Cite Evidence Writing - Achieve3000

Focus Lesson
Stretch

Cite Evidence
Writing

Activity Focus: In this lesson, students are asked to evaluate the evidence for and against the Poll
statement. Students can then use this information—drawn first from their Lexile Article and then
strengthened by evidence from the Stretch Article—to respond to the Thought Question.

Note: This activity is best used:
 With argument Thought Questions, which are easily located by using Search
Content = Writing Type; Topic = Argument

Prerequisite: In order to complete this activity, student should already have learned how to locate
evidence in the text to support an opinion.

1. Introduce the purpose for today’s reading by displaying the graphic organizer with the Poll statement
written at the top. Ask students their opinion, telling them that today they will collect evidence to help
them understand both sides of the argument.

2. Have students complete the 5-step routine at their level. As they use the graphic organizer, students
can also write notes in the Reading Connection called Setting the Purpose. Their notes will pull over
into their Thought Question, where they can be used to create a draft response. After responding to
the Thought Question, students should click Finish Later.

3. Facilitate a discussion during which students share the evidence they found for each side of the
argument.

4. Remind students that writing is a process—that part of the process is to review what they’ve written
and add to it, making their argument stronger. Tell students that one place to find additional
information might be in the Stretch Article, another version of the Article written with greater
complexity and detail.

5. Read one paragraph from the Stretch Article out loud to students. (Select a paragraph with evidence
for agreeing or disagreeing with the Poll.) Model how you review each piece of information, asking
yourself if this could be used as evidence. If yes, which side does it support? Model how you would
revise your Thought Question based on this new information.

6. Carefully select another paragraph from the Stretch Article for students to read in pairs. Have student
pairs discuss any new information to determine if it can be used as evidence.

7. Ask each group to share any new evidence, either capturing this evidence on the board or on their
graphic organizers.

8. Have students retrieve their Thought Question by clicking In the Works and revise it to include
additional supporting details, which they found in the Stretch Article. If additional details were not
found, have students edit their response to include higher level vocabulary and more complex
sentence structures.

9. Discuss with students what process they went through to find supporting evidence for their
responses. What about this process helped most? What did not work well?

Adaptation for computer rotation:
Complete step 1 as a whole class activity with a single computer projecting. Have students complete step
2 using the rotation schedule you have in place. Come back together to complete steps 3-7. Step 6 can

© 2013 Achieve3000

Focus Lesson
Stretch

be done in pairs using the projected Stretch Article, or can be completed as a whole class activity.
Students can revise their Thought Questions as per steps 8 the next time they rotate through computers
or offline.

* The Setting the Purpose Reading Connection asks students to take notes or provide evidence from the text that supports the
response to the Thought Question. These notes are available to students when they get to the Thought Question.

© 2013 Achieve3000

Focus Lesson
Stretch

Student: _________________ Date: ___________
Teacher: _______________ Class: ____________

List the details you learn from the Stretch Article that were not included in your Article. Decide if these details will support your opinion and help
you build a stronger argument for your Thought Question.

Evidence Building

Poll

Evidence Agree Disagree Evidence

Conclusion

Additional evidence needed:

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