Grade: Grade 2 Subject: Social Studies Unit: Maps & Continents Lesson: 5 of 6 SAT: Information+Ideas ACT: Reading

Claim and Evidence Writing

Learn

In this lesson, you will learn how to write a claim and support it with evidence from a map. This skill helps you explain what you learned and prove that your ideas are true.

What Is a Claim?

A claim is a statement that tells what you think or believe is true. It answers a question or makes a point.

Examples of claims:

  • "Africa is a very large continent."
  • "More people live near water than in deserts."
  • "South America has many forests."

What Is Evidence?

Evidence is proof that supports your claim. It shows why your claim is true. When using maps, evidence comes from what you can see on the map.

Examples of evidence from maps:

  • "The map shows Africa takes up a large space compared to other continents."
  • "The population map shows dark colors near oceans and light colors in deserts."
  • "The map uses dark green to show forests, and South America has a lot of dark green."

How to Write Claim + Evidence

Follow these steps:

  1. Look at the map carefully. What do you notice?
  2. Write your claim. State what you believe is true.
  3. Find your evidence. Point to something on the map that proves your claim.
  4. Connect them with words like: "because," "the map shows," "I can see that," or "according to the map."

Sentence Frames to Help You

Use these sentence starters:

  • "I think _____ because the map shows _____."
  • "According to the map, _____. This tells me that _____."
  • "The map shows _____, which proves that _____."
  • "My claim is _____. My evidence is _____."

Examples

Example 1: Writing About Continent Size

What you see on the map: A world map showing all seven continents.

Claim: Asia is the largest continent.

Evidence: On the map, Asia takes up more space than any other continent.

Complete sentence: "I think Asia is the largest continent because on the map, Asia takes up more space than any other continent."

Example 2: Writing About Where People Live

What you see on the map: A population map with dark red near coasts and light pink in the middle of continents.

Claim: Many people live near the ocean.

Evidence: The map shows dark red colors along the coasts, which means lots of people.

Complete sentence: "According to the map, the dark red colors are near the coasts. This tells me that many people live near the ocean."

Example 3: Writing About Climate

What you see on the map: A temperature map where blue = cold, yellow = warm, red = hot.

Claim: Africa is mostly a hot continent.

Evidence: Most of Africa is colored red and yellow on the temperature map.

Complete sentence: "The map shows that most of Africa is colored red and yellow, which proves that Africa is mostly a hot continent."

Practice

Practice writing claims and evidence about maps.

1. What is a claim?

Think about: Is it a question or a statement?

2. What is evidence?

Think about: Does it prove something?

3. A map shows that Australia is surrounded by blue (water). Write a claim about Australia.

Think about: What does being surrounded by blue mean?

4. Your claim is: "Antarctica is very cold." What evidence from a temperature map would support this?

Think about: What color would cold places be?

5. Name two connecting words or phrases that link a claim to evidence.

Think about: "because," "the map shows"...

6. A map shows many tree symbols in Brazil. Write a claim AND evidence about Brazil's forests.

Use the sentence frame: "I think _____ because the map shows _____."

7. Someone says: "Europe is bigger than Africa." How could you use a map to check if this claim is true?

Think about: What would you look at on a world map?

8. A map shows three rivers in Country A and ten rivers in Country B. Write a claim comparing the two countries.

Think about: Which country has more rivers?

9. Why is it important to use evidence when making a claim?

Think about: How do you prove something is true?

10. Fill in the blanks: "My claim is that _____ is the smallest continent. My evidence is that on the map, _____ takes up the least space."

Think about: Which continent is the smallest?

11. A map shows desert symbols covering most of one continent. Write a complete sentence with a claim and evidence about that continent.

Use: "According to the map, _____. This tells me that _____."

12. Your friend says mountains are only in Asia. You have a map that shows mountains on every continent. Write a response using evidence.

Think about: What does the map prove?

Check Your Understanding

Test yourself with these review questions.

Question 1: What is the difference between a claim and evidence?

Show Answer

A claim is a statement about what you think is true. Evidence is the proof from the map that shows your claim is correct.

Question 2: What are the four steps to write a claim with evidence?

Show Answer

1) Look at the map carefully. 2) Write your claim. 3) Find your evidence on the map. 4) Connect them with words like "because" or "the map shows."

Question 3: Write a claim and evidence about this information: A map shows the Pacific Ocean is larger than all other oceans.

Show Answer

Claim: The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean. Evidence: The map shows the Pacific Ocean takes up more space than any other ocean. Complete: "I think the Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean because the map shows it takes up more space than any other ocean."

Question 4: Why is map evidence helpful when writing about geography?

Show Answer

Map evidence shows real information that anyone can see. It proves your claim is based on facts, not just your opinion. Maps help you be accurate and convincing.

Next Steps

  • Practice writing claims and evidence about maps you find in books
  • Try writing three claims about different maps today
  • Move on to the next lesson: Unit Checkpoint
  • Return to earlier lessons to review before the checkpoint