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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 60 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Debater's tip (Claim → evidence → reasoning): Claim: the point being argued — often a “should” sentence. Evidence: a fact, number, record or example that can be checked. Reasoning: explains how the evidence proves the claim — it often begins “This shows that…”, “So…” or “That means…”.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “dustbins are green” (b) “I feel it” (c) “my friend agrees” (d) a count of litter
  2. 2.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  3. 3.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should learn first aid.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  4. 4.True or false: “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) the judges’ marks (b) a number you found (c) the point you argue (d) a joke
  6. 6.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  7. 7.🧩 What is evidence? (a) facts that back a claim (b) your loudest point (c) a rhyme (d) a guess
  8. 8.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Once upon a time…” (b) “Hello, everyone…” (c) “Goodbye…” (d) “This shows that…”
  9. 9.True or false: “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  11. 11.True or false: “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  15. 15.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) links proof to the claim (b) ends the debate (c) adds a new topic (d) repeats the claim
  16. 16.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) complete (b) weak (c) proven (d) strong
  17. 17.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  18. 18.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should plant one tree every year.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  19. 19.True or false: “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  24. 24.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  25. 25.True or false: “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  27. 27.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  28. 28.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  29. 29.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  31. 31.True or false: “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  34. 34.True or false: “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  37. 37.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “School canteens should serve more fruit.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  38. 38.True or false: “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

  1. a count of litter
  2. a claim
  3. a claim
  4. False
  5. the point you argue
  6. reasoning
  7. facts that back a claim
  8. “This shows that…”
  9. True
  10. a claim
  11. True
  12. False
  13. True
  14. evidence
  15. links proof to the claim
  16. weak
  17. a claim
  18. a claim
  19. True
  20. True
  21. False
  22. False
  23. evidence
  24. reasoning
  25. True
  26. evidence
  27. evidence
  28. reasoning
  29. evidence
  30. reasoning
  31. True
  32. False
  33. reasoning
  34. False
  35. False
  36. evidence
  37. a claim
  38. False
  39. True
  40. True

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