Writing Class 3-5 Writing Opinion Essays

 

Warm-Up for Opinion Essays

An opinion essay makes a case for a personal feeling you have about an important topic. This lesson will help you think about your opinions on different topics and your reasons for feeling the way you do.

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What Is an Opinion?

(c) Thoughtful Learning 2016

An opinion essay explains a writer’s view about an important topic. Stating an opinion is easy: “I love that movie!” you might say, even though your friend might feel differently, or “I can’t wait for gym,” even though a classmate dreads it. Giving reasons for your opinion is not as easy. It requires you to think about why you feel the way you do.

Writing an opinion essay is all about careful thinking. Your opinion statement must be well thought out, and it must be supported by reliable reasons. As a result, opinion essays usually require some research. Once you have gathered your reasons, you can arrange them from most important to least important, or the other way around. In the end, your goal is to produce an essay that convinces your reader to agree with you.

Watch the video "What Is an Opinion Essay?"

Thinking About Opinions

For an opinion to be strong, it must be believable and worthy of arguing for. It must also be based on a foundation of solid thinking. Here is a strong opinion statement.

• Lincoln School should consider starting a chess club.

  (A phrase like should consider signals that an opinion is probably reasonable.)

In contrast, here is a weak opinion statement:

• Mondays are always the worst day of school.

  (When a word like always, never, or every appears in an opinion, it is probably not believable. Mondays can’t always be the worst school day.)

Think About It

Words like always, all, every, totally, worthless, and perfect, make opinions unreasonable and hard to argue. Few things are always true every time.

Respond to opinions.

In the following sentences, mark specific, reasonable opinions as strong. Mark others as weak. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

1. Learning penmanship is a complete waste of time.    strong   weak

2. Everyone needs to exercise more.    strong   weak

3. Our school should consider adding after-school volleyball.    strong   weak

4. Homework assignments are always boring.    strong   weak

5. The city bike path needs better lighting.    strong   weak

6. Ice cream is the greatest food ever.    strong   weak

7. Nobody wants to live in the suburbs.    strong   weak

8. Our playground needs updated equipment.    strong   weak

Thinking About Reasons

An opinion should be supported by strong, logical reasons. Reasons should be based on specific facts, not on personal feelings or faulty thinking.

Opinion: McKinley School needs an afternoon recess.

Reasons:

Students get antsy after a lot of seatwork. (A strong, factual reason)

My friends agree with me. (A weak reason based on a personal feeling)

Reasons should also connect to the reader’s interests or concerns.

Opinion: Saving our wetlands is a worthy cause.

Reasons:

Wetlands provide sanctuary to many species. (A strong reason that connects to readers)

Wetlands help mosquitoes breed. (A reason that does not connect to readers)

Judge reasons.

Read each opinion statement and its reasons. Write S (strong) for any reason that is fact based and connects to readers. Mark W (weak) for other reasons. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Opinion statement: Teachers should assign less homework.

Reasons:

Kids want less homework.

Homework should focus on quality, not quantity.

Nobody likes homework.

Opinion statement: Active people should consider drinking chocolate milk.

Reasons:

I love chocolate milk.

Cocoa-bean growers need to feed their families.

Chocolate milk has calcium for bones.

Think About It

Special Challenge: Choose a weak reason from the previous activity and replace it with a strong reason of your own. Discuss your new reason with a classmate.

Reading an Opinion Paragraph and Essay

Before you write your own essay, you can read an opinion paragraph and essay that others wrote. As you read, think about how the writers put ideas together and how you might support an opinion in your essay.

Reading an Opinion Paragraph

An opinion paragraph has three main parts. The topic sentence states the opinion. The body sentences support the opinion with reasons. The ending sentence restates or emphasizes the opinion.

Listen to “Keep Art.”

