Lesson 1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, Writing...

THEME Minerals that Matter

Sharing OpinionsHave you ever felt strongly about something and wanted to share your beliefs with others? When you do, you’re stating an opinion. You might express your beliefs about an important issue such as air pollution. Or you might give your opinion about a smaller topic, like which video game you prefer.

Read the cartoon below. What opinions can you identify?

Opinions can be shared as part of a conversation, as in this cartoon. They can be also the subject of an article in a magazine, or the reason for delivering a speech. How do you usually share your opinions with others?

Hey!

Finding apenny meansgood luck!

Sounds like we should get rid of pennies altogether. ?

Did you knowit costs almosttwo cents to make a pennythese days?

Hey, it’s stillgood luck!

W.4.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

W.4.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. Writing an Opinion:

Speech

Lesson 1

THEME Minerals that Matter

1

Steps for Writing

On the following pages, you’ll learn the steps for writing your own speech.

Step 1 Study a Mentor Text

Step 2 Unpack Your Assignment

Step 3 Find Text Evidence

Step 4 Organize Your Evidence

Step 5 Draft Your Speech

Step 6 Revise: First Read

Step 7 Revise: Second Read

Step 8 Edit for Conventions

What Is Opinion Writing? In opinion writing, a writer states an opinion that reflects his or her point of view—thoughts, feelings, or beliefs—about a topic. The writer supports this opinion by giving strong reasons and then using evidence, such as facts and details, to explain each reason.

KEY FEATURES Opinion Writing

• an introduction that gets readers interested in the topic and presents a clear opinion statement

• strong, convincing reasons that are well supported by evidence

• linking words and phrases that connect the opinion to reasons, and reasons to evidence

• a conclusion that restates the writer’s opinion and leaves readers with an idea to think about

FOCUS Read as a Writer

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Lesson 1 Writing an Opinion: Speech

Before you write your speech, you’ll study a model. First, read to understand what it’s about. Then reread to understand how it was written.

As you reread the Mentor Text, do the numbered activities. They’ll help you understand the key features of an opinion speech.

Power for Our Townby Tae Chatman

1 Imagine that you are about to cast a vote that could affect the future of our town. Which future would you vote for? On the one hand, we could have lower unemployment, lower electric bills, and lower air pollution. On the other hand, we could have more unemployment, higher electric bills, and more polluted air. If you voted for the first choice, you’d be voting to keep the nuclear power plant that now gives our town its electricity. The nuclear power plant is the best energy option for our town, and I believe we should keep it and not build a new kind of plant.

2 One important reason to keep our nuclear power plant is that it employs hundreds of people from our town. Unemployment is quite low here. The power plant is one of the reasons for that. If we build a different kind of plant, not everyone will have the right skills to work at the new plant. Many people will lose their jobs.

3 Second, running a nuclear power plant is actually cheap compared to the alternatives. Producing electricity from a nuclear power plant usually costs less than producing electricity from coal or natural gas plants. That means we pay less for electricity. Building a new power plant may cause our electricity bills to rise.

1 Introduction How does the question in paragraph 1 help the writer grab his audience’s attention?

2 Opinion Statement In paragraph 1, the writer clearly states his point of view. Draw a dashed line under the writer’s opinion statement.

3 Reasons Paragraphs 2–5 each develop one reason that supports the writer’s opinion. In each paragraph, underline the sentence that states the reason.

MENTOR TEXT: Speech

Step 1 Study a Mentor Text

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4 In addition, building a new power plant will cost millions of dollars. Where will this money come from? Some of the money will come from higher local taxes—money we pay to the town government—so keeping our current plant makes the most financial sense for us.

5 One final reason we should keep the power plant is that it doesn’t pollute the air. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Unlike fossil fuel-fired power plants, nuclear reactors do not produce air pollution.” Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, give off harmful emissions when they are burned. Emissions can be in the form of liquid, gases, or particles, which are tiny bits of matter. These emissions pollute the air and harm people and the environment. Unlike coal and oil plants, nuclear power plants give off steam that does not cause pollution. Each year, the use of nuclear energy prevents more than a million deaths that would have been caused by air pollution created by oil or coal plants.

6 In conclusion, I believe that we should keep our nuclear power plant. It makes financial sense, and it employs people in this town. It also gives us a source of electricity that is cleaner and less expensive than other forms of energy. Imagine just how powerful our wonderful town will continue to be if we keep our current plant.

7 Sources

“Cost and Benefits Analyses.” Nuclear Energy Institute. www.nei.org “Nonrenewable Uranium (nuclear).” EIA Energy Kids. www.eia.gov Steen, Susan. “Where does energy come from?” Appleseeds

4 Linking Words and Phrases In paragraphs 3–5, the writer uses certain words or phrases to alert his readers to a new reason. Draw a box around each of these words or phrases.

