Website of the Week # 5- aMap

In this site you can create a basic web for a persuasive argument. 

http://www.amap.org.uk/

Basics: You pose a question, take a postion on the question, and then you add your three reasons for your postion with support and evidence.  After it is finished others can respond to your question.  Great for any time you want students to support an opinion.

Examples:

These are actual student examples.  They were given the choice to start their own argument about anything and these are some of the topics they chose.  You can try this app really easily.  Just click reply at the bottom of one of them and then click reply again and it will walk you through the process.







Test Kitchen: I used this to introduce persuasive writing to my students.  I first created some templates for them that already had the argument started and had sentence starters.  They were given the choice of which argument to respond to.  We also discussed some of the tips for persuasive writing and how to be more persuasive.  It's weird because this is just like a regular graphic organizer on a piece of paper but, the students were so excited to do this.  Some of the little things like being about to choose the color and being about to create their own makes them more motivated.  It was very successful.

Tips: When students sign-up they do not have to use their reall information.  I had them write their hour with me and their name as their name, ccjh as their city, 11111 as their zip code, and rmangum@goaj.org as their e-mail address. 

Classroom Applications:

Language Arts:  This is a great way to do brainstorming for a persuasive essay or just to give students the opportunity to practice creating arguments for a specific position.

Science: This could be used as a mindset when you want students to take a stance on a contraversial topic.  It gives them the chance to back up their arguments.

Social Studies: You could have students explain what they think would have happened in history if something would have been different and then they would have to support their idea with evidence.

Art:  They could defend why they believe an artisit was the most influential in their period.

Extension:  Student could all embed their arguments into one blog or wiki and then they would have the opportunity to respond to eachother's arguments.