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Let the Clover Grow: Linking Reasons for a No-Mow Corner

Read a student's opinion piece about a no-mow schoolyard corner, study its linking words, and plan an opinion piece with clear links.

Grade 5ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toW.5.1.c

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What’s included

Single worksheet
Auto-graded online
1 Common Core standard
Printable answer key
12 questions
Classroom-ready

Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 5
Subject: ELA
Question types: Multiple choice, Circle the answer, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students identify words and phrases that link an opinion to its reasons.
Students tell whether a linking word shows a result, adds a reason, or gives a detail.
Students plan an opinion piece that links reasons with words such as consequently and specifically.

How to use

Read the opinion piece together and talk about the job of each linking word. Then have students answer the questions and plan their own piece on their own.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

W.5.1.c

Link an opinion and its reasons with words, phrases, and clauses such as consequently and specifically.

Preview

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Name Date

Let the Clover Grow: Linking Reasons for a No-Mow Corner

Find the words that link an opinion to its reasons, then plan your own.

Read the opinion piece

Nadia wrote this opinion piece for her school newsletter. Read it carefully. Notice the words and phrases she uses to link her ideas.

Let Our Field Grow a Wild Corner

1Every Friday, a big mower roars across the field behind Fernwood Elementary. It cuts every blade of grass to the same short height, from the fence to the playground. I think our school should stop mowing one corner of the field and let it grow wild. A no-mow corner would help wildlife, save time and fuel, and give our classes a place to learn outdoors.

2First of all, a wild corner would give food and shelter to small animals. Short grass offers them very little. When grass is left alone, other plants can grow and bloom among it. Specifically, white clover and yellow dandelions would flower in the uncut grass. Bees visit flowers like these for nectar and pollen, and butterflies stop to sip nectar. The taller grass would also hide crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles. Consequently, birds that eat insects would find more food nearby.

3In addition, a no-mow corner would save time and fuel. Our school's mower runs on gasoline, and it takes Mr. Haddad, our custodian, most of Friday morning to cut the whole field. He would have less ground to cover if one corner stayed wild. As a result, the mower would burn less gas, and Mr. Haddad would have extra time for other jobs.

4Finally, a wild corner would be an outdoor classroom. Right now, we learn about habitats mostly from pictures in our science books. With a wild patch just outside our door, we could count insects, sketch flowers, and watch how the plants change from week to week. For example, the second graders could search for caterpillars, and our class could keep a nature journal all spring.

5Some people worry that a wild corner would look messy. However, we could mow a neat path around its edge and put up a sign that says "No-Mow Zone: Wildlife at Work." That way, everyone would know the tall grass is there on purpose. For these reasons, I hope our principal will let one corner of our field grow wild this spring. The bees, the birds, and the fifth graders would all be grateful.

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