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Persuasive writing: The importance of work permits

In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 1.5

In this lesson, students will read about child labor laws and work permits, and will write a persuasive paper based on what they've learned.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 English Language Arts)

By Andrea Fedon, Gail Frank, and Cindy Neininger.

Resources on the web

Adopt a lot

Students identify a place in the community that needs to be improved and develop a plan to renew the area. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts and Science)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Authentic persuasive writing to promote summer reading

This ReadWriteThink lesson invites students to create brochures and flyers that suggest books and genres to explore during the summer months. Rather than a teacher-centered requirement, summer reading becomes a student-driven exploration with brochures... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Battling for liberty: Tecumseh's and Patrick Henry's language of resistance

This lesson challenges students to think critically about how people resist oppression through the spoken word. By examining two speeches by Chief Tecumseh of the Shawnee alongside Patrick Henry's famous “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Book report alternative: A character's letter to the editor

This lesson that focuses on Carl Hiaasen’s Newbery Honor Book Hoot, includes an exploration of the genre of letters to the editor, a review of persuasive writing structure and letter format, and an emphasis on multi-draft... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Can you convince me?: Developing persuasive writing

In this lesson, students are introduced to the basic concept of persuasive argument. After participating in a classroom game that challenges them to convince classmates they deserve a reward, students choose their own persuasive piece to analyze and learn... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

A case for reading: Examining challenged and banned books

Any work is potentially open to attack by someone, somewhere, sometime, for some reason. This lesson introduces students to censorship and how challenges to books occur then invites them to read a challenged or banned book and decide for themselves what... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Censorship in the classroom: Understanding controversial issues

It is important for young people to understand their individual rights and what they, as citizens, can do to protect these rights. In addition, young people need to understand the way in which bias and stereotyping are used by the media to influence popular... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Communicating on local issues: Exploring audience in persuasive letter writing

This lesson from ReadWriteThink presents students with the task of researching and taking a position on a local issue. Focusing on process writing, students brainstorm, plan and evaluate persuasive writing products with their peers. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Copyright infringement or not? The debate over downloading music

This lesson takes advantage of students’ interest in music and audio sharing as part of a persuasive debate unit. After assessing their own opinions on the matter, students investigate the controversial topic of downloading music from the Internet. Students... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Dear Librarian: Writing a persuasive letter

In this lesson, students use online writing tools to plan and write a persuasive letter to their school librarian requesting new books be added to the library collection. After students have read Emily’s Runaway Imagination,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Exploring free speech and persuasion with "Nothing but the Truth"

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, after reading the novel Nothing But The Truth, students discuss the protagonist Phillip and his right to free speech as well as their own rights. Students examine various Web sites to research First Amendment... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Finding common ground: Using logical, audience-specific arguments

In this lesson that explores persuasive and argumentative writing, students compose their thoughts about their position on a hypothetical situation and the arguments they would use to convince their audience. Then, students consider the opposite point of... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 and 11–12 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

From Friedan forward—considering a feminist perspective

Students write letters expressing their views on an important and potentially controversial topic—feminism. After students have read “We” by Mary Grimm, they analyze certain quotes from the piece and participate in a small group discussion... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Literary characters on trial: Combining persuasion and literary analysis

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students read a work of literature as a class then brainstorm “crimes” committed by characters from that text. Groups of students work together to act as the prosecution or defense for the selected characters,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Power of Nonviolence

This lesson introduces students to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolence and the teachings of Mohandas K. Gandhi that influenced King's views. After considering the political impact of this philosophy, students explore its relevance to personal... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: EDSITEment

Myth and truth: The Gettysburg Address

By exploring myths surrounding the “Gettysburg Address,” this lesson asks students to think critically about commonly believed “facts” about this important speech and the Civil War. Students participate in a pre-reading writing activity... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 11 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

The penny problem

In this lesson from EconEdLink, students explore possibilities for “phasing out” the penny from the United States money supply. This lesson incorporates links to a variety of web resources. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: EconEdLink

Persuading an audience: Writing effective letters to the editor

In this lesson designed to develop persuasive writing skills, students evaluate letters to the editor from a variety of newspapers. Student identify common characteristics found in these letters and discuss the importance of purpose and audience in persuasive... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Persuasive essay: Environmental issues

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students explore environmental issues that are relevant to their own lives, self-select topics, and gather information to write persuasive essays. Although this lesson focuses on the environment as a broad topic, many other... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink