Teacher: Brittany Anderson

Subject: Writing
Title of Lesson: Fact vs. Opinion

Date: Tuesday April 7th,

2015
Grade Level: 2
Lesson Length: 30 minutes

Overview of the Lesson

Lesson Summary:
In this lesson, students will understand how to analyze an opinion writing
piece and create a list of Dos and Donts for opinion writing.
Massachusetts Framework Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an
analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the
topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that
support the opinion, use linking words (because, and, also) to connect opinion
and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section
Lesson Objectives: The students will be able to..
Analyze an opinion writing piece.
Collaboratively create a list of dos and donts for opinion writing.
Materials/Equipment to be Used in Teaching the Lesson:
Dos and Donts anchor chart (create as a whole class together)
The snow opinion piece anchor chart
2 opinion pieces to read aloud and pass out to each pair for analyzing
Projector to more easily and efficiently show the opinion pieces to the
students
21 highlighters
21 clip boards
The students opinion pieces that they are currently working on
Enduring Understandings:
Big Ideas: The students will understand that
There are dos and donts to writing opinion pieces
Concepts: fact, opinion, do, dont
Essential Questions:
What is a do when writing an opinion piece?
What is a dont when writing an opinion piece?
What is a fact?
What is an opinion?
What makes a great opinion piece?
What makes a bad opinion piece?
Content
Factual Content:

The students will learn the dos and donts of writing opinion pieces.
Vocabulary:
Tier 1:
Fact a piece of information that is true, researchable, and can be proven
Opinion a view, judgement, or belief that someone has but not everyone
agrees with
Tier 2:
Dos things to include in your opinion writing
Donts things to avoid when writing an opinion piece
Tier 3:
Critical Thinking Skills (Reading, Writing, Speech, Listening)
Students will analyze the sample opinion pieces.
Students will collaborate with a partner.
Students will highlight the opinion statements in the sample opinion pieces.
Students will create a Dos and Donts anchor chart.
Students will give evidence and reasoning for their ideas.
Assessments (Performance Tasks/Tests/Quizzes Formative/Summative,
Informal/Formal)
I will informally assess the students by walking around and listening in on the
partners conversations while analyzing the sample pieces. I will also
informally assess the students by noticing who raises their hands while
creating the Dos and Donts list, what ideas are mentioned, and how their
behavior is while on the rug.

Action/Instructional Procedures
Procedures:
Set up:
o Bring all students to the rug. The star student is Josh this week and he may pick
3 friends to sit on the bench with him. If any student is wearing a dress or skirt,
they may sit in a chair. Jack and Graciella may get a fidget toy to play with while
on the rug. The Fact vs. Opinion anchor chart that we created last week must be
hanging visibly on the white board. The objective must be written visibly on the
white board (I can analyze an opinion writing piece and create a list of Dos and
Donts for opinion writing). Set the projector up to easily display the sample
pieces. Have 23 sample pieces printed out ready for each student to analyze and
highlight. Make sure every student/pair has a highlighter and clipboard to use
when analyzing.

Anticipatory Set:
o Start the lesson by reviewing the Fact vs. Opinion anchor chart that was created
last week. Have the students turn and talk and answer the question, What is a
fact? Take some answers. Tell me more. Can you give me an example? Have
them turn and talk again and answer the question, What is an opinion? Take
some answers. Tell me more. Can you give me an example? (3 min)

Step 1:
o Show the pictures of uniforms on the projector. Write the word uniform on the
board and circle uni. What does uni mean? Take some answers. Today we
are going to be reading 2 opinion pieces written by students. They are letters to
Mrs. Dakin about whether or not we should have school uniforms. They are fake
though so dont worry, we are not getting school uniforms. (2 min)
Step 2:
o Place the first writing sample under the projector. Read this aloud to the students
while they follow along. Place the second writing sample under the projector.
What do you notice already about this 2nd piece? Take some answers. Read this
piece aloud while the students follow along. Now, your job is to go back to your
seat with a partner or stay here at the rug with a clipboard, and re read each piece,
and highlight the opinion statement. Who can repeat to me what I just said. What
is your job in the next 5 minutes?
o Send the students off to their seats. If students get stuck, prompt them with these
questions - Whats the authors opinion? Find one opinion and see if the author
repeats it later in the piece. How do we normally set up an opinion piece?
(intro, statement, support). (8 min)
Step 3:
o Bring the students back to the rug after they have had 5 minutes to analyze the
pieces and highlight the opinion statements in both. What did you notice about
the opinions? Was it clear? What was the authors opinion? (Kids at
Meadow Brook should not have to and the last sentence should be highlighted
in the first piece.) (Meadow Brook students should not have to wear and the last
sentence should be highlighted in the second piece.)
o Have them find evidence for why they think the authors opinion is what it is (too
expensive, do laundry all the time, cant be unique, no freedom of choice, cant
show style, all look the same) (3 min)
Step 4:
o Now, we are going to make a Dos and Donts list of the things that opinion
pieces should and should not have in them. Turn and talk for a minute about 1 do
and 1 dont that you think should be on this list. What should an author of an
opinion piece do or not do when writing. Take some answers and write them on
the anchor chart. (Do: state your opinion at the beginning and end; care about the
topic; use evidence; be friendly; stay on topic; sound convincing; others feel the
same) (Dont: be rude, go off topic; just speak for yourself me, my, I)
o If the students get stuck, prompt them with the question How should you act as
an author? As students are giving answers, tell them to find evidence. Where
did the author do that? What was the author rude? (Its a horrible idea) Where
was the author polite? (Thank you) (5 min)
Step 5:
o For closing, tell the students that as authors, they need to be thinking about all of
these things while they are writing. They are going to practice this for the rest of
the week and if there are things that they need to go back and fix or change or
add, that is definitely okay. (1 min)

Partners:
1. Mckayla and Michael M
2. Sam and Michael P
3. Tyler and Ella
4. Andrew and Cole
5. Susannah and Josh
6. Kym and Angela
7. Anja and Jayden K
8. Graciella and Jack
9. Sara and Lesley
Reflection :
I thought this lesson went very well. I had everything set up and ready to go for when the
students got back inside from recess and the lesson started right at 10:30. I also had the
pairs already assigned previously and thats how I called everyone to the rug which was
very efficient.
I had our previous anchor charts hanging up which helped students to recall the
information that I was asking of them since we hadnt looked at them since last Thursday.
I made sure the appropriate students had their fidget toys and for the most part, they all
stayed sitting and listening for the whole lesson.
When calling them back to the rug for closure, I would also do it by partners because that
transition took longer than expected. Also, I would have had them leave the highlighters
at their desks because they were playing with them during the final activity.
I thought they all grasped the main idea of what was being taught and I was very pleased
with the ideas and thoughts that were being said by the students.