topics for an argumentative essay middle school

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94 Argumentative Essay Topics For Middle School: Protocols, Health, Politics, And More

January 4, 2024 //  by  Brittany Ray

Middle schoolers are always ready for a feisty debate and to argue their points! This list of excellent argumentative essay topics for middle school is sure to give your students the practice they need in getting their arguments down on paper, in a persuasive way. With a variety of topics ranging from whether or not to outlaw animal testing to debating a 3-day weekend, this curated collection will give your kiddos lots of fun choices to explore! Take a look and see which topics are sure to spark some interest in your classroom!

School Rules and Policies

1. should cell phones be allowed at school.

2. Should gym class (physical education) be a requirement?

3. Explain why or why not: Should students have homework on weekends?

4. Should the school day be extended in exchange for a long weekend?

5. Do you feel the government should dictate what you get for school lunch?

6. Do you believe brick-and-mortar schools are still necessary for today’s post-pandemic society?

7. Is the student-per-class limit too high?

8. Should high school students be required to take a civics exam before graduation?

9. Should school security be improved?

10. Should students be allowed to use smartwatches during examinations?

11. Should there be a limit to the amount of homework a school can assign to students?

12. Is the traditional grading system effective, or does it need an overhaul?

13. Should schools offer more extracurricular activities to cater to diverse interests?

14. Do schools place too much emphasis on sports and athletes at the expense of academic pursuits?

15. Explain your stance as to whether schools should or should not require students to wear uniforms.

16. Do you believe that school field trips are beneficial or merely recreational?

17. Should students be required to learn a second language starting in middle school?

18. Should the government have the ability to ban certain books in the classroom?

19. Should school cafeterias serve exclusively vegetarian meals to promote health?

20. Should schools have mandatory classes on financial literacy?

21. Should schools have strict policies against cyberbullying?

22. Should schools have mandatory mental health classes and counseling sessions?

23. Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?

24. Should schools have mindfulness and meditation sessions as part of the daily routine?

25. Should schools emphasize more on teaching critical thinking skills rather than just memorizing things?

26. Should there be more emphasis on vocational training in middle school?

27. Should students be taught the dangers of misinformation and “fake news” as part of their curriculum?

28. Should schools introduce mandatory community service as part of the curriculum?

29. Should schools allow students to bring their pets to school?

30. Should schools be allowed to monitor students’ online activities?

31. Should education about global warming and environmental conservation be a mandatory part of the curriculum?

32. Should schools introduce more practical skills courses like basic cooking, sewing, or home repair?

33. Do school dress codes infringe on personal expression?

34. Should middle school students be allowed to bring and use laptops in class?

35. Is homeschooling a better option than traditional schooling for some students?

36. Is learning to write in cursive still a necessary skill in the digital age?

37. Should school libraries invest in more digital resources or in physical books?

38. Should students be taught about controversial historical figures objectively or with a critical lens?

39. Should students have a more significant say in the creation of school rules and policies?

40. Do schools focus too much on college preparation at the expense of life skills?

41. Should parents be held more accountable for their children’s misbehavior at school?

42. Are parent-teacher conferences still effective or have they become outdated?

43. Should middle schools have later start times to accommodate adolescent sleep patterns?

College Admission and Tuition 

44. should excellent grades guarantee a scholarship.

45. Should a college degree earned through online education have the same worth as a degree earned at a brick-and-mortar university?

46. Do you feel art courses should be a required part of earning a college degree?

47. Should college admission criteria be less stringent?

48. Should college athletes be paid?

49. Do you believe that a college education is necessary for everyone?

50. Should public education at the college level be tuition-free?

Health and Wellbeing

51. do parents put too much pressure on their children to excel academically.

