Learn to WRITE & Compare Dinosaur Facts: Build Skills to Write Opinion Paragraphs: Level 3

In this on-going course, learners will meet once a week, in a writer's workshop series of lessons. Learners will be developing early writing skills with in developing opinion writing skills. Learners will engage in activities such as drawing pictures, labeling pictures and using their pictures to create sentences and state their opinions. Each week, learners will focus on a new writing skill. 

LESSON OUTLINE: Each lesson will focus on prewriting skills, such as think - alouds, planning, using graphic organizers and drawing pictures. At the beginning of each lesson, learns will be introduced to two different animals (outlined below). Learners will review some simple facts about animals using pictures through a NEARPOD lesson. Learners will then use a graphic organizer and write down 2-3 facts about each animal. Teacher will model all aspects of writing to support learners. Learners will then choose which animal they like more. Learners will use an organizer with words focusing on opinion sentences, to discuss what animal they like more any why they like that animal. An example of the graphic organizer is attached. Organizers will be updated weekly depending on the focus animal. Learners will be invited to draw a picture of their chosen animal and use the sentence frames to write their own opinion piece about animals. 

These lessons will include skills taught from the Kindergarten Common Core Standards in Writing, including standards, W.K.1 -focusing on writing opinion sentences, 
CCLS: W.K.1- Learning how to write opinion sentences.

Here is the course outline for topics covered in the months of January, February and March
Focus Animals By Week:

Focus Animals: Nocturnal Animals 

Week of July 26: Bat & Mole
Week of August 2: Cricket & Lightning Bug
Week of August 9: Opossum & Raccoon
Week of August 16: Spider & Skunk
Week of August 23: Luna Moth & Dormouse  
Week of August 30: Hedgehog & Wombat

Writing is a very important skill for learners to develop, but it is also important they have time to practice this skill on their own. In this writer's workshop type class, learners will have a mini-lesson at the beginning of class, to actively engage and learn a new skill, or practice an older skill. Learners will actively engage in topics and information about both animals we are focusing on each week. Learners will learn facts about both animals. Learners will use graphic organizer to write down some facts about each animal. 

At the end of the lesson, the teacher will model how to use these facts to write an opinion about which animal they like more. Learners will use a graphic organizer provided by the teacher to write down their opinion of the animal they like, including facts they learned during class. Each step of writing will be modeled for students that need support. 

Learners will see this skill modeled from the teacher. During class, learners will have ample time to practice using this skill on their own. Skills will include, answering a prompt with their opinion, drawing a picture and dictating what they drew, or using vocabulary to discuss what they can see in a picture. Learners will be provided with a lot of support from the teacher, including visuals, word banks and sentence starters. 

At the end of the lesson, learners will be given time to share their writing if they choose to. If their writing is unfinished, they can complete it after class.