Claim It! Learning to Share Ideas and Give Good Reasons
Have you ever told a friend, 'Chocolate ice cream is the best!' and they said, 'No way, vanilla is way better!' That disagreement is actually the start of a debate! Debate and rhetoric are just fancy words for having a friendly argument where you explain your idea and give good reasons for it. Today you'll learn the exact words people use to do this well.
What You'll Learn
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: - Say what a 'claim' is and give an example - Explain what a 'reason' is and why claims need them - Use the word 'evidence' to describe proof that backs up an idea - Practice making a claim with a reason out loud
What Is a Claim?
A claim is the main idea or opinion you want people to believe. 'Dogs make the best pets' is a claim. 'Recess should be longer' is a claim too. A claim by itself is just an opinion — it needs something more to become convincing.
Reasons: The 'Because' Part
A reason is the 'because' part that explains why your claim is true. If your claim is 'Dogs make the best pets,' your reason might be 'because they can be trained to do tricks and help people.' Good debaters always follow a claim with at least one strong reason. Try saying it as one sentence: 'I think ___ because ___.'
Evidence: Proof That Backs You Up
Evidence is real proof — a fact, an example, or something you saw or read — that supports your reason. If your reason is that dogs can be trained, your evidence might be, 'My neighbor's dog can sit, stay, and even fetch the newspaper!' The strongest arguments use a claim, a reason, and evidence together.
Whenever you want to convince someone, try this pattern: 'I think [claim] because [reason], for example [evidence].' Practice it with something simple, like your favorite snack or game.
Which sentence is an example of a claim with a reason?
What is 'evidence' in an argument?
Convince a Grown-Up
Pick something you'd like to convince a family member of (a later bedtime, a new pet, a special snack). Write or say one sentence using the pattern: claim + reason + evidence. Share it with a grown-up and ask them if your reason and evidence were convincing. Deliverable: your written or spoken claim-reason-evidence sentence, plus the grown-up's feedback in one sentence.
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