Claim-Evidence Writing
Learn to write sentences that share what you think (a claim) and prove it with facts (evidence) about American symbols.
Learn
What Is a Claim?
A claim is something you say is true. It tells people what you think or believe.
- "The American flag is important."
- "The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom."
- "The bald eagle is a great choice for America's bird."
A claim is like answering the question: What do I think?
What Is Evidence?
Evidence is a fact or reason that proves your claim is true. It answers the question: How do I know?
- Facts you learned
- Things you saw in a picture or read in a book
- Information from a primary source
Putting Claim and Evidence Together
Good writers use both a claim AND evidence. Here is a simple pattern:
Claim: I think _______________.
Evidence: I know this because _______________.
Signal Words for Evidence
Use these words to introduce your evidence:
- "I know this because..."
- "For example..."
- "This is true because..."
- "I can prove it because..."
Strong Evidence vs. Weak Evidence
| Strong Evidence | Weak Evidence |
|---|---|
| Uses facts | Just says "because I said so" |
| Tells about something real | Is made up |
| Comes from learning | Is just a feeling with no facts |
Examples
Example 1: The American Flag
Claim: The American flag has changed over time.
Evidence: I know this because old pictures show flags with fewer stars. When America had 13 states, the flag had 13 stars. Now it has 50 stars for 50 states.
This is good because the evidence uses real facts!
Example 2: The Statue of Liberty
Claim: The Statue of Liberty welcomes people to America.
Evidence: I know this because the statue stands in New York Harbor where ships come in. She holds a torch to light the way for visitors.
This is good because it explains why the claim is true!
Example 3: The Bald Eagle
Claim: The bald eagle is a strong symbol for America.
Evidence: I know this because bald eagles are powerful birds. They can fly very high and very fast. They live all across the United States.
This is good because it gives specific facts about eagles!
Example 4: Weak Evidence (What NOT to do)
Claim: The Liberty Bell is interesting.
Weak Evidence: I know this because I think so.
This is weak because it doesn't give any facts!
Better Evidence: I know this because the Liberty Bell has a famous crack in it, and it was rung when America became free.
Practice
Answer these questions about claims and evidence.
1. What is a claim?
A) A question you ask
B) Something you say is true
C) A picture
D) A map
2. What is evidence?
A) A made-up story
B) Something that proves your claim is true
C) A type of flag
D) A question
3. Which is a claim about the American flag?
A) What color is the flag?
B) The flag has 50 stars.
C) The American flag is an important symbol.
D) Where is the flag?
4. Which word helps introduce evidence?
A) Maybe
B) I don't know
C) For example
D) Perhaps
5. "The Statue of Liberty is very tall. I know this because it is over 300 feet high." Which part is the evidence?
A) The Statue of Liberty is very tall
B) I know this
C) It is over 300 feet high
D) Statue of Liberty
6. Which is WEAK evidence?
A) The flag has 13 stripes for the first 13 states
B) Because I said so
C) The eagle can fly 100 miles per hour
D) The Liberty Bell is in Philadelphia
7. A good claim:
A) Is always a question
B) Tells what you think is true
C) Has no words
D) Is always wrong
8. "I think the bald eagle is a good symbol for America." This is:
A) Evidence
B) A claim
C) A question
D) A map
9. Strong evidence comes from:
A) Making things up
B) Just guessing
C) Facts you learned
D) Saying "I think so"
10. Which sentence has BOTH a claim AND evidence?
A) The flag is nice.
B) I like symbols.
C) The Liberty Bell is important because it was rung when America became free.
D) What is a symbol?
11. What question does a claim answer?
A) Where is it?
B) What do I think?
C) What color is it?
D) How old is it?
12. What question does evidence answer?
A) What is your name?
B) How do I know this is true?
C) What time is it?
D) Where do you live?
Check Your Understanding
Think about these questions to make sure you understand claims and evidence.
- Can you explain the difference between a claim and evidence?
- What makes evidence "strong" instead of "weak"?
- Can you write a claim about your favorite American symbol?
- Can you add evidence to support your claim?
Try It!
Write your own claim and evidence about an American symbol:
Claim: I think _________________________________ is important.
Evidence: I know this because _________________________________.
Next Steps
- Practice writing claims about things you see every day
- Look for evidence to support your claims
- Move on to the next lesson: Unit Checkpoint