Writing prompt Grade 4 Social Studies & Civics
New Reservoir or Fix the Pipes? A Grade 4 Opinion Prompt
A grade 4 opinion writing prompt where students decide whether a fictional town should build a new reservoir or fix its leaking pipes first, using given reasons.
Objectives
- Students will state a clear opinion about which water plan the town should choose first.
- Students will support their opinion with at least two reasons drawn from the background material.
Vocabulary
- Reservoir
- A human-made lake, usually created by a dam, that stores water for later. Reservoirs supply cities and farms and help control floods.
Also: opinion, leak
Teacher overview
This prompt asks grade 4 students to take a side on a real kind of town choice: when a town needs more water, should it build something new or fix what it already has? Students read a short background about the fictional town of Dunmore, weigh two plans, and write an opinion piece with reasons. The task builds the skill of supporting a point of view with facts rather than feelings alone.
Prompt
Background: The town of Dunmore is running low on water. Its leaders have two plans, and they can only pay for one to start this year.
Plan A is to build a new reservoir. A reservoir is a large stored lake held back by a dam. A new reservoir would give Dunmore a lot of fresh water. But it costs a great deal of money, and it would take several years to finish.
Plan B is to fix the town's old pipes. Many of Dunmore's pipes are old and cracked. Right now, about one out of every five gallons leaks out of the pipes before it reaches a home. Fixing the pipes would save water the town already has. It costs less than a reservoir and can start sooner. But fixing pipes means digging up streets, and it does not add any brand-new water.
Writing task: Should Dunmore build a new reservoir or fix its old pipes first? Write an opinion piece that tells what you think. Give at least two reasons for your opinion. Use details from the background to support each reason. End with a closing sentence.
Planning Organizer
| Part of my writing | My notes |
|---|---|
| My opinion (reservoir or fix pipes first?) | |
| Reason 1 and a detail from the background | |
| Reason 2 and a detail from the background | |
| 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 Dunmore should fix its old pipes first. My first reason is that fixing the pipes saves water the town already has. The background says about one out of every five gallons leaks out before it reaches a home. That is a lot of wasted water, and fixing the pipes would stop the waste. My second reason is that fixing pipes costs less than a new reservoir and can start sooner. A reservoir would take several years to finish, but the town needs water now. Digging up streets is a hassle, but it is worth it to stop losing so much water. The town can always think about a reservoir later. For now, Dunmore should fix the leaks first so it stops wasting the water it already has.
Rubric:
| Criterion | Emerging | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion | No clear opinion is stated | States an opinion but it is unclear or changes | States one clear opinion about which plan to choose | States a clear opinion and restates it in the closing |
| Reasons and details | Gives no reasons | Gives one reason or a reason with no detail | Gives two reasons, each with a detail from the background | Gives two or more reasons, each with a specific detail, clearly explained |
| Organization | Ideas are out of order | Some order but no closing | Clear order with a closing sentence | Clear order, linking words, and a strong closing sentence |
| Conventions | Many errors make it hard to read | Errors are noticeable but meaning is clear | Few errors; capitals and periods are mostly correct | Very few errors; neat, correct sentences throughout |
Differentiation
Support (below grade level)
Provide sentence starters for each organizer row, such as "I think Dunmore should ___ first because ___." Let these students give one strong reason with a detail instead of two.
Extension (above grade level)
Ask students to add a third reason and to answer one thing a person who disagrees with them might say, explaining why they still hold their opinion.
ELL supports
Pre-teach opinion, reservoir, and leak with simple pictures: a thought bubble, a stored lake behind a dam, and a dripping pipe. Allow students to fill the Planning Organizer with short phrases before writing full sentences.