Sample Paragraph

Keep Art

Topic Sentence:
OpinionWaterford schools must keep the art program. The School Board has said that art may be cut because of money issues. Before they decide, the board members need to understand certain things about art. First of all, art helps students learn. When students work on an art project, they plan, experiment, and make choices. Working like this will help them learn in all their classes. Body Sentences:
ReasonsSecond, art helps students express themselves. In art classes, students create their own projects rather than answer questions or read chapters. And finally, art helps students understand their world. Art is part of our culture, and students need to participate in this culture. Because of its value, the School Board should Ending Sentence:
Call to Actionthink of creative ways to keep art rather than just cutting it.

Respond to the paragraph.

Answer these questions about the message. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

1. What opinion does the writer develop?

2. What three reasons does she give to support the opinion?

Reading an Opinion Essay

An opinion essay has three main parts. The beginning paragraph introduces the topic, gains the reader’s interest, and states the opinion. The middle paragraphs give reasons to support the opinion. The ending paragraph restates the opinion and provides an important final thought or a call to action.

Listen to “Value Our Art Program.”

Sample Essay

Value Our Art Program

ChiccoDodiFC/Shutterstock

Beginning ParagraphWhat class gets your brain working and helps you think? You might say math or English, and you’d be right. But you should add one other class: art. If you have questions about the value of art, just consider what Albert Einstein once said: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Art is the one class in which you always use your imagination. Opinion StatementBecause art is so important, the Waterford School District should keep the art program.

Middle ParagraphsThe School Board has said that next year’s budget will be 15 percent lower than this year’s budget. The Board will have a hard decision to make because one or two programs will have to be cut. Before the Board decides, the members need to understand the value of art.

ReasonsFirst of all, art helps students learn. When students make art projects, they plan, experiment, and make choices. These are the same activities that can help students learn in all their classes. One expert said that art helps students understand that a mistake is not always a mistake. Sometimes, it is just one choice that students can learn from and correct or change. Also, studies show that doing art can help students with their math work because in both classes, students deal with shapes and how things fit together.

TransitionsSecond, art helps students express themselves. In most classes, students sit at their desks and read, write, and do worksheets. These assignments may be important, but they can get boring. In art class, students create their own drawings, paintings, and other projects. They don’t have to worry about answering questions or making mistakes. In addition, students can move around more and share their work. Mr. Larson says his classroom is an art studio, and we are the artists at work. Plus it can make a student feel good when the finished project turns out well.

Third, art helps students understand the world. Art has always been an important part of life. DetailsEven the earliest people drew pictures in caves. Art helps make our culture better, just like music does. So creating art helps students connect with other people in the culture. Sharing art shows how we think in similar and different ways.

Ending ParagraphThe Waterford School board may drop the art program because it is seen as an extra subject. This would be a mistake because art is such an important part of learning. Tom Horne, Superintendent of Schools in Arizona, said it best: “If [educators] are worried about test scores and want to get them higher, they need to give kids more art, not less.” So it is important that we think of creative ways to save the art program!

Respond to the essay.

Answer these questions about the opinion essay. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

1. How does the beginning part gain the reader’s attention?

2. What is the opinion statement in this essay?

3. Why is the second paragraph important?

4. What connecting words or transitions are used to introduce each supporting opinion?

5. Does the writer begin with his most important reason or his least important reason?

6. Why is the final thought in the essay important?

Prewriting for Opinion Essays

Prewriting is your first step in writing an opinion essay. These prewriting activities will help you select a topic to write about, develop an opinion statement, and gather and organize your details before you begin a first draft.

Prewriting to Select a Topic

For your own opinion essay, you need to select a topic that is debatable and that you feel strongly about. A debatable topic is one that people have differing opinions about. There is no debate that young people need to exercise, but there is debate about extending the school year.

Brainstorm topics.

For each category, list at least two debatable opinions that you could write about. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

School Classes

Environment

City/Neighborhood

School Activities

Sports

Select a topic.

Share your topic ideas with one or two classmates to find out which ones they like. Also ask yourself which topics you feel most strongly about. Put a star (*) next to the topic for your opinion essay.

