Writing an Opinion Essay: Planning | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M4:U2:L7

Writing an Opinion Essay: Planning

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
  • W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
  • W.3.1a: Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.
  • W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can plan an opinion essay that states an opinion and has reasons that are supported by facts and details. (RI.3.1, W.3.1a, W.3.1b)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Color-coded Research Note-catcher: Water Pollution (RI.3.1, W.3.1a, W.3.1b)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Importance of Protecting Our Water Supply (5minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Guided Practice: Planning an Opinion Essay (20 minutes)

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

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Research Reading Share (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. 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 plan their opinion essays about why it is important to conserve water. First, they practice as a class by analyzing the Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water and color-coding their Research Note-catcher:Access to Water. They then repeat this on their own, color-coding their Research Note-catcher:Water Pollution (RI.3.1, W.3.1a,b).
  • 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 focus on working to contribute to a better world by planning their opinion essay to share why it is important to conserve water.

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • Earlier in the unit, students analyzed the model essay. In this lesson, they use it to practice planning as a class before planning on their own.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may need additional support writing a focus statement. Consider providing a sentence frame for them to use.
  • Students may need additional support planning and color-coding their note-catchers. Consider allowing students to work with a partner or grouping students who may need additional writingsupport together while you guide them through the content for each paragraph.

Assessment guidance:

  • Throughout Work Time B, frequently review students' work to ensure that they are color-coding their notes accurately. Use common issues as whole group teaching points.
  • Consider using the Speaking and Listening Informal Assessment: Collaborative Discussion Checklist during the research reading share in the Closing.
  • Collect the Language Dive Practice: Model Opinion Essay homework from Lesson 5. Refer to the Language Dive Practice: Model Opinion Essay (answers, for teacher reference).

Down the road:

  • Students will use their plans from this lesson to draft their essays over the next several lessons.

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.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

Important points in the lesson itself 

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by providing guided practice with planning an essay before inviting students to do so independently; using the familiar Painted Essay color-coding system to help students connect information on their note-catchers with the corresponding paragraph on the model essay; and providing extensive opportunity for oral language development through turn and talks.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to identify the most relevant information to include in each paragraph during Work Time B without a corresponding model paragraph to refer to, as they had during Work Time A. Consider outlining each section of the research note-catcher in the color of its corresponding paragraph. (Example: The Issue box would be outlined in red to correspond with the introductory paragraph, the Impact box would be outlined in yellow to correspond with Proof Paragraph 1, etc.) See Meeting Students' Needs.

Levels of support
For lighter support:

  • Encourage students to provide evidence from each paragraph to support their description of what that paragraph is about in Work Time A, using linking words and phrases to do so. (Example response: Proof Paragraph 1 describes how access to water affects people around the world. For example,it says, "... 1 billion people have to walk at least 15 minutes to get their freshwater for the day!")

For heavier support:

  • Consider enlarging the Research Note-catcher: Access to Water and displaying it next to the enlarged model opinion essay (see Lesson 5, "For heavier support") during Work Time B. Model and think aloud the process for underlining information in the research note-catcher that corresponds with information in the introductory paragraph, using the enlarged research note-catcher and enlarged model opinion essay to do so. See Meeting Students' Needs in Work Time B for more information. Based on student need, consider modeling this process for other paragraphs as well.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): To facilitate effective learning during this lesson, ensure that all students have access to the directions for each activity and feel comfortable with the expectations. Continue to vary the ways in which you convey expectations for each activity or task. Consider engaging in a clarifying discussion about the directions and creating a visual display of the steps for each activity.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing needs by offering students options for writing utensils. Also consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of their responses.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to remind students of the goal for the work they are doing with their writing. Recall that returning to the learning goals lifts up their value and relevance to students.

