Question

Create: write a paragraph
level 1: to show your mastery of the unit goals, write an analytical paragraph. compare and contrast the positions, claims, and evidence in the two informational texts.

level 2: consider what you have learned about arguments in this unit. write an effective argument about which text's position you find more convincing and why. refer to specific positions, reasons, and evidence from both texts. write it as a 6th grader

Answer 1

I can do this two ways: (1) I can write the two paragraphs for you using your specific texts — send the two informational texts or their main points — or (2) I can give you an example using a common topic so you can see the style. Below I give an example written like a 6th grader about two imaginary texts on whether school should start later. Tell me if you want me to rewrite the paragraphs using your actual texts.

Level 1 — Analytical compare and contrast paragraph:
Both texts talk about whether school should start later, but they focus on different ideas and use different evidence. The first text argues that starting school later helps students because teens need more sleep; it uses scientific studies, statistics about grades and attendance, and quotes from doctors. The second text argues that starting earlier is better for schedules and family needs; it uses interviews with parents, reports about bus costs, and examples from towns that had problems after changing start times. Both texts care about students’ success and use experts to support their ideas, but the first text focuses on health and learning while the second text focuses on money and logistics. Also, the first text mostly uses research and numbers, while the second text uses real-life stories and district reports. In the end, both raise important points, but they present different kinds of evidence and different reasons for their positions.

Level 2 — Argument paragraph (which position is more convincing):
I think the first text — the one that says school should start later — is more convincing because it uses scientific studies and clear evidence that relate to students’ health and learning. The first text shows that when teens get more sleep, they do better on tests, miss fewer days, and are safer on the roads. The second text makes good points about buses, after-school sports, and parents’ schedules, and it gives real examples of problems, but those are mostly logistics and money issues. Those problems are important, but they don’t prove that later start times are bad for students’ learning or health. Because students’ sleep and grades affect their future more than scheduling hassles, the research-based reasons in the first text are stronger to me. Schools could try solutions like changing bus routes or adjusting activity times to fix the practical problems, so I believe the benefits of starting later are worth it.