5 Conclusion In paragraph 6, the writer leaves his readers with an idea to think about. Draw a dashed line under the sentence that does this.

6 Sources The writer provides a list of sources at the end of his speech. Explain why he did this.

FOCUS Identify Task, Purpose, and Audience

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Some residents in your town think the nuclear power plant is not safe, and they want to replace it with a new source of energy. Your mayor is holding a town hall meeting so residents can voice their opinions. You will write a speech giving your opinion about whether the town should keep the nuclear plant or invest in a new energy source.

In your speech:

• State your opinion: Should the town keep the nuclear power plant, or should it invest in new sources of energy?

• Provide reasons to support your opinion.

• Support your reasons with facts and details from reliable sources.

Provide a list of sources at the end of your speech.

Before you begin writing, you should read your assignment carefully and plan your work. Begin by identifying your task, purpose, and audience.

• Your task is what you need to do to complete the assignment.

• Your purpose is your reason for writing. In opinion writing, the purpose is to share your opinion and explain your reasons for having it.

• Your audience is the person or group that will read or listen to your finished speech. A speech is usually read aloud while the audience listens.

Modeled Instruction

Tae Chatman, who wrote the Mentor Text on pages 2–3, was given the assignment below. Read Tae’s assignment. Then read the points in his Think Aloud, which tell how he identified his task, purpose, and audience.

Think Aloud Audience The words residents, town, and mayor tell me

that my audience is made up of people who live in my town. I will focus my speech on details that really matter to all of us in the community.

Purpose My purpose is to help residents in my town understand my point of view about whether our town should keep the nuclear power plant.

Task I have to write a speech that gives my opinion. The word reasons tells me that I must explain my opinion by telling why I feel this way. The words support, facts, and details tell me that I need to find reliable information to support each reason. I also have to list my sources. This shows that I did my research, and allows people to make sure the information I give in my speech is accurate and reliable.

TAE’S Assignment

Lesson 1 Writing an Opinion: Speech W.4.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Step 2 Unpack Your Assignment

Hi, I’m Luna, and I’m also going to be doing

this assignment.

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Your Assignment


Your Assignment

1 Audience Draw a box around the words that tell what kind of meeting your audience will attend. Who will be in your audience?

2 Purpose Draw a dashed line under the words that help you understand your purpose for writing.

3 Task Underline the parts of your task that tell what you must do to complete the assignment.

Turn and Talk Discuss some ways that writing a speech is different from writing an essay. What are some of the different choices you will make, and why?

HINT Who called the meeting? Who has been invited?

HINT Reread the top of page 4.

HINT Each of the bullets following In your speech: begins with an action.

Guided Practice

Now it’s your turn to write a speech. Read Your Assignment carefully. Then complete the activities, using the Hints for help.

Your mayor must decide whether to continue using coal as the primary source of your town’s electricity. She has called a town hall meeting to invite residents to give their opinions. You will write and deliver a speech telling your opinion about whether the town should continue using coal to generate electricity or explore other options.

To prepare to write your speech, you will read the following sources:

• A Powerful Rock page 10

• Coal Today and Tomorrow pages 11–15

In your speech:

• State your opinion: Should the town continue to use coal as its source of electricity, or should it explore other options?

• Provide reasons to support your opinion.

• Support your reasons with facts and details from the texts.

Provide a list of sources at the end of your speech.

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The Research PathThe Research PathThe Research PathWriting from SourcesWriting from Sources

Sources

Join me on the path to gather evidence

from sources!

Your Sources

Return to pages 10–15Use your mark-up strategy to identify important details in the sources.

REREAD

Reread as a Writer

READ Your SourcesGo to pages 10–15

• A Powerful Rock

• Coal Today and Tomorrow

Find out what these sources are about and what you can learn from them.

Read as a Reader

7© Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 1 Writing an Opinion: Speech

Text EvidenceREVIEW Your Assignment

Return to page 5Reread your task to identify the types of details you will need to include in your speech.

Begin Writing! Go to pages 20–21

FIND Text EvidenceGo to pages 8–9Learn how to mark important details so you can find them quickly later on.

Your Assignment

THINK It Through

Go to pages 16–17Complete the activities to help you connect the ideas from the sources to your assignment.

ORGANIZE Your EvidenceGo to pages 18–19Use a chart to group your reasons and supporting evidence so that you’re ready to write.

