Are your students writing an argumentative paper? The Reasoning Tree activity is a great way to give visual value to the concept of building a line of reasoning. In this case, we're growing an argument, and the visual images will remain in the minds of your writers all year! An excellent 'check-yo-self' activity for young writers!

1. The Line of
Reasoning
Tree

2. JILL PAVICH, CREATOR OF THE GLOBAL PEN
MRS. PAVICH’S GLOBAL WRITING BLOCK
STUDENTS 2015-2016
TEACHER FEATURE:
BETH RUBIN’S TREE OF REASONING STRATEGY
CREDITS:
Updated: July 2016

3. LINE OF REASONING
CONCLUSIONS Drawn

4. GROW YOUR OWN…LINE OF REASONING!

5. GROW YOUR OWN…LINE OF REASONING!
ROOTS = Context

6. STUDENT WORK

7. TRACKING THE LINE OF REASONING
ROOTS = Context
TRUNK= CLAIM(S)

8. STUDENT WORK

9. GROW YOUR OWN…LINE OF REASONING!
ROOTS = Context
BRANCHES= Subclaims
TRUNK= CLAIM(S)

10. STUDENT WORK

11. STUDENT WORK

12. GROW YOUR OWN…LINE OF REASONING!
ROOTS = Context
TRUNK= CLAIM(S)
BRANCHES= Subclaims
LEAVES= Evidence

13. STUDENT WORK

14. STUDENT WORK

15. GROW YOUR OWN…LINE OF REASONING!
ROOTS = Context
TRUNK= CLAIM(S)
BRANCHES= Subclaims
LEAVES= Evidence
SUNSHINE ON TOP OF TREE=
Conclusions/Solutions

16. STUDENT WORK

17. STUDENT WORK

18. BEHOLD, THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE! ER, REASONING!

19. REASONING TREE REFLECTION
ü Are there any breaks in your line of
reasoning?
ü Is your argument ‘full’?
ü Could you add additional evidence to
support/corroborate your sub-claim
and to reinforce the overall
argument?

20. OTHER CRAFTY ADDITIONS

21. CONSIDERING THE OPPOSITION
BUT…
A little birdie told me…
HOWEVER…
Consider the wise owl…

22. CONSIDER OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS

23. NIFTY PLACES TO FEATURE YOUR ESSAY QUESTION

24. TREE KEY
Have students
color-code the
information in
their tree!

25. SOURCE CRED
Have students
include
comments
about the
CREDIBILITY of
their sources!

26. EVALUATING
EVIDENCE
Have students
include
comments to
EVALUATE the
strength of
their own
evidence!

27. Check out my Album on Flickr:
GlobalPenEDU
FLICKR