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Opinion writing for grade 4
Presenting a point of view.
These worksheets and writing prompts emphasize the appropriate structure for writing texts that express a particular opinion or point of view.
Counterarguments : Write counterarguments to various claims.
Writing opinion paragraphs : Writing reasons, examples and counterarguments.
Writing opinion essays : Essays using a graphic organizer.
Opinion writing prompts : Various writing prompts for opinion pieces.
Grade 4 opinion writing worksheet
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Not So Wimpy Teacher
The Not So WImpy Teacher creates resources for busy teachers in grades 2-5 who are looking to deliver engaging and meaningful lessons without overwhelm and chaos.
Opinion Writing Unit FOURTH GRADE
Grade Level: 4th Grade
My fourth grade opinion writing unit includes 8 weeks of done-for-you writing lessons about how to write a strong opinion essay . This unit contains detailed lesson plans, mentor texts, anchor charts, student writing tasks, and rubrics –everything you need to be a capable, confident writing teacher with students who love to write.
Also available in the following bundles
More about this resource
If teaching writing has ever made you cry, weep, tear out your hair, question your existence, or binge-watch reality television—because it’s just that frustrating and overwhelming—this writing unit is perfect for you.
If your students dread writing time more than meatloaf in the school cafeteria…this writing bundle is perfect for them, too.
Teaching writing can be tough. Teachers tell me that their district-provided writing curriculum is:
- too complicated
Or worse, they don’t have any curriculum at all. Yikes!
But my fourth grade opinion writing unit makes teaching writing easy . It takes all the guesswork out of teaching writing and gives you the tools you need to teach engaging and effective writing lessons without breaking a sweat.
This resource is part of a money-saving writing writing bundle! Click HERE to see the bundle!
The ready-to-use lessons and activities in this opinion writing unit will teach your students h ow to use supporting facts, reasons, and examples, consider opposing viewpoints, write topic and concluding sentences, and structure paragraphs . And all you have to do is print and teach . The lesson plans are that simple. Seriously.
Student-friendly mentor texts make it easy to provide illustrative examples of new writing skills. You don’t have to waste your time and money hunting down just the right book. Focused mini lessons and daily writing tasks simplify the writing process helping ALL students, even reluctant writers, experience success. Preprinted anchor charts make it easy to model new skills and engage in shared writing without wasting valuable time.
And best of all, my opinion writing unit makes writing fun for ALL your students – from reluctant writers to excited writers . The Student Success Path helps you identify where your students are on their writing journey and plan just-right lessons and interventions . Short, focused lessons keep students engaged. Simple, direct writing tasks help kids develop confidence. Conference materials, including outlines and topic cards, you can use to guide small group discussion make it easy for you to differentiate lessons.
Choice empowers students to write about things they care about and makes them more invested in their writing. And that’s a big deal because students who enjoy writing and get lots of practice perform better on standardized testing.
Plus, these materials are easy-to-use . Everything is organized in folders to help you find just what you need. A Quick Start Guide makes it simple to get started and provides tips on how to prep materials for long-term use.
The 2-week Starting Writing Workshop mini-unit will help you start your writing instruction on the right foot. Detailed teacher directions show you exactly how to use all the resources and activities.
What’s Included:
- Detailed teacher directions and suggestions for simple implementation
- Unit-at-a-glance calendar for each unit
- 7 exclusive videos walking you through how to get the most out of these writing units
- 40 days of lesson plans that include guiding questions, materials, mini lessons, student work tasks, student share tasks, intervention, and several extension activities
- 14 original mentor text passages
- 24 opinion writing task cards (identifying whether a topic is an opinion)
- 24 opinion writing prompts task cards
- 11 teacher anchor charts (blank and filled in versions)
- Student anchor charts and printable for writing notebooks
- Conference and goal tracking forms
- Writing grades tracking forms
- List of 10 additional mentor text books (Remember, using them is optional, because I’ve included all the mentor texts you need)
- 6 different writing publishing papers
- Student writing notebook cover and dividers
- Teacher notebook covers and binder spines
- Multiple ideas for author share celebration
- DIGITAL writing notebooks on Google Slides
- Conferencing Materials – Conference outlines, a sample conference, and topic cards you can use to guide your small-group conferences
- Student Success Path – Identify where your students are on their writing journey
- Starting Writing Workshop Bonus – Two weeks of writing lesson plans to help build stamina and set your students up for writing success
Skills Covered:
Students learn h ow to craft a strong opinion essay using supporting facts, reasons, and examples, topic and concluding sentences, and structured paragraphs. Lessons include:
- Setting goals
- What is an opinion essay?
- Generating essay ideas
- Writing strong opinion statements
- Writing a lead
- Supporting your opinion with reasons
- Considering your audience
- Consider opposing opinions
- Supporting your opinion with examples
- Topic and concluding sentences
- Word choice
- Transitions
- Writing a conclusion
- Generating deeper topics (research based)
How to Use it in the Classroom:
A typical day of writing:.
I recommend you set aside thirty minutes for writing each day (or more if you have it). Check out the sample schedules below. Each day follows the same plan:
- Mini-Lesson (8-10 minutes): The day kicks off with a mini-lesson to teach a particular skill. The mini-lesson uses mentor text (remember, it’s included in the unit) and anchor charts. For the teacher version of the anchor charts, you can project and fill them out with the class, or print and display them in your classroom. The student versions are smaller so they can fill them out and keep them in their writing notebooks for reference.
- Work Time (18-20 minutes) : Students will apply the skill they just learned into their writing each day. The included writing tasks make it crystal-clear what to do during independent writing time–for you and your students. By the end of the unit, they will have completed two full masterpieces and many other independent writings.