Think It Through

Need More Information?Yes, see Write Time, page 17

FOCUS Gather Information


From “A Powerful Rock” page 10

Today, generators fueled by coal supply much of the world’s energy. But the processes used to mine coal and convert it into fuel can pollute our air, land, and water. When coal is burned, harmful chemicals are released into the air. These chemicals get carried through the air by the wind and fall in the raindrops. This is called acid rain. It can make plants and animals very sick.

Engineers are developing new technologies to reduce the potential air pollution from coal.These promising solutions may help us get the most from this powerful rock while protecting our precious planet.

Before you can form an opinion, you need to first consider both sides of the issue. For this assignment, that means you should think about details that support using coal as an energy source, and details that are against it.

Details that support an idea are often called pros. Details that are against an idea are called cons. As you reread the source texts on pages 10–15, mark details supporting the use of coal as an energy source with a P, for pro, and details against using coal as an energy source with a C, for con. Then you’ll be able to review the details easily when it’s time to form your opinion.

Modeled Instruction

Luna underlined details and marked up the text as she read the first source, “A Powerful Rock.”

Read the text and Luna’s Think Aloud to learn about the reading and mark-up strategies she used.

Think Aloud The first sentence tells me that coal supplies a lot of the

world’s energy. But the second sentence says that the processes for turning coal into energy actually pollute the air, land, and water. I know from science class that pollute means “to make dirty.” So if coal is used all over the world, and it makes the air, land, and water dirty, then I will definitely mark this detail with a C, for con.

In the second paragraph, I see a lot of positive phrases, such as new technologies, promising solutions, and protecting our precious planet. If engineers can develop cleaner ways to burn coal, then we can probably continue to use it as an energy source. I’ll underline this sentence and mark it with a P, for pro.


Step 3 Find Text Evidence

W.4.8: . . . gather relevant information from print . . . sources. . . .

C

P


Guided Practice

Read the following excerpt from “Coal Today and Tomorrow.” Note the underlined details. Then complete the activities, using the Hints for help.

From “Coal Today and Tomorrow” page 13

Many countries use coal because it is less expensive than other energy sources, and right now, there is plenty of it. However, there are also challenges to using coal. For instance, it is a nonrenewable resource. Because it is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years, there is a limited amount of it. While some experts say there is enough coal to supply energy for another 100 to 300 years, someday the supply of coal will run out. Renewable energy sources like sun and wind will never run out.

1 Is the first underlined sentence a pro or a con of using coal to generate electricity? Mark it with a P or C, and explain your answer.

2 Underline a detail that is against the idea of using coal to generate electricity, and mark it with a C. Tell why you marked it.

3 Would you mark the second underlined sentence with a P or a C? Explain your answer.

Turn and Talk Discuss how marking the pros and cons of using coal will help you form your opinion and find details to support it.

HINT Look for reasons why many countries currently use coal.

HINT Which word signals that an opposing detail will follow?

HINT Think about how the ideas flow logically within the paragraph.

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Source 1: Online Article Lesson 1

by Patrick Pierce

1 Coal may look like an ordinary black rock. But inside, it contains

powerful energy that can be used for heat and electricity. Coal is made

from plant matter that was buried far below the Earth’s surface for millions

of years. Being buried so deeply and for so long put the plant matter

under intense heat and pressure. The heat and pressure caused the

chemical and physical characteristics of the plant matter to change.

Eventually, the plant matter turned into coal.

2 Coal must be mined, or dug up from below the ground. After it is mined,

the coal travels to a machine that cleans it. This process removes dirt,

rocks, and other unwanted materials. Next, heavy machines crush the coal

until it becomes a fine powder. Finally, the coal is burned to make steam.

Special machines called turbines use this steam to create electricity.

3 Today, generators fueled by coal supply much of the world’s energy.

But the processes used to mine coal and convert it into fuel can pollute

our air, land, and water. When coal is burned, harmful chemicals are

released into the air. These chemicals get carried through the air by the

wind and fall in the raindrops. This is called acid

rain. It can make plants and animals very sick.

4 Engineers are developing new

technologies to reduce the

potential air pollution from coal.

These promising solutions

may help us get the most from

this powerful rock while

protecting our precious planet.

LOG IN | ABOUT | HELP SEARCH

Coal, before it is processed, looks like an ordinary

pile of rocks.

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Source 2: Magazine ArticleLesson 1

by Chris Eboch

This power plant in Utah uses coal to make electricity.

A Very Useful Rock1 How many ways can a rock be used? If the rock is coal, it can be

used in many different ways, from making soap to making steel. Its most important use, though, comes when it is burned to produce heat, light, and electricity. For thousands of years, people have burned coal to cook their food and heat their homes.

2 Today, people in some countries still burn coal in stoves and open fires. However, in the United States, coal is mostly burned to make electricity. More than one-third of the electricity used in the United States comes from coal.

