Claims and Evidence

This worksheet helps students in Grades 5 and 6 strengthen reading comprehension, critical thinking, and argument analysis skills by examining how claims and evidence work together in persuasive writing. Learners read short paragraphs focused on familiar school-related issues and identify the author’s central claim along with the specific evidence used to support it, reinforcing the idea that strong arguments rely on proof rather than opinion alone.

Learning Goals

• Identifying Claims & Evidence (Grades 5-6)
  Students distinguish the main argument from the facts, examples, or reasons that support it.
• Understanding Argument Structure
  Learners analyze how evidence strengthens a claim and makes writing more convincing.
• Reading for Key Details
  Students practice close reading to locate essential information within informational text.
• Applying Evidence-Based Reasoning
  An extension task asks students to write their own short argument using a clear claim and supporting evidence.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with upper elementary ELA standards for argument and informational text.
• Clear, Focused Passages
  Short paragraphs keep the task manageable while emphasizing accuracy and reasoning.
• Writing Application Included
  Students apply learning independently by composing a two-sentence argument.
• Flexible Classroom Use
  Ideal for writing units, literacy centers, homework, assessment, or test prep.

This printable worksheet helps students become more thoughtful readers and writers by showing how claims and evidence function together in persuasive texts. By identifying arguments, separating support from opinion, and practicing evidence-based writing themselves, learners strengthen analytical reading, critical thinking, and foundational argument skills. It’s a meaningful, no-prep resource that works well in both classroom instruction and homeschool learning.

This worksheet is part of our Arguments and Claims Worksheets collection.