Should We Have Longer Recess? Learning to Give a Reason
Sam wants recess to be longer. But if Sam just says "I want more recess!" and stomps a foot, the teacher probably won't say yes. What if Sam said instead, "I think recess should be longer because running outside helps my brain focus better in class"? That second sentence has something special in it: a reason. Today you will learn how to turn a wish into an idea grown-ups will actually listen to.
What You'll Learn
- What a claim is (the idea you believe) - What a reason is (why you believe it) - How to say a claim and a reason together in one sentence - How to listen quietly while someone else shares their claim
What Is a Claim?
A claim is what you think should happen. "We should have longer recess" is a claim. "Our class should get a class pet" is a claim too. A claim by itself is just an opinion, one person's wish. It gets much stronger when you add a reason.
Adding Your Reason
A reason answers the question "why?" If your claim is "We should have longer recess," your reason might be "because running outside helps kids feel less tired at the end of the day." Put together: "We should have longer recess because running outside helps kids feel less tired." Notice the word because, it is the bridge that connects your claim to your reason.
Whenever you want someone to agree with your idea, try adding the word because right after it. "I want to sit by the window because I can see the birds" sounds much more convincing than "I want to sit by the window!"
Listening Like a Debater
Great debaters are also great listeners. When a classmate shares their claim and reason, keep your eyes on them, keep your mouth closed, and wait for your turn. Waiting quietly does not mean you agree, it means you are being fair and giving them a chance to be heard, the same way you want to be heard.
Which sentence is a claim WITH a reason attached?
What should you do while a classmate is sharing their claim and reason?
My Claim and Reason
Think of one thing you would like to change at school (recess length, snack time, classroom pet, seating). Draw a picture of your idea. Underneath it, write or dictate one sentence with a claim and a reason connected by the word because. Share your sentence with a partner and take turns listening quietly to each other.
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