- Share Time (2 minutes) : Students are encouraged to share a piece of their writing with a partner or with the entire class. This makes writing more meaningful to kids and holds them accountable.
Organization Made Easy:
- The opinion writing unit is organized into multiple folders and files so it’s easy for you to find what you need.
- A 40-day daily schedule so you know exactly what to teach each day.
- Detailed daily lesson plans make teaching writing easy.
Differentiation:
There are many ways to differentiate writing assignments:
- Use the Student Success Path to identify where students are on their writing journey and use the suggested interventions to modify lessons.
- These daily writing prompts are intentionally short and sweet so that all students, even those below grade level, can feel successful. Most tasks can be completed in 1-2 sentences.
- More advanced writers can write longer responses, or work on a second masterpiece if they finish early.
- Students can complete fewer task cards or work with a partner; you can also provide support to students as they work on task cards.
- The process for teaching writing includes group conferencing time. These groups should be based on ability so that you can individualize your instruction to meet the specific needs of the group. Use the topic cards to guide your small group lessons.
Why you’ll love this writing unit:
- You’ll save hours of prepping and planning time. The daily lesson plans are easy to implement. All you have to do is print and teach.
- Mentor texts are included. You do not need to hunt down or purchase any additional books! (Unless you want to. Far be it from me to stand between a teacher and new books.)
- Digital anchor charts project onto your white board-so you don’t have to be Picasso or Renoir to anchor your kids in the lesson.
- Pre-printed student anchor charts make it easy for students to follow along without having to write every word and draw complicated diagrams.
- Digital student notebooks are perfect for 1:1 classrooms and a great way to save paper.
- These lessons work for all students, even students below grade level.
- Task cards incorporate movement, reinforce concepts, and make learning fun. Daily share time encourages students to take pride in their writing.
- Direct writing instruction provides a solid foundation of writing skills that leads to increased test scores
*****************************
More Fourth Grade Writing Units:
Personal Narrative for Fourth Grade
Informational Writing for Fourth Grade
Fiction Narrative for Fourth Grade
Writing Units for Other Grade Levels:
Second Grade Writing Bundle
Third Grade Writing Bundle
Fifth Grade Writing Bundle
Frequently Asked
Yes. I also have personal narrative , informational essay , and fiction narrative writing units available.
This opinion writing unit is available for grade 4. I also have opinion writing units available for grades two , three , and five .
I prefer composition notebooks because they are sturdy and easy to use and store. But other teachers have used spiral bound notebooks or three-ring binders.
Yes. These writing lessons are based on Common Core standards.
The lessons for consecutive grade levels are very similar because the standards are similar. The biggest difference is that the reading level on the mentor text passages is modified to meet the specific grade level. Other differences include new examples in the lesson plans and anchor charts and new task cards. It is generally fine to use units that are one level above or below grade level. You might want to select the lower grade level to ensure that the mentor texts are easier for students to read.
Each unit includes eight weeks of materials. I recommend spending 30-45 on writing each day. The lesson takes 8-10 minutes and the rest of the time would be used for independent writing.
Students complete two masterpieces in each unit. But they may work on additional pieces if they finish daily assignments early.
My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. However, they are based on the writing standards. My curriculum is organized into units of study and formatted in the workshop model and hundreds of teachers have successfully used my writing units with their district provided curriculum.
My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. With that being said, I have hundreds of teachers who have chosen to use my units as a supplement to their Lucy curriculum because it is more manageable and engaging for students.
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Opinion Writing (Grades 4-6)
Our Opinion Writing lesson plan for grades 4-6 will introduce your students to the basics of opinionated writing, and help them craft their own opinionated responses to open-ended questions.
Included with this lesson are some adjustments or additions that you can make if you’d like, found in the “Options for Lesson” section of the Classroom Procedure page. One of the optional additions to this lesson is to help struggling students brainstorm reasons for an opinionated topic by giving them different subjects that they can choose from.
Description
Additional information, what our opinion writing (grades 4-6) lesson plan includes.
Lesson Objectives and Overview: Opinion Writing guides students through the process of brainstorming a topic, outlining their paper, and writing a five-paragraph essay on a topic of their choosing. At the end of the lesson, students will be able to successfully write a well-organized and persuasive opinion paper. This lesson is for students in 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade.
Classroom Procedure
Every lesson plan provides you with a classroom procedure page that outlines a step-by-step guide to follow. You do not have to follow the guide exactly. The guide helps you organize the lesson and details when to hand out worksheets. It also lists information in the green box that you might find useful. You will find the lesson objectives, state standards, and number of class sessions the lesson should take to complete in this area. In addition, it describes the supplies you will need as well as what and how you need to prepare beforehand. The only supplies you will need for this lesson are the handouts, and to prepare ahead of time, you can copy them.
Options for Lesson
Included with this lesson is an “Options for Lesson” section that lists a number of suggestions for activities to add to the lesson or substitutions for the ones already in the lesson. This lesson lists two optional additions for students who may be struggling with the lesson material. With these students, you can help them brainstorm reasons for an opinionated topic by giving them different subjects that they can then choose from. You can also have them create a pros and cons list for each side to discover the reasons for each topic.
Teacher Notes
The teacher notes page includes a paragraph with additional guidelines and things to think about as you begin to plan your lesson. This page also includes lines that you can use to add your own notes as you’re preparing for this lesson.
OPINION WRITING (GRADES 4-6) LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES
Opinion writing.
The Opinion Writing (Grades 4-6) lesson plan includes two content pages. It begins by discussing opinionated writing. Opinions are how you think or feel about a subject. People have opinions on everything that you can think of, from favorite school subject to least favorite vegetable. Different people have different opinions. Your favorite fast food restaurant may be different from someone else’s. It’s normal for people to have different opinions, and this is what makes people unique!
