Step-by-Step Opinion Writing | Would You Rather | Exploring Author Biographies
Would you rather meet J.R.R. Tolkien or Harper Lee? If you need an engaging way to teach opinion writing, look no further than this step-by-step unit!
Perfect for elementary teachers and homeschoolers alike, this LOW PREP resource covers the five steps of opinion writing—research and brainstorming; reasons and examples; introduction and conclusion; draft, edit, and revise; and final draft—using a cross-curricular approach and famous authors theme.
Each day's lesson addresses one step. Differentiated graphic organizers—primary lines, regular lines, and no lines—are included to match the student's handwriting skill level.
A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR:
- World Book Day (March 2), Read Across America Day (March 2), National Authors Day (November 1), National Novel Writing Month (November), or specific author unit study
- Writing lessons or centers
- English language arts, social studies, or history class
- ...or just for fun!
ELEMENTS INCLUDE:
- Teacher instructions
- Topic cards (24 in color and 24 in B&W; 256 unique combinations of the authors)
- Mix and match research report pages
- Differentiated opinion writing graphic organizers (3 levels)
- Step-by-step opinion writing instructions and checklists
- Sentences starters and transitions
- BONUS DOWNLOAD: Anchor charts, writing rubrics, and helpful bookmarks
HOW IT WORKS:
- Each student picks or is assigned 2 topics from the cards to research (individually or in small groups)
- Select one of the included writing prompts or use the blank one to create your own
- Starting with research and brainstorming, students complete one opinion writing step each day
- Students present their final draft—orally or using the included graphic organizers—in response to the assigned writing prompt
Help your students become expert opinion writers! Whether you're looking for an introduction to opinion writing or an assessment of prior knowledge, this resource has something for everyone.
AUTHORS INCLUDE:
- Beatrix Potter
- David Shannon
- Doreen Cronin
- Dr. Seuss
- Edgar Allen Poe
- Eric Carle
- Ernest Hemingway
- Ezra Jack Keets
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Harper Lee
- Jan Brett
- J.R.R. Tolkien
- Kevin Henkes
- Margaret Wise Brown
- Mark Twain
- Mo Willems
- Ray Bradbury
- Roald Dahl
- Ruth Krauss
- Shirley Jackson
- Tennessee Williams
- Toni Morrison
- Truman Capote
- William Faulkner
CROSS-CURRICULAR SUBJECTS COVERED:
- Art (drawing and coloring)
- English language arts
- Grammar
- History
- Reading
- Research
- Social studies
- Spelling
- Writing