Grade 6 · Reading · Lesson 21

Trace an argument and evaluate evidence

An argumentative text is built around a central claim \u2014 a statement the author wants you to accept as true. To persuade readers, the author provides reasons: explanations for why the claim is correct. Each reason is then backed by evidence: facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions that support the reasoning. When you trace an argument, you map out this structure: Claim \u2192 Reasons \u2192 Evidence \u2192 Conclusion. Understanding this structure lets you evaluate whether an argument is convincing or flawed.

What this lesson teaches

1Identify the central claim or thesis of an argumentative text
2Trace how an author uses reasons and evidence to support their claim
3Distinguish between strong evidence (specific, relevant, sourced) and weak evidence (vague, irrelevant, anecdotal)
4Evaluate whether the evidence in a text is sufficient to support the author’s claim

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