Teach Using High-Quality, Age-Appropriate Opinion Writing Examples

When students are learning a new text type, high‑quality examples can make a world of difference. By using high-quality opinion writing examples in your teaching, students can learn how a writer hooks an audience, builds reasons logically, uses emotive language, and then wraps everything up with a strong concluding statement.

This resource pack includes five engaging opinion texts specifically written for elementary school students. Each text is well-structured, relatable and features key persuasive techniques, such as rhetorical questions, modality and emotive language. The resource also features a two-page analysis worksheet to guide students through analyzing the purpose, audience, structural features and persuasive techniques of the sample text. Due to its generic nature, this worksheet could also be used with any opinion text.

The opinion writing examples included in this pack are:

• All children should own a pet
• Children should be allowed more screen time
• Children should choose their own bedtime
• School lunchtimes should be longer
• Impose a social media ban for under 16s

This resource downloads as a black-and-white printable PDF or editable Google Slides file.

This resource can be easily incorporated into modeled writing lessons, guided group sessions or as independent practice. It will save you precious planning time while delivering deep, meaningful learning for your students.

Multiple Ways to Use These Opinion Examples

There are countless ways to use these opinion examples to help students unpack the purpose, structure and language features of opinion texts, well beyond the included analysis worksheet. Here are some ideas from our team to get you started:

• Modeled think‑alouds – Choose one of the opinion examples and project it onto your interactive whiteboard. Walk students through your thought process as you analyze the persuasive features of the text. For example: “The use of the pronoun “we” makes me feel like the author is trying to appeal to me personally.”
• Group annotation – Have the class choose one of the opinion examples to analyze. Place the students in small groups, then assign each group a specific textual feature, e.g. structure, language, use of evidence. Have the students explore their assigned feature, then share their observations with the class.
• Spotlight on structure – Choose one of the example texts, then cut it up and have the students rearrange it. Discuss how the new order impacts the readability and impact of the text. This activity reinforces the important role that text structure plays in persuasive writing.

Download This Example Opinion Essay Pack

Use the Download button above to access your preferred version of this printable opinion essay pack with accompanying worksheets. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides file on your personal drive before accessing it.)

This ready-to-use resource makes it simple to deliver effective, engaging opinion writing instruction… without extra prep time!

This resource was created by Kaylyn Chupp, a teacher in Florida and a Teach Starter collaborator.

Explore More Opinion Examples 

When it comes to opinion examples to use with our students, the more we have, the better! Click below to browse more opinion writing samples to integrate into your ELA lessons.

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