sample opinion essay 2nd grade

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Opinion Writing for 2nd Graders

May 6, 2015

If your second grade students are working on opinion writing or persuasive writing, you may be looking for a few tools to get started. Here are some resources to help.

Opinion Writing Resources

Back when the Common Core was first being implemented in our state, I was diving into opinion writing without a road map telling me where to go. I turned to Pinterest and found this anchor chart. The original source was Live, Love, Laugh, Learn First Grade, which no longer seems to be an active blog:

My next stop was Teachers Pay Teachers to see what was out there.

Most of these were created for first grade, but I needed to start somewhere.

Opinion Writing Books

Like all of my other writing units, I begin with picture books that model the text features I want my students to include in their own writing. Here are a few choices to get started:

• Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots
• I Want a Dog: An Opinion Essay
• I Wanna Iguana
• Hey, Little Ant
• Can I Be Your Dog?
• Stella Writes an Opinion
• A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea
• One Word From Sophia
• Don’t Feed the Bear
• The Big Bed
• Duck! Rabbit!
• The Perfect Pet
• Dog vs. Cat

You can find even more book options for opinion writing by clicking the image below:

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Opinion writing anchor charts.

After reading some books, I talk about what second graders are expected to do according to Common Core. This is when I introduce our anchor chart. When first introduced, all that is showing is the title and the CCSS, not the example paragraph.

I like _ because _ .

I prefer _ to because ___ .

I believe _ because .

In case you’re wondering, they are not allowed to say “because it’s cool”, “because it’s the best”, “because they’re great” or anything along those lines. It must be a specific reason! To really drive this point home, we use thumbs up or thumbs down in the whole group. A student will state an opinion using a sentence frame. Students will give a thumbs up or thumbs down letting their peers know if the reasons are specific or not.

Once my students have the frames down, it’s time to start building on it. At this point of the year, my students already know and understand topic and conclusion sentences. This is when I go back and write a sample paragraph (the bottom half of the standards poster). Since they are used to 5 sentence paragraphs, this doesn’t really shock them.

Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer

Then I introduce a prewrite. I’m sure many of you have seen the OREO idea. It really is catchy! The plan you see on the right is what we use when first starting out (once my kids catch on, they don’t need a formal plan sheet, but can create their own in their writing notebooks). The topic goes on the top line. The first rectangle is for the topic sentence. The three rectangles with cloud bubbles are for the reasons/examples. The bubbles are there to remind students to choose sentence starters. The bottom rectangle is for the conclusion sentence.

When we start writing, I choose the topics and prompts for my students. However, later on they can choose their own topics. Here is what my anchor chart tends to look like. FYI – I tend to stick more to the top two tiers, but the real-world category motivates many second graders!

Opinion Writing Examples

Since we tend to do this unit in the spring, you can incorporate your writing into Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts!

Thanks for sticking with me.  Here are your freebies:

I hope this has given you a new idea or two for opinion writing! You might also enjoy:

• How-To Writing
• Friendly Letter Writing
• Daily 5 Writing
• Picture Books about Writing
• Ways to Increase Writing Engagement

Happy Teaching!

Related posts:

May 6, 2015 at 7:59 pm

We use the oreo model, too. Found with this year's group I needed to make our graphic organizer very explicit or I would get only a reason or only an example. Thanks for some additional ideas!!

May 8, 2015 at 12:11 am

Thank you so much for sharing this easy to understand and follow ideas. I teach 3rd grade and need to teach this writing skill, too, and you've given me the incentive to try.

November 19, 2017 at 4:12 pm

Thank you for the wonderful resources! 🙂

April 6, 2020 at 5:11 pm

This is a very helpful page. Thank you!

March 18, 2023 at 11:19 pm

Thank you for the awesome resource! It will be just right for my students.

March 19, 2023 at 9:15 am

Of course! I hope your students enjoy the activities. Storie

January 21, 2024 at 3:34 pm

Thank you so much for this resource. It’s making it much easier for the students to grasp the structure of an opinion essay.

January 21, 2024 at 7:00 pm

I’m so glad you’re able to use the resources! Storie

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2nd Grade Opinion Writing: My Favorite Season

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Teacher friends… the leaves are changing, the weather is getting colder and PSLs are back at Starbucks. My favorite season has joyfully returned (and in 2020, where nothing good seems to be happening, that’s a BIG deal!)! So with seasonal love affairs in mind, let’s talk about a fun and easy 2nd grade opinion writing activity that you can do with your students this week using the season as inspiration!

Please note this post contains affiliate links.  If you do follow my links, please know that I do make a very, very small commission from your purchase. There is no cost to you, but this extra coinage helps keeps amazing content like this up on the blog! You can read more about the affiliate networks I’m a part of by clicking here .

When it comes to 2nd-grade opinion writing, one of the most powerful things you can do is make it meaningful for your students. That’s why I love this opinion writing project I’m sharing with you today so much! Not only is this writing activity super simple, but it teaches your writers how to support their opinions and guides them through organizing their opinion writing. I promise your students are going to actually want to write! Oh, and did I mention there’s a craft? (Don’t worry! It’s super simple and adds just enough fun to the project to help balance out all the learning that’s happening.)

My Favorite Season Opinion Writing: Start with a Book

To introduce this lesson, I love using the book, Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak.

As you read, point out all the things that are signaling the arrival of a new season! I love all the books from this author. You can check out more from him here on Amazon !

2nd Grade Opinion Writing Class Brainstorm

After reading the story, section a sheet of chart paper or whiteboard into four sections. As a class, discuss how the child in the story noticed all the things that signaled fall was coming. As students share, jot down their thoughts. Label this area “Fall.” From there, you can share that your favorite season is fall and discuss all the things you love about it. If one of the items you love wasn’t mentioned, be sure to add it to the “Fall” area of the class brainstorm. Also, if at some point while reading this you are asking, “What if fall isn’t my favorite season?” … Are you even a teacher?

Do the same for all the other seasons. Discuss what makes each season special. Think of flowers and rain showers in the spring, swimming, and no school in the summer, etc. As students share, be sure to add it to your class brainstorm. This will serve as a reference point, so make sure it is written where students can see it.

Favorite Season Opinion Writing Brainstorm

Once you’ve filled in each season with at least 3-4 details, it’s time to set the purpose for today’s writing lesson. Show your students the brainstorming sheet you’ll use for the favorite season opinion writing activity.

Don’t worry, I’m sharing all the printables from this post at the end for free!

Discuss what an opinion is and how to use details to support it. Show students where to write their favorite season and then three reasons why it’s their favorite.

Now it’s time to transition to working on the brainstorm.

I know what you’re thinking… my students aren’t going to want to do this part. They aren’t going to want to write something down.

But… STOP! 🛑

Stop the negative thinking.

Instead : Acknowledge that writing is hard.

It takes a lot of brainpower to write (sounding out words, creating the letters, making sure what they write makes sense) but that’s why what you just did (that pre-brainstorming stuff) and what you’re about to do is so important!

Ready…

Before sending students to work on their brainstorms, ask students to close their eyes, and think about their favorite time of the year. Which is it? Tell them to imagine themselves at that time of year. What are they doing? What do they see? What makes them happy? Once students have it, have them hold up their thumb to signal to you that they are ready to work on their own brainstorm.

Oh and ready to write they will be…

See… all the back work you just did with the book reading, the discussion of your favorite season (Fall- just in case you forgot, remember you’re a teacher! ), and then writing down the class brainstorm does something powerful for your little writers. It activates their brains and helps them make connections. Connections are powerful things when it comes to learning (I’ll save all the science talk for another day) but know when your students make connections, they will want to do the work!

Dismiss students to begin working on their brainstorms. Remind them to use the list on the whiteboard if they get stuck on reasons that season is their favorite. Though I find when it comes to second graders voicing their opinions, they usually don’t struggle too much- the list just usually helps with spelling/grammar!

Give students about 10-15 minutes to work on their brainstorm. Some may need more time and that’s ok. You can extend it. Use your teacher judgment. Now, you can stop here. This is a perfect place to end the writing for the day and move on to the next thing. If you do, complete the next part the following day during your writing time.

Easy Opinion Writing Paragraph Structure

The next day, remind your students about the seasons and their favorite seasonal writing they started the previous day. Have students review what they have written on their brainstorm. They should make sure they can read what they wrote and that it makes sense. This is also the perfect time to have students who didn’t get a chance to complete their brainstorm actually finish!

From there, model how you’ll use your brainstorm to guide your writing. (So if you haven’t already, be sure to fill one out! Here are some suggestions: Your favorite season is fall. Reason one: PSL. Reason 2: pumpkin-flavored everything. Reason 3: fall leaves. )

Now, pass out the final draft paper for the Favorite Season Writing (Don’t worry- that’s at the end, too! When I said everything, I meant- everything!) Now, yes, normally we’d do a rough draft, but when you’re short on time, sometimes rough drafts get cut, and that’s ok!)

Keep writing very simple at the beginning of the year in second grade (yes- November is still considered beginning). If students have a strong foundation of the simple stuff (structure, conventions), then the other stuff is much easier to layer on.

Here’s a quick peek at the opinion writing paragraph structure we’re using for this opinion writing project:

Opinion Writing Paragraph:

• Opening sentence- tells the reader your opinion
• supporting detail 1
• supporting detail 2
• supporting detail 3
• closing detail- reminds the reader of your opinion

Model how you’ll use the wording from the top line of the brainstorm to write an opening sentence. Remind your writers that an opening sentence tells the reader what the writing is about. We want our reader to know right away that we’re writing about our favorite season.

From there, we work to support our opinion using our reasons from the brainstorm. I show my students how I’m using what I’ve already written to form my sentences.

Over the years, I’ve found that many students who struggle with writing don’t actually struggle with the physical part of writing, but they struggle with the mental load of writing. Reminding them that we’ve already done “all the hard” stuff the previous day helps elevate the mental load block. Now, instead of having to think about all the things they need to think about when writing (letters, sounds, making sense, what they meant). they can just focus on writing what they mean and a few letter formations.

After we’ve worked through the opening and supporting sentences, I always like to model going back and rereading what was written. Have your students get in the habit of doing the same. This way they can catch errors and fix them early before getting too far along into the writing.

Last, we work on a closing sentence. Here, I remind students that a closing sentence reminds readers what they read about, and we work as a class to formulate a sentence.

And look at that, teacher friend! Your students just wrote an opinion paragraph. Simple, yes, but they did it! And they were excited about writing it, too.

Opinion Writing Rubric

Ok… here’s the thing about writing. Good writing (in general) ticks off certain boxes. You know what helps make sure your students tick off all the boxes? A rubric.

Friends, I live by a rubric when it comes to writing, and one of these days, I’ll write a whole blog post on just how you can harness the power of these bad boys, but for today, let’s focus on how you can use a rubric for a quick student spot check.

