Introduction to Argumentation

Active learning helps students grapple with the abstract concepts of argumentation by making them do the work of identifying, sorting, and evaluating. When students actively engage with claims, evidence, and reasoning, they develop a more concrete understanding than through passive listening alone. This hands-on approach is key to building foundational argumentation skills.

• Grade 9
• Language Arts
• 3 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Ready-to-Use Activities

Chalk Talk

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Argument Scavenger Hunt: Identifying Components

Provide students with short persuasive texts (editorials, advertisements). In small groups, they must identify and highlight the main claim, list all supporting evidence presented, and explain the reasoning connecting the evidence to the claim. Groups then share their findings.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a factual statement and a debatable claim.

Facilitation Tip: During the Argument Scavenger Hunt, circulate to ensure groups are focusing on identifying all three components—claim, evidence, and reasoning—and not just finding examples of arguments.

Setup: Large papers on tables or walls, space to circulate

Materials: Large paper with central prompt, Markers (one per student), Quiet music (optional)

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Chalk Talk

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Claim vs. Fact Sort

Present students with a list of statements. Individually, they must categorize each statement as either a factual statement or a debatable claim. Following the sort, students discuss their choices in pairs, justifying why each statement fits its category.

Prepare & details

Explain how evidence strengthens or weakens an argument.

Facilitation Tip: When students are sorting statements during the Claim vs. Fact Sort, encourage them to articulate *why* they are placing a statement in a particular category, especially for borderline cases.

Setup: Large papers on tables or walls, space to circulate

Materials: Large paper with central prompt, Markers (one per student), Quiet music (optional)

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Chalk Talk

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Evidence Strength Evaluation

Give pairs of students a claim and several pieces of evidence, some strong and some weak. They must rank the evidence from strongest to weakest and write a brief justification for their ranking, focusing on relevance and credibility.

Prepare & details

Analyze the connection between a claim and its supporting reasons.

Facilitation Tip: In the Evidence Strength Evaluation, prompt pairs to consider not just if the evidence supports the claim, but *how well* it supports it, referencing the types of evidence they are given.

Setup: Large papers on tables or walls, space to circulate

Materials: Large paper with central prompt, Markers (one per student), Quiet music (optional)

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Teaching This Topic

Teachers often find success by first explicitly modeling the identification of claim, evidence, and reasoning using clear examples. It is crucial to address the common misconception that any strong opinion constitutes a debatable claim. Emphasize that sound argumentation requires logical connections and credible, relevant evidence, not just assertion.

What to Expect

Students will be able to confidently identify claims, differentiate them from facts, and begin to evaluate the quality of evidence presented. Successful learners will show an understanding of how evidence and reasoning connect to support a claim, moving beyond simple identification to critical analysis.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Claim vs. Fact Sort, watch for students labeling any statement they personally agree with as a 'claim'.

What to Teach Instead

Redirect students by asking them to consider if the statement could reasonably be argued against by someone else; if not, it's likely a fact or a personal preference, not a debatable claim.

Common Misconception

During the Argument Scavenger Hunt, watch for students identifying any statement following a claim as 'evidence'.

What to Teach Instead

Guide students to look for specific information—statistics, examples, expert quotes—that directly supports the claim, rather than just any sentence that comes after it.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Claim vs. Fact Sort, quickly review student categorizations to identify common points of confusion between facts and debatable claims.

Peer Assessment

During the Evidence Strength Evaluation, have pairs explain to another pair why they ranked certain pieces of evidence as strong or weak, listening for their reasoning.

Exit Ticket

After the Argument Scavenger Hunt, ask students to write down one claim they found, one piece of evidence used to support it, and one sentence explaining how the evidence supports the claim.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to find an additional piece of evidence for one of the claims in the Evidence Strength Evaluation activity, and explain why it is strong or weak.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence frames or a graphic organizer for students struggling to connect evidence to claims during the Argument Scavenger Hunt.
• Deeper Exploration: Have students rewrite weak evidence from the Evidence Strength Evaluation to make it stronger, or find a counter-argument to a claim.