The lesson next states that opinion writing allows writers to share what they believe. Opinionated writing aims to share your opinion and back it up with reasons. You can use opinion writing to let other people know what and why you’re thinking. There are specific words that we use when writing in this way. We often use words such as like, I believe, and I think in opinion writing. When you write an opinion essay, you must include reasons for your opinion. The best way to find these reasons is to think about why you believe that way. You must then back these reasons up with specific examples. This will make your argument more compelling and will help people understand your opinion.
The lesson then includes two paragraphs. Students should read the paragraphs and try to determine which is informational and which is opinion-based. The first paragraph explains to readers what a natural habitat is. The author gives examples of habitats and what they offer different species. It doesn’t tell how the author feels about the subject and primarily share information about it. This paragraph is the informational paragraph. The second paragraph is opinion-based and discusses why the author thinks people shouldn’t cut down natural habitats. They use strong language, like the words awful and wrong to explain how they feel.
OPINION WRITING (GRADES 4-6) LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS
The Opinion Writing (Grades 4-6) lesson plan includes three worksheets: an activity worksheet, a practice worksheet, and a homework assignment. You can refer to the guide on the classroom procedure page to determine when to hand out each worksheet.
INFORMATIONAL VS OPINIONATED ACTIVITY WORKSHEET
Students will work with a partner to complete the activity worksheet. They will read two passages and decide which passage is informational and which is opinion-based. They will then underline the opinion-based words and circle the reasons the author gives.
PASSAGE PRACTICE WORKSHEET
The practice worksheet asks students to read a passage and answer questions about it. These questions ask whether the passage is informational or opinion-based, what their personal opinion on the topic is, and more.
OPINION WRITING HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
For the homework assignment, students will read a short prompt and answer the questions in a way that shows what they believe. The questions are open-ended and students should back up their opinion with specific reasons.
Worksheet Answer Keys
This lesson plan includes answer keys for the practice worksheet and the homework assignment, though they note that students’ answers will vary. If you choose to administer the lesson pages to your students via PDF, you will need to save a new file that omits these pages. Otherwise, you can simply print out the applicable pages and keep these as reference for yourself when grading assignments.
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Opinion writing allowed me to guide the students how to share their opinions. Students all identified that opinions differ from facts. However, opinions can be supported by facts.
Opinion Writing 4-5 Grade
It was very helpful in helping my student write evidence based opinion essays.
GREAT resource and very beneficial
I was so pleasantly surprised by the lesson plans and variety of topics!!
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44 Opinion Writing Prompts for 4th Grade
Ice cream is the best dessert.
It comes in more flavors than you can count and goes well with many different toppings.
Many people believe that cake is the best dessert because it is sweet and covered in frosting. However, it is not as versatile as ice cream.
Being able to form a claim and support it is an important step in becoming a skilled writer. In this guide, you will find prompts that will help you improve this skill and encourage you to explore opinions that might never have occurred to you.
How to Use This Guide
As long as you are using the opinion writing skills that you’ve learned in class, this guide is yours to use however you’d like. But if you’re feeling a little stuck and need some inspiration, here are some ways you could use these prompts:
- Pick a random number every day.
- Scan the list and pick a topic that interests you.
- Pick a topic based on what you’ve eaten, read, or watched recently.
Pick a Prompt and Go For It!
- Should all schools require uniforms? Why or why not?
- Why do you think your best friend the best friend?
- Which is better: spring break or winter break?
- In your opinion, why is your favorite food the best food?
- Do you think cafeteria food should be more nutritious?
- What is the most important thing in your pencil box? Why?
- In your opinion, should school days start later?
- At what age do you think kids should have cell phones?
- Which holiday is the best, and why?
- Who is the better hero: Percy Jackson or Harry Potter? Why?
- Do you think students should be allowed to pick their teachers? Why or why not?
- Which is better: skiing or snowboarding? Why?
- Which Marvel character do you think is the most powerful?
- What is one book you think every 4th grader should read?
- Do you prefer cats or dogs? Why?
- Should students be allowed to pick their own seats in class?
- Would you rather watch a movie at home or in the theater? Why?
- Would you rather live in the city or the country?
- Do you think it is more important to be a good listener or a good speaker?
- Should homework be banned? Why or why not?
- Should kids be allowed to choose their bedtime?
- Which is better: the park or the beach?
- Should you be allowed to eat fast food every day?
- Do you think kids should get an allowance?
- If the world was stuck in one season, which would you choose and why?
- Write a letter to your teacher convincing them to get a class pet.
- What kind of music do you think is best?
- Who is the best Disney princess, and why?
- In your opinion, what is the best dessert?
- Which sport do you think is the best?
- Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
- Should competitive video gaming be considered a sport? Why or why not?
- Insects: Creepy-crawly, or fascinating?
- Do you think parents should make kids do chores?
- Write a persuasive letter to your teacher, convincing them to take you on a special field trip of your choice.
- If you could make one rule for your classroom, what would it be and why?
- Why do you think it is important to be kind?
- Which sports team is the best and why?
- Do you think animals are smarter than humans? Why or why not?
- Which national monument would make the best field trip and why?
- If you were stranded on an island and only had three items with you, what would they be and why?
- If you could be a teacher, a firefighter, or a postal worker, which would you be and why?
- Describe what you like best about being in 4th grade.
- Do you think we are doing enough to help the environment? Why or why not?
Looking For More Ideas?
If you’re looking for some more amazing writing prompts, check out our website.
We’ve got lists for every type of writer, as well as resources for teachers and parents to help guide young writers along the way.
