Writing an Opinion Essay: Peer Critique | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M4:U2:L12

Writing an Opinion Essay: Peer Critique

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
  • W.3.1c: Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.
  • W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • L.3.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.3.1b: Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can give kind, helpful, and specific feedback to my partner. (SL.3.1)
  • I can revise my opinion essay for linking words and phrases and for correct use of regular and irregular plural nouns. (W.3.1c, L.3.1b)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Draft Opinion Essay: Water Pollution with revision notes (W.3.1c, W.3.5, L.3.1b)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Peer Critique: Linking Words and Phrases and Plural Nouns (20 minutes)

B.Independent Practice: Revising an Opinion Essay (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Complete the Plural Nouns IV practice in your Unit 2 homework.

B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards: 

  • In this lesson, students engage in peer critique with a focus on using linking words and phrases and forming and using plural nouns (W.3.1c, L.3.1b).
  • In the Closing, students are guided through a research reading share to hold them accountable for their research reading homework. Consider using the Independent Reading: Sample Plans if you do not have your own independent reading review routines.
  • Students work to become ethical people in this lesson by focusing on a characteristic of their choice as they participate in a peer critique of their essays and by showing integrity during a research reading share.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lessons 5-11, students analyzed the structure of the model essay using the Painted Essay(r) template and drafted their essays.
  • This lesson builds on students' understanding of linking words and phrases and of regular and irregular plural nouns from Lessons 5, 8, and 11.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may require additional support during the peer critique. Consider modeling the process with a student's essay or meeting with a small group to facilitate the critique process.Assessment guidance:
  • Consider using the Writing Process Checklist for Writing and Language Skills during the independent writing in Work Time B (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • Recall that students will plan, write, and revise a new opinion essay about the importance of protecting our water supply through the lens of demand for water for the end of unit assessment in Lessons 13-14

In Advance

  • Prepare the research reading share using the Independent Reading: Sample Plans or your own independent reading routine (see the Tools page).
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-3 to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.A.1, 3.I.A.3, 3.I.C.10, 3.I.C.11, 3.I.C.12, 3.II.A.1, 3.II.A.2, 3.II.C.6, 3.II.C.7, 3.II.B.4

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing an opportunity for students to focus specifically on linking words and phrases, as well as on regular and irregular plural nouns, building on their understanding of each. Students also have the opportunity to receive feedback on their essay drafts and to make revisions that will help them prepare for the assessment in the upcoming lessons.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to know where to begin with their feedback during the peer critique, as well as which revisions to start with during Work Time B. Consider working with a small group of students after working with the class to help them begin their feedback and revisions together (see levels of support and Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Before providing additional modeling during Work Times A and B, observe student interaction and allow students to grapple. Provide supportive demonstrations only after students have grappled with the task. Observe the areas in which they struggle to target appropriate support.

For heavier support:

  • Provide sentence starters on the sticky notes for students to complete during the peer critique in Work Time A. (Examples: ?One thing you did well was _____.??Have you thought about _____??)

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): During Work Time A, students provide feedback during a peer critique of their opinion essay. As the first learning target is displayed, consider inviting students to share examples of this type of feedback from previous lessons and note their responses for visual display. This supports students in connecting the expectation for feedback to concrete shared experiences.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): This lesson offers several opportunities for students to engage in discussion with partners. Continue to support those who may struggle with expressive language by providing sentence frames to help them organize their thoughts.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Peer review can be threatening to some students. Emphasize the benefits of peer review and feedback for all students by emphasizing effort and growth over relative performance. Make this activity relevant by reminding students that real authors have editors who provide feedback for their writing through each step in the writing process. Writers welcome this feedback because it improves their writing

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

  • linking words and phrases (L)

Materials

  • Regular Plural Nouns anchor chart (begun in Lesson 8)
  • Irregular Plural Nouns anchor chart (begun in Lesson 11)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Opinion Writing Checklist (from Lesson 5; one per student and one to display; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Directions for Peer Critique (from Module 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Peer Critique anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Sticky notes (four per student)
  • Colored pencils (purple; one per student)
  • Opinion Essay: Water Pollution (begun in Lesson 8; critiqued during Work Time A and revised during Work Time B; one per student)
  • Linking Words and Phrases (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Independent Reading: Sample Plans (for teacher reference; see the Tools page)

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes) 

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read them aloud:

"I can give kind, helpful, and specific feedback to my partner."

"I can revise my opinion essay for linking words and phrases and for correct use of regular and irregular plural nouns."

