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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 917 · 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.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Once upon a time…” (b) “Hello, everyone…” (c) “Goodbye…” (d) “This shows that…”
  3. 3.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  4. 4.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  7. 7.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “I feel it” (b) “my friend agrees” (c) “dustbins are green” (d) a count of litter
  8. 8.🧩 What is evidence? (a) a rhyme (b) facts that back a claim (c) a guess (d) your loudest point
  9. 9.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  10. 10.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) complete (b) proven (c) strong (d) weak
  11. 11.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) links proof to the claim (b) repeats the claim (c) adds a new topic (d) ends the debate
  13. 13.True or false: “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  15. 15.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our class should start a recycling corner.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: “Our class should start a recycling corner.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  24. 24.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) a number you found (b) the judges’ marks (c) a joke (d) the point you argue
  25. 25.True or false: “Every school should have a daily sports period.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  31. 31.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  32. 32.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  33. 33.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our school should have a library period every day.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  34. 34.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  35. 35.True or false: “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” is a claim — the point being argued. (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) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  37. 37.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “School canteens should serve more fruit.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  38. 38.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  40. 40.True or false: “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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