Using transition words Grade 5 Using transition words To create Organization In opinion writing Copyright © 2014 by Write Score LLC

Why Use Transition Words? Transition words and phrases create organization within an opinion piece. Transition words and phrases connect the writer’s opinion with the reasons that support the opinion. Transition words and phrases help add on to or connect thinking. Transition words and phrases help to order thinking logically. Transition words and phrases help the reader of the piece keep track of the writer’s thinking.

Todays Task Identify transition words/phrases within a piece of writing Add transition words/phrases within a piece of writing Use transition words/phrases within your own writing Because Also However

Transition words and phrases Organizational Transition Words to Add On to Conclude   The first reason… The second reason… The final reason… In my opinion __________ because…. Another reason _________ is because… The most important reason __________ is because… In my experience… For example… Also… In addition… Furthermore… In order to… For instance… However… As a result…   Therefore… In conclusion… Finally… As a result…

Let’s read Adopt! Are you thinking about getting a pet? Do you find yourself gazing longingly at adorable puppies and kittens in the pet store window but aren’t sure what kind of pet would be best for your family? Are you worried about the high costs of owning a pet? Are you looking for a way to improve your life and the life of an animal? Choosing the right kind of pet is an important decision that requires a lot of careful thought. But, no matter what kind of pet you choose, I believe that choosing to adopt a pet from your local animal shelter is the right thing to do.

Adopt! (continued) Shelters are wonderful places to figure out what the best type of pet for your family is. This is because animal shelters have a wide variety of animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and hamsters. Visitors are welcome at the shelter any time, and as a result, your family can visit as often as you need until you find that one special pet. Pet stores usually just carry young animals because they are cute and easy to sell, while at the shelter you can find young and old animals. Since young animals are often a lot of work it is important to consider the amount of time your family has to spend with your new pet. For instance, older cats and dogs are often calmer and already trained. Each animal at the shelter is screened to determine what kind of family would be the best match. They even have little information cards on every cage that explain the habits and temperament of the animal. When my family saw our cat Buster for the first time, he was sleeping in the corner of a cage. However, his card said, “I may look quiet and sleepy but I’m a feisty guy! Play, play, play and more play PLEASE!” It was a good thing we read that card, because a playful cat was exactly what we wanted and Buster sure did live up to that!

What transitions/phrases does the author use? Shelters are wonderful places to figure out what the best type of pet for your family is. This is because animal shelters have a wide variety of animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and hamsters. Visitors are welcome at the shelter any time, and as a result your family can visit as often as you need until you find that one special pet. Pet stores usually just carry young animals because they are cute and easy to sell, while at the shelter you can find young and old animals. Since young animals are often a lot of work it is important to consider the amount of time your family has to spend with your new pet. For instance, older cats and dogs are often calmer and already trained. Each animal at the shelter is screened to determine what kind of family would be the best match. They even have little information cards on every cage that explain the habits and temperament of the animal. When my family saw our cat Buster for the first time, he was sleeping in the corner of a cage. However, his card said, “I may look quiet and sleepy but I’m a feisty guy! Play, play, play and more play PLEASE!” It was a good thing we read that card, because a playful cat was exactly what we wanted and Buster sure did live up to that!

Adopt! (continued) Another reason you should consider adopting an animal f from a shelter is cost. Buying a new pet can be very expensive. Did you know a pure-bred puppy sold at a pet store can cost over $1,000? That cost doesn’t include a leash, or food, or vet check up! Adopting a puppy from a shelter costs much less. For instance, my local shelter charges around $40 to adopt a puppy and even less for an adult dog. That $40 doesn’t just include the dog. In addition to the animal, the shelter includes the first round of shots, a leash to take the dog home with, samples of and coupons for pet food and they spay or neuter your pet before you take it home! In addition, many shelters offer post-adoption services such as obedience training. In my experience once you pay for a puppy at a pet store the rest is up to you! You can forget about extras like food, supplies, coupons and training. All they want is your money (and a lot of it), while in contrast, the shelter is committed to finding you a forever friend for very little money!

Adopt! (continued) By adopting you are changing the life of an animal forever and improving the quality of your own life. There are too many animals in shelters and as a result shelters are forced to put down around 4 million animals a year because there aren’t enough families willing to adopt. Most of the animals at the shelters are good animals that have been abandoned because their families can no longer care for them and would make wonderful family pets. When you adopt an animal from a shelter you not only save the life of your new pet, but you help make space for another animal at the shelter! By adopting one animal you can potentially save two lives! When you adopt an animal you improve the quality of your own life as well. Pets offer unconditional love and are great companions. Pets can improve your life by helping you to relax, offering you a reason to exercise, and giving you someone to cuddle and love. Adopting a pet brings instant joy. You can feel good about the decision to adopt.

What transitions/phrases does the author use? Another reason you should consider adopting an animal from a shelter is cost. Buying a new pet can be very expensive. Did you know a pure-bred puppy sold at a pet store can cost over $1,000? That cost doesn’t include a leash, or food, or vet check up! Adopting a puppy from a shelter costs much less. For instance, my local shelter charges around $40 to adopt a puppy and even less for an adult dog. That $40 doesn’t just include the dog. In addition to the animal, the shelter includes the first round of shots, a leash to take the dog home with, samples of and coupons for pet food and they spay or neuter your pet before you take it home! In addition, many shelters offer post-adoption services such as obedience training. In my experience once you pay for a puppy at a pet store the rest is up to you! You can forget about extras like food, supplies, coupons and training. All they want is your money (and a lot of it), while in contrast, the shelter is committed to finding you a forever friend for very little money!

What transitions/phrases COULD the author use? By adopting you are changing the life of an animal forever and improving the quality of your own life. There are too many animals in shelters and as a result shelters are forced to put down around 4 million animals a year because there aren’t enough families willing to adopt. Most of the animals at the shelters are good animals that have been abandoned because their families can no longer care for them and would make wonderful family pets. When you adopt an animal from a shelter you not only save the life of your new pet, but you help make space for another animal at the shelter! By adopting one animal you can potentially save two lives! When you adopt an animal you improve the quality of your own life as well. Pets offer unconditional love and are great companions. Pets can improve your life by helping you to relax, offering you a reason to exercise, and giving you someone to cuddle and love. Adopting a pet brings instant joy. You can feel good about the decision to adopt. In conclusion, as you consider which type of pet would be the best fit for your family remember that regardless of the type of pet, the animal shelter is the place to go. Adopting a pet offers you the opportunity to explore a wide variety of pets and choose the perfect forever friend. Adopting is a cost saving option, and by choosing adoption you are choosing to save the life of an animal who in return will create joy and harmony in your life.

Independent Practice Choose an opinion piece that lacks transition words/phrases. Identify where transition words/phrases could be added. Turn and Talk – Share your thinking! Write!