"Friend, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." Those words begin one of the most persuasive speeches in literature. Explore the elements of persuasion in a series of lessons related to William Shakespeare's Julius...

As the saying goes, art often imitates life ... and literature! A series of activities designed to accompany a visit to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art encourage writers to find inspiration in various landscapes. The lesson includes a...

Have you just visited an art museum? Or can you create a gallery in your classroom to visit? Pupils create an original drawing that reinforces what was learned in a visit to the art museum. They will view original art work and verbally...

Revisit the documentaries viewed in the previous lesson in this series in order to take a look at the persuasive techniques employed by the documentary creators. Small groups watch the films a second time, taking notes on two provided...

"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...

Consumer technology has made it possible for filmmakers to create entire movies from the comfort of their home computer. Guide high school film buffs through the process of designing a documentary with an extensive unit published by...

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...

Learners formulate a definition of art in the introductory instructional activity for a unit on various art forms. The learning emphasis is placed on Oregonian artist Duff Severe and reflective writing. Learners compose an essay...

Students practice persuasive writing by creating a travel brochure.  In this creative writing lesson, students research a popular tourist destination they would like to visit and create a brochure enticing readers to come....

Students look for visual signs of protest and persuasion in the world around them. They develop inquiry questions to guide their investigation and identify ideas for their own art making focused on protest or persuasion.

Here is a tasty topic for a lesson: Christmas candy! Third and fourth graders research classic Christmas candies, then create their very own! They write a descriptive paragraph about their candy, then use KidPix to create an illustration...

Discuss tone and imagery with Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress." In an attempt to get his fair lady to consummate their relationship, he write a poem urging her to seize the day! Introduce the author to your high school class,...

What is an advocate? Help high schoolers understand the issues forcing refugees to leave their home country. After gaining some information on the subject, high schoolers create a dynamic presentation and persuasive essay encouraging...

Are you just about to teach persuasion in your class? If so, you should consider this short unit. In small groups, learners create a product, develop a magazine ad for the product, and pitch this product to the class using a visual...

Relate the structure of the essay to the structure of a building. The class compares an essay to a building, with the writer being the architect, the introduction being the foundation, and so on. They use the visual representation of a...

What teenager can't relate to the drama of a love triangle? Scholars put their literary skills to use in a gripping role-play drama. William Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona unfolds as the classroom becomes a stage of...

Students plan and execute a relief print that attempts to protest or persuade. They focus on effective definition of shape, use of symbols, and impact on their intended viewers.

High schoolers plan and execute a mural, in small groups, that attempts to protest or persuade. They focus on effective definition of shape, use of symbols, and impact on their intended viewers.

Young scholars discuss persuasive messages in art. In this art history lesson plan, students research 17th- century European sculptures to find the messages given. They create their own sculptures and write press releases to explain...

Students explore New Jersey. In this New Jersey social studies lesson, students define vocabulary and participate in activities centered around the agriculture, geography, industry, history, and culture of New Jersey. Students construct...

Observation is a key skill any scientist, artist, or writer needs to hone. Learners first discuss Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, then they set up a place to observe the people in their school. They closely observe and sketch what...

Using a "Hamburger" essay outline and actual hamburger buns, you will demonstrate the role a thesis plays in a persuasive essay. This is a simplistic visual representation of how an argumentative paper should be composed and not an...

Sixth graders study eight persuasive techniques that occur in a variety of media types. They write a persuasive essay and present it to the class. They create a "new product" for which they produce an advertisement using persuasive...

During Christmas time, use common carols and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker music as the basis for writing advertisements. Learners can work in teams or individually as they listen to songs via the links provided. A "Christmas Music Comparison...