Say What You Think and Why

Supplied materials

• Original pretend choice: The class can label its paper bins with either a picture of the paper size or a star. Supplied observation: “A picture of each paper size shows which sheets belong in that bin.” Practice opinion: “I prefer paper-size pictures on the bins.”
• Paper and pencil; spoken responses are welcome.

Learn the idea

An opinion tells what someone thinks or prefers. A reason tells why that opinion makes sense to that person. For this practice, we can prefer paper-size pictures because the pictures show where different sheets belong. Someone else may prefer stars for another reason, so state a preference rather than calling every other choice wrong.

Connect your opinion and reason with because, then check whether the reason actually relates to labels. “Because a picture shows the paper size” explains the choice. “Because I like oranges” gives a preference about a different subject. A short ending can restate the choice without adding an unsupported promise about what every child will do.

1. Name the two label choices.
2. Say your preferred choice as an opinion.
3. Use the supplied observation to give a related reason.
4. Join the ideas with because and reread for focus.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Replace the observation with “A word label names the paper size, and all classmates can read those words.” Model: “I prefer word labels because everyone in this pretend class can read the size name.” The reason changes with the supplied information, rather than keeping the picture claim automatically.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. The answer download includes your current choice and any checked feedback.