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Should You Have Nap Time at School?

Some people think students should be allowed to take a nap at school. Others disagree. Which side are you on?

By Alex Winnick

From the December 2024/January 2025 Issue

Featured Skill: Supporting an Argument,

Beep, beep, beep! The sound of your alarm wakes you up. You start getting dressed for school. But you still feel exhausted. If only there were a way to get some extra rest. Some people say there’s an answer: nap time!

Recharged and Ready

Experts say that third-graders need 9 to 12 hours of sleep a night. But many kids don’t snooze for that long. One out of every three kids in America don’t get enough sleep!

Then these kids come to school tired. They might nod off during class. They might have trouble focusing on a lesson.

Naps are the perfect solution for sleepy students. An extra 30 minutes of sleep during school can help kids recharge. After a rest, they’re ready to learn!

Plus, napping can boost students’ moods. Studies show that naps can make kids happier. They can also improve kids’ self-control. Why? Because well-rested kids have more patience. This helps them work through tough problems.

Plenty of schools already offer nap time for students. In China, some schools even have beds so students can be comfortable while they nod off!

No Time for Sleep

But experts say that kids should stop napping by the age of 7. It’s important for kids to form good nighttime habits. These include reading before bed or setting an early bedtime. If kids get enough sleep at home, they won’t need to drift into dreamland during school.

Besides, there’s barely enough time in the day as it is. Students have class, lunch, and recess. And there are special classes like gym, music, and art. Schools would have to remove or cut one of those classes short to make time for napping. There’s just not enough time for kids to take a nap during the busy school day!

Last, not all kids feel refreshed after a nap. Some students might wake up feeling even sleepier than they did before taking a snooze. Why add something that will make sleepy kids even more tired?

Your school is making a new schedule and needs to decide: Should your class have nap time?

What does your class think?

Should you have nap time at school?

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What do you think?

Go back to the article and 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 (4)

Answer Key (1)

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Answer Key (1)

Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Have your students weigh in on other school-related debates like “Should You Have Homework?,” “Should Recess Be Longer?,” “Should Pop-Its Be Allowed in Class?,” and “Should Students Have Assigned Seats in the Cafeteria?” Afterward, click on the Resources Tab for in-depth skill builders (including an opinion-writing activity).

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