Opinion Writing: Analyzing a Model | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:M4:U2:L6

Opinion Writing: Analyzing a Model

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
  • RI.1.2: Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
  • RI.1.4: Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
  • RI.1.8: Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
  • W.1.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
  • SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
  • SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
  • L.1.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • L.1.1h: Use determiners (e.g., articles, demonstratives).
  • L.1.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
  • L.1.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
  • L.1.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., because).
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can correctly connect determiners and nouns when playing the determiners matching game. (L.1.1h)
  • I can analyze a model to learn about the parts of an opinion paragraph. (RI.1.1, RI.1.2, RI.1.4, W.1.1, SL.1.1, SL.1.2)

Ongoing Assessment

  • During the determiners game in the Opening, continue to gather data on students' progress toward L.1.1h as they connect determiners with nouns.
  • During Work Time C, use the Speaking and Listening Checklist to monitor student progress toward SL.1.1 and SL.1.2 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Developing Language: Determiners Matching Game (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Analyzing a Model: "Feed the Birds!" (20 minutes)

B. Opinion Writing Puzzle: "Don't Feed the Birds!" (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • The Opening and Closing follow similar routines from Lesson 5. Refer to that lesson for more detail, as necessary.
  • In Work Times A and C, students analyze two different opinion paragraphs: "Feed the Birds!" and "Don't Feed the Birds!" This is the first of several lessons during which students begin to learn about the parts of an opinion paragraph as they work toward writing one (W.1.1).

How this lesson builds on previous work:

  • In Lessons 4-5, students learned and began playing the determiners game. In this lesson, students play the game for a final time.
  • In Lesson 4, students began to think about how respect relates to having opinions. In this lesson, students follow a similar routine as they begin to think about what responding to others' opinions respectfully looks like and sounds like.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Some students will find it challenging to reread the selected "Don't Feed the Birds!" puzzle pieces during Work Time C. Strategically group students so they can support one another well as they read these sentences, ensuring that proficient readers are grouped with readers who need support. Additionally, think about reading aloud selected sentences to the whole class.
  • Some students may find it challenging to color-code the sentences during Work Time C. Encourage partners to work together to read and color-code the sentences. Consider reading each sentence aloud one at a time and telling students which color to use to code them.
  • Students may find the terminology connected to the parts of an opinion paragraph challenging. Use these words (introduction, opinion statement, reason, and conclusion) as frequently as possible and encourage students to do the same during conversations about writing these paragraphs.

Down the road:

  • In this lesson, students analyze an opinion paragraph to identify its parts and to learn the job of each part. Students will use this knowledge in Lesson 7 to write a shared opinion paragraph and in Lesson 8 to write a guided opinion paragraph. This scaffolding will eventually lead to the Unit 2 Assessment on W.1.1.

In Advance

  • Pre-determine pairs for the Opening and Work Time C.
  • Pre-distribute materials for Work Time C at student workspaces.
  • Preview the Annotated Model: "Feed the Birds!" to familiarize yourself with the parts of an opinion paragraph (see supporting materials).
  • Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

Consider using an interactive white board or document camera to display lesson materials.

  • 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 1.I.B.6, 1.I.B.8, 1.II.C.6, 1.l.C.10, and 1.I.C.12

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs as they analyze a model to understand the structure and language needed to write an effective opinion paragraph about Pale Male's nest starting in the next lesson. This lesson scaffolds to the Unit 2 Assessment on W.1.1.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to stay focused throughout the directions for color-coding the model (see levels of support and the Meeting Students' Needs column).

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Invite a student to explain the parts of an effective opinion paragraph by pointing to the color-coded paragraph and the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart.

For heavier support:

  • Continue to use sentence frames to help students explain why two cards connect in the determiners matching game during the Opening.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): Continue to reduce barriers to metacognition in this lesson by providing a visual reminder of the focus for each activity.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): Continue to support those who may struggle with expressive language by providing sentence frames to help them organize their thoughts. Also, consider asking questions during the Closing to guide self-monitoring and reflection.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to connect their learning from previous lessons in this unit to support understanding the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson and to support motivation for learning.

Vocabulary

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

Review:

  • determiner, analyze, opinion (L)

Materials

  • Determiners anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4)
  • Determiner cards (from Lesson 4; one set per pair)
  • Noun picture cards 2 (one set per pair)
  • Language Checklist (for teacher reference; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Model: "Feed the Birds!" (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • Crayons (red, green, yellow, orange; one of each per student and one of each for teacher modeling)
  • Annotated Model: "Feed the Birds!" (for teacher reference)
  • Model: "Don't Feed the Birds!" (one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • "Don't Feed the Birds!" puzzle pieces (one set per pair)
  • "Don't Feed the Birds!" puzzle pieces (example, for teacher reference)
  • Respectful Opinions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4; added to during the Closing; see supporting materials)
  • Respectful Opinions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 4; example, for teacher reference)

Assessment

Each unit in the K-2 Language Arts Curriculum has one standards-based assessment built in. 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. Developing Language: Determiners Matching Game (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the first one aloud:

"I can correctly connect determiners and nouns when playing the determiners matching game."

