One of the best argumentative prompts for I Am David asks whether David is right to trust the people he meets on his journey. The question works because the book supports more than one answer, and students must take a side and defend it with evidence. Argumentative writing is a core skill in most state standards, and a novel study is a low-pressure way to practice it. Grading these essays requires attention to reasoning as much as to opinion.

Make it clear from the start that the position a student chooses does not affect the score. A student who argues that David should remain cautious can earn the same grade as one who argues he should open up, provided the reasoning is strong. Saying this openly relieves the pressure to guess what the teacher wants to hear. It also makes the class discussion more honest and more interesting.

The core skills to assess are the claim, the reasons, the evidence, and the treatment of opposing views. A strong claim takes a specific stance, such as arguing that David is right to trust selectively because the people who help him are also taking risks. Each reason should be supported by a moment from the text, and the essay should acknowledge a counterargument. Your rubric can describe each of these expectations at several performance levels.

Grading the Counterargument

The counterargument paragraph is where many students struggle, because it feels awkward to write against their own position. Teach them that a good counterargument names the strongest opposing point and then responds to it with evidence or reasoning. A student arguing for caution might acknowledge that some strangers do help David and then explain why that does not make the risk worthwhile. Essays that dismiss the opposing view in a single sentence should score lower on this criterion.

• A claim that takes a clear and arguable position
• Two or three distinct reasons rather than one idea repeated
• Evidence from specific moments in the story for each reason
• A counterargument that is stated fairly and answered directly
• A conclusion that explains the significance of the argument

Separating Opinion From Reasoning

Students sometimes write with strong feeling but little support, using phrases like I think or it is obvious without offering proof. In your feedback, highlight these sentences and ask what in the book led the student to that conclusion. This teaches them that opinions become arguments only when they are connected to evidence. It is a habit that serves them well in every subject.

Watch also for logical gaps, where the evidence does not actually prove the claim being made. A student might cite a scene where David is helped as evidence that all strangers are trustworthy, which is a leap. Point out the gap gently and suggest how the argument could be narrowed to fit the evidence. Narrowing a claim is one of the most valuable revision moves in argumentative writing.

Using Technology to Support Consistent Scoring

Argumentative essays can be time-consuming to grade because each one requires you to follow a chain of reasoning. AI grading tools that work from your rubric can flag whether a counterargument is present, whether each reason has evidence, and whether the claim is clear. The teacher then reviews these observations and adds insight about the quality of the thinking. It is a division of labor that saves time without sacrificing judgment.

Be sure to test the tool on a few essays where you already know the score you would give. If the results are close, you can proceed with confidence, and if not, you can refine the rubric language or instructions. This small test builds trust in the process. It also reveals whether your rubric descriptors are clear enough to be applied consistently by anyone.

Extending the Debate Beyond the Essay

A brief in-class debate before writing gives students a chance to hear the best arguments on both sides. Assign positions at random for the first round so students must practice defending a view they may not hold. This directly improves their ability to write the counterargument paragraph later. Notes from the debate can be used as a prewriting resource.

After grading, consider having students trade essays with someone who took the opposite side and write a short response. This exercise turns the essay into a real conversation and deepens their understanding of the book. It also shows that argument is a process of exchange, not a contest. Students often find the exchange more memorable than the original assignment.