  • Tell students that today they will critique a peer's essay for linking words and phrases and for correctly forming and using plural nouns.
  • Remind students that writers use linking words and phrases to connect ideas.
  • Review the Regular Plural Nouns and Irregular Plural Nouns anchor charts.
  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart and invite them to read the habits of character on the chart to themselves. Tell students to choose a habit to focus on as they work today
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to model what kind and specific feedback looks like and sounds like. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Practicing with Something Familiar) Check comprehension of linking words and phrases by providing an opportunity for students to generate several sentences using linking words and phrases. (Example: "How can we use for example in this sentence? We have read many books as a class throughout the school year. For example, ...")
  • For ELLs: (Plural Noun Practice) Invite students to practice forming and using regular and irregular plural nouns with the cards from "For heavier support" in Lessons 8 and 11. Combine all index cards in a bag and invite a volunteer to pull one out and ask either how the underlined singular noun could be made plural or whether there are any plural nouns in the sentence, depending on the card they choose. Invite that student to call on a classmate to respond. The student who responded then repeats this process. Record each example in the appropriate spot on the Regular or Irregular Plural Nouns anchor chart.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Peer Critique: Linking Words and Phrases and Plural Nouns (20 minutes) 

  • Display and invite students to retrieve their Opinion Writing Checklist. Remind them that this checklist is something they have used throughout the second half of this unit as they worked on their essays.
  • Invite students to mark or highlight the following criteria:
    • "W.3.1a: I state my opinion clearly, and my writing stays focused."
    • "W.3.1c: I use linking words to connect my opinion and reasons."
    • "L.3.1: My words and sentences follow the rules of writing."
  • Tell students they are going to use the Peer Critique protocol to provide their partner with kind, specific, and helpful feedback regarding their opinion essays. Remind students that they used this protocol in Modules 1-2 and review as necessary using the Directions for Peer Critique and Peer Critique anchor chart. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Partner students, distribute sticky notes and colored pencils, and invite them to retrieve their Opinion Essay: Water Pollution.
  • Invite students to begin working through the Peer Critique protocol with their partners.
  • Circulate to support students as they work.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the first learning target.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Activate prior knowledge by inviting students to retell how they used Peer Critique in previous lessons. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Peer Critique) Consider modeling and thinking aloud being specific about feedback during the peer critique. Say: "I don't see many linking words and phrases in your essay. Have you thought about adding linking words and phrases from the Linking Words and Phrases handout? Perhaps this would help connect your ideas."
  • For ELLs: (Home Languages) Invite students to share kind, helpful, or specific comments in their home languages. Ask:

"How would you say 'excellent point' in Spanish?" (excelente punto)

B. Independent Practice: Revising an Opinion Essay (20 minutes) 

  • Tell students that now they will reread their drafts and use their peer's feedback to revise their essays for linking words and phrases and correct use of plural nouns.
  • Invite students to refer to their Linking Words and Phrases handout and to the Regular Plural Nouns and Irregular Plural Nouns anchor charts as needed. Circulate to support them as they revise and to identify common issues for use as whole group teaching points.
  • After 10 minutes, refocus students whole group. Tell them that they will now revise their drafts for correct conventions: spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Review each of the conventions as needed.
  • Invite students to begin working. Continue circulating to support them as they work and to identify common issues for use as whole group teaching points as needed.
  • Invite students to record "Y" for "Yes" and the date in the final column of their Opinion Writing Checklist if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the second learning target. Cue students with:

"What strategies/habits helped you succeed? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)
  • For students who may need additional support with sustained effort: Support students'understanding of the purpose for editing and revising. (Example: Ask students: "Can you figure out why we revise and edit our work?") (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Revising and Editing) Consider modeling and thinking aloud the process for revising and editing, writing each step on the board before it is modeled. Say: "First, I will reread my draft." Write this as Step 1 on the board and model doing so. "Next, I will revise my essay for linking words and phrases." Write this as Step 2 on the board and model doing so. "What will be my Step 3?"
  • For ELLs: (Linking Words: Highlighting) Before students begin their revisions, invite them to highlight the linking words and phrases on their Linking Words and Phrases handout that they think will be most useful and to focus on these words as they revise

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Reading Share (15 minutes) 

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Ethical People anchor chartand remind them specifically of integrity. In the context of research reading at home, this means trying to do it each day, even when it is hard to do so, and if it isn't possible, being honest when recording the dates and pages read in their journal.
  • Refer to the Independent Reading: Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading share or use your own routine.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess how well they worked to become ethical people in this lesson.
  • For students who may need additional support with organizing their thinking for verbal expression: Consider meeting with them in advance to prep them for the research reading share and minimize the threat associated with sharing. (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames) Consider displaying sentence frames that correspond with the varying research reading shares and inviting students to use the frames particular to this lesson's share

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Complete the Plural Nouns IV practice in your Unit 2 homework.

B. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • For ELLs: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally, either with a partner, family member, or student from grades 2 or 4, or record an audio response.

There are no new supporting materials for this lesson.

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