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W.9-10.1Common CoreELAWritingGrades 9-10

W.9-10.1: Writing Arguments with Claims, Counterclaims and Evidence

In plain English: W.9-10.1 is the Common Core ELA standard that asks students to write arguments about substantive topics or texts, supporting a precise claim with valid reasoning and relevant, sufficient evidence. Students develop counterclaims fairly, link claims, reasons and evidence with clear transitions, keep a formal, objective tone and end with a conclusion that follows. It is taught in grades 9 and 10.

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

  1. a.Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
  2. b.Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns.
  3. c.Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
  4. d.Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
  5. e.Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy · Domain: Writing Standards · Cluster: Text Types and Purposes · Official standard
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01

Lesson Plan

70-75 min

Overview

Students write an argument that analyzes a short, substantive text: Benjamin Franklin's "The Whistle," which he wrote to his friend Madame Brillon in 1779. Franklin claims that "great part of the miseries of mankind" comes from paying too much for things, and his examples invite real disagreement, which makes the letter a good text for claims and counterclaims. Students first study an original model essay that takes a qualified position on the letter, then map its claim, reasons, evidence, counterclaim, response and conclusion.

The lesson follows the five parts of W.9-10.1: a precise claim distinguished from alternate claims (a), counterclaims developed fairly with strengths and limitations for an audience (b), transitions that link sections and clarify relationships (c), a formal style and objective tone that follow the conventions of literary analysis (d), and a conclusion that follows from the argument (e). Students finish by revising a weak draft and planning their own argument, which they complete for homework.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Write a precise, arguable claim about a text and distinguish it from alternate or opposing claims
  • Support each reason with relevant quotations from the text and explain how the evidence supports the reason
  • Develop a counterclaim fairly, with evidence, and state a strength and a limitation of both the claim and the counterclaim for a specific audience
  • Use transitions to link sections and to show how claims, reasons, evidence and counterclaims relate
  • Keep a formal style and objective tone that follow the conventions of literary analysis, and write a conclusion that follows from the argument

Prior Knowledge Required

Students should already be comfortable with:

  • Writing an argument that acknowledges an opposing claim and organizes reasons and evidence W.8.1
  • Citing textual evidence to support an analysis of what a text says RI.9-10.1
  • Quoting a short phrase from a text and punctuating the quotation correctly
  • The difference between a fact, an opinion and an arguable claim

Lesson Procedure

70-75 minutes of class time across 5 phases.

  1. Warm-Up10 minutes

    Warm-Up Prompt

    "Think of something you wanted badly, got, and then regretted. Was the problem the thing itself, or what you gave up to get it?"

    Give students two minutes to write, then take three or four answers. Read "The Whistle" aloud while students follow on paper. Have students number the paragraphs 1-10 in the margin. Ask them to underline Franklin's claim in the last paragraph and to star the example they find least convincing. Tell students that the disagreement in the room about that example is the raw material for an argument.

    When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children; and, being charmed with the sound of a whistle, that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers, and sisters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money; and laughed at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation, and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.

    This, however, was afterwards of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, Don’t give too much for the whistle; and I saved my money.

    As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle.

    When I saw one too ambitious of court favor, sacrificing his time in attendance on levees, his repose, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to attain it, I have said to myself, This man gives too much for his whistle.

    When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly employing himself in political bustles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect, He pays, indeed, said I, too much for his whistle.

    If I knew a miser, who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for the sake of accumulating wealth, Poor man, said I, you pay too much for your whistle.

    When I met with a man of pleasure, sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal sensations, and ruining his health in their pursuit, Mistaken man, said I, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you give too much for your whistle.

    If I see one fond of appearance, or fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in a prison, Alas! say I, he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.

    When I see a beautiful, sweet-tempered girl married to an ill-natured brute of a husband, What a pity, say I, that she should pay so much for a whistle!

    In short, I conceive that great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.

    Benjamin Franklin, The Whistle (from a letter to Madame Brillon, November 1779) (written 1779; this edition 1921). Public domain (published 1921). Source text.

  2. Direct Instruction20 minutes

    Use Diagram 1 to name the parts of an argument. Stress three points from the standard: a claim must be precise (it names what in the text proves what), it must be distinguished from other claims a reader could make, and a counterclaim must be developed fairly, with its own evidence, before the writer answers it. Then work through the five examples below, one for each skill.

