Persuasive Writing in the Middle Grades (5-7)

Persuasive Writing in the Middle Grades (5-7)
The Persuasive Writing Course contains instructional materials to support most of the GLEs. The students are learning to use a writing process (EALR 1) for the purpose of persuading specific audiences (EALR 2). Students are also working to evaluate their own and others’ writing (EALR 4). However, the focus of the course is on EALR 3 – writing clearly and effectively. This focus was chosen after analyzing papers of students who scored at Level 2. Specifically, these Grade Level Expectations for EALR 3 are 1) narrowing a topic, 2) organizing ideas, 3) elaborating ideas, 4) writing introductions and conclusions, and 5) editing for conventions. OSPI Instructional Support Materials for Writing Version Two – June 2007 These materials were developed by Washington teachers to help students improve their writing. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

To the Teacher Slides 1-14 are for teacher use. They include alignment with the GLEs, links to the WASL, and bibliography. Slides are a Table of Contents. When you are teaching the lessons, begin with slide 15. To use any lesson, you must print and review the notes pages for the lesson. This is done in the print menu. It is different for PCs and Macs, but you will need to find “Notes pages” or “Notes” respectively in the print menu.The notes pages contain crucial instructions and supplementary materials for successful implementation. Most of these lessons include partner and/or group work. A system should be in place for partner and group work (e.g., what are the rules and expectations). Lessons in these modules need to have extended practice. They are not meant to be individual, one-day lessons. As you do shared writing, keep charts of strategies being learned so students can refer back, or have students make their own copies and put them in a folder or notebook. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

OSPI Writing Instructional Support Materials Core Development Team
Nikki Elliott-Schuman - OSPI, Project Director Charlotte Carr - Retired Seattle SD, Facilitator Barbara Ballard - Coupeville School District Cathie Day - Ellensburg School District Lori Hadley - Puyallup School District Glenn Kessinger - Yakima School District Courtney McCoy - Vancouver School District Sharon Schilperoort - OSPI April Yantis - Shelton School District Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Alignment with the GLEs – Writing
5 6 7 8 Demonstrates understanding of different purposes for writing. Writes to learn (e.g., math learning logs, reflections, double-entry logs, steps/strategies used to solve math problems), to tell a story, to explain, and to persuade. Writes to pursue a personal interest, to explain, or to persuade. Writes …to explain, to persuade …or a specified audience (e.g., writes to persuade classmates about a position on required school uniforms). Demonstrates understanding of different purposes for writing. Writes to…explain, to persuade, to inform…a specified audience (e.g., writes to persuade community to build a skate park). Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

5/6 7 8 Analyzes ideas, selects a narrow topic, and elaborates using specific details and/or examples. Narrows topic with controlling idea. Selects details relevant to the topic to extend ideas and develop elaboration. Uses personal experiences, observations, and research to support opinions and ideas . Analyzes ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using specific, relevant details and/or examples. Presents a central idea, theme, and manageable thesis while maintaining a consistent focus. Selects specific details relevant to the topic to extend ideas and develop elaboration. Uses personal experiences, observations, and/or research to support opinions and ideas. Selects specific details relevant to the topic to extend ideas or develop elaboration. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

5 6 7 8 Uses an effective organizational structure. Writes in a logically organized progression of unified paragraphs. Develops an interesting introduction in expository writing. Develops an effective ending that goes beyond a repetition of the introduction. Sequences ideas and uses transitional words and phrases to link events, reasons, facts, and opinions within and between paragraphs. Organizes clearly. Writes unified, cohesive paragraphs. Constructs an introduction using varying approaches. Constructs an ending/conclusion that goes beyond a repetition of the introduction. Varies leads, endings, and types of conflicts in narratives. Sequences ideas and uses transitions to link events, reasons, facts, and opinions). Analyzes and selects an effective organizational structure. Composes an engaging introduction. Composes an ending/conclusion that is more than a repetition of the introduction. Uses transitions to show relationships among ideas. Uses effective organizational patterns as determined by purpose. Analyzes and selects an effective organizational structure. Develops a compelling introduction. Composes an effective ending/ conclusion that is more than a repetition of the introduction. Uses transitional words and phrases between paragraphs to show logical relationships among ideas. Selects and uses effective organizational patterns as determined by purpose. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

5 6 7 8 Applies understanding that different audiences and purposes affect writer’s voice. Writes with a clearly defined voice appropriate to audience. Writes in appropriate and consistent voice in narrative, informational, and persuasive writing. Uses language appropriate for a specific audience and purpose. Uses precise language. Selects words for effect. Applies understanding that different audiences and purposes affect writer’s voice. Supports a position in persuasive text from first-person or third-person point of view . Analyzes and selects language appropriate for specific audiences and purposes. Selects and uses persuasive techniques. Searches for alternatives to commonly used words, particularly in persuasive writing and poetry. Writes from more than one point of view or perspective. Analyzes and selects language appropriate for specific audiences and purposes. Selects and uses precise language to persuade or inform. Uses persuasive techniques. Writes in an individual, informed voice in expository, technical, and persuasive writing. Analyzes and selects language Considers connotation and denotation when selecting words. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Alignment with the GLEs Across the Curriculum
Reading 5th - Analyze text for fact and opinion. - Understand the author’s tone and use of persuasive devices. 6th - Understand how to verify content validity. - Analyze the effectiveness of the author’s tone and use of persuasive devices for a target audience. 7th - Evaluate the author’s reasoning and validity of the author’s position. - Analyze the effectiveness of the author’s tone and use of persuasive devices. 8th - Analyze and evaluate text for validity and accuracy. - Analyze the effectiveness of the author’s use of persuasive devices to influence an audience. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Mathematics 5th Analyze procedures used to solve problems in familiar situations. Understand how to organize information for a given purpose. 6th/7th/8th Analyze procedures and results in various situations. Apply organization skills for a given purpose. Science 5th Understand how to report investigations and explanations of objects, events, systems, and processes. 6th/7th/8th Apply understanding of how to report investigations and Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Science 5th Understand how to report investigations and explanations of objects, events, systems, and processes. 6th/7th/8th Apply understanding of how to report investigations and explanations of objects, events, systems, and processes. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Links to the WASL Persuasive writing is one of the two modes/purposes tested on the WASL at grades 7 and 10. It is essential that students are prepared to write persuasively in order to pass the WASL. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Bibliography De Witt Spurgin, Sally. The Power to Persuade, 3rd ed. Prentice-Hall, 1994. Gere, Anne Ruggles. Writing on Demand, Heinemann, 2005. Kolln, Martha. Rhetorical Grammar, 2nd ed. Allyn and Bacon, 1996. Lunsford, Andrea A. & Ruszkiewicz, John J. Everything’s an Argument - Writer’s in Training: A guide to developing a composition program, Dale Seymour Publications, 2004. Rosenwasser, David and Jill Stephen. Writing Analytically, 2nd ed. Orlando, Harcourt, 2000. OSPI website - Assessment > writing assessment > anchor sets annotations, grade 7. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents Baseline Persuasive Writing - slide 15
Overview -- Purpose of Exposition vs. Persuasion - slides 16-39 Effective Persuasive Essentials - slides 40-41 Audience Awareness - slides 42-47 Clear Position - slides 48-52 Persuasive Language - slides 53-58 Organizational Structures - slides 59-60 Concession / Rebuttal - slides Causal Chain - slides 70-77 Order of Importance - slides 78-80 Persuasive Introductions - slides 81-90 Persuasive Conclusions - slides Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents – continued
Persuasive Strategies - slides Expert testimony - slides Anecdote (Self as Expert) - slides Compromise and Problem / Solution - slides Statistics - slides Rhetorical Questions - slides Assessment Scoring guide Scoring papers Title slides for each unit or section indicated throughout the PowerPoint. The bottom half of the slide is shaded in blue. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Prompt – baseline paper
Some seventh graders attend school where their teachers do not accept late homework. Your principal is thinking of making this a rule at your school. Take a position on this rule. Write a multiple-paragraph letter to your principal to persuade him or her to support your position. Baseline persuasive writing prompt. Give this prompt prior to any instruction. Students will need at least one class period to complete this prompt. Students will keep a portfolio. This can be a folder or a sheet of construction paper folded in half. You will need to have a place to keep the portfolios in your classroom. The baseline paper needs to go into the portfolio/COE for additional work later. In addition, your analysis of this writing will help determine how much and what kinds of instruction is needed in your classroom. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

