How Can We Help Out in Our Community? (What's Your Point? Reading and Writing Opinions)

Communities are where we work, play, and go to school. Everyone agrees that a community is a special place, but people have different ideas on how to help the people who live there. Whether it's by planting more trees, raising money for a cause, being polite, or keeping our parks clean, these fourth graders present arguments to help you decide: How can we help out in our community?

Australian educator and internationally known literacy specialist Tony Stead has both taught in elementary schools and lectured at universities. Past president of the Melbourne Chapter of the Australian Reading Association, he is the author of numerous publications, including Is That a Fact? Teaching Nonfiction Writing and Explorations in Nonfiction Writing. Tony has been a keynote speaker at hundreds of conferences and works with school districts around the world in literacy consulting and teaching.