Persuasive Writing GuidePersuasive Writing Bookmarks

Persuasive Writing Checklist2007 Rozlyn Linder

Persuasive Writing Checklist2007 Rozlyn Linder

1 2 3 4

Hook Opposite side statement. I think/ I believe/ My opinion Tell Reason One Tell Reason Two One reason Two or more real examples Another reason Two or more real examples Three (3) Ending Thoughts

1 2 3 4

Hook Opposite side statement. I think/ I believe/ My opinion Tell Reason One Tell Reason Two One reason Two or more real examples Another reason Two or more real examples Three (3) Ending Thoughts

2007 Rozlyn Linder

Suggested Mini lessons(There are three basic lessons that the students need before writing a full piece) Lesson One: What are Opposite Side Sentence Starters? 1. Use the list to select a few topics. Write a sentence that supports one side. Ask students for sentences that support the opposite side. Explain that these are opposite sides of an argument. 2. Create a chart that can be posted in the room for later reference. Posted below is an example of what the chart may look like. Opinion Opposite Side

I think vegetables are very good for you. I believe that boys are better at math than girls are. My opinion is that third grade is way harder than second grade. I think that we should have PE everyday.

Some people think that you dont have to eat vegetables. You may have heard that girls are really good at math. Many people believe that second grade is just as hard as third grade. You might think that kids only need PE every now and then.

3. In students notebook, ask them to draw a vertical line down the center. On one side, they create opinion statements to support an argument. On the other side an Opposite Side Sentence. (Use the list labeled Opposite Side Sentence Starters for ideas.) Lesson Two: How do I write examples in a persuasive paper? 1. Add to the writers notebook, How do I share examples? 2. Explain that examples help support your opinions. Give an example of an opinion. (It is always fun to use an example that the students most likely disagree with. This gets them involved more and prepares them to write their own. Here is the dialogue for an example I have used before. For example, I think that summer vacation should only be two weeks. (write that sentence on the board) Now that I have told you my opinion, I want to give you to examples to help explain why I said that. Add the following sentence: For example, if students were in school more they would have time to do more fun projects and experiments. This would make them a lot smarter. Another example of why this is a good idea is because students could learn more information if they were in school longer. The more time in school means the more that can be learned. Notice that my examples are not just one sentence. In order for my reader to really understand why I have a certain opinion, I may have to write a couple of sentences. Your written paragraph should look like this: I think that summer vacation should only be two weeks. For example, if students were in school more they would have time to do more fun projects and experiments. This would make them a lot smarter. Another example of why this is a good idea is because students could learn more information if they were in school longer. The more time in school means the more that can be learned. 3. Ask students to write down their opinion about the best subject in school. Then, ask them to write to example sentences to support their opinion.2007 Rozlyn Linder

4. Ask students to share in the Authors Chair. Lesson Three: What are ending thoughts? 1. Explain that at the end of a persuasive paper we want to make sure that our readers understand our opinion and that they will think about it for a while. 2. Distribute a copy of an exemplar paper to the students AND a list of the Ending Thoughts sentences. (An alternative is to make the Ending Thoughts a large poster and just give students an exemplar paper to look at. 3. Direct students to look at the last paragraph. Read it aloud with them. 4. Explain that the last paragraph is organized by using a certain type of sentences. 5. Read over the type of sentences. 6. Ask for volunteers to read a sentence that follows one of the Ending Thoughts pattern. 7. Direct each student to underline the sentence and write what type of Ending Thought that was. 8. Repeat until all sentences have been identified and underlined. 9. Distribute another copy and ask students to identify all of the parts in the last paragraph on their own. Let them share with a neighbor. Suggested Instructional Model Lesson 1-3 Teach mini lessons 1-3 from the list (optional as needed.) *NOTE: After the first three lessons, repeat Days 4-6 as a three day cycle. Shorten to two days (one for Days 4-5 and one for Day 6.) as needed. Lesson 4-5 1. Distribute bookmarks. (Repeat this two day cycle as 2. Show an exemplar on the overhead. many times as you need) 3. Together with the class, use a sharpie to underline where the writer did the different things listed in the bookmark. 4. Post a large copy of the exemplar of give a copy to each student. 5. List several topics to choose from. 6. Ask students to use the bookmark as their guide and create a piece. 7. Share through peer editing. 8. Share through the authors chair/ Lesson Six Independent writing session

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Possible Sequence Begin 12/11, ends on 1/11 Lesson 5 Lesson 4 (1/7) Lesson 1 (12/11) Lesson 6 (12/18) Lesson 5 Lesson 2 Lesson 6 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 & 5 Lesson 4 Lesson 6 (1/11)

