Writing Opinion Pieces Lesson 12 Americans have been saving and spending pennies since 1792. Today some people want to discontinue the use of these worthless coins. Other people want to keep pennies in circulation because they want to keep their change. What do you think? Are pennies not worth counting? How will prices be affected when everything has to be rounded up or down to the nearest nickel? You can share your thinking about this issue and others by writing an opinion piece. Essential Question How can persuasive writing be used to influence people? Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces 223
What s an Opinion Piece? Americans are also debating whether we should replace the one-dollar bill with a coin. Would you rather carry around a coin or a paper bill? Which would be more convenient? You probably have an opinion about pennies, dollar bills, and many other issues. In an opinion piece, you state your opinion, or argument, about an issue and try to persuade others to agree with you. Read the ways to make your opinion piece effective. Introduction Introduce the topic in an interesting way. Clearly state your argument about it, as well as any opposing arguments or claims. Supporting Reasons Support your argument with at least three clear reasons and relevant evidence. Use facts and details from credible sources as well as your own experience. Conclusion Restate your argument, and sum up the reasons that support it. Let s look at an opinion piece. 224 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Analyze a Mentor Text This is an example of an effective opinion piece by a seventh grader. After reading it, complete the activities in the boxes as a class. No Passion for Pennies! Your family might have a penny jar at home, but you probably do not have a nickel jar or a dime jar. Why do we toss pennies in jars? Perhaps we do this because they are such a nuisance to carry around! Some people worry about price increases if pennies are not used. However, I think that the United States should stop producing and using pennies. These coins are almost worthless, waste our time, and actually cost more money to produce than they are worth. First of all, pennies are almost worthless because you can buy virtually nothing with them. Even penny candy is likely to cost at least a nickel nowadays. The old saying Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long you ll have good luck is pretty much a superstition of the past. You often see pennies lying on sidewalks, but do you always pick them up? You may have bent down as a toddler, fascinated by that shiny copper circle, but now you may feel that the trouble of bending down is not worth it. Pennies also waste our time as we wait in lines in stores while some customers in front of us fumble to find and count pennies and then the clerks have to recount them. People often scour their pockets and purses for pennies to make purchases so clerks will not have to give them more pennies as change. Pennies also waste time and energy at the United States Mint, which churns out about 20 million pennies each day. ARGUMENT The writer begins the opinion piece in a way that will get the reader s attention and then clearly states an argument. Then the writer states an opposing claim. Draw a box around the writer s argument. Underline the opposing claim. SUPPORTING REASONS The writer gives three clear reasons as evidence to support the stated argument. Underline the sentence that introduces these reasons. The U.S. Mint in Denver is one of several mints across the United States. What s an Opinion Piece? 225
OPPOSING CLAIM The writer includes an opposing claim to show that he or she has considered the other side of the argument. Then the writer addresses it, or counters it, by explaining why the opposing claim is not a problem. Circle the opposing claim. CONCLUSION An effective conclusion restates the writer s opinion and repeats the main points of the argument. Draw a box around the argument that is restated in this conclusion. Even worse, pennies waste money. Did you know that pennies cost more to make than they are worth? According to the U.S. Mint, it costs 1.23 cents to make a penny, and that extra 0.23 of a cent is money lost. If pennies were no longer minted, it would save taxpayers millions of dollars money that is currently spent on metal for the pennies, electricity to operate the machines that stamp them out, freight costs to ship the pennies to banks, and so on. Some people worry that prices will rise if we do not have pennies. For example, something that used to cost $0.99 will now cost $1. However, if the total price of a group of purchases is rounded up to the nearest nickel, the increase will be no more than four cents. Our nation should stop producing and using pennies. Eliminating pennies would simplify our money system. These worthless coins waste our time and our money. Pennies served a purpose long ago, when prices were lower and pennies had real value. However, that time has long since passed. If we stop producing pennies, we can slowly weed them out of circulation. Someday, only coin collectors will have pennies, and then they will be valuable again! This penny is now a collector s item. Think About It Which reason in this opinion piece do you think was the most convincing? Which evidence was the most persuasive? 226 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Vocabulary Study: Connotation and Denotation Denotation is the definition of a word in a dictionary. Connotation is a feeling or idea connected to the word. It can be positive or negative, or funny or sad. Writers must consider the connotations of the words they use. In the chart below, the words in parentheses have similar denotations but different connotations. Write each word in the appropriate column. Use a dictionary to check the meaning of any unfamiliar words. Examples Positive Connotation Negative Connotation We walked slowly through the (shady/gloomy) park. She (trudged/sauntered) along the trail. After reading her e-mail, he (dashed off/composed) his reply. I always thought of him as (clever/cunning). He is known to be a(n) (aggressive/dynamic) leader. Read these sentences from the opinion piece on pennies on pages 225 226. Decide whether the underlined word in each sentence has a positive or a negative connotation. Write the word in the appropriate column. Then think of a word that has the same denotation but an opposite connotation, and write that word in the appropriate column. Mentor Text Sentence Positive Connotation Negative Connotation Pennies also waste time and energy at the United States Mint, which churns out about 20 million pennies each day. Eliminating pennies would simplify our money system. Some people worry that prices will rise if we do not have pennies. What s an Opinion Piece? 227
