Gathering Evidence

Watch a video that features Jamal Pettway, one of the teens who worked with Daisy De La Rosa. He talks about the kinds of foods and drinks he sees in stores in his neighborhood. As you watch, consider how his observations support the claim that sugary drinks (and other unhealthy snacks) are a problem in the community.

After watching, read the text that follows. Then answer the questions in Take Notes below.

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Video Transcript: Neighborhood Stores

JAMAL PETTWAY: Where I’m from, I see a lot of corner stores, places where you can get food cheap, bodegas, what have you. And when you walk into [these places], you don’t see a whole shelf full of water, you see a whole shelf full of sodas, a whole shelf full of drinks, cookies, candies. In the corner stores where I’m at, you wouldn’t see a vegetable up there, you wouldn’t see produce, you wouldn’t see oranges and apples, but you’ll see factory-made stuff that has real fruit in it like Pop Tarts or like … popsicles with fruit in it, but it defeats the purpose. It’s surrounded by sugar, and when you eat it, you might taste it, but you’re not getting the same nutrients as if you were to grab a bunch of strawberries. It’s so much easier to grab an apple pie instead of an apple because it tastes better and it makes you feel full, like from McDonald’s, or something like that. And the same thing with the drinks and the sodas.... It’s so much easier to get the carbonated, the sugary, the high-fructose drinks.

To make an opinion or claim stronger, you need to support it with evidence—facts that you can use to explain why you are making that claim. Facts can take many forms, such as statistics, reports, and research taken from trustworthy sources. You can also draw on your personal observations and experiences, like Jamal does. Having personal experience with a topic can make you a trustworthy source and make what you’re saying more believable.

Take Notes

In the video, what evidence does Jamal use to support his claim? (What does he say about the kinds of foods and drinks that are easy or difficult to find in neighborhood stores?)
Does talking about his experiences make his claim more believable? Why?
Write down two or three of your own experiences or observations at school that you can use to support your opinion or claim.