What is Persuasive Writing?
What is persuasion? Read Letter to Principal Scaddilybob. What is the purpose of this writing? Who is the audience? What does the writer want (position)? What are some persuasive words and phrases in the letter? 7th grade WASL writing sample from 2006 titled Principal Scaddilybob.doc can be found in the document folder. Pass out individual copies of this letter to students. Read the paper aloud to the class. Students take notes on their personal copy of the paper answering the questions on the slide above. Discuss the answers to these questions. (There are some suggestions of persuasive language highlighted on the second and third pages of the handout.) Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expository vs. Persuasive Writing
What is the difference? Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expository vs. Persuasive – Sorting Group Activity
Sort your envelope of cards into two columns titled “Expository Writing” and “Persuasive Writing.” Try to come to agreement in your group. Be prepared to defend your choice with evidence from the card. If you finish before the rest of the class, match up the persuasive characteristic with its expository partner. For sorting activity, you will need to make the materials ahead of time. In the document folder, find the Sorting Template.doc and print it. Make enough copies of the template so each group has 1 set of the cards. Make your group sizes to fit your preferences and your class. Cut the copied templates into cards; mix the cards and place 1 set of the cards into an envelope. Students, in their groups, will find the 2 title cards “Persuasive Writing” and “Expository Writing.” Then they will sort the rest of the cards under one of those two headings. Encourage students to look for evidence on the card that would be a clue to its category. Use the uncut sorting template as a key for categories and matching. Show slides 18 – 20 to compare and correct their sort. If you are unclear about persuasive strategies, the document folder contains a handout titled Persuasive Strategies.doc that lists and defines the various strategies. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expository vs. Persuasion
Expository writing has a narrow topic. stays focused on the main ideas. is elaborated using reasons, well-chosen and specific details, examples, and/or anecdotes to support ideas. Persuasive writing has a clear position and is focused on that position. has more than one argument to support a position. is elaborated by using reasons, well-chosen and specific details, examples, anecdotes, facts, and/or statistics as evidence to support arguments. Use this slide and the following 5 slides to compare and contrast expository and persuasive writing. Note that students sometimes use an expository structure to write persuasively and this is frequently not effective. There are organizational structures and strategies that are more effective for persuasion as you will see in the units later in the PowerPoint. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expository writing includes information that is interesting, thoughtful, and necessary for the audience. uses transitions to connect ideas. Persuasive writing is organized to make the best case for my position. uses transitions to connect position, arguments, and evidence. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expository writing is organized with an introduction, supporting paragraphs with main points and elaboration, and an effective conclusion. Persuasive writing is organized to make the best case with an opening, including the position statement, and an effective persuasive conclusion, such as a call to action. anticipates and refutes the opposing position. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expository writing shows care about the topic with voice and language appropriate for the audience. uses specific words and phrases that help the reader understand ideas. Persuasive writing shows commitment to position with voice and language appropriate for the audience. uses specific words, phrases, and persuasive strategies that urge or compel to support a position. As you continue your study of persuasive writing, you may want to come back and review these differences. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expository Example Expository writing is explaining.
I would include my skates because I love to ice skate. I especially love ice dancing, a form of ice skating in which you have a partner, don’t jump or do lifts above the boy’s head, and are partly judged on the quality of your edges and interpretation of the music. This is an excerpt from a 7th grade 2006 expository writing example, scoring 4 on Content, Organization, and Style (COS). Discuss this example, pointing out why this is an explanation (expository). Refer back to the characteristics of expository writing. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Example Persuasive writing is convincing.
Some late work counts as 70% credit, giving kids a C- which is passing. Some kids are happy because they think a C- is a good grade. How can we allow students to turn in all of their work late but still have a passing grade? The kids that have C-’s don’t care about their work because even if they turn it in late, they can still get a passing grade. These kids have sort of twisted the grading system to benefit themselves. This can no longer be allowed. This is an excerpt from a 7th grade persuasive paper from the 2006 anchor set, scoring 4 on Content, Organization, and Style (COS). Discuss why this piece of writing is persuasive. The writer takes a clear position: late work can no longer be allowed. The writer uses evidence to elaborate and support his/her position. Use of statistics: 70% Use of specific details: late work earns a passing grade, some kids don’t care if they get a C-, this twists the grading system, and this can no longer be allowed. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Purposes of Persuasive Writing
Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Writing Discussion: Where do we see persuasive writing?
In persuasive writing, a writer takes a position FOR or AGAINST an issue and writes to convince the reader to believe or do something. Discussion: Where do we see persuasive writing? Discuss the various reasons why persuasive writing is important in everyday life. Use the document titled Persuasion is Powerful.doc to have students fill in the seven purposes for persuasion and then create a persuasive statement based on the pictures on each of the following slides. A sample key is available in the document folder. It is titled Powerful answer Key.doc. Support a cause Urge people to action Make a change Prove something wrong Stir up sympathy Create interest Get people to agree with you Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasion is Powerful Use it to:
Support a Cause Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasion is Powerful! Use it to…
Purpose Support a cause Urge people to action Make a change Prove something wrong Persuasive Statement Please support my soccer team by buying discount coupons. Vote for Pedro. The principal should let us wear hats. Cars do not cause global warming. Here are the same purposes paired with more persuasive statements. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasion is Powerful! Use it to…
Purpose Stir up sympathy Create interest Get people to agree with you Persuasive Statement If you don’t adopt this dog, it could be put to death. Better grades get you a better job and more money. I am sure you’ll agree Snickers are the best candy bars. Here are the same purposes paired with more persuasive statements. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