    • Precise claim

      Vague draft claim: Franklin's letter has a good message about money. The claim names no feature of the letter and no one could disagree with it.

      Result: Revision: Franklin's adult examples, from the courtier to the miser, turn a warning about spending into a test for any trade of one good for another.

    • Distinguishing the claim from an alternate claim

      Claim: the list of adult examples is the letter's strongest feature. Alternate claim: the childhood story is its strongest feature.

      Result: Many readers remember the childhood story best, since it is vivid and personal; the list of adult examples, however, is what turns one boy's mistake into a general rule.

    • Counterclaim with a strength and a limitation

      Claim: the whistle test is good advice for students choosing activities.

      Result: Counterclaim: the test could scare a student away from any demanding activity. Strength: Franklin gives no example of a heavy price that was worth paying. Limitation: the counterclaim assumes students cannot judge value, yet students already weigh costs whenever they choose between two activities.

    • Linking a reason to its evidence

      Reason: the rule covers public reputation as well as money. Evidence: the man "fond of popularity."

      Result: Franklin applies the rule to public life as well: the man "fond of popularity" ends up "neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect," which shows that his whistle costs him his livelihood.

    • Formal style and objective tone

      Draft sentence: Seven-year-old Franklin was kind of dumb, honestly.

      Result: Revision: Franklin presents his younger self as a boy who acted on impulse: he "voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one."

    Hand out the model essay. Read it once for meaning. On the second reading, students highlight the claim in one color, reasons and evidence in a second, and the counterclaim and response in a third. Point out the conventions of literary analysis the essay follows: the present tense for what a text does ("Franklin applies his rule"), the author's full name at first mention and last name afterward, and short quotations worked into the writer's own sentences.

    In his 1779 letter now known as "The Whistle," Benjamin Franklin turns a childhood mistake into a rule for judging adult lives. As a boy he paid "four times as much for it as it was worth," and the memory taught him to ask whether any desire is worth its cost. Some readers treat the letter as a simple lesson about saving money; others dismiss it as a sermon from a man who could afford to be wise. Neither reading is quite right. Franklin's whistle test is a sound way to judge choices that people make freely, but his final claim, that "great part of the miseries of mankind" comes from false estimates, overreaches, because it treats every loss as the result of a bad bargain.

    The strongest support for the test is how widely it applies. The same question explains the courtier who sacrifices "his repose, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends" and the miser who gives up "the joys of benevolent friendship" to accumulate wealth. These men want very different things, yet each pays with something worth more than what he gains. Because one rule accounts for such different cases, the letter offers more than advice about spending: it gives readers a way to weigh time, health, and friendship against the rewards they chase.

    A reader might object that Franklin's examples prove too much. He chooses every case to fit his rule, and he never describes a person who paid heavily for something and was glad of it. This objection has real force. A student athlete who gives up free weekends to train also sacrifices repose and liberty, the same goods the courtier gives up, yet few people would call that choice foolish. However, the objection does not defeat the test. It shows instead that the test depends on an honest judgment of value, and Franklin's own phrase is "false estimates," not high prices. A high price paid for something truly valuable passes the test.

    The letter's real weakness appears in its example of the "sweet-tempered girl married to an ill-natured brute of a husband." Here Franklin applies his rule to a person whose suffering comes chiefly from someone else's cruelty. In Franklin's century, a young woman often had limited say in the choice of a husband, so the price may not have been hers to set. Calling her marriage a whistle implies that she simply misjudged a price, which shifts the blame from the husband to her. This example exposes the limit of the closing claim: misery can also come from other people, from illness, or from poverty that no careful estimate could prevent.

    Franklin's letter therefore offers a useful question rather than a complete explanation of unhappiness. Before trading time, money, or friendship for a prize, a reader should ask whether the prize is worth it. The question is valuable precisely because it applies to the choices a person controls; applied to suffering that a person does not control, it becomes a way of blaming the sufferer.

    SVHS lesson authors, Model essay: Worth the Price? Testing Franklin's Whistle. Original passage written for this page.

  3. Guided Practice15-20 minutes

    Pairs complete the map below for the model essay, filling the right-hand column in their own words. Then they check it against Diagram 1. Circulate and ask each pair to point to the exact words that link one part to the next.

