Directions:

1. Print or download the following materials:

2. Using all rows on the Argument Writing rubric and the sample response below, provide students with a final score by dividing the total number of earned criteria by the number of criteria (earned points/10 points = final score).

For each row, calculate student points using the scoring guide below:

Beginning	1 point
Developing	2 points
Proficient	3 points
Advanced	4 points

Sample Proficient Response (scorepoint 3):

Position 1: Cal should return to Challagi Indian Industrial School

After a few months at Challagi Indian Industrial School, Cal, the main character of Joseph Bruchac’s historical fiction novel Two Roads, ran away to Washington, DC to find his Pop. Cal had had a premonition that Pop was in danger, and Deacon, his schoolmate who understood Cal’s gift, told Cal that he should trust his vision. Cal managed to get to Washington and reunite with Pop, who was so happy to see him. Pop stayed back with Cal instead of participating in a protest on a bridge, and the two of them were safe together. Now Cal has to decide what to do. The veterans’ campaign is not over yet, and Pop plans to stay and see it through. He asks Cal, “‘What now, son?’” (313). Even though Cal traveled a long way to make sure Pop was safe, Cal should now return to Challagi until the veterans’ campaign is over, or maybe even longer. At Challagi, Cal can continue to develop his important friendships and advance his education.

The first reason why Cal should return to Challagi is because that is where all his new Creek friends are. The boys he has met at Challagi, like Possum, Deacon, and Little Coon, are like “brothers” to Cal now (320). He is happy to be reunited with Pop, but he is “also missing the boys in [his] Creek gang” (314). By making friends at Challagi, Cal has become more independent and also more connected to his Creek identity. He can now speak some Creek words and phrases. He learned how to “stomp dance” and he participated in a sweat lodge, where he talked to his friends about his vision. Cal wants to follow “the road of being a Creek Indian” (314). The way to follow this road is to return to Challagi and develop his relationships with his Creek friends.

Cal should also return to Challagi because it is important to continue his education. Cal has always been a smart kid, who enjoys reading and learning how to live on the road. However, before Challagi, Cal had not had much of a formal education, because he was living on the road with Pop for years. At Challagi, Cal and the other students move around from class to class “so they can get a taste of the different trades” the school teaches (260). There is also a library that Cal can use in the summer. He even has a plot of land that he can practice farming on. Cal knows that, if he goes back to Challagi, he “could learn more about agricultural science” and “spend time in the horse barn” (314). Cal is learning so much and figuring out what he likes to do. He should go back to Challagi to learn more.

Cal spent a long time at Challagi wishing that he could be reunited with Pop. But now that Cal sees that Pop is safe and that the campaign is not over, it is time for him to return to Challagi. He has made wonderful friends who have taught him more about being Creek. He is attending classes and learning things that he finds useful. Cal does not have to stay at Challagi forever, but he should go back for a while longer because he has so much more growing to do.

The claim is introduced by offering context about the situation in which Cal now finds himself.
The claim is clearly communicated, and the focus is maintained throughout the piece.
Formal style is established and maintained.
The first reason and its evidence are organized clearly in the first Proof Paragraph.
Words, phrases, and clauses are consistently used to clarify relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
Claim is supported with clear reasons and relevant evidence from the text.
The second reason and its evidence are organized clearly in the second Proof Paragraph.
Words, phrases, and clauses are consistently used to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
Claims are supported with clear reasons and relevant evidence from the text.
Concluding paragraph follows from the argument, restating the claim and reasons.
Adequate use of conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling is evident.
Clear understanding of the text is demonstrated; develops valid claim supported by logical reasons and textual evidence.

Position 2: Cal should not return to Challagi Indian Industrial School.

After a few months at Challagi Indian Industrial School, Cal, the main character of Joseph Bruchac’s historical fiction novel Two Roads, ran away to Washington, DC to find Pop. Cal had had a premonition that Pop was in danger, and Deacon, his schoolmate who understood Cal’s gift, told Cal that he should trust his vision. Cal managed to get to Washington and reunite with Pop, who was so happy to see him. Pop stayed back with Cal instead of participating in a protest on a bridge, and the two of them were safe together. Now Cal has to decide what to do. The veterans’ campaign is not over yet, and Pop plans to stay and see it through. He asks Cal, “‘What now, son?’” (313). Even though Cal has made good friends at Challagi, he should not return to the school. Pop needs Cal around to protect him, and Cal is mature enough now to be a bigger part of the veterans’ campaign.

The first reason why Cal should not return to Challagi is because Pop needs Cal to protect him. When he was at Challagi, Cal had a vision in which he imagined Pop and other veterans being hurt. Deacon encouraged him to trust his vision, which is why Cal ran away to find Pop. After Cal arrived in Washington, DC, Pop told him, “No way are you going to let me try to make a stand at the bridge. Right?” (309). It is possible that this protest at the bridge could have become dangerous. Pop would have participated if Cal had not stopped him. Cal has reliable premonitions about Pop’s safety. Instead of returning to Challagi, Cal should stay with Pop so that he can warn him about other possible dangers that he dreams about.

Cal should also stay with Pop in Washington, DC, because he is smarter and more mature than he was when Pop first sent him to Challagi. At the beginning of the book, Cal is quieter. He looks to Pop for advice and approval, he always does what he is told, and he does not always speak his mind. By the time he reunites with Pop in Washington, he seems older. He has learned how to live without Pop and, instead, rely on the support of his new friends. He trusted a vision and traveled a long way by himself. He tells Pop a long story “squawking—like a jaybird” until his “throat is sore” (308). Originally, Pop thought Cal was too young to be in Washington as an army was formed. Now, even just a few months later, he would probably be better able to protect himself if things became dangerous. Pop even trusts Cal more now to make his own decisions, asking him “What now, son?” (313). Cal should not return to Challagi because he is now mature enough to be with Pop in Washington, DC.

The campaign in Washington is not over, and Pop used to think that Cal was too young to be there with him. But Pop’s attitudes are changing. Cal has become much more mature and independent during his two months at Challagi. He has shown Pop that he is able to deal with all kinds of challenging situations, including traveling alone to Washington to help protect Pop. Cal had mostly good experiences at Challagi, but now he should stay with Pop in Washington.

The claim is introduced by offering context about the situation in which Cal now finds himself.
The claim is clearly communicated, and focus is maintained throughout the piece.
Formal style is established and maintained.
The first reason and its evidence are organized clearly in first Proof Paragraph.
Claim is supported with clear reasons and relevant textual evidence.
Words, phrases, and clauses are consistently used to clarify relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
The second reason and its evidence are organized clearly in the second Proof Paragraph.
Words, phrases, and clauses are consistently used to clarify relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
Claim is supported with clear reasons and relevant evidence from the text.
Adequate use of conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling is evident.
Concluding paragraph follows from argument presented, restating the claim and reasons.
Clear understanding of the text is demonstrated; develops a valid claim supported by logical reasons and textual evidence.

Module 3, Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write a Literary Argument Essay Scoring Values & Guidance