Unpacked

W.5.1 a-d

Standard:

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

  1. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
  2. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
  3. Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
  4. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

Unpacked Standard:
  1. Fifth grade students should write opinion essays that clearly state their preferences and supply the reasoning for their thinking. What is the writer’s opinion?
  2. Students need to understand how their reasoning supports their opinion, how to search and find facts to support their viewpoint, and share this thinking. Why do you have the opinion you do? When students present ideas in a logical order it makes their argument stronger.
  3. Students build their argument by linking ideas together in a logical manner. Writers link their opinions and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses such as for instance, consequently, specifically, in order to, in addition, the result is and it is clear.
  4. At this level, students use a variety of sentence structures and more complex sentences. They are developing the use of more complex sentences with clauses (consequently, specifically). Often writers save their strongest points for last so that they end their piece on a powerful note.
Literary Essay: Response to Narrative and Expository Literature
Students should be asked to respond to both narrative and expository literature in the form of a literary essay. The literary essay requires that students are able to respond to a prompt and can write an argumentative response and support the argument using evidence from the text.
Argument and The Common Core
Throughout CCSS, there is a push for students to reason based on logic, to use reliable and relevant evidence to back their claims, to consider the perspectives of others, and to evaluate sources.
Structure of Argument
•Staking a Claim is when the writer states a position.
•Multiple Evidence is used to support the argument and strengthen their position.
•The writer restates the claim and connects the evidence to personal position taken.
Argument / Persuasion
•Purpose is to help reader make an informed decision or consider an idea, even when the author has presented views that are different than those of the reader.
•Based on research and logic.
•Substantiates claims with multiple sources of evidence.
•Involves evaluation the strengths and weaknesses of multiple perspectives.
•Addresses counter claims, although the piece is clearly written defending one side. / •Purpose is to “win over the reader,” to appeal to their feelings or wishes in order to make them believe what the author is saying is true.
•Based on passion and emotion.
•Convinces by appealing to the credibility of the author or the interests and emotions of the audience.
•May consider the perspectives of others, but not always.
•Focus is on the writer’s viewpoint.
What students need to know: / What students need to do:
  • Students need to know how to stake a claim and support their claim with reasoning.
  • Students need to know how to search and find facts to support their claim or viewpoint with evidence.
  • Students need to know how to build an argument and link their ideas together logically.
  • Students need to know how to make their claim relevant.
  • Students need to know how to use a variety of sentence structures and complex sentences.
  • Students need to know how to provide a strong concluding statement or section related to their opinion.
  • Students need to know how to plan their writing prior to drafting.
/
  • Students will stake a claim and support it with reasoning.
  • Students will search and find facts to support their claim with evidence.
  • Students will link their ideas together to logically to build an argument.
  • Students will make their claim relevant.
  • Students will use a variety of sentence structures and complex sentences.
  • Students will provide a strong concluding statement or section to support their opinion.
  • Students will plan their writing prior to drafting.

Level 1
Entering / Level 2
Emerging / Level 3
Developing / Level 4 Expanding / Level 5
Bridging
Domain: WRITING / Plan how to explain your opinion on a topic working with a partner group and using diagrams from word/phrase banks and communicating ideas by drawing. / Plan how to explain your opinion on a topic working with a partner group and producing sentences from word/phrase banks and filling in graphic organizers. / Plan how to explain your opinion on a topic working with a partner group and stringing related sentences together and producing simple expository or narrative text. / Plan how to explain your opinion on a topic working with a partner group and using taking notes using a graphic organizer and summarizing content-based information. / Plan how to explain your opinion on a topic working with a partner group and producing extended responses of original text approaching grade level. / Level 6 Reaching

ELD Standard:

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.