1. ELA Persuasive Writing Toolboxes
Designed by Michigan teachers for Michigan students

2. Toolbox Overview Developed 1 for each grade level 8-11
Used to help teachers help students perform more successfully on the writing segment of the ACT exam
Used to help teachers implement effective practices in English Language Arts instruction

3. Persuasive Writing Toolboxes Contain:
One prototype: helps teachers help students learn the processes and products of the ACT exam
Administer to inform instruction by identifying areas of strength
Use in conjunction with Explore and Plan

4. Persuasive Writing Toolbox Contain:
One grade specific toolbox
Provides 7 day-by-day instructional plans
Provides at least 7 additional minilessons including test writing as a genre
Developed for use during the school year as needed
Developed to teach the current year’s HSCEs
Scaffolded from eighth to eleventh to allow for development of ever increasing proficiency

5. Persuasive Writing Toolbox
Provides practice in test taking
Provides effective practices:
Genre study
Generating ideas
Structuring text
Revising text
Editing text
Evaluating text

6. Persuasive Writing Toolbox Philosophy
Persuasive writing for the ACT exam is:
considered a genre
taught through genre study
Inquiry or Constructivistic approach

7. Persuasive Writing Toolbox
Inquiry approach
Noticing (immersion in the genre)
Creating theories
Naming writer’s craft
Finding excellent examples
Envisioning yourself completing similar tasks

8. Format Day-by-day lesson plans Immersion in the genre
Creating theories about the genre
Talking about good examples
Understanding the prompt and task
Creating your version
Evaluating your version

9. Toolbox Format
Additional minilessons
Additional prompts
Anchor set

10. So..

11. Prototypes help teachers help students learn the processes and products of the ACT exam
1 is included with the Persuasive Writing Toolbox
Results inform:
Curricular decisions
Material selection
Professional development

12. Persuasive Writing Toolbox helps teachers help students effectively learn how to write a persuasive essay
Use as needed throughout the school year based on data
Teaches current year’s core HSCEs
Use with whole class, small groups, or individual students

13. St. Clair County RESA Toolboxes
Designed to
motivate students
and inspire teachers