Options for faster delivery: 1. Combine Lessons 1-3 into one or two days of lessons by just modeling or brief explaining. 2. Always keep lessons 4 and 5 as one lesson, by limiting the sharing or just writing part of a piece or brainstorming only **It really depends on your class**.2007 Rozlyn Linder

2007 Rozlyn Linder

Persuasive Topic IdeasShould we have longer recess? Should junk food be illegal? Why should people recycle? Who is the best teacher at our school? What is the best grade level at our school? Should school announcements be on TV or over the intercom? Should cafeteria lunch be free for everyone? Which school bus driver is the best? Why are you the best student at our school? Should children ever be put on punishment? Which genre is the best? How long should winter break be? Who is the best author? Should cafeteria lunch include soda? What is the best kind of pizza? Are cartoons just for little kids? Are cottages or building classrooms better? Should teachers make more of less money? Why should people exercise everyday? Why should we all use less water? What is the best type of music? Why should we have homework? Who should be president? Who is the worlds best friend? Should kids be allowed to vote? Which day of the week is the best? What month is the best? Should kids be allowed to drive? Should summer break last four months instead of two? What is the best television show?

Sentence StartersOpposite Side Statement Sentences: Some people think You may have heard that Many people believe You might think Sometimes people think Real Example Sentence Starters Sentence Starters: One example of what I mean For example One time

2007 Rozlyn Linder

Ending Thoughts1. Advice If you are thinking about getting a pet, you should consider a cocker spaniel. My advice is that you always think twice before going to see a scary movie. My advice is to always listen to your mother. If you dont do your homework, you will regret it. 2. Question and Answer (This must go first or last, not in the middle.) Is soccer better than football? There is no question, it is! Should recess be extended to one hour? You bet! Are dogs better pets than hamsters? Of course they are! Does it make sense to eat your vegetables? I think everyone knows that it is, especially after reading this paper. Is fifth grade the best grade? Now you know that the answer is yes! 3. Remember Remember, Disney land is the best place to visit in the summer. Remember, everyone should vote for me as president. Always remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room, it save electricity. Remember, never skip your chores, it will only turn out badly! Remember, country music is the best music ever! 4. Action If you care about animals, you should always take your pet to the veterinarian. I say get rid of soda! Throw out all the soda in your house today! The next time you see people wasting water, stand up and say Stop! Down with junk food! Get rid of all the bad food from the stores! Dont be lazy, get out and exercise everyday. You should tell any teacher you know that kids deserve more recess time. Dont ignore paper on the street, if you see it, pick it up. You should make a decision to exercise more everyday. 5. Future In the future, I hope that a woman becomes president. In the future, I hope that everyone sees that our class is the best in the whole school. In the future, everyone could recycle and our planet will be safe. In the future, maybe all big sisters will be nice to little sisters.

2007 Rozlyn Linder

Persuasive Exemplar One

Do you watch cartoons? Well, I do. Some people think that cartoons are only for little kids. I think that cartoons are for everybody. They make cartoons that talk about grown up topics. Some cartoons are classics that everybody should see. One reason I think cartoons are for everybody is that they sometime talk about grown up topics. One example is the cartoon network. They have cartoons that talk about the president, war, and lots of grown up things. Those arent for little kids. Another example of grown up cartoons are Justice League. I always see my dad and his friends watching those. Sometimes they are really complicated and a little kid would not really know what is going on. Another reason that cartoons are for everybody is that they include the classics. Classic are cartoons that everybody knows. One example that all grown ups know about are Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse. Another example is the old silent cartoons. If you want to know about the history of television or about American history, you could watch those. They definitely arent for kids. Are cartoons just for little kids? I dont think so. Remember to always think before telling someone that they are too old to watch cartoons. Cartoons are for everybody.

2007 Rozlyn Linder

Persuasive Exemplar Two

Boom! Bam! Pow! That is the sound of my favorite video game. I wont tell you the name of it, because you have probably already made up your mind that it is a bad game for kids. Some people think that video games with some violence are bad for students. I disagree. My opinion is that video games are good for kids, even if they have some violence in them. They teach you good aim and coordination. They also prepare you for scary and gross things that could happen in real life. My first reason is that they teach you things. Playing video games teaches you how to really pay attention and think fast. If you have to aim at a lot of things, you need to do those things. One example is when I play my driving game. I learn balance and coordination by trying not to flip over or end up in a bloody crash. That is learning! Another example is when I play my street fighting games. I have to move fast and practice aiming. That helps me in real life when I play sports. The other big reason video games are good is that they prepare you for scary things. One example is the first time my guy lost a fight. He got beat up pretty bad. That showed me that sometimes you lose at things, just like in real life. Another example is when I first tried a new move on my football game. My character got smashed and tackled. It was pretty brutal. The next week, when I saw a real tackle on television, it was not so bad to watch. Playing video games made it easier for me to handle that. Remember, if you care about kids, tell them to take their video games and play everyday! In the future, maybe there will be video game homework. Are video games bad for kids? No way. Do kids deserve this recess? You bet they do.2007 Rozlyn Linder

