Plan Both Sides of a Debate Before You Choose

Pick an issue your child has heard about at home or at school. Have them say the other side's best point aloud before writing their answer to it, then check the two keyed pages with the answer key.

Read a made-up model about class pets, then plan 3 reasons for each side of a four-day school week and choose a side. In a debate, the other side's claim is a counterclaim. The directions on the page read: Read the topic and the model. Then, write 3 reasons for Side A and for Side B, and choose a side. Then, tell why your side is stronger and the other side's strongest point. Then, use your plan to write your draft on lined paper.

Yes, both. We made it for 5th Grade opinion writing, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with persuasive essays. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

Both state a claim with reasons. A persuasive piece is written to move a reader, so it thinks about the audience, like a newspaper's readers, and often asks them to act or agree.

A greeting, the issue, your claim, reasons with evidence, a counterclaim with your answer and a closing with your signature. The planner follows that order.

Knowing the other side's strongest point helps your child answer it. The debate planner lists 3 reasons for yes and 3 for no on a four-day school week before your child picks a side and explains why it is stronger.

The claim and evidence page and the animals page have one. The two planners are open, so check that every reason has evidence and the other side gets an answer.