Grade 5
Copyright © 2014 Write Score LLC
Conclusions or Endings

We are going to work on writing the conclusion
or ending of a piece of opinion writing.

When working on our conclusions, we want to:
 provide a concluding statement or section related to
the opinion presented.
 provide a sense of closure.
 leave the reader feeling satisfied.
Getting Started

One way to end an opinion essay is by writing a
Question Times Three ending. This is called a
Question Times Three ending because you end by
asking three questions you want readers to consider
based on your opinion already presented.

To show you what I mean, we are going to read an
opinion essay together.

Notice the writer’s opinion and main reasons
or points.
Say “No” to Year-Round School
Some schools around the country are having classes all year long.
I believe this is a terrible idea for more reasons than I can write about
today. Schools should continue using the school days calendar they
have always used and not a year-round schedule. Having school for
twelve months has no positive effects on student learning, it costs a lot
of money, and it ruins families’ plans for summer vacations.
Year-round schooling has no positive impact on learning. Most yearround schedules aren’t really year-round anyway. You go to school for
45 days and get 15 days off. Then the schedule repeats itself. Those
15 days off cause students to forget what they have learned more often.
This means that teachers end up teaching the same things over and
over the entire year. It’s obvious that changing to a year-round school
schedule causes more problems than it solves.
Keeping school open all year means lots more money goes to
things like teachers’ salaries, electrical costs, food costs, and so much
more. Keeping school open in the middle of summer requires using
more air conditioning, and that adds a lot to the school’s budgets.
Some school districts are already struggling just to supply kids with
paper and pencils. There is no way they could afford to keep all of
their schools open all year long.
Summertime is usually the only time families can spend any time
together. That time is usually spent going on a vacation. Even if the
vacation is close to home or at home, it means families can enjoy
each other at the same time. It would be very difficult for all family
members to get the same 15 days off their students might get in a
year-round schedule. Students wouldn’t have any time to relax or
play the sports or go to the camps they’re used to enjoying in the
summer time.
Reasons or Points
Did you notice these reasons and points?

Having school for twelve months has no
positive effects on student learning.

It costs a lot of money.

It ruins families’ plans for summer vacations.
Question Times Three Endings
Now…I am going
to make a list of
questions related
to the different
reasons or points.
o Can we afford to have students forget
valuable learning?
o Is having school year-round worth
students forgetting what they
learned?
o Can we afford to spend dollars we
can’t afford?
o Can schools truly afford this?
o Is year-round learning worth the loss
of family time?
o Isn’t family time together more
important than year-round schooling?
Using My Choices to Write a
Make a Question Times Three Ending
Here are the questions I chose:
1. Can we afford to have students forget valuable learning?
2. Can we afford to spend dollars we can’t afford?
3. Is year-round learning worth the loss of family time?
I’m going to use these questions and then add
a final statement to create my ending:
Can we afford to have students forget valuable learning? Can
we afford to spend dollars we can’t afford? Is year-round learning
worth the loss of family time? I don’t believe so.
Take Note
Did you notice that I followed the steps for
writing a Question Times Three ending?
1. I read back over the reasons or points.
2. I wrote a list of questions about those reasons or points.
3. I chose three I liked best. (each one did address a
different reason or point.)
4. I wrote each question in the same order in which those
reasons or points were presented.
5. I wrote a final answer or statement about my three
questions.
Your Turn to Try
You are going to do what I just did!

Reread the essay identifying the main reasons or points.

Make a list of questions related to those reasons or
points.

Choose the three YOU like best that are also related to
the different reasons or points followed by an answer or
statement sentence.

Follow the steps for Writing Question Times Three
ending
Remember to include a summary statement
after your list.

On Your Own

After you finish your conclusion or ending,
return to a completed piece of opinion writing.

Reread the steps for writing a Question
Times Three ending.

Follow the steps to write one or more
Question Times Three endings for
your writing.