3 Electricity is created in large buildings, or groups of buildings, called power plants. In a coal-burning power plant, the coal is burned to heat water. As the water boils, it makes steam, which turns a wheel with blades. The energy from this movement is turned into electricity. This electrical energy then powers lights, electric stoves, and microwaves. It also keeps computers and other electronics running.


Source 2 continued Lesson 1

4 Coal is a major energy source in the United States because there is a great deal of it. Coal is mined in twenty-five states. Many coal beds in the U.S. are near the ground surface, where it is easy to access. Modern coal mining methods are very efficient, which keeps costs down. In addition, many current U.S. power plants are designed to use coal. It is cheaper to use an existing plant than to build a new one that uses a different fuel. For these reasons, coal is a fairly cheap source of energy compared to other sources, such as oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy.

Coal in Daily Life5 Coal isn’t just a source of energy. Many of the things you see or

use every day are made using coal. For example, coal is used in the production of steel. When coal is baked in hot furnaces, it turns into a material called coke. Coke burns very hot, which makes it ideal for burning the iron ore needed to make steel. Steel is both strong and flexible, so it’s used in buildings, bridges, and cars.

Sources of Electricity Generationin the United States in 2012

Petroleum

Renewable

Coal

Natural Gas

1%

19%

12%30%

37%

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Nuclear


6 Some ingredients in coal can be used to make everything from plastic to makeup, shampoos, and toothpaste. It is used in synthetic fibers such as nylon and fleece, too. Chemicals from coal can be used in computer chips, batteries, and electronics. Coal is even used in some medicines.

7 Coal can also be used to make carbon fiber, a strong, light material. Tennis rackets and mountain bikes may have carbon fiber parts. So might aircraft and racecars. In the future, regular cars may begin using carbon fiber, too. This would make for lighter, more fuel-efficient cars. Cars that use less fuel are better for the environment.

The Challenges of Coal8 Many countries use coal because it is less expensive than other

energy sources, and right now, there is plenty of it. However, there are also challenges to using coal. For instance, it is a nonrenewable resource. Because it is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years, there is a limited amount of it. While some experts say there is enough coal to supply energy for another 100 to 300 years, someday the supply of coal will run out. Renewable energy sources like sun and wind will never run out.

9 Coal can also cause environmental problems. Because coal is found under the Earth’s surface, it must be mined, or taken out of the ground. Some coal mines don’t have a big effect on the environment. Others have more severe effects. The effect on the environment depends on how the coal is mined. When coal is near the ground surface, it can be dug up with steam shovels. This is called surface mining. Some surface mines remove entire mountaintops and deposit the extra material into the valleys. This dramatically changes the landscape. Surface mines also release a small amount of methane. This greenhouse gas is bad for the environment.


Source 2 continued Lesson 1

10 Some coal lies far underground. Mines must be dug deep into the earth. Miners travel underground in trains or elevators to reach the coal deposits. Underground mines do not change the landscape as much as surface mines do. However, they release much more methane. In all, coal mines contribute about 9% of the total methane released in the United States. Plus, working in underground mines can be very dangerous for the miners.

11 Coal also affects the environment after it is mined. When coal is burned, it releases several pollutants into the air. They contribute to smog, an unhealthy mixture of smoke and fog. Air pollution caused by burning coal is a major problem in some cities. In 2013, the smog in Harbin, China, was so bad that people could not see more than a few feet in front of them. Roads were closed and flights were canceled. The pollution also caused many health problems. Much of this pollution was due to heating systems that burned coal. As a result, the Harbin government is working hard to reduce pollution in the city.

Vehicles and pedestrians make their way through heavy smog in downtown Harbin, China, on October 21, 2013.


12 In addition, pollutants from burning coal can contribute to acid rain—rain that has chemicals that are dangerous to plants. Burning coal also releases heavy metals such as mercury. These can get into lakes and rivers and then into fish. The animals and people that eat the fish also eat the metals. This is very bad for their health.

A Better Future?13 Many U.S. government laws apply to coal mining. Some of these

laws are designed to help prevent harm to people and nature. Laws limit how much pollution a power plant or factory can release from burning coal. New power plants release much less pollution than plants built decades ago. Even though more coal is used today, emissions (substances that enter the air when coal is burned) have gone down.

14 The U.S. government has also spent billions of dollars developing and testing new ways of working with coal. Technology has already solved some problems. Smokestacks now have “scrubbers” that capture some pollution before it can be released into the air. In the United States, 99% of the pollutants that cause acid rain are now filtered out of coal smoke. Waste material from burning coal can be stored underground, where it is less likely to do harm. Sometimes the wastes can even be used to create new products, such as concrete and paint. Other technology makes coal more energy-efficient. That means less of it needs to be burned to make the same amount of energy.