Prewriting to Develop Your Opinion

With an opinion in mind, you need to collect your thoughts for your essay. This will help you decide what you already know about your topic and what you need to find out.

Collect your thoughts.

Answer these questions about your opinion statement. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

1. Why is the topic important to me?
2. What do I already know about it?
3. What reason do I have to support my opinion? (You should have three strong reasons.)
4. What else do I need to learn about the topic?

Prewriting to Collect Details

In your essay, you will develop each reason in a separate paragraph. There are many different types of details that you can use to explain each reason. Here are six common types:

• Facts are true statements that can be checked.

  When students make art projects, they plan, experiment, and make choices.

• Statistics are facts that involve numbers.

  The School Board has said that next year’s budget will be 15 percent lower than this year’s budget.

• Examples show a specific case or version of something.

  Mr. Larson says his classroom is an art studio, and we are the artists at work.

• Explanations tell how or why something works as it does.

  In most classes, students sit at their desks and read, write, and do worksheets. These assignments may be important, but they can get boring. In art class, students create their own drawings, paintings, and other projects. They don’t have to worry about answering questions or making mistakes. In addition, students can move around more and share their work.

• Quotations are the thoughts and words of experts.

  Tom Horne, Superintendent of Schools in Arizona, said it best: “If [educators] are worried about test scores and want to get them higher, they need to give kids more art, not less.”

• Concessions show that you are aware of the other side of the issue.

  The School Board has said that next year’s budget will be 15 percent lower than this year’s budget. The Board will have a hard decision to make because one or two programs will have to be cut. Before the Board decides, the members need to understand the value of art.

Identify important details.

Write your reasons below. Then list two or three details to explain each reason. Check Web sites, science books, and magazines. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Reason 1:

Details:

Reason 2:

Details:

Reason 3:

Details:

Identify a concession.

Identify an opposing opinion or idea that you might need to admit.

Prewriting to Plan Your Essay

Once you have completed your research, you are ready to plan and organize your information for writing.

Revisit your opinion statement.

Write your opinion statement here. Reread it. If, for some reason, it doesn’t sound believable and say exactly what you want it to say, try another version, and another. Choose the opinion statement that works best.

Opinion statement:

Arrange your reasons.

List your reasons below in the order that you want to explain them. List the most important reason either first or last. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

First reason:

Second reason:

Third reason:

Writing an Opinion Essay

Once you finish prewriting, you are ready to create the first draft of your essay. These writing activities will help you create a strong beginning, middle, and ending for your opinion essay. You'll also read examples from another student's essay to see how each part works.

Writing the Beginning Paragraph

The beginning paragraph of an opinion essay is very important. It should introduce the topic, get the reader’s attention, and state your opinion. To get the reader’s attention, you can ask questions, make a dramatic statement or two, or share important information.

Review a sample and write your beginning.

Read this beginning paragraph and then write your own. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Dramatic StatementsIt is expensive and dangerous. It doesn’t always work in cold weather, and it pollutes. Would anyone possibly want such a thing? The answer is yes. Topic NamedPeople in the United States and around the world all want their own cars. Opinion StatementPeople can’t wait to drive them, even though they do cause problems.

Beginning Paragraph

Writing the Middle Paragraphs

The middle paragraphs in your essay should give background information as needed and state the reasons that support your opinion.

Read a sample and write middle paragraphs.

Review the following middle paragraphs and then write your own. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Dmitry Kalinovsky/Shutterstock

Background:
ConcessionIt is true that cars are the main form of transportation in many countries, including the United States. Outside of major cities, most grown-ups drive to work, to shop, and to most events in their lives.

First Supporting
ReasonCars have come to rule our lives. We need cars to have jobs, and we need jobs to have cars. It may be hard to believe, but a new car is put on the road every second. With so many cars on the roads, we need more and more roads. In fact, half of the land in our cities is for roads, and having so many roads takes away from areas that could be used for homes and parks.