Writing Process Now that you have read and analyzed an opinion piece, you are going to create your own by following the steps in the writing process. 1. Get Ready: Brainstorm List several topics you might write about. Choose the topic for which you have the strongest opinion. Brainstorm reasons that support your argument. Choose the strongest reasons to include in your opinion piece. 2. Organize Use a graphic organizer to organize supporting details and plan your opinion piece. 3. Draft Create the first draft of your opinion piece. Don t worry too much about making mistakes. Just get your ideas down on paper. 4. Peer Review Work with a partner to evaluate and improve your draft. 5. Revise Use suggestions from your peer review to revise your opinion piece. 6. Edit Check your work carefully for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. 7. Publish Create a final version of your opinion piece. Writing Assignment In this chapter you will write your own opinion piece. As you create the piece, remember the elements of the mentor text that were most effective. Read the following assignment. Should the one-dollar bill be replaced with a coin? Decide how you feel about this issue, and then write at least five paragraphs explaining and supporting your opinion. You may do some research into this topic or just use your own ideas. 228 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
1. Get Ready: Brainstorm Before you write an opinion piece, carefully consider the claim you will make the argument you will support. Think about the positive and negative aspects of each possible claim, and then decide on the claim you will support. Here s how the writer of the mentor opinion piece brainstormed claims. Claim or Argument Positive Aspects Negative Aspects We should continue producing and using pennies. We should stop producing and using pennies. We have always used pennies. We need them to make exact change. Pennies are just clutter. We can get along fine without them. Pennies are not worth much. People do not value them. If we don t have pennies, the prices of many products might go up as much as four cents. Try It! Use a Brainstorming Graphic Organizer Now use the chart below to help brainstorm possible claims for this assignment. Choose the claim that you feel is strongest. Claim or Argument Positive Aspects Negative Aspects Brainstorm 229
Brainstorm Support for Your Argument Now that you have decided on a claim, you can use a graphic organizer to help brainstorm ideas and details that will best support your argument. Also consider arguments that could be made opposing your claim. Here is how the writer of the mentor text used the graphic organizer. CLAIM/ARGUMENT State your argument clearly and strongly. Claim/Argument We should stop producing and using pennies. Opposing Claim Prices will go up if we don t have pennies. OPPOSING CLAIM If possible, include an opposing claim to show that you have considered the other side of this issue. If you are going to introduce an opposing claim, you must have a counterclaim to answer it. REASONS Give clear reasons that support your claim. As you draft your opinion piece, you might add, revise, or rearrange your reasons. SUPPORT Support your reasons with facts and details from your own experiences or from research you have done. Reason Pennies are worthless. Reason Pennies waste our time. Reason Pennies waste money. Counterclaim Stores will round up to the nickel on a total purchase. The increase will be four cents or less. Support You cannot buy things with them. No one even bothers to pick them up off the sidewalk. Support We wait in line for people to find them. Pennies take time to produce at mint. Support One penny costs more than a cent to produce. 230 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Try It! Use a Graphic Organizer for Brainstorming Now use the graphic organizer below to brainstorm your reasons and support for your claim. If you wish, include an opposing claim, but you must have a counterclaim to address any opposing claim you include. Claim/Argument Opposing Claim Counterclaim Reason Support Reason Support Reason Support Brainstorm 231
2. Organize You are almost ready to begin a draft of your opinion piece. You can use a graphic organizer to organize the reasons and support that you gathered during brainstorming. You can then refer to the graphic organizer as you work through the parts of your draft. The writer of the mentor text completed this graphic organizer. INTRODUCTION In the first paragraph, you state your argument about the topic. Claim/Argument We should stop producing and using pennies. Supporting Reason 1 Pennies are worthless because you can t really buy anything with them. Even penny candy costs more than a penny now. Most people don t even pick up pennies from the sidewalk. SUPPORTING REASONS The next paragraphs should give reasons to support your claim and offer facts and personal experiences to support your reasons. Supporting Reason 2 Pennies waste time at stores as they are counted. The U.S. Mint wastes time producing 20 million pennies a day. Supporting Reason 3 Pennies waste money. For every penny made, 0.23 of a cent is wasted. Pennies also waste metal, energy to make them, and fuel to ship them places. CONCLUSION Your conclusion should restate your claim, summarize your reasons, and invite your reader to agree with you. Opposing Claim/Counterclaim Some people think prices will rise if we stop using pennies. Stores would round up to the nearest nickel on a total purchase. The highest increase would be four cents. Conclusion We should stop producing and using pennies because they are worthless and waste time and money. 