Vocabulary

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

  • focus statement (L)
  • protect, affects, solve (W)

Materials

  • Opinion Essay: Water Pollution Prompt (from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
  • Research note-catchers (one per student):
    • Access to Water (from Unit 1, Lesson 7)
    • Water Pollution (from Unit 1, Lesson 11)
  • Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water (from Lesson 5; one per student and one to display)
  • Colored pencils (red, yellow, blue, green; one of each per student)
  • Independent Reading: Sample Plans (for teacher reference; see the Tools page)
  • Language Dive Practice: Model Opinion Essay (homework from Lesson 5; one per student)
  • Language Dive Practice: Model Opinion Essay (answers, for teacher reference)

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. Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face Protocol: Importance of Protecting Our Water Supply (5minutes) 

  • Remind students that throughout the module, they have been learning about issues related to water and water conservation and working toward creating and presenting a PSA about the importance of conserving water.
  • Tell students they are now going to use the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol. Remind them that they used this protocol in previous modules and review as necessary. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Guide students through the protocol using the following prompts:

"Why should we protect our water supply?" (We should protect our water supply so all people can have access to clean water; clean water is a basic necessity for all people)
"How can we protect our water supply?" (Responses will vary, but may include: We can take short showers, clean up litter out of rivers in our community, and teach others about issues related to water to build awareness.)

  • Select volunteers to share out.
  • For students who may need additional support in organizing ideas for verbal expression: Consider providing index cards of previously taught sentence frames as support for communication. (MMR, MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames) Provide sentence frames to support students as they share. Point out that a response to a why question often includes the linking word because and that a response to a how question often uses the preposition by. Examples:
  • "We should protect our water supply because ________."
  • "We can protect our water supply by______."

B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes) 

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning target and read it aloud:

"I can plan an opinion essay that states an opinion and has reasons that are supported by facts and details."

  • Display and invite students to retrieve their Opinion Essay: Water Pollution Prompt and read it aloud.
  • Remind students that the focus of their essay will be how water conservation affects us all and why we must protect our water supply.
  • Focus students on the three habits of character anchor charts:
    • Working to Become Effective Learners
    • Working to Become Ethical People
    • Working to Contribute to a Better World
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Which of these habits of character do you think this essay will help us to practice? Why?" (Working to Contribute to a Better World, because we are writing an essay that will help educate others about an environmental issue and give solutions to help solve this issue, which is helping to take care of the environment)

  • Focus students on the Working to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart. Think-Pair-Share:

"Which specific habits do you think we will be most focused on? Why?" (taking care of and improving the environment and applying our learning to help the environment, because the content of our essay will work toward both of these)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: (Working Toward Same Learning Target) Invite students to discuss how they previously worked toward each learning target. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Checking Comprehension of Prompt) Check comprehension of the writing prompt by inviting students to turn to a partner and explain the water pollution prompt in their own words. Encourage them to use their conversations from the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol in Opening A to help them. Provide sentence frames for support. (Example: In this unit, we will write an opinion essay to _____________ [convince others to protect the water supply by explaining the reasons why we should protect it and ideas for how we can do so].

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Guided Practice: Planning an Opinion Essay (20 minutes) 

  • Tell students that before they start individually planning their opinion essay focused on water pollution, they will practice planning as a class using the issue of access to water.
  • Invite students to retrieve their Research Note-catcher: Access to Water and Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water. Tell students they will use their water issue research note-catchers to help them plan their opinion essays.
  • Tell students that when they plan their own essays, they will do so by color-coding their note-catchers. Distribute colored pencils. Remind students which part of the Painted Essay goes with each color by posting the following:
    • Red: Introduction
    • Green: Focus statement and conclusion paragraph
    • Yellow: Reason 1
    • Blue: Reason 2
  • Focus students on the research question at the top of their research note-catcher:
    • "Why must we act now to protect our water supply?"
  • Turn and Talk:

"Reread the Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water. What sentence answers the research question: 'Why must we act now to protect our water supply?'" (We must act now to make sure that everyone has the water they need!)

