Georgia L6-8WHST1.a
The Standard
Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically
Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies · Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students state a clear position on a social studies issue. They identify a competing position, keep it separate from their own, and arrange reasons and evidence in a logical order.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student writes an opening that names the issue, gives a clear position, and fairly describes another position. Each reason is supported by relevant facts and placed in an order the reader can follow.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may give a topic instead of a debatable position, or treat personal opinions as evidence. They may ignore the opposing view, misrepresent it, or list facts without connecting them to reasons.
How to Assess It
- Give students four facts about a proposed ancient city law. Ask them to write a claim, one opposing claim, and an ordered outline using three facts.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups claim, reason, evidence, and opposing claim cards about Roman expansion, then have them arrange the cards into a logical argument.
Ask students to write whether Athens or Sparta offered a stronger society, then explain how an opponent might respond.
Play Evidence Match by having teams pair historical claims with fact cards and reject facts that do not support the claim.
Use a local land use proposal and have students organize resident, business, and government evidence into a short position statement.
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Related Standards
- L6-8WHST1.c
Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
- L6-8WHST2.a
Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; ...
- L6-8WHST1.b
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
- L6-8WHST1.e
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
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