Write an argument and an informative piece on one topic with credible sources, precise language and a clear structure

Learning goal: This lesson teaches Ohio's 2026 standards W.6.1 and W.6.2, first implemented in 2027-28. You will write an argumentative piece that includes a thesis statement within the introduction to present an argument; clear reasons and relevant evidence that are well organized and show you understand the topic; words, phrases and clauses that clarify the relationships among claims and reasons; precise language and domain-specific vocabulary; language appropriate to the audience and purpose; use of credible sources; and a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument. You will also write an informative/explanatory piece that includes a thesis statement within the introduction to present the topic; relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations or other information; an organized text structure; appropriate transitions; precise language and domain-specific vocabulary; language appropriate to the audience and purpose; formatting, graphics and multimedia when they clarify information; use of credible sources; and a conclusion that follows from the information presented.

Two purposes, one topic. An argument tries to convince a reader to accept a claim or take an action. An informative/explanatory piece helps a reader understand a topic without asking them to agree with a position. You can write both about the same topic. This lesson's topic is whether a school should compost cafeteria food scraps. The argument asks the principal to start a compost program; the informative piece explains to fifth-graders how composting works.

The thesis statement, within the introduction. In an argument, the thesis states your position: Our school should start a compost program for fruit and vegetable scraps this spring. In an informative piece, the thesis presents the topic and what the reader will learn: Composting turns food scraps into compost, a rich material for soil, when four ingredients are kept in balance. In both, the thesis belongs in the introduction, usually after a sentence or two that gives the reader context.

Reasons and relevant evidence, or facts and details. A reason explains why your claim should be accepted. Evidence is the fact, number, example or quotation that supports the reason. Evidence is relevant when it actually supports the reason it follows. Organize reasons so each gets its own paragraph and the strongest comes first or last. An informative piece develops the topic with facts (checkable statements), definitions (what a term means), concrete details (specific examples a reader can picture) and quotations (a source's exact words, when the wording matters).

Organized text structures. Choose the structure that fits what you are explaining: description (what something is like), chronology or sequence (steps or events in order), problem/solution, compare/contrast and cause/effect. An informative piece may use more than one, with a heading for each section.

Words that clarify relationships (transitions). In an argument, words, phrases and clauses show how claims, reasons and evidence connect: because, for example, as a result, in addition, even though some people worry that. In an informative piece, transitions show relationships among ideas: first, next, in contrast, this causes, for this reason. Choose the transition that names the real relationship; therefore is wrong if the second idea does not follow from the first.

Precise language and domain-specific vocabulary. Precise language says exactly what you mean: about 20 pounds of scraps a day, not a lot of garbage. Domain-specific vocabulary is the set of words a field uses. In composting, organic material means anything that was once living; decompose means to break down into simpler material; microorganisms are living things too small to see without a microscope, such as bacteria and fungi; greens are nitrogen-rich scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels; browns are carbon-rich dry materials such as leaves and shredded paper. Using these words correctly shows you understand the topic, and defining them helps readers who do not know them.

Language appropriate to the audience and purpose. The principal needs a formal, respectful letter with evidence and a clear request. Fifth-graders need short sentences, definitions and friendly examples. The facts stay the same; the vocabulary, sentence length and tone change. Friendly is not the same as slangy: "compost is super cool" suits neither piece, because it tells neither reader what compost does. Judge each informal word by whether it is precise and respectful for this reader.

Use of credible sources. A credible source is one you have good reason to trust for the claim you are using it for. Ask: Who wrote it? What do they know? When was it written? Why was it written? Does it show where its information came from? This lesson uses four invented sources:
- a fact sheet on home composting from the county extension office, written by a named educator and dated 2025, which explains how composting works;
- a five-day food-waste audit by the school's green team, which weighed cafeteria scraps (18, 22, 15, 20 and 25 pounds: 100 pounds in all, an average of 20 pounds a day; 60 pounds were fruit and vegetable scraps, 15 were bread and grains, 25 were meat and dairy);
- a web page from a company selling an "instant composter" that promises "soil in 24 hours";
- an anonymous online comment that says "compost always stinks."

The extension fact sheet is credible for how composting works. The audit is credible for this school's scraps, though five days is a small sample. The company page has a selling purpose and makes a claim that conflicts with the fact sheet, so it should not be used as evidence. The anonymous comment has no author, no evidence and an absolute word, always, so it is not credible.

Formatting, graphics and multimedia. In an informative piece, headings help readers find sections; a numbered list fits steps; a pie chart can show the audit's parts of a whole; and a short video of someone turning a compost pile could show what words describe poorly. Add these if needed, when they clarify, not as decoration.

The conclusion. An argument's conclusion follows from the argument: it restates the claim in light of the reasons and makes the request. An informative piece's conclusion follows from the information: it sums up the main idea or explains why it matters. Neither should add a brand-new claim.

The misconception. Students often think an informative piece cannot have a thesis because it does not argue. It does have one: it states the topic and the main idea the piece will explain. The difference is that it presents, rather than defends, a position.

Worked example 1 — the argument, modeled (to the principal).

Introduction with thesis: Every lunch period, the trash cans in our cafeteria fill with apple cores, orange peels and carrot ends. Our school should start a compost program for fruit and vegetable scraps this spring.