What Persuades You? Why do you decide to agree with someone’s idea?
How do you convince others to agree with you? How persuasive are you? This slide is meant to set the stage for the next activity, where students access their prior knowledge and ability to persuade. This is a class discussion or think /pair/ share activity. Slides provide a group activity; you will need to decide how to form groups ahead of time. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Cookie Lesson You will be working in small groups.
There are only enough cookies today for one group. Think of reasons why your group should get the cookies. Persuade the class that your group should be rewarded. Your group must work together and write your best reasons. You have 15 minutes. The purpose for this lesson is to help students understand how persuasion works. This is a level-playing-field activity because students work together to write a group quick write. Materials: Bag/box of cookies, candy, pencils, etc. You may use any kind of reward and retitle the slide appropriately. Change the slide to match your “prize.” Cookie Lesson: Introduce lesson as a game. Explain to students: “This game will help you understand how persuasion works, that is to see how you create and present arguments and to notice how an audience responds to your arguments.” Place students in teams. Explain: “Many games involve rewards and this one is no exception. At the end of this class the winning team will receive a prize. The reward is _______.” (cookies, candy, pencils, 5 minutes extra recess, etc.) “I want you to work for 15 to 20 minutes and come up with the best argument for why the class should award the prize to your team. The argument can be serious or playful, factual or fictional.” Appoint a recorder who will write down your group’s arguments and a reporter who will present your group’s arguments to the class. The arguments may be presented as a list or as a paragraph written by the group. Before groups share their arguments, have a member of each team draw a number to determine order of sharing. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Present Your Case Appoint a member of your group to draw a number to decide the order of the presentations. Decide how you will present your information (one or more people). Present your case when it’s your turn. You will have up to three minutes. Teams should present without interruption or questions. Before groups share their arguments, have a member of each team draw a number to determine order of sharing. The final bullet flies in so that it can be brought to the screen after teams are ready to present. Beginning with team #1, have groups present their arguments. Everyone takes notes on each team’s arguments. Teams should present without interruption or analysis. Equally applaud every team’s efforts. Write down each number. Take notes about each team’s positions, reasons, and support Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Vote and Discuss By each number, write a summary sentence for each group’s position. Vote for the group that presented the best case. A group cannot vote for itself. Each individual can only vote once. Discuss why you voted the way you did. Explain: “Read over your notes and vote for the team with the best position. You may not vote for your own group.” Alternative: Have each group discuss what they have heard and come to a consensus about who they would vote for and tell why. Discuss: “Think about your choice for best group and why you voted that way. Share your thinking.” What made the winning group the most persuasive? Have students discuss what they thought of the strategies. Have students name the strategies they used or saw being used. It doesn’t matter at this point if they have the correct persuasive terms. This is not a vocabulary lesson; it is a concept lesson. Chart student-named persuasive strategies used by each group. Observe and analyze what your students already know about persuasion and use the knowledge gained from this exercise to plan further instruction. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Effective Persuasion Essentials
Audience Awareness Clear Position Persuasive Language Organizational Structure Note: these four essentials are interrelated. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Writing Position Assessment
Language Assessment Awareness Audience Organizational Structures Persuasive writing is recursive in nature. These essential elements are constantly working together to make the best case for the writer’s position. It is important to note that while each component is defined separately, they cannot be separated. The diagram is an out-of-shape circle to represent the recursive nature of persuasive writing. Often we think of assessment coming at the end and being done primarily by the teacher. In this instance, we are thinking of assessment as the ongoing process by the writer that leads to revision during the writing process. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Audience Awareness Providing information an audience may need and/or anticipating an audience’s point of view Definition Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Audience Awareness Know your audience before you start writing.
The audience is who will read your writing. The audience may be your teacher, your parents, your friends, or the President of the United States. Point out to students that sometimes you are writing for a general audience (could be read by anyone). This means the writer needs to consider a wide range of readers. Discuss the implications for knowing your audience. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Audience Awareness Knowing who your audience is helps you to decide:
How to connect with the ideas, knowledge, or beliefs of the person or group. What information to include. What arguments will persuade him/her. How informal or formal the language should be. Audience awareness is frequently the reason for choice of language. Take some time to define and give examples of formal and informal language. Discuss when each would be the appropriate choice. Examples: Formal really marvelous or good Informal (slang or jargon) sweet Formal Mr. Smith, How are you today? Informal (slang or jargon) Hey Dude, ‘wasup? Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Audience Awareness – example
Dear Mrs. Gillingham, Imagine you were a student, sitting in algebra when your teacher says, “Okay, get out your homework.” You rustle around in your backpack for a while until you realize -- oh no! You left your homework at home, perfectly done. Discuss with your students how this demonstrates audience awareness. (Directly addresses the audience, imagines what it is like to be the teacher, sees the need to relate to another viewpoint, etc.) Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Audience Awareness – your turn
In your group, write a short letter asking for the newest video game. Choose someone from your group to draw a card naming your audience. The teacher holds the cards. Once your audience has been identified, think about the best information and arguments that you can make. Consider persuasive language that will connect with your audience. If there is something that is really hot with your students, substitute it for “newest video game.” Make cards for as many groups as you need. Allow students to draw a card to find out their audience. Audiences may include: Bill Gates foundation (as a donation) Parents or guardians (as a gift) Grandparents (as a gift) A friend (as a loan) Local business Make sure you have a variety of audience types. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Audience Awareness – follow up
Each group will read its letter without naming the audience. As you listen, write down who you think the audience might be. Discuss why it was difficult or easy to figure out the audience. Give the students the form titled Who’s the Audience.doc in the document folder. As each group reads their letters, the listening groups fill in the form citing audience and evidence. After listening to all the letters, the group will reveal the actual audience. Groups need to discuss why the audience was easy to identify or not and record their ideas on the worksheet. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Clear Position The writer must clearly state or imply his/her position and stay with that position. Generally, the position is stated in the opening paragraph or introduction. Occasionally, in more sophisticated writing, the position of the writer is not revealed until later in the writing. When done well, this can be very effective. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Clear Position – example
