Scouring the internet for hours only to find argumentative text resources that are geared toward older kids feels like going bathing suit shopping after eating a #3 at Whataburger. Nothing fits, you can’t find anything you like, and you end up in tears.
Well, dry those eyes, Beautiful, because your day is about to get a lot easier.
Finally, a high-interest argumentative text passage for third graders. And it comes with two versions of response sheets to help your students organize their thoughts as they read it.
The best part? It’s completely free. Get it below.
I’m so excited to give you this free argumentative passage about recess. That’s right, your students are going to be reading about their favorite part of the school day. And they are going to love the author’s claim.
But recess isn’t just fun and games. In this passage, they’ll learn about ways recess can benefit them – physically, socially, and academically. The author cites evidence about these benefits to support her claim that recess is good for kids.
Why You'll Love It:
- The simple structure of this argumentative passage for third graders will help your students break down and identify the characteristics of argumentative text.
- The high-interest topic of the text will keep your kids fully engaged in your lesson.
- 2 versions of response sheets allow you to choose how you want to focus your lesson.
- Answer keys have been included to ease the burden on you.
Need Help Selecting More Argumentative Texts for Third Graders?
You’ll likely need more than one passage, so here are some tips to help you as you look for more.
Choose a high-interest topic.
Argumentative text can be a tough genre, so using a text with an engaging topic is important. Your kids will be more motivated to read and understand something they care about. So find an argumentative text that you know your students will be interested in. Some popular topics are video games, class pets, year-round school, and anything else that they encounter at school.
Consider the text structure.
I suggest starting the unit with a very basic text structure that only argues one point. This helps the kids wrap their heads around the genre, its structure, and characteristics. I would stick with this simple structure until your students understand how an author makes and supports his/her claim with facts and evidence. This free passage is perfect for this.
As you move through the unit, you may want to consider texts that present both sides of the argument in the same text.
Be sure it is argumentative, not persuasive.
I would advise against using the I Wanna… books and others like it because they are more persuasive in nature. We want our students to understand that argumentative texts rely on facts, evidence, and research rather than emotional pleas. You can read more about the difference between argumentative and persuasive texts here.
Don’t Want to Spend Any More Time Searching?
I don’t blame you. It’s rough out there. And finding the perfect fit is hard. Here are two sets of argumentative texts for 3rd graders. Both sets come with two different passages that make opposing claims about the topic. These are perfect for analyzing separately and comparing and contrasting.
If You Really Want to Save Time & Tears
This bundle has everything you need to teach argumentative text to your third graders and lifts all the hard work off your shoulders. It is all planned and ready to go.
What You'll Get:
- 5 easy to follow, scripted lesson plans take out all the guesswork.
- 3 of the 5 are PowerPoint lessons that make introducing the genre a breeze.
- A total of 7 high-interest passages will keep your students engaged.
- An assessment with an answer key is included.
- Interactive notebook pages help your students interact with the text and give them a tool to refer back to.
- Task cards help your students practice distinguishing fact from opinion and identifying evidence that supports the author’s claim.
- Plus, you’ll get resources for tier 2 vocabulary, grammar, and more!
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