1. Features of Effective Opinion Pieces What Methods Do Writers Use to Build and Support Their Opinions?

2. C.C. Standards  RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.  W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.  SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

3. Materials  Handout: Sample Criteria chart: Effective Opinion Pieces  Chart: Criteria of Effective Opinion Pieces  Reader/Writer Notebook  Chart paper and markers

4. Access Prior Knowledge  Whole Group-  What is an opinion piece?  How do you know it is an opinion piece?  What are some opinion pieces you have read or written about?

5. Add to the Chart: Criteria of Effective Opinion Pieces FeatureCharacteristics TitleStates or hint at opinion

6. Small group:  Talk with your group to think and share about past experiences with opinion pieces and list other features and their characteristics that made them effective.  Make a list

7. Whole Group  Handout: Sample Criteria chart Effective Opinion Pieces  List in chart.

8. Adding to chart  Now we will add methods to our chart.  Discuss with your groups some authors’ methods which are used in effective opinion pieces.  Make a list

9. What Methods do Writers use to build and support their opinions? FeatureCharacteristicsMethodsCharacteristics TitleStates or hints at opinion QuestionsCreates interest and draws the reader into the topic

10. Whole Group Share and add to the chart.

11. Back to the Handout  Refer back to the handout for authors’ features and methods of opinion writing.  What opinion pieces have you read that have used these authors’ methods?  Which methods do you notice that authors use more often?  Place handout in your reading/writing notebook.

12. Quick Write  Review the class chart  Consider which features are most important for an effective opinion piece: What would absolutely have to be included in an opinion piece in order for it to qualify as an opinion?  Make your own list of essential features and explain why you chose those features as essential, you have 5 minutes.