If you’ve got an idea that you’d love to see us share, reach out and let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
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101 Exciting 4th Grade Writing Prompts for 2023 (Free Printable!)
Use them for journal writing, essay topics, and more!
Fourth grade is a time for students to continue to hone their writing chops as they put to use the skills they’ve learned and gain confidence in their abilities. We’ve collected this list of fourth grade writing prompts—including opinion, persuasive, informational, and narrative—to spur your students’ imaginations and get them writing!
You can get 50 of these fourth grade writing prompts in a free PowerPoint slideshow bundle! They make it easy to share these writing ideas with your students. Grab your free PowerPoint bundle by submitting your email here .
- Persuasive and Opinion Writing Prompts
- Descriptive and Expository Writing Prompts
- Narrative and Personal Writing Prompts
- Creative Writing Prompts
- Current Events Writing Prompts
Persuasive and Opinion 4th Grade Writing Prompts
Would you rather be good at sports or good in school? Why?
Would you rather have lots of money or lots of friends? Why?
What is your favorite subject in school? Why?
Are fourth graders ready to stay home alone? Why or why not?
Name two characters from different books that you think might be good friends. Why?
Which is more important for success, skill or luck?
Should kids be paid an allowance to do chores around the house? Why or why not?
Why are classroom rules important?
If you had a time machine, what era of history would you visit?
Why is math important?
Why is science important?
Should fourth graders have cell phones? Why or why not?
If you could open a store, what type of store would it be and why?
Which would you rather read: a scary story that gives you goosebumps or a funny story that cracks you up? Why?
What is the hardest thing about being a fourth grader?
If I were the ruler of the world, the first law I would pass would be … because …
If you found a backpack filled with dollar bills, what would you do?
Is it ever OK to tell secrets? Why or why not?
What animal makes the best pet? Why?
Is it better to spend an hour a day reading or an hour a day exercising? Why?
Descriptive and Expository 4th Grade Writing Prompts
If you had a YouTube channel, what would you talk about?
What’s the best book you’ve read recently? What was it all about?
If you won a million dollars, how would you spend the money?
Describe what you think of as perfect weather.
Describe how to build a birdhouse step by step.
Write five rules for staying organized.
What is the worst book you ever read?
Describe the physical appearance of someone in your family in detail.
Imagine you are in a hot-air balloon above your house. Describe everything you can see.
Describe how to play your favorite board game.
There’s an old saying: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” What do you think this saying means?
Describe your perfect day.
One of your little cousins is very nervous about starting kindergarten. What would you tell them to make them feel better?
Imagine you are an adult and describe your dream job.
Explain your morning routine in detail, from waking up to arriving at school.
Describe the perfect meal, including what you’d eat and where you’d dine.
Share what you do on a typical non-school day.
Explain the right way to do one of your household chores, like making your bed or cleaning your room.
Describe your favorite room at home in detail.
How do you prepare for a big test? Describe the ways you study or practice.
Narrative and Personal 4th Grade Writing Prompts
Share one of the stories your family has told you about when you were a baby.
What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?
Write about an adult you look up to.
What’s the nicest thing anybody has ever done for you?
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Write about a time you felt like quitting but didn’t. How did you keep yourself going?
Do you like nonfiction books or fiction books better? Why?
What makes your family unique?
What would you say is your greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
Are you a patient person? Why or why not?
What is something you’ve never done that you would like to try?
What is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you?
Write about a time you tried something new and how you felt before, during, and after.
What is your earliest memory?
What’s your favorite holiday? What makes it so special?
Write about a time when you felt proud of yourself.
Tell the story of your favorite field trip of all time.
If you could relive any day in your life, what would it be? Would you want it to be the same or different?
What holiday is important to your family? Describe how you celebrate it together.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever gotten? How did it make you feel?
Creative 4th Grade Writing Prompts
If you met an alien, what three questions would you ask them?
Pretend you drank a magic potion that made you as tiny as an ant. Where would you go and what would you do?
Pretend you ate a magic pill that made you as tall as a redwood tree. Where would you go and what would you do?
Write a story that includes these five words: keys, spaghetti, uncle, jellyfish, spaceship.
What would the world be like if dinosaurs still existed?
If you could invent something new the world really needs, what would it be? How would it work?
Retell a classic story, making the villain the hero instead.
Imagine that one day you woke up and found everyone in the world could no longer talk. What would happen next?
Write a new chapter of your favorite book, with yourself as a new character.
Imagine you woke up one morning with a superpower, like invisibility or the ability to fly. Describe your experiences learning how to use that power.
Use these words to start a story: “When I opened the box that came in the mail, I never expected to find …”
Describe a world where it rains fruit juice and snows M&Ms.
Come up with the most ridiculous excuse possible for why you are unable to turn in your homework today.
Describe a world where all the adults are robots, but kids are still human kids.
Imagine a conversation between yourself and a talking animal.
Describe the kind of creature you’d create if you were a mad scientist. Would it be scary and mean? Nice and friendly?
Invent a new kind of candy. Give it a name, and write a commercial jingle for it.
Write about a day where kids are in charge instead of grown-ups.
Imagine you’re lost in a haunted wood, and tell the story of your escape.
Tell a story that ends with these words: “… and that’s how we all learned to fly.”
Describe a night in the life of the tooth fairy.
Current Events 4th Grade Writing Prompts
If you made a time capsule for this year, what would you put in it?
Describe something that you saw in the news recently and how it made you feel.
Tell about an event that happened recently at your school or in your town.
What do you think is one of the world’s biggest problems right now, and how would you solve it?
Read a news story about something happening in another country and summarize it.
Write a news article about something important that happened to you this week.
Create a poem about something in the local news right now.
