A Speaker's Reasons and Evidence
A 40-minute Grade 4 lesson on identifying the reasons and evidence a speaker gives to support particular points.
A Speaker's Reasons and Evidence is a free 40-minute Grade 4 English lesson plan for Common Core standard SL.4.3 — pick out a speaker's reasons and evidence for each point. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 4
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- SL.4.3
Grade 4 · Speaking & Listening
SL.4.3
Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.
Objective
Students will be able to note a speaker's point and separate the reasons from the evidence given for it.
Students are successful when they can
- Notes the point.
- Notes reasons and evidence separately.
- Says whether any point went unsupported.
What you need
- A short persuasive talk, live or recorded
- A three-column listening sheet
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — three columns
5 min- Head the sheet: point, reason, evidence.
- Give three sentences and place each.
Teach — listening is slower than the speaker
13 min- Play a minute of the talk. Fill the columns as you go.
- Say the difficulty: a speaker moves on before you have finished writing.
- Show the fix: two or three words per cell, filled in afterwards.
- Find a point with a reason and no evidence and mark the gap.
- Say what an unsupported point is: an assertion, and worth noticing every time.
“Two words per cell. You can expand them after; you cannot rewind a speaker.”
Guided practice — listen and log
12 min- Students listen to a talk and fill the three columns.
- They mark any unsupported point.
- Pairs compare and settle disagreements.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the listening page.
- Read the talk aloud twice.
Close
2 min- Take one point and its evidence, or note the gap.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Writes too much and loses the talk.
Why: Complete notes feel safer.
Fix: Two words per cell. Completeness is the enemy of keeping up.
Records everything as evidence.
Why: Everything a speaker says feels like support.
Fix: Evidence is checkable. A reason is a claim about why.
Assumes a confident speaker is a supported one.
Why: Delivery is more salient than structure.
Fix: The columns. An empty evidence column is visible regardless of delivery.
If they are not there yet
- Two columns rather than three.
- A shorter talk.
If they finish early
- Note a talk where the evidence does not fit the reason.
- Identify a point supported by evidence only, with no reason given.
- Compare two speakers on the same topic.
Exit ticket
Name a point the speaker made and the evidence given for it.
What to look for: Evidence distinguished from reason. Everything in one column means the checkable test needs restating.
Printable practice for SL.4.3
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- A Speaker's Reasons and EvidenceRead the text, then answer the questions.
Questions about A Speaker's Reasons and Evidence
How long does the A Speaker's Reasons and Evidence lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does A Speaker's Reasons and Evidence teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.3 — SL.4.3, Speaking & Listening for Grade 4: “Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.” In plain terms, pick out a speaker's reasons and evidence for each point.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A short persuasive talk, live or recorded, a three-column listening sheet and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: writes too much and loses the talk; records everything as evidence and assumes a confident speaker is a supported one. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Name a point the speaker made and the evidence given for it.” Evidence distinguished from reason. Everything in one column means the checkable test needs restating. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with A Speaker's Reasons and Evidence?
Yes — 1 printable SL.4.3 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is A Speaker's Reasons and Evidence free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to SL.4.3 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.