52. Should cigarettes be illegal?

53. Should employers have the right to require a Covid-19 vaccine?

54. Is milk beneficial to a person’s health?

55. Are hot dogs bad for you?

56. Do you agree or disagree that parents should be held responsible for childhood obesity?

57. Should the FDA allow GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in our food?

58. Does the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) do a good job of regulating the production of food?

59. Should junk food advertisements be banned during children’s TV shows?

60. Should students be allowed to take “mental health days” off from school?

Government, Politics, and Civic Responsibilities

61. do you think electronic voting machines make the election procedure fair or unfair.

62. Explain whether or not the Electoral College should be eliminated.

63. Should the government have more say in what is or is not “fake news”?

64. Should a felon have the right to vote?

65. Should all political offices have term limits?

66. Should the voting age be lowered?

67. The moral stain of the slavery of African American people in early American History is undoubtedly present. Do you feel the government promotes hate or love with the way it currently speaks about racism?

68. Should the minimum wage be raised to $15 an hour?

69. Should the government have more strict gun control policies?

70. With the separation of church and state, should churches be exempt from paying taxes?

71. Do you feel undocumented immigrants should be granted all the same rights as naturalized citizens?

72. Have Native American communities been given proper reparations for the United States’ long history of seizing land?

73. Do you think that the government should do more to fight against human trafficking?

Environmental and Moral Issues

74. is climate change something we can truly make a difference with.

75. If protecting the environment is of utmost importance, should bottled water be banned?

76. Should exotic animals be kept in captivity?

77. Explain your stance on whether wind farms are a good or bad idea.

78. Do “participation trophies” diminish the value of real achievement?

79. Should there be harsher punishments for bullying?

80. Explain whether or not animal testing should be outlawed.

81. Should the death penalty exist?

82. Should an individual be able to keep wild animals as pets if they have the means to care for them?

83. Do curfews for teenagers prevent them from getting in trouble or infringe on personal freedom?

84. Is scientific research on cloning DNA ethical?

85. Is daylight saving something the U.S. should keep, or should it be abolished?

86. Should schools ban single-use plastics?

Digital and Media

87. do children currently have too much screen time, and is it harmful.

88. Do you believe that the media and/or social media negatively impact body image among teens?

89. Do social media platforms need stricter age verification processes?

90. Should parents have access to their children’s social media accounts for monitoring purposes?

91. Should parents limit the time their children spend on video games?

92. Should violent video games be banned in the United States?

93. Do violent cartoons and animations impact a child’s behavior negatively?

94. Do video games have educational potential or are they merely distractions?

20 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students

What is an argument essay.

An argument essay uses logic and reasoning to defend a position or point of view. In an argument essay, research, evidence, and examples are used to convince the reader to consider a different point of view. A strong argument essay also acknowledges the opposing viewpoint. This is known as the counterargument. Ultimately, the counterargument is disputed with evidence in an attempt to convince the reader to support the writer’s  initial claim. 

Argument Writing vs. Opinion Writing

It’s easy to confuse opinion writing and argument writing. Both types of writing require students to take a stand and support it with reasons and evidence. To keep things straight, think of opinion writing as the stepping stone to argument writing.  Most states require students make the switch from opinion writing to argument writing in 5th or 6th grade.

-Opinion writing builds the foundational skill set for argument writing. Opinion writing requires students to take a stand and support their choice with clear and relevant reasons. The purpose of opinion writing is to share a point of view. 

-Argument writing takes the same process a step further. Argument writing requires students to make a claim and support it with research, evidence, and logic. The purpose of argument writing is to convince the reader to consider a different point of view. 

Argument Essay Topics

Should playing video games be considered a sport? Is online school better than in-person school? Should graffiti be considered art? Should college be free? Do we still need libraries? Is physical education important? Is homework necessary? Should cellphones be allowed in school? Which branch of government is the most important?

Should pets be allowed on airplanes? Should internet access be free? Should the Pledge of Allegiance be optional? Are dogs better than cats? Is math the most important school subject? Should the school day be shorter? Are Macs better than PCs? Is social media harmful for kids? Should schools have surveillance cameras in classrooms? Should all people be vegetarians? Should plastic bottles be banned?