    Argument map of the model essay
    Part of the argumentParagraphWhat the writer does (students fill in)
    Claim, distinguished from alternate readings1
    Reason with evidence2
    Counterclaim, its strength, and the response3
    Limitation of Franklin's claim4
    Conclusion5

    Next, pairs read the weak draft below and list every problem they find: the claim, the evidence, the treatment of the opposing view, the transitions and the tone. They do not rewrite it yet; that happens in Activity 3.

    Franklin's letter is about a whistle and honestly I think it's kind of obvious. Everybody knows you shouldn't waste money. He says the miser pays too much. He says the man of pleasure pays too much. He says the guy who wants to be popular pays too much too. Some people might disagree. But they're wrong. The girl who married a brute is another example. Franklin was totally right about everything, and people today need to listen to him because he was one of the smartest Americans ever.

    SVHS lesson authors, Weak draft for revision. Original passage written for this page.

  4. Independent Practice20 minutes

    Each student chooses one of two questions: (1) Does the final paragraph of "The Whistle" follow from Franklin's examples? (2) Is the story of the seven-year-old the best way for Franklin to open his letter? Students write an introduction of four to six sentences that states a precise claim, names an alternate claim and says why it falls short, and previews the organization. Then they list two reasons, each with one short quotation and its paragraph number. Collect the plans; students draft the full argument for homework on a different question.

  5. Closure5 minutes

    Exit ticket: (1) Write one sentence that states a counterclaim to your own claim. (2) Name one strength of that counterclaim. (3) Write the transition you would use to begin your response to it, and say which relationship it shows.

Differentiation Strategies

For Struggling Students

  • Give sentence frames: "Franklin claims that ... . This is convincing when ... , but it falls short when ... ."
  • Provide the letter with paragraph numbers in the margin and the three strongest quotations already underlined
  • Let students outline with Diagram 1 as a fill-in organizer before they write paragraphs

For Advanced Students

  • Ask students to write a second counterclaim that attacks the model essay's own claim, then answer it
  • Have students compare Franklin's reasoning with a proverb or modern saying about cost and value and argue which is more precise
  • Ask students to rewrite one paragraph for a history class, with context about Franklin in Paris, and explain what changed

Assessment Guidance

What to Look For

Check that the claim could be disputed by a thoughtful reader and names what in the text supports it. Look for a counterclaim that a real opponent would accept as a fair statement of their view, with its own evidence, rather than a straw man that is dismissed in one line. Every quotation should be followed by a sentence that explains what it shows. Transitions should name relationships (because, for instance, even so) and not only order (first, second, third). The conclusion should restate the claim with any qualification the response added, not introduce a new topic.

02

Classroom Activities

3 Activities

1

Claim Ladder

15 minPairs

Pairs rank six claim strips about "The Whistle" from least to most precise and arguable, then write a sentence that separates the top claim from an alternate claim. The activity builds the first half of standard a.

Claim Strips

  • A. Franklin wrote a letter about a whistle.
  • B. "The Whistle" is a good letter.
  • C. Franklin thinks people waste money.
  • D. Franklin's letter teaches a lesson about value.
  • E. Franklin's examples show that the whistle rule applies to more than money.
  • F. Franklin's whistle rule persuades for choices people control, but his closing claim about "the miseries of mankind" ignores suffering that other people cause.

Procedure

  • Pairs sort the six strips on the desk, from least to most arguable, and write one reason for each placement
  • Teacher key: A is a fact and B is a vague opinion; C is a summary; D names a topic but no position; E is arguable; F is the most precise, because it names what the rule explains and where it fails
  • Each pair writes a sentence that distinguishes claim F from an alternate claim, beginning "Some readers argue that ... ; however, ..."
  • Two pairs read their sentences aloud, and the class decides whether the alternate claim was stated fairly

Discussion Questions

  • Why is a fact such as strip A not a claim?
  • What does strip F add that strip E does not?
  • Can a claim be precise and still be wrong? How would a reader find out?
2

Claim and Counterclaim Tribunal

20 minGroups of 3

Groups argue one question about the letter from both sides: Does Franklin's final paragraph follow from his examples? The activity makes students develop a counterclaim with its own evidence and adjust an argument to two audiences (standard b).

