Monday
Monday: A Claim and Its Reasons
Rocket drops into his chair at the Signal Desk and slaps down a card. "The Signal needs a readers' page. Letters from the block. I already wrote the headline."
"A headline is not an argument," Raven says. "Why should we add it?"
"Because it would be great," Rocket says.
Raven taps the card. "That is how you feel. What do you notice when someone tells you why?"
Rocket thinks. "I believe them more. Okay. Readers would see their own words in print, so more people would read."
Nova hovers over the corkboard, her light resting on an empty pin. "One reason," she says. "An argument likes company."
"Two reasons," Rocket says, grabbing a second card. "Maybe three."
Learn it: a claim is a point you can argue
An argument is writing that tries to convince a reader. It starts with a claim, one clear sentence that states the point.
A claim is not a feeling and not a fact everyone already agrees on. "The skate ramp is on Maple Street" is not a claim. "The skate ramp should stay open until dark" is a claim, because a reader could disagree.
Reasons answer the question why. Raven thinks aloud: "Rocket says readers would see their own words in print. That answers why, so it is a reason."
Two or three strong reasons beat six weak ones. Each reason gets its own paragraph in a longer argument.
- Write the claim in one sentence a reader could disagree with.
- Ask why three times. Each good answer is a reason.
- Keep the reasons that you can back up with evidence. Drop the rest.
- Put the claim first, then the reasons in the order that makes the most sense.
- Read the question.
- Tap your answer.
Read it: a mentor argument
This week's Signal mentor texts are letters and opinion pieces about the crew's made-up neighborhood. Read this letter and watch for the claim and its reasons.
The Signal should give one page of every issue to letters from our readers.
First, a readers' page would make the paper belong to the whole block, not just to three kids on a porch.
When neighbors see their own words in print, they pass the issue along, and more people read it.
Second, a readers' page would bring us stories we would never find on our own.
Last month a reader told us about the loose board on the skate ramp, and we ran a notice the same week.
Imagine how many loose boards, lost cats and garden questions are waiting in mailboxes right now.
Third, writing a letter is good practice, and The Signal wants to be a place where the block practices.
Some readers may worry that letters will crowd out the news.
That is why the page would be one page, and the news would keep its place up front.
A readers' page asks only a little folding time.
Give readers a page, and The Signal will have more to say every single week.
- Read the question.
- Tap your answer.
| About the letter | True or false? |
|---|---|
| The claim comes before the reasons. | ? |
| The letter gives exactly one reason. | ? |
| The letter says the news would move to the back. | ? |
| Each reason starts with a transition word. | ? |
Each time, answer with a full sentence. Write down the answers that could be reasons.
I have two or three reasons, and each one answers why.
Each reason starts with a transition word.
A claim with reasons is already an argument. Tomorrow we find evidence that makes each reason hard to doubt.