I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Persuasion

Essential Question:

What personal connections can you bring to the skill of persuasive essay writing?

Bridge:

Reflection Visual

Content:

Persuasive Essay Writing

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To create an experience through which students can make decisions about their reasoning skills.

Activity: Teacher sets this scenario: "Your school district is building a new school. Write down what you would name it and three reasons why."

Assessment: Involvement of students in process.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To have students share their decision-making process and reasoning about their choices.

Activity: Students share and discuss their name choices and the reasoning behind the choice. Students vote on the most connected choice and reason.

Assessment: Involvement of students in process.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To analyze the experience of reasoning.

Activity: Students create a visual depicting the process of persuasion as experienced in the “Naming the New School” vote.

Assessment: Connection of visual to the persuasion process.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To analyze what is "persuasion" and see examples in essay form.

Activity: Read textbook chapter on "persuasion." Read a model "persuasion essay."

Assessment: Teacher questioning for student understanding.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To further explore what is "persuasion."

Activity: Students write an analysis of the model essay read in Quadrant Two Left Mode. Their analysis should use information gleaned about "persuasion" from textbook.

Assessment: Quality of analysis.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Refocus on aspects of "persuasion."

Activity: Write a rough draft of persuasive essay topic chosen by either teacher or students.

Assessment: On-task behavior of students.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: Analyze what has been learned.

Activity: Students take essay home overnight. Have parent or other adult read rough draft and make written comments and suggestions plus sign paper. Students write final draft of persuasive essay.

Assessment: Following instructions; quality of persuasive essay.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To share what has been learned.

Activity: Students read essays aloud to class and then post on bulletin board.

Assessment: Quality of student efforts both written and oral.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: