Slide Deck
Philosophical Chairs: 12 Angry Men Themes
Let's explore some big ideas before we dive deep into "12 Angry Men" and the concept of claims.
Greet students and introduce the Philosophical Chairs activity. Explain that they will be exploring themes from "12 Angry Men" through debate.
How to Play Philosophical Chairs
Here's how we'll play:
- Read the statement: A statement will appear on the screen.
- Choose your side: Move to the side of the room that best represents your stance: "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided."
- Listen & Share: Be ready to explain why you chose your side, using reasons and examples.
- Change your mind? You are welcome to change sides if someone else's argument convinces you!
Go over the rules of Philosophical Chairs clearly. Emphasize respectful listening, providing reasons, and the possibility of changing one's mind based on convincing arguments.
Claim 1: Knowing the Truth
"It is easy to know if someone is telling the truth."
Move to the "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided" side.
Prompt students to move to their chosen side. Ask students from the 'Agree' side to share their reasoning, then the 'Disagree' side. Encourage students in the 'Neutral' zone to share why they are undecided or what evidence they'd need to pick a side. Facilitate a brief discussion.
Claim 2: Impact of One Person
"A single person can change the minds of many others."
Move to the "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided" side.
Prompt students to move to their chosen side. Ask students from the 'Agree' side to share their reasoning, then the 'Disagree' side. Encourage students in the 'Neutral' zone to share why they are undecided or what evidence they'd need to pick a side. Facilitate a brief discussion.
Claim 3: Fair Justice?
"Justice is always fair and unbiased."
Move to the "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided" side.
Prompt students to move to their chosen side. Ask students from the 'Agree' side to share their reasoning, then the 'Disagree' side. Encourage students in the 'Neutral' zone to share why they are undecided or what evidence they'd need to pick a side. Facilitate a brief discussion.
Claim 4: Majority Rules?
"It is important to always follow the majority opinion."
Move to the "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided" side.
Prompt students to move to their chosen side. Ask students from the 'Agree' side to share their reasoning, then the 'Disagree' side. Encourage students in the 'Neutral' zone to share why they are undecided or what evidence they'd need to pick a side. Facilitate a brief discussion.
Claim 5: Reasons for Beliefs
"People usually have good reasons for their beliefs."
Move to the "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided" side.
Prompt students to move to their chosen side. Ask students from the 'Agree' side to share their reasoning, then the 'Disagree' side. Encourage students in the 'Neutral' zone to share why they are undecided or what evidence they'd need to pick a side. Facilitate a brief discussion.
Claim 6: Prejudice and Evidence
"Prejudice can affect how people see evidence."
Move to the "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided" side.
Prompt students to move to their chosen side. Ask students from the 'Agree' side to share their reasoning, then the 'Disagree' side. Encourage students in the 'Neutral' zone to share why they are undecided or what evidence they'd need to pick a side. Facilitate a brief discussion. This claim is particularly relevant to the play.
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Lesson Plan
What's the Point? Uncovering Claims
Students will be able to identify and explain the initial claims made by the jurors in Act I of "12 Angry Men".
Understanding claims is fundamental to analyzing arguments in literature and in real life. This skill will help students dissect persuasive texts, evaluate information critically, and construct their own well-supported arguments.
Audience
11th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Through direct instruction, guided practice, and textual analysis.
Materials
- Introduction to Argument Slide Deck, - Identifying Claims in Act I Worksheet, - Warm Up: Claim It!, - Cool Down: My Claim Is..., - Philosophical Chairs: 12 Angry Men Themes, and - Copies of "12 Angry Men" (Act I) for each student
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Lesson Plan, Introduction to Argument Slide Deck, Identifying Claims in Act I Worksheet, Warm Up: Claim It!, Cool Down: My Claim Is..., and Philosophical Chairs: 12 Angry Men Themes.
- Ensure copies of Act I of "12 Angry Men" are available for all students.
- Prepare the projector and computer for the slide deck presentation.
Step 1
Philosophical Chairs: 12 Angry Men Themes
10 minutes
- Present the Philosophical Chairs: 12 Angry Men Themes slide deck.
- Explain the rules of Philosophical Chairs.
- Facilitate a debate for each statement, encouraging students to move to "Agree," "Disagree," or "Neutral/Undecided" sides and articulate their reasoning.
- Allow students to change sides if a classmate's argument sways their opinion.
Step 2
Warm Up: Claim It!
5 minutes
- Distribute the Warm Up: Claim It! to students.
- Instruct students to complete the warm-up activity individually.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion about their responses to activate prior knowledge on making statements.
Step 3
Introduction to Argumentation
8 minutes
- Present the Introduction to Argument Slide Deck.
- Define "argument," "claim," and "evidence" with clear examples.
- Engage students with questions to check for understanding throughout the presentation.
- Emphasize the importance of identifying initial claims in analyzing any argument.
Step 4
Identifying Claims in Act I
7 minutes
- Distribute the Identifying Claims in Act I Worksheet.
- Instruct students to work in pairs or small groups to re-read key sections of Act I of "12 Angry Men".
- Guide students to identify the initial claims made by individual jurors regarding the defendant's guilt or innocence, and to note any supporting statements they use.
- Circulate among groups, providing support and clarification as needed.
Step 5
Share and Discuss
3 minutes
- Bring the class back together.
- Ask groups to share some of the claims they identified from Act I.
- Briefly discuss how different jurors present their initial stance.
Step 6
Cool Down: My Claim Is...
2 minutes
- Distribute the Cool Down: My Claim Is... to students.
- Instruct students to complete the cool-down individually.
- Collect the cool-downs as an exit ticket to assess understanding of claims.
Slide Deck
What's the Point?
Uncovering Claims in Arguments
How do we convince others? What's the first thing we need to say?
Greet students and introduce the topic. Ask them to think about times they've tried to convince someone of something.
What is an Argument?
An argument in academic terms is not a fight!
It's a reasoned way of presenting a viewpoint, supported by reasons and evidence, to persuade an audience.
Define 'argument' as more than just a fight, but a reasoned way to present a viewpoint.
The Heart of the Argument: The Claim
A claim is the main point or central idea that an arguer is trying to prove.
It's the what you believe or are stating.
Examples: The school day should start later. Reading fiction improves empathy.
Introduce 'claim' as the central idea or main point. Give a simple, relatable example like 'Pizza is the best food.'
Why Believe It? Evidence!
Evidence is the information, facts, data, or examples used to support a claim.
It's the why or how you know your claim is true.
Examples: Studies show later school starts improve student performance. Brain scans reveal increased activity in empathy centers after reading.
Explain that claims need support. Introduce 'evidence' as the factual support.
Putting it Together: Claim + Evidence
A strong argument links a clear claim with relevant evidence.
Think of it as: "I believe X (claim) because of Y (evidence)."
Briefly touch on reasoning as the bridge between claim and evidence, but keep the focus on identification for today.
Claims in Action: 12 Angry Men
In Act I of "12 Angry Men," the jurors each enter the room with an initial stance.
Their initial claims are their first statements about the defendant's guilt or innocence.
Our Goal: Identify these initial claims!
Transition to '12 Angry Men'. Remind students of the play's premise and the setting of Act I.
Your Turn: Find the Claims!
As you review Act I, pay close attention to what each juror states.
- What is their initial point about the defendant?
- Are they saying he is 'guilty' or 'not guilty'?
Encourage students to pay close attention to the jurors' opening statements and discussions in the first act.
Worksheet
Identifying Claims in Act I of "12 Angry Men"
Directions: As you re-read Act I of "12 Angry Men", identify the initial claim each juror makes about the defendant's guilt or innocence. Then, note any initial evidence or reasons they provide to support that claim.
Juror 1 (Foreman)
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 2
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 3
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 4
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 5
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 6
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 7
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 8
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 9
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 10
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 11
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Juror 12
Initial Claim:
Supporting Evidence/Reason (if any):
Warm Up
Warm Up: Claim It!
Directions: Read each statement below. Decide if it is a strong claim (a statement that needs to be proven) or just a fact (something generally accepted as true).
If it's a claim, briefly explain what kind of evidence you might need to support it.
-
The sun rises in the east.
- Is this a claim or a fact?
- Why?
- Is this a claim or a fact?
-
Pineapple on pizza is delicious.
- Is this a claim or a fact?
- Why? What evidence would you need to support it?
- Is this a claim or a fact?
-
Dogs are better pets than cats.
- Is this a claim or a fact?
- Why? What evidence would you need to support it?
- Is this a claim or a fact?
-
The main character in the story made a bad decision.
- Is this a claim or a fact?
- Why? What evidence would you need to support it (from the text)?
- Is this a claim or a fact?
Cool Down
Cool Down: My Claim Is...
Directions: Respond to the following prompts to reflect on today's lesson.
-
In your own words, what is a "claim" in an argument?
-
Why is it important to be able to identify the initial claim someone is making, especially when you are trying to understand their argument?
-
Think about a current event or a discussion you recently had. What was one claim someone made, and what was one piece of evidence they used to support it?