Can You Convince Me? Developing Persuasive Writing

Lesson Plans

Student Interactives

Mobile Apps

Calendar Activities

Printouts

Strategy Guides

Activities & Projects

 

LESSON PLANS

Grades   6 – 8  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Persuading the Principal: Writing Persuasive Letters About School Issues

Students learn that you don’t have to raise your voice to raise a point. Writing a persuasive letter to your principal is a great way to get your opinions heard.

 

Grades   4 – 5  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Vote for Me! Developing, Writing, and Evaluating Persuasive Speeches

This lesson encourages students in grades 4 and 5 to think critically and write persuasively by focusing on preparing, presenting, and evaluating mock campaign speeches.

 

Grades   9 – 12  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Developing Persuasive Arguments through Ethical Inquiry: Two Prewriting Strategies

In this lesson, students use focused prewriting strategies to explore content and ethical issues related to a persuasive assignment.

 

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STUDENT INTERACTIVES

Grades   3 – 12  |  Student Interactive  |  Organizing & Summarizing

Persuasion Map

The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

 

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MOBILE APPS

Grades   3 – 8  |  Mobile App

Trading Cards

Invigorate students' writing with an interactive tool that allows them to demonstrate their comprehension using a mobile app.

 

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CALENDAR ACTIVITIES

Grades   7 – 12  |  Calendar Activity  |  November 19

Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863.

Students practice the Pre-AP strategy called SOAPSTone, identifying important parts of the Gettysburg Address and comparing it with John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech.

 

Grades   3 – 12  |  Calendar Activity  |  March 12

On this date in 1901, Andrew Carnegie gave $5.2 million to New York City libraries.

Students write expository and persuasive pieces with the help of the Persuasion Map and Essay Map interactives, and compare the essential features of the two modes of writing.

 

Grades   1 – 12  |  Calendar Activity  |  July 7

Write letters that make things happen!

In a small group or as individuals, students write letters related to a unit of study or particular topic they have studied.

 

Grades   1 – 6  |  Calendar Activity  |  October 13

The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden was dedicated on October 13, 1995.

Students select characters that they believe are the most memorable from Cleary's books and write short persuasive essays to explain their choices.

 

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PRINTOUTS

Grades   6 – 12  |  Printout  |  Assessment Tool

Persuasion Rubric

Use this rubric to assess the effectiveness of a student’s essay, speech, poster, or any type of assignment that incorporates persuasion.

 

Grades   3 – 12  |  Printout  |  Graphic Organizer

Persuasion Map

Use this graphic organizer to develop a persuasive stance for an essay, speech, poster, or any type of assignment that incorporates persuasion.

 

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STRATEGY GUIDES

Grades   K – 5  |  Strategy Guide

Persuasive Writing

This strategy guide focuses on persuasive writing and offers specific methods on how you can help your students use it to improve their critical writing and thinking skills.

 

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ACTIVITIES & PROJECTS

Grades   3 – 5  |  Activity & Project

Can You Convince Me?

Children learn how to make a convincing argument—an important skill in school and in life.

 

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