Image of five kids wearing scuba gear while laying on beach
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Debate,

The Beach vs. the Snow

The beach is Braden’s favorite place in the world, but Zuri prefers the snow. Whose side are you on?

From the December 2023/January 2024 Issue
Lexile: 500L-600L
Guided Reading Level: M
Featured Skill: Supporting an Argument,
Common Core Standards
  • R.1, R.2, R.6, R.8, W.1, W.4, W.10, SL.1, SL.3
TEKS Standards
  • Grades 2-3
    1a, 1c, 1d, 5a, 6b, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 9e, 11a, 11b, 11c, 12b

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Dear Zuri, 

Picture a day at the beach. You’re lying on the soft, warm sand. A refreshing breeze blows through your hair. Sounds perfect, right?

Unlike the snow, the beach is comfortable. The sun’s bright rays keep you nice and warm. If you get too hot? No problem! You can jump into the ocean. The refreshing sea will cool you down. It’s way better than playing in the snow, which is freezing cold. Plus, the icy snow can be dangerous if you don’t dress warmly enough. 

There’s also so much to do at the beach! You can build sandcastles or hunt for interesting shells. You can walk next to the water and enjoy the cool breeze. And if you don’t feel like being in the sun, you can read a book under a shady umbrella. 

Last, the beach is calming and peaceful. It’s far away from screens and loud noises that cause stress. You can relax and listen to the gentle sound of the waves. Why not close your eyes and take a nap?

I think you’ll agree: The beach is better than the snow!


Your beach buddy,

Braden

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Dear Braden, 

It’s awesome how much you love the beach. But the snow is way better!

First of all, if it snows enough, you could get the day off from school! And those beach activities sound OK, but they’re not nearly as fun as snow activities. There’s nothing like zooming down a hill on a sled with your friends. You can also build forts, snow people, snowballs . . . the list goes on! Those sandcastles sound nice until—SPLASH! One wave can smash them to pieces. 

The beach has dangers too. You could get a sunburn if you forget to reapply sunscreen or you miss a spot. And if you don’t drink enough water, you could become dehydrated. That’s when your body loses too much water. 

And sure, it can get cold in the snow. But you can always head inside to warm up. Being cozy is part of the fun! Just throw on a sweatshirt, grab a mug of steaming hot chocolate, and sit down with your favorite book! The best part? There’s no itchy sand or gloppy sunscreen to wash off. 

I’m sure you see my point: Snow rules!


Your snow sidekick,

Zuri

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What Do You Think? After reading the letters, write down reasons to support each side of the debate. Then study the points on both sides. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the introduction to an opinion paragraph.

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Activities (3)
Skills Activities
Quizzes (1)
Answer Key (1)
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Skills Activities
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Answer Key (1)
Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Have your classroom weigh in on another seasonal debate in “Should We Have Weather Cancellation Days?” Students will love filling out the Opinion Writing Kit too. 

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1. PREPARING TO READ

Have students preview the text features. Ask:

  • What is the topic of the debate? (Students can use the debate title and subhead as clues.)
  • What do you think the two sides of the issue are?

2. READING THE DEBATE

  • Read the debate as a class or in small groups.
  • Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including:
    • Facts and statistics (F/S)
    • Quotes from experts (Q) 
    • Stories or examples (EX)  

 

3. DISCUSSING

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

  • What is your opinion? What evidence do you find the most convincing?
  • For more-advanced students: Do you think the author agrees with one point of view more than the other on this issue? What is your evidence?

4. CULMINATING ACTIVITY

  • Distribute the “Opinion Writing Kit” skill builder which guides students to write a three- paragraph essay on the debate topic.

  OR

  • Stage a classroom debate, offering students practice speaking in front of a group.
    • For more-advanced students: Have each side conduct additional research for the debate.

5. CHECK COMPREHENSION

  • Have students complete the comprehension quiz.

6. PARTICIPATE IN THE ONLINE POLL

  • Students can vote for which side they support and see what other Storyworks 3 readers think in our online poll at Storyworks 3 Digital.

COMMON CORE STATE STANDARD

RI.1, RI.2, RI.6, RI.8, W.1, W.4, W.10, SL.1

Text-to-Speech