Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: Should the First Bell Ring Later?

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English Language Arts · English 9-12
SP-ELA912-001 · Free to print and use in your classroom · substituteplans.com
Page 2
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: Should the First
Bell Ring Later?
English Language Arts · English 9-12 · Grades 9-10 · 50 minutes
Time needed
50 minutes (one class period)
Prep
Copy the 2-page worksheet (one per student). Write the three CER labels on the board.
Technology
None.
Student
independence
High. Students read and write alone, then compare with a partner.
Copies to make
One 2-page worksheet per student
Materials
Pencils, Worksheet, Whiteboard or chalkboard
Goal for today: Students will identify the claim, evidence and reasoning in an argument text and write a short
paragraph that uses all three parts.
Before the bell
☐ Copy the worksheet, one per student (2 pages).
☐ Write on the board: CLAIM = what the writer wants you to believe. EVIDENCE = facts, numbers or examples.
REASONING = the “because” that connects the evidence to the claim.
☐ Also write this example on the board: Claim: Our library should open 30 minutes earlier. Evidence: About 40
students wait outside the door before school every day. Reasoning: Students need time to borrow books
before class starts, so early opening would help many people.
☐ Keep the answer key on your desk. You do not need any English background to run this lesson.
Say this to start
Good morning! Today is a reading and thinking day. You will read a short text about a school thinking about changing
its start time. All the numbers in the text are made up for this exercise. Your job is to sort out which sentences are the
claim, which are evidence, and which are reasoning, and then write a short paragraph of your own. Everything you
need is on the worksheet.

SubstitutePlans.com
English Language Arts · English 9-12
SP-ELA912-001 · Free to print and use in your classroom · substituteplans.com
Page 3
Run of show
Minutes
What you do
What students do
0–5
Take attendance the way the school requires. Hand out the
worksheet and ask students to wait for directions.
Settle in and take out a pencil.
5–12
Read the three definitions and the example from the board
aloud. Ask, “Which sentence in the example is the claim?”
Take one or two answers.
Listen, answer, and copy the definitions
into the margin if they like.
12–22
Ask students to read the passage silently and underline
every number or statistic they see.
Read silently and underline.
22–32
Tell students to complete the sorting table. Partners may
compare answers quietly.
Write Claim, Evidence or Reasoning next to
each statement.
32–39
Tell students to answer questions 1–4 on their own.
Answer the three multiple-choice questions
and complete the fill-in item.
39–47
Tell students to write their paragraph (question 5) and
answer question 6. Walk the room.
Write a CER paragraph using the passage
as their source.
47–50
Collect all worksheets and place them in a stack for the
teacher.
Hand in the worksheet.
If things go wrong
• If students say they cannot choose a side, tell them either side is fine as long as they use evidence from the
passage.
• If a student writes only opinions, point to the board and ask, “Which number from the passage supports
that?”
• If the room gets noisy, return to silent work for five minutes, then let partners talk again during the table.
• If a student finishes early, use the early finisher list.
Early finishers
• Write a second CER paragraph that argues for the opposite side of the issue.
• Write one question you would ask the principal before voting on the change.
Support and challenge
• Support: Let students complete the table first and then copy their claim sentence, evidence and reasoning
into the paragraph in order.
• Challenge: Ask students to add a counterargument to their paragraph and explain why their claim still holds.

SubstitutePlans.com
English Language Arts · English 9-12
SP-ELA912-001 · Free to print and use in your classroom · substituteplans.com
Page 4
Notes for the teacher (you fill this in)
Jot a few lines before you leave. A full Daily Sub Report is in the free Sub Survival Kit at SubstitutePlans.com.
How far the class got / what to pick up next:
Students who were especially helpful:
Anything the teacher should know: