iCivics’ classroom tool Drafting Board offers interactive, scaffolded instruction for argumentative writing. It is a multi-day intervention that gives teachers the tools to support students as they learn to write evidence-based arguments. Drafting Board can help simplify the complexity of creating a Common Core-aligned learning environment. This free resource is integrated with the content of the iCivics curriculum and aligned to the Common Core standards.

Drafting Board takes students through the steps of creating an argumentative essay. It includes six modules that guide students through the process of understanding an issue, taking a side, and using evidence to support a claim. At the end, students have an argumentative essay with an introduction, body, counterargument, and conclusion.