Opinion writing anchor charts are a must-have in my classroom. While I don’t usually feel I have the time in my day to make a cute anchor chart, I like to project my charts during lessons.
The opinion writing anchor charts that I'll walk you through today are posted in my room during my opinion writing unit for students to reference frequently. I just simply print them from my computer rather than hand make them.
Understanding Facts and Opinions
When introducing opinion writing, I like to go over what makes an opinion. For me, that is teaching my students to recognize a fact versus an opinion. Although it seems like a simple concept, the majority of my second graders struggle with this.
Reviewing my opinion and fact charts each day during my lessons, helps them grasp the difference. Every time I review these opinion writing anchor charts, I provide specific kid-friendly examples.
- I believe slime is horrible.
- I feel there should be longer recess times.
- I think second grade is the best grade.
Using these examples are always guaranteed to get my students joining in on the conversation.
Stating an Opinion
After I teach my students how to identify between facts and opinions, the next step is to teach the introduction. In my second grade class the introduction and stating their opinion is taught as the same thing. I tell them, “When you state your opinion, you are introducing it.”
As I move through my opinion unit, we expand on the introduction to be part of a paragraph. Like most of my lessons we take small steps to get to our end goal. My opinion writing anchor charts are kept simple so students can focus on the one skill I want them to learn for the lesson (or lessons).
Proving Reasons for an Opinion
Are you noticing a pattern? My recommended opinion writing anchor charts are taken from the Common Core Standards. Each poster is based on one of the necessary skills that the standard requires students to learn and this next anchor chart is no different.
After we talk about what our opinion is and stating it, we move onto providing reasons for our opinion. This is perhaps my most simple anchor chart where students learn the answer to the question “Why?” is providing the reason. I like to put the linking words on the chart to help students get started in providing multiple reasons.
Using Linking Words
Now of course my second graders need a bit more discussion and practice with linking words than the previous opinion writing anchor chart. For second grade I am pushing my students beyond first, next, and last linking words they hopefully learned in first grade. First grade teachers, take note!
Using the linking words anchor chart during my opinion writing unit, I am wanting students to learn that different linking words are used for different parts of the writing piece. I designed this anchor chart with that in mind and labeled the linking words for reasons and conclusions.
Writing a Conclusion
The last of the essential opinion writing anchor charts is writing a conclusion. I actually have a series of anchor charts for conclusions as they can be a difficult concept for second graders. I like to be explicit in my lessons that the introduction and conclusion are closely related sentences.
My initial anchor chart for conclusions shows students a visual of where they can find a conclusion. The second anchor chart I introduce references an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence so I can point out the different word choices between the sentences. I really want students to see this relationship between the two sentences.
Want Ready-to-Use Opinion Writing Anchor Charts with a Full Curriculum?
You can be one of the first to get my Second Grade Opinion Writing Unit when it is ready at the end of January 2023. I am pre-selling it in my store now. This unit includes over 300 teacher slides walking you step-by-step through all the mini lessons, student worksheets in print and digital formats, and printable anchor charts (including the ones in this post).
Check it out by clicking on the picture below. Remember, this is not yet available to download but will be at the end of January.
Related Post: How to Teach Opinion Writing in Primary Grades
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