Inquiry and Research: Examining Sources For Faulty Reasoning And Logical Fallacies (TEKS.ELA.6.12.H.ii)
Help Questions
Texas 6th Grade ELA › Inquiry and Research: Examining Sources For Faulty Reasoning And Logical Fallacies (TEKS.ELA.6.12.H.ii)
Texas has always cared about border safety and fair trade, but if we don't double our border patrols immediately, every single town along the Rio Grande will be overrun by chaos before the month is out. Families won't be able to visit parks, and small stores will shutter overnight. Anyone who says otherwise is ignoring reality. The only way to protect our economy and our neighborhoods is to launch the largest security surge in state history right now. Once we do, life will return to normal in a matter of days, and Texans will finally be safe again. No community can wait another week.
Which type of faulty reasoning is used?
hyperbole
emotional appeal
stereotype
none
Explanation
Correct: hyperbole. The writer wildly exaggerates by claiming every town will be "overrun by chaos" soon and that one huge surge will fix everything immediately. Texans reasonably care about safety and commerce, but this overstates the danger and promises instant results without evidence. Extension: Highlight one sentence of faulty reasoning in a Texas editorial or advertisement (teacher-provided). Scaffold: Types—hyperbole (extreme exaggeration), emotional appeal (stirs feelings), stereotype (labels a group), none (sound reasoning). Enrichment: Compare how urban and rural perspectives discuss border policy and spot different fallacies.
Some Texans want more wind and solar, while others support oil and gas. That debate matters. But let's be honest: people who work in the oil fields only care about money, and folks who back wind farms are just city people who don't understand ranch life. Oil crews tear up land without thinking, and renewable fans hate trucks and long drives. With attitudes like that, it's easy to see who is right and who is wrong. If we want a strong future, we should just trust the side that actually respects Texas values. The rest are pretending to care about our state.
Which type of faulty reasoning is used?
hyperbole
emotional appeal
stereotype
none
Explanation
Correct: stereotype. The passage paints oil workers and renewable supporters with sweeping labels ("only care about money," "city people") instead of judging ideas on evidence. Texans can disagree about energy development in good faith, but this text relies on biased group claims. Extension: Highlight one sentence of faulty reasoning in a Texas editorial or advertisement (teacher-provided). Scaffold: Types—hyperbole (extreme exaggeration), emotional appeal (stirs feelings), stereotype (labels a group), none (sound reasoning). Enrichment: Compare stereotypes that appear in different communities' views on energy—coastal, Panhandle, Permian Basin.
Texas students deserve strong schools, and funding is part of that. Our state uses a mix of local property taxes and state dollars, and those systems change as communities grow. We should review the formulas, study class sizes and building needs, and aim for steady support that helps students read, write, and think. At the same time, schools should show how they use the money and what results they get. A plan that balances fairness, transparency, and student outcomes can help both small towns and big cities without assuming one rule will fit every campus. Lawmakers and families can revisit the plan each year.
Which type of faulty reasoning is used?
hyperbole
emotional appeal
stereotype
none
Explanation
Correct: none. The passage uses careful language, suggests reviewing data, and seeks balance and transparency. It avoids exaggeration, emotional manipulation, or stereotyping. Texans rightly want effective schools; this argument separates that goal from biased presentation. Extension: Highlight one sentence of faulty reasoning in a Texas editorial or advertisement (teacher-provided). Scaffold: Types—hyperbole (extreme exaggeration), emotional appeal (stirs feelings), stereotype (labels a group), none (sound reasoning). Enrichment: Compare how suburban, rural, and urban communities frame school funding and whether fallacies appear.
Picture a Texas classroom at dawn. The lights flicker, the heater coughs, and a bucket catches drips from a brown stain in the ceiling. Twenty-five kids huddle in coats while their teacher quietly tapes torn books and counts the pencils she bought with her own paycheck. A boy rubs his hands to stay warm, trying to finish a paragraph before the bell. Is this the future we want for our neighborhoods? Until we pour money into every school immediately, these children will keep shivering through lessons and stacking broken chairs instead of building their dreams. No one should study like that. It breaks your heart to watch.
Which type of faulty reasoning is used?
hyperbole
emotional appeal
stereotype
none
Explanation
Correct: emotional appeal. The description uses vivid, sad imagery to move feelings and then demands immediate funding without offering facts or comparisons. Texans care about quality schools, but this argument leans on emotion instead of evidence. Extension: Highlight one sentence of faulty reasoning in a Texas editorial or advertisement (teacher-provided). Scaffold: Types—hyperbole (extreme exaggeration), emotional appeal (stirs feelings), stereotype (labels a group), none (sound reasoning). Enrichment: Compare emotional appeals in different communities' school stories—rural campuses vs. urban campuses—and evaluate their claims.