Roles

  • Advocate: states a claim and supports it with two quotations from the letter
  • Challenger: states the strongest counterclaim and supports it with two different quotations
  • Judge: records on a T-chart one strength and one limitation of each side, then decides which side answered the other better

Procedure

  • Advocate and challenger each prepare for four minutes and speak for one minute; the judge may ask one question of each
  • Groups rotate roles and repeat the round with a new question: Is the example of the man of pleasure fair to him?
  • Audience shift: the group rewrites the advocate's opening twice, once for a classmate who has never read the letter and once for a parent who worries that the letter teaches children that all ambition is bad
  • Groups post both openings and label what each one adds for its audience

Discussion Questions

  • Did any challenger change the advocate's mind? Which evidence did it?
  • What did the opening for the new reader need that the opening for the parent did not?
  • Is a claim stronger after it answers a counterclaim? Why?

Modification for Distance Learning

Run the tribunal in breakout rooms with a shared T-chart document. The judge types the strengths and limitations while the others speak.

3

Cohesion and Conventions Repair

20 minPairs

Pairs revise the weak draft from Guided Practice into a short, formal argument paragraph. They work from a transition bank and a conventions checklist, which build standards c and d.

Materials

  • The weak draft, the list of problems from Guided Practice, and Diagram 2 as the transition bank
  • Conventions checklist: present tense for what the text does; the author's last name, not a nickname; quotations of a few words worked into the sentence, with paragraph numbers; no slang, no second person, no insults to readers who disagree

Procedure

  • Replace the first two sentences with a precise claim
  • Combine the three "He says" sentences into one reason with two quotations, joined by transitions that show the relationship
  • Replace "Some people might disagree. But they're wrong." with a counterclaim stated fairly and a response
  • Rewrite the last sentence so that it follows from the paragraph instead of praising Franklin
  • Trade with another pair and mark every transition with the relationship it shows

History Class Variation

Pairs rewrite one sentence of their revision for a history essay instead. A history paper may give context in the past tense (Franklin was in France as an American diplomat in 1779) and treat the letter as a primary source, while a literary analysis discusses what the text does in the present tense. Students explain the difference in one sentence.

03

Diagrams & Visual Aids

2 diagrams

Diagram 1: The Structure of an Argument

Claim A precise, arguable position on the text because because Reason 1 Why the claim holds Reason 2 A second, different why for instance for instance Evidence Quoted lines from the text, then what they show Evidence Quoted lines from the text, then what they show Counterclaim The best opposing view, with evidence, strength, limitation however Response Why the claim still stands, or how it is qualified therefore Conclusion Follows from the reasons and the response
Each arrow names the relationship a transition should make clear: from the claim to its reasons (because), from a reason to its evidence (for instance), from the counterclaim to the response (however), and to the conclusion (therefore). The counterclaim sits inside the argument, not after it.

Diagram 2: Transitions by the Relationship They Show

Claim and reason because since one reason is that this matters because Reason and evidence for instance Franklin writes that as shown when this detail suggests Claim and counterclaim a reader might object that granted, ... but even so this objection overlooks Linking sections: the strongest support is ... / the real weakness ... / therefore
Transitions sorted by the relationship they clarify, the three relationships named in standard c. The bottom row shows phrases that link the major sections of a longer argument. The ellipses mark where the writer's own words go.

04

Homework Assignment

~30 min

W.9-10.1 Homework: An Argument About "The Whistle"

Directions: You will build one argument, 400-600 words, step by step. Use "The Whistle" as your only source. Quote short phrases exactly and give the paragraph number in parentheses, for example (paragraph 2). Keep a formal, objective tone throughout.

Part 1: Claim and Plan (Problems 1-2)

  1. Write a precise claim that answers this question: Is Franklin's whistle rule better advice for spending money or for spending time? Then write one sentence that states an alternate claim a reader could make and explains why your claim is stronger.
  2. Outline your argument: two reasons, each with one quotation from "The Whistle" (give the paragraph number). Under each quotation, write one sentence that explains how it supports the reason, and name the transition you will use to join the reason to its evidence.

