Fate on Trial

This argumentative writing worksheet is designed for students in Grades 7 and 8 to deepen thematic understanding, evidence-based reasoning, and rhetorical skill through The Aeneid. Learners imagine a courtroom in which Aeneas’s actions are put on trial and evaluate whether fate or free will drives five pivotal moments, including saving Anchises, loving and leaving Dido, visiting the underworld, and killing Turnus. Students justify each judgment with textual evidence before composing a persuasive closing argument from the perspective of either Destiny’s Lawyer or Free Will’s Lawyer.

Learning Goals

• Argumentative Writing with Evidence (Grades 7-8)
  Students make clear claims and support them with reasoning and details from the text.
• Theme & Central Idea Analysis
  Learners examine Roman ideas of fate, duty, responsibility, and moral agency.
• Claim-Evidence-Reasoning Structure
  Short responses and the final argument reinforce logical organization and clarity.
• Rhetorical Voice & Perspective
  The courtroom framework develops persuasive tone and audience awareness.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with middle school ELA, world literature, and civics standards.
• Debate-Ready Design
  Serves as strong preparation for Socratic seminars, mini-debates, or oral arguments.
• Balances Analysis & Creativity
  Combines close reading with imaginative role-based reasoning.
• Flexible Classroom Use
  Works well for classwork, homework, assessment, or discussion preparation.
• Printable & No-Prep
  Easy to implement in classroom or homeschool settings.

This Fate on Trial worksheet helps students grapple with one of The Aeneid‘s most enduring questions: how much control do individuals have over their choices? By defending claims with evidence and rhetorical purpose, learners strengthen argumentative writing, thematic analysis, and ethical reasoning. Whether used as a writing task or debate scaffold, this printable resource provides meaningful practice examining fate, free will, and responsibility in epic literature.

This worksheet is part of our Aeneid collection.