5th Grade Language Arts
Writing
Lesson 2
Opinion Writing
Think of a Topic
When writing an opinion essay, you want to choose a topic that you feel strongly about. Make a list of people and animals you love, afterschool activities you participate in, and places you go. Then, pick a topic from your list you would like to write about first.
State Your Opinion
Write an opinion sentence about your topic. Start with the words, “I think…” or “In my opinion…” For example, In my opinion dogs are the best pets!
Support with Reasons
If you want people to agree with you, then give them a reason to! Why do you think what you do? Why should other people think or do the same? What makes your topic so special? Write at least three reasons to support your opinion. Use the sentence starters below to help support your opinion.
One reason is… Because of… Another reason… Also… For example…
Write an Ending
End your essay by restating your opinion sentence. Also, give a quick summary of all your reasons and demand your reader to do something!
Here's an opinion writing prompt for you to try!
Try out the prompt!
Informative/Explanatory Writing
What is informational writing?
Informational texts tell facts. Facts are always true.
Why do authors write informational texts?
Authors write informational books to teach about a topic! When writing an informative/explanatory text, the writer answers questions of why or how. Informative writing educates the reader by imparting straightforward information on a certain topic. Unlike other types of writing, informative writing does not aim to change the reader's thinking or move the reader to take action.
A well-written informative essay should include the following elements:
Has an introduction that introduces a topic and grabs the reader's attention
Clearly conveys information and ideas about a topic
Develops a topic with a variety of specific, relevant details, such as facts, examples, quotations, and anecdotes
Clearly organizes ideas and information, using strategies such as compare/contrast, cause/effect, definition, and classification
Uses precise language and vocabulary appropriate to the topic
Uses appropriate transition words and phrases that clarify the relationship among ideas
Uses a formal style and tone
Example: "Ireland is a country steeped in history. In fact, its history dates beyond 3,000 B.C, when the megalithic tombs were constructed in Newgrange. Throughout the country's expansive evolution, the Irish fought time and again to maintain their independence as a sovereign nation. Evidence of the rich history is clearly visible through its many castles, including Leighlinbridge Castle and Carlow Castle, two of Ireland's oldest establishments."
Watch this to learn how to write an introduction for informational writing!
Watch this video to learn how to write a draft for informational writing!
Narrative Writing
A narrative is simply a story, and it is usually about your own experiences! In narrative writing:
Writer is a storyteller
Describes a person, scene, or event in detail (emphasis on showing rather than telling)
Information is presented in a chronological order
Written in 1st person voice (using “I”), somewhat informal
Should include dialogue
Be creative! Narratives can be about anything you want, so let your imagination run wild! They can either be true stories or made up!
Your introduction, or hook, will be the exposition. Then, something happened (for example, you once lost a soccer game). Next, you have to tell about your reaction and how you felt (this is the rising action). You decide to work harder for the next match. In the next match, you scored a few goals and helped your team win (this is the climax)! Then, you can write about celebrating your victory with friends and family (falling action). Finally, you talk about what you learned from your experience of losing and then working hard to win your next game (resolution).
The steps for a narrative are:
Brainstorm some possible topics
Start with an introduction. It should be interesting enough that the reader will want to find out more and continue reading.
Use details and dialogue to talk about what happened, where it happened, who was involved, and why did the situation happen in your body paragraphs
Finish off with a conclusion by saying how the story ended, and perhaps what you learned as a result
Watch these videos to learn more about how to write a narrative essay!
Example of Narrative Writing:
My trip to Washington DC with my two cousins, brother, mom, and aunt was exhilarating. They live in Maryland and we lived in Pennsylvania, so it was only a two hour drive from our house to theirs. We went to DC all the time with them so this wasn’t unusual. The cherry blossoms were the main show. The trees were stunningly beautiful. The tops were only about seven feet off the ground and the lowest branches brushed the top of my head occasionally. The petals were a light pink, and on the tip of each petal there was a little white strip. They were planted on either side of the black walk way that curved half way around a vast lake. On either side of the walk way there was also two or three feet of grass. The other side of the lake was surrounded by a great field of green, freshly mowed grass. I think there might’ve been some kind of memorial in the distance, but I’m not sure. On the edge of the lake there were these big yellow bricks. The lake was huge. The sun was glittering across the lake making it look as though it was divided into beads. On the other side of the lake there was a dock and people were driving these boat things that you move by pedaling with your feet. The part people sit in was light turquoiseish. Then there was a white plastic top supported by white poles. We sat on the yellow bricks and put our feet in the water.
After we finished looking at the flowers we went to get some hot dogs. They were selling them under one of those folding tents. This one was white and blue striped and really small. I was surprised how many people were there. We got our hot dogs really quickly too. My cousin and I shared a sprite and I remember something happening to my brother and a big trash can but I’m not sure what. Next to the tent there was a small garden with little green plants that were like an inch tall. The garden was only 10’10’ so it was tiny. The rows were about a foot away from each other and my cousin and I played through the rows. On the other side of the garden was a typical DC street, packed bumper to bumper.
Give it a Try!
Write an essay about a memory that is important to you. Write the essay in narrative form. Help your reader feel the emotion you felt as you were living through this event.