Practice Dossier #1

EXTRA PRACTICE • CRITICAL EVALUATION

CLASH OF CLAIMS

NAME:

DATE:

Task Briefing: Detectives, your mission is to analyze two opposing files on the same topic. Read the arguments, identify the main claim and supporting evidence for each side, and evaluate which author built a stronger argument.

DEBATE ROUND 1

Should Middle Schools Ban Smartwatches?

FILE A: BAN THE WRIST-DISTRACTION By Dr. Eleanor Vance

"Smartwatches are nothing more than miniature smartphones strapped to students' wrists. In middle schools, they have become an absolute barrier to learning. When a watch vibrates with a text, social media alert, or game notification, student attention is instantly lost. Critics argue that parents need to reach their children in emergencies. However, parents can always contact the school office. Standard cell phones are already restricted in classrooms, and smartwatches should be no exception. They allow students to secretly cheat on exams by accessing saved notes, and they create new vectors for cyberbullying during school hours. For an optimal learning environment, smartwatches must be stored away."

FILE B: THE EMPOWERED LEARNER By Marcus Thorne

"Banning smartwatches in middle schools is a short-sighted policy that ignores their massive benefits. Rather than a distraction, smartwatches are safety lifelines and personal organization tools. For parents, a smartwatch provides real-time GPS tracking and quick check-ins during long commutes without the disruption of a large smartphone screen. Teachers worry that kids will play games, but smartwatches actually encourage positive habits. Many students use them to set custom alarms for medication, track steps to promote health, and practice time-management during class projects. To lock these tools away because of occasional distractions is to deny students the chance to learn digital responsibility. Smartwatches should be integrated, not banned."

TRACING THE EVIDENCE

1. What is the author's primary CLAIM in File A?

Student Response

2. Identify one piece of EVIDENCE Vance uses:

3. What COUNTERARGUMENT does Vance address?

1. What is the author's primary CLAIM in File B?

Student Response

2. Identify one piece of EVIDENCE Thorne uses:

3. What COUNTERARGUMENT does Thorne address?

Investigation File: Clash of Claims Page 1 of 2

Practice Dossier #2

EXTRA PRACTICE • COMPARATIVE EVALUATION

CASE FILE ANALYSIS

Case No: CH-7.04-EX2

DEBATE ROUND 2

Should Standardized Letter Grades Be Abolished?

FILE C: GRADES BREED EXCELLENCE By Dr. Julia Brooks

"Traditional letter grades (A–F) are essential because they provide a universal language of achievement. Some school boards suggest swapping letter grades for vague descriptive checklists. However, these soft feedback forms leave students and parents utterly confused about where the child actually stands. Standard letter grades motivate students to study, push their boundaries, and build a resilient work ethic. Without clear, graded accountability, middle schoolers are far less likely to complete assignments or prepare for tests. Letter grades also perfectly mirror the adult world, where performance is evaluated objectively. Abolishing traditional grades leads to a drop in school standards and leaves students completely unprepared for high school and college rigor."

FILE D: REDEFINING SUCCESS By Javier Morales, M.Ed.

"Letter grades are an outdated, stressful relic that destroys a student's natural curiosity. In middle school, a bad grade acts as a permanent label of failure rather than a learning tool. Instead of asking 'How can I understand this?' students obsess over 'What do I need to pass?' This reduces education to rote memorization. Supporters of traditional grades believe they prepare students for adult careers. But real-world jobs do not grade employees on a letter scale; they evaluate growth, collaboration, and critical problem-solving. Transitioning to feedback-based progress reports reduces chronic anxiety, fosters deeper intellectual engagement, and helps students focus on learning rather than mere grade-grubbing."

TRACING THE EVIDENCE

1. What is the author's primary CLAIM in File C?

Student Response

2. Identify one piece of EVIDENCE Brooks uses:

3. What COUNTERARGUMENT does Brooks address?

1. What is the author's primary CLAIM in File D?

Student Response

2. Identify one piece of EVIDENCE Morales uses:

3. What COUNTERARGUMENT does Morales address?

FINAL VERDICT: WHICH CASE WAS STRONGER?

Choose either Round 1 or Round 2. In your opinion, which author built a stronger argument? Support your conclusion using at least two pieces of specific evidence (statistics, reasoning, or examples) that you traced above.

Write your final claim-hunter evaluation here...

Investigation File: Clash of Claims Page 2 of 2

Claim Hunters

Claim Hunters Guided Notes

Clash of Claims Practice

Claim Hunters Teacher Guide

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