Grade: Grade 6 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Claims & Evidence Lesson: 6 of 6 SAT: ExpressionOfIdeas ACT: English

Unit Checkpoint

Unit Review

This checkpoint will help you assess your mastery of the claims and evidence skills covered in this unit. Before completing the assessment, review the key concepts below.

Key Concepts from This Unit

Lesson 1: Writing Strong Claims

  • A claim is an arguable statement that takes a position
  • Strong claims are specific, arguable, and supportable
  • Claims should be debatable - not statements of fact or personal preference

Lesson 2: Selecting Evidence

  • Evidence includes facts, statistics, expert opinions, examples, and research findings
  • Strong evidence is relevant, credible, and sufficient
  • Evidence types (from strongest to weakest): research studies, expert testimony, specific examples, anecdotes, general statements

Lesson 3: Text-Based Practice

  • Five steps for analyzing texts: Read, Identify Claim, Mark Evidence, Evaluate Connection, Consider Counterarguments
  • Evaluate whether evidence directly supports claims
  • Distinguish between strong and weak evidence in context

Lesson 4: Writing Application

  • CREEA structure: Claim, Reason, Evidence, Explanation, Acknowledgment
  • Use signal phrases to introduce evidence
  • Always explain how evidence supports your claim

Lesson 5: Editing Workshop

  • Three levels of editing: Content/Structure, Style/Clarity, Mechanics
  • Replace vague words with precise language
  • Cut wordiness for concision
  • Use transitions to connect ideas

Unit Assessment

Complete all sections of this assessment. Check your answers at the end to see how well you have mastered the unit objectives.

Part A: Multiple Choice (Questions 1-4)

Question 1

Which of the following is the strongest claim?

  1. Reading is important for students.
  2. Some students like reading more than others.
  3. Schools should require 20 minutes of daily independent reading to improve literacy rates.
  4. Reading has been around for thousands of years.

Question 2

Which type of evidence would be STRONGEST for supporting the claim "Recess improves student behavior"?

  1. A quote from a parent saying their child behaves better after playing outside
  2. A peer-reviewed study showing a 40% decrease in disciplinary referrals after schools added recess time
  3. A statement that "everyone knows kids need to play"
  4. A personal story about one student who calmed down after recess

Question 3

What does the "E" (Explanation) in the CREEA structure require you to do?

  1. Provide additional evidence
  2. Express your personal opinion
  3. Connect the evidence to your claim and show why it matters
  4. Eliminate counterarguments

Question 4

Which revision best improves the sentence "Due to the fact that students are tired, they don't do good on tests"?

  1. Due to the fact that students are very tired, they don't do really good on tests.
  2. Because students are tired, they don't perform good on tests.
  3. Because students are tired, they perform poorly on tests.
  4. Due to the fact that students are tired, they perform badly on tests.

Part B: Claim and Evidence Identification (Questions 5-6)

Question 5

Read the following passage. Then identify: (a) the central claim, (b) two pieces of evidence, and (c) whether the evidence is strong or weak.

"Schools should replace textbooks with tablets. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students using digital textbooks show 30% higher engagement with learning materials. Additionally, a study of 8,000 students found that interactive digital content improved test scores by an average of 12%. While tablets cost more upfront than printed books, they can be updated instantly without purchasing new editions, saving schools money over time."

Question 6

For each statement, write CLAIM or EVIDENCE:

  1. Schools should start later in the morning. _____
  2. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that teens get 8-10 hours of sleep. _____
  3. A study in Minnesota found that later start times reduced car accidents by 70%. _____
  4. Sleep deprivation negatively affects student academic performance. _____
  5. Surveys show that 87% of high school students report feeling tired during first period. _____

Part C: Writing Application (Questions 7-8)

Question 7

Write a complete CREEA paragraph on ONE of the following topics. Your paragraph must include: a clear claim, a reason, at least two pieces of evidence with signal phrases, explanation connecting evidence to claim, and acknowledgment of a counterargument.

  • Topic A: Should students be allowed to retake tests?
  • Topic B: Should schools teach financial literacy?
  • Topic C: Should homework be optional?

Question 8

Revise the following paragraph to fix ALL weaknesses. Your revision should include: a stronger claim, specific evidence (you may create reasonable data), signal phrases, explanation, better word choice, and correct mechanics.

"Art class is good. Kids like art and it makes them creative. My friend takes art and shes really good at drawing now. Studies show art helps students. Some people think art is a waist of time but there wrong. Schools should have more art because its benificial."

Part D: Editing Skills (Questions 9-12)

Question 9

Identify THREE specific problems in this paragraph and explain how to fix each:

"Schools should have longer lunch periods. Kids dont have enough time to eat. Alot of students through away there food because they have to rush. In my opinion I think 45 minutes would be better then 20 minutes."

