Image of a kid chef filming themselves cooking in the kitchen
Illustration by Carolyn Ridsdale
Debate Scavenger Hunt,

Should Andre Be a Social Media Star?

Andre and his mom face off in the debate.

From the September 2022 Issue
Complexity Factors
  • Purpose
    This debate has a clear purpose: to present arguments for and against pursuing social media stardom.
  • Structure
    The debate consists of two letters: one from a boy to his mom explaining why he wants to become a social media star, and the other from his mom explaining why she does not think that is a good idea.
  • Language Conventionality and Clarity
    Vocabulary: some challenging academic vocabulary (e.g., amassed, culinary, lucrative) Conventionality: The language is mostly conventional.
Lexile: 730L
Featured Skill: Analyzing Arguments,
Common Core Standards
  • Anchor Standards
    R.1, R.2, R.6, R.8, W.1, W.4, W.5, W.7, SL.1, L.4, L.6
  • Grade 6
    RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.6, RI.6.8, W.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.5, SL.6.1, L.6.4, L.6.6
  • Grade 7
    RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.4, W.7.2, W,7.4, W.7.5, SL.7.1, SL.7.2, L.7.4, L.7.6
  • Grade 8
    RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.6, RI.8.8, W.8.1, W.8.4, W.8.5, SL.8.1, L.8.4, L.8.6
TEKS Standards
  • 1a, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b, 3a, 4a, 5a, 5b, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i, 6j, 8d, 8e, 8f, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 9g, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 11c, 11d, 12d, 12f, 12g, 12h, 12i, 12j

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YES

I could be the next big thing!

 Carolyn Ridsdale

Dear Mom,

You know I love cooking. Remember the delicious brownies I baked last week? The melt-in-your-mouth yams I made for Thanksgiving? Who can forget my fabulous triple-chili nachos from our Super Bowl party? (Sorry again about the stain on the couch.) Well, I think it’s time to take my talents out into the world, and I believe social media is the way to do it.

Thanks to platforms like YouTube and TikTok, anyone can become a star—including me. I could launch my own YouTube series: Andre’s Kitchen. Sounds like a hit to me! Think about it, Mom. Tons of teens my age have gone viral. I could use my fame to jump-start my culinary career. 

I understand that becoming a star is not easy. It takes time, hard work, and dedication, but I’m willing to put in the effort. Some TikTok stars make $500,000 per post. Think what I could do with that kind of money. I could put myself through college or start my own catering business. And the best part? I’d be making all that money doing something I love.

Plus, I’ll learn a ton. In addition to mastering complicated dishes, I’ll learn how to set up lighting equipment and how to write scripts and clever captions. I’ll become an amazing video editor. These skills will help me succeed no matter what career I pursue someday.

Speaking of careers, gaining a following can lead to opportunities beyond social media. Zach King, a top TikTok creator, has his own book series now. Other stars have landed roles on TV shows. 

Now, don’t think all this fame will ruin me. I’ll still be your same lovable son. In fact, if I do make it big, I plan to use my platform for more than just my own career. With all the influence that I’ll have, I can raise awareness for important causes. And yes, I’ll still get my schoolwork done—and my chores too.

So what do you think? Can I count on you to be my first fan? 

Love,

Andre

NO

There are better ways to pursue your dream.

 Carolyn Ridsdale

Dear Andre,

I have no doubt that you will have a bright culinary career if that’s what you want. But when it comes to social media stardom, I don’t think it’s a good idea. You are right that many teens have amassed huge followings. And that is precisely what concerns me. Putting yourself out there on social media can lead to negative attention and even bullying. Are you ready to cope with that? Do you even want to?

I have other concerns as well. Do you know how much time and energy go into making a single video? Filming and editing a three-minute video of yourself whipping up your famous brownies could take hours—maybe days. And the work doesn’t stop there. You’ll be glued to your phone, checking on views, poring over comments, and responding to brands that want to work with you. How will you have time to keep up with homework and chores? 

If you want to hone your skills in the kitchen, here’s another idea: Ask Grandpa to teach you. He’s an accomplished cook, and you could learn a lot from him. 

Now, about the money. You seem to believe that making TikToks or YouTube videos is automatically lucrative. The reality is that very few people make the kind of money you’re talking about. 

But even if you could be guaranteed success, I still wouldn’t encourage you to become a social media star. This time in your life should not be about money or fame. It should be about being a kid—spending time with friends and family and exploring new interests. I know the idea of making money doing something you love sounds nice, but there’s nothing wrong with doing something you love just because you love it! 

And that leads me to my biggest worry. The stress of it all could ultimately take the fun out of the very thing that brings you the most joy: cooking. 

Love,

Mom

P.S. You can always count on me to be your first—and No. 1—fan.

Scavenger Hunt

Directions:

For each letter, complete the following steps on your own document:

1. Identify the central idea or central claim.

2. Identify two pieces of supporting evidence.

3. Identify the counterargument.

4. Identify the rebuttal. 

Now decide: Who makes the stronger argument?

This article was originally published in the September 2022 issue.

Audio ()
Activities (11)
Reference
Skill-Building Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Audio ()
Activities (11)
Reference
Skill-Building Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Download the Lesson Plan

1. PREPARING TO READ

  • Give students a minute or so to preview the text features—the headline, illustrations or photos, any charts or graphs, etc. Ask them what they think the article is going to be about.
  • Project the list of Vocabulary Definitions (available in your Resources tab) for students to refer to as they read. The reinforcement activity may be completed after reading or assigned as homework.

2. READING AND TEXT MARKING

  • Read both letters as a class. 
  • Ask: “No matter what you personally think about this issue, who do you think makes the better argument?” Take a poll and tally the results on the board. 
  • Project the first text. Complete the Scavenger Hunt, modeling text marking on your whiteboard while students mark their magazines. Or, distribute the Scavenger Hunt activity (available in your Resources tab). 

3. DISCUSSING

Discuss the following as a class.

  • What do Andre and his mom agree about? What do they disagree about?
  • What is each person’s tone? Explain your answer. 

5. DEBATING

  • Divide students into groups according to which author they believe makes the stronger argument. Have the groups stand on opposite sides of the room. Students can then debate: One student offers a reason (support) for his or her opinion; a student from the other group responds. Students should quietly walk to the other side of the room if at any point during the debate they change their minds; be sure to ask any student who does this why he or she did so.
  • At the end of the debate, compare the number of students who support each author with the number who supported each author before the debate.

6. WRITING

  • Optionally, have students complete the Essay Kit guided-writing activity (available in your Resources tab) to write an argument essay supporting their own point of view on the issue. Students can use the Argument Essay Checklist to evaluate and edit their essays.
  • If they are provided, use the extension resources provided in the Resources tab that bring in other articles to deepen the conversation. NOTE: Extra resources are not provided with every debate.  
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