Teaching Argument Writing with Frankenstories

What's the stimulus?

What domain or subject do you want your players to argue about, and how well-informed do you want that argument to be?

  • Do you want a curriculum-based argument using authentic evidence students have learned in class?
  • Or a balderdash-style argument using make-believe evidence?

TWFS Argument game pairs Curriculum Balderdash

Curriculum-based argument games

Argument games based on curriculum content can develop argumentation skills while reinforcing content knowledge.

Because argument prompts are purely structural, you can use them with any curriculum content you like:

  • Literature
  • Social studies
  • History
  • Science

However, you'll probably need to find a relevant stimulus image on the web and upload it as a custom image.

If you want a topical image, you can browse our Topical Images Google folder, with images related to issues such as climate change, animal rights, energy production, gaming, AI, and so on.

Download an image you want to use, and then upload it to your game as a custom image.

(It's a fiddly process but it's the best we can do right now!)

Topical images folder

If you want to write arguments about Shakespeare plays, then you're (possibly) in luck!

The Frankenstories Shakespeare prompts guide has a collection of argument prompts for Macbeth (with more to come).

Screenshot FS Shakespeare argument prompts

And if you want an image based on one of the plays, you can browse this Shakespeare images Google folder, download an image you like, and upload it to your game as a custom prompt.

Screenshot FS Macbeth images Google folder

The case for balderdash-style games

We believe that balderdash-style games (with wacky stimulus images) might help students learn argument types and components more quickly, because:

  • Players can focus on structure without having to worry about being right about "the facts".
  • There is no "truth", so every round has limitless possibilities.
  • The games are free to be funny and playful, which can build enthusiasm for improving craft skills.

FS Buff Pikachu pauses warmongering

Example: Buff Pikachu pauses warmongering to show us his 8-step skin routine

Limiting our own claim

But this is only a guess; we don't have any classroom evidence to back this up at the moment.

There are several ways we could be wrong, including:

  • Improvising make-believe issues and evidence could be more difficult than writing about familiar, real-world content.
  • Students might not be able to transfer argumentation concepts as easily as we imagine.
  • There's no reason why curriculum-based arguments can't also be playful and entertaining.

So if you try the balderdash-style approach, let us know how you go! We need to collect evidence for the argument, one way or the other.

(Note: We played all the demo games in the Argument Structure prompt guide as balderdash-style games for exactly the reasons above.) 

If you're playing a make-believe game, then almost any image will work as a stimulus.

Often, the more absurd the image, the better, so long as students understand they have to make everything up:

  • Players can invent an issue based on the image.
  • They can improvise whatever details and backstory are required.
  • They can make up all their evidence as they go.

For example, how many contested issues could you invent based on this image?

Teaching tip: Remind students to make the nonsense convincing

Tell students that the make-believe evidence should still be believable! 

If you're familiar with Circle of Expectations from Teaching Narrative Writing with Frankenstories, it's the same concept: the evidence can be wacky but it needs to obey a credible logic within the world of the argument.

Cautionary note: Be careful with images of real people

You might want to be careful about images depicting real people or populations. Frankenstories games tend towards wild exaggeration, so be mindful of how your argument prompt might play out against the image.

If your students struggle to invent make-believe issues based on a stimulus, you could try:

  • Showing the stimulus to the class and brainstorming issues before playing
  • Playing a few games where players only come up with issues [Example: Boxing World: Christmas 2023 Edition. Table of Contents]
  • Adding information to the blue text prompt
  • Making your own image with embedded text (see example below)

Note that Frankenstories doesn't have any annotated images like this

If you want an annotated image, you'll need to edit one that you have downloaded and then upload it as a custom image for your game.

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