Writing prompt Grade 8 English Language Arts
Harrow Vale's PFAS Treatment Timing: A Grade 8 Argument Prompt
A grade 8 argument writing prompt where students decide whether a fictional town should treat PFAS now or wait and apply for a proposed two-year federal exemption.
Objectives
- Students will write an argument that states a claim and answers a counterclaim.
- Students will use background evidence to weigh acting now against waiting.
Vocabulary
- PFAS
- A large family of human-made chemicals used in things like nonstick pans, waterproof fabric, and firefighting foam. They are called forever chemicals because they take a very long time to break down.
Also: claim, counterclaim, deadline
Teacher overview
PFAS rules are a rare case where students can watch a regulation change while they study it, which makes the timing of a town's decision a genuine argument. This prompt gives students enough background to take a position on whether a fictional town should treat its water now or wait and seek the extra time a federal proposal would allow. The task calls for a claim, supporting reasons, and a fair answer to a counterclaim, the core of grade 8 argument writing.
Prompt
Background: PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in products such as nonstick pans, stain-resistant carpet, and firefighting foam. They break down very slowly, so people call them "forever chemicals." Some PFAS have been linked to health problems, and they have turned up in drinking water in many places.
In 2024, the federal government set a limit for two of these chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. The limit is very low: 4 parts per trillion, written as 4.0 ppt. A part per trillion is a tiny amount, about one drop of water in twenty Olympic-size swimming pools. Water systems must meet the limit by April 2029. Then, in May 2026, the government proposed letting water systems that qualify apply for two more years, until April 2031. The extra time would not be automatic for every town, and the 4.0 ppt limit itself would not change. The proposal was not yet final as of September 2026, so the rule is still in motion.
Harrow Vale is a fictional town whose latest tests came back just above the limit. To lower the PFAS, the town would need to add a treatment system that uses special carbon filters. The system would work, but it would cost the town a large amount of money and would raise water bills. The town council must now choose: install the treatment soon, or wait until closer to the federal deadline and apply for the extra two years if the proposal becomes final.
Writing task: Harrow Vale's council has asked residents to weigh in. Write an argument essay that states a clear claim about whether the town should install PFAS treatment now or wait and seek the proposed extra time. Support your claim with at least two reasons drawn from the background above. Then state at least one counterclaim that someone on the other side might raise, and answer it. End with a conclusion that restates your position.
Planning Organizer
| Category | Your notes |
|---|---|
| Claim (treat now or wait?) | |
| Reason 1 + evidence from the background | |
| Reason 2 + evidence from the background | |
| Counterclaim the other side might raise | |
| Your answer to the counterclaim | |
| Concluding statement |
From Water for Schools (waterforschools.org). This material is in the public domain (CC0) and may be copied, edited, and shared freely.
Exemplar & Rubric
Exemplar response:
Harrow Vale should install PFAS treatment now instead of waiting for the later deadline. The town's water already tests above the federal limit of 4.0 ppt, and PFAS are called forever chemicals because they break down very slowly and build up over time. Every extra year the town waits is another year that residents drink water the government has judged unsafe at that level. The town should base its timing on residents' health rather than on the latest date the rule allows.
There are two strong reasons to act now. First, the harm is happening already. The tests are above the limit today, so waiting until 2031 means years of continued exposure for children and adults who cannot simply choose a different tap. Second, the rule is still in motion. The government has proposed letting some systems apply for extra time, from 2029 to 2031, but that proposal is not final, and the extra time would not be automatic. If the town waits and the proposal never becomes final, or Harrow Vale does not qualify, the town could be caught unprepared and forced to build in a hurry, which usually costs more.
Some residents will argue that the town should wait, because the treatment system is expensive and will raise water bills. That concern is real, and no one should brush aside what higher bills mean for families on tight budgets. But there are ways to soften the cost, such as the state grants and loans that many towns use for exactly this kind of project, along with spreading the cost over several years. Paying a little more each month for water that meets the limit is a better deal than paying nothing now and living with water that does not. Waiting does not remove the cost, because residents would bear it through continued exposure rather than through their bills.
Harrow Vale should not treat the proposed 2031 date as permission to wait. The safest choice is to install the treatment now, protect residents while the rule is still being decided, and find fair ways to share the cost. A deadline marks the latest date a town may act, which is not necessarily the best time to act.
Rubric:
| Criterion | Emerging | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claim | No clear position stated | States a position, but it shifts or stays vague | States one clear, consistent position | States a clear position and previews the reasoning |
| Evidence & reasoning | No evidence from the background | Restates one fact without explaining it | Uses at least two details and explains how each supports the claim | Uses several details and explains how each strengthens the claim |
| Counterclaim | No counterclaim addressed | Names an opposing view but does not answer it | States a counterclaim and answers it | States a counterclaim, answers it specifically, and ties the answer back to the claim |
| Organization & conventions | Ideas are disconnected; errors block meaning | Some structure; errors are noticeable | Clear paragraphs; few errors | Clear, purposeful structure with a strong conclusion; nearly error-free |
Differentiation
Support
Provide a sentence starter for each Planning Organizer row, such as "One reason the town should ___ is ___, because the background says ___." Allow the counterclaim and the answer to be written as two short sentences instead of a full paragraph.
Extension
Ask students to add a second counterclaim, such as the argument that the government proposed extra time for a reason and the rule may still change, and to answer it without weakening their main claim.
ELL supports
Pre-teach "PFAS," "claim," "counterclaim," and "deadline" with a simple timeline showing 2024, 2029, and 2031. Let students complete the Planning Organizer in short phrases before drafting, and provide a word bank of transition words for the essay.