Students’ age range: 14-16

Topic: Persuasive Writing

 

Description: Overall, the lesson allowed students to examine and become more familiar with persuasive writing techniques.

1. After students free write on the topic (described above), the teacher will allow several students to share their writing with the class.
2. The teacher will share the lesson’s objectives with students. She will ask them to pay attention to a commercial that she will play. She will then facilitate a large group discussion for about five minutes, asking students question that will lead them into sharing their views in the commercial and the persuasive techniques used in the commercial.
3. She will then allow students the opportunity to form 5 groups. One group will be presented with another commercial to view, two groups will be given a speech and the other two groups will be presented with printed advertisements. Students, once in groups, will engage in the small group discussions as described above.
4. One representative from each group will summarize the content of their advertisements or speeches then will summarize the responses of the group members. The teacher will make note of techniques identified as each group shares.
5. The teacher will recap the various persuasive devices identified and examined by the groups and will also share information on any device that they might have left out.
6. Students will be presented with a list of topics. They will select one, create a outline and write the draft of a persuasive paragraph that will include at least two of the persuasive devices noted in class.
7. Students will exchange papers with a partner and complete a brief peer-review form on their drafts.