Day 77: 1/11/24 - Intro to Persuasive Essays

Homeroom:

          Good Morning. Please use this time to get ready for your day.

Do Now:

1. Check that your homework is done
2. Make sure you have all your materials
3. Sharpen pencils

ELA:

Good Day 6th Graders,

          Today we will review primary & secondary sources, and begin writing persuasive Essays.
                                Thank you
                                Mr. Trumble
Do Now:

• Pick up a copy of the Persuasive Essay Writing Checklist
• Pick up a pair of scissors and a glue stick
• Open your notebooks to page 37

Independent work:

• Start thinking about a topic for your persuasive essay
• Re-watch the Persuasive Essay video to review what we talked about in class today
• Read for 20 minutes

Activity #1

Writing a Persuasive Essay

1. Review the Information Writing Checklist

• How will my writing be evaluated?

2. Watch the video for a brief overview of a Persuasive Essay

3. Preview & Glue in the Persuasive Essay Outline/Checklist

4. 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: 

• Healthy School Lunches
• Vending machines in schools
• Dress codes
• Shorter school days
• Longer school year
• Gun laws
• Mall curfews for children underage
• Covid Vaccine Mandates
• Mask Mandates
• Remote Learning
• Minimum Wage
• College
• Social Media
• Playing video games
• Sports teams

5. 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.

6. Key Words & Search Questions

• You need to write at least 5 key words & 5 Key Questions that you can use with the databases

7. Research

You will need to find at least 2 - 3 resources that you can use to support your thinking. This is where you will use the library databases to find articles to support your opinion.

Follow these steps

Step 1: Use the databases provided through the school library

Step 2: Use your keywords graphic organizer and search for articles that will help you support your opinion.

Step 3: Once you begin researching select an article based on the title, and on the name of the resource.

Step 4: Preview the information by scanning through the information, looking at the text features, and getting the gist of the article.

Step 5: If you like the article send the article to your google drive. Be sure to also send the citation

Step 6: Read the article closely and complete your "Gathering information" graphic organizer. 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. However, you need to make sure you understand both sides of the argument so read information about both view points.

8. 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. 

9. 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 

10. 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

 

 

11. 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
• 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

9. Editing & Revising - Phase 2

• Independent - Repeat phase 1 with the next checklist
• Partner - Remember your job is to help make the writing better

10. Editing & Revising - Phase 3

Your Task: Edit and Revise:
1. the Introduction & the Conclusion
2. Body Paragraphs that support your thinking
3. Body paragraph that addresses the people who think differently

Use the checklist to evaluate your own writing.

Part 1 - Edit & Revise your essay by yourself. 
Part 2 - Edit & Revise your essay with a writing partner
Part 3 - Edit & Revise your essay with a 2nd writing partner

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?

Have a great day!