After students have written their paragraph, pass out the rubric. Discuss the items shown on the rubric and check them against YOUR writing sample. Demonstrate how you are looking for those things. Capital letters…? Watch me skim through my writing.

Details? See how I count?

Words not spelled correctly? Look at me using this amazing resource called a word wall to spot check this tricky sight word I’m not sure is spelled correctly.

Remind students that the rubric will help ensure that their writing includes everything good writing should have. Encourage your students to fix mistakes they find and check it off on the rubric.

There’s so much more I want to say about the importance of using a rubric for writing, but let’s move along.

The Best Season Opinion Writing Craft

Ok, so I promised you an easy craft and here it is. Guys… don’t you even come at me with, Leigh, why does there need to be a craft ?

The truth is… there doesn’t… but then again… there kinda does. Because second graders are seven. Writing is creative. Crafting is creative. Crafts allow our students to express thoughts and feelings and that’s exactly what we want our writers to do. So yes… there kinda needs to be a craft!

For the creative part of this My Favorite Season Opinion Writing, students get a chance to decorate a tree to match their favorite season.

Here is my sample. I decorated my tree using paint dotters in fun fall colors, but you could just have students use crayons and color.

Or, if you’re feeling extra fancy, have your students use tissue paper torn into small pieces and glued them on to represent the leaves on their tree. Just remember to provide lots of color options for the different seasons!

To publish the writing, have students glue their writing on a 12 x 18 sheet of construction paper with the tree craft next to it.

Then, most importantly, display their writings in the classroom or hallways and give students time to share their work with the class! We just took the time to write about their opinion, let’s make sure to show how important that opinion is by allowing time to share it!

My Favorite Season Opinion Writing Lesson Free Download

Ready to bring this lesson to your 2nd-grade classroom? Then just sign up below and hurry to check your email. There, you’ll find a little message from me 🧡 and everything you need to bring this introduction opinion writing lesson to life!

More Writing Ideas

Looking for more writing ideas? Check out these favorites!

• Battle of the Pets: Persuasive Writing Activity
• 5 Super Simple Ways to Improve Your Students’ Writing
• 3 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Your Students Excited About Writing!
• Categories: 2nd Grade , Fall , opinion writing , writing , writing craftivity

Hi, I'm Leigh.

The Applicious Teacher is all about creating hands-on and engaging lessons that align with the standards while still having time for your life. This is your place for ideas, tips, and resources for the REAL teacher!

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How to Teach Opinion Writing in 2nd Grade with Spectacular Results

Looking for an alternative to OREO when teaching opinion writing in 2nd grade? Something more natural, more engaging, and cross-curricular that could be applied to various contents? Read on for my favorite tips and tricks to teach your second graders all about writing their opinion in a persuasive manner.

Important Concepts:

Students will need to know how to craft an argument or persuasive piece. This means teaching students what a REASON is and how to support those reasons with details. I like to start out the unit by teaching students to write persuasive pieces that are personal to them, then we move to more abstract concepts such as defending why a book is great or why a cat is better than a dog.

By second grade, students should be able to write a topic sentence, 3-4 reason sentences WITH details, and a closing sentence. This means student writing should be anywhere from 5-10 sentences at least.

Challenges:

Students might struggle to write reasons rather than facts about their writing. Students will need help convincing their readers that their opinions are correct rather than stating facts about the topic. This can be done by teaching students to use persuasive language and pointing this type of language out in authentic texts and actual conversations.

The Writing Process:

I cannot stress enough the importance of taking your students through the writing process every single week, for every single genre. This involves brainstorming/planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, grading and sharing.

Hook/Brainstorm:

Getting students EXCITED can be half the battle during writing. I love to tie all of my writing projects to an engaging read aloud. You can find my favorite opinion writing companions here.

Typically, I will read aloud a book for the hook. Then, we will brainstorm our opinion either about the text or using a topic from the text. If the topic has two sides (squish the ant or save the ant), we will talk as a class about BOTH sides of the argument.

Then, it is time for students to make a plan. Be sure not to skip this phase, it is NOT writing a full draft, but rather jotting down their ideas they are going to write about. They can use bullet points or pictures to gather their ideas, but this should NOT be done in full sentences and should not take longer than 5-10 minutes.

I like to give students two full days to draft for opinion writing. Each week, we focus on a different important skill that needs to be taught during opinion writing. Some skills we focus on are:

• Transition Words • Topic Sentences • Closing Sentences • Using Persuasive Language • Adding Details • Using NON Reasons to Persuade a Reader (for example: You might think ants are disgusting, but actually, ants are very clean insects.)

Typically, students write their topic sentence, and first two reasons and details one day. Then, I have them write their second two reasons and details, along with the closing on the second day. We focus on the skill of the week, while also reinforcing the other skills that were previously taught.

Revising/Editing:

I spend a lot of time at the beginning of the year setting up a peer editing time that is productive for students. We spend an entire day revising and editing, and I also roam the room and select certain students each week to conference with during this time.

Depending on the length of your writing block, you can either meet with all of your students or rotate through small groups of them each week.

Publish, Grade, Share:

I always have students publish a piece of writing every single week. We add it to our writing portfolios that we take home at the end of the year. When students finish publishing, I have them grade themselves on the rubric. Self-assessment is such a powerful tool for students.

After they self grade, we find time to share each week. This can be partner sharing, author’s chair, sharing with buddies, recording themselves reading or more.

What is your favorite tip for teaching opinion writing in 2nd grade?

Emily - The Mountain Teacher

One comment.

I would like to get the samples and blanks from this page of 2nd grade opinion writing but I do not see it specifically on you TPT page. Can you help me find it please?

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2nd Grade Opinion Writing Unit

Have you been wondering how to teach opinion writing to 2nd graders? It’s frustrating when your school doesn’t provide a writing curriculum (or worse, it’s an awful one). Have you found yourself googling ‘how do you teach second graders opinion writing?!’ If so, don’t worry! I’m here to help! I’m going to share all about my 2nd grade opinion writing unit .

What’s included in this 2nd grade personal narratives writing unit?

First up, you’re provided with everything you need to organize your lesson planning. There’s a list of common core standards that align with the unit, suggestions for differentiation, and suggested lesson times. Also, there’s a unit scope, at-a-glance calendar, list of materials, and a video overview to help you implement the unit!

Opinion writing 2nd grade Lesson plans

Next, there are 25 step-by-step lesson plans. These one page scripted plans are easy to grab and teach! The lessons in this unit follow a simple format of mini lesson, think and share, and independent writing time. There’s a short script and differentiation is included for the writing tasks.

This is NOT one of those big box curriculums where you have to sift through 10 pages of background teacher information for each lesson or read from the most BORING script. I hear so many teachers say that those curriculums are “Not teacher friendly, wordy and annoying to follow. SO many pages to read for just one lesson! “

Opinion writing posters

Next up, this unit includes 20 posters. Posters are a great way to share definitions, give examples, and explain concepts. They are used during the mini lesson but can also be displayed while students are writing (as reminders). Whether you’re teaching opinion writing introductions or conclusions, there’s a poster to cover it!

The posters also help with brainstorming. For example, the posters will give opinion writing topic ideas.

There are so many topics covered. For example, you’ll find a sentence starters poster and editing checklist.

When teaching any writing genre, I highly recommend using posters!

Mentor texts

This 2nd grade opinion writing unit includes six original mentor texts because why should you have to spend time sourcing your own?

Every mentor text has examples of the concepts and features of opinion writing that are taught in this unit (for example, all the mentor texts have reasons and examples).

Fun fact – this unit is ALL about making your life easier. That means that you’ve always got options. The mentor texts come in color and black and white PDF, as well as PowerPoints. You can print or display digitally, it’s up to you!

Mentor texts are so important when teaching writing. You need to provide 2nd grade opinion writing examples and mentor texts are the way to do this!

Click here to grab the unit from this website you’re on right now. Use the code TERRIFIC10 at checkout to save 10%!

Opinion writing prompts, graphic organizers, and worksheets

How do you engage students in opinion writing? I hear many teachers say that the big box curriculum that they are provided with is so boring for students. That’s why I made sure that this unit has ENGAGING student activities!

In this unit, students are NOT told to just ‘go off and write’ as if that will magically make them good writers! In this unit, each concept is explicitly taught and students learn all about the structure and features of opinion writing. They use the printables to work on what they have learned.

The unit slowly increases in difficulty. At the beginning, students are coloring in, sharing one word answers, tracing, and writing a single sentence or sharing one reason. By the end of the unit, they are sharing three reasons, using linking words, and writing paragraphs!

What is a fun opinion writing prompt for 2nd grade? This unit has lots of fun opinion writing prompts, such as ‘my favorite food’ and ‘my favorite animal’.

What kid doesn’t love OREOs? This OREO opinion writing graphic organizer is sure to be a hit with your kiddos! Pro tip – your lesson will be a massive success if you bring in a pack of OREO cookies!

How do you write an opinion piece in 2nd grade? It can feel a bit overwhelming! That’s why this unit will be a life saver. Things like introductions and conclusions are covered.

Cut and paste activities

Writing lessons don’t always have to be just pen and paper. This unit incorporates cut and paste activities to keep students engaged! The hands-on element allows students to really grasp the concepts.

It doesn’t matter what writing genre you’re teaching, I think that cut and paste activities are a great way to engage students!

Ever wondered how to teach paragraphs to second graders? In this unit, students are given a jumbled piece of opinion writing and are asked to put the sentence strips into order and sort them into paragraphs.

How do you teach fact vs opinion in second grade? In this unit, there’s a lesson where students sort sentences into fact and opinion columns.

Interactive notebooks

How do you make opinion writing fun? Writing lessons should be enjoyable for your students, so that’s why I recommend interactive notebooks.

Students love hands-on activities and this unit includes two opinion writing interactive notebooks!

EDITING CHECKLISTS

How do you teach students to edit and revise their writing? At the end of this unit, students use opinion writing editing checklists to proofread their work for things like spelling and punctuation, but also opinion writing features (reasons, examples, conclusion etc).

Writing folder

This unit comes with a workbook cover (in boy and girl versions)! You can choose between the wording ‘folder, journal, or notebook’.

Interested in the unit? Click here to grab it from TPT!

Opinion writing craft

One of the reasons that students often find writing lessons boring is that they are just told to write on a lined piece of paper and that’s the task. I think that adding a crafty element can really get students excited about writing!

In this opinion writing unit, students create heart pockets to store their writing. You can print on white paper (students can then color and draw) or on colored paper.

• Publishing party

It’s so important for students to celebrate their work. That’s why this unit ends with a publishing party! Certificates and compliment notes are handed out as students share their final writing piece.

early finishers

Ever wondered what to do with early finishers in writing? If you’re tired of hearing, “I’m done, now what?” or worried that your high flyers aren’t being challenged, don’t worry! This unit features 24 task cards (in color and black and white) where students can write in response to an opinion writing prompt.

