There’s a reason the articles we read rarely follow the traditional five-paragraph essay template: it’s dull. Readers are inspired and persuaded by anecdotes, rhetorical questions, and literary devices woven seamlessly into arguments and counterarguments. We must remind students that argumentative writing is a creative endeavor, not just a formula to follow. More importantly, we need to provide tasks that give students the space to develop the art of creative argumentation. Worksheet:

Capture your semester with six-word mayhem. Worksheet:

Worksheet:

Worksheet: Additional Villain Activity: Worksheet:

Whatever is spoken about at this time must be kept absolutely top secret. Here’s how this mission works: For this week, your class will work together on one shared objective: keeping a chosen teacher’s classroom cleaner than it has ever been. Your mission could include things like pushing in chairs, picking up trash, organizing supplies, wiping tables, or keeping your own space spotless. It doesn’t matter which cleaning tasks you do— just be sure you’re doing