Write a letter to the editor about a current issue, explaining your opinion.
Find a “good news” story, and share why it makes you happy.
What living famous person do you most admire and why?
What do you think kids today can do about climate change and global warming?
Learn about an endangered animal, and describe what we can do to help it.
What does the word “racism” mean to you?
What is one thing you would do to make your school or town a better place?
Choose an upcoming sports event, and explain who you think will win.
Describe a current fashion trend or something that’s very popular in your school right now, and how you feel about it.
What can we do to help people with different opinions get along with one another better?
Interview a grown-up you know, and write a news article about them.
What do you think is the best new song right now? The worst? Why?
Describe an event that’s happening in the world right now that you don’t understand. What questions would you ask a grown-up about it?
How do you use writing prompts with your students? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .
Also check out 57 awesome 4th grade books you’ll want to share with students ..
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Writing a persuasive argument
Common Core Standards: Grade 4 Reading: Informational Text , Grade 4 Writing , Grade 4 Language
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.8, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.10, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5
This worksheet originally published in English Made Easy Key Stage 2 for ages 9 to 10 by © Dorling Kindersley Limited .
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The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers
The Importance of Opinion Writing
Encouraging our students to express their personal opinions is an important part of the learning process; healthy even. To do this effectively, it is equally important that we help them acquire the necessary skills to express these opinions in a reasoned and coherent manner when teaching opinion writing.
Writing is one of the best possible vehicles for our students not only to express their opinions but to explore the strength and validity of those opinions.
CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY
For our students to competently express their opinions in writing, they must first understand the specific requirements of the type of question they are answering. Of course, there are many types of questions and fun opinion writing prompts that are geared towards coaxing personal opinions from a student and each will require its own specific tailored response.
It’s clear that personal opinions permeate a wide range of genres and media. We find opinions everywhere from hotel reviews and infomercials to political commentary and newspaper editorials. But, despite the diversity of forms opinion writing can take, we can helpfully identify some general criteria that will assist our students in navigating the challenge of most opinion writing prompts and questions.
Let’s take a look at some of these criteria in more detail.
A COMPLETE UNIT FOR TEACHING OPINION WRITING
Teach your students to write EXCELLENT PERSUASIVE ESSAYS and master INFLUENTIAL WRITING SKILLS using PROVEN TEACHING STRATEGIES with this 140-PAGE UNIT.
ALL RESOURCES AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS INCLUDED – NO PREP REQUIRED.
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OPINION WRITING CRITERIA TO ADDRESS
1. identify the audience: speak clearly.
Writing is about language and language is about communication; students should understand that we do not write in a vacuum. The purpose of an essay, letter, or any other form of writing we care to name, is ultimately to be read.
This means that it is essential that consideration be given to the character of the intended audience. Also, remind students that when they are writing, the reader is not privy to the inner workings of the writer’s mind. They must make their thoughts explicit in their writing and ensure that these thoughts are expressed in a coherent manner.
The student writer should always avoid making the assumption that the reader knows things that are not expressed explicitly in the writing.
2. Take a Stance: Stand Firm
From the very outset, the student should state their position boldly. More than that, they must stand firm in that opinion throughout the entirety of the piece.
Opinion writing is not about communicating a series of pros and cons or discussing at length the various related advantages and disadvantages, the place for that is not here. The opinion piece should open with a bold statement of opinion that is clearly expressed, and that opinion should be held unwaveringly and reinforced constantly throughout the text.
As with many other writing genres , employing a hook to grab the reader’s attention is good practice too. This hook can take the form of a quotation, an anecdote, a statistic, or even a joke. Whatever form the hook takes, it should reveal the writer’s take on things too.
To summarize, whatever the topic and however the student opens their opinion piece, they should ensure they express their opinion immediately and coherently. There should be no doubt in the reader’s mind as to where the student-writer stands on the issue.
3. Choose Appropriate Evidence: Back It Up
There is no doubt that subjectivity is an important aspect of opinion writing in general. That does not mean, however, that opinions do not need to be substantiated.
Your students will need to recognize that each and every statement of opinion will need to be supported by appropriate evidence. This will also help students to develop their critical reading skills as they will be able to better recognize when unsubstantiated claims are made by other writers. Opinions backed up with evidence help lead the reader along the writer’s pathways of thought; making the writing more convincing as a whole.
This evidence can take a wide variety of forms, ranging from personal anecdotes and quotations to statistics and references to scientific studies. Students should also always be encouraged to choose evidence that is broadly suited to the subject they are writing about.
4. Draw Conclusions: Wrap It Up
In the well-organized piece of opinion writing, as with many other types of extended writing, the writing should be structured in paragraphs. Paragraphs are essential elements of good writing organization.
Generally speaking, an opening paragraph gives way to body paragraphs. These body paragraphs, or development paragraphs, describe in more detail the ideas laid out in the initial opening paragraph by further exploring, explaining, and providing supporting evidence for each point.
The final concluding paragraph serves to close the circle by restating the central points in a closing endeavor to drive home the writer’s opinion.
5. A Word on Words
Writing is an art form. Attention to detail is important. But, it isn’t only important to look at the big picture things like structure, students should be encouraged to shift their focus from the text level down to the word and sentence levels too. In an opinion piece, strong, forceful verbs should be the order of the day. There is little space for passive forms when engaged in the construction of convincing arguments.
Things should be kept interesting too. Students should vary their sentence structures grammatically and in length. Variety is key.
As always in writing, editing should be emphasized. The editing process polishes the well-wrought opinion piece by putting the final gloss on the student’s work.
