English Language Arts · 2nd Grade · The Craft of Writing and Expression · Weeks 19-27

Crafting Concluding Statements for Opinions

Developing strong concluding statements that summarize the opinion and reasons.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.1

About This Topic

Informative report writing teaches students how to be experts and share their knowledge with others. In second grade, this involves introducing a topic, using facts and definitions to develop points, and providing a concluding statement. This aligns with Common Core standards for writing informative/explanatory texts. Students learn the difference between a fact (something that can be proven) and an opinion (a feeling), which is a crucial distinction for academic writing.

Writing reports helps students organize their thoughts and use specific vocabulary. They learn to group related information together and use clear language to explain a topic to a reader who might not know anything about it. This topic is most effective when students can participate in 'expert' simulations or collaborative research, where they have a real audience to teach, making the writing feel purposeful and important.

Key Questions

1. Why is a strong concluding statement important in an opinion piece?
2. Design a concluding statement that effectively restates your opinion.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of different concluding statements.

Learning Objectives

• Design a concluding statement that restates the main opinion and summarizes at least two supporting reasons.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a given concluding statement based on its clarity and ability to reinforce the opinion.
• Identify the key components of a strong concluding statement for an opinion piece, including restating the opinion and summarizing reasons.
• Create a concluding statement for a given opinion paragraph that logically follows from the presented reasons.

Before You Start

Identifying Opinions and Reasons

Why: Students must be able to distinguish between an opinion and its supporting reasons before they can learn to conclude them effectively.

Writing Simple Opinion Paragraphs

Why: Students need foundational experience in stating an opinion and providing at least one reason to build upon for crafting concluding statements.

Key Vocabulary

Opinion	A personal belief or judgment about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
Concluding Statement	The final sentence or sentences that wrap up an opinion piece, reminding the reader of the main point and the reasons given.
Summarize	To briefly state the main points or reasons of something.
Restate	To say something again in a different way, often for clarity or emphasis.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students often include their own opinions in an informative report.

What to Teach Instead

Use a 'Fact Filter' activity where students swap papers and circle any words that show a feeling (like 'cute,' 'scary,' or 'best'). This peer-led approach helps them see how opinions can sneak into factual writing and how to remove them.

Common Misconception

Students may think a report is just a list of random facts.

What to Teach Instead

Teach the 'Topic Sandwich' model: Introduction (top bun), Facts (meat/veggies), and Conclusion (bottom bun). Use a collaborative building activity where students physically stack these parts to see how they must fit together to make a 'whole' report.

Active Learning Ideas

Peer Teaching: The 2-Minute Expert

After researching a simple topic (like an animal), students have two minutes to 'teach' a partner three facts they learned. The partner then asks one question, helping the 'expert' see what information might be missing from their report.

15 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: Fact vs. Feeling Sort

Small groups are given a mix of 'fact' and 'feeling' cards about a topic like 'The Moon.' They must sort them and then use only the 'fact' cards to build a group paragraph, ensuring their report stays informative.

20 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: The Information Fair

Students display their draft reports on their desks. Classmates walk around with 'Fact Finder' checklists, looking for a clear introduction, at least three facts, and a conclusion in their peers' work, leaving positive feedback on a sticky note.

25 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Authors of persuasive essays, like those found in opinion sections of newspapers or magazines, use strong concluding statements to leave a lasting impression on their readers and encourage agreement.
• Advertisers craft concluding statements in commercials to reinforce the benefits of a product and persuade viewers to make a purchase, such as 'So for a clean home and a happy family, choose SparkleClean!'

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a short opinion paragraph that has a weak or missing concluding statement. Ask them to write one sentence that restates the opinion and briefly mentions one reason.

Quick Check

Present students with two different concluding statements for the same opinion paragraph. Ask them to circle the statement that best restates the opinion and summarizes the reasons, and explain why in one sentence.

Peer Assessment

Students exchange their opinion writing pieces. Each student reads their partner's conclusion and answers: 'Does the conclusion restate the main opinion? Does it remind me of the reasons?' Students give one specific suggestion for improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I help 2nd graders find facts without getting overwhelmed?

Provide 'curated' resources like a specific set of books or a pre-screened website. Give them a 'Fact Collection Sheet' with specific categories (e.g., 'What they eat,' 'Where they live') to help them focus their search and avoid copying entire pages.

What is the best way to teach a concluding statement?

Explain that a conclusion is like a 'wave goodbye.' It should remind the reader of the main topic one last time. Use a 'Conclusion Mirror' activity where students look at their introduction and try to say the same thing in a new, exciting way for their ending.

How can active learning help students write better reports?

Active learning strategies like 'The 2-Minute Expert' give students an immediate audience. When they have to explain their topic out loud, they often realize where their explanation is confusing or where they need more facts. This verbal rehearsal makes the actual writing process much smoother and more logical.

How can I encourage the use of 'expert' vocabulary?

Create a 'Word Wall' for the specific topic being researched. During collaborative talk, challenge students to use at least two 'expert words' from the wall. This makes using technical terms feel like a game and helps them sound more authoritative in their writing.