Name:
Persuasive Claim Writing (2)
Entry Slip: Which of the following is NOT an argumentative claim? Why not?
a) Al Capone was a criminal in the 1920s who sold illegal alcohol.
b) FDR was not successful at fixing the Great Depression in the US.
c) The car was one of the most important inventions of the 1920s.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Stop & Jot: Fill in the graphic below.
1) _____________
2) _____________
ARGUMENT
3) _____________
Claim
A statement that takes a
___________ on a topic or
issue.
Claims answer the question
What do I ___________?
(what is my opinion/viewpoint on the issue
or topic?)
Defensible?
There has to be atleast one
other ___________ side or
___________ on the issue.
Guided Practice:
Check then explain if the following claims are:
1) Taking a stance on a topic/issue
2) Answering the Question: What is my opinon/viewpoint on the issue or topic?
3) Defensible? (leave space for a counterclaim or counterargument)
Claim 1: Native Americans were moved to reservations as Amercans moved west to find gold, grow cash
crops, and start a new life.
___ Taking a stance on a topic/issue
___ Answering the Question: What is my opinon/viewpoint on the issue or topic?
___ Defensible? (leave space for a counterclaim or counterargument)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Claim 2: Political bosses did more good than harm for new immigrant coming to America during the late
1800s.
___ Taking a stance on a topic/issue
___ Answering the Question: What is my opinon/viewpoint on the issue or topic?
___ Defensible? (leave space for a counterclaim or counterargument)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Claim 3: Imperialism was the most important cause of WWI.
___ Taking a stance on a topic/issue
___ Answering the Question: What is my opinon/viewpoint on the issue or topic?
___ Defensible? (leave space for a counterclaim or counterargument)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Name:
Persuasive Claim Writing (2)
Writing Claims:
A claim that ___________ or ___________ with the thesis/claim
Counterclaim
Argument Starters Words that make an ___________ easier to ___________
Argument Starters:













Counterclaim Starters:
Almost
Maybe
Often
If…then..
Usually
Some likely
Most
Many
Probably
In most cases
Frequently
__________
__________













Even though
While it is true that
I will admit
I agree that
Admittedly
You’re right
I cannot argue with
Granted
I accept the fact
I realize that
I know that
__________
__________
Practice: Make a claim about the changes in the 1920s.
Example 1:
Topic: Changes in the 1920s
What do I think?: Some changes were really bad like credit and consumerism
Claim: Some of the changes of the 1920s were destructive to society and had major consequences for
Americans.
Counterclaim? Many of the changes of the 1920s were constructive for society and brought advances
and advantages to Americans.
Example 2:
Topic: Changes in the 1920s
What do I think?: Jazz was a huge platform for African Americans.
Claim: Many of the changes in the 1920s impacted society positively like jazz music.
Counterclaim: Many of the changes in the 1920s impacted society negatively like the creation of
credit.
Create your own claim about the 1920s.
Topic: ____________________________________________
What do I think? ____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Claim: _____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Counterclaim: ______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Name:
Persuasive Claim Writing (2)
As we practice making CLAIMS and COUNTERCLAIMS, we
will also be reviewing the major units that will be assessed on
the MIDTERM next week including:
Immigration – Westward Expansion – Imperialism (Spanish-American War) –
World War I (M.A.I.N. causes) - Roaring 20s/Great Depression/FDR's New Deal
Independent Practice: Practice Writing claims using the argument & counterclaim
starters.
1)
Make a claim about how the radio changed American society in the 1920s.
Topic: ____________________________________________
What do I think?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Claim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Counterclaim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2)
Make a claim about how successful FDR was as president.
Topic: ____________________________________________
What do I think?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Claim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Counterclaim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3)
Make a claim about how WWI changed the world.
Topic: ____________________________________________
What do I think?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Claim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Counterclaim:
Name:
Persuasive Claim Writing (2)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4) Make a claim about how new weapons affected the death toll in WWI.
Topic: ____________________________________________
What do I think?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Claim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Counterclaim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5)
Make a claim about why Americans moved West in the 1800s.
Topic: ____________________________________________
What do I think?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Claim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Counterclaim:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
HOMEWORK:
 Write down at least 3 questions you have about the midterm topics