The OREO Opinion Writing Process Explained
As with all genres, there’s a lot to remember here and acronyms are a helpful way to commit these important things to memory. Luckily, few things can be easier to commit to memory than the name of a delicious cookie:
O – Opinion
R – Reasons
E – Evidence or Examples
O – Opinion (restated)
This memorable acronym will help students remember some of the main elements of opinion writing as outlined above. But, sometimes the hardest thing for students to do is to get the writing ball rolling.
Opinionated Sentence Starters
Sentence starters provide students with great ways to kick-start their writing. Reminding students of simple ways of introducing opinion sentences can be helpful. Here are a few for ‘starters’ for starters:
● In my opinion…
● I think that…
● It seems to me that…
● It appears to me…
● I feel that…
Once the student-writer has effectively expressed their opinion on a matter, they then will need to provide the reader with the reasons for why they think what they think. In an essay, these reasons will usually be found in the body paragraphs or development paragraphs. Normally, these paragraphs will explore a single reason each.
Some helpful sentence starters for introducing these reasons include:
● One reason I feel this way is…
● Evidence to support this can be found in…
● I believe this to evident in…
Opinion Writing Activities for Students
Students will certainly need practice completing sustained pieces of opinion writing, but some of the most valuable activities to help students evolve their opinion writing abilities barely require a pen to be put to paper.
While the following two activities do not require students to engage in extended pieces of writing, the activities below will assist students in grasping some essential concepts. These activities demonstrate good practice through modelling and also encourage dialogue, discussion, and debate as a means to strengthen opinion writing.
Activity 1: Opinion Writing – What Is It?
This exercise is a good follow-up to introductory work outlining the criteria of opinion writing as described above.
● Start by passing out copies of a piece of opinion writing you have selected to read with the class. Read the text aloud as the students follow along with their copy. The opinion text chosen can come from a wide range of genres, including advertisements, letters, editorials, essays, articles, or reviews.
● Assign students a talking partner and instruct students to take five minutes to identify the various criteria employed in the text. Encourage students to mark and annotate their copies of the text accordingly. You may even wish to supply students with a checklist compiled from the criteria mentioned previously in this article.
● As a whole class, discuss how successfully the text fulfills the criteria. What did the writer do well? What could they have done better? You can record their responses on the whiteboard.
The aim of this exercise is for students to hone their critical faculties while internalizing the criteria. This will reap rewards when the students later engage in their own extended opinion writing.
Activity 2: The Collaborative Case
This activity employs collaboration to help students build a stronger case for their opinion on a divisive issue.
● First, define the parameters of the exercise by presenting an either/or conundrum to the class. This doesn’t have to be overly controversial in nature, just stated in such a way that it forces the students to take one side or another. This could be stated simply as a choice, e.g. Dogs or cats? City or countryside? Beach or Mountains? Sweet or savory?
● Students then divide into two groups according to their stated preferences. In their groups, they then discuss and compile as many supporting reasons for their choice as they can come up with. As a group, they will discuss the relative merits of each reason, before agreeing on their top five.
● The groups then share their reasons in a debate format, using arguments and counter-arguments, leading into an open, free-ranging discussion.
The value of this exercise lies in the collaborative and ‘combative’ natures of the exercises. Just as our physical muscles can grow through resistance, so too can the strength and resilience of our opinions and arguments.
This activity can also be used as a lead-in to opinion writing as it works well as a prewriting preparation exercise. The complexity of the issue to be discussed and debated can easily be modified to suit the abilities of the students too.
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OPINION WRITING VIDEO TUTORIALS
These videos from teaching without frills are an excellent starting point for opinion writing. You can view the entire collection here.
The Wrap Up
Opinion writing is a higher-level skill that makes many demands on our students. It will challenge them to move beyond parroting the facts and figures they have acquired in their learning to formulate their own thoughts on topics they have learned about in class, or in the wider world beyond the school gates.
It will make demands on their skill as writers too. Our students must learn to mold and mechanically manipulate the language on the page to express their beliefs persuasively and effectively. To do this successfully, they will need ample opportunities to practice their writing craft. Once a firm understanding of the structures involved has been established, the student can become more fluid in their expression. They will add art and flair to their craft. But first, they must build on these firm foundations.
OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO OPINION WRITING
Top 5 Persuasive Writing Techniques for Students
5 Top Persuasive Writing Lesson Plans for Students and Teachers
How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps
23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students
How to Write a Winning Debate Speech
The content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh. A former principal of an international school and English university lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, The Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here. Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.
49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students
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- Grading Students for Assessment
- Becoming A Teacher
- Assessments & Tests
- Elementary Education
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- Homeschooling
One of the most common essay types is the opinion, or persuasive, essay. In an opinion essay , the writer states a point of view, then provides facts and reasoned arguments to support that viewpoint. The goal of the essay is to convince the reader to share the writer’s opinion.
Students aren't always aware of how many strong opinions they already hold. Use the following opinion writing prompts to inspire them to start thinking and writing persuasively.
Prompts About School and Sports
School- and sports-related topics often elicit strong opinions in students. Use these writing prompts to kick off the brainstorming process.
- Ch-ch-ch-changes . What is one thing about your school that needs to change? Is bullying an issue? Do students need longer breaks or a dress code? Choose one vital issue that needs to change and convince school leaders to make it happen.
- Special guest. Your school is trying to decide on a famous person to give a speech or presentation to students. Who do you think they should choose? Write an essay to convince your principal.
- Oxford or bust. Is the Oxford comma essential or obsolete?
- Scribble scrabble. Do students still need to learn cursive handwriting?
- Co-ed conflict. Would students perform better if more schools were single-gender rather than co-ed? Why or why not?
- Participation awards. Should there be winners and losers in sports, or is participation the ultimate goal?
