How Fact Turns to Reasoning Using the Magic of Brains!!!

What is a fact? Something that just is. Here are some examples: Minimum wage is 10 dollars an hour in AZ. Homer leads his men to danger frequently in the Odyssey. Teens have developing brains. Eli Wiesel had his number tattooed on his arm at a concentration camp.

What is reasoning? When you reason you prove something using a fact and an explanation. Example: Cell phones have extremely useful features such as dictionaries, calculators, and study tools so all teenagers should be allowed to use them during their classes to help them complete their work faster and more accurately. The first part is a fact, the second part is the explanation.

How do Facts and REASONING differ? Let’s look at Iron Man. This is Iron Man. He’s a genius. He built the Iron Man suit. These things are facts, not reasons.

Now Let’s Use Brain Magic to Make those REASONS. Since Tony Stark uses his genius level brain power to make a machine to save people’s lives, he is a hero. Look at this! So heroic, right?

Let's Use Brain Magic AGAIN to Make Opposite REASONS Although Tony Stark is a genius he only makes a suit for himself and his friend, rather than working on the cure to diseases or something that could really help people which makes him selfish and unheroic. Iron man only cares about Iron man!

You just used the same fact to make two different reasons!! Yep! That’s because a fact can be used for almost any reasoning. Let’s try one of those other facts we saw earlier: Minimum wage is 10 dollars an hour. How can this fact SUPPORT raising the minimum wage? How can this fact ARGUE AGAINST raising the minimum wage?

Activity 1 With your partner, on one piece of paper: Partner A reasons for, Partner B coaches Partner B reasons against, Partner A coaches Compare your responses with your closest group of two

Let’s do that again but this time with this fact: Dogs require walking . How can this fact SUPPORT getting a dog? How can this fact ARGUE AGAINST getting a dog?

How does this work with ICE? I- Identify the fact. C- Use evidence (a quote and cite) to prove it is a fact. E- Use reasoning to show how that fact proves your point.