Article
Art by Tom Garrett; Shutterstock.com (All Images)
Debate,

Is It Ever OK to Lie?

Jada thinks it can be OK to lie about little things sometimes. Diego says it is never OK to lie. What do you think?

From the March/April 2022 Issue
Featured Skill: Write Opinion Pieces,
Topic: Social Studies,

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Yes!

Art by Tom Garrett; Shutterstock.com (All Images)

I want to start by saying it’s not OK to lie about big things. You shouldn’t lie when you have done something wrong. You shouldn’t lie when your family or teacher asks you to tell the truth.

But I think it is OK to lie about little things sometimes. What should you do if a friend asks you if you like her shirt and you don’t like it? If you tell the truth, you could hurt her feelings.

You could tell a white lie. You could say you like it. That way, she won’t feel bad.

No!

Art by Tom Garrett; Shutterstock.com (All Images)

I agree that you should not lie about big things.

But I think you should be honest all the time. What if you lie about a little thing and people find out later? Then they won’t trust you anymore.

If you tell your friend you like her shirt and you don’t like it, then she could find out that you weren’t telling the truth. She may never ask what you think again! She won’t trust you to be honest.

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Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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1. PREPARING TO READ

Have students preview the text features. Ask:

  • What is the topic of the debate? (Prompt students to use the debate title and the picture as clues.)
  • What are the two opinions people might have about this topic?

2. READING THE DEBATE

  • Read the debate as a class or divide the class into groups.
  • You can also have students read the debate as partners, with each student reading one side aloud.

3. DISCUSSING

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

  • Which opinion do you think makes the most sense?
  • What is your opinion? What information or argument helped you form your opinion?

 

4. WRITING

  • Pass out our opinion-writing printable (available in your Resources tab). Ask students to write their opinion in the top section.
  • Then students can underline three points in the debate that back up their opinion.
  • Last, they can complete our printable to show what their opinion is.

Text-to-Speech