- Homework overload. Write an essay to convince your teacher to assign less homework.
- Sports. Which sport (or team) is the best? What makes it better than the others?
- No slacking . Write an essay persuading a fellow student to do their homework.
- Class trip. This year, students get to vote on where to go for a class trip. Write an essay convincing your fellow students to vote for the place you’d like to go.
- Superlatives. Which would you rather be: a top student, a talented athlete, or an accomplished artist?
- Virtual athletes . Video games competitions are often aired on TV and treated like sports competitions. Should video games be considered sports?
- Class debate. Should classes that students may not use or that don’t interest them (such as physical education or foreign language) be required?
Prompts About Relationships
Friendships, dating, and other relationships can be both rewarding and exasperating. These writing prompts about relationships will help students explore their feelings about both the positive and the negative moments.
- Snitch. Your best friend tells you about his plan to cheat on a test. Should you tell an adult? Why or why not?
- Give it a chance. Your best friend is convinced that she would hate your favorite book, even though she's never read it. Convince her to read it.
- Friendships vs. relationships. Are friendships or romantic relationships more important in life? Why?
- Driving age. What age do kids start driving in your state? Is that age too old, too young, or just right? Why?
- Truth or consequences. Your best friend asks your opinion about something, but you know that a truthful answer will hurt her feelings. What do you do?
- Who chooses? Your best friend is visiting, and you want to watch TV together, but his favorite show is at the same time as your favorite show. Convince him that your show is a better choice.
- Fun times. What is the most fun thing you and your best friend have ever experienced together? Why does it deserve the top spot?
- Dating. Are long-term dating relationships good or bad for teens?
- New friends. You want to spend time with a new student at school, but your best friend is jealous. Convince your friend of the importance of including the newcomer.
- Be mine. Is Valentine’s Day worthwhile or just a scheme for the greeting card and chocolate industry to make more money?
- Debbie Downer. Should you cut ties with friends or relatives who are always negative?
- He loves me not. Is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
- Elders. Should you respect your elders merely because they are older, or is respect something that must be earned?
Prompts About Family, Pets, and Leisure Time
The following writing prompts related to family, furry friends, and free time will help students reflect on preferences, ethics, and integrity.
- Self-reflection. This time, you're the one who needs convincing! Write an essay to persuade yourself to start a healthy habit (or kick a bad habit).
- Paper wars. Should toilet paper hang with the loose end resting on the top of the roll or hanging from the bottom?
- Movie vs. book. Choose a book that has been made into a movie. Which version is better, and why?
- Weekend wanderings . Do you prefer to stay home on the weekends or get out and do things around town? Write an essay to convince your parents to let you do what you prefer this weekend.
- Sweepstakes. A travel agency is hosting an essay contest to give away an all-expenses-paid trip to the one place in the world you’d most love to visit. Craft a winning essay that convinces them they need to choose you.
- Zoo debate. Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos? Why or why not?
- Presence of pets. Should there be limits on the types of places pets can go (e.g. airplanes or restaurants)? Why or why not?
- Inspiring stories. What is the most inspiring book you’ve ever read? Why is it so inspiring?
- Dollar discovery. You find a $20 bill in the parking lot of a crowded store. Is it okay to keep it, or should you turn it in to customer service?
- Vacation day. What is the very best way to spend an unexpected day off from school and why is it the best?
- Digital or print? Is it better to read books in print or digitally? Why?
Prompts About Society and Technology
The people and technology around us have a significant impact on our lives. These writing prompts encourage students to consider the effect that society and technological advances have on our day-to-day lives.
- Reverse technology. Pick one technological advancement that you think the world would be better off without. Explain your reasoning and persuade the reader.
- Out of this world . Do aliens exist? Why or why not?
- Social media. Is social media good or bad for society? Why?
- Emoji. Has the use of emoji stunted our ability to express ourselves in writing, or does it help us identify our emotions more precisely?
- Auto safety. Have advancements like self-driving cars, blind spot indicators, and lane departure warning systems made driving safer, or have they just made drivers less attentive?
- Exploration Mars. Write a letter to Elon Musk convincing him that you should be part of a colony to Mars.
- Fundraisers. Is it okay for kids to stand outside stores and ask shoppers for money for their sports teams, clubs, or band? Why or why not?
- Inventions. What is the greatest invention ever made? Why is it the best?
- Important cause. In your opinion, what global problem or issue deserves more attention than it currently receives? Why should more time and money be invested in this cause?
- Minimalism. Does living a minimalist lifestyle make for a happier life? Why or why not?
- Gaming gains. Are video games generally a positive or a negative influence? Why?
- Rose-colored glasses. Is the current decade the best era in history? Why or why not?
- Paper or plastic. Should plastic bags be outlawed?
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Free Printable Opinion Writing Worksheets for 4th Grade
Opinion Writing just got more exciting for Grade 4 students! Discover our collection of free printable Reading & Writing worksheets crafted by Quizizz to enhance their skills and ignite their creativity.
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Explore printable Opinion Writing worksheets for 4th Grade
Opinion Writing worksheets for Grade 4 are an excellent resource for teachers who want to help their students develop strong writing skills, particularly in the area of nonfiction writing. These worksheets focus on reading and writing activities that engage students in expressing their thoughts and opinions on various topics, while also teaching them how to support their ideas with evidence and logical reasoning. By incorporating these worksheets into their lesson plans, teachers can provide a structured and engaging way for their Grade 4 students to practice and improve their writing abilities. Furthermore, these worksheets can be easily adapted to suit the needs of individual learners, making them a versatile and valuable addition to any Grade 4 classroom.