Writing assessment rubric

How do you assess opinion writing? It’s important to assess your students’ writing and that’s why an opinion writing assessment rubric is included in this unit.

But there’s nothing worse than grading on a rubric that you can’t make sense of. So, I made sure to include examples and elaborations to help you understand the rubric. There’s even a video!

What lessons are taught in the unit?

• What is opinion writing?
• Facts vs. opinions
• Sharing opinions
• Answering opinion questions
• Writing an opinion sentence
• Opinions vs. reasons
• Sharing one reason
• A detailed reason
• My favorite animal
• Reasons need examples
• Sharing two reasons
• Linking words
• When I grow up
• Introduce the topic
• Share three reasons
• Lesson 17 – The conclusion
• My dream vacation
• The brainstorm
• Creating a plan
• The first draft
• Time to revise
• Time to edit
• The final draft

Are you short on time?

This  5 week  unit has EVERYTHING you need, because let’s be honest, teachers are time poor.

Let’s get your evenings and weekends back, my friend! Take a break from lesson planning and searching for engaging materials. It’s all right here.

This unit comes from Terrific Writing . It’s a curriculum that is standards based (to the common core) and genre based.

Are you struggling to teach writing? Do your students hate writing lessons?

Does your school not provide you with a writing curriculum? Or worse, is it awful? 

What if there was a way for your writing lessons to be  engaging  for students and  enjoyable  for you to teach?

Check out unit 2 of Terrific Writing today! Click here to grab it on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Wanna save 10%?

Click here to grab the unit from this website you’re on right now. Use the code TERRIFIC10 at checkout!

P.S. – Interested in free crafts and worksheets? Access my free resource library  here!

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Not So Wimpy Teacher

The Not So WImpy Teacher creates resources for busy teachers in grades 2-5 who are looking to deliver engaging and meaningful lessons without overwhelm and chaos.

Opinion Writing Unit SECOND GRADE

Grade Level: 2nd Grade

My second grade opinion writing unit includes 8 weeks of done-for-you writing lessons about how to write a strong opinion essay . This unit contains detailed lesson plans, mentor texts, anchor charts, student writing tasks, and rubrics –everything you need to be a capable, confident writing teacher with students who love to write.

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More about this resource

If teaching writing has ever made you cry, weep, tear out your hair, question your existence, or binge-watch reality television—because it’s just that frustrating and overwhelming—this writing unit is perfect for you. 

If your students dread writing time more than meatloaf in the school cafeteria…this writing unit is perfect for them, too. 

Teaching writing can be tough. Teachers tell me that their district-provided writing curriculum is:

• too complicated

Or worse, they don’t have any curriculum at all. Yikes! 

But my second grade opinion writing unit makes teaching writing easy . It takes all the guesswork out of teaching writing and gives you the tools you need to teach engaging and effective writing lessons without breaking a sweat.

The ready-to-use lessons and activities in this opinion writing unit will teach your students h ow to use supporting facts, reasons, and examples, consider opposing viewpoints, write topic and concluding sentences, and structure paragraphs . And all you have to do is print and teach . The lesson plans are that simple. Seriously.

Student-friendly mentor texts make it easy to provide illustrative examples of new writing skills. You don’t have to waste your time and money hunting down just the right book.  Focused mini lessons and daily writing tasks simplify the writing process helping ALL students, even reluctant writers, experience success. Preprinted anchor charts make it easy to model new skills and engage in shared writing without wasting valuable time. 

And best of all, my opinion writing unit  makes writing fun  for  ALL  your students – from  reluctant writers  to  excited writers . The  Student Success Path  helps you identify where your students are on their writing journey and plan just-right lessons and  interventions .  Short, focused lessons  keep students engaged. Simple, direct writing tasks help kids develop confidence.  Conference materials,  including outlines and topic cards, you can use to guide small group discussion make it easy for you to  differentiate lessons.

Choice empowers students  to write about things they care about and makes them more invested in their writing. And that’s a big deal because  students who enjoy writing and get lots of practice perform better on standardized testing.

Plus, these materials are  easy-to-use . Everything is organized in folders to help you find just what you need. A  Quick Start Guide  makes it simple to get started and provides tips on how to prep materials for long-term use.

The 2-week  Starting Writing Workshop mini-unit  will help you start your writing instruction on the right foot. Detailed teacher directions show you exactly how to use all the resources and activities.

How Our Writing Curriculum is Aligned with the Science of Reading :

• Structured writing routine: Our writing curriculum is organized into 4 genres. Each 8-week unit is carefully structured, beginning with foundational skills before moving into more advanced skills. Students are taught a systematic approach to writing including: brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
• Explicit instruction: Daily lessons begin with explicit instruction including access to examples via mentor texts, modeling, and directed practice. Each skill is broken down into bite-size pieces so that students can learn one skill at a time. Students practice skills independently, working on one sentence or paragraph at a time.
• Differentiation: Writing is differentiated through small group instruction that provides reteaching, additional practice, and support at appropriate levels.
• Daily opportunities to write: The majority of the writing lesson is reserved for independent writing time, providing students with large blocks of time to write and practice skills every day. 
• Demonstrates the connection between reading and writing: Mentor texts provide concrete examples of writing skills and allow children to experiment with and apply sophisticated skills and language in their own writing. In addition, constructing their own writing pieces helps students recognize, connect, and understand these strategies when reading.  

What’s Included:

• Detailed teacher directions and suggestions for simple implementation
• Unit-at-a-glance calendar for each unit
• 7 exclusive videos walking you through how to get the most out of these writing units
• 40 days of lesson plans that include guiding questions, materials, mini lessons, student work tasks, student share tasks, intervention, and several extension activities
• 14 original mentor text passages
• 24 opinion writing task cards (identifying whether a topic is an opinion)
• 24 opinion writing prompts task cards
• 11 teacher anchor charts (blank and filled in versions)
• Student anchor charts and printable for writing notebooks
• Conference and goal tracking forms
• Writing grades tracking forms
• List of 10 additional mentor text books (Remember, using them is optional, because I’ve included all the mentor texts you need) 
• 6 different writing publishing papers
• Student writing notebook cover and dividers
• Teacher notebook covers and binder spines
• Multiple ideas for author share celebration
• DIGITAL writing notebooks on Google Slides
• Conferencing Materials – Conference outlines, a sample conference, and topic cards you can use to guide your small-group conferences
• Student Success Path – Identify where your students are on their writing journey
• Starting Writing Workshop Bonus – Two weeks of writing lesson plans to help build stamina and set your students up for writing success

Skills Covered:

Students learn h ow to craft a strong opinion essay using supporting facts, reasons, and examples, topic and concluding sentences, and structured paragraphs. Lessons include:

• Setting goals
• What is an opinion essay?
• Generating essay ideas
• Writing strong opinion statements
• Writing a lead
• Supporting your opinion with reasons
• Considering your audience
• Consider opposing opinions
• Supporting your opinion with examples
• Topic and concluding sentences
• Word choice
• Transitions
• Writing a conclusion
• Generating deeper topics (research based)

How to Use it in the Classroom: 

A typical day of writing:.

I recommend you set aside 30-45 minutes for writing each day (or more if you have it). Check out the sample schedules below. Each day follows the same plan:

• Mini-Lesson (8-10 minutes):  The day kicks off with a mini-lesson to teach a particular skill. The mini-lesson uses mentor text (remember, it’s included in the unit) and anchor charts. For the teacher version of the anchor charts, you can project and fill them out with the class, or print and display them in your classroom. The student versions are smaller so they can fill them out and keep them in their writing notebooks for reference.
• Work Time (18-20 minutes) : Students will apply the skill they just learned into their writing each day. The included writing tasks make it crystal-clear what to do during independent writing time–for you and your students. By the end of the unit, they will have completed two full masterpieces and many other independent writings.
• Share Time (2 minutes) : Students are encouraged to share a piece of their writing with a partner or with the entire class. This makes writing more meaningful to kids and holds them accountable.

Organization Made Easy:

• The opinion writing unit is organized into multiple folders and files so it’s easy for you to find what you need.
• A 40-day daily schedule so you know exactly what to teach each day.
• Detailed daily lesson plans make teaching writing easy.

Differentiation:

There are many ways to differentiate writing assignments:

• Use the Student Success Path to identify where students are on their writing journey and use the suggested interventions to modify lessons.
• These daily writing prompts are intentionally short and sweet so that all students, even those below grade level, can feel successful. Most tasks can be completed in 1-2 sentences.
• More advanced writers can write longer responses, or work on a second masterpiece if they finish early.
• Students can complete fewer task cards or work with a partner; you can also provide support to students as they work on task cards.
• The process for teaching writing includes group conferencing time. These groups should be based on ability so that you can individualize your instruction to meet the specific needs of the group. Use the topic cards to guide your small group lessons.

Why you’ll love this writing unit: 

• You’ll save hours of prepping and planning time. The daily lesson plans are easy to implement. All you have to do is print and teach. 
• Mentor texts are included. You do not need to hunt down or purchase any additional books! (Unless you want to. Far be it from me to stand between a teacher and new books.) 
• Digital anchor charts project onto your white board-so you don’t have to be Picasso or Renoir to anchor your kids in the lesson.
• Pre-printed student anchor charts make it easy for students to follow along without having to write every word and draw complicated diagrams.
• Digital student notebooks are perfect for 1:1 classrooms and a great way to save paper.
• These lessons work for all students, even students below grade level.
• Task cards incorporate movement, reinforce concepts, and make learning fun. Daily share time encourages students to take pride in their writing.
• Direct writing instruction provides a solid foundation of writing skills that leads to increased test scores.
• Aligned with the Science of Reading.

*****************************

More Second Grade Writing Units:

Personal Narrative for Second Grade

Informational Writing for Second Grade

Fiction Narrative for Second Grade

Frequently Asked

Yes. I also have personal narrative , informational essay , and fiction narrative writing units available.

This opinion writing unit is available for grade 2. I also have opinion writing units available for grades three , four , and five .

I prefer composition notebooks because they are sturdy and easy to use and store. But other teachers have used spiral bound notebooks or three-ring binders.

Yes. These writing lessons are based on Common Core standards.

The lessons for consecutive grade levels are very similar because the standards are similar. The biggest difference is that the reading level on the mentor text passages is modified to meet the specific grade level. Other differences include new examples in the lesson plans and anchor charts and new task cards. It is generally fine to use units that are one level above or below grade level. You might want to select the lower grade level to ensure that the mentor texts are easier for students to read.

Each unit includes eight weeks of materials. I recommend spending 30-45 on writing each day. The lesson takes 8-10 minutes and the rest of the time would be used for independent writing.

Students complete two masterpieces in each unit. But they may work on additional pieces if they finish daily assignments early.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. However, they are based on the writing standards. My curriculum is organized into units of study and formatted in the workshop model and hundreds of teachers have successfully used my writing units with their district provided curriculum.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. With that being said, I have hundreds of teachers who have chosen to use my units as a supplement to their Lucy curriculum because it is more manageable and engaging for students.