232 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Try It! Organize Your Opinion Piece Now use the graphic organizer below to organize the ideas and details you want to use in each paragraph of your draft. Claim/Argument Supporting Reason 1 Supporting Reason 2 Supporting Reason 3 Opposing Claim/Counterclaim Conclusion Organize 233
3. Draft Next, you will write the first draft of your opinion piece. This is the time to get your notes and ideas down in an organized way. You can also try out different ways to present your argument effectively. You will have time to revise your writing later. Start by drafting your opinion piece on a computer or on a separate sheet of paper. Writer s Craft: Using Sentence Variations As you draft and later revise your opinion piece, vary the length and types of your sentences to make your writing more interesting and to improve the flow. Try to include questions and exclamations as well as statements. Also include simple, compound, and complex sentences. Simple Compound Complex We walked past the art room, turned right, and went upstairs. Soccer practice is today, but I will not be able to attend. Although the test was hard, most students did very well. The writer of the mentor text uses a variety of sentence types, lengths, and structures in the first paragraph. SENTENCE VARIATIONS Box the compound sentence, circle the shortest sentence, and underline the exclamation. Your family might have a penny jar at home, but you probably do not have a nickel jar or a dime jar. Why do we toss pennies in jars? Perhaps we do this because they are such a nuisance to carry around! Some people worry about price increases if pennies are not used. However, I think that the United States should stop producing and using pennies. These coins are almost worthless, waste our time, and actually cost more money to produce than they are worth. 234 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Try It! Write Your First Draft On a computer or a separate sheet of paper, create the draft of your opinion piece. Remember to use words, phrases, and clauses that show clear relationships among ideas in your piece. Use this drafting checklist to help you as you write. Get your reader s attention in the introduction. You might begin with a question, quotation, or funny experience that will interest readers. State your claim or argument in the first paragraph. Begin each supporting paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states a reason that supports your argument. Use the reasons and support you chose during Step 2: Organize. In each supporting paragraph, include details, facts, examples, or experiences. You could also include quotations that relate to your claim. When you can, introduce an opposing claim, but always be sure to have a counterclaim prepared that answers any opposing claims you include. In the conclusion, restate your claim, and summarize your argument and supporting reasons. Tips for Writing Your First Draft Discuss your topic and your opinion about it with friends and family members. Others might help in offering new reasons that support your claim. Do not stop to check spelling or worry about punctuation or grammar. You will have time for that later, when you revise and edit. Write each supporting paragraph on an index card first. This makes it easier to move paragraphs around to determine the best order for supporting ideas. Draft 235
4. Peer Review After you finish your draft, you can work with a partner to review each other s drafts. Here is a draft of the mentor text. Read it with your partner. Together, answer the questions in the boxes. Then you will see how the writer s classmate evaluated the draft. INTRODUCTION The writer begins in an interesting way and the topic is clear, but an argument is not stated clearly. How could the writer state the claim more clearly? SUPPORTING REASONS All of the supporting paragraphs could use more details and examples. What details could be added to the fourth paragraph? CONCLUSION This conclusion does not clearly restate the writer s opinion or argument, nor does it sum up all the reasons supporting that argument. How would you improve the conclusion? No Passion for Pennies! Your family might have a penny jar at home, but you probably do not have a nickel jar or a dime jar. Why do we toss pennies in jars? I think we do it because they are not good for anything else! These coins are worthless and waste our time and even our money. First of all, pennies are worthless. You cannot buy anything with one. Even penny candy now costs more than a penny. Sometimes we drop or lose a penny. We do not even bother looking for it. Pennies also waste our time, like when we wait in lines while the customers in front of us find and count their pennies. That takes time, you know! Pennies also waste time at the U.S. Mint, which churns out about 20 million pennies a day. Pennies also waste money. Did you know that pennies cost more to make than they are worth? According to the U.S. Mint, it costs 1.23 cents to make a penny. If the U.S. Mint stopped making pennies, it would save a lot of money. Some people worry that prices will go up if we do not have pennies. However, if the total price of a group of purchases is rounded up to the nearest nickel, the increase will be no more than four cents. Pennies served a purpose long ago, when prices were lower and pennies had more value. However, now they are no longer useful. We should get them out of circulation. 236 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