In addition to Opinion Writing worksheets for Grade 4, teachers can also utilize Quizizz, an interactive platform that offers a wide range of educational resources, including reading and writing activities, quizzes, and games. Quizizz allows teachers to create their own custom quizzes or choose from a vast library of pre-made quizzes, covering various topics and grade levels. This platform not only enhances the learning experience for Grade 4 students but also provides teachers with valuable insights into their students' progress and understanding of the material. By incorporating Quizizz into their lesson plans, teachers can create a more engaging and interactive learning environment, helping their Grade 4 students to develop strong reading and writing skills while also having fun.
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Worksheets Writing Grade 4 Opinion writing Opinion writing for grade 4 Presenting a point of view These worksheets and writing prompts emphasize the appropriate structure for writing texts that express a particular opinion or point of view. Counterarguments: Write counterarguments to various claims.
Grade 4 English Language Arts Opinion/Argument (Opinion Essay) Outdoor Recess...Required! Writing Sample Title: Outdoor Recess...Required! Text Type and Purpose: Grade level/Content area: Type of Assignment: Standards Addressed: Opinion/Argument Grade 4 English Language Arts Opinion Essay (W.4.1), (W.4.4), (L.4.1), (L.4.2), (L.4.3)
Opinion Writing Prompts for 4th Grade Incorporate these 4th grade opinion writing prompts into your lessons so that students will be motivated to share their thinking about certain ideas. 1. In your opinion, is it still necessary to learn cursive writing? Why or why not? 2. School uniforms?
Fourth grade writing sample #1 John Cabot and the Rediscovery of North America In this child's report on John Cabot, you'll see a few important features. First, there are five sections, each with a bolded header announcing what sort of information follows.
Yikes! But my fourth grade opinion writing unit makes teaching writing easy. It takes all the guesswork out of teaching writing and gives you the tools you need to teach engaging and effective writing lessons without breaking a sweat. This resource is part of a money-saving writing writing bundle! Click HERE to see the bundle!
Reviews What our Opinion Writing (Grades 4-6) lesson plan includes Lesson Objectives and Overview: Opinion Writing guides students through the process of brainstorming a topic, outlining their paper, and writing a five-paragraph essay on a topic of their choosing.
Check out this example of good fourth grade opinion writing: • " Zoos should close " Fourth grade writing: informative writing
In this Opinion Writing video, it will teach 4th-grade students how to write an introduction for an opinion essay. We will dive into the different parts from...
Remember, a good opinion essay: o Has an introduction o Clearly states your opinion/claim in a focus statement o Uses specific evidence from the text(s) to support your opinion and explains your thinking o Groups ideas in paragraphs o Has a conclusion o Uses precise language and linking words to connect ideas o
Updated on April 01, 2020 Students in fourth grade need varied practice developing their writing skills. According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, fourth-grade writing should include opinion pieces, informative or explanatory texts, and narratives about real or imagined experiences.
51 filtered results 4th grade Opinion Writing Show interactive only Sort by Signs of a Haunted House Worksheet Writing an Opinion Worksheet The Montgomery Bus Boycott Worksheet Opinion: Are Video Games Good or Bad? Worksheet Opinion: Should Students Wear School Uniforms? Worksheet How to Cite Strong Evidence: Literary Response Worksheet
Day 1 What's the difference between a fact and an opinion? Download File Is this essay a fact or an opinion? What is the author's opinion? What is the author's purpose? Do you agree with the author's opinion? The author is trying to persuade, or convince, the reader that bugs are disgusting and annoying.
Opinion Essay: Anchor Paper Worksheet Journal Writing Task Cards #1 Worksheet Argument Writing: Parts of an Argument #2 Worksheet Informative Essay: Mixed Up Essay Worksheet Opinion Essay: Mixed Up Essay
44 Opinion Writing Prompts for 4th Grade Ice cream is the best dessert. It comes in more flavors than you can count and goes well with many different toppings. Many people believe that cake is the best dessert because it is sweet and covered in frosting. However, it is not as versatile as ice cream.
Oct 6, 2023. Fourth grade is a time for students to continue to hone their writing chops as they put to use the skills they've learned and gain confidence in their abilities. We've collected this list of fourth grade writing prompts—including opinion, persuasive, informational, and narrative—to spur your students' imaginations and get ...
In this series of writing worksheets, your child will read an example of a persuasive argument and then answer questions about the text's structure, meaning, and language. Your child will also get practice summarizing the writer's main points. Bonus: your child may use a dictionary and/or a thesaurus for help finding word replacements.
OPINION WRITING CRITERIA TO ADDRESS. 1. Identify the Audience: Speak Clearly. Writing is about language and language is about communication; students should understand that we do not write in a vacuum. The purpose of an essay, letter, or any other form of writing we care to name, is ultimately to be read.
Opinion Essay: Anchor Paper. Worksheet. Argument Writing: Parts of an Argument #2. Worksheet. Persuasive Writing Assessment. Worksheet. Argument Writing: Respond to a Formal Letter. Worksheet. Journal Writing Task Cards #2.
49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students. One of the most common essay types is the opinion, or persuasive, essay. In an opinion essay, the writer states a point of view, then provides facts and reasoned arguments to support that viewpoint. The goal of the essay is to convince the reader to share the writer's opinion.
Opinion Writing worksheets for Grade 4 are an excellent resource for teachers who want to help their students develop strong writing skills, particularly in the area of nonfiction writing. These worksheets focus on reading and writing activities that engage students in expressing their thoughts and opinions on various topics, while also ...
5 Revise. Now is the time to revise, or clean it up. Make sure your essay flows logically; jumping from one topic to the next will disorient the reader. Check that all of your evidence supports your opinion. Listen to the way your essay sounds (literally, read it out loud to yourself).