Course: 8 th Grade Grading Period: 3 rd Six Weeks Model Lesson for Middle School ELAR Unit: PerspectivesPersuasion and Information in Reading and Writing Arc: PersuasionWriting 20102011 Lesson Title: Persuasive Essay TEKS: 8.14A, 8.14B, 8.14C, 8.14D, 8.14E, 8.18A, 8.18B, 8.18C ELPS: 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G CCRS: Writing A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 Lesson Components: Lesson, Persuasive Essay Student Assignment, Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer, Persuasive Essay Rubric Pacing: 5 to 8 class periods Vocabulary: pathos, logos, ethos, issue Resources: The Writing Workshop Persuasive Essay pp. 10381045 Holt McDougal Literature Grade 8 Teachers Do: Pass out all parts of the assignment (Persuasive Essay, Persuasive Topics List, Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer, Persuasive Essay Rubric. Take time to thoroughly explain the writing assignment, the writing process, and answer student questions (20 to 30 minutes) Ask each student to select three possible topics. If a student wants to write about a topic that is not listed on Persuasive Topic page, the student must get teacher approval. Guide writing partners to discuss their possible topics and help each other to select the best topic for each. Monitor partner talk. Present a minilesson on writing a thesis (pp. 1039, 1042, R31 of Holt McDougal) Provide time for students to plan and organize their thesis statement, persuasive reasons, evidence, and persuasive appeal. (This can take 2 to 3 hours.) Students should use the graphic organizer to help with their planning. Monitor student work, and help when a student struggles with the task. Plan for drafting time in class or in the computer lab. Instruct writing partners to reference the rubric when giving feedback about their 1 st drafts. Teacher/student writing conferences are appropriate at this point. While class members are busy working on their drafts, the teacher and individual students can conference about individual writing. Students can revise and edit their writing in class or as homework. Allow time for writing partners to help each other edit their writing for punctuation, spelling and mechanics. Review the final draft expectations with the whole class and answer student questions. Instructional Steps Students Do: Listen to the teacher explanation of the essay assignment and examine assignment sheet, topics list, graphic organizer and rubric. Ask questions. Select possible topics for essay and discuss them with a writing partner. Finalize topic choice. Follow and participate in a thesis writing lesson. Using the Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer, plan thesis, reasoning and evidence, and persuasive appeal. Write a 1 st draft and participate in a teacher/student writing conference. Revise and edit draft with the feedback from writing partner. Participate in a final edit with writing partner looking at punctuation, spelling and mechanics. Make a final draft and turn in on time. Differentiated Instruction: Assignment components (assignment sheet, graphic organizer, rubric) help students visualize how the essay will look. Teacher/student writing conference is especially important for struggling writers. Extra time can be given to student who need more time to develop their ideas Advanced writers may include a counterargument in their essays
Observation: Student work during the difference stages of the writing process Formative Assessment: Student Work Products/Rubric: Persuasive Essay Summative Assessment/Rubric: Other: Evidence of Learning 2010 Austin Independent School District 7/21/10
Persuasive Essay8 th Grade English/Language Arts 3 rd Six Weeks Purpose: Persuade others to accept your opinion on an issue Audience: Teacher and class peers Style focus: Clear and logical organization that begins with a thesis statement; transitions used to link ideas; ideas developed with reasons and evidence; obvious persuasive appeal; persuasive language; complete sentences with correct grammar, spelling and mechanics Form: Multiparagraph essay Due Date: Writing stimulus: Write a persuasive essay in which you present an opinion about an issue, use a persuasive appeal (pathos, logos, or ethos), and use reasons and evidence to persuade your audience to agree with you. You may select a topic from the attached list of persuasive topics or select an original topic with teacher approval. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Prewriting Steps: What s the argument? 1. Review the list of persuasive topics, and select three that interest you. (You may also select a topic not on the Persuasive Topics list, but you will need teacher approval to use that topic.) 2. Discuss your three topics with a writing partner, then decide which one is best for your essay. 3. Use the Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer to plan your essay. First Draft: Putting ideas together. 1. Develop your thesis statement and use it in your introductory paragraph. 2. Following the Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer, present your reasons and evidence in a logical manner. 3. Use language that develops the persuasive appeal you are using. Revision and Rewrite: Is the essay convincing? 1. Is your thesis clear and do you support it throughout the essay? 2. Do you present your opinion in a clear and organized manner? 3. Does your essay finish strongly and emphasize the your persuasive appeal? Editing: Check the details! 1. Is the punctuation correct for: end of sentences, quotations used, comma use? 2. Have you checked your spelling? 3. Have you chosen a title Final Draft: Make it look good and turn it in on time!
Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer Persuasive Appeal Choice: pathos, logos, ethos Paragraph #1 Introduction Attentiongrabbing beginning Description of issue Thesis (Opinion Statement) Paragraph #2 Reason #1 Paragraph #3 Reason #2 Paragraph #4 Reason #3 Evidence to support (details and examples) Evidence to support (details and examples) Evidence to support (details and examples) Paragraph #5 Conclusion Restate thesis (opinion) Summarize 3 reasons Call to action or closing statement
Persuasive Topics List8 th Grade Should the driving age be raised to 18? Should recycling be mandatory? Should schools require student uniforms? Should college athletes be paid? Should the Internet be censored? Should music lyrics be censored? Should parents of teen vandals be held responsible for their child s damage? Should parents of students who are excessively absent from school be prosecuted under the law? Should students failing their classes in high school have their driver s license revoked? Should offshore drilling be banned? Should students be required to pass proficiency tests in order to graduate from high school? Should people pulled over for DUI have their license suspended for life? Should pagers and cell phones be allowed in school? Should advertising be allowed in schools? Should advertising that targets children be censored? Should there be salary caps for professional athletes? Should school authorities be allowed to conduct random locker searches? Should teachers have limits on the amount of homework that can be assigned?
Persuasive Essay Rubric Focus and Coherence Organization Development of Ideas Conventions 4 Score 3 Score 2 Score 1 Score Has an adequate Has an unclear thesis thesis statement: statement; includes an includes an introduction and a introduction and a conclusion, but they conclusion that add are weak some meaning to the essay Has a clearly stated thesis statement that tells the issue and the writer s position: including a strong and meaningful introduction and conclusion Shows effective organization throughout, with a logical flow of ideas; uses transitions to guide readers smoothly through the argument Supports a position (opinion) thoroughly, using at least three solid reasons and convincing evidence, and uses either a pathos, logos, or ethos appeal consistently Shows a strong command of grammar, mechanics, and spelling Organizes ideas effectively, with minor lapses in the flow of ideas; uses some transitions to guide readers through the argument Supports a position (opinion) with three solid reasons but could use more convincing evidence, and uses mostly one appeal type (pathos, logos or ethos) Includes minor errors in grammar, mechanics, and spelling Shows some organization but with noticeable gaps in the logical flow of ideas; needs more transitions Supports position (opinion) with uneven reasoning and evidence and/or inconsistently uses one type of persuasive appeal (pathos, logos, or ethos) Shows a limited control of grammar, mechanics, and spelling Does not include a thesis statement; lacks an introduction and/or a conclusion Presents ideas in a random, disorganized way; lacks transitions Presents few or no reasons and inadequate evidence to support position (opinion) and uses no obvious persuasive appeal Exhibits major problems with grammar, mechanics, and spelling, making the writing difficult to understand