The Opinion Essay

1. The Opinion Essay How to Build Your Body Paragraphs

2. The Opinion Essay • Your task is to build a 5-paragraph Opinion Essay • The introduction and conclusion paragraphs follow a format we will discuss in our next class. • The body paragraphs are special and specific to the Opinion Essay. • Body Paragraph #3 follows a different format than Body Paragraphs #1 & #2 • Let’s look at these three paragraphs.

3. Body Paragraph #1 Outline: Example: Against Seal Hunting A. Reason 1 is environment Seal Hunt endangers seals kill 400,000 seals in 2012 a loss of sea ice, more seals are dying become endangered Seals may help, not hurt, cod fish useful predator Blamed for eating cod fish Diet 3% cod fish Eat mostly other fish • Topic sentence stating reason. • Explain reason and giveexamples • Support reason with facts and researched evidence.

4. Body Paragraph #1 • Start by making a topic sentence for the paragraph. • Do forget a transition signal! First, the seal hunt is bad for the environment. • This topic sentence is an reason sentence. • You now must give evidence to support it. • You need to use researched facts. Paraphrase! • Evidence for your opinion is what makes your essay special, not the opinion itself.

5. Body Paragraph #1 First, the seal hunt is bad for the environment. The Canadian government said hunters could kill 400,000 seals in 2012, but their own scientist, Mike Hammill, said the quota should be lowered to protect seals. Due to a loss of sea ice, more seals are dying and fewer seals are being born. Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans said that in 2011 as many as 80% of seal pups died because of lack of sea ice, and scientists at Duke University say that nearly all pups may be dying in low ice years. If this continues, seals may become endangered. Seals also play a role as a useful predator. The Canadian government blames them for eating the cod fish population, but a seal’s diet is only about 3% cod fish. They usually eat fish which are predators of the cod, so saving seals may actually save the cod fish too. • Topic sentence with reason • Explanation • Researched facts

6. Body Paragraph #2 Outline: Example: Against Seal Hunting B. Animal Welfare Seals are intelligent, social animals pinniped family can practice memorization skills and use logic to complete tasks Seal-hunting methods are cruel 42% of seal carcasses probably skinned alive clubbed or shot and left conscious and suffering • Topic sentence stating reason. • Explain reason and giveexamples • Support reason with facts and researched evidence.

7. Body Paragraph #2 Second, seal hunting is cruel. Seals are social animals who live in groups. They are members of the pinniped family. According to scientists at the University of California at Santa Cruz, pinnipeds can practice memorization skills and use logic to complete tasks that most humans cannot complete until they are four years old. Killing these intelligent creatures is not humane. The Canadian government claims that hunting these intelligent, social animals is humane, but in 2001 a group of veterinarians found that 42% of seal carcasses they examined had probably been skinned alive. According to animal welfare groups, seals are often clubbed or shot and left conscious and suffering on the ice while hunters capture more animals. • Topic sentence with reason • General explanation (or opinion) • Researched facts

8. Body Paragraph #3 Outline: Example: Against Seal Hunting C. Economics Canada argues seal-hunting is good for economy and native people Refute with: 1. Native hunters 3% of sealers 2. Seal-hunting profits are low 1. $12.8mill. in 2004 >$2.17mill. in 2010 3. Seal hunt costs money 1. ice breakers, law enforcement 4. Native people small percentage, maybe could hunt • Topic sentence stating opposing sides reason. • Refute and state your reason • Give evidence and research to support your reason

9. Body Paragraph #3 • This time your topic sentence is stating the opinion of the opposing side. • You may want to use a phrase like… Finally, some people argue… Third, the opposition would say… Finally, one reason the opposing side uses is… Finally, some people argue that sealing is an important industry for Canadians, especially native people. • Continue by refuting this opinion. Give your opinion and evidence to support your opinion and disprove the opposing opinion.

10. Body Paragraph #3 Finally, some people argue that sealing is an important industry for Canadians, especially native people.However, most sealing is not done by natives, but for profit, and profits are lower every year. In 2004 sealers made 12.8 million dollars in exports, but in 2010 they made only 2.17 million. Furthermore, according to the Vancouver Sun, the Canadian government spends more money than the seal hunters make on breaking sea ice, monitoring the hunt, and trying to find markets for seal products.Animal welfare groups suggest using that money to help seal hunters find new jobs. A compromise could also be made, allowing only native people to hunt seals. Native hunters only kill about 3% of the seals each year, so this would not endanger the seal population, while allowing native hunters to continue their traditions. • Topic sentence with reason given by opposing side • General explanation (and opinion) • Researched facts

11. Now it’s your turn! • Start building your Opinion Essay. • Work on getting 3 good topic sentences built. One for each body paragraph. • Once you have your 3 topic sentences built, show your facts to support the opinions. *Keep track of where your information is coming from!* ***Don’t forget your Works cited!***