You will learn
- State a claim.
- Give reasons and evidence.
- Answer a counterargument.
- End with a call to action.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- State your claim.
- Give reasons.
- Add evidence.
- Answer the other side and call to action.
Words to know
writing meant to convince the reader
the position you want readers to accept
a point from the opposing side
your answer to a counterargument
1. Discover: Safe routes to school
Our school should build a covered walkway from the main road. Pupils currently walk through mud during the rains, which makes them late and uncomfortable. Last term, 22 pupils missed lessons because of wet clothes. Some people argue that a walkway costs too much. However, parents have offered to help build it, and it would serve pupils for many years. Please support the walkway today.
Claim: build a walkway. Reason and evidence: mud, 22 pupils. Counterargument: cost. Rebuttal: parents will help. Call to action: support it.
Think: How does the writer deal with the other side?
2. Understand: Writing to convince
Idea 1: Claim and reasons
State a clear claim and back it with reasons and evidence.
Idea 2: Counterargument
Mention a counterargument and give a rebuttal. This shows fairness and strength.
Idea 3: Call to action
End with a call to action telling readers what to do. Persuasive writing should be respectful and honest.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Claim
What is the claim?
- Walkway.
Answer: the school should build a covered walkway
Example 2 (We do it together): Rebuttal
What is the rebuttal?
- Parents.
Answer: parents have offered to help build it
Example 3 (You try): Call
What is the call to action?
Show the steps and answer
- Support.
Answer: support the walkway today
Did you know?
Persuasive writers choose words carefully but never invent facts.
Why this matters
Persuasive writing helps you speak up with reasons.
4. Explore: Persuade
Write a persuasive paragraph.
- Choose an issue.
- State a claim.
- Give a reason and evidence.
- Answer the other side and call to action.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can write persuasively.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I believe that ___.
- The evidence shows ___.
- Some people say ___, but ___.
- Please ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Writing meant to convince is ___ writing.
persuasive
Question 2. The position you want accepted is the ___.
claim
Question 3. A point from the opposing side is a ___.
counterargument
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Writing meant to convince is ___ writing.
- The position you want accepted is the ___.
- A point from the opposing side is a ___.
- Your answer to the opposing point is a ___.
- 22 pupils missed ___.
Level 2: Grow
- What do pupils walk through?
- Who offered help?
- What is the call to action?
Level 3: Stretch
- Should you give reasons?
- Should you invent facts?
- Should you answer the other side?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Write a persuasive paragraph with a claim, reason, counterargument, rebuttal and call to action.
Show a sample answer
a paragraph
Another one. Try to persuade a family member about something kind, with a claim and two reasons.
Show a sample answer
a completed task
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can state a claim.
- I can give reasons and evidence.
- I can answer a counterargument.
- I can end with a call to action.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- State your claim.
- Give reasons.
- Add evidence.
- Answer the other side and call to action.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Logical reasoning. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a claim? [1 mark]
- What is a counterargument? [1 mark]
- What is a rebuttal? [1 mark]
- Name the parts of a persuasive paragraph. [3 marks]
- Explain how to write persuasively. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- the position you want readers to accept [1]
- a point from the opposing side [1]
- your answer to a counterargument [1]
- claim [1]; reasons and evidence [1]; call to action [1]
- state a claim and give reasons with evidence [1]; answer a counterargument [1]; end with a call to action [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Writing meant to convince is ___ writing.
- The position you want accepted is the ___.
- A point from the opposing side is a ___.
- Your answer to the opposing point is a ___.
- 22 pupils missed ___.
- What do pupils walk through?
- Who offered help?
- What is the call to action?
- Should you give reasons?
- Should you invent facts?
Homework
Try to persuade a family member about something kind, with a claim and two reasons.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Writing meant to convince is ___ writing. | persuasive | 1 |
| 2. The position you want accepted is the ___. | claim | 1 |
| 3. A point from the opposing side is a ___. | counterargument | 1 |
| 4. Your answer to the opposing point is a ___. | rebuttal | 1 |
| 5. 22 pupils missed ___. | lessons | 1 |
| 6. What do pupils walk through? | mud | 1 |
| 7. Who offered help? | parents | 1 |
| 8. What is the call to action? | support the walkway | 1 |
| 9. Should you give reasons? | yes | 1 |
| 10. Should you invent facts? | no | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 persuasive; 2 claim; 3 counterargument; 4 rebuttal; 5 lessons. Level 2: 1 mud; 2 parents; 3 support the walkway. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 no; 3 yes.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 State a claim | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Give reasons and evidence | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Answer a counterargument | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 End with a call to action | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Listen while your child explains the idea.
- Ask for one new example.
- Praise effort and careful work.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: state a claim; give reasons and evidence; answer a counterargument; end with a call to action.
Prerequisite knowledge. Informative essays.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.
Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 5 » Writing; Grade 5 » Language. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core W.5.1 (write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information); Cambridge Primary English Stage 5 (persuasive writing). These sources informed the lesson.