Sharing Opinions Creatively

Lesson Overview

This lesson is designed to help Year 3 students explore how to express their personal opinions in a structured and creative way. The activities align with the Year 3 English curriculum from the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), with a focus on examining and creating persuasive texts. Students will practise forming opinions, articulating reasons, and listening respectfully to the thoughts of others. This interactive lesson caters to different learning styles and integrates group discussions, individual writing, and creativity.

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Curriculum Links

Strand: Literacy
Sub-strand: Interacting with others
Content Descriptor (ACELY1792): Use interaction skills, including active listening behaviours and communication in a clear, coherent manner.
Strand: Literacy
Sub-strand: Creating texts
Content Descriptor (ACELY1682): Plan, draft, and publish imaginative and informative texts containing key ideas and supporting details.

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Lesson Objectives

• Develop clear, age-appropriate opinions about familiar topics.
• Provide one or two logical reasons to support an opinion.
• Practise speaking and listening skills during a class discussion.
• Foster creativity through visual representation of their opinion.

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Preparation

Materials Needed:

• A3 sheets of paper
• Coloured pencils/crayons
• Opinion word bank (e.g., "I think," "Because," "In my opinion")
• Sentence stems (printed on the board or handouts): "I believe... because..."
• Images of familiar Australian scenarios (e.g., native animals, schools, sports, weather).

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Lesson Structure (45 Minutes)

1. Warm-Up: Opinions in Everyday Life (5 Minutes)

• Teacher Introduction: Ask, "What is an opinion?" Guide students to understand that an opinion is something you believe or feel about a topic, which might not be the same for everyone.
• Class Activity:
  • Hold up two picture cards (e.g., a kangaroo and a koala). Ask: "Which is the best animal, and why?"
  • Get quick answers from several students, encouraging them to start with “I think...” or “In my opinion...”

2. Model: Building Strong Opinions (10 Minutes)

• Write a sample opinion on the board: "I think the beach is the best place to play because you can swim and build sandcastles."

• Highlight the structure:

  1. State your opinion.
  2. Give a reason (or two).

• Introduce an Opinion Word Bank for support (phrases like "I believe," "because," "in my view").

• Demonstrate varying tone/passion, showing students how to make their opinion engaging (e.g., being excited but respectful).

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3. Guided Practice: Mini Debate (10 Minutes)

• Divide the class into two groups of 11, with 1 student acting as a "moderator."
• Present a familiar topic: "Is it better to play sport at lunchtime or read books?"
• Each group takes one side and brainstorms opinions and reasons together (use 2 minutes for group discussions).
• Facilitate a mini-debate, ensuring each group has a turn to speak.
• Emphasise respectful listening and turn-taking as each group shares their opinions.

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4. Independent Activity: Creative Opinion Posters (15 Minutes)

1. Hand out A3 paper and drawing materials.
2. Students choose one topic:
   • "The best Aussie animal is…"
   • "My favourite food is…"
   • "The best thing about our school is…"
3. Structure expectations:
   • Write an opinion sentence at the top using the format: "In my opinion, ____, because ____."
   • Illustrate their opinion with a colourful drawing in the remaining space.
4. Encourage creativity while they work. Move around to offer support and ask questions like, "Why do you think that?"

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5. Sharing and Reflection (5 Minutes)

• Invite 2-3 students to share their posters and opinions with the class.
• Lead a short reflection:
  • "How can we show respect when someone has a different opinion?"
  • "Was it easy or hard to come up with reasons for your opinions?"

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Assessment

• Observe participation during the mini-debate (use a checklist: Are they stating opinions? Giving reasons?).
• Collect and review posters to assess how well students structured their opinions and used visuals to enhance their expression.

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Extension Ideas

• Add a theme-specific twist: For example, tie the topics to National Australian events, such as NAIDOC Week ("Why we should celebrate local culture") or Clean Up Australia Day.
• For advanced learners: Encourage students to write a second opinion sentence using a contrasting perspective, e.g., "Others might think… but I believe..."

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By the end of the lesson, students should feel confident about forming and sharing their opinions, supported by clear reasons. This lesson also promotes social skills like active listening, collaborative discussion, and respect for diverse viewpoints—valuable life skills for Australian students.