I am writing this letter to persuade you to make a rule against turning in late homework assignments. At first that sounds unbearable for us kids, but when you really look at it you see it does more good than bad. Just simply turning in our homework on time prepares us for the hurdles life throws at us. Have you ever thought to look at it from the teacher’s point of view? They don’t really want to grade a late assignment from last quarter. Having no late homework will also be very pleasing to those of us who get their work done on time by not seeing kids with A’s that haven’t turned a single assignment in on time. Read the student sample above. The position statement is—I am writing this letter to persuade you into making a rule against turning in late homework assignments. Discuss the position the student has stated and whether or not that statement is clear to the reader. Note where that statement appears in the paragraph. Relate to students that the position statement can be found anywhere in the piece. It might be fun for students to rewrite this paragraph attempting to place the position statement in a different place. Then discuss which position is the most effective and why. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Find the Position Statement
Imagine you were a student sitting in your math class when your teacher says, “Okay, get out your homework!” You rustle around in your backpack for a while until you realize – oh no! You left our homework at home perfectly done. The teacher comes by your desk and you say, “I am sorry. I left my homework at home. My mom just had a baby, so I was taking care of her, and I just ran out the door without it.” Your teacher smiles at you. “It’s okay. I understand. Just bring it in tomorrow.” Isn’t that a better situation than “Oh too bad! You don’t get any credit for it.”? Late homework should be accepted, and I will tell you why. Read the student sample above. Ask students to locate the sentence that states the writer’s position concerning late homework. Discuss the position the student has stated and whether or not that statement is clear to the reader. Note where that statement appears in the paragraph. The position statement is -- Late homework should be accepted, and I will tell you why -- found at the end of the paragraph. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Find the Position Statement
My feeling about the rule that teachers do not accept late homework is definitely a mixed one. I know that the rule has its pros and cons, but I really do think that the cons heavily outweigh the pros. I would like to show you, the principal, my position on this rule in a little bit more depth. Discuss this example with students. This is a clear position statement presented in a more subtle and sophisticated manner. In this example the position statement is in the middle of the paragraph (I know that the rule has its pros and cons, but I really do think that the cons heavily outweigh the pros…) and the writer uses the position as a transition into the body of the writing. If your students need additional practice there is find the position statement.doc in the document folder with three additional samples. Students may highlight or underline the position statements and compare their answers with others. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Language Words and phrases that urge or compel the reader to support the position of the author Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Language Persuasive language is choosing just the right words or phrases to use at just the right time with just the right audience. Precise words trigger strong feelings. Seizes Snarls Dumbstruck Repeated words or phrases for emphasis I have a dream…(Martin Luther King, Jr.) Different connotations Mean or strict Died or passed away Used or pre-owned Discuss with students. (The “precise words” are from the example that follows. Tell students to look for these words in the example.) Generate lists of precise words to persuade with language. Start with an ordinary word such as run or old and list precise synonyms. Discuss the difference between the connotations of the words listed. Examples: old or antique or vintage or senior cabin or vacation home or shack or hut cheap or inexpensive rerun or encore presentation See if students can generate more examples. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Find Words that Could Be More Persuasive
You are a young middle school student. Essay in one hand, you go to class. “I’m done!” You are glad. The teacher takes the essay out of your hands and throws it away. She says, “It’s a day late!” You look at your hard work. The teacher didn’t look at it! The No Late Homework Rule is bad. Discuss words that could be more precise. Take suggestions from students about ways to make this piece more effective. Write on chart paper. There is also a worksheet in the document folder (Adding precise words.doc). The worksheet is the same as the slide and may be used with students in partners or individually instead of the slide. On the following slide there is an example of how one seventh grader wrote this paragraph. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Language Imagine yourself as a young middle school student. Five page essay in one hand, you rush into the classroom. “I’m done! I’m done!” You pant, beaming proudly. The teacher seizes the essay out of your grasp and tears it to pieces before your eyes. She snarls, “It’s a day late!” On your knees, you stare dumbstruck at your hard work, ripped to shreds. The teacher didn’t even glance at it! The No Late Homework Rule is a cruel, horrible rule. This is from the 2006 WASL. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Putting it together – Audience Awareness, Clear Position, Precise Language
The Disney Corporation is giving away an all-expense paid trip for one class to go to Disneyland. Write several position statements that state what you want. Chart ideas and beliefs that might connect with the Corporation and persuade them to give your class the trip. Also chart precise language that would be appropriate for the audience as well as persuasive. Chart several possible position statements. Have the the class brainstorm the perspectives, needs and points-of view of the audience. Chart their ideas. Also chart persuasive language that might support the position of wanting the trip. After the class has created three charts, pair students. Have each partner group write an actual letter to the Disney Corporation, choosing information and ideas from the charts. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasion – follow up As a class: Each pair reads its letter.
Discuss decisions that each pair made (audience awareness, position statement, precise language). Discuss the effectiveness of each pair’s arguments. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Organizational Structures
Concession/Rebuttal Causal Chain Order of Importance Introductions/Conclusions Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Organizational Structures
Persuasive organization frequently looks very different from expository organization. As we look at different structures, we will see what that means regarding the organization of the paper. Some students have been used to writing a five-paragraph essay. This organizational structure is not an effective structure for persuasive writing. The following slides will present a variety of effective structures for use in persuasion. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Organizational Structure – Concession/Rebuttal
Acknowledging or recognizing the opposing viewpoint, conceding something that has some merit, and then refuting it with another argument Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

