Question

📖 Part 1: Read the Argumentative Passage
Should Schools Have Longer Recess?
Many students believe that schools should have longer recess periods. The author claims that longer recess helps students stay healthy and focused. According to a study shared by a children’s health organization, students who have more time to play outside are more active and less stressed. Teachers also report that students return to class more ready to learn after recess.
Some people disagree and say that longer recess would take away from important learning time. They argue that students need more time in the classroom to improve their test scores. However, the author responds that healthier and happier students actually learn better. When students can move and relax, they are able to concentrate more during lessons.
In conclusion, the author believes schools should extend recess time because it supports both physical health and academic success. The evidence shows that longer recess benefits students overall, even if it slightly reduces classroom time.
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🧠 Part 2: Understanding the Argument
Answer the questions using complete sentences.
1. Author’s Claim
What is the author’s claim? What are they trying to prove?
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2. Supporting Evidence
Identify one piece of evidence from the passage.
How does it support the author’s claim?
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3. Counterclaim
What is the counterclaim in the passage?
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4. Response to the Counterclaim
How does the author respond to the opposing viewpoint?
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5. Conclusion
Does the conclusion logically follow the argument? Why or why not?
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✏️ Part 3: Correlative Conjunctions Practice
Correlative conjunctions work in pairs, such as:
• both / and
• either / or
• neither / nor
• not only / but also
A. Choose the correct pair of correlative conjunctions.
1. _______ students _______ teachers benefit from longer recess.
2. You can _______ play outside _______ read quietly during recess.
3. The rule applies to _______ boys _______ girls.
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B. Write Your Own Sentences
Use the correlative conjunctions given to write complete sentences.
4. both / and
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5. not only / but also
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✅ Self-Check Reflection
Circle YES or NOT YET:
• I can identify the author’s claim. → YES / NOT YET
• I can find evidence and explain how it supports the claim. → YES / NOT YET
• I can recognize a counterclaim. → YES / NOT YET
• I can explain how the author responds to the counterclaim. → YES / NOT YET
• I can decide if the conclusion makes sense. → YES / NOT YET
• I can correctly use correlative conjunctions. → YES / NOT YET

Answer 1

Part 2: Understanding the Argument

1. Author’s Claim
The author’s claim is that schools should have longer recess because it supports students’ physical health and helps them do better academically.

2. Supporting Evidence
One piece of evidence is a study shared by a children’s health organization that found students who have more time to play outside are more active and less stressed. This supports the author’s claim by showing that longer recess improves students’ health and reduces stress, which helps them focus and learn.

3. Counterclaim
The counterclaim is that longer recess would take away important classroom learning time and could hurt students’ test scores.

4. Response to the Counterclaim
The author responds that healthier and happier students actually learn better, and that when students can move and relax they concentrate more during lessons, so a little less classroom time can still lead to better learning.

5. Conclusion
Yes, the conclusion logically follows the argument because the author uses evidence about increased activity, lower stress, and teachers’ observations to show that longer recess benefits students’ health and readiness to learn, which supports extending recess even if classroom time is slightly reduced.

Part 3: Correlative Conjunctions Practice

A. Choose the correct pair of correlative conjunctions.
1. Both students and teachers benefit from longer recess.
2. You can either play outside or read quietly during recess.
3. The rule applies to neither boys nor girls.

B. Write Your Own Sentences
4. both / and
Both the students and the teachers enjoy having longer recess.

5. not only / but also
Not only do students get more exercise during longer recess, but they also return to class better able to concentrate.

Self-Check Reflection (answering for you)
• I can identify the author’s claim. → YES
• I can find evidence and explain how it supports the claim. → YES
• I can recognize a counterclaim. → YES
• I can explain how the author responds to the counterclaim. → YES
• I can decide if the conclusion makes sense. → YES
• I can correctly use correlative conjunctions. → YES