MYP 3 - Writing an opinion essay

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• Middelbare school
• Voortgezet speciaal onderwijs
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• Leerroute V
• Leerjaar 3

MYP 3 - Writing an opinion essay

What "secret ingredients" would you need to write an essay?

Objectives:

1. Students will understand the structure of an opinion essay.

2. Students will learn to formulate a clear thesis statement.

3. Students will practice writing topic sentences and supporting details.

4. Students will learn to write a conclusion that summarises their opinion.

Have you ever had a strong opinion about something and wanted to convince others?" Discuss briefly.

What do you know about the structure of an opinion essay?

https://create.kahoot.it/details/7872423e-8efb-428b-b352-e26bf677913f

- Use Handout 1 in GC to choose your writing prompt for the opinion essay. 

- Based on the writing prompt you have just chosen, write an Introduction paragraph of about 50 words. 

Formative task 1

What makes a good paragraph?

What makes a good paragraph? 

Topic sentence (main idea)

Supporting details (to develop the main idea)

Concluding sentence (to summarise the ideas mentioned before)

Cohesion & coherence devices (to logically connect ideas)

Proper grammar and varied types of sentences (no grammar mistakes and correct sentence structure)

Unity (to make the paragraph relevant)

Formative task 2

Read the prompt below (see Handout 1) and underline the key words. 

"Think about your school environment. How important is it that every student, regardless of their background, has equal access to resources and opportunities? Write an introduction explaining why equality, access, and inclusion are crucial in creating a fair and supportive educational setting."

Task description

Write an introduction paragraph of no more than 100 words for an opinion essay on the given prompt. Your introduction should include the following elements:

- A topic sentence (to grab the reader’s attention and to present the main idea of the given task).

- Supporting details (to briefly explain why equality, access, and inclusion are important in a school setting.

- A concluding statement summarises the main points you have  presented. 

Activity steps

Step 1: Brainstorming (5 minutes)

- Reflect on your own school experience. Think of examples where equality, access, and inclusion (or the lack of them) have affected students.

Step 2: writing (10 minutes)

- Write your introduction paragraph using the structure provided. Ensure it includes all the necessary elements of a good paragraph.

Step 3: Peer Review (10 minutes)

- Exchange introductions with a classmate and provide feedback. Focus on whether they have all the required elements: strong topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence. Also, check for cohesion and coherence elements. 

Step 4: Revision (5 minutes)

- Revise your introduction based on the feedback you received to improve it.

Model answer

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tEs0BVZyjPzPST1hsxGOrlrE_Q3CLkaj146T4cYO1Xw/edit#heading=h.m9ayfc2ub8ho