Lessons & Units :: Fact and Opinion 4th Grade Unit

Lesson 2: Editorials- Facts that Support Opinions

Lesson Plan

Learning Goal
Identify facts that are used to support an opinion in an editorial.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Direct Teaching Curfew Letter Passage, Direct Teaching Chart; Guided Practice Passage, “Are School Uniforms that Bad?;” Guided Practice Chart; Independent Practice Passage, “Cigarettes are Drugs!,” and Worksheet
Not Provided: Chart paper, markers

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that we are going to read editorials to see how the author uses facts to support his or her opinion. As we read, we are going to identify the subject, the author’s opinion, the facts the author uses to support his or her opinion, and the sources of the facts. I will read the editorial about curfews (provided in Books and Passages) and model how to complete the “Using Facts to Support Opinions” chart (see Direct Teaching Teacher Example Chart, provided below in Teacher and Student Materials).

  • Think Check

    Ask: How did I identify the supporting facts used in the editorial? Students should respond that you read the editorial and identified the topic, the author's opinion, and then identified facts that supported that opinion.

  • Guided Practice

    will read the editorial “Are School Uniforms that Bad?” (passageis provided) and complete the “Using Facts to Support Opinions” chart (Guided Practice Teacher Example Chart is provided below) by identifying the subject, the author’s opinion, facts that support the opinion, and sources.

  • Independent Practice

    will read the editorial “Cigarettes are Drugs!” (provided) and complete the “Facts to Support Opinions” chart by identifying the subject, the author’s opinion, facts that support the opinion, and the sources for the facts. (Student Independent Practice is provided below.)

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

Build Student Vocabulary individuality

Tier 2 Word: individuality
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story Students could express their individuality in different ways, like hairdos and by just being more outgoing.
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) Individuality means the traits and characteristics that makes one person different from another. In the passage, students could express how they are different from one another with hairdos and clothing.
Students repeat the word Say the word individuality with me: individuality.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts I like to show my individuality by wearing funny t-shirts. My best friend always expresses her individuality by dying her hair different colors!
Students provide examples What is one way you could show your individuality? Students should say, “One way I could show my own individuality would be to_______”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? individuality
Additional Vocabulary Words considered, urge

Build Student Background Knowledge

Before reading "Are School Uniforms Bad?," remind students that they are also looking for the sources of facts used to support an opinion. Explain that editorial writers, news writers, and nonfiction book authors must use "sources" to share where their facts came from. There are two different types of sources—primary sources, which come directly from people or experts, and secondary sources, which come from other articles or books.

Teacher and Student Materials Get All

User Comments

i love it
Submitted by arvin on 3/19/13
Thank you! I will be using these lessons in the upcoming quarter to get ready for Opinion Writing.
Submitted by Arlene King on 3/2/13
I think these are really HIGH order thinking lesson and I LOVE THEM!!!
Submitted by CasandraLWoods on 10/17/12

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Text for this Lesson

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