Strong Evidence or Weak Evidence? Sort the Support

Have your child choose a side before planning and say each reason aloud with its evidence. Fill the planner with short notes, then draft the essay on lined paper one paragraph at a time.

Sort 8 sentences about a second recess into strong and weak evidence, then rewrite 1 weak sentence. Strong evidence is a fact that backs up the opinion. The directions on the page read: Read the Example and the claim. Then, in Part A, write the number of each of the 8 sentences in the Strong evidence or Weak evidence column. Then, in Part B, rewrite 1 weak sentence as strong evidence. An answer key is included.

Yes, both. We made it for 4th Grade opinion writing, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with writing opinion essays. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

An introduction with a hook and the opinion, body paragraphs that each give a reason with evidence and an explanation, and a conclusion that restates the opinion and sums up the reasons (W.4.1).

Strong evidence is a fact, a survey result or what an expert says, like 9 of 10 teachers said recess helps kids focus. Weak evidence is a feeling, a guess or something off topic. The sort page has children rewrite one weak sentence as strong evidence.

It makes an essay more convincing. One planner asks for what the other side says and the writer's answer to it before the closing, after a model about a longer lunch period.

3 of the 13 sheets have one, including the strong or weak evidence sort. The planners are open, so check that every reason has evidence and that the conclusion restates the opinion.