South Dakota ELA 11-12.WHST.1.a

ELAGrades 11–12Writing: History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

The Standard

11-12.WHST.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025) · Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students make a specific, debatable claim about a historical question, scientific finding, or practical problem. They separate their claim from a competing view. They arrange reasons, evidence, and counterclaims so readers can follow the argument.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student names an exact position, not just a broad topic. Their outline pairs each reason with evidence and places a fair counterclaim near the point it challenges.
Common Misconceptions: Students may write a topic, like plastic waste, instead of a claim someone could dispute. They may mistake a fact for a counterclaim or list evidence without showing which reason it supports. Some describe the opposing view unfairly.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: A school discards 500 plastic bottles weekly, and a refill station costs $1,200. Write a specific claim about installing one, a cost-based counterclaim, and an outline showing which fact supports each side.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Give pairs cards reading 'install a refill station,' 'reduce waste,' '500 bottles weekly,' '$1,200 cost,' and 'too expensive'; arrange an argument outline.
Ask: Should the school install refill stations despite a $1,200 cost? Write one claim and one fair opposing claim.
Play outline repair: give groups a paragraph where the cost objection is mislabeled as evidence, then have them move and relabel it.
Draft a comment for a school board meeting using a $1,200 installation quote and a count of 500 discarded bottles each week.

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