Writing Opinion Texts: Drafting the Conclusion Paragraph of a Broadside | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G4:M3:U3:L10

Writing Opinion Texts: Drafting the Conclusion Paragraph of a Broadside

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • W.4.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
  • W.4.1d: Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
  • L.4.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.4.1e: Form and use prepositional phrases.
  • L.4.1f: Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can write a conclusion paragraph for my broadside. (W.4.1d)
  • I can form and use prepositional phrases. (L.4.1e)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Conclusion paragraph of Patriot broadside (W.4.1d)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. The Painted Essay: Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of a Conclusion Paragraph (10 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Mini Lesson: Prepositional Phrases (20 minutes)

B. Independent Writing: Drafting a Conclusion Paragraph (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Choose and respond to an opinion QuickWrite prompt in your Unit 3 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:

  • Opening A and Work Time B contain routines from Lessons 7-9. Refer to those lessons for more detail, as necessary.
  • In this lesson, students write the conclusion paragraph for their broadsides (W.4.1d). Before writing their conclusions, students participate in a mini lesson about forming and using prepositional phrases (L.4.1e).
  • Students focus on working to become effective learners in this lesson by reflecting on the drafting process.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In the previous lessons, students analyzed the structure of the model broadside using the Painted Essay(r) template and wrote their introductory and proof paragraphs. They build on those foundations in this lesson.
  • Continue to use Goals 1-4 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Students may require additional support writing their conclusion paragraphs. Continue to group them for teacher-led support as needed.
  • Note that sentence frames are not provided for all students to use when writing in this module. Refer back to the writing lessons in Module 1 if students need this additional support.

Assessment guidance:

  • Continue to use the Patriot broadside (example, for teacher reference) from Lesson 7 as a model when reviewing students' proof paragraphs to ensure that they have included all the necessary information. Use common issues as teaching points for the whole group.
  • Consider using the Writing: Writing Informal Assessment: Observational Checklist for Writing and Language Skills to assess students' writing abilities in Work Time B (see the Tools page).
  • Collect the Prepositional Phrases I and II homework from Lessons 7-8. Refer to Prepositional Phrases I and II (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.

Down the road:

  • In the next lesson, students will revise their broadsides.

In Advance

  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 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 4.I.C.10, 4.I.C.11, 4.I.C.12, 4.II.A.2, 4.II.A.3, 4.II.A.4, 4.II.A.5, 4.II.A.6, and 4.II.A.7

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to work closely with essay structure, building on their understanding one paragraph at a time. In this lesson, students focus exclusively on the conclusion paragraph for their broadside. The same routines as in previous lessons for analyzing a model and drafting a paragraph are also supportive of ELLs, as well as the explicit focus on prepositional phrases during Work Time A.
  • ELLs may find writing the conclusion paragraph challenging, as the persuasive style in which it is written varies from the informational and narrative styles they are used to. Provide time for students to speak in a persuasive way first, becoming familiar with language they could use to write their paragraph. See "for heavier support," below, and the Meeting Students' Needs column for suggestions.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

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

For heavier support:

  • Consider creating index cards that represent opinions students might have, with the opinion listed at the top. For example, on one index card, draw a picture of students at recess. On the top of this index card, write "We need longer recess." Students can talk in pairs, using persuasive language to persuade someone to take action. (Example: Partner A: "We need longer recess." Partner B: "Recognize the child in us! Let us play!") Allow students to practice with these familiar examples during Opening A, in preparation for writing their conclusion paragraphs.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): When teaching students about prepositions, consider varied ways to represent the function of the preposition. In addition to text, have students use an object to demonstrate its relationship to another object, such as beside, on, behind, etc. For prepositional phrases related to time, use calendars or clocks to represent the prepositional phrase (e.g., "On Monday ..."; "At 9 o'clock ..."). Multiple representations help to make the function of the preposition more concrete.
  • 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 student responses. Recall that varying tools for construction and composition supports students' ability to express knowledge without barriers to communicating their thinking.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Continue to provide prompts and sentences frames for those students who require them to be successful in peer interactions and collaboration. Also support students in sustaining effort and/or attention by restating the goal of the activity.

