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Writing an Opinion With a Reason

A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on writing an opinion piece that names the book, states an opinion, gives a reason and closes.

Writing an Opinion With a Reason is a free 40-minute Grade 1 English lesson plan for Common Core standard W.1.1 — write what you think about a book, give one reason, and finish it off. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the meaning, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.

Grade:
Grade 1
Length:
40 minutes
Standard:
W.1.1

Grade 1 · Writing

W.1.1

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

Objective

Students will be able to write an opinion piece with four parts: the topic, the opinion, a reason and a closing sentence.

Students are successful when they can

  • Names the book in the first sentence: "I read Fox and the Red Ball."
  • States an opinion with "I think" or "I like": "I think it is a great book."
  • Gives a reason with "because" and ends with a closing sentence such as "That is why you should read it."

What you need

  • A four-box planner per child: topic, opinion, reason, closing
  • A class book everyone knows (the model uses "Fox and the Red Ball" from the reading lessons)
  • The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan

The lesson

Warm-up — opinion or fact

5 min
  1. Read four sentences. Children show a thumbs-up for opinion and a flat hand for fact: "Dogs have four legs." (fact) "Dogs are the best pets." (opinion) "Pizza is round." (fact) "Pizza is yummy." (opinion)
  2. Ask: "How do you know it is an opinion?" Fish for: "Not everyone would agree."
  3. Say: "An opinion is what you think. Today you will write one and tell us why."

Teach — four boxes

13 min
  1. Draw the four boxes on the board: topic, opinion, reason, closing.
  2. Fill them with the class, talking aloud. Topic: "I read Fox and the Red Ball." Opinion: "I think it is a great book." Reason: "I like it because Duck helps Fox when he is sad." Closing: "That is why everyone should read it."
  3. Read the four sentences together as one piece.
  4. Cover the reason box. Read it again. Ask: "Do you believe me now?" Less so. Say: "The reason is what makes people listen."
  5. Cover the closing box. Read it. Ask: "How does it end?" It stops suddenly. Say: "The closing tells your reader you are finished."
  6. Show a weak reason: "I like it because it is good." Ask: "Does that tell us why?" No — it says the opinion again. A real reason names something in the book.
“Tell me what you think, then tell me why. Your reason has to be something in the book, not just "because it is good."”

Guided practice — plan then write

12 min
  1. Each child chooses a book the class has read and fills the four boxes with words or quick drawings.
  2. They say their four sentences aloud to a partner before writing anything.
  3. The partner checks the reason: "Is it something in the book?" If the reason is "because it is good," the partner asks "What part is good?"
  4. Then each child writes the four sentences.
  5. Circulate and ask, "Read me your reason." Help any child whose reason repeats the opinion find a part of the book.
“Say all four sentences to your partner first. If it sounds right out loud, write it down.”

Independent practice

8 min
  1. Students complete the opinion page, writing on the lines and using the checklist.
  2. Point to the checklist: topic, opinion, reason with because, closing.
  3. Ask finishers to add a second reason with "Also,".

Close

2 min
  1. Read one child's piece aloud (with permission). Ask the class to hold up fingers for each part they heard.
  2. Fish for four fingers: topic, opinion, reason, closing.

What goes wrong, and why

Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.

Gives the opinion as the reason: "I like it because it is good."

Why: They feel strongly, and feeling feels like a reason. They have not yet separated what they think from why they think it.

Fix: Ask "What part of the book made you think that?" Have them open the book and point. That part goes after "because."

Retells the story instead of giving an opinion.

Why: Retelling is what they usually write about books, so it is what they do when asked to write about one.

Fix: Ask "What do you think about it?" Point to the opinion box. Only one detail from the story goes in, as the reason.

Stops after the reason, with no closing.

Why: They have said what they wanted to say and do not see why a reader needs an ending.

Fix: Read their piece aloud and stop suddenly. Ask "Does it feel finished?" Give closing starters: "That is why...", "So you should..."

If they are not there yet

  • Give sentence frames for each box: "I read ___. I think it is ___. I like it because ___. That is why ___."
  • Let the child draw the reason and say it, then write one key word.
  • Use a book with a very clear favorite part to make the reason easy to find.

If they finish early

  • Add a second reason with "Also," and say which reason is stronger.
  • Write an opinion about which of two books is better, with a reason for each.
  • Write an opinion that a partner disagrees with, then write their reason too.

Exit ticket

Write your opinion about a book we read this week and one reason for it.

What to look for: An opinion and a reason from the book: "I think Fox and the Red Ball is great because Duck helps Fox." "Because it is good" means the opinion is repeated as a reason. A retell with no opinion means they need the opinion box pointed to.

Printable practice for W.1.1

Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.

Questions about Writing an Opinion With a Reason

How long does the Writing an Opinion With a Reason lesson take?

40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.

Which standard does Writing an Opinion With a Reason teach?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1 — W.1.1, Writing for Grade 1: “Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.” In plain terms, write what you think about a book, give one reason, and finish it off.

What do I need to teach this lesson?

A four-box planner per child: topic, opinion, reason, closing, a class book everyone knows (the model uses "Fox and the Red Ball" from the reading lessons) and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.

What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?

Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: gives the opinion as the reason: "I like it because it is good."; retells the story instead of giving an opinion and stops after the reason, with no closing. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.

How do I know whether the lesson worked?

The exit ticket asks: “Write your opinion about a book we read this week and one reason for it.” An opinion and a reason from the book: "I think Fox and the Red Ball is great because Duck helps Fox." "Because it is good" means the opinion is repeated as a reason. A retell with no opinion means they need the opinion box pointed to. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.

Is there a worksheet to go with Writing an Opinion With a Reason?

Yes — 1 printable W.1.1 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.

Is Writing an Opinion With a Reason free to use?

Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on October 8, 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.

Last reviewed 2026-10-08. Aligned to W.1.1 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.