An Example Peer Review Form This peer review form shows how a partner evaluated the draft of the mentor text on the previous page. The introduction states the topic in an interesting way. The writer clearly states a claim about the topic. You did a good job of stating your topic. You could improve your opinion piece by writing a clearer opinion. You only hinted at your opinion. The writer supports the claim with at least three strong reasons and addresses an opposing claim. The writer uses interesting details, facts, and experiences to explain the reasons. You did a good job of giving three reasons and addressing an opposing claim. You could improve your opinion piece by adding details or examples to each paragraph to support your reasons. The writer uses a variety of sentence types, lengths, and structures. You did a good job of using different types of sentences in your first paragraph. You could improve your opinion piece by varying your sentences more in other paragraphs. The conclusion restates the argument and sums up the supporting reasons. You did a good job of restating your topic. You could improve your opinion piece by restating your claim and mentioning the reasons you used to support your argument. Peer Review 237
Try It! Peer Review with a Partner Now you are going to work with a partner to review each other s opinion piece drafts. You will use the peer review form below. If you need help, look back at the mentor text writer s peer review form for suggestions. The introduction states the topic in an interesting way. The writer clearly states a claim about the topic. You did a good job of You could improve your opinion piece by The writer supports the claim with at least three strong reasons and addresses an opposing claim. The writer uses interesting details, facts, and experiences to explain the reasons. You did a good job of You could improve your opinion piece by The writer uses a variety of sentence types, lengths, and structures. You did a good job of You could improve your opinion piece by The conclusion restates the argument and sums up the supporting reasons. You did a good job of You could improve your opinion piece by 238 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Try It! Record Key Peer Review Comments Now it is time for you and your partner to share your comments with each other. Listen to your partner s feedback, and write down the key comments in the left column. Then write some ideas for improving your draft in the right column. My reviewer says that my introduction I will My reviewer says that my first supporting reason I will My reviewer says that my second supporting reason I will My reviewer says that my third supporting reason I will My reviewer says that my conclusion I will Write anything else you notice about your draft that you think you can improve. Peer Review 239
5. Revise In this step of the writing process, you work on parts of your draft that need to be strengthened. Use the peer review form that your partner completed. You will also use your own ideas about how to improve each part of your opinion piece. This checklist includes things to think about as you revise. Revision Checklist Does my introduction catch the reader s interest? Do I state my claim or argument clearly? Do I use details, facts, and experiences to make my reasons clear and strong? Did I balance the information I used to support my argument with information to support counterclaims that answer any opposing claims I introduced? Is my conclusion interesting? Have I summed up my opinion and reasons well? Do I vary sentence lengths, types, and structures within paragraphs? Do I use formal language that is appropriate for an opinion piece? FORMAL LANGUAGE In the first sentence, the writer includes a contraction since it is part of a quotation. What contraction did the writer appropriately avoid using in the last sentence? Writer s Craft: Using Formal Language Formal language makes your writing seem more professional. Using formal language means avoiding slang or other words that sound too casual. For example, do not use phrases such as you know, like I said, or anyway. Also, use exclamation points sparingly, and do not begin sentences with and or but. Be sure to write out words instead of using contractions (they are, not they re). Now look at the mentor text for examples of formal language. The old saying Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long you ll have good luck is pretty much a superstition of the past. You often see pennies lying on sidewalks, but do you always pick them up? You may have bent down as a toddler, fascinated by that shiny copper circle, but now you may feel that the trouble of bending down is not worth it. 240 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Try It! Revise Your Opinion Piece Replacing informal language with formal language is an important part of revising an opinion piece. In the following paragraph, replace each underlined word or phrase with a formal word or phrase. Write your answers on the lines below the paragraph. Putting on the play would be a cool way to show our understanding of it. The kids in our class are all in favor of this project. We hope that you ll support us by talking to the principal. And we wonder if you would be willing to direct the play. Replace cool with Replace kids with Replace you ll with Replace And with Writing Assignment Now it is time to revise the draft of your opinion piece. Continue working on a computer or a separate sheet of paper. Review the assignment, repeated below, and the checklist. That way you can make sure that you have included everything you need. Should the one-dollar bill be replaced with a coin? Decide how you feel about this issue, and then write at least five paragraphs explaining and supporting your opinion. You may do some research into this topic or just use your own ideas. Revise 241
6. Edit After revising your opinion piece, you will edit it. When you edit, you read very carefully to identify any mistakes in your writing. Here s a checklist of things to look for as you edit. Editing Checklist Did you indent each paragraph? Are all of your sentences complete? Does each have a subject and a verb? Does each sentence end with the correct punctuation? Have you used commas, colons, and semicolons correctly? Are all of your words spelled correctly? You can use these editing marks to mark any errors you find. Indent Reverse order Delete Close up space # Add space ^ Insert This paragraph from an earlier draft of the mentor text shows how to use editing marks. I hope you will agree that are nation should stop producing and using pennies. Eliminating pennies would simplify our # ^ moneysystem. These worth less coins waist our time and our money. Pennies served a prupose long ago, when prices were lower and pennies had someworth. However, now they are no longer use ful. our ^ # ^ waste ^ 242 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Language Focus: Using Correct Spelling Spelling correctly can be challenging even for good writers. As you know, the spell-check feature in a word-processing program will not find every error, especially if the error is an actual word. You can use some of the following rules to spell words correctly. 1. Words that end in -e: Drop the final e when a suffix or other ending begins with a vowel. move + -able = movable save + -ed = saved Keep the final e when a suffix begins with a consonant. bare + ly = barely engage + ment = engagement 2. Words that end in -y: Change the y to i to add -ed or -s when a consonant precedes the final y. carry + ed = carried lady + s = ladies Keep the final y to add -ed or -s when a vowel precedes the final y. delay + ed = delayed enjoy + s = enjoys 3. Words using ie or ei: Use ie generally: piece After c, use ei: receive Use ei in words with / _ a /: freight 4. Adding prefixes: When adding a prefix, keep the spelling of the root word and add the prefix. re- + use = reuse un- + tie = untie Read these sentences from the mentor text to find examples of correct spellings using the rules you just read. Eliminating pennies would simplify our money system. These worthless coins waste our time and our money. Pennies served a purpose long ago, when prices were lower and pennies had real value. However, that time has long since passed. If we stop producing pennies, we can slowly weed them out of circulation. Someday, only coin collectors will have pennies, and then they will be valuable again! SPELLING Read this section of the mentor text. When adding an ending that begins with a vowel to a word ending with a silent e, drop the e. Circle the words that follow this rule. Edit 243
Try It! Language and Editing Practice Find the misspelled words in each sentence. Rewrite each word using the correct spelling. 1. How likly is it that Hugo forgot to bring sunblock, sunglasss, and a towel to the beach? 2. She made a list (carrotes, broth, chicken, celery, potatos, oniones, and parsley) before heading to the store to buy ingredeints for the soup. 3. Can you beleive that he wantes to ask her to go to the dance, even though he recieved a no from her last year? Now use editing marks to correct the errors in this paragraph. Before Matt decideed to try out for the baseball team he knew he might not make it. Nevertheless he took the plunge and showed up for tryoutes. His youngr brother, Andrew, was a better player as was his older brother, Declan. Even so Matt wanted to be a great baseball player too. He even studeid the mechanics of throwing the baseball worked on his batting stance lifted wieghts and ran sprintes. Whatever the outcome Matt was ready. 244 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces
Try It! Edit Your Opinion Piece Now edit your opinion piece. Use this checklist and the editing marks you have learned to correct any errors you find. Did you indent each paragraph? Are all of your sentences complete? Does each have a subject and a verb? Are words and phrases used effectively to show relationships among ideas? Does each sentence end with the correct punctuation? Have you used commas, colons, and semicolons correctly? Did you spell all of your words correctly? Have you used formal language? Editing Tips Read your writing aloud. Listen for awkwardness, such as sentences that go on and on or end abruptly. Ask yourself, Does that sound right? Read your writing backward, word for word, starting at the end. You will be more likely to spot spelling mistakes this way. Read your writing over at a slow pace several times. Each time you read, focus on something different. For example, focus on punctuation in one reading and spelling in another reading. Edit 245
7. Publish On a computer or on a separate sheet of paper, create a neat final draft of your opinion piece. Correct all errors that you identified while editing your draft. Be sure to give your opinion piece an interesting title. The final step is to publish your opinion piece. Here are some different ways you might share your work: Create a poster with your opinion piece surrounded by graphics that reflect facts you gathered. Display the class s opinion pieces on a bulletin board under the headings For and Against. Add a title that explains the topic. Send your opinion piece to your school or community newspaper as a letter to the editor. Read your opinion piece aloud in a small group that includes students from a lower grade. Try to persuade others to agree with your opinion. Technology Suggestions Upload your opinion piece to a class Web site or school blog. Use eye-catching shapes, colors, and fonts to create the poster described above. 246 Lesson 12 Writing Opinion Pieces