Springfield College

Unit Plan Template

Teacher: Meghan Giannettino Date: April 24, 2017

Subject: Writing Grade Level: 2nd

Brief Summary of the Unit:

In the unit, the students will be learn that the purpose of opinion writing is to convince
the reader to agree with the author. They identify topics they have opinions about and
explore how opinion are expressed and supported in persuasive writing. They informally
learn some of the characteristics of this genre, such as identifying an audience, clearly
stating opinions, giving reasons to support opinions, using linking words to connect reasons
to opinions, and writing effective opening and closing sentences. This informal
introduction to opinion wiring lays the foundation for more forma instruction in the later
grade. The students also use discussion promotes to help them agree and respectfully
disagree when they talk about their opinion with one another.

The student will also draft pretend persuasive letters. They brainstorm topics they
have strong opinions about and write several other opinion piece. Then they each select one
opinion piece to develop and publish for a class book.

Stage One Desired Results

What do we want the students to learn?
Massachusetts Framework Standards:
2 .W.2 Writing opinion pieces that are supported by reasons.
2.W. 5 Introducing a topic and providing a concluding statement or
section related to their opinion
2.W. 1 Using linking words to connect their opinion and reasons

Enduring Understandings:
Big Ideas: Using reasons to support opinion
Concepts: Writing about personal opinion

Essential Questions:
How to start/introduce an opinion piece?
What does the pneumonic device O.R.E.O. (Opinion, reason, example,
opinion) stand for and how does it help us to write an opinion piece?
Who and how does the character want to persuade?
How does the character try to persuade that person to agree?
How are the two stories similar?
What is similar about the way Alex starts thee two persuasive letter?
Content:
Exploring opinion writing and giving reasons to back up
 Critical Thinking Skills:
Identifying audience and purpose for opinion writing
Exploring writing clear statement of opinion
Exploring opening and closing sentences that state students opinions
Using linking words to connect opinions and reasons

Stage Two Assessment Evidence

What will the students have to do in order to demonstrate their
understanding of the material?
Performance Tasks: student will draft pretend persuasive letters. They brainstorm
topics they have strong opinions about and write several other opinion piece. Then they
each select one opinion piece to develop and publish for a class book.

Self-Assessments and Reflection: Students self-assess and reflect by going

over the check list and rubric before the teacher formally assesses

Stage Three Lesson Plans

Teacher: Meghan Giannettino Date: 4/24/17

Subject: Writing Day 1 Grade Level: 2nd
Title of Lesson: Exploring Opinion Writing Lesson Length: 1 hour
Overview of the Lesson
Lesson Summary: Introduce opinion writing with O.R.E.O anchor chart.
Explain that this is a kind of writing in which the author tries to persuade the
readers, or get the reader to agree, about something. Read aloud I Wanna
Iguana. Explain that in this story, the main character, Alex, tries to get
another character to agree with him about something. Go over essential
questions to engage students thinking before and during the story. After the
reading discuss the essential questions during think, pair, share time.
Independently Students will write an opinion letter to a family member
persuading them to get a pet. Once student are finished a few volunteers will
read aloud their letters at Readers Chair. Writing will be collected at the end of
the lesson.
Lesson Objectives:
The students will be able to write an opinion piece that are supported
by reasons.

Materials/Equipment to be Used in Teaching the Lesson:

I Wanna Iguana book
O.R.E.O anchor chart

Massachusetts Framework Standards:

2.W.1 Write an opinion piece that are supported by reasons
Enduring Understandings:
Big Ideas: The students will understand to using reasons to support
opinion

Concepts: Writing about personal opinion

Essential Questions:
What does Alex want?
Who does he want to persuade?
How does he try to persuade that person to agree?
What was Alex trying to do in the story?
What are some reasons Alex give for adopting an iguana?
What are some reasons Alexs mom gives for not adopting the iguana?
What does the pneumonic device O.R.E.O. (Opinion, reason, example,
opinion) stand for and how does it help us to write an opinion piece?