My Turn! Your Turn! (Preparing for Concession/Rebuttal)
Get with a partner. Choose one rule in your school that needs to be revised, added, or eliminated, and think about why. Each partner may choose a different rule. Each of you takes the role of a student. Write the rule, what needs to be changed, and why. This is a preliminary exercise to get students to see more that one point of view and construct counter arguments (rebuttal). Students will not necessarily concede a position as they argue back and forth, but it will prepare them for the next step in concession/rebuttal. Duplicate and distribute My Turn form.doc in Document Folder. (There is also a My Turn dialogue.doc in the Document Folder that can be read aloud as an example.) On the form, have students write down the rule they want to be revised, added, or eliminated and why. Go to the next slide. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

My Turn! Your Turn! Trade your paper with your partner.
Acting as principal, respond to your partner’s paper and write back with the principal’s arguments. When you get your own paper back, respond again, this time as a student. Repeat. Repeat once more. Your paper, when complete, will show two points of view (an argument and counter argument). Help students follow the directions on the slides. Emphasize that each partner must become very familiar with the other person's rule because they will take an opposing viewpoint. Have students then engage in an argument in writing. They are to argue the issue back and forth in a paper exchange, each challenging the other's point of view. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Group Discussion Say goodbye to your partner and find two other people for a discussion. Each student reads his/her own paper aloud. Select one paper from your group. Discuss and write the answers to the following questions based on that paper: Which arguments were effective? What made them effective? Were you persuaded? Why or why not? You have a My Turn questions.doc paper in the document folder. One person should scribe for the group of three. At least one group should share with the entire group. Did anyone concede that the other side had a good point? If not, would that have made the argument stronger. In the next slides, we will explore the concept of concession/rebuttal further. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Concession/Rebuttal Concession and rebuttal (or counter argument). In a concession, you acknowledge that certain opposing arguments have some truth. The rebuttal explains how this does not weaken your argument. This makes you sound open–minded. This sounds like. . . I realize most teachers don’t want cell phones in class because they cause problems, but… I know what other kids would say… I have a possible solution to this problem. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Develop your Point with Concession/Rebuttal
Concession/rebuttal from the “late homework” prompt – …I’d want all the icky procrastinators to get no credit, because they didn’t turn the work in on time and I did. I’m one for fairness, and a fair school is a great school! Sure it sounds mean, but some people need to take up the reins and learn some responsibility. Discuss this sample (from the 2006 WASL) with your students. The concession/rebuttal is in blue. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Concession/Rebuttal How many of you have been in a discussion with someone and you remember saying, “Yeah, that’s true, but…” This is concession/rebuttal. Let’s list several examples where this applies. Shared writing Take ideas from the class and chart times that this has happened to students in your class. As you make your list, discuss the effectiveness of the rebuttals. Example Concession: I know you don’t want me to go to Jerome’s house since last time we started messing around and Jerome broke his arm, BUT Rebuttal: this time we will be really careful. His arm is out of the cast, and the doctor says it’s stronger than before. We also won’t get on the trampoline this time. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Transitional Phrases – Concession/Rebuttal
It is true that…however…therefore… Certainly…but…in short… Admittedly…on the other hand…so… Of course…nevertheless…as a result… Obviously…on the contrary…finally… Sure…however…in addition… There are certain transitions that signal concession and rebuttal or counter argument. However, they should not become formulaic by being prescribed. You may need to discuss these transitions and give examples of how they might be used. Elicit additional ideas from students. (Some suggestions are below.) Post these transitions so that students can select from them for their writing. Additional examples: One might argue . . . For the most part Under these conditions . . . Perhaps, possibly, it is possible It must be granted No doubt If it were so In some cases It seems, it may be, in effect Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Concession/Rebuttal – your turn
Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework. Find a possible place to add a concession and rebuttal. Write a concession and rebuttal that will strengthen your argument. Share what you have written with someone else, discuss its effectiveness, and revise if needed. In the document folder is 7th concession-rebuttal samples.doc. This has two samples of 7th graders baseline papers and the concession/rebuttal they added after the lesson. You notice that the paper has not been rewritten. The student has indicated where the revision should go. This is exactly as it was seen on the student paper. Students should save this paper with revisions in their portfolios. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Organizational Structure – Causal Chain
A connected series of cause/effect events Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Example of a Causal Chain
This is the house that Jack built. This is the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the rat That ate the malt This is the cat That killed the rat That lay in the house that Jack built… Another organizational strategy is a causal chain (“House That Jack Built”). If students do not know this nursery rhyme, see if they remember “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.” Point out how one thing leads to another in these rhymes. The following slides should help them understand this strategy a little better. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Causal Chain – examples
Causal chain is a chain of cause/effect events (e.g., “a” causes “b” causes “c,” etc.) This organizational strategy can be used for an entire essay or for a portion of an essay. If you give us more time for a break, we will get more homework done, so our grades will be better, and our parents will be proud. If your mom forgets to buy gas, then you will run out of gas on the way to school, and then you will be late and get detention. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Develop your Point with the Causal Chain
Mrs. Rawlins, I do not want you to put into effect the rule of no late homework. One reason is the grades. You see, it is scientifically proven that teenagers between the ages of eleven to sixteen need at least nine hours of sleep every night for their brain to function well. If every teen in this middle school had to stay up later to complete their homework in order for it not to be late, their grades would plummet accordingly. Soon, grades would degenerate and dwindle to the average of a C or lower in most middle and high schools. All of this just because of the ‘no late work’ policy. Adapted from the 2006 WASL This is an example of how a causal chain is developed within a paper. The causal chain is elaborated and embedded in the text and is highlighted in blue. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Causal Chain – example If the teachers of Pacific do not allow the students to turn in their homework late then the students will learn to finish their work on time, correct? This may be, but the Sink or Swim philosophy often leaves many students failing ... If a student does not see themselves as being able to finish the assignment on time, they may simply decide to not do it. This would not only cause the student’s grades to fall, but also his or her teacher would likely spend unnecessary time trying to persuade the student to do work. This would not be only one student though! Many students would fall into this downward spiral of not doing their homework. This would result in many declining grades… This in turn would result in the school’s reputation declining… So how do we solve this? Notice the domino effect of the causal chain. Each event causes the next which follows the next. Students see themselves as unable to finish. Students don’t do their homework. Students’ grades fall. Teachers’ time is spent coaxing students. Students continue to not do homework. Grades decline. School’s reputation declines. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Try it Together ? He’s going to ask for a
If you give a mouse a cookie, He’s going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him the milk, He’ll probably ask you for a straw. Shared writing These are the first few lines of the picture book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. In the book, the sequences eventually end with he’ll probably want a cookie. If students can’t continue, you may want to get the book from the library and see what the next event is. Stop after these five actions and challenge the group to continue the sequence and finish the book with as many items as it may take to get to “he’ll probably want a cookie. Chart their version. You may want to set a limit on the length. When he’s finished, he’ll ask for a napkin. ? Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Vote Yes-Yes on Feb. 14 Do you value quality education? Do you believe that the children in our community are our future? If you have answered “yes” to these questions, here’s another one that perhaps you should stop and think about before you answer. Do you plan to support the growth in the Clear Creek Amana School District by voting Yes-Yes to the upcoming school bond issues on Feb.14? If not, you may need to re-evaluate your previous answers above. Clear Creek Amana schools are extremely overcrowded and in desperate need of additional buildings. The upcoming bond issue will not close any of the existing sites; rather, some of the bond will actually be used to upgrade the Amana and Oxford locations. Please do your own research, listen to the facts, and vote responsibly. Do not believe the rumors and other false information floating around. Schools bring residents; residents bring money to the community. Schools bring businesses; businesses bring new jobs, services and income into the community. We all have a chance on Tuesday, Feb. 14, to be active and responsible community members. Will you do your part? We urge all of you to vote Yes-Yes to each of the ballot questions for the upcoming school bond issue. Our future, our children and our community are depending on you. Here is an actual newspaper letter to the editor. Have students find the House that Jack Built strategy in this letter. (You may do this together or have students do this individually. “Vote Yes-yes.doc” is available in the document folder. ) Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Causal Chain – your turn
Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework. Find a possible place to add a causal chain. Write a causal chain that will strengthen your argument. Share what you have written with someone else, discuss its effectiveness, and revise if needed. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Organizational Structure – Order of Importance
Ordering arguments from least to most important (or visa versa) to persuade an audience Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Order of Importance Your PE teacher wants to change the activities offered in your physical education class. Identify one activity that you think should be added or dropped, and think of reasons/arguments to support your position. Organize your arguments from least important to most important. Discuss why this would be an effective way to present your arguments. Shared Writing This may be done more than once, using different activities. It may be done first in a large group, then in small groups, pairs, or individually. Initially, brainstorm ideas from the entire class. Put each argument on a sentence strip. Then discuss the best order from least important to most important and arrange the strips. Don’t forget to consider the audience when putting arguments in order. You could make several copies of the strips and have students work in pairs or groups to put them in order. Each group should be able to defend the order it has chosen. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Reflect Imagine that you are coaching a 7th grader who is having trouble writing to the persuasive prompt of the WASL. Consider the strategies that worked for you during these lessons. What should the student be sure to add? What should he or she avoid? From your point of view, what can you tell the student about good persuasive writing? (15 minutes) Students should record and date their reflections in their writing notebooks or portfolios. Students could share as an entire class or in small groups and add to their reflections. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Introductions

