Opinion Writing + Fire Fighters {FREEBIE}

This week, we've been working on opinion writing. We've been learning about responsibility and the students recently read several stories about fire fighters. So, this week they have been working on an opinion piece about why fire fighters are important. The activity, like everything else, is from our reading program, but I thought I'd spruce it up so that it looks super fabulous in the hallway. A bunch of students are still working on theirs, but the ones that are done look fantastic!

One teacher saw what I was doing and, at first, was surprised that I was stupid brave enough to do something outside of the reading program. She is, much like I am, a little uninspired by the curriculum, I believe. Maybe she'll be able to help me come up with some cute and clever ways to bring some life to the activities we are required to do. The students are so much more engaged and motivated by activities like this one!

I love that this student built in some of our vocabulary from this week!

As you can see, they were asked to finish their writing with a second opinion about what people should do to thank fire fighters. I love that this boy is going to give them a prize!

We were going to put the writing behind the fire hydrants, but I realized then no one would be able to see what we wrote!

If only our reading program was aligned so that we did activities like this during more relevant weeks - like, oh, I don't know, Fire Prevention Week? If you're interested in using this now or tucking it away for a later date, download them free by clicking here for the fire hydrant or here for the writing paper!

I absolutely love how they turned out! What do you all think? Do any of you need to work within a reading program? What do you do to make the curriculum your own?