Opinion writing is naturally a high-engagement unit. Students LOVE to share their opinions, verbally and in written form. I love harnessing all of their excitement into meaningful lessons that truly teach students each step of writing opinion pieces.
When it comes to writing instruction we focus on three major units: narrative writing, procedural writing, and opinion and persuasive writing in the same unit. We group opinion and persuasive writing together since persuasive writing is focused on the writer's opinion. Once students have mastered opinion writing, we dive into persuasive writing. Persuasive writing goes one step further than opinion writing, as it not only shares the author's opinion but also focuses on convincing the reader that the author's opinion is correct with additional writing techniques. Come spring, we take a break from writing in these genres to get our writing feet wet with poetry writing.
Here is how I break down the opinion writing genre for my upper elementary students to help them understand all of the different elements found in the writing genre. These tips are perfect for any opinion writing lesson at any time during the year or to tie together opinion writing and the seasons.
Whether you are just beginning an opinion writing unit or reviewing this important writing skill these tips will help your students be successful in writing opinion pieces. Be sure to grab the FREE opinion writing starter kit mentioned in this post.
What is Opinion Writing?
What does Opinion Writing sound like?
- I think
- I believe
- I feel
- In my opinion
- It seems to me
- I prefer
- My favorite
- First, next, then, finally
- In conclusion
How is Opinion Writing Organized?
- Introduction: Hook the reader, introduce the topic, clearly state your opinion with a thesis statement.
- Body: Be sure to include at least 3 specific examples to support your opinion, using keywords throughout the body.
- Conclusion: Wrap up with a strong conclusion statement that clearly states your opinion again.
Students love sharing their opinion about things that they value and know a lot about! By using broad topics for opinion writing like, what is your favorite after-school activity, students can use their strengths and knowledge that they already have to successfully write an opinion writing essay. By doing this, you will keep students motivated and engagement high!
TEACHER TIP: Not sure of an interest that will engage your students? Ask them! Brainstorm different topics with your students that they want to write about. From that list you can allow choice or assign a topic you want them to write.
What Opinion Writing tips will help students shine?
Build on student interest and motivation by teaching your kids some opinion writing tips that will make their essays top-notch.
Try these tips:
- Start off strong to engage your readers
- Know who your audience is that is reading your writing
- Use a mix of keywords, supporting details, and interesting word choice to keep readers engaged
- Wrap up with a strong conclusion that restates your opinion
Opinion writing is a genre of writing that engages all levels of writers! By introducing opinion writing lessons with a broad topic or something else that students are interested in, like seasonal activities or relevant topics, students become invested in writing their best pieces.
If you want to practice opinion writing all year long, introduce the genre in the fall and practice writing these pieces all year long! Follow these tips and you will see high success in your class!
Looking for Opinion Writing Activities?
Try these print and digital opinion writing tasks your students will love!
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