Reason 1 with relevant evidence and a clarifying transition: First, a large share of our cafeteria waste could be composted. In a five-day food-waste audit, the green team weighed 100 pounds of scraps, and 60 pounds were fruit and vegetable scraps, which the county extension fact sheet lists as ideal "greens."

Reason 2 with domain-specific vocabulary: In addition, compost would feed the school garden. As microorganisms decompose organic material, it becomes a dark, crumbly soil amendment that the garden club would otherwise have to buy.

Acknowledging a concern, with a clause that clarifies the relationship: Even though some people worry that compost smells, the extension fact sheet explains that a balanced bin with enough air and dry "browns" should not smell bad, and it advises keeping meat and dairy out. Because our plan includes only fruit and vegetable scraps, the 15 pounds of bread and grains and the 25 pounds of meat and dairy would still go to the trash.

Conclusion that follows: Since most of our scraps can be composted, and the compost would help our own garden, I ask that the green team be allowed to run a spring trial with two bins.

What makes it work: the thesis is in the introduction; each reason has relevant evidence; first, in addition, even though and because show relationships; decompose, microorganisms and organic material are used precisely; the language is formal for a principal; only the credible sources are used; the conclusion follows from the reasons.

Worked example 2 — the informative piece, modeled (for fifth-graders).

How Food Scraps Become Compost (heading). Have you ever wondered what happens to an apple core in a compost bin? Composting turns food scraps into compost, a rich material for soil, when four ingredients are kept in balance. (thesis in the introduction)

What is compost? (description; definition) Compost is organic material, anything that was once alive, that has decomposed, or broken down, into a dark, crumbly material that gardeners mix into soil.

The four ingredients (compare/contrast) Greens, like peels and cores, are wet and full of nitrogen. In contrast, browns, like dry leaves and shredded paper, are dry and full of carbon. Compost also needs water and air. As the county extension fact sheet puts it, the pile should feel "like a wrung-out sponge." (quotation)

How to build a bin (chronology/sequence, as a numbered list) 1. Start with a layer of browns. 2. Add greens. 3. Cover them with more browns. 4. Turn the pile every week or two.

What goes wrong (cause/effect) If the pile is too wet or gets no air, it can start to smell. The solution is to add browns and turn it (problem/solution).

Graphic: a pie chart of the audit (60 pounds fruit and vegetables, 15 pounds bread and grains, 25 pounds meat and dairy) with a caption explaining that only the fruit and vegetable part goes in the school bin.

Conclusion that follows: With the right balance of greens, browns, water and air, tiny living things can turn yesterday's lunch into compost for next spring's garden.

What makes it work: the topic is developed with relevant information of every kind the standard names: a definition (compost is organic material that has decomposed into a dark, crumbly material), facts (greens are full of nitrogen; browns are full of carbon), concrete details a fifth-grader can picture (apple cores, peels, dry leaves, shredded paper) and a quotation whose wording matters ("like a wrung-out sponge"). Each is relevant because it helps the reader understand how scraps become compost, the topic the thesis presents; a fact about the history of composting would be true but would not develop this topic. Transitions clarify how the ideas and concepts relate: in contrast marks the difference between greens and browns, also adds water and air as further ingredients, if links a condition (too wet, no air) to its effect (a smell), and the numbered steps show sequence.

Worked example 3 — revising for audience and precision. Draft for the principal: "Kids waste tons of food and composting is awesome." Revision: "Students throw away about 20 pounds of food scraps a day, and 60% of what the green team weighed could be composted." Tons was imprecise and wrong (100 pounds is not tons), kids and awesome were too casual for the audience, and the revision uses the audit's numbers.

Worked example 4 — judging a source. Should the argument quote the company page's "soil in 24 hours"? No. The page is written to sell a product, it does not explain how it got the number, and the extension fact sheet, written by a named educator, says finished compost takes weeks to months. A credible source is chosen for the claim it supports, and this claim is not supported.

Two-column planner (representation task): Fold a page into Argument and Informative. In each column fill in: audience, purpose, thesis (in the introduction), three reasons with evidence or three sections with facts and definitions, two transitions, three domain-specific words with definitions, sources used and why each is credible, any formatting or graphic, and the concluding idea. Circle every place where the two columns use the same fact in a different way.

Source check: Rank the four sources from most to least credible for the claim compost does not have to smell bad, and write one sentence for each explaining your ranking using author, date, purpose and evidence.

Independent performance: Choose a school or community topic with facts you can check (a recycling rule, a garden, a bike rack, a water-bottle station). Write both pieces: (1) a 300-word argument to a named adult audience and (2) a 300-word informative piece for younger students. Success criteria for both: the thesis is in the introduction; information is organized, with a text structure you can name; transitions clarify relationships; at least three domain-specific words are used precisely and, in the informative piece, defined; language suits the audience and purpose; at least two credible sources are used and named, and one weak source is explained and rejected in your notes; the informative piece has a heading and one useful graphic; each conclusion follows from what came before. Ask a partner to label every sub-part in the margin (thesis, reasons, transitions, vocabulary, sources, conclusion) and revise anything they cannot find.