ELA.1.C.1.3

Write opinions about a topic or text with at least one supporting reason from a source and a sense of closure.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: See Writing Types.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts (B.E.S.T.)
Grade: 1
Strand: Communication
Date Adopted or Revised: 08/20
Status: State Board Approved

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5010030: Functional Basic Skills in Communications-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5010042: Language Arts - Grade One (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
7710012: Access Language Arts - Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5010101: Introduction to Debate Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5010012: English for Speakers of Other Languages Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2021 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
ELA.1.C.1.AP.3: Write an opinion about a topic.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Dollar Bill Design:

This is lesson #7 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham. After reading, students will use the information from the text about George Washington to recognize him as an individual that represents the United States as a responsible citizen and recognize that as the reason he is on the US dollar bill. They will design a dollar bill of their own and develop an opinion writing piece that argues why George Washington was chosen to be on the US Dollar Bill. Students will then orally present their opinion writing and dollar bill design.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who's Who: Benjamin Franklin:

Students will explore why Benjamin Franklin is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin: Lesson 6: Unfair Rules:

In lesson 6 of this unit, the teacher will continue reading A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin. Civics will be integrated throughout as students learn about the purpose of rules and laws in school, home, and community. Students will identify relevant details in order to make a connection with Benjamin Franklin, who stood up against a law that he felt was unfair, by writing their own opinion pieces about a fictitious rule.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who's Who: Daniel Webster:

Students will explore why Daniel Webster is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who's Who: Martin Luther King Jr.:

Students will explore why Martin Luther King Jr. is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Tally Patriotism:

Students will collect, record, and compare data about their favorite way to demonstrate patriotism during a patriotic holiday or observance.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who's Who: George Washington Lesson:

Students will explore why George Washington is considered a symbol of the United States, create symbols to represent George Washington, then write to explain why the chosen symbols represent him, in this lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

A Chilly Feeling:

In this reading lesson, the students will analyze the poem "It Fell in the City" by Eve Merriam. They will read the poem, identify words or phrases that show feelings or appeal to the senses, describe the place in the poem and add drawings to express their feelings. They will also write an opinion paragraph about how the poem made them feel after reading it.

Type: Lesson Plan

Character Traits with Chrysanthemum:

During this reading lesson, students will analyze the text Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. The students will determine the moral or lesson of the story, be exposed to new vocabulary, and demonstrate knowledge about the character, Chrysanthemum. The students will choose one character trait of Chrysanthemum to write about using textual evidence. This writing can be attached to an art project celebrating this wonderful story about friendship and believing in yourself.

Type: Lesson Plan

I Love You Just the Way You Are: Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino:

In this lesson, students will enjoy listening to Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino and think deeply about the moral of this story. In addition to participating in a story mapping activity, students will answer discussion questions about the story to gauge their comprehension and expand their vocabulary. This set of lessons will be concluded with students writing an opinion piece about Unlovable’s biggest lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

It’s Mine! A Book About Sharing and Cooperation:

In this lesson students will use details from the story It's Mine! by Leo Lionni to describe story elements, determine unknown words, and understand the moral or lesson of the text. This will be done with teacher support, in pairs, and by working independently. The lessons will conclude with a piece of opinion writing to show students’ perspective on the text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Be Brave and Fearless: A Closer Look at Sheila Rae, the Brave:

In this reading lesson, students will identify and describe story elements and retell the major events in the story Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes. Students will also identify the moral or the lesson learned in the story and write an opinion paragraph about the main characters as they explore the concept of bravery.

Type: Lesson Plan

Let's Talk About the Three Little Pigs:

During these lessons, students will read two stories: The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Students will complete a variety of activities to help them identify the story elements and compare and contrast the two main characters of the story. Students will write an opinion piece explaining which version they think is the real version.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who Will Win? A Race Between the Tortoise and the Hare:

In this lesson, the students will listen to the teacher read aloud the fable The Tortoise and the Hare. The students will play a story cube game to record the story elements of the beloved fable, study the main characters, and write an opinion piece on which character they would be friends with and what they would do.

Type: Lesson Plan

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge Finds a Memory:

After students read the delightful book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, they will discuss the story elements and retell this tale. As the teacher guides the class through activities and discussion, students will learn about the significance of memories and the importance of friendship. The students will write an opinion piece about their definition of a memory.

Type: Lesson Plan

First Day Jitters: A Reading Activity:

In this lesson, the teacher and students will read the engaging book First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. They will identify and describe the story elements in the illustrations and text and analyze the author's use of specific words to suggest the main character's feelings. Students will write an opinion paragraph in response to a prompt about the book using text to support their opinion.



Type: Lesson Plan

Taking the "Worry" out of Wemberly:

In this lesson, students will read the story Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes. Students will identify and discuss some of Wemberly's worries and share their opinion about them. The lesson will conclude with the students writing an opinion piece about Wemberly's school experience.

Type: Lesson Plan

What Happens Next? Opinion Writing:

In this lesson, students will engage in questioning activities as they make predictions throughout the story Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel, using text evidence to support their predictions. Students will write an opinion response stating their prediction of what will happen at the end of another teacher-chosen story.

Type: Lesson Plan

Stargazer:

In this lesson, students will explore the stars in the sky using observations with our eyes and observations with hand lenses. Students will also explore folktales of how the shapes in the stars came to be.

Type: Lesson Plan

A Piece of Cake:

In this lesson, students will present their opinion through drawing, writing and speaking. Students will enjoy discussing their favorite animals, pizza and cake. Students will learn about self-expression and the different ways to present their opinion.

Type: Lesson Plan

Form an Opinion Based on Facts:

In this resource, students will form an opinion based on facts in a text. The text used is A Picture Book of Helen Keller by David A. Adler. Students will identify facts from the text and form and share opinions about each fact.

Type: Lesson Plan

Make Your Mark with the Mice:

In this lesson, students will be engaged with the story The City Mouse and the Country Mouse and see what happens when the mice visit each other’s homes. Students will take part in a discussion about the characters, setting, and the major events of the story. They will be asked to take the perspective of the City Mouse and write a letter of complaint about how visiting the countryside was just not a good thing to do. There are also several opportunities in these lessons for students to practice grade appropriate conventions of writing including ending punctuation and capitalization.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Moral of the Story:

In this lesson, students will be introduced to several fables. They will learn the characteristics of a fable and learn that the lesson of a story is called the moral. Students will have the opportunity to idenify the moral of a fable and write an opinion piece about it.

Type: Lesson Plan

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