  • Direct students' attention to the Determiners anchor chart and briefly review it.
  • Tell students that today they will once again play the determiners matching game to practice connecting determiners to noun pictures.
  • Remind them that they played this game in previous lessons and review the definition of determiner (a word that helps the listener understand which thing you are talking about in a sentence).
  • Ask:

"What are examples of determiners?" (this, that, these, those)

"Which determiners do you use when you are talking about one thing?" (this, that)

  • Tell students that today they will play with the same determiner cards and new noun cards.
  • Follow the same routine from the Opening of Lesson 4 to play the determiners matching game using the determiner cards and noun picture cards 2.
  • Consider using the Language Standards Checklist to collect data on students' progress toward L.1.1h.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Preview Game Cards) Preview the cards for the determiners matching game. Hold up the determinercards one at a time and invite volunteers to read the words aloud, making sure students understand the word they are reading. Hold up each noun picture card and invite volunteers to tell about things that are close by or far away. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Analyzing a Model: "Feed the Birds!" (20 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read the second one aloud:

"I can analyze a model to learn about the parts of an opinion paragraph."

  • Review the following definitions:
    • analyze (to examine something closely)
    • opinion (what you think about something)
  • Tell students that they will now analyze a paragraph that supports the opinion to feed birds.
  • Display Model: "Feed the Birds!" and read it aloud.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What was this paragraph mostly about?" (The writer thinks that people should feed birds because birds need the extra food to live through the cold winter.)

Conversation Cue: "What, in the paragraph, makes you think so?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Circulate as students talk and pre-select a few students to share out.
  • Tell students that when individuals share their opinion about a topic through writing, they must include important parts in the paragraph so that the reader can understand the opinion.
  • Direct students' attention to the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart.
  • Read the heading aloud:
    • "Opinion writing informs the reader about what you think about a topic, supported with a reason."
  • Point to and read the headings of the first and second columns aloud:
    • "Parts of My Opinion Paragraph"
    • "Job of Each Part"
  • Continue reading the remaining headings in the first column. Say: "The four parts of an opinion paragraph are the introduction, opinion statement, reason, and conclusion." Refer to the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Tell students you will reread "Feed the Birds!" together to identify each part of the opinion paragraph and discuss the job of each part.
  • As you identify the four parts of an opinion paragraph, you will color the different parts in the model.
  • Invite students to read the first two sentences aloud with you: "People have different opinions about whether to feed birds. Should people feed birds or let them find their own food?"
    • Say: "This is the introduction. It introduces the topic, or what you are writing about."
    • Use a red crayon to color the first two sentences red, along with the Introduction box on the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart. Refer to the Annotated Model: "Feed the Birds!" (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to read part of the next sentence aloud with you: "I think people should feed birds ..."
    • Say: "This is the opinion statement. The opinion statement tells the reader your opinion on a topic, or what you think about it."
    • Use a green crayon to color part of this sentence green, along with the Opinion Statement box on the anchor chart. Continue to refer to the Annotated Model: "Feed the Birds!" (example, for teacher reference).
  • Invite students to read the remaining part of the same sentence aloud with you: "... because birds that have extra food from bird feeders might live through cold winters."
    • Say: "This is the reason. The reason tells the reader why you have the opinion. It is based on information from the text."
    • Use a yellow crayon to color the second part of the sentence yellow, along with the Reason box on the anchor chart.
  • Ask:

"What word connects the opinion statement and the reason?" (because)

    • Point out that the word because is used to connect the opinion statement with the reason. This conjunction is important to use in an opinion paragraph.
    • Circle the word because on the model.
  • Invite students to read the last sentence aloud with you: "This is why I think people should feed birds."
    • Say: "This is the conclusion. The conclusion wraps up your paragraph and reminds the reader of your opinion."
    • Use an orange crayon to color the last sentence orange, along with the Conclusion box on the anchor chart.
  • Tell students you will slowly reread the Model: "Feed the Birds!" one more time. Students should listen for the different parts of the opinion paragraph and perform one of four actions depending on the part.
  • Say:
    • "When I read the introduction, put your index finger in the air."
    • "When I read the opinion statement, touch your head."
    • "When I read the word because, clap once."
    • "When I read the reason, touch your knee."
    • "When I read the conclusion, touch your foot."
  • Remind students to move safely and begin reading, pausing after each part to allow students to perform the action.
  • Refocus whole group.
  • Tell students that later in today's lesson they will have the opportunity to identify the four parts of an opinion paragraph when they analyze a new opinion paragraph model.
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with motivation: (Summarizing the Target) Ask students to summarize and then to personalize the second learning target. Ensure that students name the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart as the tool to analyze the model. (MME)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with activating prior knowledge: (Review Anchor Chart) Remind students that they analyzed a model of an informative paragraph in Module 3. Tell them they will do something similar now by color-coding the parts of an opinion paragraph using the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart. (MMR)

