Tell Me How You Feel – Opinion Writing

• I can state my opinion. 
  • I can support my opinion with evidence. 
• I can write an opinion paragraph…
  • with a topic sentence,
  • 3 clearly stated reasons,
  • an explanation of the reasons with evidence,
  • and with a concluding sentence.
• I can take feedback and make my writing better.

To access student’s prior knowledge, the lesson will begin with looking at a few optical illusions through a Pear Deck. This will require students to state their opinion and be prepared to support that opinion by explaining what they see. This will lead to discussions on perspective, opinion, and point of view.

This lesson supports student learning by having multiple means of engagement through small groups, whole group, and individual work. Also, the lesson provides students with examples and multiple opportunities to check in with the teacher to receive feedback. Additionally, the lesson can be hands-on, allowing for collaboration in the classroom or in a virtual setting.

Multiple means of engagement

The majority of the Integration will occur through individual work as the Roadmap is designed for individual use. However, there are some activities incorporated where students will compete against others in their class (through the Blooket) and it allows for small group or one-on-one pulls by the teacher to discuss progress or hit on areas that students are struggling with on their own.

Multiple means of representation

Integration will occur through various mini lessons with paired activities. Additionally, representation will be seen through a Google Slides Roadmap, videos, a Blooket, and Google Docs. 

Multiple means of action and expression 

Integration will occur through Google Slides. A writing roadmap has been designed to give step by step, guided mini lessons with activities for students to complete. Within the roadmap, there are various activities to teach opinion paragraph writing structure and give chances to practice what was taught.  

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

In the lesson, students will be stating their opinion and defending that opinion. This specific lesson will be designed with an example so that teachers can use the template for other lessons or topics. Being able to defend their opinions is an essential skill that they will need to have. Possessing the skills to express an opinion will lead to the ability to analyze the opinions of others. Ultimately, this will help to prepare for deeper analysis of opinion pieces, whether reading or writing.   

Purposeful Use of Technology

Various forms of technology will be used throughout the lesson. A Google Slides Roadmap will be the main platform used. A Blooket and short instructional videos will also be used within the Roadmap.

Formative assessment will be used in this specific lesson. There are activities included in the extension section for summative assessment ideas.

The purpose of the formative assessments throughout the lesson is to simply gauge how well students are understanding the steps needed to formulate their opinion while speaking and while writing. The final formative assessment will take the pieces that students have developed throughout the Roadmap and compile them into a complete opinion paragraph.

The formative assessments used in the lesson allow for students to receive guidance from the teacher or a peer after each completed writing step. While the lesson focuses on writing, UDL principles are utilized in the resources on the Roadmap through online writing sources (dictionary or thesaurus), Mote (a Google extension that allows for the teacher to give verbal feedback or comments on documents), and video mini lessons when needed. Also, students are given options for sentence starters with each step to provide an additional scaffold. Students are creating a new authentic piece of writing that represents their opinion on a topic. The opinion paragraph is the starting point to a multi-paragraph essay. For the example in this lesson, I used an article addressing learning English through video games that ties into the principles of CRP.  For students, any article can be chosen or an article can be read aloud as a whole class. Then, the Roadmap is given for students to go through the writing process and complete the formative assessments.

Students’ level of understanding in relation to the learning objectives will be looked at when they turn in their final paragraph at the completion of the roadmap. 

Overall, there are ample opportunities for formative assessment to occur throughout the lesson design. These can be used to check each student’s level of knowing, understanding, or doing related to the learning objectives or outcomes. After each Pear Deck slide, formative assessment can take place. At each teacher check on the Roadmap, formative assessment can take place. Additionally, at the end of the lesson, students will submit their opinion paragraphs, which will show their level of knowing, understanding, and doing in terms of the learning objectives for the lesson.

• Reading Lesson: Video Games Teach English
  • Graphic Organizer Example: Example: Guided Writing
• Google Slides: Writing Roadmap
• Pear Deck: What is your opinion?
• Blooket: Opinion Paragraph
• OREO Writing Handout – Paper or Virtual 
• Online Dictionary
• Online Thesaurus
• Computers

In order to facilitate learning for this lesson, the following strategies will be used: questioning, videos, gaming qualities, open discussion, and small group.

A short 5 question Pear Deck will be used where students can decide their opinion based on given photos. This Pear Deck will pull in point of view, opinion, and defense of opinion to introduce the lesson for the day.

Sequence of Events

• Review of lesson objectives, standards (3 minutes)
  • These are included in the warm up PearDeck activity to review prior to the warm up. 
• Warm Up activity (10 minutes)
  • Continues in the PearDeck. It is explicitly laid out with directions. 
• Writing Roadmap work (45 minutes)
  • Directions are included in the roadmap for teacher implementation. Timers are included on the roadmap for pacing purposes. Additionally, Mote is valuable resources during teacher checks, allowing for verbal feedback and directions to be directly given to students on their roadmap.
    • Mote is a google extension that can be added. Yes, there is a free version!  
• Exit Ticket: Turn in Opinion Paragraph – (2 minutes)
  • This is the last step on the roadmap. It can be done on paper or assigned through Google Classroom as a Google Document for students to type what they have written in their OREO graphic organizer.

Tying activities to assessment (expected outcomes) 

Formative assessment will occur at each teacher checkpoint on the Roadmap. Additionally, students will turn in their final opinion paragraph once they have completed the Roadmap activities. 

What’s Next?

There are many possible options of where to go after this lesson is complete. If students did not do well with the lesson then re-teaching is needed. However, if students did do well, then there is a list of follow-up activities included below. 

• Students could take their opinion paragraph and add to it to write a complete multi-paragraph essay. 
  • Topic Sentence → Clear Introduction
  • Opinion Support → Clear Body Paragraph with evidence and elaboration
  • Concluding Sentence → Clear Conclusion 
• The story was used as a model for writing, selecting another story or topic for students to form, and express their opinion on. Utilize the same videos from the Roadmap if needed or remove (or have fewer) scaffolds to see if learning can be generalized. 

The Use of CRP, UDL & Technology

There are ample opportunities for CRP,  UDL, and technology throughout the lesson. The lesson allows for different levels of use with technology. Additionally, materials are presented in multiple means and students are able to engage through various methods, whether in writing, Roadmap, Blooket, or the Pear Deck. CRP is used through the utilization of the Roadmap as the main structure, allowing for differentiation with students and allowing students to work at their own pace. In this lesson, the example chosen also allows for students to access subject matter to increase their cultural competence and hopefully spark their desire to do more for others.

From the Indiana Academic English Language Arts Standards Grades 2, 3, and 4.

• 2.W.3.1 Write a logically-connected paragraph or paragraphs that introduce an opinion, with a concluding statement or section and multiple reasons to explain why a certain course of action should be followed.
• 3.W.3.1 Write persuasive compositions in a variety of forms that –
  • a. State the opinion in an introductory statement or section.
  • b. Support the opinion with reasons in an organized way.
  • c. Connect opinion and reasons using words and phrases.
  • d. Provide a concluding statement or section.

• 4.W.3.1 Write persuasive compositions in a variety of forms that –
  • a. In an introductory statement, clearly state an opinion to a particular audience.
  • b. Support the opinion with facts and details from various sources, including texts.
  • c. Use an organizational structure to group related ideas that support the purpose.
  • d. Connect opinion and reasons using words and phrases.
  • e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the position presented.