Page 198 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade6_Flipbook

aCTIvITy 3.3
continued
13. Collaboratively write the claim for your editorial.
my Notes
Claims Are Debatable
A claim must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your claim is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact, then there is no reason to try to convince people.
Example of a non debatable claim: Air pollution is bad for the environment. This claim is not debatable. First, the word pollution means that something is bad or negative in some way. Further, all studies agree that air pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that air pollution is good.
Example of a debatable claim: At least twenty-five percent of the federal budget should be spent on limiting air pollution. This claim is debatable because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation’s money. Others might feel that this amount is too much to spend to limit air pollution. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit air pollution.
14. Does your claim clearly state your topic and opinion? Is your claim debatable? Share your claim with the class. Practice speaking loud enough to be heard.
Unit 3 • Changing Perspectives 171
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