Overview: Students will review how to use Google Docs and type their final draft. Students will also learn how to insert a picture into a Google Document to support their opinion. In addition, students will share their writing using an author’s chair. Student writing will then be hung in the hallway.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. I can write an opinion piece and support my opinion with reasons.

Overview: Students will begin to explore opinion pieces by reviewing the difference between a fact and opinion.Building Into W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.Building Into: I can write opinion pieces and support my opinion with reasons.

Overview: Students will brainstorm and then choose a topic for their opinion paper. Students will then brainstorm a list of reasons that support their topic.Building Into W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. (I can write opinion pieces and support my opinion with reasons.)W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion. (I can provide reasons that support the opinion.)

Overview: Students will craft a strong opinion using the topic they chose on Day 2, the list of reasons they brainstormed on Day 2, and the stoplight model.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. (I can write an opinion piece and support my opinion with reasons.)W.3.1a: Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. (I can introduce a topic by stating an opinion and using an organizational structure to list reasons.)

Overview: Students will use the OREO strategy to outline their opinion paper. Outlines will include the students opinion statement, 3 reasons, and an example or detail for each reason.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. (I can write an opinion and support my opinion with reasons.)W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion. (I can provide reasons tht support my opinion.)

Overview: Students will write the introduction to their opinion paper. Students will choose a strategy to hook their reader and then rewrite their opinion statement as their introduction statement.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. (I can write an opinion piece and support my opinion with reasons.)W.3.1a: Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. (I can introduce a topic by stating an opinion and suing and organizational structure to list reasons.)

Overview: Students will write the body of their rough draft following their OREO prewriting page and transition words and phrases.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. I can write opinion pieces and support my opinion with reasons.W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion. I can provide reasons that support the opinion.W.3.1c: Use linking words and phrases (eg. because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reason. I can use linking words and phrases to connect opinions and reasons.

Overview: Students will finish drafting their rough drafts by adding a concluding statement.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. I can write opinion pieces and support my opinion with reasons.W.3.1d: Provide a concluding statement or section. I can provide a concluding statement

Overview: Students will use COPS and the focused edit strategy to practice editing and then edit their opinion paper.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. I can write opinion pieces and support my opinion with reasons.W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3 here.) I can develop and strenghten my writing by planning, revising, and editing with the help of my peers and an adult. 

Overview: Students will use a focused revising choice board to guide peer writing conferences. The teacher and students will use a focused revising choice board to guide teacher writing conferences.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. I can write an opinion piece and support my opinion with reasons.W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3 here.) I can develop and strengthen my writing by planning, revising, and editing with the help of my peers and an adult.

This is the outline for a third grade writing unit on writing opinion (persuasive) papers. The lessons and materials are linked to the outline, but they also uploaded in a PDF format as sperate lessons in WISELearn. 

This resource was created as part of the CESA #1 EL OER Project to help EL students (primarily levels 1 & 2) access social studies curriculum and text related to the 5 themes of geography. It can be used to introduce/pre-teach the 5 themes of geography vocabulary and/or as an assessment tool. Students could answer unit questions by pointing to a picture or they could complete the sort to show understanding of the 5 different themes.

5th Grade Historical Literacy Curriculum outlines the content of social-studies integrated units taught within the readers' and writers' workshop framework and taught daily for 90 minutes. Each six week unit contains standards, teaching points, vocabulary, and assessments. Readers' and writers' workshop naturally differentiates for all learners. By June of 2020, each unit will have a slide deck associated with it that contains the teaching points, integrated grammar work, vocabulary, and strategies for partner practice. Our district places careful emphasis on vocabulary, as we have a high percentage of English Language Learners.

Students learn to sing the song, "A-Hunting We Will Go" with the original verses and learn to sing several new verses that support rhyming concepts. They then brainstorm pairs of rhyming words to create their own verses for the song. As a follow up activity, students can create original verses using other simple rhyming songs as a framework.

Many Kindergarten students come up with "action words" or verbs easily after demonstrating actions. Many of these emergent readers know more words thatn they use in daily writing/reading/sharing.
This lesson is easy to use in small groups and encourages them to broaden their vocabulary in a fun format, a personal Action ABC book. They can access and practice these new (and old) verbs easily and have unique collections they have designed!

Through a series of three learning experiences, taking place across multiple weeks, students will participate in inquiry-based learning about the county in which they live and learn. Students will write informative pieces to teach others about the natural and cultural communities of Adams County.

This activity focuses on retelling and performing a story that has been formatted from a traditional version to the setting of the Old West. When retelling a story to someone else, it is important to have the sequence and all parts to the story in correct order. The beginning of a story generally tells who the characters in the story are and what the problems may be. The middle generally explains what attempts were made to solve the problems, and the end generally has the solution, results, and how the story ends. For this activity, students should be familiar with the original tale so they will see the parallel between the original and the adapted version. As you are preparing to retell/role-play the story, you will need to discuss the main characters the students will be portraying and decide what simple props, if any, may be helpful in telling the story.

The activities in this lesson provide a foundation for using nonfiction resources for developing and answering questions about gathered information. Using a wide variety of nonfiction literature, students learn to sort and categorize books to begin the information-gathering process. Then, working with partners and groups, using pictures and text, students are guided through the process of gathering information, asking clarifying questions, and then enhancing the information with additional details. Students complete the lesson by collaboratively making “Question and Answer” books for the classroom library. This is a high-interest foundation builder for using nonfiction literature in research as well as for pleasure reading

This is an informational text (two pages) on various animals that inhabit the savanna of Africa. Animals discussed are single paragraphs containing 3-4 sentences. A student multi-standard question packet is attached along with the teacher answer key.