What makes an effective introduction? It grabs the reader’s attention. It clearly implies an organizational structure of the paper. It effectively includes one or more of the following strategies: anecdote or scenario interesting fact or statistic question Its choice of support is specific and relevant, and provides a clear, connected lead-in to the paper’s main idea or thesis. Position is clearly stated or implied. The strategies listed in this slide are those that will be addressed in the following lessons. However, there are many more possibilities that might be acceptable. (See the Introductions and Conclusions module on the OSPI website.) Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Ineffective Persuasive Introduction
Dear Mr. Fernando, I’m going to tell you three reasons why it is not good to turn in late homework. Does this introduction do the following? Grab the reader’s attention Imply an organizational structure of the paper Include one or more of the following strategies: anecdote or scenario question interesting fact or statistic Give support that is specific and relevant, and provide a clear, connected lead-in to paper’s main idea State or imply a clear position Discuss this introduction and which of the criteria it meets. In the following slides you will find examples of the strategies listed above. Note that these strategies are not the only possibilities. (It implies the organizational structure of the paper and states a clear position.) Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Some persuasive strategies used in introductions Anecdote/ Scenario The writer provides a personal experience or made-up situation to introduce the position. Questioning The writer asks thought-provoking questions to capture the reader’s interest. Interesting fact or statistic The writer gives an interesting piece of information to grab the reader’s attention. The next 3 slides will provide sample introductions. Read the samples out loud and identify with the class the characteristics of each and why they are effective for persuasive writing. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Anecdote/Scenario “Extra! Extra! Read all about it! New rule has kids scared.” Those are the headlines from The Seattle Times. The new rule is an epidemic, spreading around the country and making children cry. “No late work has a devastating effect and needs to be stopped now before it reaches other countries,” says Bill Warren, a noted authority. Discuss with the class why this is an effective introduction (grabs the reader’s attention, contains a scenario, implies a clear position). Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Questioning Dear Principal,
“Three strikes and you’re out!” Yes, that is baseball, but really everybody deserves a second chance at things, right? In baseball you get three chances at batting, why can’t you get just two at school? I mean think of it this way. What if you just had to go visit your grandpa in the hospital because you just found out he has cancer? Shouldn’t you get a second chance if you didn’t get to your homework because it was too late by the time you got home? I think that teachers should accept late work because at least you tried and turned it in. Notice that this introduction includes a short scenario (visit your grandpa in the hospital) as well as several questions. Again, discuss the effective characteristics of the introduction (grabs the reader’s attention, takes a clear position, keeps the reader thinking by asking questions). Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Interesting Fact or Statistic
Dear Mr. Johnson, Did you know that a recent district survey showed that four out of five school kids do not have passing grades because they do not turn their work in on time? This could be changed by no longer allowing late work. Late work should no longer be accepted at Grant Middle School. This writer grabs our attention with an interesting statistics in the first sentence. It is followed by a clear position on late homework. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Get into a group of 3 or 4. You will receive a paper with several introductions on it as well as a copy of “Effective Introductions.” Discuss characteristics of the introductions that you see. Label the characteristics in the margins of your paper. Be sure all your names are on the paper before turning it in. You will find two documents in the document folder (Effective introductions.doc and Introduction samples.doc). Copy both and distribute to students. Have them follow the directions on the slide, collect the papers, and check for understanding. You may use all of the examples or only some of them, dependent on how well your students are able to respond. There is an answer key for the introduction samples on the last three pages of the document for your use. Notice that the prompt for these introductions said to write a letter to your principal. Are there indications of who the audience was in the language students used? Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Introduction – practice
Get with a partner. You will receive a copy of a paper called Ten Minute Break. It is missing its introduction and conclusion. With your partner, discuss possible ideas for what you might put in the introduction. Refer to “Effective Introductions.” Students should be with a partner. Pass out the 10 minute break.doc (found in the document folder). This document has no introduction but has a place for students to write their own. It also has no conclusion and students will use it again in the conclusions lessons. Partners discuss possibilities for introductions for this paper. Remind them to refer to the Effective Introductions sheet as they did previously. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Introductions – your turn
Now, on your own, write an introduction for the Ten Minute Break. You may use any of the ideas you discussed with your partner or new ones of your own. Remember that you are writing to your principal. Think of what would be effective in writing to him or her. When you are finished compare your introduction with that of your partner. Students will now practice individually writing an introduction and comparing their work with another student. Think about the audience -- the principal -- for whom this is being written. (Prompt: Many students in your school feel that they should have a 10-minute break in the morning and afternoon. Decide if you agree or disagree with this proposal. Write a multiple-paragraph letter to your principal persuading him or her to support your position.) As a whole class, share some samples (document camera or read out loud) and debrief. Discuss what were effective strategies that various students used. Have students save their papers in their portfolios, as it will be used again when they write conclusions. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Conclusions

