Unit IV: Lesson 1Slow Way Home

Persuasive Writing Assessment

Sunshine State Standards

Strand: Writing Applications Standard 3: Persuasion LA.910.4.3.1 The student will write essays that

state a position or claim, present detailed evidence, examples, and reasoning to support effective arguments and emotional appeals, and acknowledge and refute opposing arguments; and

LA.910.4.3.2 The student will include persuasive techniques.

Read aloud Chapter 11 of Slow Way Home

Convince a judge that kids should be allowed to choose with whom they live.

Convince a judge that kids should not be allowed to choose who they live with.

Remember: the purpose of a persuasive essay is to either change someone’s mind about something, or to get him/her to take an action, that is get him/her to do something about a situation.

To persuade someone of something, you have to first get inside of his head and figure out what he might be thinking so that you can effectively deal with your opposition.

If you don’t know what your audience is thinking, you need to imagine that you are writing to one person who believes in a certain way.

For example, for this essay, a judge may have had a thirteen year old child who wanted to live with his father because his father had no rules and was rarely home, while the mother was home, had rules and loved her son.

Or, on the opposite side, a judge may have had an 8 year old child like Brandon who loved his mother, but really needed to live with his grandparents.

When you are writing a persuasive essay, if you can see the face of the person you are persuading, you will write a more effective essay.

Ok, so let’s do a debate style brainstorming session.

Teacher, divide the class into groups

those who want to convince a judge they should let kids decide,

and those who want to convince a judge they shouldn’t let kids decide.

Now, further divide the class

so that there are no more than six people in each group.

Organize an informal debate

Hand out Debate Note Cards (Word Document)

Give each group a chance to make note cards using the Debate Note Card Word Document.

Write three reasons your argument is a valid one

on three note cards,(Debate Note Cards Reason 1, 2 and 3)

Include one logical reason to support your argument

Include at least one good illustration or specific example with emotional appeal in support of this logical reason.

Reason=logicIllustration=emotional appeal

The reason should appeal to the listener’s logic, but the illustration should appeal to their emotions!

Personal stories about people, either people you know, have read about in a book or seen in a movie or TV show have emotional appeal.

Deal with the opposition

Fill out three note cards that argue against the opposition,

that is three note cards in which there is an argument on each that argues against a reason that you think your opposition will give in favor of their argument.

(Debate Note Cards Opposing 1,2,3)

Reason=logical appealillustration=emotional appeal

Remember, once again, one logical reason, then one illustration that offers emotional support, a real story about a person, or a group of people, or a real life situation.

Organize your debate

Set up a table or desks in the front of the class for 12 people, six on each the pro-team; six on the con-team.

Choose a panel of 7 judges

From students whose group is waiting to go in the next round.

These judges will take notes and decide which team offers the most convincing argument.

Each team takes turns presenting reasons

Pro team presents one reason in support of pro argument

Con team presents one reason in support of con argument

Until all three reasons from all three teams have been presented

Take notes

As the pro group presents their evidence, con group take notes on each piece of evidence presented so that you can come up with a reason and illustration to refute their reason and illustration.

As the con group presents their evidence, pro group take notes on each piece of evidence presented so that you can come up with a reason and illustration to refute their reason and illustration.

Take a break to organize your three refuting arguments

Now, the groups take a five minute break and organize their evidence so that they can refute each of the three reasons the opposite group has given.

Be certain you offer an illustration to support each refuting argument (Debate Note Cards Refutation 1,2,3).

Begin the Refutation

Each group, once again, takes a turn presenting their refutations 1, 2 and 3.

“in response to Jane’s evidence that…. We would like to say…. For this reason….”

Refutation

Each group should do this three times until each original reason presented by the opposition has been refuted.

Take notes for closing argument

as your opponents are speaking, take notes so that in your closing statements, you can walk away with a strong argument!

Take five and prepare closing arguments

After all have presented, take five minutes and prepare your closing statements

(Debate Note Cards Closing Statement). Use your best persuasive language and

strategies to convince your panel of judges that your argument is, in fact, the best one.

Present Closing Statements

Each group takes turns presenting one final closing statement.

Judges choose your winner

The panel of judges votes on which group wins the debate.

Let the debates begin!

Brainstorming complete!!

After each team has presented, students now have enough evidence to write their own essay.

Look at the rubric

This essay will be graded based on how convincing the essay is.

Does the reader feel persuaded after having read the essay?

Tomorrow

Class will spend 45 minutes of class time tomorrow writing the persuasive essay.