Persuasive Exemplar Three

Have you ever imagined what school would be like if there was an hour of recess everyday? I have. In my imagination, it is awesome! Now, some people (mostly teachers) might try to tell you that kids dont need an hour of recess. I am here to tell you that they are so wrong. I know that every kid needs at least one hour of recess everyday. One reason is that they will get more exercise. Another reason is that they will have less stress and be able to concentrate during class. America is already an overweight country, more exercise will help everybody. For example, if all students had a longer recess they could run races and play tag. Both of these would be better than just sitting and getting fatter. Another example is that students would not be worried that games where you sit down would get filled up. If they knew there was more time they would play lots of different games. This means that they would exercise more body parts in a lot of different ways. My second reason for wanting more recess is that it helps kids concentrate. Oh, yeah it does! When you know that a break is coming you dont feel stressful. For example, in our class it seems like math is never going to end. If I could think about the break that was coming, then I would be okay to give math my all. Without that break, my mind feels tired and stressed out. The second example of how I would not feel as stressed is because my teacher would get a longer break during that time, too. I know that the kids get on her nerves sometimes. So, a longer recess means a longer stress break for her too. If your teacher is happy, then everybody is happy! In the future, the school principals should go easier on students. Give us a full hour of recess everyday. Remember that more recess means less stress.

2007 Rozlyn Linder

Persuasive Exemplar Five

Dont leave this house without mommy kisses and wishes. That is just one of the funny things my mom says to me everyday. I am sure that everyone thinks that they have an awesome mom. I know that my mother is the best mom in the universe, hands down. My mom works super hard. She also treats me very special. My big reason for thinking the way I do is that my mom is a hard worker. One example of this is her schedule. She gets up at 4 am to do her Weight Watchers exercise and read her Bible stuff. She always makes Eggos for me and my two brothers. Another example of her hardwork is that she comes to all the PTA meetings at our school. Sometimes she is sending messages on her phone when we walk in and when we leave. She even sends them in the car. She does all this so that she can do her work at her job, at our house, and at our school. Another example is that she always stays up late to help me with my homework, sometimes she even yawns. She thinks that I dont notice her yawns, but I do. My second reason for thinking that my mom is the best is that she treats me special. On example is on my birthday. She let me get dressed up and have pedicures and facials at a real spa with two of my best friends. She called us her little ladies and stayed with us. Another way that she treats me special is at school. Sometimes my teacher does not have a good report on me. My mom never yells at me in school or anything. She just tells me that she expects better out of somebody so smart. Now when we get home, she usually lets me have it, but not at school. She always wants me to feel good and not be embarrassed. That is probably pretty hard to do. That is special to me. Does my mom rock? Totally. My advice to you is to treat your mom nicely. As you can tell from my writing, moms work pretty hard. I dont know is this is a real thing, but everyone should go out and vote for my mom for the Best Mom Award.

2007 Rozlyn Linder

Persuasive Exemplar Five

BFG The TwitsEsio TrotThose are just a few of the awesome books by Roald Dahl. Some people might like Judy Blume or R.L. Stine better, but not me. Roald Dahl is the best author there is! He uses the funniest words ever. His characters are always pretty ridiculous (in a good way). One reason that I love Roald Dahl is that he has hilarious words in his books. One example is in BFG when the called humans, human beans. Another example of Mr. Dahls funny language is also from BFG when they say Redunculous instead of ridiculous. My second reason for deciding that Roald Dahl is awesome is his characters. The characters are so strange. The Twits are people who are so gross. They have bugs and creatures living in their beards and hair. They are called twits because they know absolutely nothing! The book comes right out and says that Mr. Twit was born a twit. Another example of ridiculous characters is in Esio Trot. The main characters are named Mr. Hoppy and Mrs. Silver. They are both so silly. Mrs. Silver even believes in magic spells. The secret star of that book is the tortoise. He is a great character who keeps getting replaced by big tortoises. Do you notice the name of the book? Esio Trot is just Tortoise spelled backward. That is a funny way to introduce a character! Remember that there are some great characters and words in a Roald Dahl book. The next time you go to the library look for one of his books. Is Roald Dahl the best author? He definitely is.

2007 Rozlyn Linder