Question

Do now: On a blank sheet of paper, construct an Argumentative Outline based of what you already know.



Use this document to find 2 reasons why capital punishment should or should not be abolished in Georgia. You can also use one of the other side's reasons as a counter claim to your argument.

georgia_capital_punishment_full_facts.pdfDownload georgia_capital_punishment_full_facts.pdf

Use this document to outline the argument:

Argumentative_Essay_Outline.pdfDownload Argumentative_Essay_Outline.pdf

Teacher's Model:

Letter to Gov-Death Penalty Exemplar1.pdfDownload Letter to Gov-Death Penalty Exemplar1.pdf

Exit Ticket:

Submit your practice outline. (upload)
(write as a 9TH GRADER, not too big words, use simple words)

Answer 1

Argumentative Essay Outline (9th grade — simple words)

Topic: Should Georgia abolish the death penalty?
My claim (thesis): Georgia should abolish the death penalty because it risks killing innocent people and it costs more than other punishments without proven benefits.

1. Introduction
- Hook: The death penalty is one of the most serious punishments our state can use.
- Background: Georgia currently uses the death penalty for some crimes, but many people are worried about fairness and mistakes.
- Thesis: Georgia should end the death penalty because innocent people can be executed and it is too expensive for no clear gain.

2. Body Paragraph 1 — Reason 1 (Main point)
- Topic sentence: The death penalty risks putting innocent people to death.
- Evidence/support:
- People on death row have later been found innocent and freed in Georgia and around the country.
- Trials can make mistakes: bad witnesses, wrong evidence, or poor lawyers.
- Explanation: If even one innocent person is executed, that mistake cannot be fixed. This shows the punishment is too final and dangerous.
- Short wrap-up sentence: Because of the risk of irreversible error, Georgia should not use the death penalty.

3. Body Paragraph 2 — Reason 2 (Main point)
- Topic sentence: The death penalty costs more than life in prison and does not clearly stop crime.
- Evidence/support:
- Death penalty cases need long trials and many appeals, which makes them expensive.
- Studies have not clearly shown that the death penalty reduces murder more than long prison sentences.
- Explanation: Spending much more money on death penalty cases does not make communities safer. Life without parole can protect the public at lower cost.
- Short wrap-up sentence: The high cost and lack of clear benefit are reasons to end the death penalty in Georgia.

4. Counterclaim (other side’s reason)
- Counterclaim: Some people say the death penalty gives justice to victims and stops criminals from doing the worst crimes.
- Rebuttal:
- Justice can be served by a sentence of life without parole, which keeps dangerous people locked up forever.
- Evidence for deterrence is not strong, so the death penalty may not actually stop crime.
- Also, the death penalty can be unfair (race and money influence who gets it), so it does not always give fair justice.

5. Conclusion
- Restate thesis in a new way: For the sake of innocent lives and smart use of public money, Georgia should end the death penalty.
- Summary of main points: It risks wrongful executions, it costs too much, and life without parole is a safer, fairer option.
- Call to action: Lawmakers and the governor should work to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life without parole.

Would you like me to turn this outline into a short letter to the governor like your teacher’s model?