Lessons & Units :: Fact and Opinion Kindergarten Unit

Lesson 1: Opinion

Lesson Plan

Animal Touch

Animal Touch
Learning Goal
Form an opinion.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Independent Practice Worksheet
Not Provided: Animal Touch by Kirsten Hall

  • Teacher Modeling

    will introduce the definition of an opinion by explaining that an opinion is how you feel or think about something or what you like. An opinion is something that people can have different ideas about. I will give examples of opinions (I like broccoli. I think skunks are cute. I feel scared in the dark.) and ask the students to agree or disagree with my opinions. I will explain that as we read Animal Touch by Kirsten Hall, we are going to form opinions about what we are reading. I will think aloud using the photo on page 6 about the raccoon’s appearance (cute, scary). I will use the sentence starter “I think…” to express my opinion. I will discuss that this is an opinion because not everyone has to agree with me. People can have different ideas about this, so it is an opinion. I will use the sentence starter “I like…” (or “I don’t like…”) to express my opinion about the frog’s red eyes (page. 7). I will repeat this with the sentence starter “I feel…” to express my opinion about the spider on page 8.

    TIP: Remind students that it is okay to respectfully disagree with other people’s opinions. You may want to model appropriate language for this.

  • Think Check

    Ask: "How did I form an opinion about the spider in the book?" Students should respond that you thought about how you feel or what you think about spiders.

  • Guided Practice

    will use the sentence starters, “I think…,” “I feel…” or “I like…” to express opinions about the animals in the rest of the book, stopping at page 19.

  • Independent Practice

    will use the sentence starter “I think…” to form an opinion about the orangutan on page 20. (Independent Practice Worksheet is provided.)

    TIP: For struggling students, you may want to include a word bank of opinion words (silly, funny, interesting, etc.).

Build Student Vocabulary layer

Tier 2 Word: layer
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story A penguin’s body has a thick layer of blubber that helps keep it warm.
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) A layer is a level of thickness. Something with multiple layers is thicker than it would be without those layers. Penguins have a layer of fat under their skin. That means that they have an extra level of thickness under their skin to keep them warm.
Students repeat the word Say the word layer with me: layer.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts A cake may have one layer of cake on the bottom, then a layer of chocolate filling on top of that, and a layer of cake on top of the filling. On top, there is a layer of icing. When you dress to go outside in the winter, you put on layers of clothing: first underwear, then a shirt, then a sweater, and finally a coat.
Students provide examples Think about your bed. How many layers of sheets and covers are on your bed? Start by saying, “The layers on my bed are _____________.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? layer
Additional Vocabulary Words movements, nearby

Build Student Background Knowledge

Pause at page 12 in Animal Touch. Explain that several different animals have tentacles, including the octopus, jellyfish, squid, and snails. Show pictures of some of these animals to help students visualize tentacles.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

User Comments

I think it will be more practical to read passages without downloading.
thanks

Submitted by mahdaviniaki_2456961 on 11/29/16

I am learning to teach the way you lay out the activities. Thank you so much.

Submitted by gaskof_2179407 on 8/8/16

Thank you for the detailed lesson plan!

Submitted by annabirchtree_1571965 on 3/14/16

Very useful website!! Thanks so much read works, I homeschool my child.

Submitted by nair4791_1259897 on 11/2/15

Thanks

Submitted by ash.teach78_1422119 on 5/10/15