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Opinion Writing - 2nd Grade

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• Let's Learn GA! - Model Lessons

English Language Arts Model Lessons

Students learn how to write an opinion piece with Georgia teacher Mignon Shoats in this episode of Let's Learn GA! . 

For this lesson you will need:

- something to write with

Georgia Standards of Excellence

English arts.

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Let's Learn GA! - Model Lessons Segments

Let's Learn GA! is series of video lessons for grades K-12 taught by Georgia teachers. The videos in this collection are aligned to the Georgia Standards of Excellence for English language arts (ELA). Let's Learn GA! is a collaboration between GPB and the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) to support both in-person and remote learning plans. Check back for more ELA lessons coming soon. 

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Writing a second grade essay

In elementary school, children need to compose four kinds of passages:

• Short responses to questions (one or two sentences),
• Long responses to questions (about five sentences or one paragraph),
• Narratives (stories of varying lengths), and
• Essays (single paragraphs to five paragraphs).

The other night I received a call from a father whose second-grade son needed to write an essay on his favorite animal.  The child didn’t know what to do.  I asked the boy on the phone what his favorite animal is.  “Dogs,” he said, not a surprising answer since the boy has grown up with pet dogs.  I asked him why, and he identified several reasons.  I told him he needed to explain his reasons.  He told me that without problem.

I told him that to write the essay he needed to

• First, write a sentence saying that dogs are his favorite animal.
• Second, tell why dogs are his favorite animal, one sentence for each reason. Then he needed to add other sentences explaining why.  The best detail is one that begins with “for example,” I told him.
• Last, end the essay by repeating that dogs are his favorite animal and name the reasons without the details.

Do you understand? I asked.  The boy grumbled in the background, but his father told me that he understood.  We ended the phone conversation.

The next morning, the father texted me the essay below.

I don’t know how much direction the classroom teacher gave this boy.  It seemed like this was one of the first times the student was required to write an essay.  Did the teacher take the students through the organizational process?  Did she show organizational boxes for the student to fill in?  Did she model writing an essay or two or three in class?  Did she explain what information belonged in the first sentence or in the middle sentences or in the conclusion?  I suspect she didn’t since the boy—an A+ student—had no idea when I talked to him.  Yet after a five-minute phone call, he wrote a classic essay (for a second grader).

To be fair, I don’t know the circumstances surrounding this assignment.  Was the teacher a substitute?  Was there a fire drill taking up the time that the teacher wanted to use to preview this assignment?  Was the boy pulled out of class when the teacher  explained the assignment to the class?

I am left to wonder what training this boy’s teacher received to teach writing.  Perhaps, like all too many teachers, not enough.

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33 Mentor Texts for Opinion Writing

Show kids how powerful sharing ideas in writing can be.

In today’s world, we want our teaching to inspire students to be forward thinkers and changemakers. Teaching them how to share their opinions in writing is a key ingredient. Let’s get kids making signs and writing letters, lists, reviews, essays, blog posts, and speeches! Check out some of our favorite opinion-writing mentor texts to bring this important genre to life for kids. We’ve got plenty of picture books for the younger set, and titles to help older kids make the leap to persuasive writing backed by researched facts.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. We Disagree by Bethanie Deeney Murguia

A mouse and a squirrel think differently about, well, everything. Can they ever be friends? This is such a cute title for introducing kids to what it means to share an opinion, and it could lead to plenty of writing prompts to open an opinion-writing unit.

Buy it: We Disagree on Amazon

2. I Love Insects by Lizzy Rockwell

This early reader should definitely be in your primary classroom collection of opinion-writing mentor texts to help introduce the genre. Do you love insects? Two kids give competing reasons for why and why not. Read it aloud and head straight into shared writing of a list of pros and cons.

Buy it: I Love Insects on Amazon

3. Usha and the Big Digger by Amitha Jagannath Knight

To introduce kids to opinion writing, you need opinion-writing mentor texts to teach them what “opinions” are—and Usha, Aarti, and Gloria have them in this book! They each see something different when they look at the stars. This book could lead to a great introduction activity in which students try to convince each other that they see the Big Dipper, a “Big Digger,” a “Big Kite …” or something else. (Hint: It’s all in your perspective!)

Buy it: Usha and the Big Digger on Amazon

 4. Don’t Feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty

When a park ranger puts up a “Don’t Feed the Bear” reminder, he has no idea about the persuasive sign-writing battle he’ll set in motion. (Strategic language includes “Please feed the ranger rotten eggs and slimy spinach.”) Share this hilarious title to introduce students to using signs to influence others’ thinking.

Buy it: Don’t Feed the Bear on Amazon

5. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

Let a favorite character guide young students in the art of persuasion. The bus driver does not want Pigeon in the driver’s seat, but the well-known bird builds an emotional and unrelenting case.

Buy it: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! on Amazon

6. Our Favorite Day of the Year by A.E. Ali

We adore sharing this book with young students to open inclusive conversations about favorite holidays and traditions. Each student in Musa’s class shares about their favorite day of the year, from Eid Al-Fitr to Pi Day. Use this book to prompt kids to write their own opinion pieces about their favorite days, and to model how reasoning, information, and anecdotes can support one’s opinion.

Buy it: Our Favorite Day of the Year on Amazon

7. Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea by Meena Harris

This true story from Kamala Harris’ childhood details how she and her sister wrote letters to their landlord until he agreed to let them build a playground in their apartment complex courtyard. Get kids excited about how their opinion writing could create real change!

Buy it: Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea on Amazon

8. If I Were President by Trygve Skaug

A young boy talks at length about what he’d do differently if he ran the country. Maybe cars could run on legs instead of gasoline, and “playing” should be a subject taught in school. Share this with kids who need more ideas for opinion-writing topics!

Buy it: If I Were President on Amazon

9. The Little Book of Little Activists by Penguin Young Readers

Introduce young students to the idea of activism and its connection to opinion writing. This inspiring photo essay includes examples of kids’ opinions about real-life causes and many written signs.

Buy it: The Little Book of Activists on Amazon

10. The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan

This protagonist is a toddler on a mission—a mission to kick her dad out of her parents’ bed so she can sleep with her mom. Use this little girl’s precocious modeling to show students how to polish their own opinion writing by adding visual supports.

Buy it: The Big Bed on Amazon

11. The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini

Elizabeth crafts a plan to convince her parents to let her have a pet, with unexpected—but pleasing—results. This is our favorite opinion-writing mentor text for introducing kids to win-win solutions and encouraging them to suggest them in their own opinion writing.

Buy it: The Perfect Pet on Amazon

12. & 13. Can I Be Your Dog? and I Found a Kitty! by Troy Cummings

First, read a collection of persuasive letters from a lonely dog seeking an owner that’s a twist on kids’ pet requests. Each letter is tailored to a specific audience, with Arfy promising to lick things clean, protect, and deliver endless affection.

In the sequel, Arfy uses his persuasive skills to help someone else, a lovable stray kitten. Notice with students how he once again shapes his reasoning for each recipient—and how he doesn’t give up until he’s successful!

Buy it: Can I Be Your Dog? on Amazon

Buy it: I Found a Kitty! on Amazon

14. True You: A Gender Journey by Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner

This delightful and important title stars real kids with a full range of gender identities. Each child introduces themselves in a speech bubble that shares their opinion about gender identity. Use this title to model talking to the reader using strong, direct language.

Buy it: True You: A Gender Journey on Amazon

15. Stella Writes an Opinion by Janiel Wagstaff

Sometimes you want perfectly straightforward opinion-writing mentor texts that match right up with your teaching goals. Stella thinks second graders should be able to have a morning snack time. She sets out to write about her opinion, state her reasons, and ends with a compelling summation.

Buy it: Stella Writes an Opinion on Amazon

16. I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff

After his successful angling for a pet in I Wanna Iguana , Alex tries using note-writing to broach his next request: a room of his own, away from his pesky younger brother. The parent-child communication includes plenty of examples of making and responding to counterarguments.

Buy it: I Wanna New Room on Amazon

17. Be Glad Your Dad … Is Not an Octopus! by Matthew Logelin and Sara Jensen

This author’s opinion is that you should appreciate your dad for who he is. He makes his case with plenty of arguments grounded in facts—facts that show that if your dad were an animal, he could be even more gross, embarrassing, or annoying!

Buy it: Be Glad Your Dad … Is Not an Octopus! on Amazon

18. Earrings! by Judith Viorst

A young girl desperately wants her ears pierced, but her parents respond to her begging with a firm no. Ask students to evaluate the merits of her various arguments. Which are strong? Which are just whiny?

Buy it: Earrings! on Amazon

19. Pick a Picture, Write an Opinion! by Kristen McCurry

If you’re looking for opinion-writing mentor texts that lay it all out there explicitly, you’ll appreciate this resource. Engaging, diverse photos and topics, a kid-friendly tone, and explicit advice make this a helpful primer to accompany more conventional mentor texts.

Buy it: Pick a Picture, Write an Opinion! on Amazon

20. I Hate My Cats (A Love Story) by Davide Cali

This narrator has plenty of reasons to dislike his self-centered cats, which he outlines in specific detail. Use this title as an example of a multi-pronged argument. (Plus, show that sometimes, opinion writing actually leads us to change our own minds. By the end, the owner realizes he actually loves his pets, quirks and all.)

Buy it: I Hate My Cats (A Love Story) on Amazon

21. I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell Me I Can’t by Diane Dillon

Zoe makes big plans for her future, from being an archaeologist to a veterinarian. She quiets self-doubt with confident arguments. Aside from sharing this title’s lovely, affirming message, use it to teach kids to anticipate tough questions and head them off convincingly in their opinion writing.

Buy it: I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell Me I Can’t on Amazon

22. Rise Up and Write It by Nandini Ahuja

Farah Patel works to convince her local government to improve a vacant lot to benefit her community. Great realistic examples of using letters and signs to inspire change!

Buy it: Rise Up and Write It on Amazon

23. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

These disgruntled but endearing crayons have opinions, and they aren’t shy about making them known in this read-aloud favorite. Check out this free downloadable educator guide from the publisher for persuasive letter-writing curriculum connections.

Buy it: The Day the Crayons Quit on Amazon

24. Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating

The best opinion writing springs from genuine conviction. Eugenie Clark believed sharks were fascinating and  that women could be accomplished scientists who study them. Use this title to help students generate their own passion-fueled topics about which to write.

Buy it: Shark Lady on Amazon

25. What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers

Share this title for its inspiring message about the power of one citizen to evoke positive change through spoken words, writing, and action. Also consider it as an example of how words and art interact in opinion writing; the illustrations and text work together here to advance the book’s message.

Buy it: What Can a Citizen Do? on Amazon?

26. Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest by Sarah Hampson

Dr. Archibald Coo believes that pigeons don’t deserve their reputation as avian pests. He outlines a plan to change the minds of his city neighbors. Part of his approach is to send a persuasive letter to the mayor, suggesting creative, mutually beneficial agreements—a great example for student writers aiming to change the minds of authority figures.

Buy it: Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest on Amazon

27. The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

The animals in this classic read-aloud give a range of reasons their home shouldn’t be chopped down. Use them as examples of how to vary sentence structures and formats when listing arguments and how to use specific details to strengthen reasoning.

Buy it: The Great Kapok Tree on Amazon

28. Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson

This fictional account of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade, told from the point of view of a young participant, is a classroom must-read. It exemplifies how children’s actions can make a difference in an adult world and how powerful language strengthens a written message.

Buy it: Let the Children March on Amazon

29. No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley

This powerful title introduces inspiring and diverse young activists’ causes using original poems by notable authors. Show kids that impactful opinion writing can take many forms.

Buy it: No Voice Too Small on Amazon

30. The Week Junior magazine “Big Debate” feature

The Week Junior is one of our absolute favorite magazines for the classroom , and its “Big Debate” section is a main reason for that. Each issue examines both sides of an interesting topic, from whether we should eat Maine lobster, to if space exploration is worth the huge cost, to whether or not kids’ screen time should be restricted. Have kids study examples to get tips for their own opinion writing, and maybe even create their own “Big Debate.”

Buy it: The Week Junior

31. Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean by Patricia Newman

This is a fantastic resource for upper elementary and middle school classrooms moving from opinion writing to research-based persuasive writing. This mind-boggling look at the impact of trash on our oceans gives kids so many models for sharing one’s opinions, experiences, and knowledge to spark change. Embedded QR codes take readers straight to awesome examples of persuasive speeches and other cool resources that support the author’s message.

Buy it: Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean on Amazon

32. We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell

A classroom prepares to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with research projects that convey a clear message: Native Nations are still here! Besides being critical content for kids, this is a great example of how to use researched facts to support one’s opinion.

Buy it: We Are Still Here! on Amazon

33. Marley Dias Gets It Done and So Can You! by Marley Dias

Every middle school student should meet Marley Dias through this powerful account of her #1000blackgirlbooks campaign. It boasts plenty of practical advice for young activists. Pull text excerpts for mini-lessons about tailoring opinion writing to your audience. Marley writes straight to her peers.

Buy it: Marley Dias Gets It Done and So Can You! on Amazon

Excited to share these opinion-writing mentor texts? Also check out our favorite mentor texts for procedural and narrative writing.

Want more book lists and classroom ideas be sure to  subscribe to our newsletters, you might also like.

Our Favorite Mentor Texts for How-To or Procedural Writing

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20 Prompts for Opinion Writing That Motivate Kids

When using prompts for opinion writing, students can express themselves and share their beliefs.  This automatically makes them more invested in their writing.  Read on to learn more about opinion writing including mentor texts, ideas, and assessments.  Plus you will find 20 prompts that will be sure to motivate and engage kids!

What is an Opinion Writing?

Opinion writing is used to convince or persuade the reader. The writer states their opinion and gives reasons to support it.  Facts or statistics can be used to provide supporting evidence. 

Examples for Opinion Writing

There are lots of helpful examples for opinion writing.  Below you will find a list of mentor texts for kids.  It’s beneficial to immerse students in the genre before and during a writing unit.  These books model effective writing strategies that can be incorporated into lessons.

Opinion Writing Mentor Text:

• I Love Insects by Lizzy Rockwell
• The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini 
• The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt 
• Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose
• Red is Best by Kathy Stinson
• I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff 
• Earrings by Judith Viorst
• The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

How to Teach Opinion Writing

It’s important for students to form their own opinions and understand their feelings.  So often kids just follow the opinion of someone else whether it be a parent, sibling, or friend.  Now is the time for kids to firmly state their opinion and not waver from it.  

Writers will need to give reasons for their opinion and provide supporting examples.  The number of reasons will depend on the grade level and the student’s abilities.  For first graders, you might require only one reason while third graders may need three reasons.  Decide what works best for your learners and create modifications as needed. 

Opinion Writing Outline

Below you will find an acronym to help students plan their opinion writing. They just need to remember the word OREO. It stands for opinion, reasons, examples, and opinion (restated again). For each reason given, a sentence follows with evidence or an example. This is a more detailed approach to writing a response. It works well for the upper grades or advanced students. Depending on the level, some writers may just be working on providing reasons and will later develop the skill of using supporting examples.

The example below uses one reason with supporting evidence. For each reason, the student should write an example. The acronym might look like OREREO for two reasons or OREREREO for three reasons. A little confusing, but you get the idea.

Example: Do you think teachers should give students homework?

O – In my opinion, students should not have homework.

R – They work so hard all day at school and need a break. 

E – Instead of focusing on more work kids should be able to go outside and play, do a sport, or do other fun activities.  

O – In conclusion, students work all day at school and should not have to do homework.

Sentence Starters

As students write, it may also be helpful to use sentence starters. Teachers can project these on the board, put them on an anchor chart, or print a version for writing notebooks. I also like to do a mini-lesson where I ask the kids what types of sentence starters work well for opinion writing and we create the list together. This process helps them retain the information better and they are more likely to apply it to their own writing.

Ideas for Opinion Writing

There are so many fun and creative ideas for opinion writing.  Kids really get into this writing unit because they feel that their opinion is valued and they are eager to share their knowledge.  It’s really empowering for them!

As an activity, the teacher can present a topic to the class and have students choose a side.  Then kids can debate and state their opinion with reasons.  This is always an exciting way to get the creative juices flowing and it will translate into their writing when they have to support their opinion.

Another idea is to use prompts for opinion writing. This engages the students and helps them get started. Prompts can be assigned by the teacher or students can choose from a list or choice board. Feel free to use the sentence starters below to generate ideas for writing prompts.

• Would you rather . . . 
• Which is more important . .  
• Do you prefer . . . 
• What is the best . . .
• What is your favorite . . . 
• Should . . .
• Imagine if . . . 

Prompts for Opinion Writing

Opinion writing prompts can be created by the teacher or the students. Sometimes students come up with better prompts than I ever could. Plus kids love knowing that a peer created the prompt they are going to write about. If you’re looking for some ideas, the list below has 20 motivating and engaging prompts for kids! Also, check out this blog post to learn more about narrative writing prompts: 20 Prompts for Narrative Writing That Spark Creativity

20 Motivating and Engaging Prompts:

• If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Give 3 or more reasons why.
• Should students be able to pick their own seats in class?
• Think of a present you really want.  Now convince someone to buy it for you.
• What is the best pet someone can get?
• Would you rather live somewhere that’s extremely hot or cold?
• Which sport is the best?  Give reasons to support your opinion.
• If you could visit any place, what would it be and why?
• Would you rather live on a rural farm or in a busy city?
• Imagine you could be the President for a day.  What would be the most important thing to do first?
• Which is more important?  Being a good speaker or a good listener?
• If the weather is nice, should kids be able to have their classes outside?
• Do you think kids should have more technology time or less?
• If you could see the world through colored glasses, which color would you choose and why?
• Should kids get money for doing chores or should they just do it to help out at home?
• Convince your teacher to get a class pet.  Tell which animal would be the best choice and why.
• Would you rather visit the moon or a planet?  Explain why.
• If there could only be one season, which would you choose?
• Should kids get to choose their own bedtime?
• Would you rather give a present or receive it?
• Imagine you could create the best dessert ever!  What would it be and why?

Opinion Writing Rubrics

After students have completed their writing, teachers are left with the difficult task of assessing it.  Assessments should be accurate and aligned with the Common Core Standards.  They also need to be helpful for the teacher and the students.  

This is when writing rubrics become extremely helpful as formal assessments. They can be used for benchmarks, progress reports, report cards, and conferences. Rubrics may also be shown to students in advance so they know what the expectations are and how they will be assessed.  

Below you will find three types of opinion writing rubrics.  Check out this blog post to learn more about student-friendly, teacher-friendly, and time-saving rubrics: 3 Types of Writing Rubrics for Effective Assessments

Opinion writing has the ability to engage and empower kids.  Students will be able to explain their thinking by giving reasons and examples.  Mentor texts, sentence starters, writing prompts, and rubrics are all helpful to use in the classroom. I know your kids will love writing and sharing their opinion pieces.

Did you grab your Free Writing Prompt Guide yet?  Writing prompts are perfect for morning work, writing time, centers, or as a homework assignment.  It will save you tons of time and energy. So click the link and grab the guide to get started!

Genre Based Prompts

Related Articles:

• 20 Prompts for Narrative Writing That Spark Creativity
• 7 Ways to Introduce Opinion Writing
• Opinion Writing Ideas and Resources
• 3 Easy to Implement Tips to Teach Opinion Writing

Angela Sutton

Related posts.

What are Writing Prompts? A Helpful Guide for Teachers

How to Use Writing Prompts Daily

Examples of Descriptive Writing Using the 5 Senses

Thanks for sharing. These are my favorite type of writing prompts to give to my students to see how creative they can get.

Yes! These kinds of prompts definitely get the creative juices flowing. The students always love to share their opinions with the class. Happy writing!

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2nd Grade Opinion Writing Educational Resources

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Teach How to State an Opinion to Elementary Students

How do you teach opinion writing in your second-grade classroom? Do you teach students to explicitly state their opinion at the beginning of their essays? These opinion-writing strategies will help teachers teach students to use academic language when learning to state an opinion. Students can then turn their opinion statements into excellently written paragraphs by adding reasons, an introduction, and a conclusion.

This blog post focuses only on stating an opinion. I also have blog posts that focus on teaching opinion writing:

• 7 Ways to Introduce Opinion Writing
• Picture Books to Teach Opinion Writing
• Teaching How to State an Opinion
• Teaching How to Supply Reasons
• Teaching How to Introduce the Opinion Writing
• Teaching How to Conclude the Opinion Writing
• Teaching Ideas to Solidify Students’ Understanding of Opinion Writing

Lesson Plans for Writing an Opinion Statement

We started our opinion writing unit this week. My goal for this week was to have students learn to state an opinion using academic language .

Because opinions also require reasons, we did supply reasons, but I did not ask students to use academic language or linking words to supply reasons . . . yet. We start with stating an opinion and the next week learn to supply reasons.

We only focused on using academic language with the opinion statement.

The lesson plans below show the progression we went through during the week.

Day 1: Teach State an Opinion

Goal: Introduce opinion writing and the concept of stating an opinion and supplying reasons

This was our first day working with opinion writing formally. I did what I did last year to introduce opinion writing and we wrote about recess as a shared activity. Since we all go to recess and have that background knowledge, it was the best topic to do as a whole class the first time through.