Questions to Consider When Picking an Argument Essay Topic:

• Do you feel strongly about the topic?
• Does the topic have opposing viewpoints? 
• Do you have solid reasons to support your argument? 
• Can you find valid evidence to support your reasons? 

Argumentative Writing Unit for Grades 5-8

Click here to see the step-by-step process for writing argumentative essay. Examples and tips for students are included!

Introduce argumentative writing to all levels of learners with this comprehensive unit! Everything you need to differentiate and scaffold instruction is included with this printable and digital argument writing lesson! Use this bundle of step-by-step materials to guide students through every paragraph and element of argument writing. Make it easy for all students to plan, draft, and revise their essays.

45 Argumentative Writing Prompts for Middle School

As students make their way through school, the types of writing they do will change—as will the difficulty.

Writing persuasive or argumentative essays and letters is a great skill for students to learn, and a wonderful way to help guide them on proper research techniques so they can view more than one opinion and form their own conclusions.

Below, we’ve put together a list of writing prompts to help students tackle persuasive writing and dig deeper for an opinion.

Using These Prompts

This writing guide can be used as homework or in tandem with your ELA curriculum. The point is to get students to work on their nonfiction writing skills in a way that is fun and engaging.

Here are a few ways you can use the list below:

• Use these prompts for students who finish work early and need something to do.
• To choose a prompt, have students pick a number between 1 and 45.
• Challenge your students to use one writing prompt every day for a full week.
• Pick prompts that line up with what students are learning in other classes (like history or art).
• Have each student pick a prompt for someone else in the class to use.

The Prompts

• Do you think teachers should assign homework over the weekend? Explain.
• Is America ready to have a woman president? Why or why not?
• Should kids have chores? Explain.
•  Should GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) be allowed in our food?
• Is life more challenging for your generation than your parents’ generation at your age? Explain.
• Should gym class be required for all students?
• Do you think your school treats boys and girls equally? Explain.
• Do athletes and actors deserve to make more money than the average worker? Explain.
• Do beauty pageants objectify the participants?
• Should teachers accept late work? Explain.
• Should cell phones be allowed in school? Why?
• Do you think community college should be free? Explain.
• Should schools have harsher punishments for bullies?
• Does snail mail (handwritten cards or letters) still have value in the digital age?
• Do you think parents should limit screen time for their children?
• Should a student’s behavior be a factor in their overall grade in a class?
• Explain your stance on alternative energy.
• Do you think the media puts too much pressure on high school and college athletes?
• At what age do you think kids should be allowed to use social media?
• Do you think Native Americans have had justice for having their land stolen?
• Should the US invest more money in the space program, or should that money be spent elsewhere?
• Does society rely too heavily on technology?
• Should single-use plastics be eliminated entirely?
• Do you think students should be given letter grades, or should classes be graded as pass/fail?
• Explain the benefits of learning a second language.
• Does your school mascot represent your school well?
• If your school mascot could be changed, what would you propose? Why?
• Defend your position on recreational hunting.
• Explain the benefits of going away to summer camp.
• Do you think there is anything we can do about climate change, or is it already too late?
• Explain why students should have more say in what they learn.
• What do you think is the perfect pet?
• Is online learning or in-person learning better? Why?
• How has reality TV had an impact on real life?
• At what age are you old enough to stay home alone?
• Should children be required to attend church with their families? Explain your reasoning.
• Do you think the dress code is harmful or helpful to daily school life?
• Is it better to be liked or to be respected?
• Should school start later for teenagers?
• Should students be required to participate in a sport or extracurricular activity?
• Is the glass half-empty or half-full? Explain.
• Should the United States keep daylight savings time, or do away with it?
• What is something every household should do to conserve energy?
• Should beauty standards be more inclusive?
• What is the greatest song of all time? Explain.

Looking For More Resources?

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Don’t hesitate to reach out if you are looking for something specific and can’t find it on our site. We love hearing all of your ideas!