Content
Factual Content: Exploring opinion writing and giving reasons to back up

Vocabulary: Compassionate, doubt, dresser, trophies, mature, concerned, tail

basis, financial wizard, opinion, and persuade

Tier 1: Dresser, trophies and, mature

Tier 2: Compassionate, doubt, concerned, opinion, and persuade

Tier 3: Tail basis and financial wizard

Critical Thinking Skills (Reading, Writing, Speech, Listening)

Students will critically think and write an opinion letter while providing
reasoning and examples to persuade their audience.

Assessments (Performance Tasks/Tests/Quizzes Formative/Summative,

Informal/Formal)
Informal Assessment: The teacher will walk around and observe, assisting students as needed.

Formal Assessment: Collect students writing to be graded based off rubric.

Action/Instructional Procedures

Procedures
 Anticipatory Set: Introduce Opinion writing with O.R.E.O anchor chart.

Step One: Explain that this is a kind of writing in which the author tries to
persuade the readers, or get the reader to agree, about something.

Step Two: Read aloud I Wanna Iguana. Explain that in this story, the
main character, Alex, tries to get another character to agree with him
about something.

Step Three: Go over essential questions to engage students thinking

before and during the story

Step Four: After the reading discuss the essential questions during think
pair share time.

Step Five: Independently Students will write an opinion letter to a family

member persuading them to get a pet. The teacher will walk around and
observe, assisting students as needed.

Closure: Once student are finished a few volunteers will read aloud their
letters at Readers Chair. Writing will be collected at the end of the
lesson.
Teacher: Meghan Giannettino Date: 4/25/17
Subject: Writing Grade Level: 2nd
Title of Lesson: Exploring Opinion Writing Day Lesson Length: 1 hour
2
Overview of the Lesson
Lesson Summary: Review O.R.E.O anchor chart. Explain that we will reread a
few sentence from the story, and invite the students to think about what is
happening in each part of the story as they listening. Go over essential
questions to engage students about the story. Remind students that in this
story Alex is writing persuasively to his mother. Read aloud a new story I
Wanna New Room. This story has the same characters as the last. After
reading the story discuss the essential questions. Then point out example Alex
gives to support his opinion in the letters that follow. Independently Students
will write an opinion letter on a topic of their choice. Once student are
finished a few volunteers will read aloud their letters at Readers Chair. Writing
will be collected at the end of the lesson.
Lesson Objectives:
The students will be able to write an opinion piece that are supported
by reasons.

Materials/Equipment to be Used in Teaching the Lesson:

I Wanna Iguana book
O.R.E.O anchor chart
I Wanna New Room book

Massachusetts Framework Standards:

2.W.1 Write an opinion piece that are supported by reasons

Enduring Understandings:
Big Ideas: The students will understand to using reasons to support
opinion

Concepts: Writing about personal opinion

Essential Questions:
 What does the pneumonic device O.R.E.O. (Opinion, reason, example,
opinion) stand for and how does it help us to write an opinion piece?
How in this story similar to I Wanna Iguana? How is it different?
What are some reasons Alex gives for having his own room?
What are some reasons Alexs father give for not giving Alex his own
room?

Content
Factual Content: Exploring opinion writing and giving reasons to back up

Vocabulary: Privacy, careless, property, diplomatic, change the subject,

wing, condo, and the principle of the thing.
Tier 1: Privacy, careless, and property

Tier 2: Diplomatic, wing, and condo

Tier 3: The principle of the thing and change the subject

Critical Thinking Skills (Reading, Writing, Speech, Listening)

Students will critically think and write an opinion letter while providing
reasoning and examples to persuade their audience.

Assessments (Performance Tasks/Tests/Quizzes Formative/Summative,

Informal/Formal)
Informal Assessment: The teacher will walk around and observe, assisting students as needed.

Formal Assessment: Collect students writing to be graded based off rubric.

Action/Instructional Procedures

Procedures

Anticipatory Set: Review O.R.E.O anchor chart.

Step One: Explain that we will reread a few sentence from the story, and
invite the students to think about what is happening in each part of the
story as they listening

Step Two: Go over essential questions to engage students about the

story. Remind students that in this story Alex is writing persuasively to
his mother.

