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English lesson plan · 11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 30 minutes

Which finding would weaken (or strengthen) a claim?

Reading Comprehension

CCSS RI.11-12.8CCSS RI.11-12.1England: SAT Reading and Writing (Command of Evidence: Textual)England: ACT Science-style reasoning

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Which finding would weaken (or strengthen) a claim?.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Command of evidence (SAT/ACT); Counterclaims and rebuttals in arguments

Leads to: Does the study design support the claim?

Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Command of evidence (SAT/ACT); Counterclaims and rebuttals in arguments). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is the proposed answer correct? Claim: "Exams should be replaced by coursework." Which sentence is a REBUTTAL? → Exams cause stress for many students. (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → no, it is not correctPrompt: A counterclaim states the opposing view; a rebuttal answers it.
  2. A historian argues that the canal transformed the town's economy. A: The canal was 12 miles long. B: Construction began in a rainy spring. C: Within ten years of its opening, the number of mills in the town tripled. D: The canal was later used for leisure boating. Which finding would most directly support the argument? (A / B / C / D) → CPrompt: First decide what the answer to the question is.
  3. Is the proposed answer correct? Claim: "Cities should plant more trees." Counterclaim: "Trees are expensive to maintain." Which is the best rebuttal? → Studies show city trees save more in cooling and flood costs than they cost to look after. (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → yes, it is correctPrompt: A counterclaim states the opposing view; a rebuttal answers it.

Hook · 3 min

  • Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
  • Share the objective: Which finding would weaken (or strengthen) a claim?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: An economist argues that a city's new metro line caused local shops to earn more. Which finding would most directly WEAKEN this argument?
  • Step 1: Evidence strengthens a claim when it shows the predicted result in a fair comparison, and weakens it when the result appears without the proposed cause.
  • Step 2: If distant shops did equally well, the metro probably isn't the cause.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: Shops far from any metro station saw the same rise in earnings during the same period.
  • Answer: Shops far from any metro station saw the same rise in earnings during the same period.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is the proposed answer correct? A historian argues that a medieval town grew rich mainly through the wool trade. Which finding would most directly WEAKEN this argument? → The town had several large churches. (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → no, it is not correctPrompt: Restate the claim exactly. What would have to be true if it were right?
  2. An economist argues that a city's new metro line caused local shops to earn more. Which finding would most directly WEAKEN this argument? (Shops far from any metro station saw the same rise in earnings during the same period. / The metro trains run every four minutes. / The metro line cost billions to build. / Many tourists use the metro.) → Shops far from any metro station saw the same rise in earnings during the same period.Prompt: Restate the claim exactly. What would have to be true if it were right?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. A literary critic claims that a novelist's later books are more optimistic than her early ones. Which finding would most directly SUPPORT this claim? (In her later novels, most main characters end the story with their problems resolved, unlike in her early novels. / She wrote her early novels in a city. / Her later novels are longer. / Her later novels sold more copies.) → In her later novels, most main characters end the story with their problems resolved, unlike in her early novels.Prompt: Restate the claim exactly. What would have to be true if it were right?
  2. Is the proposed answer correct? A literary critic claims that a novelist's later books are more optimistic than her early ones. Which finding would most directly SUPPORT this claim? → Her later novels sold more copies. (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → no, it is not correctPrompt: Restate the claim exactly. What would have to be true if it were right?

Watch out for

  • Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
  • Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Command of evidence (SAT/ACT).
  • Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Does the study design support the claim?.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-11.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Which finding would weaken (or strengthen) a claim?

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    A school claims that its new reading programme raised pupils' reading scores. Which finding would most directly WEAKEN this claim?

    • A. Teachers received training for the programme.
    • B. Pupils enjoyed the programme.
    • C. Reading scores rose by the same amount at nearby schools that did not use the programme.
    • D. The programme was expensive.

  2. Question 2

    Is the proposed answer correct? A historian argues that a medieval town grew rich mainly through the wool trade. Which finding would most directly WEAKEN this argument? → Sheep were kept on nearby farms.

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

  3. Question 3

    A researcher claims that playing music to cows increases the amount of milk they produce. Which finding would most directly SUPPORT this claim?

    • A. Farmers enjoy listening to music.
    • B. Milk production varies across seasons.
    • C. Cows can hear a wide range of sounds.
    • D. In a controlled study, cows that heard calm music produced more milk than similar cows that heard no music.

  4. Question 4

    Is the proposed answer correct? A researcher claims that playing music to cows increases the amount of milk they produce. Which finding would most directly SUPPORT this claim? → Cows can hear a wide range of sounds.

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

  5. Question 5

    A researcher claims that a new fertiliser causes tomato plants to produce more fruit. Which finding would most directly WEAKEN this claim?

    • A. Tomatoes are popular in many countries.
    • B. Plants given the fertiliser grew slightly taller.
    • C. Plants given the fertiliser produced the same amount of fruit as identical plants given only water.
    • D. The fertiliser is made from recycled materials.

  6. Question 6

    Is the proposed answer correct? A historian argues that a medieval town grew rich mainly through the wool trade. Which finding would most directly WEAKEN this argument? → Tax records show that wool made up less than 5% of the town's trade income.

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

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Answer key: Which finding would weaken (or strengthen) a claim?

  1. 1. C. Reading scores rose by the same amount at nearby schools that did not use the programme.

  2. 2. B. no, it is not correct

  3. 3. D. In a controlled study, cows that heard calm music produced more milk than similar cows that heard no music.

  4. 4. B. no, it is not correct

  5. 5. C. Plants given the fertiliser produced the same amount of fruit as identical plants given only water.

  6. 6. A. yes, it is correct