Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.A
Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure that lists reasons.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.B
Provide reasons that support the opinion.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.C
Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect
opinion and reasons.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.D
Provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.4
With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing
types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate
command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3.)

Unit Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Understand that titles are underlined. The important words are capitalized. Titles are
not written using sentence format. Titles tell the main idea.
2. Understand that every paragraph has a purpose: to inform, to entertain, to persuade,
etc.
3. Identify that the topic sentence introduces the paragraph and needs to contain a general
statement, not specific details.
4.Determine the clincher, or closing sentence. That it needs to end the paragraph in a
satisfying way. The different types of closing sentences.
5. Identify the basics of editing. What COPS stands for in editing.
6. Explain the writing process from prewrite, rough draft, edit, revise and publish stages.
7. Utilize transition words to make their paragraph flow.
8. Identify prompts to understand purpose and audience, use prewriting activities to
generate ideas, logically organize ideas and add details,proofread their writing for
fluency, edit their writing for accuracy
9. Present/publish their writing.

I Can Statements:

I can determine my opinion or point of view on a topic or text

I can create an organizational structure to introduce my topic and opinion
I can write an opinion about something that I have read
I can support my opinion with details from the text that I have noted on a graphic
organizer
I can connect the reasons and details with words like: because, therefore, since,
and for example
I can write a conclusion to my writing
I can identify the writing style that best fits my task and purpose

I can use graphic organizers to develop my writing ideas

I can create a piece of writing that shows my understanding of a specific writing

style

When someone helps me:

I can use prewriting strategies to formulate ideas
I can recognize that a good piece of writing requires more than one draft
I can edit to make my writing clearer
I can revise my writing to make sure I stay on topic
I can prepare a new draft with changes that strengthens my writing

Assessment Tasks:
Formal assessment with rubrics made by the teacher. Close examination of the work will
determine if concepts are grasped or if struggling.
Key markers of proficiency:
Sentence Structure
Write longer and more elaborate sentences and organize their writing into larger
units of text.
Understand and be able to use complete and correct declarative, interrogative,
imperative, and exclamatory sentences.
Grammar
Identify subjects and verbs that are in agreement and identify and use pronouns,
adjectives, compound words, and articles correctly in simple and compound
sentences.
Identify and use past, present, and future verb tenses properly.
Identify and use subjects and verbs correctly in speaking and writing simple
sentences.
Punctuation
Punctuation, including end punctuation, apostrophes, commas, colons, quotation
marks in dialogue, and apostrophes in singular possessives;

Punctuate dates, city and state, and titles of books correctly.

Use commas in dates, locations, and addresses and for items in a series.

Capitalization
Capitalize proper nouns, including holidays, product names, titles used with
someones name, initials, and geographic locations, historical periods, and special
events correctly.
Spelling
Master regularly spelled patterns such as consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC)
(hop), consonant-vowel-consonant-silent e (CVCe) (hope).
Write with more proficient spelling of one-syllable words that have blends,
contractions, compounds, spelling patterns (e.g., qu, consonant doubling,
changing the ending of a word from -y to -ies when forming the plural), and
common homophones (e.g., hair-hare).
Spell words ending in -tion and -sion such as station and procession.
Arrange words in alphabetic order. Uses a dictionary or other resources as
necessary.
Info: http://www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/writing-standards/third-grade/

Lesson Sequence:
1. What is a paragraph? Examples of good paragraphs will be shown and read in
class. What do they think makes a good paragraph. Whats the purpose of a
paragraph?
2. Nuts and Bolts: Introduction to Paragraph Writing Vocabulary
3. Tackling Topic Sentences. What makes a good topic sentence?
4. Whats The Topic? Read a paragraph and find the topic sentence.
5. Build A Topic Sentence. Read a story, then build a proper topic sentence for it.
Look at the picture, and then create a topic sentence for that image.
6. Whats the Body? The middle of the paragraph and the details. Read stories and
determine the body.
7. Transition words. Words that can be used to allow the paragraph to flow. Create
bulletin board as a class to help remind what could be used.
8. Whats the conclusion/closing statement? What makes a good closing
statement? Excellent endings interactive notebook page.
9. Hamburger Style. Introduce the way to set up a paragraph by referring to a
hamburger. Combine all the parts of a paragraph to create a whole.
10. Cut 'n' Paste Scrambled Paragraph
11. COPS Editing tools. What to look for when editing work. What COPS stands for
and the meaning behind each one. Sentence arrest WS.
12. Editing Marks. How to read edit marks, create small bulletin board. The
checklists of a paragraph.
13. Vocabulary quiz. After go over the answers as a class and review everything that
has been learned.
14. Prewriting. Introduce the assignment. They will be writing a paragraph that will
be graded. Give them a rubric to go by. It will be an opinion paragraph. Let them

choose their topic, then work on ideas and organization.

15. Rough Draft. Put their ideas together into a paragraph.
16. Edit. Use COPS and editing marks to read over your rough draft. Partner up and
read someone elses paper. Make marks using the editing marks we learned to
help a classmate.
17. Revise. Use ARMS to add, remove, move, and substitute. Make marks on your
paper with a different color than original and editing pen.
18. Publish. Rewrite your paragraph in your best hand writing to turn in to the
teacher.

Differentiated Instruction:

K-W-L
Modeling of Paragraphs
Graphic Organizers
Group/partners
Open ended questions To check for understanding
Posters and Bulletins to guide and remind
Quizzes modified

Materials:
1. COPS.pdf
2. HamburgerParagraphPictureTemplate.pdf
3. ParagraphWritingHamburgerStyle.pdf
4. ParagraphWritingIntroductionStepsOfWritingProcessVocabulary.pdf
5. ScrambledParagraphWritingActivity.pdf
6. TacklingTopicSentencesFREEBIE.pdf
7. TransitionWordsinWritingAnchorChartKit.pdf
8. WritingProcessPosters.pdf
9. WritingStrongConclusionSentencesAnInteractiveNotebookPage.pdf
10. Black, Blue, and Red Pens
11. Notebook
12. Scissors
13. Glue
14. Rubric
15. Color Pencils
16. Stapler
17. Pencils

Dear Families,
We will be starting a unit on paragraphs this week. We will be starting with opinion
pieces and will move on to other types later in the year. For now we will learn the
basics of writing paragraphs. At home, allow your child to work on writing and
continue to read with them. Let them try to teach you what they learned each day. If
you have any questions, do not hesitate to call or email me.
Happy Writing!
Ms. Rogers

Opinion Paragraph
Writing

Vocabulary Quiz
Publish/Final Draft

Topic
Sentences
Prewriting

Body Sentences
Transition words

Editing Marks
COPS
Revise

Conclusion
Sentences
Vocabulary
Rough Draft