Make a Claim
Textual Evidence: "Denmark took tablets and laptops out of classrooms because students use three fingers to swipe over to video games. Widespread digital tech makes academic performance go down significantly."
Question: Write a clear Claim using "Should" based on this evidence.
"Schools should ban laptops and tablets in class to prevent distractions and improve grades."
Your Team's Claim: "Cellphones should be completely banned during the school day to stop distractions."
Question: Write a strong Counterclaim representing what parents or students might say.
"However, many parents argue that cellphones are necessary for tracking their children's safety during emergencies."
Evidence: "In NYC, after the phone ban, a teacher said students are talking to each other more in hallways, and bathroom breaks are shorter because they aren't watching YouTube."
Question: Explain how this evidence supports the phone ban.
This shows that removing phones successfully increases real-life social interaction and cuts down on wasted class time.
Question: Esperanza feels deeply isolated and lonely on Mango Street. According to the Pew and CDT research, where do modern lonely teenagers go to escape reality or look for "companionship"?
They turn to AI chatbots for casual conversations, advice, or virtual romantic relationships.
Question: Look at the picture of a cellphone locker/pouch. Write one Claim defending this method and one Counterclaim opposing it.
Answer: e.g., Claim: Schools should use pouches to eliminate distraction. Counterclaim: However, students feel frustrated because they can't access schoolwork or daily schedules.
Textual Evidence: "54% of teens use AI chatbots to help with schoolwork, but 59% say students at their school use AI to cheat at least sometimes."
Question: Write a balanced Claim using "Should not" regarding AI in schools.
"Schools should not completely ban AI, but they must create strict rules to stop cheating."
Your Team's Claim: "AI chatbots should be banned because they ruin critical thinking and help students cheat."
Question: Smash this with a Counterclaim using the advantages of AI.
On the other hand, supporters argue that AI can personalize learning and provide immediate feedback to struggling students."
Evidence: "Gen Z is the first generation in history less cognitively capable than their parents, lagging behind since the introduction of screens in 2010."
Question: Explain why this piece of data is so shocking for the defense of technology.
It explains that digital learning has historically harmed, rather than helped, children's brainpower and cognitive growth.
Question: In Cathy Queen of Cats, Cathy holds unfair stereotypes about Esperanza's family. In modern schools, what new AI tech risk can be used by bullies to create fake images/videos to harm or harass a student's reputation?
Answer: AI-generated deepfakes.
Question: Look at Denmark’s solution of bringing back physical textbooks. Write a 2-sentence Explanation of why physical books might help a student focus better than a tablet.
Answer: Physical books prevent students from swiping over to video games or videos during class. Therefore, it forces them to concentrate on reading and writing.
Textual Evidence: Marin stands under the streetlight waiting for a man to change her life. Meanwhile, Text #1 shows that 1 in 5 high schoolers turns to AI chatbots for romantic relationships or companionship because they feel alone.
Question: Write a Claim about how isolated young people should or should not rely on external things (like a man or an AI) to save them.
"Isolated teenagers should not rely on AI or other people to save them; they need to build their own real-world independence."
Your Team's Claim: "Students should be allowed to use headphones and listen to music to help them focus during independent work."
Question: Write a teacher's Counterclaim to this idea.
"Conversely, teachers claim that headphones cause students to tune out instructions and become isolated in the classroom."
Evidence: "The four skinny trees grow through the hard concrete despite having no soil or reason to be there."
Question: Explain what this evidence teaches Esperanza about her life on Mango Street.
This symbolizes that she can also stay strong, survive, and grow despite her harsh and poor environment.
Question: Marin is trapped inside, looking out the door, waiting for a real-life man to change her life. How does this passive attitude mirror the 12% of modern teens mentioned in the Pew survey?
Answer: They are also passively looking for an external, non-human solution (an AI chatbot) to give them emotional support instead of taking control of their own lives
Question: Read this evidence: "AI can personalize learning paths and help teachers design interactive lessons." Write a complete paragraph segment: State a Claim that schools should use AI, and then use a transition word to state a Counterclaim using the risk of cheating.
Answer: "Schools should encourage AI because it personalizes learning for individual needs. On the other hand, critics argue that AI should be limited because many students use it to cheat on assignments."
Textual Evidence: "In the survey, schools reported that their biggest challenge in setting cell phone restrictions is resistance from parents who want constant contact for safety."
Question: Write a Claim that solves this conflict using "Should."
"Schools should allow cell phones in bags but lock them in pouches during class to balance safety and focus."
Your Team's Claim: "Esperanza should change her name to Zeze the X to escape her identity and feel free."
Question: Write a Counterclaim explaining why this might not work.
"However, changing her name will not change the reality of poverty and prejudice she faces on Mango Street."
Evidence: "High AI use in schools is linked to data breaches, AI-generated deepfakes, cyberbullying, and false accusations from device monitoring."
Question: Explain why schools must be extremely cautious about using too much AI.
This demonstrates that AI brings massive privacy and safety risks that can harm students' mental well-being and destroy school trust.
Question: Esperanza feels like a "red balloon tied to an anchor" (her sister/neighborhood). If Esperanza had a smartphone and social media today, would it free her, or would it be a new "anchor"? Explain your group's reason.
Answer:
Anchor: It causes low self-esteem, distraction, and cyberbullying.
Freedom: It would allow her to write stories, share them with the world, and find an escape.
Question: Write a master Topic Sentence (Claim) that argues how both Mango Street's harsh environment and modern screen addiction can trap a young person's growth.
Answer: e.g., "Whether through the poverty of Mango Street or the cognitive decline caused by modern screen addiction, an unhealthy environment can severely trap a young person's potential."
Textual Evidence: "16-year-old Adam Raine developed a psychological dependency on ChatGPT-4o while isolated at home, which eventually validated his dark thoughts and led to tragedy."
Question: Write a powerful, heavy-hitting Claim about how tech companies should be treated.
"The government should strictly regulate and sue tech companies to protect children from dangerous AI dependencies."
Your Team's Claim: "AI chatbots are great tools because 12% of lonely teenagers can use them to get emotional support and advice."
Question: Completely smash this claim with a lethal Counterclaim using Adam Raine’s case.
"Unfortunately, AI tools lack real human empathy and can dangerously validate a suicidal student's harmful thoughts, leading to tragedy."
Evidence: Esperanza’s mother calls herself a "smart cookie" in the past, but she quit school because she was ashamed of her clothes.
Question: Explain how this connects to modern students dropping out mentally due to screen addictions or cyberbullying.
It proves that emotional barriers (like shame in the past, or online harassment/low self-esteem today) can destroy a student's academic potential.
Question: In the final chapter, Esperanza deals with her pain by writing stories. In contrast, how did 16-year-old Adam Raine deal with his isolation, and what was the tragic result?
Answer: Adam turned to ChatGPT-4o to discuss his suicidal feelings; the AI validated his dark thoughts and created a psychological dependency, leading to his suicide.
Question: Create a complete mini-argumentative section (3 sentences) on your whiteboard:
Claim: (Should schools ban AI chatbots for emotional support?)
Evidence: (Mention Adam Raine ).
Explain: (Why this means we need real humans).
Answer:
Schools should ban students from using AI for emotional support.
According to research, lonely students can develop dangerous psychological dependencies on chatbots, like the tragic case of Adam Raine.
This proves that technology can never replace real human counselors and teachers when a student is in crisis.