After doing the whole group brainstorming of activities students can do at recess, pairs went off to come up with their reasons. We came back together to report out one or two reasons for each recess activity. Then, students wrote a paragraph (I use that term loosely here) choosing one recess activity and giving reasons why they like it.

My goal for this day was to introduce the concept and emphasize the need to state an opinion and supply reasons.   Those terms were nailed in over and over throughout the lesson and writing.

Day 2: Use Sentence Frames to State an Opinion

Goal: Use sentence frames to state an opinion

On day two, I introduced students to using sentence frames to state an opinion. Since this was their first day working with these sentence frames, I kept it simple and stuck to sentence frames on the poster.  I was a hardball about it and required that students used these frames, at least for today. As we progress through the unit and know that students have a good foundation, I allow more flexibility.

As I introduced the sentences to the class, I starred them with different colors and emphasized the level of difficulty. As students move down the chart, the sentences get more complex and more “college-like”.

Whole Group Practice with Stating an Opinion

We did some whole group practice, chorally saying the frames as well as some whole group practice responding to prompts using the frames. The prompts were the same ones students were going to use with a partner during the partner practice.

During the whole group practice, I had students sit knee to knee, meaning they were sitting criss-cross and their knees were touching. I had one student ask the question and the other student answer the question using a sentence frame.

I didn’t give students the prompt strips, but just said the question orally for the whole group. I said it twice so that the first student could get it and so that the second student had some thinking time. The first student repeated the prompt and the second student answered the question.

After answering, we came back the whole group and I called on a few students, emphasizing the different sentence frames they chose to use. We did this with a few prompts, switching who was asking and answering the questions.

Partner Practice with Stating an Opinion

After we had some whole group guided practice, students then did some partner practice. To do this, I printed the prompt strips on one colored piece of paper and the sentence frames on another colored piece of paper. Each student had to find a partner with the opposite kind of paper. The student with the prompt paper asked the question and the student with the sentence frame paper responded. After asking and answering, students switched papers and found a new partner. We did a few rounds of this then came back together whole group.

Individual Writing Opinion Statements

Since we had spent so much time on the whole group and partner practice today, I gave students an easy prompt: their favorite food. We did a quick web and I sent students off to write their opinion paragraphs . I emphasized that they had to state their opinion using a sentence frame and give three reasons.

Day 2: More Practice with Stating an Opinion

Goal: Practice using sentence frames to state an opinion

We were three days into our unit on opinion writing. Today, we again practiced stating an opinion using academic language. We practiced a little bit whole group, sitting knee-to-knee, but it was a quick practice.

I then had students go back to their table groups and play a board game. It was a very simple board game where they flipped over a card, gave their opinion using a sentence frame, rolled the die, and moved a marker. This just gave them one more way to practice.

After the board game, I gave students three prompts from the game. Students chose a prompt, wrote an opinion statement and three reasons for it.

While students were writing, I circulated the room and made sure each student had used a sentence frame to state their opinion. I noticed that most students used, “I prefer ___”. This was first on the chart and first on my list. I’m assuming that the frequency of use was because that prompt was first on the lists. Something to think about!

Day 4: Even More Practice Stating an Opinion

Goal: Work with academic language and provide more practice

On Thursday, students sorted opinions and reasons. We did a whole group sort with opinions and reasons I had taken from their own writing the previous three days. I cleaned up the writing a little bit, but used mostly their writing with a few other more difficult ones thrown in.

During the whole group sort, I used the same headers, State an Opinion and Supply Reasons . We first sorted the strips of paper into option and reason. Then we matched the reason to the correct opinion. This whole group activity mirrored what I wanted students to do during their independent activity.

Students did their own sorting. The worksheet had sentences modeling the sentence frames and high-level language. The sentence structures are much higher than what students are producing in class.  This gives them exposure to accurate academic language for opinion writing.

After sorting, students chose one opinion and a reason pair. They wrote that opinion and reason on a blank paper and wrote two more reasons to go with that opinion.  Not only was I able to get another piece of writing from students, but they also used the given opinion statement and matching reason to practice some higher-level writing.

Day 5: Practice Writing Opinion Statements

Goal: Practice writing opinion statements flexibly

On Friday, we again discussed the sentence frames, and, using a few prompts from Monday, we practiced with a partner. I had one student ask if he could combine sentence frames, which opened up the discussion for how to adjust the sentence frames. I love it!

Although I had said all week that students had to use the sentence frames when they stated an opinion, I also repeatedly said that they could adjust the frames to meet their needs. Today was the day that most students actually got it. They were able to see how they could manipulate the sentence frames. I added a couple extra words to show students how the phrases can move around and be used with different frames. We practiced a bit with these additions.

Students then went back to their seat and practiced just stating their opinion four times.  I told them that because we had used “I prefer__” so often that they couldn’t use that frame.  They also had to use a different frame for each prompt.  One student had the brilliant idea to cross out the ones that were already used.

Samples of Opinion Writing from Students

Here are a few student samples so you can see where they’re at with their writing.

This student needed some coaching on finishing his opinion in #4.

I’m not sure why he erased “to the”.

This is one of my highest students. #4 isn’t completed, but it gives you the idea.

This is one of my lower students who has come a long way this year.

This student is one of my lowest English learners.  She did an awesome job using the sentence frame, but the rest of the sentence was missing a few components to make it clear. We discussed what could be added and I wrote it in for her.

From here, students chose one opinion statement to develop into a full paragraph with reasons.  By this day, students’ reasons were so much better.  They were actually complete sentences!  I still have a few kiddos who are having difficulty coming up with reasons.  Again, we didn’t focus on attaching academic language to the reasons, that’s next week! I just required that they had reasons.

Reflection on the Whole Week of Teaching Students to State an Opinion

Throughout the whole week, I made sure that students were writing an opinion and set of reasons each day. I want a set of student work that we can refer back to and revise over the coming weeks as we delve deeper into opinion writing. Plus, I felt that students really need to write each and every day, not just practice the one component (state an opinion) we were working on for the week.

By writing each day, I could really see students writing develop throughout the week. The biggest change was the use of the word because . I started emphasizing that students couldn’t use it at the beginning of the week because students were not writing their reasons in complete sentences. By the end of the week, I had complete sentences. Albeit, very simple sentences, like I can kick the ball , but it’s a complete sentence that is a real reason.  I can work with that!

A complete sentence will allow us to work on supplying reasons using academic language and linking words next week! Without a complete sentence for the reason, that would not have been possible.

How to Purchase the Opinion Writing Unit

All of the materials you see in the pictures come from my Opinion Writing Unit.  It has a whole unit’s worth of resources to scaffold and teach opinion writing.

You can purchase it on my website or on Teachers Pay Teachers .

More Opinion Writing Blog Posts

Would you like to read more about how to teach opinion writing in the classroom? Take a look at these blog posts.

17 Comments

Your students’ writing success is the perfect example of what explicit and systematic teaching of writing can achieve. Writing is an important skill to master and your students are lucky to have a teacher who knows “how” to teach writing. Thanks for sharing your week.

Loved every bit of this. Seriously considering purchasing your packet on TpT.

I love this idea! It’s important that we teach kids early to express themselves in writing. I am doing research on opinion essays, and this was a refreshing post. Keep up the great work with your students.

What did you do with the lesson on Introducing Your Topic?

We circled back to it after I was confident students could write an opinion with three reasons. I wanted to make sure the opinion and reasons were solid before we worked on the intro and conclusion. The Opinion Writing resource has practice sheets for those components. We just did them during a different week from that outlined in this blog post. As stated in the first paragraph: “ My goal for this week was to have students learn to state an opinion using academic language. Because opinions also require reasons, we did supplying reasons, but I did not ask students to use academic language or linking words to supply reasons, yet. We only focused using academic language with the opinion statement. ”

We focus on one component / skill per week to make sure it’s solidly in place before developing the next component.

I really liked how you taught these concepts as well! When you wondered about the students using the first prompt on the list all the time, it made me think that maybe those could be made into cards as well (a different color), so they had to pick a new one every time. I’m thinking about buying your TpT set as well.

Thanks for such useful information. I saw some tips about using different colour pencils for writing different part of an essay. It may teach kids to distinguish the different part of an essay like introduction and body. What do you think about that?

Color is a great way to differentiate the parts of an essay. I use color for different sentence frames that students use. Eventually students should be weaned off the color when they’re ready.

I love the way that you explain how you use things in the classroom. So many TpT contributors just put stuff on there without an explanation on how they used it. I may not always do it exactly like them but often I purchase things and I have no idea what to do with it (even after painstakingly previewing things). I just really like some explanation, so thank you very much!!!

We loved your Opinion writing unit. Thank you so much for all of your hard work on your products.

Have you created one for Realistic Fiction? We’ love to see one! Yea You!

I haven’t developed a formal unit for fiction, but only a graphic organizer. A formal unit is on my to-do list, though. Here is some info on what I have done with narrative writing: https://whatihavelearnedteaching.com/?s=narrative

Thank you! GREATLY needed! First year teaching 3rd grade (after teaching 4th/5th grades for 4-5 yrs). I was reminded that some days are needed to put together an opinion piece! Most of my students were completely lost when it came to writing reasons. (Stating the opinion—nailed it!) I appreciate your samples and explanations. VERY HELPFUL!!! I will be starting anew this upcoming Monday!

Correction needed. The statement If you ___________ than yu___________ should use THEN not THAN.

I am homeschooling my second and kindergarten daughters for the first time during this unprecedented season. I am so grateful for your thorough explanations on HOW to teach subjects, not simple resources. Thank you!

Any chance of a Canadian spelling version? Favourite?

Not at this time, but I’ll keep it in mind during the next revision of the resource. Thanks for letting me know you’d like a different version!

I was reminded that some days are needed to put together an opinion piece

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100 Fun Writing Prompts for 2nd Grade: Journal Prompts

• Prompts for Writing a Narrative Essay
• Prompts for Writing Informative Essays
• Prompts for Research Writing
• Prompts for 2nd Graders for Humorous Writing
• Prompts for Second Graders for Poetry Writing
• Prompts for 2nd Grade Fiction Writing
• Prompts for Animals for Second Graders
• Prompts for Second Grade for Emotional Writing
• Prompts for Journals for Second Graders
• Prompts for Descriptive Writing for Second Graders

Are your little ones ready to embark on a thrilling writing adventure? We have an exciting opportunity for 2nd graders to showcase their creativity through our 100 creative 2nd Grade Writing Prompts . With these prompts, your child can write about anything their heart desires, from their favorite pet to their dream holiday spot. They can even create their own magical kingdom, travel to space, or invent their own superhero.

Math & ELA | PreK To Grade 5

Kids see fun ., you see real learning outcomes ..

Watch your kids fall in love with math & reading through our scientifically designed curriculum.

