Writing prompt Grade 2 Social Studies & Civics
Should Redwing School Add a Bottle Filling Station?
A grade 2 opinion writing prompt about a fictional school choosing between a bottle filling station and a new bench, with an organizer, exemplar, and rubric.
Objectives
- Students will state one opinion about a school choice and support it with two reasons.
- Students will use the linking words because and also to connect an opinion to its reasons.
- Students will finish an opinion piece with a closing sentence that restates the opinion.
Vocabulary
Key words: opinion, reason, because, also, filling station
Teacher overview
Redwing School, a made-up school used only for this prompt, has enough money for one new thing this year and has narrowed the list to two: a bottle filling station in the gym hall, or a new bench outside the front door. The choice works for second graders because both options are real school things they can picture, and the background gives four short facts that supply reasons on both sides. Students introduce the choice, state one opinion, give two reasons joined with because and also, and close by restating the opinion, which covers each part of the grade 2 opinion-writing standard.
Prompt
Read aloud with your teacher.
What is happening at Redwing School
Redwing School is a made-up school. It has money for one new thing this year. The school must pick one.
Here are the two things it could pick.
A bottle filling station. It goes on the wall in the gym hall. You hold your bottle under it. It fills fast. Kids who bring bottles from home could fill them at school.
A new bench. It goes outside by the front door. Kids could sit on it while they wait for a ride.
Here are four things to know.
The school has one drinking fountain. It is in the gym hall.
The line at the fountain is long after recess. Some kids give up and go to class thirsty.
Many kids bring a bottle from home. The old fountain does not fill a bottle well.
There are two benches by the front door now. On some days they are full.
Your writing task
Write an opinion piece about Redwing School.
Tell what the school is choosing. Then tell what you think the school should pick. Give two reasons. Use the word because for your first reason. Use the word also for your second reason. End with one sentence that tells your opinion again.
Planning Organizer
Fill in every box before you write.
| Box | What I will write |
|---|---|
| My topic: what is Redwing School choosing? | |
| My opinion: what should the school pick? | |
| Reason 1, with the word because | |
| Reason 2, with the word also | |
| 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
Redwing School is picking one new thing this year. It could be a bottle filling station or a new bench. I think the school should pick the bottle filling station.
The school should pick it because the line at the fountain is long after recess. Some kids give up and go to class thirsty. A filling station is fast. More kids would get a drink in the same time.
Also, many kids bring a bottle from home. The old fountain does not fill a bottle well. With a filling station, those kids could fill up at school. Then they would not carry an empty bottle all day.
The school already has two benches. It has only one fountain. That is why Redwing School should pick the bottle filling station.
Rubric
| Criterion | Emerging | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic and opinion | Does not name the choice or state an opinion | Names the choice or states an opinion, but not both | Names the Redwing School choice and states one clear opinion | Names the choice, states a clear opinion, and hints at both reasons in the opening |
| Reasons | Gives no reason | Gives one reason, or repeats the opinion instead of a reason | Gives two different reasons drawn from the background facts | Gives two reasons and adds a detail that explains why each one matters |
| Linking words | Uses no linking word | Uses one linking word | Uses because for the first reason and also for the second | Uses because and also correctly and adds one more, such as and or so |
| Closing | Stops with no closing sentence | Ends with a sentence that is not about the opinion | Ends with one sentence that tells the opinion again | Ends with a sentence that tells the opinion again and points back to a reason |
Differentiation
Support
Let these students dictate the organizer boxes to an adult, then copy the sentences in their own hand. Offer the sentence starters "Redwing School is picking ___." and "I think the school should pick ___ because ___." Accept a drawing in the reason boxes with one word written beside it.
Extension
Ask these students to write one more paragraph telling what they would say to a classmate who picked the bench instead, using one fact from the background. They can also propose a third option the school might consider and give one reason for it.
ELL supports
Pre-teach filling station, bench, and line with a photograph of each and a role-play of standing in line at the classroom sink. Give a two-column picture chart, one column per option, and let students mark their choice before writing. Post the words because and also at eye level with the frames on the board.
Extensions
Hold a real class vote on the two options after the writing is finished, then have students count the votes and compare the totals with the reasons they wrote. Seeing which reasons persuaded the most classmates gives writers a second kind of feedback to set beside the rubric score.