Writing prompt Grade 1 English Language Arts
A New Fountain for Maple Grove: A Grade 1 Opinion Writing Prompt
A grade 1 opinion prompt where students decide whether their school should build a second water fountain by the playground, stating one opinion and one reason.
Objectives
- Students will state one clear opinion about whether their school should build a new drinking fountain.
- Students will support their opinion with one reason drawn from the background material.
- Students will write a closing sentence that gives their opinion piece a sense of finishing.
Teacher overview
Maple Grove School has one water fountain, and it sits far from the playground. After recess, many students are thirsty, but the walk back inside takes a few minutes. Some students think the school should build a second fountain right next to the playground. This prompt asks grade 1 writers to form and state one clear opinion about that idea, using simple background facts about the school's fountain and its water pipes.
Plan for two short sessions: read the background material aloud to students and fill in the Planning Organizer together on day one, then draft the opinion piece independently or with dictation support on day two.
Prompt
Background: Maple Grove School has one water fountain. It is inside the school. It sits by the lunch room. The playground is far from the lunch room. After recess, many kids are thirsty. But the walk back inside takes a few minutes. Pipes under the ground bring water to the fountain. The same pipes bring water to every sink in the school. Some kids and teachers want a second fountain. It would go right by the playground. A new fountain would need a new pipe. A new pipe costs money.
Writing task: Write a short opinion piece. Tell what you think. Should Maple Grove School build a new water fountain by the playground? Tell your opinion. Give one reason. End with a closing sentence.
Planning Organizer
| Category | Your notes |
|---|---|
| My opinion (should Maple Grove build the fountain?) | |
| My reason | |
| My closing sentence |
From Water for Schools (waterforschools.org). This material is in the public domain (CC0) and may be copied, edited, and shared freely.
Exemplar & Rubric
Exemplar response:
I think Maple Grove School should build a new fountain by the playground. My reason is that we get thirsty at recess. The walk to the old fountain takes too long. A new fountain would help us drink fast and play more. That is why I think our school needs one.
Rubric:
| Criterion | Emerging | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion | No clear opinion is stated | States an opinion, but it is unclear which side is meant | States one clear opinion about building the fountain | States one clear opinion and names the fountain topic right away |
| Reason | No reason is given | Gives a reason that does not connect to the opinion | Gives one reason that supports the opinion | Gives one reason that supports the opinion and adds a small supporting detail |
| Closure | Writing stops with no closing idea | Repeats the opinion word-for-word with no new phrasing | Provides a simple closing sentence | Provides a closing sentence that restates the opinion in a new way |
Differentiation
Support (below grade level)
Provide the sentence starter "I think Maple Grove should ___ because ___." Fill in the Planning Organizer as a whole-class shared writing activity before students write their own closing sentence.
Extension (above grade level)
Ask students to add a second reason to their opinion piece and explain, in one sentence, why that reason also matters to students at recess.
ELL supports
Pre-teach fountain, opinion, and reason with a simple picture of the school building, the lunch room, and the playground marked with an arrow showing the walking distance. Allow the Planning Organizer to be completed with single words or short phrases before drafting begins.