Step Three: Read aloud a new story I Wanna New Room.

 Step Four: After reading the story discuss the essential questions. Then
point out example Alex gives to support his opinion in the letters that
follow.

Step Five: Independently Students will write an opinion letter on a topic

of their choice.

Closure: Once student are finished a few volunteers will read aloud their
letters at Readers Chair. Writing will be collected at the end of the
lesson.

Teacher: Meghan Giannettino Date: 4/26/17

Subject: Writing Grade Level: 2nd
Title of Lesson: Exploring Opinion Writing Day Lesson Length: 1 hour
3
Overview of the Lesson
Lesson Summary: Show the covers of I Wanna Iguana and I Wanna New
Rom remind students that they heard these stories over the past two days.
Briefly discuss and ask questions related to the books. Explain that we will
read aloud the first sentence from each story. Invite the students to think
about how they two sentences are similar as they listen. On a sheet of chart
paper, write the sentence I know you dont think I should_______, but heres
why I should. Read the sentence aloud; then use Think, Pair, Share to
discuss the essential question. Next, display the lined writing chart (WA1) on
the projector. Model an example of a persuasive letter using one of students
ideas. Once the letter is finished read aloud and discuss it. Last, student will
write independently about Heres Why I Should letters. Sharing writings in
pairs and reflect. Then share as a class. Letters will be collected and graded
off of rubric.
Lesson Objectives:
The students will be able to write an opinion piece that are supported
by reasons.
The students will be able to introduce a topic and providing a
concluding statement or section related to their opinion
Materials/Equipment to be Used in Teaching the Lesson:
I Wanna Iguana book
O.R.E.O anchor chart
I Wanna New Room book
Chart paper and a marker
Lined writing chart (Wa1) for modeling

Massachusetts Framework Standards:

2.W.1 Write an opinion piece that are supported by reasons
2.W.5 Using linking words to connect their opinion and reasons
Introducing a topic and providing a concluding statement or section
related to their opinion

Enduring Understandings:
Big Ideas: The students will understand to using reasons to support
opinion while Introducing a topic and providing a concluding statement
related to their opinion

Concepts: Writing about personal opinion

Essential Questions:
What is similar about the way Ale starts these two persuasive letters?
If you were going to write a persuasive letter to your parents that begins
with this sentence, what might you write in the blank?
How should the introduction and conclusion sound like?
What does the pneumonic device O.R.E.O. (Opinion, reason, example,
opinion) stand for and how does it help us to write an opinion piece?
Content
Factual Content: Exploring opinion writing and giving reasons to back up
with an introducing sentence, and closing sentence

Vocabulary: Opinion, persuade, introducing sentence, and closing sentence

Tier 1: Opinion

Tier 2: Persuade, introducing sentence, and closing sentence

Tier 3:

Critical Thinking Skills (Reading, Writing, Speech, Listening)

Students will critically think and write an opinion letter while providing
reasoning and examples to persuade their audience.
Students will critically use an introducing sentence and closing sentence
for an opinion piece.
Assessments (Performance Tasks/Tests/Quizzes Formative/Summative,
Informal/Formal)
Informal Assessment: The teacher will walk around and observe, assisting students as needed.

Formal Assessment: Collect students writing to be graded based off rubric.

Action/Instructional Procedures

Procedures

Anticipatory Set: Show the covers of I Wanna Iguana and I Wanna New
Rom remind students that they heard these stories over the past two
days. Briefly discuss and ask questions related to the books.

Step One: Explain that we will read aloud the first sentence from each
story. Invite the students to think about how they two sentences are
similar as they listen.

Step Two: On a sheet of chart paper, write the sentence I know you
dont think I should_______, but heres why I should. Read the
sentence aloud; then use Think, Pair, Share to discuss the essential
question.

Step Three: Next, display the lined writing chart (WA1) on the projector.
Model an example of a persuasive letter using one of students ideas.
Once the letter is finished read aloud and discuss it.

Step Four: Last, student will write independently about Heres Why I
Should letters. Sharing writings in pairs and reflect.

Closure: Then share as a class. Letters will be collected and graded off
of rubric.