15 Someday it may be possible to make a coal-burning power plant that does not release any pollution into the air. Scientists keep working on ways to make coal cleaner and safer. Their goal is to create “clean coal”—coal that does little or no environmental damage.

16 The coal power plants of today are much cleaner and healthier than those of the past. In the future, they should be even better.

Think It Through

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Use details from your sources to complete the following activities. Your answers will help you write your speech.

1 List three details that support continuing to use coal as an energy source. After each detail, write the number of the source it came from.

2 List three details that support exploring options other than coal for energy. After each detail, write the number of the source it came from.

3 Based on the information you’ve read, should your town continue to use coal as an energy source, or should it explore other options for energy? Write your opinion statement below.

HINT Why does coal currently supply much of the world’s energy?

HINT What are the main differences between using coal for energy versus wind or sunlight?

HINT Consider all the details that you marked P or C, not just those that you listed above.

W.4.9b: Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts.

Detail:

Detail:

Detail:

Detail:

Detail:

Detail:

Think It Through


4 List the strongest reasons that support your opinion. The example below shows how you can combine related details into a single reason. HINT The reason sums up what

the details have in common.

17

Example:

Reason: Mining and burning coal are harmful to the environment.

Detail: Burning coal creates acid rain and smog.

Detail: Mining coal can remove mountain tops and fill valleys.

5 Complete the frame below to express your opinion and reasons in one statement.

I believe that the town continue to use coal as an energy source

because [reason 1] ,

[reason 2] ,

and [reason 3] .

HINT Use your responses to Items 3 and 4.

Write Time

Reason 1:

Reason 2:

Reason 3:

Return to your sources to identify facts and details that support each of your reasons. Mark evidence for each reason with the code R-1, R-2, or R-3.


Luna’s Chart

My Opinion: Our town should stop using coal and find a new source of energy.

Reason 1 Mining and burning coal harm the environment.

Evidence• Coal must be dug up from below the

ground.

•

Reason 2 Evidence

Now that you’ve formed your opinion and identified your supporting reasons, it’s time to plan your speech.

Each of your reasons helps explain why your audience should agree with your opinion. In the same way, evidence—the facts and details you marked in the sources—helps explain each reason. As you write your speech, each reason and its supporting evidence will make up one paragraph.

Modeled Instruction

To organize her reasons and supporting evidence, Luna created the chart below.

Look at Luna’s opinion, her first reason, and the detail that supports her reason. Find another fact or detail in the passage that supports this reason. Underline it and add it to the chart.

Step 4 Organize Your Evidence


From “A Powerful Rock” page 10

Coal must be mined, or dug up from below the ground. After it is mined, the coal travels to a machine that cleans it. This process removes dirt, rocks, and other unwanted materials. Next, heavy machines crush the coal until it becomes a fine powder. Finally, the coal is burned to make steam. . . .

. . . But the processes used to mine coal and convert it into fuel can pollute our air, land, and water. When coal is burned, harmful chemicals are released into the air. These chemicals get carried through the air by the wind and fall in the raindrops. This is called acid rain. It can make plants and animals very sick.

FOCUS Plan Your Speech

W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning. . . .

W.4.8: . . . take notes and categorize information. . . .


Guided Practice

Luna’s classmate Beau has the opposite opinion. Help him continue filling out his chart by completing the activities. Use the Hints for help.

From “Coal Today and Tomorrow” page 12

Coal is a major energy source in the United States because there is a great deal of it. Coal is mined in twenty-five states. Many coal beds in the U.S. are near the ground surface, where it is easy to access. Modern coal mining methods are very efficient, which keeps costs down. In addition, many current U.S. power plants are designed to use coal. It is cheaper to use an existing plant than to build a new one that uses a different fuel. For these reasons, coal is a fairly cheap source of energy compared to other sources, such as oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy.

1 Find an additional detail that supports Reason 1. Underline it, and add it to the chart. Explain why it supports Reason 1.

2 Read the Evidence in the row labeled Reason 2. Then fill in the reason these details both support. Explain your answer.

Turn and Talk Discuss the difference between reasons and evidence, and why it is important to use evidence to support each reason.

Beau’s Chart

My Opinion: Our town should continue to use coal as a source of energy.

Reason 1 Coal is widely available.

Evidence• Coal is mined in 25 states.

•

Reason 2 Evidence• Coal mining methods are very efficient.• It is cheaper to use an existing plant

than to build a new one.

Write TimeIn your own chart, record the reasons for your opinion and then organize the evidence you identified to support each reason.