What makes an effective conclusion? Clearly connects introduction and body of the paper with insightful comments/analysis. Ends using one or more of the following strategies effectively: Call to action Anecdote or scenario Prediction Wraps up the writing and gives the reader something to think about. The strategies listed in this slide are those that will be addressed in the following lesson. However, there are many more possibilities that might be acceptable. (See the Introductions and Conclusions module on the OSPI website.) Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Ineffective Persuasive Conclusion
All in all I think we should not have this rule because there is not enough time for me to finish my homework, something could happen to my homework, and I have better things to do than homework. Don’t make this a rule in our school! (This is a restatement of the introduction as well as a restatement of the body of the piece.) Discuss this conclusion and which of the criteria it meets. (It is difficult to assess how well the conclusion connects with the body of the piece if you don’t have the body. In this instance we have given that information in parentheses.) The positive strategy in the conclusion is that there is a call to action. In the following slides you will find examples of the strategies for conclusions. Note that these strategies are not the only possibilities. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Conclusions
Call to Action Ask the reader to do something or to make something happen Provide a solution Provide an answer to the problem Make a Prediction Explain what might be the consequences of action or inaction The next 3 slides will provide sample conclusions. Read the samples out loud and identify with the class the characteristics of each and why they are effective for persuasive writing. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Call to Action – student sample
Now do you see why it’s not right to say that teachers should not accept late work? Not everyone is perfect and and sometimes we students might make mistakes. But isn’t that how we get wiser? Only you, Mr. Perez, have the power to choose between becoming a dictator or the president of a proud school. Say no to no late work! The call to action is at the end (Say no to no late work). In addition, this conclusion includes audience awareness - directly addressing Mr. Perez, and also a rhetorical question (But isn’t that how we get wiser?). Discuss with your students. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Solution – student sample
So accepting late work would be a good idea. If you are concerned about students that repeatedly don’t turn work in on time, take some points off for late work or put a limit on how late work can be turned in. Accept late work for good reasons. Don’t punish the innocent. This conclusion proposes a compromise solution to deal with students who don’t turn work in on time. Discuss with your students. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Prediction – student sample
“No late work” policies should be against the law. They make students stressed out, depressed, angry, and tired. If a rule as such is adopted, no one will take part in extra activities offered to them, the Honors Programs will be lacking, students will be falling asleep in class, and grades will begin dropping. Is it really worth it? The prediction is in the center of the conclusion (If a rule as such is adopted, no one will take part in extra activities offered to them, the AP programs will be lacking, students will be falling asleep in class, and grades will begin dropping.) The position is clear and the author ends with a not so rhetorical question. Discuss with your students. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Get into a group of 3 or 4. You will receive a paper with several conclusions on it as well as a copy of “Effective Conclusions.” Discuss characteristics of the conclusions that you see. Label the characteristics in the margins of your paper. Be sure all your names are on the paper before turning it in. You will find two documents in the document folder (Effective conclusions.doc and conclusion samples.doc). Copy both and distribute to students. Have them follow the directions on the slide, collect the papers, and check for understanding. You may use all of the examples or only some of them, dependent on how well your students are able to respond. There is an answer key for the conclusion samples for your use on the last two pages of the document. Notice that the prompt for these conclusions said to write a letter to your principal. Are there indications of who the audience was in the language used by the student(s)? Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Conclusion – practice Get with a partner.
Use your copy of the paper titled Ten Minute Break. With your partner, discuss possible ideas for what you might put in the conclusion. Refer to Effective Conclusions. Students should be with a partner Students should get out their copies of 10 minute break. Partners discuss possibilities for conclusions for this paper. Remind them to refer to the sheet Effective Conclusions as they did previously. This is a WASL paper from 2003. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Conclusions – your turn
Now, on your own, write a conclusion for the Ten Minute Break. You may use any of the ideas you discussed with your partner or new ones of your own. Remember that you are writing to your principal. Think of what would be effective in writing to him or her. Also remember what you wrote in the introduction and connect the conclusion without restating the introduction. When you are finished compare your conclusion with that of your partner. Students will now practice individually writing a conclusion and then comparing their work with another student. Think about the audience -- the principal -- for whom this is being written. (Prompt: Many students in your school feel that they should have a 10-minute break in the morning and afternoon. Decide if you agree or disagree with this proposal. Write a multiple-paragraph letter to your principal persuading him or her go support your position.) As a whole class, share some samples, (document camera or read out loud), and debrief. Discuss what were effective strategies that various students used. If you want to see the original version of the introduction and conclusion, it can be found in the document folder as 10 minute break-orig.doc. Students may be interested in comparing their own introductions and conclusions, as theirs could easily be better. On the other hand, they might want to revise their versions after seeing the original. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Strategies
Expert Testimony Anecdote (Self as Expert) Problem Solving Statistics Rhetorical Questions You will not want to do all of these at one time, but teach one or two as a lesson. The directions tell the student to use their “homework” paper for practice, but you may change the slide or directions to refer to any piece of writing that would be appropriate. Emphasize with students that these strategies are used to develop their writing and to support the author’s position. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expert Testimony Expert testimony - evidence in support of a fact or statement given by a person thought to have special skill or knowledge. According to a noted authority… Mia Hamm says… Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expert Testimony – example
“The effort put in reflects the outcome,” says Professor Plum from the University of Washington. I must say that I have to agree with this powerful message. Example Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Expert Testimony – your turn
Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework. Consider how an expert could support your position. Who would that expert be and what might he/she say? Decide where to add that expert testimony and do so. Share this with your partner. Feel free to change from the homework paper to another topic or paper. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Anecdote – self as expert
Anecdote is a personal experience inserted into your writing in which the audience sees your own expertise or knowledge, and as a result will support your position. I remember the time when I had to carry my… As a seventh grader myself, I happen to know exactly why… Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Anecdote – example Even an A student like myself can forget an assignment once in a while! I think every student should be entitled to the right of having at least one “late pass” per quarter. The writer portrays himself/herself as an expert (Even an A student like myself) and also offers a solution to the problem. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Anecdotes – your turn Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework. Identify some stories you could use to develop your position. Make yourself the expert in the story. Write a short anecdote that might work. Share this with your partner. Feel free to change from the homework paper to another topic or paper. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Compromise or Problem Solving – examples
Compromise or problem solving is when you create a solution that is in between the two points of view. I think we can both agree that this is a pretty good deal. I have the solution to this problem, too. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Compromise or Problem Solving – example