Question 10

Rewrite each sentence with more precise language:

  1. The program was very good for the students.
  2. There were a lot of bad things about the old system.
  3. The results showed that things got better.

Question 11

Add appropriate transitions to connect these sentences into a smooth paragraph:

"Physical education should be required every day. _____ regular exercise improves cardiovascular health. _____ physical activity has been shown to boost academic performance. _____ some schools have cut PE to add more test prep time. _____ this approach backfires because inactive students have trouble concentrating."

Question 12

This paragraph has evidence but no explanation. Add 2-3 sentences that explain how the evidence supports the claim:

"Schools should teach coding to all students starting in elementary school. Research from Code.org shows that students who learn programming develop stronger problem-solving skills that transfer to other subjects. A 10-year study of 50,000 students found that those with coding experience scored 15% higher on standardized math tests. [ADD EXPLANATION HERE]"

Answer Key

Click to reveal answers

Part A: Multiple Choice

1. C - This claim is specific (20 minutes daily), arguable (schools might disagree), and supportable (literacy research exists).

2. B - A peer-reviewed study with specific data is the strongest evidence type.

3. C - The explanation connects evidence to the claim and shows its significance.

4. C - This version cuts wordiness ("Due to the fact that" becomes "Because") and fixes the grammar error ("good" becomes "poorly").

Part B: Identification

5. (a) Claim: Schools should replace textbooks with tablets. (b) Evidence 1: U.S. Dept. of Education statistic about 30% higher engagement. Evidence 2: Study of 8,000 students showing 12% improved test scores. (c) Both pieces are strong - they cite specific sources with measurable data.

6. 1) CLAIM, 2) EVIDENCE, 3) EVIDENCE, 4) CLAIM (sub-claim), 5) EVIDENCE

Part C: Writing Application

7. Sample response for Topic B: "All high schools should require a semester-long financial literacy course. Students graduate without understanding how to budget, manage credit, or save for retirement, leaving them unprepared for adult financial decisions. According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, students who complete financial literacy courses are 20% more likely to save money and 15% less likely to carry credit card debt as young adults. Furthermore, a survey by the Council for Economic Education found that only 17 states require personal finance education, yet states with these requirements show significantly lower rates of student loan default. These findings demonstrate that financial education directly translates into better real-world money management. While critics argue that schools already have too many required courses, financial literacy affects every aspect of adult life and prevents costly mistakes that burden individuals and society."

8. Sample revision: "Schools should require at least one hour of weekly art instruction for all K-8 students to develop creativity and critical thinking skills. According to the National Art Education Association, students who receive regular arts education score 15% higher on assessments measuring creative problem-solving. Additionally, a longitudinal study by the Arts Education Partnership found that students with arts instruction are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and three times more likely to attend college. These findings prove that art education strengthens cognitive abilities that transfer across all subjects. While some administrators argue that art takes time from 'core' subjects, research shows that arts integration actually improves performance in reading and math by engaging different learning modalities."

Part D: Editing Skills

9. Problems and fixes: 1) Spelling errors: "dont" (don't), "Alot" (A lot), "through" (throw), "there" (their), "then" (than). 2) Wordiness: "In my opinion I think" should be just "A 45-minute lunch period would be more effective than the current 20 minutes." 3) No evidence - add specific data or research to support the claim.

10. 1) "The program significantly improved students' reading comprehension scores." 2) "The old system had several critical flaws, including inefficient scheduling and inadequate resources." 3) "The results showed a 25% improvement in student engagement."

11. "Physical education should be required every day. First, regular exercise improves cardiovascular health. Additionally, physical activity has been shown to boost academic performance. However, some schools have cut PE to add more test prep time. Unfortunately, this approach backfires because inactive students have trouble concentrating."

12. Sample explanation: "These statistics demonstrate that computational thinking develops mental skills that extend far beyond the computer screen. When students learn to break down complex problems into smaller steps, create algorithms, and debug errors, they are building the same analytical muscles used in mathematical reasoning. This evidence proves that coding is not merely a vocational skill but a foundational competency that strengthens overall academic performance."

Self-Assessment

After checking your answers, use this rubric to assess your mastery:

Score Mastery Level Next Steps
11-12 correct Advanced You have mastered claims and evidence! Move on to the next unit.
8-10 correct Proficient Review any concepts you missed, then proceed to the next unit.
5-7 correct Developing Review Lessons 3-5 and practice the exercises again before moving on.
0-4 correct Beginning Restart the unit from Lesson 1 and work through all practice exercises.

Next Steps

  • If you scored Proficient or Advanced, continue to the next ELA unit
  • Practice claim and evidence skills in your writing across all subjects
  • Look for claims and evidence when reading news articles, textbooks, and opinion pieces
  • Use the CREEA structure for any argumentative writing assignment