Lesson Plan: Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning

Grade Level: 5th Grade Subject: English Language Arts Duration: 60 minutes

Objective: - Students will understand the concept of claim, evidence, and reasoning. - Students will be able to identify and construct claims, provide evidence to support their claims, and explain their reasoning. - Students will apply the concept of claim, evidence, and reasoning to analyze texts and videos.

Materials: - Whiteboard or chart paper - Markers - Texts: Short passages or articles related to a topic of interest for 5th graders (e.g., endangered animals, space exploration, climate change) - Videos: Short educational videos related to the chosen topic - Online resources: Computers or tablets with internet access

Procedure:

1. Introduction (10 minutes):
   • Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever had to convince someone of something or prove a point. Discuss their experiences briefly.
   • Explain that today, they will learn a strategy called “Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning” that will help them make strong arguments and support their ideas with evidence.
   • Write the terms “Claim,” “Evidence,” and “Reasoning” on the whiteboard or chart paper.
2. Understanding Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (15 minutes):
   • Define each term:
     • Claim: A statement or opinion that answers a question or problem.
     • Evidence: Facts, data, or information that supports the claim.
     • Reasoning: The explanation or logical thinking that connects the evidence to the claim.
   • Provide examples of each term using simple statements and ask students to identify the claim, evidence, and reasoning.
   • Discuss the importance of using evidence and reasoning to support claims.
3. Analyzing Texts (20 minutes):
   • Divide the class into small groups.
   • Distribute short passages or articles related to the chosen topic to each group.
   • Instruct students to read the text and identify the claim, evidence, and reasoning used by the author.
   • Encourage students to discuss their findings within their groups.
   • Afterward, have each group share their analysis with the whole class, and facilitate a class discussion on the different claims, evidence, and reasoning found in the texts.
4. Watching Videos (10 minutes):
   • Show short educational videos related to the chosen topic.
   • Instruct students to pay attention to the claims made in the video, the evidence provided, and the reasoning used to support the claims.
   • After watching, facilitate a class discussion on the claims, evidence, and reasoning presented in the videos.
5. Applying Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (5 minutes):
   • Provide a prompt related to the chosen topic and ask students to individually write a claim, provide evidence to support it, and explain their reasoning.
   • Collect their responses for assessment purposes.
6. Conclusion (5 minutes):
   • Recap the main points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of using claim, evidence, and reasoning to support arguments.
   • Encourage students to apply this strategy in their future discussions and writing.

Extension Activity: - Assign students to find an article or video on a topic of their choice and analyze it using the claim, evidence, and reasoning strategy. They can present their findings to the class or write a short reflection on their analysis.

Online Resources: - ReadWorks (www.readworks.org): Provides free reading passages and comprehension questions for various grade levels. - BrainPOP (www.brainpop.com): Offers educational videos on a wide range of topics, including science, social studies, and English. - Newsela (www.newsela.com): Provides news articles at different reading levels, allowing students to practice analyzing claims, evidence, and reasoning in current events.