Question

continue reading the essay. use the close reading and hint to help you answer the question.
(continued from page 180)
examining hip - hop songs in class can help teachers identify more closely with their students interests, cultures, and life experiences. the subject matter or lyrics of some hip - hop songs may be objectionable, but teachers can find plenty of acceptable options to explore.
additionally, teachers can help students think critically about the lyrics and messages of their favorite songs. exploring hip - hop will strengthen students analytical skills and their ability to connect old and new forms of literature. our students will therefore become more engaged, challenged, and informed.
circle the correct answer.
what claim does the author make in the first paragraph on this page to support her argument that hip - hop should be taught in literature classes?
a hip - hop is more interesting than classic poetry.
b lyrics for hip - hop songs can teach students life lessons.
c teachers can better relate to their students experiences.
d students can learn to write hip - hop lyrics.
show your thinking
evaluate the essay you just read. judge whether or not the author provides enough strong reasons and evidence to support her claims and argument. use text details in your response.
with a partner, discuss other reasons the author could have included to support her claims.

Explanation:

Multiple - Choice Question

To solve this, we analyze each option by referring to the text.

• Option A: The text does not compare hip - hop with classic poetry in terms of interest, so A is incorrect.
• Option B: The first paragraph on this page does not mention hip - hop lyrics teaching life lessons; it's about teachers relating to students, so B is incorrect.
• Option C: The first paragraph says "Examining hip - hop songs in class can help teachers identify more closely with their students’ interests, cultures, and life experiences", which matches this option.
• Option D: There is no mention of students learning to write hip - hop lyrics in the first paragraph, so D is incorrect.

1. First, identify the author's claims: One claim is that hip - hop helps teachers connect with students, and another is that it helps students think critically.
2. For the first claim, the evidence is that teachers can find acceptable hip - hop songs to explore, which supports the idea of using hip - hop in class to connect with students. For the second claim, the evidence is that exploring hip - hop strengthens students' analytical skills and their ability to connect old and new literature.
3. Evaluate the strength: The reasons are relevant to the claims. However, the evidence could be stronger. For example, the author could provide specific examples of hip - hop songs that help teachers connect with students or specific ways in which students' analytical skills are strengthened. But the author does provide some logical reasons that are related to the argument.

Answer:

C. Teachers can better relate to their students’ experiences.

"Show Your Thinking" Question