Even if you don’t choose my position on this argument, at least consider this: Make late work be at the teacher’s discretion. Let the teachers decide a fair punishment or penalty, or if late work will be accepted after all. Thank you for taking my ideas into consideration. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Compromise or Problem Solving – example
I also understand that some students would choose not to do their homework and do it later. But I have solutions to this problem, too. A student could have to bring in a note signed by a parent or guardian that says why a student brought his or her work in late. An alternative solution is that homework can only be accepted a select number of days after it was due. This is an example that illustrates problem solving. Read the slide and have students discuss. Determine the effectiveness. You may want to return to this slide later and discuss how the writer has used transitions (But in the second sentence and An alternative solution in the last sentence.) Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Compromise or Problem Solving
You didn’t get grades as high as expected. You are now grounded until the next report cards come out (8 weeks from now). You feel this may be excessive punishment. In small groups, brainstorm possible compromises or solutions. Put them on a chart. Post your chart on the wall and do a gallery walk to see what everyone has written. Put a sticky note by any solutions you really like. Shared writing A gallery walk is simply a walking tour around the room to see what everyone has produced. It’s frequently done in silence. After the gallery walk, note which solutions have several stickies and read them aloud. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Compromise or Problem Solving – your turn
Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework. Identify a compromise or solution you could use in your paper. On your own paper, write what might work. Share this with your partner. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Statistics Inclusion of statistics – using facts and statistics to support your position. Four out of five doctors recommend… Sixty-five percent of this year’s 7th grade students met the standard on the writing WASL. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Statistics – example Sixty-three percent of teachers surveyed on late homework say they would truthfully rather give kids zeros than go through the hassle of grading late homework. Teachers don’t want to waste their time with procrastinators. The No Late Homework Rule will further support this belief. Example Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Statistics – your turn Look at the baseline paper you wrote on homework. Identify some statistics you could use to support your position or argument. Insert one or more statistics that would strengthen your argument. Share this with your partner. Feel free to change from the homework paper to another topic or paper. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Rhetorical Questions Rhetorical questions are questions that have obvious answers. They are often used to involve the audience, create interest, and to introduce your position or argument. A rhetorical question is a particular kind of question which, although it seems to be entirely innocent because it assumes its own answer, is a very persuasive rhetorical device. Here is an example: “How would you like to be in his position?” Obviously the answer is implied in the question and need not be given, yet the effect is to engage the reader's attention persuasively. Have you ever felt the glare of a teacher’s eyes crisping the back of your neck? Hey, I did my homework on time. They didn’t, and they still get credit for it? Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Rhetorical Questions – example
“I’m sorry. I left my work at home. My mom just had a baby, so I was taking care of her, and I just ran out the door without it.” Your teacher smiles at you. “It’s okay. I understand. Just bring it in tomorrow.” Isn’t that a better situation than “Oh, too bad! You don’t get any credit for it”? Example Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Rhetorical Questions – your turn
Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework. Write a rhetorical question that might work to strengthen your argument or position. Share this with your partner. Feel free to change from the homework paper to another topic or paper. At the end of the series of lessons, you can have students sort through the revisions they have added to their baseline paper. They should select those that work most effectively and write a final draft. You may also want to assign a different persuasive prompt. Students apply what they have learned. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasion Scoring Guide
Score of 4 Score of 3 Score of 2 Score of 1  Has a clear position and stays focused on that position.  Shows a keen awareness of the audience.  Selects persuasive words, phrases, and strategies that urge or compel the reader to support a position.  Organizes writing to make the best case to support position.  Uses convincing elaboration: arguments, well-chosen, specific, and relevant details, examples, anecdotes, facts, and/or statistics as evidence for support.  Begins with a compelling opening, and ends with an effective persuasive conclusion, such as a call for action.  Addresses the opposing argument(s) consistently and, if important, refutes.  Uses purposeful transitions consistently to connect position, arguments, and evidence.  Has an identifiable position and stays adequately focused on that position.  Shows an adequate awareness of the audience.  Adequately uses persuasive words, phrases, and strategies to support a position.  Organizes in a manner to persuade the reader.  Adequately uses elaboration which may include arguments, specific, and relevant details, examples, anecdotes, facts, and/or statistics as evidence for support.  Begins with an adequate opening, and ends with an adequate persuasive conclusion.  Adequately addresses the opposing argument(s) and, if important, refutes.  Adequately uses transitions to connect position, arguments, and evidence.  Has an unclear or inconsistent position or may lose focus on that position.  Shows a limited awareness of the audience.  Has limited use of persuasive words, phrases, and strategies to support a position.  Uses a basic organizational pattern to persuade the reader.  Uses limited elaboration to support arguments.  Uses undeveloped or ineffective openings and conclusions, which are often list-like.  Has some consideration of the opposing argument(s).  Uses basic transitions to connect position, arguments, or evidence.  Has vague or no position, or lacks focus.  Shows little or no awareness of the audience.  Has few or no persuasive words, phrases, or strategies to support a position.  Lacks any organizational pattern to persuade the reader.  Has little or no elaboration, often only a list of arguments.  Has no recognizable opening or conclusion.  Has no consideration of opposing arguments.  Uses few or no transitions to connect position, arguments, or evidence. This Persuasive scoring guide.doc is also found in the document folder and can be copied and distributed to each student so that it is readable. Discuss this guide with your students and pull one or two anchor papers from the WASL (on the OSPI website) and compare them to the Persuasive Scoring Guide. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Assessment – your turn Score the paper for effective persuasion using the Persuasion Scoring Guide. Analyze what organizational structures and persuasive strategies have been used. Analyze the introduction and conclusion strategies that have been used. Whole class In the document folder you will find the following papers: Assessment sample 1.doc Assessment sample 2.doc Assessment sample 3.doc Assessment sample 4.doc Discuss papers with the students and compare them to the Scoring Guide. Decide on the elements the papers contain and designate a score. You will notice that samples 2-4 have a first draft and a revised draft so that students can see improvement with the addition of persuasive strategies. For teacher use there is an annotations of assessment.doc in the document folder which may help during the discussions. If you would like further examples of persuasive writing on the same prompt, there are three exemplary papers (from the middle school WASL) in the document folder. Exemplary texts are particularly useful as models for what students can aim for in terms of quality. There are two versions. The first (nolatehomeworknot annotated.doc) has only the papers. The second version (nolatehomeworkannotated.doc) has explanations of the strategies the writers have used. Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Persuasive Writing in the Middle Grades (5-7)

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Persuasive Writing in the Middle Grades (5-7)"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

Persuasive Writing in the Middle Grades (5-7)

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Persuasive Writing in the Middle Grades (5-7)"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback