Using Opinion Sentence Frames

Using Opinion Sentence Frames

Expanding your writing

Introduction opinion sentence frames

Opinion writing has very specific vocabulary that helps the reader understand your position more clearly. Sometimes, these sentence frames can make your opinions sound more informed and therefore make people think your argument is stronger.

Opinion Sentence Frames

On the next slide, there is an image of the sentence frames for the introduction. There are sentence frames for the hook, for the middle sentences of the paragraph- called the background, and sentence starters for your opinion statement (which is your thesis statement).

Multiple Choice

Choose the best attention grabber starter for "students should be paid for good grades."

• Imagine getting a paycheck with your report card.

• If students get paid then they will work harder in school.

• Students should get paid for doing well in school.

Why?

Because the first sentence gets your attention by thinking about money and report cards. The second sentence isn't using a sentence frame from the HOOK section, and the last one isn't using a sentence frame at all.

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence frame from the background section that best fits this sentence: "students that are behind in schoolwork may need a reason to work harder."

• This is a serious problem because students that are behind in schoolwork may need a reason to work harder.

• The problem is that students that are behind in schoolwork may need a reason to work harder.

• The issue is that students students that are behind in schoolwork may need a reason to work harder.

Why?

The first two options said "problem" and there wasn't a problem. If the sentence had said "students are behind in their school work." Then we could say The problem is that... but since this sentence says students that are behind may work harder, then it is not the problem being discussed, but a possible solution.

Look at these two sentences

• Students should be paid for doing well in school.

• Without a doubt, students should be paid for doing well in school.

• Think about the two sentences above. Which one do you think sounds better? Which one is too simple?

Multiple Choice

Choose the simple sentence.

• If students are given money for good grades, then they will work harder in school.

• One compelling reason to pay students is that they will do better on big tests, which will help them prepare for college entrance exams.

• Students are motivated by money.

Open Ended

Use an OPINION sentence frame in the Paragraph 1 section of the Opinion Sentence Frame sheet to write a thesis statement.

Open Ended

Use the Transition that states a reason in the Paragraphs 2-4 section of your Opinion Sentence Frame handout.

Read the paragraph in the following slide

• then find one piece of evidence to use for your next sentence.

• Write it down on a piece of paper so you have it.

This is from Word Generation, which is information you will need to cite your evidence.

Open Ended

Use 1-3 Supporting Evidence: Statements, Facts, Quotations, or Other Information in the Opinion Sentence Frames to quote something in the previous paragraph.

Analysis

Here is where we talk about why that evidence we just cited from the text shows that our argument is correct.

Multiple Choice

Choose the best analysis statement.

• students are paid for performance and their test scores go up on some tests.

• Students that were paid money for grades did better on tests.

• This evidence shows that payment did positively affect student performance.

Why?

The third choice was the only option that used opinion sentence frames from the analysis section of the handout. It also summarized the findings in a simple way that shows your argument was supported by evidence.

Rebuttals

One thing your sentence frame sheet is missing is the counter claim frames. Look at this paragraph. What is the counterargument to students SHOULD be paid in school? Remember counter means opposite. I am asking you to tell me what is one reason someone might say that we should NOT pay students for good grades?

Multiple Choice

Choose the best counterclaim statement:

• Paying students to do well in school doesn't help students learn to take pride in their work.

• Paying students to do well is not going to help students learn to work hard when there is no money involved.

• Some people say that if you pay students for good grades, they lose motivation to do well for other reasons.

Why?

Because it introduces it as a counterclaim by saying "Some people say". You want to introduce the other argument in a way that doesn't confuse the reader. They need to know that this is the start of a different kind of argument.

Multiple Choice

Choose the best rebuttal statement:

• Paying students may have some problems, it will still help more students learn and do better in school.

• However, it is important to help students be successful, no matter what. So even if it does change their motivation for success, if they do better in school, it would be worth it.

• That's wrong because students once students get paid, they will work harder.

Why?

The middle statement was better because it respectfully addressed the concern and then gave a reason why that answered the counterclaim.

Open Ended

Use the conclusions section of the sentence frames page and write a concluding statement for the opinion that students should be paid to do well in school.

Open Ended

Write a reflection sentence that uses a sentence frame from the reflection section of the opinion sentence frames.

Poll

Do you feel comfortable using these sentence frames in your own paragraphs?

• 100% It's so easy.

• 80% I think so, but I might make mistakes.

• 50% I am not very sure. I will try.

• 0% I don't know what to do.