Vocabulary

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

  • calls the reader to action, conclusion (L)
  • staying true, goes against everything we believe in, victory, freedom, justice, independence (W)

Materials

  • Prepositional Phrases I and II (answers, for teacher reference)
  • Model Broadside: Quaker Perspective (from Lesson 5; one per student and one to display)
  • Characteristics of Broadsides anchor chart (begun in Lesson 3; added to during Opening A; see supporting Materials)
  • Characteristics of Broadsides anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Directions for Broadside (from Lesson 5; one to display)
  • Prepositional Phrases handout (from Lesson 7; one per student and one to display)
  • Paper (lined; one piece per student)
  • Opinion Writing Checklist (from Lesson 5; one per student and one to display)
  • Opinion Writing Planning graphic organizer (from Lesson 6; one per student and one to display)
  • Patriot broadside (begun in Lesson 7; added to during Work Time B; one per student)
  • Writing Complete Sentences handout (from Module 1; one per student)
  • Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Patriot broadside (from Lesson 7; example, for teacher reference)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)

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.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. The Painted Essay: Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of a Conclusion Paragraph (10 minutes)

  • Collect students' Prepositional Phrases I and II homework from Lessons 7-8. Refer to Prepositional Phrases I and II (answers, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to retrieve their Model Broadside: Quaker Perspective. Invite students to chorally read the conclusion aloud with you.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What information is included in this conclusion?" (restates the what: opinion and reasons; reflects on the so what: calls the reader to action)

"What do we mean by calls the reader to action?" (tells the reader to do something right away)

  • As students share out, capture their responses on the Characteristics of Broadsides anchor chart. Refer to the Characteristics of Broadsides anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Point out that the conclusion paragraph uses persuasive, or convincing, language.
  • Using a total participation, invite responses from the group:

"What words or phrases does the author use in this paragraph to try to persuade the reader to do something right away?" ("staying true to your principles"; "goes against everything we believe in"; "Do not do it!")
  • For students who may need additional support: Provide differentiated mentors by purposefully pre-selecting student partnerships. Consider meeting with the mentors in advance to encourage them to share their thought processes with their partner. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Persuasive Language Practice) Invite students to play "Persuade Me!" with the cards from "for heavier support." Put all index cards in a bag and invite a volunteer to pull one out and read the goal at the top. Invite that student to call on another student to use persuasive language to "call people to this action." The student who used persuasive language then repeats this process. Record students' persuasive language onto a chart for them to reference when writing their conclusion paragraphs in Work Time B.
  • For ELLs: Mini Language Dive. "We know that/staying true to your principles/means you may be fined,/put into prison,/or be called Loyalists and traitors."
    • Deconstruct: Discuss the sentence and each chunk. Language goals for focus structure:
  • staying true: "We know that what?"/Meaning: Staying means remaining, not deviating from something. True is used to mean loyal or faithful. Note that true can also mean correct or be used to signal a fact. When used together, staying true means to remain loyal to something; to fight for what you believe, no matter what. (noun phrase; collocation)
  • to your principles: "Staying true to what?"/Meaning: Principles are beliefs about what is right and wrong. Your principles refers to the Quakers' principles, or beliefs. Their principles are rooted in nonviolence. To is used to show how something is affected by something else; your principles are affected by staying true. (prepositional phrase)
  • Practice: Staying true to your principles is important because _____.
    • Reconstruct: Reread the sentence. Ask:

"Now what do you think the sentence means?"

"How does your understanding of this sentence add to your understanding of the Quakers' reasons for staying uninvolved in the war?"

    • Practice: We know that staying true to your principles means _______.

"What is another way to say this sentence?"

B. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

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

"I can write a conclusion paragraph for my broadside."

"I can form and use prepositional phrases."

  • Underline the word conclusion. Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is a conclusion paragraph? What is the purpose of it?" (It is the paragraph that wraps up a piece of writing. It restates the "what?" and adds some reflection by the author about the "so what?")

  • Invite students to retrieve their Directions for Broadside and to chorally read the prompt aloud with you.
  • For students who may need additional support with comprehension and engagement: Invite students to share what they learned about prepositional phrases from Lesson 7. (MMR, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Word Families) When reviewing the word conclusion, ask students about the root word (conclude), reinforcing the strategy of using root words to find the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Mini Lesson: Prepositional Phrases (20 minutes)

  • Tell students that before they begin drafting, they will learn more about prepositional phrases.
  • Display and distribute the Prepositional Phrases handout and select a volunteer to read the definition of prepositional phrases at the top of the handout:
    • "a group of words that describes the relationship between a noun or verb and another noun following the preposition."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What kinds of questions do prepositional phrases answer?" (which one, what kind, how, when, where)

  • Review one of the examples on the Prepositional Phrases handout, identifying the noun or verb and the prepositional phrase and discussing the relationship the phrase describes.
  • Focus students on the following sentence from the Model Broadside: Quaker Perspective:
    • "But getting involved in this war goes against everything we believe in."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the relationship between getting involved and war?" (Some Quakers think they shouldn't fight the war.)

"What word signals this relationship?" (in)

  • Add the sentence to the table on the Prepositional Phrases handout, completing the appropriate columns on the handout with students and inviting students to complete it on their copies.
  • Tell students that writers use prepositional phrases to make their writing more precise and descriptive.
  • Write the following phrase so all students can see:
    • "after July 4, 1776"
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Create a sentence that uses that phrase." (Responses will vary.)

