### Title: Crafting the Argumentative Essay: Identifying Problems and Proposing Solutions
**Synopsis:** The lesson focused on preparing students for their final assignment, an argumentative essay that encapsulates the knowledge gained over the past two semesters. The objective was to guide students through choosing a problem relevant to a place they’ve lived and proposing a viable policy solution, while also addressing counterarguments and conducting a research survey.
### Attendance:
– 2 students were mentioned as absent (Diana and Firuza).
– Daniel and Tina were expected to be late.
### Topics Covered:
1. **Introduction to the Final Assignment:**
– Overview of the final argumentative essay assignment.
– Discussion on the grading of previous essays and the organization of arguments.
2. **Attendance Check:**
– Confirmation of students present and late arrivals.
3. **Essay Purpose and Structure:**
– Explanation of the argumentative essay requirements.
– Identification of a problem and a policy solution.
– Presentation of supporting arguments and counterarguments.
– Distinction between the upcoming essay and the previous persuasive essay.
4. **Choosing a Topic:**
– Brainstorming session for potential issues in three categories: campus, city, and national problems.
– Emphasis on specificity and personal connection to the issues.
– Introduction to the counter-argument refutation paragraph.
– Explanation of conducting a research survey versus an interview.
5. **Group Exercise:**
– Students worked in pairs to list issues and exchanged lists with other groups to identify consequences of the issues.
### Actionable Items:
– **Grading of Essays:**
– Completion and submission of remaining essay grades by the end of the weekend.
– **Next Class Preparation:**
– Discussion on policy solutions and homework assignment details to be addressed in the next class.
### Homework:
– No specific homework was assigned; students are expected to prepare for the discussion on policy solutions in the upcoming class.