Part 2: Counterclaim and Audience (Problems 3-4)

  1. Draft your counterclaim paragraph. State the strongest opposing view fairly, support it with a quotation, and name one strength and one limitation of the counterclaim and one limitation of your own claim. End with your response.
  2. Your readers are members of an adult book club who know the letter well but doubt that a 1779 letter has anything to say to teenagers. Write two sentences for your introduction: one that fits what these readers already know (and so does not retell the story), and one that answers their doubt.

Part 3: Drafting, Concluding and Revising (Problems 5-6)

  1. Draft your introduction and body paragraphs. Use at least four transitions that show different relationships (claim and reason, reason and evidence, claim and counterclaim, and one that links two sections). Underline each transition and label the relationship in the margin.
  2. Write a concluding paragraph that follows from your argument, including any qualification your response added. Then revise one body paragraph for formal style and the conventions of literary analysis, and list three changes you made.

Rubric

CriterionFull Credit (2 pts)Partial Credit (1 pt)No Credit (0 pts)
Claim and OrganizationPrecise, arguable claim distinguished from an alternate claim; parts clearly orderedClaim arguable but vague, or alternate claim missingNo arguable claim
Reasons and EvidenceTwo valid reasons, each with an exact, cited quotation that is explainedEvidence present but not explained or not citedNo evidence from the text
Counterclaim and AudienceCounterclaim stated fairly with evidence; strengths and limitations of both sides; audience's knowledge and concern addressedCounterclaim present but dismissed or unsupportedNo counterclaim
Cohesion, Style and ConclusionTransitions show relationships; formal, objective tone; conclusion follows from the argumentSome transitions or tone lapses; conclusion only repeatsNo transitions or conclusion

05

Quiz: 20 Questions

Interactive, with answers

Instructions

The questions use "The Whistle," the model essay and the weak draft from the lesson plan. Your score updates as you answer, and Reset quiz clears everything so you or your students can try again.

Multiple choice: pick an option to check it. Short answer: write your answer, then reveal the model answer.

0 of 20 answered · 0 correct

  1. Question 1 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which claim about "The Whistle" is both precise and arguable?

  2. Question 2 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    In paragraph 1 of the model essay, which sentence rejects the alternate readings of the letter?

  3. Question 3 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A student wants evidence for this reason: Franklin's rule counts costs that are not paid in money. Which line from the letter supports it best?

  4. Question 4 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A student writes: Franklin believes that wanting fine things is always wrong. Which evaluation of this reasoning is most accurate?

  5. Question 5 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which counterclaim to "Franklin's rule explains most unhappiness" is developed most fairly?

  6. Question 6 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    In paragraph 3 of the model essay, what limitation of the counterclaim does the writer point out?

  7. Question 7 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Your readers have never read "The Whistle." Which addition to your introduction best anticipates their knowledge level?

  8. Question 8 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Your readers are classmates who worry that Franklin's rule means they should never spend money on anything fun. Which sentence best addresses that concern?

  9. Question 9 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    In paragraph 3 of the model essay, what does the word "However" signal in "However, the objection does not defeat the test"?

  10. Question 10 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Paragraph 4 of the model essay begins, "The letter's real weakness appears in its example of the 'sweet-tempered girl.'" How does the phrase "The letter's real weakness" link paragraph 4 to the rest of the essay?

  11. Question 11 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Choose the word that best links the claim to its reason: The whistle test is a sound guide to choices people make freely ____ it asks whether a gain is worth what it costs.

  12. Question 12 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which revision of the weak draft's first sentence keeps a formal style and an objective tone?

  13. Question 13 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which sentence follows the conventions of literary analysis?

  14. Question 14 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which sentence would make the best conclusion for the model essay?

  15. Question 15 of 20 · Short Answer

    Write a precise, arguable claim that answers this question: Is the example of the man of pleasure one of Franklin's strongest examples? Then write a sentence that distinguishes your claim from an alternate claim.

  16. Question 16 of 20 · Short Answer

    Find two pieces of evidence in the letter for this reason: Franklin's rule applies to health as well as money. Quote each one exactly, give its paragraph number, and explain how it supports the reason.

  17. Question 17 of 20 · Short Answer

    Here is a claim: People should judge every purchase by Franklin's whistle test. Write a counterclaim, support it with one quotation from the letter, and state one strength and one limitation of the counterclaim.

