and write a formal counterclaim-and-rebuttal section.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 135 minutes
  • Counterclaims and reasoning check: 10 questions
  • Ways to answer: choose an answer, highlight a text, match pairs, put in order, sort into groups and arrange tiles
See plans Included with Family, Teacher and School plans. Open in PlayOwl

What learners will discover

  • Develop claims and counterclaims fairly, anticipating the audience's knowledge, values and concerns.
  • Choose and use rebuttal strategies: concede and refute, refute with evidence, or qualify and reframe.
  • Recognize five fallacies: post hoc, misuse of authority, red herring, circular reasoning and equivocation.
  • Write an argument section with a fair counterclaim and a reasoned rebuttal in a formal, objective style.

Lessons

  1. Know the other side 6 steps3 practiceabout 32 min
  2. Three rebuttal strategies 6 steps4 practiceabout 32 min
  3. Five more fallacies 6 steps4 practiceabout 30 min
  4. Formal style and the counterclaim section 5 steps3 practiceabout 32 min
  5. Counterclaims and reasoning check 10 questions at the end

Keep exploring

More 10th grade reading

Guide for grown-ups