Opinion Paragraphs in the Writing Process

Contributor: Justice Way Sample Nearpod Lesson

In this unit, second grade students will be learning how to write opinion paragraphs using the writing process. Students should have prior knowledge of what an opinion is, but may have difficulty supplying a reason to support their opinions. Additionally, students may not have full knowledge of linking words or know what the writing process is. However, students will be experiencing the writing process through journaling, virtual writing and illustrating activities, and opinion writing worksheets. These experiences are designed to help students fully understand what an opinion is and how to incorporate their opinions within their writing. Students unknowingly make opinions daily and this unit is designed to help students further their understanding on what an opinion is. Once students fully grasp the concept of making opinions, they will be able to distinguish between fact and opinion which is an important comprehensive skill.

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

2.W.TTP.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts.

Name: Justice Way Subject Area(s): English Language Arts Duration of Lesson: 50 minutes Grade Level: 2nd

Analyze learners

In the second-grade class at Shwab Elementary, there are seventeen students: four girls and thirteen boys. All students are between the ages of seven and eight, and their ethnicities range from predominately Hispanic, Caucasian, and African American. Nine students are English Language Learners and receive services during ELA/ Reading time, and the remaining students are fluent in English. There are two students with IEPs for behavioral issues. Additionally, Shwab Elementary is predominately Hispanic, but some students are Caucasian, Asian, and African American. Regarding this lesson, students may have prior knowledge of what an opinion is but since students unknowingly make opinions daily this lesson is designed to help students further their understanding of what an opinion is. Since half of my students are ELLs, it is important to focus on vocabulary and sentence starters to construct on their knowledge on how to formally write an opinion. Students have already had experiences writing narratives, now they will build upon those experiences and learn to write opinion pieces.

Curriculum Competencies

To complete this lesson, students will need to know the basic structure of sentences including punctuation.

Technology Competencies

To complete this lesson, students will need to know how to access the internet on a laptop and utilize the keyboard correctly.

State & NETS*S objectives

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

2.W.TTP.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts.

ISTE Standard

6d. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

Behavioral Objective:

Given a blank sheet of paper and sentence starters from the Nearpod lesson, the learners will compose of five opinion sentences regarding the classroom to demonstrate their understanding of writing an opinion about a specific topic. These four sentences will be composed by two students in a group and shared to the class at the end to assess their understanding of how to write an opinion.

Language Objective:

Students will be demonstrating their understanding of opinion writing by using sentence starters such as: I think, my favorite, and I believe. Students will be able to give examples of an opinion and identify what makes their example an opinion. In the lesson, students are provided with numerous sentence starters and examples using those sentence starters. Students are introduced to the word opinion with a definition and are taught how to identify and recognize an opinion within text. Students will be expressing their understanding of opinions by writing and orally. Students will be involved with interactive games and questions during the Nearpod lesson. Additionally, students will have time to create four opinion sentences with a peer and share them with the class.

Select instructional methods, media, and materials •Class set of blank handouts (student centered)

•Class set of pencils (student centered)

Technological Material

•Teaching Without Frills. (November 7, 2016). Opinion Writing for Kids | Episode 1| What is it?. [YouTube video]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://youtu.be/ KEK2oGBSsHk (student centered)

•Class set of laptops (student centered)

•Opinion Writing 101” Nearpod lesson (student centered)

•Smart board for projecting Nearpod lesson (teacher centered)

•Dry erase board (teacher and student centered)

Remember: If there is no studentcentered technology, you DO NOT have an ASSURE plan

Utilize media and materials

•Print out 17 blank writing handouts

•Preview Opinion Writing Video

•Have the Nearpod code on the smart board for students

•Have writing utensils for the smart board and students

•Check for a strong Internet connection for laptops and smartboard

•Have all laptops at the assigned student’s desk

Prepare the Classroom

•Dim the lights for the smart board.

Prepare the Learner

•Introduce the lesson by presenting the topic, guided question, and learning objectives.

•Present Opinion Writing video and introduce vocabulary for the lesson.

•Model how to write an opinion statement using sentence starters and keywords.

•Read short text as class and have a class discussion about the author opinions within the text.

•Students will be divided into groups of two to compose their own opinion statements.

Require learner participation

First students will be asked to open and login into laptops. Then students will be asked to connect to the Nearpod using the code provided on the board. Upon entering the Nearpod lesson the students will come across the guided question for this lesson which is “what is an opinion”. Students will then be introduced to the three learning objectives for this lesson which are defining what an opinion is, identifying two elements of opinion writing, and recognizing an opinion that uses keywords. Next students will answer the first open ended question: what is an opinion? Students will then participate in a mini discussion and share their responses. Next students will watch a threeminute video that explains what opinion writing is on depth. Before watching the video, students will be asked to pay attention to the examples and words the narrator provides. After watching the video, I will formally introduce the definition of opinion and provide examples. As I mention the word opinion, I will clarify the difference between fact and opinion so there are no misconceptions about the word. Students will then participate in a matching game that will access their understanding of what an opinion is. Next, students will learn about opinion words and sentence starters. There will be numerous examples given and students will have to form sentences using these examples. Our lesson will then shift into a classroom discussion covering a short text. We will read it as a class and identify the opinion statements within the text. Students will perform the same exercise individually using another mini text. The allocated time for the Nearpod lesson is between 25-30 minutes. We will then shift our attention to our partner opinion pieces. I will provide students the instructions for their opinion statements. The time allocated for this activity is 10 minutes and presentations should take five minutes. At the very end students will complete the quick five question quiz that will access their understanding of opinion writing; the quiz should take no longer than five minutes.

