I am writing to ask for some help though. We are finishing up our narrative writing unit. The students have really embraced using dialogue in their stories and have come quite far in their character descriptions. We need continued work on our transition skills and our conclusions- but we also have lots of time still left in the year.
Our next unit is our hardest- in my opinion :) We are beginning to find our opinions and figure out how to support them with details, examples or facts. We are going to learn about advertising and how they use slogans, sales, promotions, colors and actors to get us to buy things. We are going to argue our opinion by using the pros and cons of the situation. Finally, we are going to learn how to research our opinion to find relevant facts to help support it.
This is where you get to have some fun. How many of you have had your child ask you "Why?" when you give an answer? Now you can turn the tables on them.
Usually, by this age, the students are able to tell their opinion on something- but they don't always know why they believe it. The next time they ask you to buy that cereal, toy, book, game- ask them "why?" The next time they tell you something is true, ask "why?" The next time they want a sleepover, ask "why?" They will get frustrated at first and you may have to help them think through why- but they will get the hang of it. (and then you may wish you hadn't taught them)
Here are some questions that may help...
- What reasons to you have to want THAT cereal?
- Why shouldn't I get this one instead?
- What makes you think that?
- Did you read/see that somewhere?
- Does someone you know use that?
- Tell me three things that support that idea.
- Why will that help you?
- How do you know that is a healthier choice?
- What makes that one better than this one?
Thank you so much and have fun!!!
Ms. Whalen and Ms. Wetzel
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