  • Select volunteers to share their sentences, inviting students to identify the noun or verb and tell the relationship between it and the Declaration of Independence. (Example: "The colonies were officially at war with Britain after July 4, 1776.")
  • Repeat this process with the following phrase:
    • "across the harbor"
  • Post the following sentence:
    • "The British redcoats arrived to Concord."
  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the relationship between the British redcoats and Concord?" (They arrived there.)

"What word signals this relationship?" (to)

"The word to doesn't sound quite right in this sentence. What is another preposition that would make more sense?" (in)

  • Point out that the word to signals movement toward a place, but the sentence tells that the redcoats have already arrived there, and this is why to does not make sense in the sentence. Rewrite the sentence as follows:
    • "The British redcoats arrived in Concord."
  • Repeat this process with the following sentence:
    • "They started in Lexington and then went to Concord." (they went there; to)
  • Point out that to makes sense in this sentence because it describes where the redcoats were moving toward.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Create a sentence that correctly uses the preposition to." (Responses will vary.)

  • As students share out, invite them to identify the noun or verb and tell the relationship between it and noun following the preposition.
  • Repeat this task with the preposition at.
  • Tell students they will have a chance to work more with forming and using prepositions as they finish drafting and when revising their broadsides.
  • For students who struggle with oral language and processing: Allow ample wait time throughout the mini lesson. (MMAE, MME)
  • For ELLs: (Prepositional Phrase Practice) Invite students to practice using familiar prepositional phrases by playing the question/preposition game introduced in Lesson 7. Challenge students to see how many prepositional phrases they can use in 30 seconds.
  • For ELLs: (Gestures) Consider using gestures to signal prepositions. Example: For the preposition to, point outward, signaling a destination; for the preposition across, invite students to walk their hands across their forearm; for the preposition against, push both hands outward, signaling opposition. Encourage students to use these gestures as they learn new prepositional phrases.

B. Independent Writing: Drafting a Conclusion Paragraph (20 minutes)

  • Distribute paper.
  • Display and invite students to retrieve their copies of the Opinion Writing Checklist and their Opinion Writing Planning graphic organizer. Point out the following characteristics on the checklist:
    • "W.4.1d: I have a conclusion that is clearly related to my opinion."
    • "L.4.3, L.4.6, W.4.4: The words and sentences I use are appropriate for this task, purpose, and audience."
  • Invite students to retrieve their Patriot broadside and guide them through the same routine as Work Time B from Lesson 7 to draft this paragraph. Remind them to use the following resources as they write:
    • Prepositional Phrases handout
    • Writing Complete Sentences handout
    • Model Broadside: Quaker Perspective
    • Characteristics of Broadsides anchor chart
    • Domain-Specific Word Wall
  • Circulate to support students as they write and to identify common issues to use as whole group teaching points. Refer to Patriot broadside (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Refocus whole group and 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 checklist 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 first learning target.
  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Consider offering them supportive tools (e.g., pencil grip, slanted desk, or use of a word processor). (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Partner Brainstorming) Invite students to brainstorm and partner-share writing ideas for their conclusion paragraph before beginning to write. Encourage them to recall the persuasive language they used during Work Time A (see "for heavier support") as they consider language to use in their conclusion paragraph.
  • For ELLs: (Sentence Frames: Lighter Support) Invite students who need lighter support to create sentence frames to support writing. Invite those who need heavier support to use the frames. (Example: The time has come to _____ [fight for our independence]. Express your rights by _____ [joining in the fight]! Stay true to your beliefs and _____ [demonstrate your support of the Revolutionary War].)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (5 minutes)

  • Move students into groups of three or four and invite them to review the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart.
  • Invite students to reflect on the process of planning and writing by discussing the following:

"What did you do to work toward becoming an effective learner as you worked today?" (Responses will vary.)

"What were your challenges as you worked today?" (Responses will vary.)

"What were your successes?" (Responses will vary.)

  • If productive, cue students to expand the conversation by giving an example:

"Can you give an example?" (Responses will vary.)
  • For students who may need additional support in organizing their ideas verbally: Offer sentence starters or frames as scaffolding for student expression and communication. (MMAE)
  • For ELLs: (Linking Words and Phrases) Encourage students to use varying linking words and phrases as they give examples of their challenges and successes (e.g., For example, For instance, However).

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs
  • Choose and respond to an opinion QuickWrite prompt in your Unit 3 homework.
  • Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.
  • Modify the amount or complexity of reading that struggling learners complete for homework. Provide sentence frames for their responses or allow them to share their learning in other ways such as drawing or discussing what they've learned with their family, a partner, or the teacher.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: (Oral Response) Students may benefit from discussing and responding to their prompt orally, either with a partner or family member or by recording their response. (MMAE)

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