Virginia Department of Education
Deciding the Mode
Are your young writers having difficulty distinguishing between expository and persuasive writing? Discuss the difference between the two, and how some prompts can be responded to in either fashion. Included here is a simple lesson plan...
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Advanced Making a Formal Argument Too Many Cooks
Give middle and high school writers an opportunity to form an opinion and use supporting details to support it. They respond to the statement "Too many cooks spoil the broth." There is an example answer provided, but I would remove it...
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The Book Thief: The Power and Influence of Words
To culminate a study of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, individuals craft a persuasive essay in which they assume the voice of a member of one of the political parties during the early 1920s, and advocate that their party offers the...
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Opinion Writing: Live at Home or Move Out?
In this opinion writing worksheet, students write a piece expressing their opinion on whether or not they want to live at home or move out after college.
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The Art of Persuasion
Students write a persuasive letter. In this persuasion lesson, students listen to the story Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School and discuss the vocabulary and parts of a persuasive letter. They write their own letter to...
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Pictures and Slogans Persuade an Audience
Students discover relationships between advertisement and persuasive techniques. In this literacy and consumer education lesson, students select magazine or newspaper advertisements that use symbols, pictures, and slogans to...
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Hands on Essays
Third graders relate the concept of individuality of geometric shapes to the individuality of topic sentences. They write and revise a persuasive argument essay using an established rubric.
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Making the Personal Political
Students identify controversial topics on which they have strong opinions and model their own persuasive opinion pieces after the featured article. They compose persuasive essays on controversial issues that "hit home" for them.
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Persuasive Pressures
Students investigate various lobbying groups, then practice lobbying tactics by writing and presenting speeches advocating important local issues.
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Critical Literacy in the 21st Century
Listen to Sitti's Secrets and have your class discuss their opinions about Arab families. They will become familiar with the Palestinian /Arabic Culture through a critical literacy focus. Young scholars will write a...
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Texas in the Mirror
Students research their own and others' perceptions about Texas and become familiar with various symbols from other cultures. In this Texas in the Mirror lesson plan, students write a web page with a picture of a Texan symbol. Students...
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Taking a Closer Look (Critical Viewing)
Young scholars explore persuasive writing in advertisements. In this advertisements lesson, students evaluate tobacco advertisements for persuasion techniques. Young scholars then create a counter advertisement against smoking.
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8th Grade Writing - Motivation, Organization and Emotion
Using relevant, current events with historic literature makes for great writing.
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Paint My Counties: Map Coloring the Counties of Arizona
Fourth graders identify the counties of Arizona. In this social studies lesson, 4th graders color a county map of Arizona using the fewest number of colors possible. Students write a persuasive paragraph.
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Famous Kansans
Fourth graders research famous Kansans. In this language arts lesson, 4th graders select a famous Kansan and write a persuasive nomination for inclusion in a Hall of Fame.
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Creating Student Advertising
Students explore common advertising strategies used by the media. In this advertising instructional activity, students identify persuasive language in advertisements and construct their own persuasive ad.
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Commercials/Ads
Students write a persuasive commercial and advertisement. In this commercial lesson, students write a 20 second commercial that persuades people and shares the most important aspects of the company. They evaluate newspaper ads and create...
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The Gentle Art of Persuasion: Techniques for Persuading Different Audiences
Students examine the use of persuasive arguments to varying audiences. They define persuasion, read and discuss an article on whether P.E. should be optional, summarize the pros and cons of P.E., and write a letter or a speech.
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Land of Milk and Honey: Propaganda and the Colonies
Fourth graders explore the concept of propaganda. In this colonial settlement lesson, 4th graders examine primary resources pertaining to the settlement of North Carolina by colonists. They write a persuasive journal entry convincing a...
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Book Selling Project
Students create oral presentations and posters about a book they have read. They try and interest their classmates to read the book by writing persuasive reports.
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Eighth graders read the novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and then watch a movie based on the novel. They write an essay comparing the movie to the book.
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Editorial Writing
Students Write a persuasive essay that contains effective introductory and summary statements; arranges the arguments effectively; and fully develops the ideas with convincing proof, details, facts, examples, and descriptions. They write...
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Write Your Own Cultural Connections
Students write a cultural narrative. In this multicultural writing lesson, students create an expository narrative to teach others about their lives. Students complete the narrative and use a buddy editing strategy to revise their papers.
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Pride and Prejudice: Discussion Web
Both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have proud moments, but who is more prideful? Explore Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with a discussion web that compares both characters in a brainstorming graphic organizer. Each side provides...