HINT Available means “ready for use” and “easy to get.”

HINT Reread the excerpt and look for the idea that connects these details.


Use the chart below to learn more about the main parts of an opinion speech. Then refer back to this information as you write your draft.

Step 5 Draft Your Speech


FOCUS Write an Introduction

Parts of an Opinion Speech

INTRODUCTION

Explains your topic and clearly states

your opinion

During a speech, you have to keep your audience interested every step of the way. You should:

• Grab the audience’s attention by describing a scenario, asking a question, or stating a fact about the issue.

• Describe both sides of the issue. Help your audience understand what choices your opinion is based on.

• State your opinion clearly. This lets your audience know what the rest of your speech will be about.

BODY

Supports your opinion with reasons

and evidence

Each paragraph or section of the body should develop onereason that supports your opinion. You should:

• Present your reasons in a logical order. For example, you may want to end with the most important reason.

• Support each reason with facts and details.

• Connect ideas with linking words and phrases to help them flow together smoothly.

CONCLUSION

Restates your opinion and summarizes

your reasons

Your conclusion should remind your audience of your opinion and your reasons for having it. You should:

• Briefly restate your reasons.

• Leave your audience with an idea to think about.

W.4.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

W.4.1a: Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.


Write TimeUse your ideas from this page to begin drafting your introduction. Then begin drafting your body paragraphs.

Draft Your INTRODUCTION

Practice writing the parts of an introduction. Study each example from the Mentor Text below. Then try writing each part of your own introduction.

Grab the Audience’s Attention

Mentor Text

Imagine that you are about to cast a vote that could affect the future of our town. Which future would you vote for?

Your Speech

Describe Both Sides of the Issue

Mentor Text

On the one hand, we could have lower unemployment, lower electric bills, and lower air pollution. On the other hand, we could have more unemployment, higher electric bills, and more polluted air.

Your Speech

State Your Opinion

Mentor Text

If you voted for the first choice, you’d be voting to keep the nuclear power plant that now gives our town its electricity. The nuclear power plant is the best energy option for our town, and I believe we should keep it and not build a new kind of plant.

Your Speech

Turn and Talk Discuss why having a good introduction is important when your audience will be listening to your speech rather than reading it.

HINT Think about how coal impacts people in their daily lives.

HINT What factors make the decision to keep or replace coal a difficult one?

HINT What do you think should happen? Your answer is your opinion statement.

Draft Your INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

BODY

CONCLUSION

FOCUS Add Facts and Details


Draft Your BODY

As you draft your body paragraphs, remember that each paragraph or section should begin with a reason that supports your opinion. You should use details and facts to develop each reason.

• Details provide additional information to help your audience understand your ideas. Details include facts, descriptions, and examples.

• A fact is a specific kind of detail that can be proven. Facts include numbers, dates, and definitions.

Modeled Instruction

Read the excerpt from “Power for Our Town.” Note the underlined detail, and complete the activities to see how details and facts support each reason.

In addition, building a new power plant will cost millions of dollars. Where will this money come from? Some of the money will come from higher local taxes—money we pay to the town government—so keeping our current plant makes the most financial sense for us.

One final reason we should keep the power plant is that it doesn’t pollute the air. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Unlike fossil fuel-fired power plants, nuclear reactors do not produce air pollution.” Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, give off harmful emissions when they are burned. Emissions can be in the form of liquid, gases, or particles, which are tiny bits of matter. These emissions pollute the air and harm people and the environment.

From MENTOR TEXT page 3

1 Draw a dashed line under a sentence in each paragraph that tells a reason why the town should keep its nuclear power plant. Label the first reason R-1 and the second R-2.

2 Read the underlined detail. How does this detail support the writer’s first reason?

3 Underline a fact that supports Reason 2. Why do you think the writer included this fact?

Lesson 1 Step 5 Draft Your Speech continued

INTRODUCTION

BODY

CONCLUSION

W.4.1b: Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.


Luna’s Chart

My Opinion: Our town should not continue to use coal and should find a new energy source.

Reason 1 Mining and burning coal harm the environment.

Evidence• Some mining processes cut off mountain

tops or fill in valleys. • When coal is burned, harmful chemicals

are released into the air.• In 2013, smog in Harbin, China, was so

bad that it shut down the city.

Guided Practice

Luna used her notes to write the draft below. Now she must find ways to develop her ideas in the underlined sentences.

Read Luna’s notes and draft. Complete the activities, using the Hints for help.

Luna’s Draft Coal mining can harm the Earth’s surface. Burning coal can also release dangerous chemicals into the air. This can cause many problems. It caused a big problem one time in China. For this reason, we should look for cleaner options.