Second Supporting
ReasonCars have become a great source of pollution. The average car gives off five tons of carbon dioxide every year, and carbon dioxide is a major cause of polluted air. With so many more cars, pollution will continue to increase. The exhaust from cars also adds to the problem of smog. It is true that cars have reduced their emissions, but they still pollute.

Third Supporting
ReasonCars are the leading cause of death and serious injury. Around the world, cars kill a quarter of million people every year and injure millions of others. With more cars, there will be more chances for serious accidents to occur. Road rage and drunk driving make the roads less safe, too. These conditions can make driving small cars really dangerous.

Background Paragraph (Optional)

Reason 1 Paragraph

Reason 2 Paragraph

Reason 3 Paragraph

Writing the Ending Paragraph

The ending paragraph should restate the opinion and provide an important final thought or make a call to action. A call to action tells readers what you want them to do.

Read a sample and write an ending paragraph.

Read this ending paragraph and then write your own. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

SummaryCars are an important part of American life, and people depend on them. Unfortunately, cars can rule our lives, create pollution, and cause deaths. Even so, there are more and more cars all the time, and this increase makes the problems worse. Call to ActionWe need to drive less and walk, bike, and ride more. If we don’t, cars may end up causing even more problems than they solve.

Ending Paragraph

Revising Opinion Essays

Once you finish a first draft of your opinion essay, set it aside for awhile. When you return to it, you can see it anew. That's what revising means—seeing your work with new eyes. When you revise, you look at your essay from your reader's perspective to make sure your writing includes compelling details and flows smoothly. These activities will help you revise.

Revising to Make Concessions

It is important that you remain fair in an opinion essay. This means that you must consider all the issues and other opinions related to your topic. If you concede some of the issues on “the other side,” you can actually strengthen your own opinion.

The second paragraph in “Car Problems” fairly concedes that cars are important in modern life. But the writer also says that they are still a problem. Sometimes, a concession will begin with a transition such as these: it is true that, admittedly, even though, or I agree that . . .

Evaluate concessions.

Review these concession paragraphs and decide if the writer remains fair in discussing opposing ideas. Also underline the transition that introduces the concession, if one is used. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

It is true that many older adults are uncomfortable with new technology. They have spent most of their lives without laptops and smart phones, and it is hard for them to learn how to use them. But we should still make every attempt to become a paperless society.

It is so unfair that all the parents or guardians don’t attend the music programs. We work so hard that there should be no empty seats in the auditorium. Parents and guardians should be there! No excuses.

I understand why some people grow their own food. It saves them money, but it doesn’t work for me. I would prefer to go to the store and pick up what I want to eat. That’s why we have stores.

Check your essay.

If you have a concession paragraph in your essay, review it for fairness.

Revising to Use Transitions

Transitions help you connect the ideas in your writing. They also help the reader understand what ideas are the most important and how they fit together. You can use transitions to connect the paragraphs in your essay, and you can use them to connect the sentences within each paragraph.

Add transitions to an essay.

Insert three of these transitions into the middle part of the following opinion essay: first of all, because, consequently, in addition, lastly. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

cars have come to rule our lives. We need cars to have jobs, and we need jobs to have cars. It may be hard to believe, but a new car is put on the road every second. With so many cars on the roads, we need more and more roads. In fact, half of the land in our cities is for roads, and having so many roads takes away from areas that could be used for homes and parks.
 

cars have become a great source of pollution. The average car gives off five tons of carbon dioxide every year, and carbon dioxide is a major cause of polluted air. With so many more cars, pollution will continue to increase. The exhaust from cars also adds to the problem of smog. It is true that cars have reduced their emissions, but they still pollute.
 

cars are the leading cause of death and serious injury. Around the world, cars kill a quarter of a million people every year and injure millions of others. With more cars, there will be more chances for serious accidents to occur. Road rage and drunk driving makes the roads less safe, too. These conditions can make driving small cars really dangerous.

Check for transitions.

Review your first draft for transitions. Add them if needed.

