Persuasive Writing Unit

We are working on our persuasive writing unit. The essential questions for this unit are: Why do people share their opinions? And, How do people share their opinions?

In Kindergarten, the writers told, drew, and wrote their opinion or likes and dislikes about a topic or book. This year, writers will compose by sharing opinions or likes and dislikes and provide evidence to support those opinions. They will learn that effective opinion pieces include a stated opinion with supporting reasons and contain a sense of closure. This unit is unique from other first grade units in that students will publish two times. During the first 2-3 weeks, students will publish a book on a persuasive topic of their choice. The second publication (2-3 weeks) will be a book review on a book chosen by each student. This unit provides a great opportunity for students to have their voices heard. Students are expected to publish at least one of these pieces digitally in order to share their opinions with others. Students will record each other sharing their book reviews. Students always really enjoy our "book review viewing event".

This week we have learned about what is fact vs. opinion. Students have used a graphic organizer to write down some opinions they have (I've found they have many!), and used a template to begin planning out the evidence they will use as they begin writing.