Write TimeFinish drafting the body of your speech. Then draft a conclusion using the tips from the chart on page 20 for help.

4 How can Luna use a detail from her notes to support the first underlined sentence?

5 In the second underlined sentence, Luna refers to a fact from her notes. Underline the fact. Then help her rewrite the sentence to be more specific.

6 Explain why adding the fact above will improve Luna’s speech.

Turn and Talk Read your partner’s body paragraphs, and draw a star beside each fact or detail that supports a reason. Discuss whether each paragraph has enough evidence.

HINT What type of harm can coal mining cause?

HINT What important information has Luna left out?

HINT Reread the definition of fact on the previous page.

Step 6 Revise: First ReadLesson 1 Writing an Opinion: Speech

Our town is about to vote on whether to change its power plant. The nuclear power plant would close, and a new plant would be built. Which would you vote for? If you voted for the nuclear plant to stay open, you’d be voting for more jobs and cheaper electricity. I believe we should do that, not build a new plant.

One reason to keep our power plant is that hundreds of people work there. If we build a different kind of plant, not everyone will have the right skills to work at the new plant. Many people will lose their jobs.

Second, running a nuclear power plant is actually cheap. It costs less to make electricity in a nuclear power plant. That means we pay less for electricity. Building a new power plant may cause our electricity bills to rise.


W.4.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by . . . revising. . . .

As you revise, use your Opinion Writing Checklist to check your writing. Work through the checklist, one line at a time. Reread the related parts of your speech to decide whether you did your best possible work for each trait described. In this step, you will practice checking your speech for three of the traits in the categories of Ideas and Elaboration.

Modeled Instruction

The Mentor Text writer, Tae Chatman, used the same checklist to evaluate his draft.

Read his Think Aloud to see how he checks his speech.

Think Aloud Ideas Did I state my opinion clearly? I said, “I believe

we should do that.” That is not very clear because I didn’t say exactly what we should do. I believe that nuclear power is best for our town, and we should keep the plant we have. I will replace the last sentence of my introduction with a sentence that says this.

Ideas Did I give enough reasons to support my opinion? So far I say that we should keep the nuclear power plant because it protects hundreds of jobs and provides a cheaper source of electricity. Those are good reasons, but I also know that nuclear energy does not create pollution. I will add a paragraph that explains this to make my speech even stronger.

Elaboration Are my reasons supported by facts and details? I say that it costs less to make electricity in a nuclear power plant, but I didn’t say what it costs less than. I know electricity made from coal or natural gas costs more. I’ll add a sentence that says, “Producing electricity from a nuclear power plant usually costs less than producing electricity from coal or natural gas plants.”

MENTOR TEXT Draft

FOCUS Ideas and Elaboration

Guided Practice

Read the excerpt below from Luna’s draft of the assignment. Then complete the activities. Use the Hints for help.

Write Time


1 Ideas Luna believes her town should replace its coal power plant. Did she state her opinion clearly? Explain your answer.

2 Ideas Luna’s second paragraph gives examples that show how coal harms the environment. What sentence could she add that clearly states her reason for wanting to replace the coal power plant?

3 Elaboration Does Luna provide enough facts and details in her second paragraph to support her reason? Explain your answer.

Turn and Talk Take turns reading aloud your introductions. Discuss whether you have included a clear opinion statement.

Guided Practice

Read the excerpt below from Luna’s draft of the assignment. Then complete the activities. Use the Hints for help.

Luna’s DraftCreating electricity from coal is inexpensive, and building a new

plant that uses gas or nuclear power would cost a lot of money. But we can’t just think about money. There are many things to think about before we decide if we should keep using coal or look for another option.

Coal pollutes our air, water, and land. The chemicals it releases can cause acid rain. Using coal also changes the landscape because mining it destroys mountains.

Use the Opinion Writing Checklist passed out by your teacher to evaluate your draft for Ideas, Organization, and Elaboration.

HINT Is there a single sentence that says what the writer thinks?

HINT Remember, a reason explains why the writer holds an opinion.

HINT As a reader, do you think you have enough information to understand her point of view?


W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by . . . revising. . . .

L.4.6: Acquire and use accurately . . . domain-specific words and phrases, including those . . . that are basic to a particular topic.

In this step, you’ll look for places to add domain-specific vocabulary. These are words and phrases that belong to a particular subject, or domain, such as science or social studies. These terms help writers express their ideas precisely.

When revising your writing for language, ask yourself: Is there a domain-specific word I can use that will be more effective? Have I clearly explained any words my audience might not know?