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” – E.L. Doctorow

Incorporating writing prompts into the curriculum has been shown to improve writing fluency, quality, and overall performance, as well as motivation, according to an article published by IJCER . These prompts are a fun and engaging way to help develop their writing skills and spark their imagination. So, let’s encourage our young writers to explore their creative sides and unleash their inner author. Use them for school writing assignments or fun at home. 2nd grade writing prompts offer endless creative possibilities. Let’s look at narrative, informative, research, funny, poetry, fiction, animal, emotion-based, journal, and descriptive writing prompts. So prepare to write your creative ideas.

More educational resources and worksheets for 2nd graders !

10 Prompts for Writing a Narrative Essay

Here are ten 2nd grade narrative writing prompts that are perfect for 2nd graders:

• Make up a story about a magical adventure you went on with your pet.
• Assume you have a time machine. When and where would you travel? Create a narrative about your experience.
• Write a story about a superhero’s day in life.
• What would your superpower be, and why would you want it? Create a story in which you use your power to save the day.
• Consider yourself a pirate on a treasure hunt. Write a story about your treasure hunt.
• Write a story about a robot’s day in life.
• What animal would you be if you could be any animal, and why? Create a story about your experiences as that animal.
• Write a story about a magical garden you come across.
• Consider the possibility of speaking with anyone in history. Who would you approach, and what would you ask them? Create a story based on your conversation.
• Write a story about an astronaut’s day in life.

10 Prompts for Writing Informative Essays

Opinion writing prompts 2nd grade students to help them express their personal views on various topics. Here are ten Informative essay Writing prompts to try:

• Which animal would you be for a day? Why? Tell your animal adventures.
• Imagine you can fly one morning. Where do you go? See what? Journal about your exciting day.
• What is your favorite summer activity as a kid ? Write a paragraph about your favorite summer activity and why.
• What superpower would you want? Write about rescuing someone with your new power.
• Your favorite educational game . Why is it special? Explain your love in a paragraph.
• Favorite book? Write a book review describing the book and why you liked it.
• Imagine time travel to any historical event. Where do you go? See what? Tell your time-travel story.
• Which celebrity would you like to meet and why? Write to that person about why you admire them and what you would ask if you met them.
• Dream holiday. Where do you go? Do what? Describe your perfect holiday.
• Favorite food? Include ingredients and steps in a recipe.

10 Prompts for Research Writing

Writing topics for 2nd graders can cover a broad range of subjects, from animals and nature to personal learning experiences and cultural traditions. Here are ten research writing prompts that are perfect for 2nd graders:

• Choose an animal you’re interested in and research some facts about it. What does it eat? Where does it live? What are some interesting things about this animal?
• Pick your favorite season and learn about it. What kind of weather happens during this season? What activities can you do during this season?
• Choose a country you’re curious about and discover some facts. What language do they speak? What kind of food do they eat? What are some famous landmarks in that country?
• Learn about different types of plants. What are some common plants in your area? What do plants need to grow?
• Research different types of insects. What do they eat? Where do they live? What is their life cycle like?
• Study the planets in our solar system. What are their names? Which planet is closest to the sun? Which world is the largest?
• Investigate different modes of transportation. What types of vehicles can you think of? How do they move? What is your favorite mode of transportation?
• Learn about a joke that you enjoy. What are the rules? How is the game played? Who are some famous athletes in this sport?
• Choose a historical figure or someone you admire. What did they do that was important? What were their accomplishments?
• Research different types of food. What are some of your favorite foods? Where do they come from? How are they made?

10 Prompts for 2nd Graders for Humorous Writing

Here are ten fun writing prompts for 2nd grade that will get your imagination going!

• Imagine waking up with animal-talking abilities. Write about your new pets’ adventures.
• Write about a silly superhero who turns everything they touch into pizza.
• What pet would you choose and why? Describe life with your new pet.
• If you could have any animal as a pet, What pet would you choose and why? Describe life with your new pet.
• Imagine you woke up in a world made entirely of candy. Write about the adventures you have and the creatures you meet in this sweet new world.
• Write a story about a robot who is terrible at its job but saves the day.
• What would you use it for if you could have any superpower?
• Imagine you were a pirate sailing the seven seas. What adventures would you have, and what treasure would you be searching for?
• Write a story about a talking tree that is always getting into trouble.
• If you could be any character from your favorite book, who would it be and why?

10 Prompts for Second Graders for Poetry Writing

Here are some poetry writing prompts for 2nd grade that will help spark their imagination and creativity:

• Write a haiku about your favorite part of nature. Remember, haikus have three lines with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third.
• Pick your favorite color and write a poem about it. Use descriptive words to explain how the color makes you feel.
• Choose an animal and write an acrostic poem using the letters of the animal’s name. Each line should start with a letter from the title.
• Write a cinquain poem about someone in your family. A cinquain has five lines with a specific number of syllables in each line (2, 4, 6, 8, and 2).
• Write a limerick about your favorite food. A limerick has five lines with a specific rhyming pattern (AABBA).
• Write a free verse poem about a friend. A free verse poem doesn’t have to rhyme, but it should have a clear message or feeling.
• Write a diamante poem about your school. A diamante poem has seven lines that create a diamond shape with specific numbers of syllables in each line.
• Write a poem about the weather. Use descriptive words to compare the temperature to something else.
• Write a quatrain poem about your favorite holiday. A quatrain has four lines with a specific rhyming pattern (ABAB).
• Write a narrative poem about a dream you had. A narrative poem for kids tells a story and has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

10 Prompts for 2nd Grade Fiction Writing

Creative writing prompts 2nd grade students to encourage imaginative storytelling and self-expression. Here are 10 prompts to get their imaginations flowing:

• Your pet dog/cat/rabbit suddenly starts talking! What do they say, and how do you react?
• You discover a magical backyard door leading to a secret world. Describe what you see and do in this new world.
• You wake up one day with 1 Core money. Where do you go, and what do you do?
• Write a story about a lost toy that comes to life and goes on an adventure to find its way back home.
• You find a genie lamp on the beach. What do you wish for, and what happens next?
• Imagine you are a superhero with a special power. Describe your superhero name, costume, and the villain you are fighting against.
• You are the Pirate ship captain. Describe your crew, your treasure, and a daring adventure you go on.
• Write a story about a group of animals that work together to solve a problem.
• Imagine you are the main character in your favorite fairy tale. Rewrite the story with a different ending.
• One day, you can speak to plants. Talk to your favorite plant.

10 Prompts for Animals for Second Graders

Here are some creative animal writing prompts for 2nd grade that they will enjoy:

• Which animal would you be for a day? Why?
• Write about a lost puppy returning home.
• Imagine you are a squirrel gathering food for the winter. Write a diary entry about your day.
• Which wild animal would you pet and why?
• Write a story about a group of animals who work together to build a treehouse.
• Imagine being a bird flying high. Write to your best friend about what you saw.
• If you could talk to any bird, Which bird would you converse with, and what would you say?
• Write a story about a cat who has magical powers.
• Imagine being a dolphin in the ocean. Poemize your life.
• Which zoo animal would you be and why? Write an essay persuading the zookeeper to let you be that animal for a day.

10 Prompts for Second Grade for Emotional Writing

Here are 10 creative 2nd grade writing prompts about emotions for 2nd graders:

• Describe a happy moment. Your activity? With whom? Has it affected you?
• Write a letter to someone you love expressing your love.
• Write about an angry character. What happened? Their anger management?- 
• Imagine going back to a happy memory. Explain why you like that memory.
• Write a poem about peace. It could be a place, person, or activity.
• Recall a scary moment. Describe what happened and how you overcome your fear.
• Write about a sad character. Why? How do they handle emotions?
• Imagine having any emotion for a day. Which feeling and why? Write about it.
• Write about an excited character. What’s exciting? How do they show excitement?
• Think of a time you were proud. Explain how you felt and why?

10 Prompts for Journals for Second Graders

2nd grade journal prompts can encourage students to express their thoughts and emotions through writing.

“Writing prompts are the highway to the creative subconscious.” – Karen Salmansohn

Here are ten 2nd grade journal prompts to inspire your creative Writing:

• Imagine a magic pencil that brings your drawings to life. Why?
• Favorite outdoor activity for kids ? Discuss your favorite exercise and why?
• If you could have any pet worldwide, what would it be and why?
• Write about a proud moment. What made you proud?
• Imagine you are a superhero. How would you help others with your superpower?
• Describe your favorite holiday and why. Family and friend traditions?
• If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
• Recall a problem-solving experience. Describe the issue and your solution.
• Write a story about a talking fish. What kind of fish is it, and what adventures does it go on?
• Imagine you are a chef. Write about your favorite recipe and how you make it.

Second grade journal prompts can inspire young writers to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. By providing a variety of 2nd grade journal topics, parents and teachers can encourage their students to explore different writing styles and develop their own unique voices.

10 Prompts for Descriptive Writing for Second Graders

Writing ideas for 2nd grade can range from descriptive writing to narrative writing, providing opportunities for skill-building and growth. Here are 10 descriptive writing prompts for second graders to inspire their creativity and imagination:

• Describe your favorite toy in detail. What color is it? What does it feel like? What sounds does it make?
• Imagine you are on a trip to the beach. Describe the sand, the waves, and the sun. How do they make you feel?
• Describe your favorite animal. What does it look like? What does it eat? Where does it live?
• Write a description of your bedroom. What color are the walls? What kind of furniture do you have? What’s on your bed?
• Envision a magical forest. Describe your surroundings. Animals? Any special plants or trees?
• Describe your favorite food. What does it smell like? What does it taste like? What ingredients are in it?
• Imagine you are in a haunted house. Describe the creaky floors, the cobwebs, and the spooky sounds. What do you see?
• Describe your best friend. What do they look like? What do they like to do? What’s their favorite thing to eat?
• Imagine you are in outer space. Describe the planets, stars, and galaxies. What do they look like? What colors do you see?
• Describe your dream vacation. Where would you go? What would you do? What would you see?

How to Assist Second-Grade Students in Developing Writing Skills?

The research paper “The Effect of Creative Writing Prompts on Students’ Written Expression in a Second Grade Classroom” suggests that incorporating writing prompts in the classroom and at home can be an effective strategy to help second-grade students develop their writing skills and foster a love for writing. It is an opportunity to encourage them to express their thoughts and ideas creatively and build their confidence as writers. As parents and teachers, we can utilize this to help our second-graders develop their writing skills and build a passion for writing. 

“Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar.” – E.B. White

Here are a few actionable tips to help your child become an excellent writer using 2nd grade writing prompts.

• Start by teaching the basics of sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation.
• Set realistic goals and gradually increase the difficulty of writing prompts or journal entries to challenge your child’s writing skills.
• Provide constructive feedback to help your child improve their writing skills and boost their confidence.
• Incorporate 2nd grade journal prompts regularly in classroom activities and at home to improve your child’s writing fluency and confidence.

Using these tips and incorporating writing prompts into your child’s learning journey can have a significant impact on their writing performance and motivation. 

