How I Teach Argumentative Writing in Grades 5–8 (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Let’s be real—if you teach 5th grade or above, you’re probably required to teach argumentative essays every year... and every year, it feels like one of the hardest things to get right.

The structure. The evidence. The thesis. The counterclaim. The formatting.

😩 It’s a lot.

But after years of refining my process, I’ve found a way to make it manageable, effective, and even—dare I say—fun for students and teachers.

This post walks you through how I teach the argumentative essay in just 10 days as part of my Structured Writing Method—including my favorite hooks, how I set up digital slides, what I emphasize in each paragraph, and one simple trick that helps students finally stop using rhetorical questions in their introductions. 🙌

Let’s break it down.


🧠 Start With a Hook They Care About

Before we ever start writing, I pull students in with a topic they actually want to argue about.

One of my go-to questions:
👉 “What have you binge-watched lately?”

Suddenly, we’re having a hilarious and opinion-packed conversation about Wednesday, Stranger Things, and whether binge-watching is amazing or secretly evil.

From there, we start discussing the pros and cons of binge-watching and how it might affect health, sleep, or school performance. They generate ideas together—and they’re invested before we ever mention the words “claim” or “evidence.”

Then we bring in a real article—like one from Newsela titled “Pro/Con: Is Binge-Watching Good or Bad for Us?”—and we compare their opinions with those in the text.

💡 Other great topics: texting with emojis, phones in class, social media rules, etc.



🧱 Break the Essay Into Digestible Pieces

Once students are interested in the topic, we shift into the actual structure of the essay—but I don’t overwhelm them with the whole blueprint all at once.

Instead, I:

  1. Give them a quick overview of the essay parts
  2. Tell them not to memorize it all
  3. Cut up a sample student essay into chunks and have them reassemble it in small groups

It becomes a hands-on puzzle, where they debate:
🧩 “Wait, should this quote come before or after the thesis?”
🧩 “Why is this paragraph placed here?”

They’re figuring it out through discussion and logic, not just memorization.

I use my Deconstructing Essay resource for this—it includes labels and cut-up sections so students can move the pieces around like a writing jigsaw.



🎯 Master the Thesis (Because It Builds the Whole Thing)

Once the essay is reassembled, we zero in on the thesis—because that one sentence builds the entire paper.

I teach them to write:
👉 “We should/should not [claim] because [reason 1] and [reason 2].”

Those two reasons become their body paragraphs, so their plan is basically built right there. We also talk about tone, avoiding “I think” or “I believe,” and why formal language matters.

Then I pull out the rubric—but I don’t show it to them. 😏

Instead, I ask:
📢 “What do you think is on this rubric?”
📢 “If I’m grading this essay, what am I looking for?”

They build the rubric with me, based on what they just read. And suddenly, they know exactly what’s expected—because they figured it out themselves. 💥



🖥️ Set It Up Digitally for Structure and Support

I run all of this through Classkick, my favorite digital tool for writing instruction. It lets me control the pace, give feedback, and provide embedded resources—all in one place.

Here’s how I structure it:

  1. Slides release one at a time (no skipping ahead)
  2. They choose a topic from a short list
  3. I give pre-approved article links to avoid rabbit holes
  4. Each slide builds on the last—claim, evidence, reasoning
  5. They can choose how to plan: blank space for drawing, mind-mapping, listing, etc.

That choice in planning format gives students ownership. Some sketch, some list. And it mirrors what they’ll need to do in real testing environments.



✍️ Drafting: No Pressure, Just Get It Out

When we finally move to drafting, I take the pressure off.

I say:
👉 “Don’t worry about spelling or punctuation yet. Just write.”

They write:

  • A bold hook (without revealing the topic)
  • A clear thesis (with 2 strong reasons)
  • Body paragraphs that follow the Claim → Evidence → Reasoning model
  • A counterclaim and rebuttal (yes—even in 6th grade!)
  • A conclusion that summarizes, restates the thesis differently, and connects the issue to the real world

And we talk about "sticking the landing."

🤸‍♀️ I use a gymnastics metaphor here: a great routine that ends with a stumble is forgettable. A strong conclusion that ties back to your hook = a perfect 10.



🧹 Structure and Formatting

I do not accept the infamous wall-of-text essay.
🚫 No smushed-together paragraphs.
🚫 No skipping indentations.

I teach students exactly how to space their paragraphs and how to format them before they copy/paste their draft into a final version. Then:

  • They revise with a partner
  • Read it out loud
  • Format it in Google Docs with MLA style
  • Submit their final polished copy

💡 The Results (and What Makes It Work)

Not every single student nails it—but the majority do.

Why? Because the structure is clear, the expectations are co-created, and they feel ownership over their ideas from the beginning.

Plus, they’ve practiced claim, evidence, and reasoning in short responses all year, so the leap to essay isn’t so scary.



🎥 Want to See the Full Breakdown?

You can watch my exact step-by-step process in this video:
👉 How I Teach Argumentative Essays in Grades 5–8

It walks you through:

  • My intro hook
  • The essay puzzle activity
  • How I pace it across 10 days
  • What tools I use
  • How I get students excited (yes, really) about the counterclaim

If teaching argumentative writing usually feels like a struggle, this is the reset you’ve been waiting for.


✏️ Your Turn:

How do your students usually respond to argumentative essays?
Drop a comment below or email me—I’d love to hear what’s working (or not) in your classroom!


Want a Done-for-You Argumentative Essay Activity?

If you love this approach but want to save time on prep, I’ve put together a ready-to-use argumentative essay activity that includes the essay puzzle, planning templates, digital slides, and everything you need to walk your students through this process.

🎯 Grab it here: Deconstruct Argumentative Writing

Happy writing!

Robin

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