Arguing for a position:

Instructions: Your final assignment of the semester will be to take a position on one of the six current argument/issues in Unit 5: Arguing a Position. junk food and obesity; Each topic has a folder containing at least two essays with opposing viewpoints. You must carefully read them, define the argument and then take a position.

This assignment demands integration of the two sources (articles) you read. You’ll need to summarize the main points of each essay, integrate quotes, and paraphrase where necessary. The minimum length for your essay is 3-4 pages, plus a references page. Your thesis must take a clear position on the issue, and your following paragraphs must offer support for that position; i.e. what are the reasons you support the side you do.

It will be necessary for you to capture the main reasons/arguments from both sides of the issue; so even though you will argue for one side, you must also consider the counter-arguments—what the opposing side says. You can concede and/or refute opposing points to strengthen your position, but don’t ignore the opposition. Look for logical fallacies and other weaknesses (vague language, assumptions, etc.) in the opposing arguments.

This essay will be written in class a little bit each day for the next couple of weeks. We’ll start with summaries, then extract important quotes, move on to intros, drafts and the final versions. See schedule below for important dates.

Should be minimum 4 pages.

MY SUMMARY

A healthy balanced diet of vegetables and fruits with continuous physical education is key in developing good habits of young children. Northeast Elementary Magnet School has been key instilling a positive mindset to children by demonstrating that teaching children to be nutrition literates is vital in battling the obesity epidemic. “The percentage of overweight kids at Northeast increased in 2009, the program's third year, but dropped slightly last year [in 2010], to 32 percent; 17 percent are obese.” Additionally, involving parents and children at school helps in not only nurturing and developing the child’s mentality, but also change the culture practiced at home to be more nutrition concisions. Memorial High School in West New York, N.J became the first high school to have a healthy balanced diet of vegetables and fruits with continuous physical education after the Northeast Elementary Magnet School.

Having a healthy lifestyle increases your chance of not becoming obese and not having diabetes while many people are suffering from such illnesses due to unhealthy lifestyles. It is vital and very important to teach children in kinder-garden about healthy lifestyles and nutrition literates, learning on to a habit at a young age makes you used to it and thus makes it easier for them to have a healthy lifestyles through out their whole lives.

On the opposing view, some people stay that parents are the ones responsible for the child’s health. Being offered healthy food in School doesn’t necessary mean that the child will consume it; having to monitor children to eat healthy food is considered a waste of time. A student spends 180-day’s per school year thus making it 180 lunches and/or breakfasts and there are approximately 360 days in year. Most of the time a child spends is at home and the parents are the ones that should call themselves accountable and not depend on the school. If a child wants to eat junk food in a school that has banned junk food, he will eventually find a way and eat it; banning junk food is not school will not make junk food lovers stop eating junk food. Education begins at home.