CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1c
The Standard
Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students connect the parts of an argument so readers can follow the reasoning. They choose words and sentence structures that show contrast, cause, examples, addition, and responses to opposing views.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student writes an argument in which each reason, detail, and opposing view connects clearly to the claim. Transitions are accurate, varied, and placed where readers need guidance.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat transitions such as “because,” “however,” and “for example” as interchangeable. They may overuse one transition or add transitions that do not match the logic. Some also place a counterclaim without showing how it relates to the main claim.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short argument with four missing transitions. Ask them to fill each blank and label the relationship shown, such as contrast, cause, or example.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups claim, reason, evidence, and counterclaim sentence strips to arrange, then have them add transition cards between the strips.
Show two versions of one argument paragraph and ask students to explain which transitions make the reasoning easier to follow.
Play Transition Match by having students pair transition cards with relationship cards labeled contrast, cause, example, addition, and response.
Have students write a school lunch proposal that links a claim, supporting reasons, survey evidence, and one opposing view.
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Printable WHST.6-8.1c Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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