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TOP PICKS | 18 TOOLS
Resources for Persuasive and Argumentative Essay Writing
Top Picks
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ThinkCERCA
Well-structured lessons encourage deep analysis, thoughtful writing
Bottom line: This is a ready-to-go, research-backed resource that focuses intently on CCSS-aligned and AP-level critical reading and writing skills.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Free, Paid Free Basic version limited to four grade band-based differentiation levels, short reading lessons, and multiple-choice assessments. Paid Premium version adds 10 levels of differentiation (grades 3-12), more in-depth and varied lessons, writing benchmarking, rubrics, data dashboards, and more. Contact for a quote.
Writable
Stellar program scaffolds the writing process with peer review and feedback
Bottom line: This is an intelligently structured tool for teaching writing and review that focuses on process as much as product.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Free to try 30-day free trial. Classroom subscriptions start at $7 per student per year. School price available upon request.
Quandary
Slick ethics game teaches students to make tough decisions
Bottom line: This versatile game that can teach ethics, argumentation, and civics is light on interactivity but will come alive through discussion.
Grades: 5–8
Price: Free
Community in Crisis
Game shows real-world uses for literacy and decision-making skills
Bottom line: A clever, real-world, and civic-minded context to learn and practice ELA skills.
Grades: 5–9
Price: Free
Vital Signs
ELA game set in a medical clinic shows the value of literacy skills
Bottom line: Great ELA lessons that realistically integrate literacy skills into the simulated day-to-day of a medical clinic.
Grades: 6–8
Price: Free
Argument Wars
Courtroom sim covers ethics, the Constitution, and the art of argument
Bottom line: Social Studies and Civics teachers will find no argument with the game's value; it's a fun, free way to dig into major court cases with lots of extension opportunities.
Grades: 6–10
Price: Free
Drafting Board
Students get persuasive skills with delightful civics-based essay tool
Bottom line: It's a fantastically detailed tool that helps kids through every step of persuasive essay writing.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
NoodleTools
Expansive research tool uniquely melds learning and productivity
Bottom line: While the complex, old-school design isn't ideal, NoodleTools gives students specific assistance where they need it the most -- with citations, paraphrasing, elaboration, and organization.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free to try 30-day free trial. Individual accounts are $15/year, but these lack collaboration features. Contact for school and district plans with full feature set.
ProCon.org
Comprehensive, nonpartisan resource navigates controversial issues
Bottom line: The balanced pro/con format makes this a go-to source for online research on controversial issues.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
Race to Ratify
Great history game offers cool constitutional spin on persuasion
Bottom line: This super smart game will get students digging into and understanding the federalist and anti-federalist sides of the U.S. Constitution ratification debate.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
Room for Debate
Experts examine, dissect, and discuss critical issues
Bottom line: A helpful site for exploring multiple perspectives on key current events and hot topics.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
StudySync
Superb ELA/EL resource is a complete package
Bottom line: StudySync continues to thoughtfully grow its already robust platform, offering a complete secondary ELA/EL program that cleverly bridges reading and writing, online and offline work.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free to try A one-year subscription starts at $21.42 per student. The print student reading and writing companion units cost $10.20 per student per year, and the print bundles (including two novels) start at $31.11 per student per year.
Kialo Edu
A troll-free zone for student discussion and debate
Bottom line: This is a valuable platform for students to learn about social and political issues while practicing digital citizenship and argumentation.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free
The Learning Network
Process current events through engaging NYT-style lens
Bottom line: From a trusted news organization with its finger on the pulse of the world, this free resource can be a reliable source of activities and ideas for current event discussions.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free
The Sports Network 2
Make news and build ELA skills with this cable sports show sim
Bottom line: It's a great blend of important cross-disciplinary critical reading skills and a fun newsroom context that'll show students how learning translates to working life.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free
Weava
Chrome extension helps organize web-based research
Bottom line: For Chrome users and mostly digital classrooms, this is a fairly intuitive tool that'll help students wrangle their research.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free to try Free version has unlimited highlights but 100MB of storage, 5 highlight colors, and 1 collection with 3 sub-collections. Paid version ($5.99 per month or $49.99 per year) has 2GB of storage, unlimited collections, 10 highlight colors, and extra features like more file exports, image clipping, and better support. This paid version is free if users can get five other people to sign up.
YourCommonwealth
Engage with passionate international perspectives from youth
Bottom line: Offers a rich variety of news and opinion stories on global issues, and its young writers will get U.S. students hooked on civic engagement.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free
iSideWith
Easy-to-use political quiz provides instant results, provokes debate
Bottom line: A great tool to help students determine and compare political views; especially useful during the election cycle.
Grades: 9–12
Price: Free