Blog 7: Teacher and Student Completed

Ok, so I tried using teh website and did teh teacher side last week and pasted the link into my blog. I realized that you probably coudl not access it and was going to fix that this week. However, when I was trying to update teh studnet side using teh Cglearner site this week it just wasn't working right for me. So I have re-done everything to be pasted into the blog directly (both teacher adn student) If you would liek to see what Icreated on teh Cglearner site and you can't get to it, email and I will give you my user name and password. Sorry for the confusion. Here's my lesson...


Age Range: 11-13

Teacher Description

Title: Writing with Persuasive Tools

Discipline: Language Arts

Topic: Writing and literary tools

Description: The goal of this assignment is to empower students to effectively use three types of persuasive tools; emotional arguments, statistical arguments, and bandwagon arguments. Students will be able to identify these types of persuasive tools in media and be able to apply these tools to their own persuasive writing, specifically in the creation of strong body paragraphs in a persuasive essay.
Focus: using the persuasive tools of statistical, emotional, and bandwagon arguments with a focus on structured and rich language
Standards url: http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards
Standard:

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
• Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
• Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
• Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
• Establish and maintain a formal style.
• Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
Objective short: Using persuasive tools effectively
Objective (long): Students will work together to identify and create meaningful persuasive arguments using statistical, emotional, and bandwagon persuasive strategies.
Activities:
1. Opening: Students will work with a partner at the start of the lesson to match examples given to them of the three types of the arguments (emotional, statistical, and bandwagon). They will have the match the example with the term they think it resents.
2. Students will come up with what they think the definition is for the three terms relative to persuasive writing – they will create this definition together
3. Students will watch three commercials, with each commercial representing a different type of persuasion, they will go back to their partner to analyze the definition they created
4. A class discussion will be held about the three types of persuasion and how to effectively implement them into a strong body paragraph in a persuasive essay
5. Students will go back with their partner where they will be assigned a controversial topic and will have to choose which side of the topic they will choose to defend and persuade others to come to seeing the topic the way they do
6. Students will collaboratively write a strong body paragraph relative to their topic using ONE of the three types of persuasion
7. One of the two students will read their paragraph to the class and the class will analyze the paragraphs strengths and weaknesses in a whole group discussion
8. Closing: Students will write a paragraph on their own on the same topic but using one of the two types of persuasion that they did not use with their partner

Assessment:

1. Students will be assessed in whole group discussion on their understanding of the definition of the three types of persuasion – emotional, statistics, and bandwagon

2. Student partner groups’ definitions will be collected and assessed

3. Students’ partner created body paragraphs using one of the three types of persuasion will be collected and assessed for argument effectiveness as well as grammar and structure

4. Individual students’ paragraphs (closing activity) will be collected and assessed for argument effectiveness as well as grammar and structure

Pathways: This is a good lead into writing an overall persuasive essay in a timed writing situation (this is asked of students on many state assessments). If students can create three strong arguments that turn into strong body paragraphs they can then go back and write the introductory and concluding paragraphs last in quick and thorough manner. This can assist in writing an essay that is neatly tied together and done in a more timely fashion.

Modes of meaning:
1. Written: This assignment is heavy in writing and writing development through the persuasive paragraph development both in partners and on their own
2. Spoken: This lesson has lots of partner work where they analyze writing and co-create writing through critical dialogue about different ideas
3. Visual: Students have to visually examine the commercials and look for images that help them determine the style of persuasion being used
4. Audio: Students have to listen to the writing of their peers as they read it and to the commercials to critically analyze types and quality of persuasive tool use
5. Spatial: none
6. Gestural: none
7. Tactile: none



Student Description
Title: Writing with Persuasive Tools

Discipline: Language Arts

Topic: Grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, and language

Description: Students will build their ability to use persuasive arguments in their writing by focusing on three types of persuasion; emotional, statistical, and bandwagon. Students will learn to select the best arguments and how to stay focused on one argumentative style per paragraph. Basic paragraph structure and grammar will also be a focus for students in this lesson.
Focus: to create one, well written body paragraph that would be in a persuasive essay that is well structured, focused on one persuasive style of the three introduced, and has good transitions and rich language
Objective short: Writing focused persuasive paragraph
Objective long: Student will create one body paragraph for a persuasive essay on a selected topic. The paragraph will use one of the three persuasive tools effectively include smooth transitions, rich language, and logical arguments. Students will select arguments that they can best articulate not that they feel most emotionally connected to.
Activities:
1. With a partner I have to select given examples to one of the three persuasive terms (emotional, bandwagon, statistical) that I feel the example can connect with. I will have to talk with my partner to get a rough understanding of what I think these terms mean. After I have matched examples with the terms, my partner and I will write a formal definition for the three terms and be ready to share our version of the definition with the class.

2. Next, we will watch three commercial that represent the three different persuasive styles. After this, I will go back with my partner and see if we want to add to or adjust the definitions we created.

3. I will participate in a class discussion where we will find a common understanding of the definitions and talk about the examples and what persuasive style they reflect and why. Next, with my partner, we will be given a topic where we will have to pick a side and write a persuasive argument. We will co-create a body paragraph that utilizes one of the three persuasive tools focusing on structure, argument quality, transitions, and grammar. All paragraph, including ours, will be shared with the class and critiqued by the teacher and my peers.

4. Finally, I will be given another topic where I will have to write a body paragraph of my own using a different persuasive tool but focused on the same goals relative to the paragraph.
Pathways: This leads to students being better prepared to think critically about their own writing and about analyzing arguments, including messages the see in the media. It leads to more critical thinking about their writing and that of their peers. It also leads to better 21st Century Skills including collaboration and creativity.