Formative assessments in this lesson include open ended questions, individual participation within class discussions, completion of the games and quiz in the Nearpod lesson. There are multiple interactive activities utilized throughout the Nearpod lesson that will keep students engaged and have them showcase their knowledge about the concept being learned. Students will be asked to define what an opinion is after watching a mini video. Students will demonstrate their understanding by identifying two elements of an opinion and recognizing an opinion statement using keywords. Additionally, students will be assessed on how they write their individual opinion statements within the Nearpod lesson and the answered questions from the quiz. Throughout the lesson students will be sharing their individual opinion statements with the use of technology through the near pod lesson (ISTE 6d). The five-question quiz will serve as an exit ticket at the end of the lesson. Since there are multiple opportunities for participation, students will be given a grade of 5 points for participation as well as a grade for the quiz. I do expect students to participate in all the interactive games and at least once verbally throughout the lesson so I can provide feedback and address any concerns/questions. If some students are not participating or meeting the proficiency level those students will be provided with additional instruction or needs to complete summative assessment alone.

Summative Assessment

The summative assessment will be a combination of the group efforts at completing the four opinion sentences as well as their presentation of the statements they created. Each group will consist of two students. This assessment will utilize the think, pair, share strategy. Students will be given the option to pick one topic ,of their choosing, and each group will present their

Topic

Opinion Statements

Fluency 1

Does not introduce the topic or the name of the paragraph.

Writes only one opinion statement or does not write any statements.

Students' sentences are choppy and do not flow. Students do not correctly use punctuation or do not capitalize the beginning of a sentence. 2

Vaguely introduces topics

Writes opinion statements using sentence starters or keywords.

Students made no more than two mistakes with punctuation and capitalization of sentences. Student sentence are not choppy. 3

Fully introduces topic or specifically name what the paragraph is about

Writes all four opinion statements using sentence starters and key words.

Students use a variety of words and sentence flow. Students capitalize each sentence and use the correct punctuation.

Google Classroomis a great way for the teacher and students to interact virtually together at the same time. When using Google Classroom, a teacher will be able to post fillable worksheets, videos, and activities that can be done as a class or independently. In reference to our unit, Google Classroom will be used as the foundation of our opinion writing unit. Steps to the writing process will be accessible to students, all activities and writing references will be posted, along with any links necessary for students to succeed in this unit. Google Classroom is another resource teachers use to elevate the engagement of their students.

Rochelle, Jonathan. (August 12, 2014). Google Classroom. [iTunes App and Google Play App, Cost: Free] Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-classroom/id924620788

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

2.W.TTP.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts.

Kahoot

Kahoot is a game based learning platform that helps students review topics or concepts they are learning. In this case, I will be creating questions and prompts that will encourage students to use their prior and new knowledge of opinions to answer them correctly. For example, I will provide an opinion and the question will say “pick the best reason to support the opinion listed”. Students will then choose which reason best pairs with the opinion. Kahoot is a great resource because I can create questions and prompts that are best for my students.

Versivik, M., Brand, J., Brooker, J. (2013). Kahoot!. [iTunes App and Google Play App, Cost: Free] Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kahoot-play-create-quizzes/ id1131203560.

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

2.W.TTP.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts.

Linking Words and Phrases

The learningfarm.com website titled “Linking Words and Phrases'' offers students the opportunity to practice using linking words and phrases in sentences and paragraphs. The website offers various games and test modes that will assess a student's ability to adequately use linking words. This website is compliant with the Common Core Standard W.2.1 (write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic

or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section). Students will learn about linking words and how they are used to connect opinions with evidence. Students will enjoy using this website through interactive activities.

Learning Farm. (2020). Linking Words and Phrases [Website]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://www.learningfarm.com/web/practicePassThrough.cfm?TopicID=2564

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Opinion Writing for Kids |Episode 1| What is it?

Opinion Writing for Kids: Episode 1 is a great video to help introduce opinion writing. The video begins by providing a definition of what an opinion is along with two examples. Additionally, the narrator of the video provides examples of opinion sentence starters for the audience. This is helpful to students because it provides them with a foundation of how to write or say their opinion. This is also an interactive video; it allows students to assess their comprehension of an opinion by having them choose which sentence is opinion and which is not.

Teaching Without Frills. (November 7, 2016). Opinion Writing for Kids |Episode 1| What is it?. [YouTube video]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://youtu.be/KEK2oGBSsHk

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Opinion Writing for Kids |Episode 5| Writing a Draft: Reasons & Examples

Episode 5 of Opinion Writing for Kids focuses on explaining and supporting your opinion. This video is great for second graders because it breaks down how to explain why you believe in something and how to support your belief. The videos provide four detailed examples of four opinions being explained and supported. While the video may be a little more complex for second graders it can easily be modified to fit their assignments.

Teaching Without Frills. (November 27, 2016). Opinion Writing for Kids |Episode 5| Reasons & Examples. [YouTube video]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://youtu.be/X1e8Zg-fYgE

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Transition Words Fill in the Blank

The education.com website provides numerous games and worksheets that will help students with their writing and reading skills. The game “Transition Words Fill in the Blank” will have students building sentences by providing them with a sentence fragment and then students will choose the transition word that best fits in the sentence. This game is a helpful resource to students because it provides extra practice on using linking and transition words. Students will be able to read aloud all sentence fragments and work independently or with a partner to play the game. The game is designed to get to the students familiar with these different linking and transitions words, which will improve their writing skills.

Education.com. (2020). Transition Words Fill-in-the-Blank [Website]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://www.education.com/game/transition-words-game/

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.