Celebrating the Journey of 100 Fun Writing Prompts for 2nd-Grade

As parents and teachers, we can play an essential role in nurturing the writing skills of our 2nd graders. By using 2nd grade writing prompts we can encourage our young writers to express themselves in a creative and thoughtful manner. It’s important to note that writing prompts are not just limited to creative writing, they can also be used to explore various topics and encourage critical thinking. In a recent article published by The New York Times , the benefits of using writing prompts have been highlighted as a tool to motivate and engage students. By incorporating prompts into classroom activities such as a mock debate assignment, teachers can help students develop their writing skills, critical thinking abilities, and overall academic performance. 

“Writing prompts are a great way to stimulate your mind and push your writing to new heights.” – Steve Alcorn

So let’s make writing fun and exciting for our 2nd graders by providing them with a variety of writing prompts, and let’s encourage them to write with passion, curiosity, and creativity. Together, we can help our young writers unlock their full potential and become confident and effective communicators.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can these prompts help 2nd grade students.

These 2nd grade writing prompts can help students in several ways. They can help students develop their writing skills by giving them a specific topic to write about and encouraging them to use their imagination. They can also help students learn about different topics and express their thoughts and feelings.

How can teachers or parents use these prompts with their students/children?

Teachers or parents can use these prompts as writing assignments for their students/children. They can give the students/children a prompt and ask them to write a story or a paragraph about it. Teachers or parents can also use the prompts as conversation starters to encourage students/children to talk about different topics and practice their speaking skills.

Are there any resources available to accompany these prompts?

Yes, there are many resources available online that can accompany these prompts. For example, teachers or parents can find graphic organizers, writing templates, and other resources that can help students organize their thoughts and ideas.

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How to Teach Opinion Writing

In this post, I share 5 tips for How to Teach Opinion Writing and provide details about the Opinion Writing Units resources I have created for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students.   Be sure to download 3 FREE opinion writing graphic organizers !

The Common Core writing domain focuses on three big types of writing: informative, narrative, and opinion writing.  Each genre serves a unique purpose and follows a specific structure in which we must explicitly teach our students.   In my last post I shared tips and resources for teaching Informative Writing and today I’m excited to move on to Opinion Writing. 

Opinion Writing is one of my favorite genres to teach.  Young students have opinions on just about EVERYTHING and they usually aren’t afraid to share them!!  For this reason, they find the genre highly engaging! 

Today I’m sharing 5 tips for teaching opinion writing, as well as a valuable resource that has everything you need to bring opinion writing into your kindergarten , first grade, or second grade literacy centers! 

Tips for Teaching Opinion Writing

1.  read opinion writing mentor texts .

Before you can ask your students to write in a genre that is new to them, you must first immerse them in it.  So to begin your unit, you’ll want to share examples of opinion writing with your students.  These mentor texts provide students with excellent examples of opinion writing. 

As you read them aloud, highlight the way the author structures their writing.  Identify the author’s topic or opinion and point out the reasons he or she gives to support their opinion.  All of these things will help students better understand what type of writing we are asking them to do.    

When you’re picking opinion mentor texts to share with your students there are a few things to consider .  First, do you (the educator) think it is excellent?  Second, is it easy for your students to understand?  And finally, is it relevant to the type of writing you are teaching?  If you answer “Yes!” to all three, then you’re good to go!

To help you out I’ve created a list of excellent mentor texts you can use when teaching opinion writing to kindergarten, first, or second grade students.  

A List of Opinion Writing Mentor Texts:

• Duck Rabbit by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
• I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufmann Orloff
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
• Red is Best by Kathy Stinson
• Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
• The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan

I’ve saved all these titles on one board so you can easily take a closer look at these mentor texts.  Click here to see this list on Amazon.

2.  Model Your Own Opinion Writing

I know I say this a lot, but it’s worth repeating…. MODEL, MODEL, and then once again MODEL what you expect your students to do!  It is a tremendously powerful instructional tool! 

When teaching opinion writing you’ll first model how to choose a topic.  When you generate ideas you can ask yourself, “What do I know all about?” “What do I care about?” “What do I wish other people believed?”.

If these questions feel too broad for your students you can use simple “would you rather” questions to get your ideas for an opinion piece.  For example, “Would you rather have a dog or a cat?”  This could lead to the topic, “Dogs are the best pet.” Keep it simple and choose a topic that is relatable to your students.    

Next, model how you plan your writing using a graphic organizer.  Show them how you open with a topic sentence that states your opinion. Next, come up with your supporting reasons. End with a closing sentence that restates your opinion.  

Model how you use the graphic organizer to guide you as you write out your full piece. 

Finally, reread your work aloud and show students how you catch silly mistakes such as spelling, capitalization or punctuation errors.  You can also show how you add additional supporting reasons to make your writing more persuasive to the reader.  

3. Use Anchor Charts

You want your students to know that when they write an opinion piece they are sharing their own opinion. They are not sharing true facts. Take time to review the difference between facts and opinions. Create an anchor chart that defines fact vs. opinion.

You’ll also want to review language that is specific to the genre. Remind students of the linking or transitional words that connect their opinion to their reasons.

Finally, you’ll want to create an anchor chart using the writing you model. This will serve as another example of excellent opinion writing.  As a class, add labels to identify the topic sentence, supporting reasons and the closing sentence in your shared writing.  

All of these anchor charts can be posted in your writing center. Encourage your students to refer back to them and use them as support as they write their own pieces.

4. Allow students to edit and share their writing

Provide a good writers checklist at your writing center.  For opinion writing you’ll want the checklist to include items such,  “Do I have a topic sentence that clearly states my opinion?”  “Do I have supporting reasons ?” and “Do I have a closing sentence?”, as well as reminders to check for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors.  

You can also create a rubric specific to the genre. Model how you use it to assess your own work and how it can be used to provide feedback to others.   

Give students the opportunity to share their writing with others!  Pair students with partners and let them read their pieces to each other.  Encourage them to provide feedback using the editing checklist and the rubric as a guide.  

5. Provide Daily Opportunities for Students to Write

As with all things, writing takes PRACTICE!  Students need dedicated instructional time to learn the skills and strategies necessary to become effective writers, as well as time to practice what they learn.   When you think about your daily instructional schedule, make sure you are giving your students ample opportunities to practice their opinion writing through whole-group instruction, small groups and/or independent practice in writing centers. 

Opinion Writing Unit For Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade Students

Today I’m excited to share with you the details about my Kindergarten Opinion , 1st Grade Opinion , and my 2nd grade Opinion Writing units!  I love them because they have ALL the resources you need to give your students the practice they need to master opinion writing.  

These units were developed with standards-based research specific to each grade. You can use them within whole class or small group instruction, or as a literacy center activity where students can practice opinion writing independently!  

What’s Included in these Opinion Writing Resources?

The kindergarten , first grade , and the second grade opinion writing resources each include information to help you unpack the unit and a mini-lesson you’ll teach to give your students a review of opinion writing.  You’ll get a list of suggested mentor texts and online resources, printable anchor charts, graphic organizers, seasonal writing prompts, and conversational task cards to help get kids to share their opinion on different topics.  

Kindergarten Opinion Writing Unit

Kindergarteners will probably need a review of fact vs. opinion so the kindergarten resource includes a printable fact vs. opinion anchor chart . You’ll also get charts with opinion writing sentence starters to help them organize their reasons and thoughts.  

The kindergarten seasonal writing prompts come with traceable sentence stems and picture supported vocabulary word bank to assist young writers in brainstorming ideas and spelling words while writing.

Finally, you’ll get an editing checklist that is specific to opinion writing but also appropriate for the kindergarten level. 

First Grade and Second Grade Opinion Writing Units

The first and second-grade resources include fact vs. opinion and linking words anchor charts that provide review and help them organize their ideas.  

To help first and second-graders practice writing you’ll get 28 “Would You Rather” seasonal conversational opinion centers and 24 writing prompts. That’s more than enough to keep kids engaged in sharing their opinions all throughout the year!  

The prompts are both PRINTABLE & DIGITAL. The digital version has been PRELOADED for you, with 1 click add them to your Google Drive or upload them to SeeSaw.

Each seasonal prompt printable paper includes a story-specific vocabulary bank to provide spelling assistance and help students get ideas for reasons to support their opinion. 

Finally, you’ll also get a self-editing checklist and rubric that have both been made specifically for opinion writing.  This rubric can be used as a self-assessment tool or as a guide for peer feedback.     

I love these writing units because they can be used in so many different ways.  They offer opportunities for students to practice opinion writing as a whole class, in small groups, as a literacy center activity, for homework, or as a meaningful activity for when they have a substitute teacher!  

FREE Opinion Writing Graphic Organizers

Are you ready to begin Opinion Writing in your classroom? To help get you started, I am happy to offer you 3 FREE Opinion Writing Graphic Organizers! You can download them here .

The ability to state one’s opinion and support it with persuasive reasons is a valuable academic and LIFE skill!  I hope the information and resources I’ve shared today will help to bring stronger opinion writing instruction and more meaningful practice to your kindergarten, first and second-grade classrooms!

Be on the lookout for my next post that will focus on the final genre… Narrative Writing! I’ll share information and tips for teaching narrative writing, as well as give you details about my Narrative Writing Units for kindergarten , first and second-grade students!

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2nd grade writing samples

by: Jessica Kelmon | Updated: June 15, 2024

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In second grade, kids learn to think about writing as a process with four steps: prewriting (deciding on a topic and organizing their ideas), writing a first draft , making revisions (adding or changing their reasons, adding facts, putting information in a different order), and then making final edits (fixing spelling and grammar). In these examples, you’ll see what to expect when second graders organize their thoughts in the prewriting stage and what their final reports look like after they’ve completed all four writing steps. Learn more about your second grader’s writing under Common Core .

Second grade writing sample #1

1,000 Ways to Save Water!

Madison’s report has an introduction, a few reasons to support her thesis, and a conclusion. Scroll to the end, and you’ll see the hand paragraph she used to organize her thoughts and reasons in the prewriting phase.

Second grade writing sample #2

LOTS of ways to save wate!

Ngan’s report is short and to the point, with an introduction, three reasons supporting his thesis, and a conclusion. You’ll see a few examples of “ invented spelling ,” like spelling third “therd.” He’s spelling a complex word phonetically, which is perfectly normal in second grade, even after the final edits step of the writing process. Most kids move away from invented spelling by third grade.

Second grade writing sample #3

Ways to Save Water

Morgan’s report is clear and concise, and she also used a hand paragraph in the prewriting phase. Not all schools use hand paragraphs, but most should encourage second graders to organize their thoughts before writing. If you’re helping your child with a writing project at home, it’s easy to make a hand paragraph. Your child’s thesis can go on the thumb, and each of the other fingers can be a reason that supports their idea.

See more examples of real kids’ writing in different grades: Kindergarten , first grade , third grade , fourth grade , fifth grade .

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