Here are some domain-specific words you might use in your speech about coal:

• emission – a solid, liquid, or gas made by burning a fuel

• environment – the natural world or part of it, including air, water, and land

• fossil fuel – a fuel formed from the remains of plants or animals

• generator – a machine that uses fuel to create electricity

Modeled Instruction

Read the following excerpt from “Power for Our Town.” Note how Tae Chatman used domain-specific vocabulary to develop his topic. Then complete the activities.

One final reason we should keep the power plant is that it doesn’t pollute the air. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Unlike fossil fuel-fired power plants, nuclear reactors do not produce air pollution.” Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, give off harmful emissions when they are burned. Emissions can be in the form of liquid, gases, or particles, which are tiny bits of matter. These emissions pollute the air and harm people and the environment. . . .

From MENTOR TEXT page 3

1 How does Tae help his readers understand the domain-

specific term fossil fuels?

2 Underline another example of a domain-specific word. Then explain how Tae makes its meaning clear to readers.

Step 7 Revise: Second ReadLesson 1 Writing an Opinion: Speech

FOCUS Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Write Time


Guided Practice

Read the following paragraph from an early draft of the Mentor Text. Then use the Hints to complete the activities that follow.

3 The writer wants to add a definition to help his audience understand the domain-specific term generator. Which is the best definition for the writer to add? Circle the correct answer.

A a building in which electrical energy is produced

B a process that turns plants into electrical energy

C a type of fuel that can be burned to produce electricity

D a part of a power plant that makes electrical energy

4 Read this sentence from the draft of the Mentor Text.

The burning of coal, a substance made from plant material that

was buried millions of years ago, produces gas, dust, smoke, and other

substances that can damage the surrounding earth, air, and water.

Rewrite the sentence on the lines below, replacing the underlined words with domain-specific terms that convey the same meaning.

Turn and Talk Take turns reading your draft with a partner and identify places where you can add domain-specific vocabulary. Be sure to include definitions or other information to help your audience understand each term.

HINT Generator comes from generate, which means “to make.”

HINT Use the list of terms and definitions on the opposite page to choose the best replacements.

Any power plant needs a source of energy to run the generator. Not all sources of energy are the same, however. The burning of coal, a substance made from plant material that was buried millions of years ago, produces gas, dust, smoke, and other substances that can damage the surrounding earth, air, and water.

MENTOR TEXT Draft

Use the Opinion Writing Checklist passed out by your teacher to evaluate your draft for Language.


W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by . . . editing.

L.4.1g: Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).

The last step is to make sure that your spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct. In this step, you’ll focus on making sure you are using the correct forms of words that sound the same but have different meanings.

The words in the charts below are commonly confused.

Word Meaning Word Meaning

two “a number” there “in that place”

too “also” their “belonging to them”

to “in a certain direction” they’re contraction of they are

Modeled Instruction

Read the following excerpt from a draft of “Power for Our Town.” Then complete the activities.

1 The words with wavy lines are incorrect forms. Cross out each incorrect form. Then write the correct form of each word directly above the word you crossed out.

2 There are three other instances in which the writer uses the incorrect form of a word. Find and cross out each incorrect form. Then write the correct form of each word directly above the word you crossed out.

Nuclear power plants are better than coal or

natural gas plants. I can give too reasons for this.

First, nuclear power plants give off steam.

They’re steam does not pollute the air or send off

soot too distant towns. Second, once there built,

nuclear plants are inexpensive to run. Their

some of the cheapest sources of electricity we

have. I’m sure it’s not just me who thinks this.

Other members of our community do, to.

MENTOR TEXT Draft

Step 8 Edit for ConventionsLesson 1 Writing an Opinion: Speech

FOCUS Commonly Confused Words

Language Handbook To learn more about commonly confused words, turn to page 196.

Write TimeUse the Opinion Writing Checklist passed out by your teacher to evaluate your draft for Conventions.


Guided Practice

Read the following excerpt from an early draft of “Power for Our Town.” Then complete the activities. Use the Hints for help.


If you travel too the next town, you’ll find people their are happy with the nuclear plant.

On the lines below, write this sentence correctly.


There pleased with how clean it is and the low cost of energy, to.



These too reasons are why they like the plant.


Turn and Talk Read your partner’s draft and look for any incorrect forms of words such as there, their, and they’re. Then discuss how using the wrong forms of words could affect how seriously a reader takes your ideas.

HINT The sentence talks about a person going somewhere.

HINT The sentence talks about a group of people who are also happy.

HINT The sentence refers to a pair of reasons.

If you travel too the next town, you’ll find people their are happy with the nuclear plant. There pleased with how clean it is and the low cost of energy, to. These too reasons are why they like the plant.

MENTOR TEXT Draft

Lesson 1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, Writing...

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