Write an argument with reasons
Grade 6 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
A Filling Station for the Gym (argument draft)
[1] Our school should install a water-bottle filling station near the gym. [2] Right now, students who want a drink must walk to the one old fountain beside the main office, which is a long way from the gym doors. [3] Drinking water is just a really good idea. [4] The school nurse, Ms. Brandt, recorded eleven headaches last spring that she linked to students not drinking enough water during long practices. [5] Last Tuesday, a friend told me that his cousin felt sick after a game. [6] A filling station costs about one thousand dollars, and the Parent Group has already raised twelve hundred dollars at the book fair. [7] A station would let players refill their bottles in seconds and return to coaching sooner. [8] The school mascot is a hawk, and a painted hawk covers the wall beside the gym. [9] For these reasons, the school should install a filling station near the gym.
Ari wants to replace the opinion in [3]. Which sentence is the strongest evidence for the claim in [1]?
- Last month, one player felt dizzy at practice and had to sit down on the bench for a while before returning to play.
- The gym floor was refinished two years ago with a clear coat that protects the wood and makes the court look new.
- A survey of 120 players found that more than half skipped drinking at practice because the fountain was too far away.
- Drinking water is an important part of staying healthy, happy and ready to learn, and athletes of any age should do it often.
Esme checks the draft for a sentence that does not support the claim in [1]. Which sentence should be cut?
- [6] A filling station costs about one thousand dollars, and the Parent Group has already raised twelve hundred dollars at the book fair.
- [7] A station would let players refill their bottles in seconds and return to coaching sooner.
- [8] The school mascot is a hawk, and a painted hawk covers the wall beside the gym.
- [2] Right now, students who want a drink must walk to the one old fountain beside the main office, which is a long way from the gym doors.
More Room for Bikes (argument draft)
[1] The school should add a second bike rack at the front entrance. [2] The one rack now holds twelve bikes, and it stands behind the cafeteria, far from the main doors. [3] Biking is a super cool way to get around. [4] A count by the student council on a sunny Monday found twenty-six bikes locked to the fence, the railing and a lamp post. [5] My neighbor says that one bike was stolen last month. [6] The bike shop on Main Street sells racks that hold ten bikes for about three hundred dollars. [7] Students who bike to school get exercise before class, and the town safety office says that bikes locked in clear view at an entrance are less likely to be stolen. [8] The cafeteria serves pizza on Fridays, and the pizza is very popular. [9] A second rack would give every rider a safe place to lock up, so the school should install one at the front entrance.
Jun wants to replace the opinion in [3]. Which sentence is the strongest evidence for the claim in [1]?
- Once, a student's bike fell over in the rain, and the handlebar bent so badly that the owner had to walk home.
- Riding a bike is a fun and healthy way for students of any age to travel to school and see friends after class.
- The bike shop on Main Street was opened by a family that moved to town in 1990 and has sold bikes ever since.
- The school's safety report lists three bike thefts at the back rack last fall, all on days when the rack was full.
Kira wants to replace the hearsay in [5]. Which sentence uses the most trustworthy source for the claim in [1]?
- My neighbor's friend heard that a bike was stolen near the school, and the story spread quickly among the students.
- A company that sells bike locks says that bikes need better locks, and its shop has sold many locks to families.
- People say that bikes get stolen around here a lot, and many students worry about leaving their bikes at the school.
- Officer Diaz of the town safety office, who reviews theft reports each month, says thieves target bikes locked out of view.
Luz checks the draft for a sentence that does not support the claim in [1]. Which sentence should be cut?
- [7] Students who bike to school get exercise before class, and the town safety office says that bikes locked in clear view at an entrance are less likely to be stolen.
- [6] The bike shop on Main Street sells racks that hold ten bikes for about three hundred dollars.
- [8] The cafeteria serves pizza on Fridays, and the pizza is very popular.
- [2] The one rack now holds twelve bikes, and it stands behind the cafeteria, far from the main doors.
Early Hours at the Library (argument draft)
[1] The library should open thirty minutes before the first bell. [2] Many students arrive early because their parents start work at seven, and they now wait in the hallway with nothing to do. [3] Reading is good for people. [4] A librarian's log shows that twenty-two students waited by the library door on an ordinary morning in October. [5] A kid in my class said that the hallway gets pretty loud. [6] Mr. Aziz, the librarian, has already agreed to adjust his schedule if the principal approves. [7] Early hours would give students a quiet place to read, finish homework or borrow a book before class. [8] The library was built in 1962 and has a red brick front. [9] Opening early would help the students who need it most, so the principal should approve the change.
Pia wants to replace the hearsay in [5]. Which sentence uses the most trustworthy source for the claim in [1]?
- Ms. Torres, the hallway monitor, measured the noise and found it above the school's limit on four of five mornings.
- Some students think the hallway gets too loud before school, especially near the doors where the buses unload.
- A friend's cousin heard that the hallway is loud before school and that the teachers cannot hear each other.
- A company that sells headphones says that noisy hallways make reading hard, and it offers a discount to schools.
Noah checks the draft for a sentence that does not support the claim in [1]. Which sentence should be cut?
- [6] Mr. Aziz, the librarian, has already agreed to adjust his schedule if the principal approves.
- [7] Early hours would give students a quiet place to read, finish homework or borrow a book before class.
- [8] The library was built in 1962 and has a red brick front.
- [2] Many students arrive early because their parents start work at seven, and they now wait in the hallway with nothing to do.
Shade for the Climbing Area (argument draft)
[1] The elementary playground needs shade over the climbing area. [2] The metal slide and the rubber mats become very hot in the afternoon sun, and younger students have started avoiding them. [3] Shade is the best thing a playground can have. [4] The school nurse kept a record showing that four students visited her office last May after touching the hot slide. [5] A parent told me that she once saw a child cry at the top of the slide. [6] A shade sail that covers the climbing area costs about two thousand dollars, and installers say it takes one day to hang. [7] The Parent Group and the town recreation office have each offered to pay half. [8] The slide is yellow, and the swing set is blue. [9] Shade would let more students play comfortably at recess, so the school should install the sail.
Ren wants to replace the opinion in [3]. Which sentence is the strongest evidence for the claim in [1]?
- A playground is a place where children should feel happy and safe, and a good school protects them each day.
- The school custodian measured the slide at 128 degrees on a sunny afternoon, hot enough to burn skin.
- The playground has a picnic table and a bench beside the fence, where parents sometimes sit and watch.
- Once, a boy at the top of the slide refused to go down on a sunny day and sat on the platform instead.
Tala wants to replace the hearsay in [5]. Which sentence uses the most trustworthy source for the claim in [1]?
- Dr. Osei, a children's doctor who has treated sun burns for fifteen years, says metal slides can burn skin in seconds.
- A lot of parents say that their children avoid the slide on hot afternoons, and some will not climb it.
- A company that sells shade sails says that any playground needs shade, and it offers free quotes to schools and parent groups.
- A teacher heard from a bus driver that children stay away from the slide when the sun is out in the afternoon.
Zee checks the draft for a sentence that does not support the claim in [1]. Which sentence should be cut?
- [7] The Parent Group and the town recreation office have each offered to pay half.
- [6] A shade sail that covers the climbing area costs about two thousand dollars, and installers say it takes one day to hang.
- [8] The slide is yellow, and the swing set is blue.
- [2] The metal slide and the rubber mats become very hot in the afternoon sun, and younger students have started avoiding them.
