Unit Overview

Unit Title: Persuasive Writing Developed by: Christian Brady Grade: 6th Subject: LA Genre: Persuasive

Length/Time: 4 40-minute class periods

Desired Results and Learning Outcomes

Prerequisite Skills: Students should not require much to be able to complete this unit. Students need to be familiar with the paragraph writing format, as well as having a little prerequisite knowledge regarding the definition of persuasion. Key Vocabulary in this Unit: Reasons, supporting details, persuasive, anecdotes Materials: (e.g., internet resources and supplies) Computers for typing, pencils, papers, persuasive packets. Texts: (e.g., mentor texts) Writing to Persuade, Kathleen Rogers, 1987 Unit Summary: In a few sentences, describe the topic(s) and key activities that the students will engage in during the unit. In this unit, the students will be learning about persuasive writing, with the ultimate goal to be able to write a persuasive paragraph. Students will spend a couple of days learning about reasons, supporting opinions, supporting examples, and then the students will put what they have learned into use into writing a paragraph. Students will be doing most of the activities in class with a packet created from relevant pages of the text. Targeted Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.A Introduce claims and organize the reasons and evidence clearly CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.B Support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

Objectives: Given a writing prompt, students will be able to produce a persuasive paragraph using 3 reasons and 3 supporting details. Students will be able to clearly define anecdote, persuasive, supporting reason, and supporting examples when given the context in which they appear. Enduring Understanding (Big Ideas): Essential Question(s)--overarching and topical:

Persuasive writing occurs all around us in many forms, so it is important to be able to How can persuasive writing be useful to us outside the classroom? write to persuade.
How can we use personal experiences to shape persuasive writing? What makes a piece of writing persuasive?

As the result of this unit, Students will know (concepts)

The components necessary to write persuasively. What makes a piece of writing persuasive.

As the result of this unit, Students will be able to (skills)

Write an effective persuasive piece. Identify supporting reasons and details in others writing.

Assessment
Performance Task(s): (a)What will students do to demonstrate their learning? Students will create a paragraph using at least three reasons and supporting details to illustrate their understanding of persuasive writing. (b) What criteria will you use to assess student performance? (Attach checklist, rubric, etc. or explain criteria)
Students will be given checklists and rubrics to know what is expected in their writing samples.

Other Evidence (preassessment, formative, summative): Formative: Students will be completing worksheets throughout the process to illustrate their understanding of the concepts. Summative: The paragraph will serve as the summative assessment. How will students reflect and selfassess their own learning? Students will reflect on the writing process, including what they found

to be easy, challenging, and how they felt their work represented their learning.

Learning Plan
Students will be given an assignment to look up an ad, and then answer questions about what made the ad persuasive or not. This will transition into having the students share what they found to be persuasive and what they found to be ineffective. A chart will be made in class. Students will practice skills they identified as persuasive. For example, students should find that persuasive ads usually give reasons. Students will then practice this skill. This will continue with practicing with examples, details, and anecdotes. Students will practice writing along the way using the skills they have just learned. For example, they will write a piece trying to convince a friend to eat healthier by giving them three reasons to do so. The same practice will continue with the other skills as well. When students make it through the packet, they will be given a prompt that they are to persuade me that an important change needs to be made to a place where they spend a large amount of time. The students will have to put the skills they have learned into practice in order to write a convincing argument.

Meeting the Needs of All Learners

How will you Differentiate instruction (e.g., flexible grouping, self-selection of product)? Students can write about different topics that interest them. Furthermore, for group activities, they will be allowed to be placed in strategic groups to encourage a positive learning environment. Accommodate students with special needs (e.g., use of assistive technology)? There is only one student in my class who has an IEP, and it is for a language needs. Therefore, there is an aide present in the class to help her out with her needs. She can be given extra time on assignments, and is graded with slightly lowered standards. Provide culturally responsive instruction to English learners or dialect speakers (e.g., scaffold instruction, comprehensible input, multicultural texts)?

As previously stated, there is an aide present to help out with the ELL student in the class. There are also multiple prompts and guiding questions in the writing assignment to allow for an easier understanding of what is expected in the final product. The final prompt also allows all students to write about what is relevant to them, making this a more accessible final product. Can she write it in her first language before translating it?