1. English III Persuasive Writing
What do you think is the most important aspect, quality, or freedom of the United States of America?

2. Persuasive Writing What is your “happiness”?
What makes it possible for you to “pursue” your happiness in America?

3. Persuasive Writing
If your “happiness” or “dream” is to become a doctor, what makes that dream possible in America?
Not every country supports the idea of individuals choosing their career. In some countries, career choices are limited and controlled by a person’s gender or status.

4. Persuasive Writing
If your “happiness” or “dream” is to travel the world, what makes it possible for you, as an American, to do this?
Not every country allows its citizens the freedom to travel within and outside of its borders .

5. Not every country allows its citizens to own private property.
Persuasive Writing
If your “happiness” or “dream” is to own a ranch, what makes it possible for you, as an American, to do this?
Not every country allows its citizens to own private property.

6. Persuasive Writing
What freedoms are Americans guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution?
Check out some of the links on Mrs. Heller’s school website or Google these documents.

7. Free write Write down all the things you like to do.
Write down all the things you enjoy.
Write down all the things you think that American laws allow you to do.

8. Brainstorm In a small group, list all the ideas you can come up with
about ideas or freedoms you enjoy as Americans.

9. Access the “Bill of Rights” link and brainstorm again.

10. Compare Compare your free write list
to the list recorded during brainstorming.
Do you see any connections?

11. Consider For example, if you have religious beliefs,
You can enjoy worship and other religious activities because of the
freedom of religion provided to Americans.

12. Consider For example, if you value an education,
the USA provides for every child to be educated
through the twelfth grade.
Not every country provides public education for all.

13. Consider
For example, if you value the right to decide how to spend your income, consider your economic freedom.
Some countries tax more heavily than the US, determining how an individual’s income is spent.

14. Consider
For example, if you value the right criticize your government, you can do that in America.
The governments in some countries do not allow citizens to criticize their governments.

15. Consider Can you list other opportunities enjoyed by Americans?
Do some Internet searching.
Google “Freedoms enjoyed by Americans” or
something like that.

16. Use this information to help you fill out your topic planning sheet.
Topic Choice 1: ____________________________________________________
(How is this freedom or activity provided to Americans? __________________
___________________________________________________________________
(How is this freedom or activity UNIQUE to citizens of the United States of America? In other words, what country does not provide or does prohibit this freedom or activity?) __________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Opinion Statement: __________________________________________________________________________
1. Reason for opinion: _______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Reason for opinion: _______________________________________________________________________

17. Plan What three topics might you address?
Use this information to help you fill out your topic planning sheet.
Plan
What three topics might you address?
Create a list of three topics.
EXAMPLES:
1. education
2. entrepreneurship (owning my own business)
3. travel

18. Write an opinion statement for each topic.
Use this information to help you fill out your topic planning sheet.
Opinion Statement
Write an opinion statement for each topic.
EX: 1. education
The most important aspect of living in the USA is the right to a public education for all through the twelfth grade.

19. Use this information to help you fill out your topic planning sheet.
Topic Choice 1: __Education___________________________________________
(How is this freedom or activity provided to Americans? __________________
____Public education through the twelfth grade is provided to all .___________
(How is this freedom or activity UNIQUE to citizens of the United States of America? In other words, what country does not provide or does prohibit this freedom or activity?) __________________________________
In Afghanistan , the repression of women is still prevalent in rural areas where many families still restrict their own mothers, daughters, wives and sisters from participation in public life. They are still forced into marriages and denied a basic education. Numerous school for girls have been burned down and little girls have even been poisoned to death for daring to go to school In China, high school, they go to class on average 60 to 70 hours a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with some time off for meals. There’s a test called the GaoKao, which translated means literally “The High Test.” That one score determines if and where a high school student goes to college. It’s comprehensive and they spend the last two years of high school reviewing for it.
Opinion Statement: __The most important aspect of living in the United States is the right to an education for all through the twelfth grade.__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Reason for opinion: _______________________________________________________________________
2. Reason for opinion:______________________________________________________________________

20. Reasons What are two or three reasons
Use this information to help you fill out your topic planning sheet.
Reasons
What are two or three reasons
that this freedom or activity is important.
EX: Topic 1. education
Reasons: Knowledge is power.
Education allows an individual to pursue a career.
Education allows an individual to earn a living in a manner of his or her choosing.
Education (knowledge) encourages creativity, the invention new devices to improve society, and the discovery of cures for diseases.

21. Use this information to help you fill out your topic planning sheet.
Topic Choice 1: __Education___________________________________________
(How is this freedom or activity provided to Americans? __________________
____Public education through the twelfth grade is provided to all .___________
(How is this freedom or activity UNIQUE to citizens of the United States of America? In other words, what country does not provide or does prohibit this freedom or activity?) __________________________________
In Afghanistan , the repression of women is still prevalent in rural areas where many families still restrict their own mothers, daughters, wives and sisters from participation in public life. They are still forced into marriages and denied a basic education. Numerous school for girls have been burned down and little girls have even been poisoned to death for daring to go to school.
Opinion Statement: The most important aspect of living in the United States is the right to an education for all through the twelfth grade.
Reason for opinion: Knowledge is power.
Reason for opinion: Education allows an individual to pursue a career of his or her choice.

22. Support What evidence can you use to support your reasons?
Each reason needs two pieces of supporting evidence.

23. Support
Reasons:
Knowledge is power. - A college master's degree is worth $1.3 million more in lifetime earnings than a high school diploma, according to a recent report from the US Census Bureau (“2008 Census Report” ).
Education allows an individual to pursue a career. – Eighty-five percent of careers in the future will require more than a high school education (Smith).

24. Support
Reasons:
Knowledge is power. – “Looking to a New Future” in _Newsweek_ states that most Afghan women have little education and therefore have few choices about their futures (Hadley).
Education allows an individual to pursue a career. – The “needs of the country” determine the occupations of 90 percent of North Korean citizens , according to a July 3 article in the New York Times (Henderson).