B. Opinion Writing Puzzle: "Don't Feed the Birds!" (20 minutes)

  • Refocus whole group.
  • Remind students that earlier in this lesson they learned about the different parts of an opinion paragraph.
  • Direct students' attention to the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart.
  • Remind them that each part of the opinion paragraph has a job to help the reader understand what the writer thinks about a topic.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What are the four parts of an opinion paragraph?" (introduction, opinion statement, reason, conclusion)

  • As students talk, circulate and listen in and pre-select a few students to share out.
  • Tell students that now they are going to read a new opinion paragraph model, "Don't Feed the Birds!"
  • Display Model: "Don't Feed the Birds!" and read it aloud.
  • Ask:

"What was this paragraph mostly about?" (The writer thinks that people should not feed birds because other animals come around when the food is spilled.)

Conversation Cue: "What, in the text, makes you think so?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Display the "Don't Feed the Birds!" puzzle pieces.
  • Tell students that these pieces are made up of sentences from the "Don't Feed the Birds!" opinion paragraph. Their job is to work with a partner to color-code each of the puzzle pieces according to which part of the opinion paragraph it is, and then connect each piece together to build the final opinion paragraph.
  • Remind students to color-code the puzzle pieces accordingly:
    • Introduction--red
    • Opinion statement--green
    • Reason--yellow
    • Conclusion--orange
  • Move students into pre-determined pairs and distribute the puzzle pieces.
  • Use a routine established in Module 3 to transition students to their workspaces and point out the crayonsalready there.
  • Once groups have settled, reread each puzzle piece aloud and invite students to follow along as you read. Pause after reading each piece and give students time to work with their partner to color-code the piece accordingly.
  • Circulate to support students and help pairs by rereading their puzzle pieces as they follow along, if necessary.
  • As you circulate, consider prompting students by asking: "Which part of the opinion paragraph is this piece? How do you know? What does this part do?" Refer to the "Don't Feed the Birds!" puzzle pieces (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • After 12-15 minutes, refocus whole group and tell pairs to bring their completed puzzles back to the meeting area.
  • Invite several pairs to share out their completed puzzle. Tell students to read the puzzle pieces out loud and explain which color they colored them and why.
  • Encourage students to explain the job of each part of the opinion paragraph as they share with the whole group.
  • Tell students that during the next lesson they will help write an opinion paragraph about what to do with Pale Male's nest.

Conversation Cue: "How does our discussion add to your understanding of the parts of an opinion paragraph? I'll give you time to think and discuss with a partner." (Responses will vary.)
  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Review Anchor Chart) Invite students to review the Parts of an Opinion Paragraph anchor chart and to say the job of each part in their own words. (MMR, MME)
  • For students who may need additional support with self-regulation: Anticipate and manage frustration by modeling what to do if there is disagreement as students work in pairs. (MME)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning (10 minutes)

  • Gather students whole group.
  • Remind students that showing respect means treating myself, others, and the environment with care.
  • Direct students' attention to the Respectful Opinions anchor chart.
  • Turn and Talk:

"What does it look like to listen to others' opinions respectfully?" (keeping eye contact; facing the speaker)

"What does it sound like to listen to others' opinions respectfully?" (silent; keeping your voice off until it is your turn to share)

  • Point to the heading that says:
    • "Responding to others' opinions respectfully"
  • Ask:

"What does it mean to respond to someone?" (to say something in reply)

  • Follow the same routine from the Closing of Lesson 5 to add to the Respectful Opinions anchor chart:
    • Say: "Let's pretend I am responding to someone's opinion respectfully."
    • Ask:

"What might this look like?" (calm face; facing the listener; waiting patiently)

"What might this sound like?" (We might say things like, "I hear what you are saying" and "Thanks for sharing.")

    • As students share out, capture their responses in the "Looks like" and "Sounds like" columns of the Respectful Opinions anchor chart. Refer to the Respectful Opinions anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.
    • Invite two student volunteers to model for the class how to respond to others' opinions respectfully.
    • Remind students to model what responding respectfully looks like and sounds like.
    • Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Thumb-O-Meter) for students to respond to the following:

"How well did our volunteers model listening with respect?"

"How do you feel about being able to respond to other's opinions respectfully?"

  • Thank the volunteers and tell students that they should continue to practice listening and responding to others' opinions respectfully. In the next lesson, they will begin to think about how to share their opinion respectfully.
  • For ELLs: (Using Anchor Charts) Reread the Respectful Opinions anchor chart once it has been completed.

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