Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
Common Core State Standards, Grade 4, Writing · Read it at the source · Checked October 14, 2026
What W.4.1 Means in Plain English
Fourth graders state an opinion, group related ideas and back every reason with a fact or detail: “walking is healthy” needs “kids need 60 active minutes a day” behind it. Phrases like for instance and in addition link the reasons, and a closing returns to the opinion.
Third graders (W.3.1) give reasons and link them with because and since, but the reasons need no facts behind them. Fourth grade adds the facts and details, grouped ideas and new linking phrases. Fifth grade (W.5.1) orders the reasons logically and links them with clauses too.
W.4.1 I Can Statements
I can state my opinion and group related ideas to support it.
I can back each reason with facts and details.
I can link reasons with phrases like in addition and write a conclusion.
W.4.1 Worked Example
Both students had the same three facts on the board. One wrote feelings; the other put every fact to work behind a reason.
Prompt
Should our school start a walking school bus, a group of students who walk to school together with parent volunteers? Give your opinion, your reasons and facts that back them. Facts we gathered: 41 students live less than a mile from school, the drop-off line backs up for about 15 minutes every morning, and doctors say kids need 60 minutes of activity a day.
Not YetI think we should have a walking school bus because walking is fun. Also my friends live close to me. It would be good for everyone.There is an opinion and a reason, but the reason is a feeling and none of the three facts appear. “Also” is the only link, and the last sentence is a vague wrap-up rather than a conclusion tied to the opinion.
Meets the StandardI think our school should start a walking school bus. First, it would shrink the traffic jam at drop-off. For instance, the line backs up for about 15 minutes every morning, and 41 of us live less than a mile away and could walk instead of riding. In addition, walking would help us stay healthy, since doctors say kids need 60 minutes of activity a day and the walk could cover part of it. Parent volunteers would walk with each group in order to keep everyone safe at the crossings. That is why a walking school bus would be good for our families and our school.The opinion opens the piece. Each reason gets its own facts from the list (the 15-minute line and the 41 nearby students for traffic, the 60 minutes for health), “for instance,” “in addition” and “in order to” do the linking, and the last sentence returns to the opinion.
Moves to Use
State the opinion in the first sentence.Give each reason its own fact or detail from the list.Keep the facts for one reason together before moving on.Link with for instance, in addition and in order to.End with a sentence that returns to the opinion.
Common Mistakes with W.4.1
Reasons with no facts behind them
“Walking is fun. Walking is good for you. My friends walk.”
Try this: Have students write the matching fact under each reason on their planner, and cross out any reason that ends up with nothing under it.
Ideas scattered across the piece
A traffic fact, then a health fact, then back to traffic in the last sentence
Try this: Color-code each reason and its facts on the draft, then have students move every sentence so each color sits in one block.
For instance with no instance after it
“For instance, walking is really good.”
Try this: Teach that for instance must introduce a specific example or number, and have students check that every one in their draft does.
Writing Prompt GeneratorFree ToolA fresh opinion prompt for 4th grade. Add two or three facts of your own so students have to back each reason with one.Opinion3-5Printed