5th Author's Claim

I went to the movies this weekend with my best friend. We saw Frozen 2. We dressed up and got popcorn with butter! It was such a fun time.

What is the author's claim?

Students should not have homework. We already spend eight hours a day sitting and listening at school.

Why should we spend 2-3 more hours a night doing more school work? It is boring, pointless, and just not fair.

After school hours should be spent doing the activities that we like to do. We could ride bikes, practice a sport, or play video games. By the time we get home from school, our brains are fried. We need to relax and process what we have learned throughout the day.

Homework causes student to be stressed out. Too much practice causes us to lose interest in subjects that we once enjoyed and even in school altogether. Students can still learn while at home and not have a worksheet to turn in on Friday. We learn from playing games, cooking, and even having conversations with friends and family. Homework does not enforce learning or increase test scores, so teachers need to do away with it.

The author is trying to convince the audience that—

School work, weekly tests, state tests, sports, and after school activities all add up to cause stress in students. We need a break. Oregon has passed a law allowing students to take mental health days which will count like a sick day. Mental health days are days that allow students to stay home and relax, and they do not count against them. I think it is a great law and should be passed in all states.

Students feel stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed just like adults do. All the stress can cause loss of sleep and poor performance at school. It can get to the point that we just do not care. We need a mental health day to rest and recharge. If we had this choice, we would be much better students. Mental health days are a great idea for all students.

The author is trying to convince the reader that—

What is a claim?

What is evidence?