Opinion writing is a form of academic paper which asks students to include their thoughts when it comes to a topic. A thesis is the main idea of an opinion essay. Kids were engaged and I did not have to prep much!” -Courtney E. “Everything you need to have a thorough Opinion writing unit for primary kids. When students are ready to write more they can add a detail in the green and yellow sections. A good thesis statement expresses the writer's opinion on a topic, instead of just offering facts. You will need to consider the author of the book, journal, website or other material. What others are saying: “PERFECT for second grade! Creating the statement "Loving a pet responsibly includes having that pet spayed or neutered" leaves room for discussion, while the statement "Abusing animals is wrong" presents an opinion that is so well accepted that there is little interesting material. A thesis statement might read, "Though Shakespeare composed many tragic plays, 'Romeo and Juliet' stands alone as his most tragic work." Choosing "Atticus Finch succeeds as a character because he is a good father to his children, an asset to his neighbors, and a heroic lawyer for his community" makes it clear what the main idea will be for each of the three body paragraphs in the essay. Some teachers will give you a list of unacceptable sources, but you should evaluate all of your sources as well. However, you can begin by filling in a few blanks to a standard statement. Then you demonstrate your green sentence and have them write their green sentence. Instead, break down the process into small chunks over a period of time. Becoming more knowledgeable is a practical way to learn how to write an opinion paper successfully. The body of your paper is where you … During a revision, also make sure that you transcribed any data accurately and that you cite your sources. Low-prep lessons, posters, activities, slide shows, writing project templates, and more for 4+ weeks of instruction. Thesis. For example, you might have: “This paper is about (insert your topic), and I plan to prove/argue (the focus of your paper).” Essentially, this will make up your thesis, but you need to revise and refine the statement to make it fit seamlessly into your introduction. (More on color-coding in narrative writing here.) With this thesis, for example, it wouldn't make sense to veer into debates about global warming. I'm Hannah and I help dedicated elementary educators to teach their best with engaging curriculum. As well, follow a few important rules, and this will help you write an effective paper. What qualifications does the writer have? Does she have affiliations with a political or social group that might lead her to have a biased viewpoint? Body. A good thesis statement sets up the three-body paragraphs for a five-paragraph essay. After you introduce your topic, the body of your paper should start with the most important idea or research that backs up your thesis. Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review. The statement "Raising the minimum driving age is a good way to reduce the number of accidents" is a thesis statement, where "Driving can be unsafe" is simply a presentation of a known fact. It provides direction for the reader as to what to expect as the essay is read. Effective research papers require a well-thought thesis, and many students have a difficult time forming a good thesis. That thesis is best expressed as a one or two sentence thesis statement that presents the focused argument that will be made by an essay writer. *Comprehensive, EVERYTHING YOU NEED *Common Core aligned *Grammar and Vocab Integrated *Research-based techniques *Differentiation options, Contents: *22 Quick-Read Lesson Plans *Graphic Organizers for Planning *Grammar Activities *Vocabulary Activities *4 Interactive PowerPoints *9 Posters *3 Interactive Notebook Activities *Rubrics *4 Publishing Projects *Teacher Demonstration Examples, **For personal and single classroom use only.**. Kate Beck started writing for online publications in 2005. Research popular counterclaims as well—in order to truly understand what you are arguing for or against, it is imperative that you understand the opposing side. As well, you will need to evaluate if the information is outdated. Then, move on to the next most important concept you need to share, and so on. When you complete a draft of your paper, you might think you can call that good enough, but turning in an effective research paper takes a little more effort. Your personal opinion should be informed and fully developed, but it doesn't stop there. You might cringe at the thought of research papers, but teachers often assign them as a way to encourage critical thinking and a deeper exploration of a topic. Your thesis sets the tone for your paper and helps to guide its direction and keep you focused on a narrow topic. Click HERE. A well-organized, in depth discussion of the topic will give a logic and clarity to your work, and this will help your score on the paper. Teach opinion writing like a pro without spending all your time planning! Copyright © This is then backed by a logical explanation and examples. Beck is currently putting the finishing touches on a novel. Your research paper should have a structure that makes sense for the topic. Selecting the statement "Batman is my favorite superhero because of his determination" has one focused topic, whereas the statement "I have a fondness for Batman as a hero, but I also like Superman" invites an essay that will waffle between to topics. A thesis statement shouldn't present an opinion that is overly obvious. A thesis helps guide an essay a paper. However, you can begin by filling in a few blanks to a standard statement. A good thesis statement argues one main idea. Get great writing from your students with 4+ weeks of opinion writing materials. Would you rather purchase through TpT? A good thesis statement expresses the writer's opinion on a topic, instead of just offering facts. The Classroom Key, When sharing materials from this site, please link back to the original post or provide a social media link to @theclassroomkey, Some photography provided by: Research-based and low-prep activities to help your students become expert readers. Follow along on Pinterest for more writing ideas: Follow Hannah @ The Classroom Key’s board Literacy on Pinterest. Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images, Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, The University of Wisconsin-Madison: Writing a Research Paper, The University of Kansas: Research Papers, The Bedford Guide to the Research Process; Jean Johnson. Present the Writer's Opinion. Use One Thesis Statement, Not Two Make sure you use quality sources during your research process. Arthur Camara has been working as a writer and English teacher since 2000. She worked as a certified ophthalmic technician for 10 years before returning to school to earn a Masters of Fine Arts degree in writing. Kids were engaged and I did not have to prep much!”-Courtney E. What others are saying: “PERFECT for second grade! As well, when you move to new paragraphs and ideas within your paper, make sure you have good transition words that give your paper a seamless flow. Thank You!” -Diana H. “Love all the different activities to help make writing more fun and interactive!” -Kelly D. Why this unit? You will need to stay with one idea at a time, sharing your data and discoveries with the reader before moving on to the other ideas. To write an effective opinion essay, you have to understand your topic inside and out. The statement "Raising the minimum driving age is a good way to reduce the number of accidents" is a thesis statement, where "Driving can be unsafe" is simply a presentation of a known fact. Allow students to share writing in those 5-minute blocks of time you find every now and then when you finished something else early. These low-prep units give you all the materials you need to get high quality writing out of your students. You do not want to cloud your paper with information that may not stem from reputable references. Teach writing with confidence! He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College and is completing a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing at Western Michigan University. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article. Welcome! You need to go through your paper to look for grammar and punctuation mistakes. Look at each sentence individually to ensure they make sense, and then look at the surrounding sentences to ensure they go together. Low-prep lessons, posters, activities, slide shows, writing project templates, and more for 4+ weeks of instruction. As well, follow a few important rules, and this will help you write an effective paper. Effective research papers require a well-thought thesis, and many students have a difficult time forming a good thesis. A thesis also provides direction to the writer, to help keep the article focused on a central idea. Teach opinion writing like a pro without spending all your time planning! This will give credibility and accuracy to your paper. 2013- 2020 A favorite writing incentive in my classroom was the “publishing party.” After a 5 week writing unit, each student chose their best piece and we all sat in a circle and listened to each other’s work. Write at least three subsequent sentences that clarify your first statement, summarize the direction of your essay and conclude the paragraph to transition into specific examples. Try to avoid waiting until the last minute to work on your paper since this might set you up for a low score.