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6th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 3 of 12

Make Your Case

Claims, evidence and counterarguments

What your child practices

Building an argument: stating a claim, choosing the strongest evidence, recognizing counterarguments and rebuttals, spotting persuasive techniques and ordering a persuasive paragraph.

Alaska content standards learning standard: W.6.1; RI.6.8 · claims, evidence and counterarguments

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. A claim is the position you argue for. Back it with strong, specific evidence.
  2. A counterargument is the other side. A rebuttal answers it.
  3. Persuasive techniques include rhetorical questions (asked for effect, not an answer) and strong emotional words.

Example: “Don’t we all want a safer playground?” Which persuasive technique is this? The writer doesn’t expect a real answer. A question asked for effect is a rhetorical question. Answer: Rhetorical question

Make Your Case in Alaska

In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 3 of 12 in 6th grade English Language Arts, after Connotation & Tone and before Agreement.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Put this persuasive paragraph in a logical order.

    • Our school should start a walking club at lunch.
    • One reason is that walking is an easy way to stay active.
    • Another reason is that a club helps students make new friends.
    • In conclusion, a walking club would keep us healthy and connected.
    • For example, a brisk twenty-minute walk gets your heart pumping without any special equipment.

  2. Question 2

    Which evidence best supports this claim?

    Claim

    Our school should install water bottle refill stations.

    • Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen.
    • One refill station can keep thousands of plastic bottles out of the garbage each year.
    • Some students prefer juice.
    • Plastic bottles come in many sizes.

  3. Question 3

    Which evidence best supports this claim?

    Claim

    Students should learn to cook at school.

    • My favorite food is pasta.
    • Cooking shows are popular on TV.
    • Cooking teaches measuring, planning and food safety, skills people use all their lives.
    • Some kitchens are very small.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence is the writer's rebuttal (the answer to the other side)?

    Let's Compost!

    Our school should start a composting program. Every day, our cafeteria throws away bags of fruit peels and vegetable scraps. Compost would turn that waste into rich soil for the school garden. Some people worry that compost bins will smell. However, a covered bin that is turned regularly has very little odor. Starting a program now would help our school waste less and grow more.

    • However, a covered bin that is turned regularly has very little odor.
    • Some people worry that compost bins will smell.
    • Every day, our cafeteria throws away bags of fruit peels and vegetable scraps.
    • Our school should start a composting program.

  5. Question 5

    Who is the best audience for a speech asking the school to start a recycling program?

    • a baby sibling
    • a hockey team
    • people in another country
    • the principal and the student council, who can approve it

  6. Question 6

    Which persuasive technique does this use?

    Picture a shy puppy waiting at the shelter for someone to take it home. Your donation can give it a warm bed tonight.

    • Bandwagon (everyone's doing it)
    • Emotional appeal
    • Rhetorical question
    • Expert opinion

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