This document provides a model for students to plan and organize an opinion essay comparing the points of view in two stories, "My Breaking In" and "Waiting for Stormy." It demonstrates using a two-column note-taking format to analyze what each narrator reveals about the main characters and whether their perspectives are similar or different. Students will then work with partners to complete a similar analysis comparing "My Breaking In" and "Quiet!" in preparation for writing their essay.

1. Plan and Organize an Opinion
Text
GRADE 4, UNIT 4, WEEK 3, MINI-LESSON 7 (15-20 minutes)

2. Plan and Organize an Opinion Text
I will be able to:
Develop and strengthen my writing by planning.
Gather information from sources by taking notes,
paraphrasing, and categorizing information.
Describe a character, setting, and event in a story by drawing
on specific details in a text.
Follow rules for discussions.

3. Engage Thinking
In our previous writing lesson, we compiled details
about the main characters in “My Breaking In” and
“Quiet!” The next step in the writing process is to plan
your essay. Since the prompt states that the essay
should compare and contrast points of view, this
provides a frame in which to start planning.

4. Model
MY ESSAY PROMPT (students use two-column notes to complete
“My Breaking In”)
“My Breaking In” is narrated by the horse explaining his life to the
reader in his own “voice.” In “Waiting for Stormy,” the reader
learns about Misty’s life through third person narration. Write an
essay in which you compare and contrast the points of view in the
two stories. Explain the difference in the two points of view and
discuss which one, in your view, is more effective in telling the
character’s story. Why? State your reason and support your
position with details from the text.

5. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals feelings of the
main character
“My Breaking In” First Person
Narrator – Details
 hates the bit and the crupper
 appreciates how caring his
master is
 detailed information about how
he feels about each part of the
breaking in

6. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals feelings of the
main character
“Waiting for Stormy” Third Person
Narrator – Details
contentment

7. Model
Similar or Different
Different
“My Breaking In” tells a lot more about how the horse
feels

8. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals actions of the main
character
“My Breaking In” First Person
Narrator – Details
 learning how to accept breaking
in

9. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals actions of the main
character
“Waiting for Stormy” Third Person
Narrator – Details
waiting for her foal to be
born

10. Model
Similar or Different
Similar

11. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals physical traits of
the main character
“My Breaking In” First Person
Narrator – Details
 “handsome”; “fine and soft coat”;
“black bright” coat; one one white
foot, star on forehead, four years
old at breaking in

12. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals physical traits of
the main character
“Waiting for Stormy” Third Person
Narrator – Details
no

13. Model
Similar or Different
Different – We never learn what Misty looks like.

14. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals what the main
character observes
“My Breaking In” First Person
Narrator – Details
 Black Beauty sees the care
showed to him by his master.
 Black Beauty watches other
horses fear steam engines.

15. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals what the main
character observes
“Waiting for Stormy” Third Person
Narrator – Details
Misty watches two horses
on the marsh pretend to
be stallions.

16. Model
Similar or Different
Similar

17. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals action in different
settings at the same time
“My Breaking In” First Person
Narrator – Details
no

18. Model
What the Narrator Does
Reveals action in different
settings at the same time
“Waiting for Stormy” Third Person
Narrator – Details
yes – Maureen’s
daydream, Paul’s
“daymare,” Misty in her
shed

19. Model
Similar or Different
Different – Black Beauty can reveal only what he
observes

20. Productive Engagement: Partner
YOUR ESSAY PROMPT
“My Breaking In” is narrated by the horse explaining his life to the
reader in his own “voice.” In “Quiet!,” the reader learns about Lad’s
life through third person narration. Write an essay in which you
compare and contrast the points of view in the two stories. Explain
the difference in the two points of view and discuss which one, in
your view, is more effective in telling the character’s story. Why?
State your reason and support your position with details from the
text.

21. Productive Engagement: Partner
Work with a partner using two-column notes to
compare “Quiet!” to “My Breaking In.” Discuss if the
points of view are different or similar by examining
details from both stories.

22. Share
Who would like to share what they found and recorded
on their two-column notes?

23. Build Cursive Writing Skills
Display the Unit 4 Week 3 Cursive Writing
Practice page and read the model sentence.
Demonstrate forming the week’s focus letters.
Provide copies of the page so that student may
practice cursive writing skills during independent
time.