Good Morning. Please use this time to get ready for your day.
Do Now:
Check that your homework is done
Make sure you have all your materials
Sharpen pencils
E.L.A. Learning Target:
Today you will use the gathering information graphic organizers to finish outlining your persuasive essay. Do Now:
Write down your independent work
Take out your Gathering Info Graphic Organizers and your outline
Independent work:
Work on the Persuasive Essay Outline (Due Tuesday 1/28)
Activity #1
Writing a Persuasive Essay
1. Review the "Writing a Persuasive Essay" Checklist
How will I structure my writing?
How will my writing be evaluated?
2. Watch the video for a brief overview of a Persuasive Essay
3. Brainstorming Topics: Quick-List * A good persuasive essay topic should be an issue that you care strongly about. The best persuasive essays are often about an issue that is controversial, meaning that people often disagree about the topic. Let's create a quick list of possible topics for your persuasive Essay. (5Minutes) Ex:
Homework
Cell Phones in school
Healthy School Lunches
Vending machines in schools
Dress codes
Shorter/longer school days
Longer school year
Gun laws
Minimum Wage
Going to College
Social Media
Free School Lunches
Playing video games
Girls playing on boys Sports teams
Beginner Topics
Kids should get paid for good grades.
Students should have less homework.
Short hair is better than long hair.
We should all grow our own vegetables.
Kids should be able to vote.
Kids should get paid for extra activities like sports.
School should take place in the evenings.
Country life is better than city life.
City life is better than country life.
Skateboard helmets should be mandatory.
Children should be paid for doing chores.
Dogs make better pets than cats.
I-phones are better than android
Intermediate Topics
Teens should be required to take parenting classes.
We should teach etiquette in schools.
School uniform laws should be unconstitutional.
All students should wear uniforms.
Age 12 is too young to babysit.
Children should be required to read more.
All students should be allowed to study abroad.
Yearly driving tests should be mandatory past age 65.
Cell phones should never be used while driving.
All schools should implement bullying awareness programs.
Professional sports should eliminate cheerleaders.
Teens should be able to start driving at 14 instead of 16.
Year-round school is a bad idea.
High school campuses should be guarded by police officers.
Kids under 15 should not have Facebook/social media pages.
Standardized testing should be eliminated.
Teachers should be paid more.
There should be one world currency.
Advanced Topics
Gun ownership should be tightly regulated.
People should go to jail when they abandon their pets.
Recycling should be mandatory for everyone.
Yearly driving tests should be mandatory for the first five years after getting a license.
Students should be allowed to pray in school.
All Americans should have a constitutional right to health care.
Internet access should be free for everyone.
Pregnant couples should receive parenting lessons.
People should not use products made from animals.
Professional football is too violent and should be banned.
Humans should stop eating meat because it is unethical.
Books should never be banned.
People should not play violent video games can because they can lead to people act violently in real life.
4. Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer
Choose a topic to focus on for your persuasive Essay
Write a YES/NO question for your research.
Each issue/topic has at least 2 sides, or arguments. Write down the two sides to your issue, or topic.
Before we can write a thesis statement or develop our research question we need to gather information about our topic.
Thesis statement = Your Opinion. This is your "I think, I believe, I feel," statement. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE OF YOUR ESSAY! WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS SENTENCE LATER.
5. Gathering Information & Research
You will need to find 3 resources that you can use to support your opinion.
1. News Article - library databases
2. A Website - Not Wikipedia, and NOT AI
3. A Video - Youtube
These should be reputable sources!!!
Follow these steps
Step 1:
Use the databases provided through the school library to find your article.
Use a google search to find your website
Use Youtube to find your video
Step 2: Once you begin researching be sure to record the name of the source, and the title on your Gathering Info graphic organizers.
Step 3: ***For the NEWS ARTICLE If you like the article on the databases send the article to your google drive. Be sure to also send the citation, and print the article.
Step 4: Read closely and complete your "Gathering information" graphic organizer. Complete one for each source. When you complete this graphic organizer you are looking for information, data, and evidence that will help you prove that your opinion about your topic is the correct opinion.
6. Write a thesis Statement
Now that we have gathered information for our topic we can write a thesis statement.
Thesis statement = Your Opinion. This is your "I think, I believe, I feel," statement. ***Be sure to include a brief explanation of 'why'. This is where you will input your 3 reasons you will expand on in your essay. Ex: I believe that all elementary students should receive at least 30 minutes of recess every day, because they will be able to be more attentive, more productive,perform better, and be more well-behaved in class.
7. Outlining
Use the Writing a Persuasive Essay Checklist along with the Outline to begin planning your essay. REMEMBER, THE OUTLINE IS JUST THAT, AN OUTLINE. IT IS NOT THE PAPER ITSELF. YOU WILL BE USING YOR OUTLINE TO THEN WRITE WELL STRUCTURED PARAGRAPHS.
To Complete the Outline:
Start with the Thesis
Then put in your 3 reasons (From your thesis)
Go from beginning to end
You may skip parts and come back to them later
Be sure to include your sources
Use your Checklist if you are unsure about what to do
You do not need to write in complete sentences
9. Drafting
USE YOR OUTLINE TO WRITE WELL STRUCTURED PARAGRAPHS. LET THE CHECKLIST BE YOUR GUIDE. YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU WILL NEED 6 PARAGRAPHS!
I WILL MODEL HOW TO GET STARTED!
You May Write on line paper, but I would highly encourage you to complete your draft in a Google Document. That way we can save it along the way, so then editing & revising will be easier.
Drafting should take us about 2 days
Drafting - Paragraphs 1, 2, & 3
Drafting - Paragraphs 4, 5, & 6
10. Editing & Revising
Editing & Revising - Phase 1
Independent - Use the checklist in your notebook
Make sure that you have all required parts
Make sure you have enough sentences in each part
Make sure you have included your sources
Editing & Revising - Phase 2
Partner - Use the checklist in your notebook & repeat the process with a writing partner
Repeat the process again with another writing partner
Partners job is to help make the paper better
General areas to Edit & Revise:
Check spelling
Check Grammar
Did you vary your sentence structure? (Short, medium, long)
Did you use conjunctions to make compound sentences? (And, but, or)
Elaboration - Have you elaborated on all your ideas to be specific about your ideas?
Intro:
Does your introduction have a hook, background info, and a strong specific thesis statement with 2 parts?
What transition words did you use?
Where can you add transition words?
Did you clarify vocabulary words?
Body Paragraph 1 - 3:
Do your body paragraphs clearly state your reasons?
Do they have Evidence?
Have you elaborated and explained your evidence in detail?
Have you included your sources?
Is there a link connecting your evidence to your reason?
What transition words did you use?
Where can you add transition words?
Did you clarify vocabulary words?
Body Paragraph 4:
Did you present the opposing side of the issue?
Did you use language like: I know, I understand, I am aware...
Have you elaborated and explained the opposing side of the issue in detail?
Did you refute or Rebut?
Did you explain in detail why the opposing side of the issue should think like you?
What transition words did you use?
Where can you add transition words?
Did you clarify vocabulary words?
Conclusion:
Does your conclusion include a reflection, Connection, and recommendations?
What transition words did you use?
Where can you add transition words?
Who did you make recommendations too?
What did you recommend?
Did you include a "bow" on top, or finish with a strong statement?
