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Expressing Reasons in Opinion Writing – What is opinion writing? – Sharing what you think about a topic – Today’s focus: Why reasons matter – Reasons support your opinion and make it stronger – Understanding opinion passages – Passages that state a viewpoint with supporting reasons – Crafting reasons for your opinion – Think: Why do you feel this way? What makes your opinion valid? | This slide introduces the concept of opinion writing to third-grade students, emphasizing the importance of providing reasons to support their opinions. Begin by explaining that opinion writing allows them to express their thoughts and feelings about a topic. Highlight that good opinion writing requires reasons that back up their viewpoint, making their argument more convincing. Use examples of opinion passages to illustrate how authors use reasons to persuade their readers. Encourage students to think critically about their own opinions and the reasons behind them, fostering their ability to articulate their thoughts clearly and persuasively. In the next class, students can practice writing their own opinion passages, focusing on developing strong, supportive reasons.

Understanding Opinions in Writing – What is an opinion? – It’s what you think or feel about a topic – Opinions are not facts – Opinions can’t be proven right or wrong – Everyone’s opinion is unique – Your opinion may be different from others – Respect all opinions – It’s important to listen and value different views | This slide introduces the concept of opinions to third-grade students. Begin by explaining that an opinion is a personal belief or feeling about something, rather than a fact that can be proven. Emphasize that everyone has their own opinions and that all opinions are valid, even if they differ from one another. Encourage students to think about their own opinions on various topics and to understand that it’s okay for others to have different opinions. Teach them the importance of respecting and listening to other people’s perspectives. This will set the foundation for learning how to express their opinions in writing and support them with reasons.

Strengthening Opinions with Reasons – Reasons back up your opinion – Like evidence in a case, reasons support your viewpoint – Strong reasons make opinions solid – Good reasons convince others to agree with you – Reasons respond to ‘Why?’ – When someone asks why, your reasons explain your thoughts | This slide aims to teach students the importance of providing reasons in opinion writing. Reasons act as the foundation that supports an opinion, making it more persuasive and credible. When students state an opinion, they should always be prepared to answer the question ‘Why do you think that?’ with well-thought-out reasons. Encourage students to think critically about their opinions and to come up with strong, convincing reasons that can sway their readers. In class, practice this by asking students to share an opinion and then challenge them to provide reasons for their thoughts.

Identifying Opinions and Reasons – Spotting opinions in texts – Opinions are what someone thinks or feels about a topic. – Reasons supporting opinions – Reasons tell us why they think that way. – Example pairs of opinion-reason – ‘Pizza is the best because it’s tasty and customizable.’ – Practice with opinion-reason – Find opinions in a story and the reasons behind them. | This slide introduces students to the concept of opinions and reasons in writing. Begin by explaining that an opinion is what someone believes, and it’s not a fact. Then, discuss how reasons support opinions by providing explanations for why someone holds that belief. Use relatable examples to illustrate opinion-reason pairs, such as favorite foods or games, and why they are liked. Encourage students to think of their own opinions and reasons. As an activity, have students identify opinions and their supporting reasons in a familiar text or story, reinforcing the concept that opinions should be backed up by clear reasons.

Crafting Your Own Opinions – Start opinions with ‘I think’ or ‘I believe’ – Use ‘because’ to give a reason – Write about a favorite book – Choose a book you love and think about what makes it special to you – Share why it’s your favorite – Is it the story, characters, or the pictures? Explain using ‘because’ | This slide is aimed at teaching students how to express their opinions clearly. They should start their sentences with phrases like ‘I think’ or ‘I believe’ to state their opinion. Then, they should use the word ‘because’ to introduce the reason behind their opinion. For practice, students will write their own opinion about their favorite book, explaining why they like it using the structure taught. Encourage them to think about the aspects of the book that stand out to them, such as the plot, characters, illustrations, or the feelings the book evokes. This exercise will help them understand the importance of providing reasons for their opinions and will enhance their critical thinking and writing skills.

Crafting Your Opinion: Support with Reasons – Read the opinion passage – Find the stated opinion – Think of a supporting reason – What makes you agree with this opinion? – Write your reason in the passage – Use ‘because’ to explain why you agree | This slide is aimed at teaching students how to strengthen an opinion with a supporting reason. Start by reading the passage together and identifying the opinion. Discuss what an opinion is and how it can differ from person to person. Then, guide students to think critically about why someone might hold that opinion. Encourage them to come up with a strong reason that supports the opinion and to articulate this reason clearly in writing. Use the word ‘because’ to help them connect their opinion with their reason. For example, if the opinion is ‘I think dogs are the best pets,’ they could write ‘I think dogs are the best pets because they are loyal and always happy to see you.’ This exercise will help students understand the importance of backing up their opinions with solid reasons.

Class Activity: Crafting Opinion Passages – Read opinion passages as a class – Discuss reasons with a partner – Think: Why do you agree or disagree? – Share your reasons with the class – Practice public speaking skills – Complete the opinion worksheet – Use the worksheet to write your own reasons | This activity is designed to enhance students’ understanding of opinion writing. Start by reading opinion passages together to model fluent reading and to introduce examples of opinion statements. Pair students up to discuss their thoughts on the passages and to brainstorm reasons for their opinions. Encourage them to think critically about why they agree or disagree with the opinions presented. After the discussion, have students share their reasons with the class, which will help them practice their public speaking and listening skills. Finally, hand out the opinion passage worksheets for students to complete, guiding them to articulate their reasons in writing. This exercise will help solidify their understanding of how to support their opinions with reasons in their writing.

Conclusion & Reflection: The Power of Reasons in Opinion Writing – Importance of reasons for opinions – Reasons support your opinion and make it stronger. – Strong reasons can persuade others – Good reasons can convince others to agree with you. – Reflect on opinion writing lessons – Share your opinion writing journey | In this slide, we emphasize the significance of backing up opinions with strong reasons. It’s crucial for students to understand that simply stating an opinion is not enough; providing reasons makes their opinion more credible and persuasive. Discuss how using strong, logical reasons can influence others’ thoughts and potentially change their minds. Encourage students to reflect on what they’ve learned about opinion writing, including the structure of an opinion piece and the importance of reasons. Have them share their experiences and progress in opinion writing, highlighting any challenges they overcame and what they enjoyed about expressing their views.