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Teaching and Tapas

| by Alyssha Swanson

How to Use Debates to Teach Opinion Writing (in the Primary Grades)

by alyssha@teachingandtapas.com

 

I’ve started using debates in my opinion writing unit and it has been amazing! It’s all about the topics because a good topic can make it impossible for my 2nd grade students to contain their opinions. Seriously, ask your students if they think kids should get disciplined for not recycling. They won’t be able to contain their opinions! Put a pencil in their hands and let them express their opinions through writing.

A few years ago when I started at my current school, I was new to opinion writing. I read I Wanna Iguana only to find out that they had read it the year before. And then to find out the 3rd grade teacher also uses it in her opinion writing unit. As well as the 4th grade teacher. And the 5th grade teacher… Then when I looked closely at the standards, I noticed there is NOTHING about writing a persuasive essay. Persuasive seems more complex than writing opinions supported by reasons. For a 2nd grader, maybe basic is better?

 So I looked around for ideas of what kids could state their opinion about. I found PLENTY of boring suggestions. I tried to come up with three reasons of my own for why I like apples…and was stumped. Seriously, this is a writing prompt that is suggested/used by hundreds of teachers!
opinion writing

But then I thought about how our kids are CONSTANTLY telling us their opinions about everything, i.e. “Miss Swanson, I liked it better when you had long hair.” Thanks Jimmy.

So the question became, “WHY do you think that?” I figured out that you need a deeper topic with room for strong opinions in an opinion writing unit.

opinion writing

We started doing actual debates in our class and it was an instant success! When students feel passionate about something, they can think up tons of reasons! If they are really passionate, they will be happy to write their opinions and reasons until the sun comes up as long as they know that their opinion will be heard.

opinion writing

For the past two years, I have started my opinion unit with a short scene from the Pixar movie “Up”. On both years, my class has divided nearly evenly on the question: “Should Mr. Fredrickson go give at Shady Oaks retirement village, or should he live his life on his own”. I have them separate themselves from what happens at the end of the movie and think about what is best for Mr. Fredrickson and the community. LOTS of opinions coming from 7 year olds!

opinion writing

 

opinion writing

 

opinion writing

I have started to find debate topics in nearly all of my fiction read alouds! Yesterday we debated whether or not The Little Red Hen should share her food. Then today, we read “The Ant and the Grasshopper” and the question came up, “should the ants help the Grasshopper?”. I am AMAZED by the deep thinking!

 

opinion writing

opinion writing

This unit is SO perfect to use along with letter writing. Also, I teach formal vs. informal language because each letter is to a different person or character and in REAL LIFE, our language changes depending on who we are writing to. Since these letters are listing multiple reasons, it is also PERFECT for teaching transition words and varying sentence beginnings.
 opinion writing
So when your opinion writing unit comes up and you are looking for ideas outside of “I Wanna Iguana” or “what is your favorite fruit and why?”, you should try a debate!
There you have it! I am hopeful that it is inspiring to someone out there.
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Comments

  1. Erin Wing says

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    I love debates! Great ideas to get kids passionate about their writing. Thanks for sharing!

  2. Gladys says

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    Love debates! What a fantastic idea to get kids writing about their opinions! 🙂

    Teaching in High Heels

  3. Mrs. Allen says

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    Love this idea! What a great way to help students make and support main points before transferring it all to paper. I also love that it gives an opportunity to apply speaking and listening standards. Great idea. Thanks!

    ~Chelsea
    Flip Floppin' Through…3rd Grade

  4. Nicole Rios says

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    Alyssha, this post is Amaaazing! I always love your ideas, but your really outdid yourself. Pinning, loving, using! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Nicole

  5. Sharon Dudley says

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    Alyssha, I found your blog through your post on the TPT forums, and I just became a follower. This is a great idea, and I think I can totally use it even in kindergarten. You may think this is funny, but we also use "I Wanna Iguana" for kindergarten in Writing Fundamentals.

    Sharon Dudley, NBCT
    Teaching with Sight

  6. Brittney says

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    Great ideas. This sounds like a new unit creation to me. I would definitely buy!

MEET ALYSSHA

I am a reading teacher and traveler at heart. I spent most of my teaching career abroad, teaching in international schools (most recently: Spain). I am now back in the good 'ol USA, helping teachers figure out how to make reading instruction simple and fantastically effective. Take a peek around and contact me if you have questions! Read More…

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