Activity Description
Title: Writing - - Opinion-Persuasive
This ACTIVITY has a set of teaching-learning strategies proven to increase student mastery of opinion-Writing skill - - setting forth a position, and supporting it with direct experience and/or research. Most high-stakes tests include Opinion-writing and Information-writing (usually involving the comparison of two texts) but very few Narratives. The activity provides formats and models for students to practice different sections of the Opinion paper. Students “pre-write” to the Opinion prompt, usually with a simple list of bullet points to capture the content. For writing mechanics, the teacher identifies key language standards, gradually adding more across the year include the complete grade-level list. Using a simple writing rubric (consisting of the content and language mechanics requirements), students review their pre-write, drafts, and the quality of the finished piece (W 5.1). By exchanging papers with writing partners, students also use the rubric to provide others with helpful feedback (W 5.5). [At Grades K-5, each Activity attaches student-sized texts, templates, and test items that teachers can quickly print and use immediately in class.]
Enabling Skills: (1) understand the premise of Opinion-Writing; (2) write in complete sentences; (3) observe basic grammar and mechanics; (4) pre-write as per the prompt; and (5) use the scoring rubric to plan the piece as well as evaluate successive writing drafts.
Direct Instruction: Students review the basic intent of Opinion-Writing and how it differs from Information-Writing and the Narrative. Activities include a review of the standard, a discussion of the best format for a Pre-Write, and how to put together the First Draft. Students review the Grade 5 Planning and Scoring Rubric and use sample prompts to practice the process. In addition, students write two Opinion Essays - - one to compare two FICTION texts (two texts about team loyalty - - one to a losing team and one to a winning team) and one to compare two NON-FICTION texts (about Ben Franklin).
Quick-Writes: Standards-based writing prompts - - both for content and mechanics - - are provided to practice Opinion-Writing.
CUSTOMER: Thanks for considering this Activity as part of your approach to your state’s ELA standards. If you have any comments as to how it worked - - or didn’t! - - we’d welcome them! See the contact information to send us feedback. - - the EdFOCUS Team
This teaching activity comes with one hour of online instruction and guidance from a trained EdFOCUS professional. You will be contacted shortly after purchase with more details.