Genres and Opinion Writing
Unit description: Students will develop an understanding of the difference between fiction and nonfiction pieces. They will begin to express their opinions through discussion and writing.
This unit should be paired with the Reading Foundations which focus on the acquisition of phonological awareness and phonics which are essential foundations for reading and writing. It is essential that these skills are not taught in isolation, but applied within students reading and writing.
Download the complete Grade 1 ELA Unit 4 framework to customize for your own planning.
Essential Outcomes of the Unit
Reading
1R2: Identify a main topic or central idea in a text and retell important details.
Reading Foundations- Fluency
1RF4: Read beginning reader texts, appropriate to individual student ability, with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
Addressed in RF unit:
1RF3: Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
Language
1L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
1L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
1L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
1L5: Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
Writing
1W1: Write an opinion on a topic or personal experience; give two or more reasons to support that opinion.
1W4: Create a response to a text, author, theme or personal experience (e.g., poem, dramatization, artwork, or other).
Speaking and Listening
1SL4: Describe familiar people, places, things, and events with relevant details expressing ideas clearly
1SL6: Express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly, using complete sentences when appropriate to task, situation, and audience
All Standards Addressed in this Unit
- See Reading Foundations Units: 1RF3a-g
- 1R2
- 1RF4
- 1L1, 1L2, 1L4, 1L5
- 1W1, 1W4
- 1SL1, 1SL2, 1SL4, 1SL6
Essential Questions and Big Ideas
- What is an opinion?
- Opinions are the beliefs, views or judgement of a person or group of people.
- How do authors support their opinions?
- Opinions are the beliefs, views or judgement of a person or group of people.
- Authors support their opinions by including facts and experiences which help the reader to understand how their opinion was formulated.
- My opinion might be different than someone else’s opinion.
- How do we know if a book is fiction or nonfiction?
- Fiction books contain made up or fake information.
- Nonfiction books contain real, factual information.
- Pictures and/or illustrations determine the genre of a text.