Revising with a Peer Response

Share your writing.

Have a partner read your essay and then respond to it by completing this form. A responder should try to list at least one strong point for each part and, if at all possible, one thing to improve. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Revising in Action

When you revise, you add, take out, rewrite, and rearrange your writing to make it clearer. Here are revisions to one student’s essay.

• Paragraph Before Revisions

Paragraph Before Revisions

Transitions and a concession were added.

Paragraph After Revisions

Revise with a checklist.

Read each line in the checklist. When you can answer each question with a yes, check it off. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Developing Your Ideas

• Does my opinion deal with an important topic?
• Is my opinion clearly developed with strong reasons?
• Do details (facts, examples, explanations, . . .) explain the reasons?
• Do I sound sincere and interested in the topic?

Structuring Your Ideas

• Does the lead sentence gain the reader’s interest?
• Does the beginning paragraph state my opinion clearly?
• Do the middle paragraphs follow order of importance?
• Do transition words connect my ideas effectively?

Editing Opinion Essays

After making big changes to improve your opinion essay, you need to make little changes (editing) to correct any remaining errors. You'll look for problems with sentences, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling. The following activities will help you edit and publish your writing.

Editing Commas with Intro Words

Place a comma after introductory words, phrases, and clauses in sentences. The comma after introductory material signals that the main part of the sentence will follow.

Here is an example where the comma comes after a word.

Admittedly, many older adults are uncomfortable with new technology.

In this example, the comma comes after a phrase.

First of all, cars have come to rule our lives.

The comma comes after a clause in this last example.

Because art is so important, the School District must keep the art program.

Watch the video "Commas with Introductory Words"

Use commas with introductory words.

Add a comma after each introductory word group. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Check commas in your essay.

Review your opinion essay for commas after introductory words, phrases, and clauses.

Editing for Agreement

Make sure that your subjects and verbs agree in your sentences. If you use a singular subject, use a singular verb. If you use a plural subject, use a plural verb.

"Everyone" is the singular subject and "gets" is the singular verb.

Everyone in the fifth grade gets to go bowling.

"People" is the plural subject and "get" is the plural verb.

The people in my table group get to compete as a team.

Compound subjects can be challenging. A compound subject joined by and takes a plural verb. If the compound subject is joined by or or nor, the verb matches the last subject.

"And" creates a compound subject. "Play" is the plural verb.

During the summer, Jarrod and Leon play basketball.

"Or" creates the compound subject in this sentence. "Plays" is the singular verb.

Either Jarrod or Leon plays center on the team.

Correct subject-verb agreement problems.

Edit the following sentences to correct any problems. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Check subject-verb agreement.

Review your essay, making sure all your subjects and verbs agree.

Editing in Action

When you edit, you check your revised essay for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage errors.

Paragraph Before Editing

Commas were added and changes in subject-verb agreement were made.

Paragraph After Editing

Edit with a checklist.

Use this checklist as a guide when you check your opinion essay for errors. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Checking Grammar and Usage

• Do all subjects and verbs agree?
• Are words used correctly (your/you’re, their/there/they’re, its/it’s)?
• Are sentences complete (no fragments or run-ons)?
• Are may, might, must, and other helping verbs used correctly?

Checking Capitalization, Punctuation, and Spelling

• Is the first word in each sentence capitalized?
• Are the names of people, places, and things capitalized?
• Do commas and quotation marks set off quotations?
• Do commas set off introductory words, phrases, and clauses?
• Is each word spelled correctly?

Publishing Opinion Essays

When you publish your opinion essay, you make it public, sharing it with others. First, you need to make a clean final copy of your work. Then you should find ways to share what you have written with classmates, your teacher, your family, and your friends.

Publishing a Final Copy

Create a final copy of your opinion essay.

Include your revising and editing changes and check one last time for errors. (If you are using a computer, spell-check your work.) Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Reflecting on Your Writing

Reflect on your writing.

Complete the following form to help you think about your essay-writing experience. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.