  18. Question 18 of 20 · Short Answer

    A student writes: Franklin regretted paying too much for one whistle, so he believed that buying toys is always foolish. Explain the flaw in this reasoning and use the letter to correct it.

  19. Question 19 of 20 · Short Answer

    Revise these two sentences from the weak draft so that they state a counterclaim fairly and respond to it: "Some people might disagree. But they're wrong." Use a transition that shows the relationship between the counterclaim and your response.

  20. Question 20 of 20 · Short Answer

    Put these sentences in the order that makes the clearest paragraph, and name the role of each (claim, evidence, explanation, counterclaim, response): (a) For instance, the courtier gives up "his repose, his liberty, his virtue" to win favor. (b) A reader might reply that some ambition is healthy. (c) Franklin's courtier shows that the whistle rule measures costs that are not paid in money. (d) Yet Franklin criticizes only the man who is "too ambitious," so the rule allows ambition that is worth its cost. (e) None of these losses can be counted in coppers, but each is a real price.

0 of 20 answered · 0 correct

06

Frequently Asked Questions

10 Questions

What does W.9-10.1 mean?

W.9-10.1 means that students in grades 9 and 10 can write an argument that supports a claim about a substantive topic or text with valid reasoning and relevant, sufficient evidence.

Its five parts ask students to introduce a precise claim and organize the argument (a), develop claims and counterclaims fairly for an audience (b), link ideas with transitions (c), keep a formal, objective tone (d), and write a conclusion that follows (e).

What is the difference between W.9-10.1 and W.11-12.1?

The grade 11-12 version asks for more depth, not a different kind of writing.

W.11-12.1 adds knowledgeable claims whose significance the writer establishes, claims and counterclaims developed "fairly and thoroughly" with the most relevant evidence, and varied syntax as well as transitions. The grade 9-10 standard is the foundation for all of these.

What is a counterclaim, and do students have to include one?

Yes: W.9-10.1b asks students to develop claims and counterclaims fairly, so a counterclaim is part of the standard.

A counterclaim is a reasonable position that disagrees with the writer's claim. Students state it in terms its supporters would accept, give it evidence, name its strength and limitation, and then respond, either by showing why their claim still holds or by qualifying it.

Is an argument the same as a persuasive essay?

Not quite: the standards use the word argument, which means convincing readers through reasons and evidence.

A persuasive piece may lean on emotion or the writer's authority. An argument under W.9-10.1 can still be vivid, but every claim has to be earned with evidence and reasoning, and the other side has to be treated fairly.

How much evidence is "sufficient"?

Evidence is sufficient when a skeptical reader would accept each reason, which usually means more than one piece of evidence per reason.

One quotation can be an exception; two that point the same way are harder to dismiss. Sufficiency also means the evidence covers the whole claim: a claim about "all" of Franklin's examples needs more than one example.

What do "formal style and objective tone" mean for a ninth grader?

They mean writing that sounds like a careful analysis, not a conversation or an attack.

In practice: no slang or text abbreviations, little or no "you," claims stated about the text rather than about the writer's feelings, and opponents described fairly rather than insulted. Formal does not mean wordy; short, precise sentences are often the most formal.

What are the "norms and conventions of the discipline"?

They are the habits readers in a subject expect, and they differ between English, history and science.

In a literary analysis for English class, students discuss what the text does in the present tense, name the author by last name after the first mention, and work short, cited quotations into their own sentences. A history paper may give historical context in the past tense and treat the same letter as a primary source.

Why teach argument writing with a letter from 1779?

"The Whistle" is short, free to use because it is in the public domain, and it makes a bold claim that students can test against its own examples.

Because some examples are more convincing than others, students find real counterclaims on their own. The lesson also works with any other short text that makes an arguable claim.

How is W.9-10.1 usually assessed?

W.9-10.1 is usually assessed with a written argument scored on a rubric for claim, evidence, organization, style and conventions.

Many state tests include a text-based writing task of this kind. Check your state's released items and scoring guides, which show exactly how the claim, the use of sources and the counterclaim are weighted.

How can parents help with argument writing at home?

Ask your student to argue both sides of an everyday question and to back each side with a specific reason.

Questions such as "Is this phone plan worth its price?" use the same thinking as Franklin's letter. When your student reads a draft aloud, ask, "What would someone who disagrees say?" and "Where is your proof?"