Opinion Writing 4

Before we start

There are a few things that students this age always struggle with: the difference between facts, opinions, inferences.  So, first we start with a good old-fashioned sorting activity.  It is very good for students to read these statements and then decide if they are facts, opinions or something else.

American Immigration Sorts

African Slavery Sorts

Week One

Day One:  What is persuasive writing?

First, we need to have students differentiate between narrative, informative and persuasive.  I often have students come to the carpet and we just complete a three-column chart about similarities & differences, such as paragraph structure, text features, purpose, style, examples and where to find them.  It is surprising to me that kids don't often realize that books are often narratives, commercials and ads are often persuasive and school is often informative.  I try to make the conversation as broad as possible: Are you parents more informative or more narrative?  Are your video games more informative or narratives?  I end the conversation with just a general statement: "We are going to be learning how to read persuasive texts, write persuasive texts and not get tricked by ads!"

Day Two: Would you rather?

Of course, we have a little "Would you rather?" session, in order to show students the importance of arguing your point and to set up the pattern for writing three different reasons.  So, first, I ask something relevant to their lives, such as "Would you rather watch a movie or youtube channel?"  We vote and then kids just tell me reasons why.  We give immediate feedback, such as "Is that a good reason?"  and kids put their thumbs up or down.  Then, whatever question it is, I have students take out their writer's notebooks and write for fifteen minutes on that topic, just a plain old free write. Here are some Would you Rather Ideas.

Day Three: How to Organize Paragraphs

Now, we start to get into the nitty-gritty.  Students need to practice organizing the paragraphs.  Students have three choices today: 

Organizing Paragraphs on Thomas Jefferson

Organizing paragraphs on Panhandlers

Organizing Paragraphs on Immigrants

Each one comes with headings, so students can sort the facts under the coordinating opinion.  Usually, I have students then find more facts about the topic, via internet or books, and we can sort them again.  The idea today is that not all facts are created equal: Some facts support some opinions better than others, some facts are left out on purpose, and some facts are weak.

Day Four: George Washington Writing 

Today, I let student choose one side of George Washington: is he good guy because he is the father of our country or he is a bad guy because he had slaves?  I provided students with boxes and bullets.  This should be a quick one-day activity.  I show the blank boxes and bullets on the overhead and we try to come up with reasons and facts and paragraph outlines off the top of our heads, specifically whether George Washington is a hero or not.  This is just to get their brains going.  Then, I give them the outline already prepared in these George Washington Boxes and Bullets.  Then, I give students 20 minutes on the clock to form the paragraphs and write them in their journal, just to see how kids do with a structure, topics and facts already provided.  In other words, today is like a mini-assessment.

Week Two

This week is focused on American History, like the American Revolution and the Civil War.  Students are taking ordinary citizens, the ones the history books leave out and trying to determine if they are good people or not, or if they received a fair outcome or not.  

I like to Use Nancy Morgan Hart.  She was an ordinary frontiersmen when some British regulars came knocking on her door.  In 1912, someone went digging up at old house and found six skeletons exactly matching the description of the British regulars who can knocking over a century before.  Read more here.  Kids have a grand old time collecting facts, folklore, and forming their own opinions.

Andrew Jackson is also another character that fits perfectly here.  Andrew Jackson was nine years old when he was running between the rebels and the British regulars during the American revolution passing messages back-and-forth. He was an innocent little kid. Andrew Jackson's hatred of the British started brewing when his mother took ill after taking care of some British regulars. Other things happened in little Andrews life that caused a huge ball of anger to start growing. Some people view Andrew Jackson as one of the greatest American heroes. But yet other people view him as a great villain.  After all, he what is the driving force for the trail of tears. But it's very interesting to note that his beloved wife Rachel passed away very close to his inauguration.  Like Nancy Morgan hart, Andrew Jackson is a perfect character for people to determine if he is "good" or "bad."

Day Six: Find Someone Interesting

First, students need to choose a person and start researching: an explorer, Nancy Morgan Hart, Andrew Jackson.  You have students thumb through history books, science books, library books you brought from the library.  Have students take some notes in their writer's notebooks, but today is all about "finding someone interesting."

Here is the sign-up sheet if your class needs something more concrete.  It should be noted that most of these people are pulled right from the history book and most are males...  Let student look and explore for about 15 minutes.  As you walk around, ask, "Does this person look interesting to you?"  Whatever the students say, say "WHY?"  

Day Eight: Forming Your Opinion

Persuasive writing is all about keeping the format.  So, now that students have someone they are interested in, they need to form an opinion and try to persuade others of that same opinion.  Teachers really need to reiterate that intelligent people form their opinions from FACTS.  Smart people do not have opinions based on the opinions of others.  If you want to show an episode of Fox News, and then CNN, showing how these "reporters" are only sharing their opinions, go ahead.  We want our students to form their own opinions.  So, on Day Eight, I give students a copy of this (see image below) and also display it large in the classroom.  I ask very generally, "So.... what is your opinion?" When students are sharing a loud to the group, I continually ask "What are you facts you based this on?"

Day Ten: Repeat of Day Nine 

Again, we look at other people's paragraphs.  This time it is for immigration.  This time print one copy for every four kids.  Students will cut out the strips and then choose just a few to write their paragraphs.  This is what I do:

(1) Choose 3-4 strips.

(2) Make an opinion based on the facts they were given.  This can be a "good statement" or a "bad statement," such "Immigrants had a bad time when they arrived in country" or "Immigrants were bad for our country in 1900."  Or, if you want to push it further, can have students make a "should statement," such as "Immigrants should be given government help when they arrive in the country, "or "immigrants should have to provide their own housing when they arrive."  

(3) In their writer's notebooks, student can attempt to write some OREO style paragraphs.

(4) If you have time, have students share aloud their paragraphs to compare them to the OREO style and general feedback.

Day Eleven: Make a draft to grade! 

Extensions and More Support

If you need to keep going and do another round of persuasive writing, here are more ideas:  

The most important thing in American History was..

•  The Transcontinental Railroad in the 1800s. 

• Transcontinental Railroad Version 2

The most important invention of all time was... (these are mostly blank for kids to do their own research but has some articles attached.)

• Nuclear Power? 

• Cars

• Internet connections and smart phones

• Printing Press

• Radio

• Levittowns 

  • • • • If you don't know about Levittowns, you should: It is literally how many Americans climbed out of poverty after the Great Depression.  It also greatly increased the racial divide.  Honestly, it is a very interesting story in American history: creating generational wealth and security that created that happy 1950's family that dominated media.  The effects of Levittowns are still felt today.  Literally, the tradition of having a front lawn (one of my first cheesiest youtube videos!) is based on Levittowns!