6 th Grade Language Arts Persuasive Essay Unit Unit Objectives: As a result of this unit, the students will know: how to construct a persuasive essay along with creating a Works Cited page and visual aid interpreting their position of their topic. As a result of this lesson students will understand that: they can differentiate between valid and non-valid websites, collect, organize, interpret, analyze and display information so that they argue a position for a persuasive essay (with and without technology) As a result of this unit, the student will be able to: determine web site validity, construct a 5 paragraph persuasive essay (including a Works Cited page), and then create either a poster board, Photo Story presentation, or a Power Point presentation illustrating their position. Instructional Strategies Used in this Unit Technology Integration- Website validity Collaborative Groups Graphic Organizer Internet Activity Technology Integration- Virtual White Board Lecture Ticket out the Door Teacher: Andrea Watson Beverly Hills Middle School Huntington, WV

Unit Outline LessonWhole ClassDifferentiated Day 1:Debate Grouped students randomly, give them valid statistics on a preselected topic. Two groups are in favor of the topic and two groups are against the topic. Students debate orally with their notes. EQ: How do I feel about year round school? All students will participate in and prepare an argument. They will collaborate with their group and select spokesperson. One “for” and one “against” group will debate. Remaining students vote as to who has the best argument. Then the other two groups will do the same. Collaborative Groups Day 2-3: Web Site Validity Smart Board Presentation. EQ: How can I tell if a web site is reliable? All students will participate in class discussion and follow along with handout. On day 3 they will work through the web site validation worksheet/ scavenger hunt. The students brainstorm and give feedback in heterogeneous groups. Vocabulary Activity Day 4:Citation Citation Handout given Discussion EQ: How do I give my resources credit? Class will prepare one together. Students will work on examples given in class in groups.

Unit Outline LessonWhole ClassDifferentiated Day 5: Picking a Topic List 4 possible topic on board EQ: Which topic do I feel strongly about? As a class they will chart (on the board) the 4 possible topics that they are allowed to choose from. Then they will brainstorm the possible “pro’s” and “con’s” for each topic. Day 6- 10: Writing the Essay Receive: Grade Sheet, Assignment sheet, Rubric EQ: How do I construct a persuasive essay that illustrates my point of view? For several days the students will work independently and collaboratively on creating a 5 paragraph essay including research with a Works Cited page. They will use the writing process to create a finished product Choice Board on G.O.’s- Spider Umbrella Flow Day : Persuasive Essay Project Receive: Assignment Sheet Photo Story tips, Power Point tips, Story Board, Rubric EQ: How can I take my position/opinion to the next level? Students will choose to do either a poster board, Power Point, or a Photo Story project illustrating their paper. Choice Board- Power Point Photo Story Poster Board

Unit Outline LessonWhole ClassDifferentiated Day 17: Presentations Students will present their projects to the class. -

Acquisition Lesson Planning Form-- Plan for the Concept, Topic, or Skill --- Not for the Day How can I tell if a web site is reliable? E ssential Question: A ctivating Strategy: T eaching Strategies: Differentiated Instruction: S ummarizing Strategies: Discuss definitions of internet terms and give examples. Explain to students that anyone can create a web site (Sam the neighbor). Show several examples of valid and non-valid websites on Virtual White Board. Handout “What makes a web site valid?” worksheet/ scavenger hunt. Lecture Collaborative Groups Go over the examples of websites with the students on the white board to model for them what you expect. Allow students to search (on their own) as to whether or not a web site is reliable or not. Vocabulary Activity Have students differentiate between what is valid or not. Ticket out the Door.

Acquisition Lesson Planning Form-- Plan for the Concept, Topic, or Skill --- Not for the Day How do I give my resources credit? E ssential Question: A ctivating Strategy: T eaching Strategies: Differentiated Instruction: S ummarizing Strategies: Discuss the definitions of citation and a Works Cited page. Show several examples of Works Cited pages from previous student samples. Handout: Citation Handout Internet Activity Students will practice writing the proper MLA format by researching a topic together on the Virtual White Board and then by giving it proper citation. Write a summary sentence that summarizes today’s answer to the EQ.

Acquisition Lesson Planning Form-- Plan for the Concept, Topic, or Skill --- Not for the Day How do I construct a persuasive essay that illustrates my point of view? E ssential Question: A ctivating Strategy: T eaching Strategies: Differentiated Instruction: S ummarizing Strategies: Discuss my expectations of what they are to accomplish by completing the writing process. Give all handouts and rubric (for essay only). Handout: Grade Sheet, Assignment Sheet, Peer Editing Sheet, Rubric Use topic sheet to help find research (in their directories) Use Grade Sheet :Brainstorming, G.O, Rough Draft, Edit and Final Copy for grade Students will research a topic, decide their position of the topic, use the writing process in order to create a 5 paragraph essay and correctly use accurate MLA format to give their resources the proper citation. Graphic Organizers- Choice Board Collaborative Peer Editing Write a summary sentence that summarizes what they accomplished today.

Acquisition Lesson Planning Form-- Plan for the Concept, Topic, or Skill --- Not for the Day How can I take my position/ opinion to the next level? E ssential Question: A ctivating Strategy: T eaching Strategies: Differentiated Instruction: S ummarizing Strategies: Show examples of Poster board, Power Point, and Photo Story projects that illustrates a strong point of view. Handout: Assignment Sheet, Power Point Tips, Photo Story Tips and Story Boards Students will incorporate pictures from the internet into their projects in order to help Illustrate their positions that they choose for their topics. Choice Board- Poster Board Power Point Photo Story Present Projects

Unit Title: Persuasive Essay Andrea Watson – 6 th Grade Language Arts CSOs ADDDRESED: RLA.O use the five-step writing process to address specific writing purposes and to address various audiences (e.g., creative, journalistic, essay, narrative, informative, persuasive). RLA.O from a prompt, use the writing process to develop a composition that contains specific, relevant details and transitions. RLA.O edit one’s own compositions as well as the writing of others to correct errors in organization, content, usage, mechanics and spelling. RLA.O develop a 5-7 paragraph composition with an introductory paragraph, supporting details paragraph(s) and concluding paragraph. RLA.O demonstrate the ability to use electronic and non-electronic reference materials to locate information, analyze the source, evaluate the data, and create a product based upon an assigned task. RLA.O credit sources of information by citing references using various formats, (e.g., footnotes, bibliography). RLA.O select and use a variety of resource materials to plan, develop, and deliver a research project using computer-generated graphic aids. RLA.O create and present an age-appropriate media product that demonstrates format, purpose, and audience TEACHER NOTES Note: - Day 3: Was unable to get Computer Lab. Students were unable to do hands-on portion. We did together in class. - Next year instead of putting the Topic Sheet in their directory use Concepts: Generalizations: