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PlayOwl

English · Grade 6

Arguments, Claims and Sources

Learners trace and evaluate two fictional opinion pieces about phones and devices in school: one by a teacher and one by a marketing director for a tablet company. They outline claims, reasons and evidence, separate supported claims from unsupported ones, explain how word choice and selected details reveal an author's point of view and purpose, and consider how a source's interests can shape an argument.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 95 minutes
  • Argument tracing check: 9 questions
  • Ways to answer: choose an answer, highlight a text, match pairs, put in order, sort into groups and write a short answer
See plans Included with Family, Teacher and School plans. Open in PlayOwl

What learners will discover

  • Trace an argument by identifying the author's claim, reasons and the evidence for each reason.
  • Distinguish claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
  • Determine an author's point of view and purpose and explain how word choice and selected details convey them.
  • Consider how a source's background or interests may shape an argument, and identify ways to check its claims.

Lessons

  1. Trace the argument 5 steps2 practiceabout 24 min
  2. Supported or unsupported? 5 steps3 practiceabout 24 min
  3. Point of view and purpose 5 steps3 practiceabout 23 min
  4. Who is behind the argument? 6 steps3 practiceabout 24 min
  5. Argument tracing check 9 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

More 6th grade reading

Guide for grown-ups