“To Hunt or Not to Hunt”
Grade/Subject:_Grade 3 Writing, Science AND Social Studies
Teacher: Vickie Greenhouse
Assignment Summary and Rationale: 1) Background: Before writing, students will learn about bears
and/or moose in Vermont, including learning about their populations and winter survival rates. They will also
learn a little about hunting in Vermont, 2) Writing Background Instruction: Students will be taught how to
construct an opinion paragraph sandwich-style, with the opinion clearly stated in the introductory sentence and
restated at the end, and with two or three reasons, based on information gathered as a class, being stated in the
middle. 3) Students will then write an opinion paragraph using this format about whether they think there should
be hunting of bears and/or moose in Vermont at this time. 4) The paragraphs will be shared with the class aloud
and posted. 5) A panel for pros and cons on this issue will be organized, hopefully with eight or more interested
students on the panel. A panel discussion will occur and all will have an opportunity to participate and change
their minds. 6) Students will then vote on whether they think there should or not be hunting of bears and/or
moose in Vermont allowed. This will occur around the time of the general November presidential election.
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Writer's Purpose(s): 1) (background) - Students will learn about a political issue, knowing that they will get
to vote on it. 2) They will write their opinions to inform their classmates, and eventually potentially influence their
classmates on how they should vote on this issue. 3) Students will be informed voters in an electoral process.
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Writer's Role: You will share your opinions about hunting __________ in writing with your classmates to
inform them of your opinions. You may be able to convince some students with a different point of view to
change their mind on this issue before they vote on it in our classroom election.
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Audience: Our classroom community, including students and staff
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Form: 1) Student lists of “pros and cons”, -- type 1 writing 2) Bulletin board of sandwich-style opinion
paragraphs on whether or not bears (and/or moose) should be hunted at this time in Vermont – type 3 writing
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FSAs: 1) You will correctly use capitals at the beginning of sentences and end-of-sentence punctuation. 30 pts.
2) You will clearly state the opinion in the introductory sentence and briefly restate it at the end.
35 pts.
3) You will include at least two clear sentences in the middle of your paragraph that clearly state at
least two reasons for your opinion that are based on our reading and discussions as a class.
35 pts.
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Optional FSA's and lesson modifications to accommodate or challenge students:
1) Increase or decrease the number of supporting reasons for the opinion that will be required of the student.
2) Provide adult support, as necessary, with the writing organization (Type 1 writing) and the paragraph writing.
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Procedures/Time Needed: Writing Lesson (steps 3 through 8 below): four 35 - 45 minute sessions
Note: This entire teaching sequence/mini-unit might involve nine to ten 35 - 45 minute teaching sessions.
1) Background: Before writing, students will learn about bears and/or moose in Vermont, including learning about
their populations and winter survival rates. The teacher will read articles with the students, including articles from
National Geographic Explorer and booklets about Black Bears in North America, as well as information about
moose, and will discuss them as a class. Some of the reading may be done as a whole group with the teacher
reading a good deal of it aloud and some may be experienced in small reading groups, Facts about bears and
moose will be written on chart paper. (2 to 3 class sessions) Teacher prep: Gather reading material appropriate
to the students on bears and moose.
2) Students will also learn a little about hunting in Vermont from having current articles read to them by the
teacher, and will engage in a class discussion on the value of and concerns raised by hunting. Students may
share hunting stories and experiences with the class. (1 class session) Teacher prep: Gather current reading
material appropriate to the students listening comprehension levels on hunting in general, and on hunting in
Vermont.
