Organizing Thoughts While Close Reading

For this particular writing, we began as a class close reading a text about whether or not the penny should be still a coin we use in the United States. Because our focus is opinion, our purpose for reading the text from the standpoint of whether we are for the production of the penny or against the penny’s continuation. A great way to organize thoughts while close reading the text for this purpose is a t-chart that says for on one side and against on the other. I teach my 5th graders to organize this information in their journals. I do not make them create a graphic organizer this way—it is an option. However, they must show me how they organized the information they read in their journals with the purpose of differing opinions. Most of my students chose the t-chart as their organizer, however, some created their own organizers which worked for them.

Class Discussion

Once they completed the reading, each student had to decide whether or not they were personally for or against the production of the penny. As a class we had a discussion of their stance and their why or why not behind their stance. This discussion was so engaging. Listening to their opinions and the reasons behind them based on the text was very compelling. Discussion is an important piece prior to writing. This allows students to voice their opinions, reasons, examples and ideas. I talk about discussion and discourse in my book, Read Outside Your Bubble: Expand Your Bookshelf, Expand Your World. On pages 52-53 of my book, I discuss examples of community agreements you can create in having healthy discourse in your classroom. At the beginning of the year we created community agreements for discussions and we come back to those agreements often.

Students Planning Their Writing

Once students have had their discussions and close read the text, they are able to plan their writing. I have a persuasive/opinion writing plan for them that I use and eventually I wean them off of a plan already set up for them–they eventually draw this plan on their own in their journal. The plan includes an idea for a hook, stating their opinion, three reasons, evidence from the text, elaboration and examples. It ends with a reminder to restate their opinion in a different way. This plan (which is in the video above) is so helpful for students to use to gather their thoughts and begin to writing. Students have said how much this plan is helps them as they begin writing/typing their opinion writings. As students are completing their plans, I make sure that I am a facilitator in that. I model a plan for them which helps them take in my thought process and the ways I look for evidence and brainstorm examples. By modeling for students, it gives them an idea of the level of expectation and teaches them how to plan effectively. When students are creating, I make sure I monitor and meet with students as they are planning. I also have them glue their plans in their ELA journals, because if they lose their plan they are heartbroken because it makes writing easier for them.

Drafting Their Writing

Students use their plan to begin drafting their writing. I also model this. Again, modeling helps students see the pathway forward in their writing. This helps them move from the plan to their writing drafts. Students can write their opinion writings in their journals or they can type it. Most of the time, I have my 5th graders type their writings. Most of them like to type rather than write out their essays, however, sometimes we do write in our journals things like summaries, notes, our thoughts, etc… Students begin using their plan to draft their writing. While they are doing this, I am walking around conferencing with students. Conferencing with students is so essential and doable. I will chat more about conferences next week! In the meantime, follow these steps in getting started with opinion writing with your students. I cannot wait to dig more into how I move into that process!

Chat next week!