On some matters in life, every kid must take a stance. Ever since the first youngster in history had a pet, cats versus dogs has been a hotly debated issue at recesses and lunch tables worldwide. Which one’s better? Which one’s smarter? Which is truly the ideal pet? Let your students decide as they create a researched argument/ persuasive piece in this Cats vs. Dogs unit. This unit includes the following:

- Common Core Writing standards addressed for Grades 2-4
- Detailed unit lesson plans **
- Pre- and Post-Assessment
- Grading Rubric
- Whole or small-group research recording sheets
- Drafting, editing/revising and publishing paper
- Ordinal and transition word bank
- Directions for assembling a complete Cats vs. Dogs book

Even your most reluctant writers will enjoy creating an argument for the ideal pet!

**You will need nonfiction cat and dog books to complete the research. I used "National Geographic Kids: Cats vs. Dogs" by Elizabeth Carney; this book can be purchased at most local bookstores or on Amazon.com.

36 pages

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