  • Tell students that this sentence is the focus statement. Remind students that the focus statement in an essay explains the focus, or main idea, of the writing without going into detail about the reasons or evidence that support or explain the main idea.
  • Invite students to use their green colored pencil to copy the focus statement from the model essay below the research question on their Research Note-catcher: Access to Water.
  • Invite students to skim their Research Note-catcher: Access to Water and underline in red the information used in the introduction of the Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water. Use a total participation technique to select students to share the notes they underlined.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Reread the Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water. What is the first proof paragraph about?" (It describes how access to water affects people around the world.)
"What is the second proof paragraph about?" (It gives some solutions to the problem.)
"Repeat with the remaining three paragraphs from the Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water. Skim your Research Note-catcher: Access to Water and underline the information used in each paragraph in the corresponding Painted Essay color."
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Offer a model written on four colored index cards (red for the introduction, green for focus statement and conclusion paragraph, yellow for Reason 1, and blue for Reason 2) to highlight the distinct parts of the essay. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Concrete, Corresponding Examples) Display the enlarged model essay introduced in Lesson 5, "For heavier support." After writing each color and corresponding part of the Painted Essay on the board, invite students to identify the corresponding paragraph on the enlarged model essay. Ask:

"Red represents the introduction. Can you identify the introduction on the enlarged model essay and explain its purpose?"Continue with each color, solidifying the structure of the Painted Essay before students work with each paragraph in pairs.

  • For ELLs: (Modeling and Thinking Aloud: Underlining Information) Consider modeling and thinking aloud the process for underlining information from the research note-catcher that is also used in the introductory paragraph of the model opinion essay. (See "For heavier support.") Ask:

"I noticed that the essay says, 'Did you know that on average, each person in North America uses 550 liters of water every day? But in other parts of the world, people use only 140, 70, or even as little as 10 liters of water a day.' In my research note-catcher, I wrote, 'Water isn't distributed across the world equally, so some people and places have a lot, while others have very little.' Even though this is worded differently, it contains the same information, so I will underline it. Do you see any other information that is the same?"

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

  • Invite students to retrieve their Research Note-catcher: Water Pollution.
  • Turn and Talk:

"Say a focus statement that answers the research question, focused on water pollution." (Responses will vary, but may include: We must act now to protect our water supply.)

  • Invite students to write a focus statement for this issue with their green colored pencil below the research question on their note-catcher.
  • Tell students that they will now use their colored pencils to color-code their notes and plan their opinion essay focused on why we must act now to protect our water supply and stop water pollution.
  • Circulate to support students as they work, reminding them to look at the Model Opinion Essay: Access to Water and how they color-coded their notes on the Research Note-catcher:Access to Water. If necessary, remind students that the first proof paragraph will describe how water pollution affects people, and the second proof paragraph will give some solutions to the problem.
  • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the learning target.
  • For students who may need additional support in building writing stamina: Consider offering built-in breaks, during which students can choose an activity such as getting water or stretching. (MME)
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames) Provide sentence frames for students to choose from as they say and write their focus statements. To provide lighter support, invite intermediate students to create additional sentence frames before students turn and talk, and invite students who need heavier support to use the frames. (Example: We must act now to _______. It is essential that we _____.)
  • For ELLs: (Fishbowl: Color-Coding Notes) Invite three confident students to Fishbowl the process of color-coding their notes and planning their opinion essay, using the process from Work Time B to guide them. Encourage students to think aloud the process as they share. This provides classmates with a model and minimizes confusion about the activity.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Research Reading Share (10 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 your journal.
  • Refer to the Independent Reading: Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading share or use your own routine.
  • Collect the Language Dive Practice: Model Opinion Essay homework from Lesson 5. Refer to the Language Dive Practice: Model Opinion Essay (answers, for teacher reference).
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to recall one way they recently showed integrity outside of the classroom. (MMR)
  • For ELLs: (Checking Comprehension of Concept) Check the comprehension of integrity by inviting students to share ways that they have shown integrity or have seen others do so. Provide sentence frames for support. (Examples: I showed integrity when ____. I saw _____ showing integrity when _____.)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. 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.

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