Procedures continued:
3) Writing Background Instruction: Students will be taught how to construct an opinion paragraph sandwichstyle, with the opinion clearly stated in the introductory sentence and restated at the end, and with two or three
reasons, based on information gathered as a class, stated in the middle of the paragraph. This will be
demonstrated in a whole class participatory lesson, during which the teacher and students first brainstorm short
notes and then write a whole group opinion paragraph on whether or not students should have two recesses a
day during the winter coat season as an example. (This topic could be changed, but should be one with little
controversy.) (one class session)
4) teacher prep: Type and print copies of yesterday’s group opinion paragraph double spaced, and have
students prepared with two colors of colored pencils. Procedure: The teacher should start this class session by
distributing typed copies of yesterday’s group opinion paragraph and reading it as a group. Then elicit responses
from the group about which sentences state the opinion and which support the opinion with clear reasons. Then
have students underline the opinion and supporting reasons in two separate colors of colored pencil as you do
the same with the Elmo overhead projector as a way of reviewing the components of an opinion paragraph.
Next explain that today the students will begin to individually write an opinion paragraph about hunting moose
and/or black bears in Vermont. Then refocus the students on the information they have collectively written on
chart paper about bears and/or moose and about hunting, having them read that gathered information along with
you. -- Step 5 continues the same session.
5) Students will then make their own individual lists of “pros and cons” for hunting them or not hunting them,
using the group list posted on chart paper as a resource. (type 1 writing) Students will next circle the column,
either the pos or cons, that for them, individually, is more strongly represented and includes at least two reasons.
Students will then compose a topic sentence stating their personal opinion. Templates of topic sentences could
be provided on an overhead projector. The teacher should circulate and assist. Students should read their topic
sentences in a one foot voice and make any corrections that are needed for them to make sense. (steps 4 and 5
could be completed in one class session)
6) The teacher should begin this session by quickly reviewing the sandwich-style opinion paragraph format and
then students should individually underline the notes from their selected “pros” or ”cons” column that clearly
support their opinion. There must be at least two reasons. During the remainder of this session students will
then use the notes from either their “pros” or their “cons” column to support their topic sentence and complete
writing an opinion paragraph using this sandwich-style format about whether they think there should be hunting
of bears and/or moose in Vermont at this time or not. (Type 3 writing) Students should read their opinion
paragraphs in a one foot voice and make any corrections that are needed for it to make sense. (one class
session)
7) During this next session the teacher will review the FSAs and students will revise and edit their paragraphs for
these FSAs as the teacher circulates and assists. Paragraphs might or might not get recopied, as needed.
Other adults might provide additional assistance to students as appropriate. Students should again read their
paragraphs in a one foot voice and make any corrections that are needed for it to make sense and state their
position clearly. (Step 8 continues the same class session.)
8) The paragraphs will be shared with the class aloud and then later posted on a bulletin board. (steps 7 and 8
could be completed in one class session)
9) After the student paragraphs have been posted for perhaps a week, a panel of classroom students
representing pros and cons on this issue will be organized ahead of the time of the panel discussion, hopefully
with eight or more interested students volunteering to be on the panel discussion/debate. Panelists will use their
opinion paragraphs and”prps” or “cons” notes, and will review them as simple and quick preparation for the
debate. A panel discussion will occur, facilitated by the teacher, and all will have an opportunity to participate and
possibly change their minds, including the panelists. (one class session)
10) Students will then vote by paper ballot on whether they think there should or not be hunting allowed. This
will occur around the time of the general November presidential election. (one class session)
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Assessment: The writing will be assessed based on the percentage values given to the above stated FSAs
for this assignment.
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See next page for a theoretical writing sample.
Sample:
Should we have two recesses during the winter months?
Pros:
exercise is healthy
Cons:
it is very cold out
kids need to get their energy out
takes too much time to get the gear on
kids learn better when they get exercise
kids will behave better with more breaks
kids work hard and deserve two recesses
Elementary students should definitely have two recesses in school a day. Exercise is healthy
and it has been proven that kids learn better when they have had physical exercise. They will focus
more on their learning and behave better in class after they have had a physical break. Because
children have a lot of energy they also need chances to get their energy out so that they can behave
better in class. Therefore kids in elementary school should absolutely have two recess breaks a day!