DUE THURSDAY, MARCH 28TH BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY

Name: Period: Date:

Assignment Sheet

Persuasive Essay

Have you ever wanted to convince someone that your opinion is right? Are there things in your school, city, state, country or world you think should change? Persuasion is the act of causing someone to do something by means of argument or reasoning. If you communicate clearly, and support your opinion with evidence, you can persuade your readers to agree with you. Persuasive writing and speaking is often the first step in creating change.
In persuasive writing, a writer takes a position FOR or AGAINST an issue and writes to convince the reader to believe or do something. In order to convince the reader you need more than opinion; you need facts or examples to back your opinion. Persuasive writing follows a particular format. It has an INTRODUCTION (hook), a BODY where the argument is developed, and a CONCLUSION. After writing an essay, like any other piece of writing, you should read, revise, peer edit before publishing the final product. Before starting, check the RUBRIC to see how you will be evaluated, as well as, all the ingredients required to write the essay.

As a general guideline, when writing a persuasive essay:

Have a firm opinion that you want your reader to accept. Begin with a grabber or hook to get the reader's attention. Offer evidence to support your opinion by using your sources. Conclude with a restatement of what you want the reader to do or believe. Use your graphic organizer to help you.

An example of a persuasive essay topic would be: Topic: The effects of locker searches Your opinion/position: I believe that since the locker is on school property then the school should be able to search them whenever they want.
***Dont forget: Transitions are words and phrases that connect ideas and show how they are related. Use your transition handout.

What Will You Be Doing?

You will be writing a 3 paragraph Persuasive Essay in which you will choose a position on a selected topic and persuade the reader why your position is the right one: The first paragraph will include an introduction (hook), your position, and the opposing sides argument. The second paragraph will be used to explain WHY the opposing sides argument is wrong. You will prove this by providing FACTS and EXAMPLES that support your argument. The third paragraph will provide a concluding sentence (For these reasons, I believe thatBECAUSE). You will also provide a call to action, in which you will provide the reader with a solution to the issue. Learning Targets for this Assignment: Write a thesis statement. Research a topic, finding evidence that both supports and refutes a thesis. Cite sources completely and correctly. Write a rough draft. Edit the work of another writer. You will only have 5 class periods to complete this unit, so your attendance is extremely important. You will be graded on both your participation in daily activities and your completion of persuasive essay. Each day we will have an activity that will be due at the end of the period. If you choose to waste your class time, you will receive a ZERO on your participation points for the day. These points cannot be made up. The final essay is due by the end of the period on March 28th (Thursday). I will NOT accept late-work.

Day 1: Monday, March 18th

DETERMINE YOUR TOPIC and WRITE THESIS STATEMENT. Brainstorm list of supporting evidence, as well as counter-claims, using graphic organizer. .Write list of researchable questions Due: Completed graphic organizer (10 points) Homework: Write 2 researchable questions on your research organizer for each argument

Day 2: Wednesday, March 20th

Research your questions and document your research using research organizer in packet. Fill out essay outline using information collected during research Due: Completed research organizer (10 points) Homework: Essay outline due Friday

Day 3: Friday, March 22nd

Type a Rough Draft. Save and print Rough Draft. Due: Rough Draft (10 points)

Day 4: Tuesday, March 26th

Peer-Editing activity. Revise rough draft. Print second draft. Due: Peer-Editing Rubric (10 points)

Day 5: Thursday, March 28th

Edit and revise as needed. Print Final draft. Read through the final draft before turning it in. Turn in final draft by end of period Due: FINAL COPY OF ESSAY DUE AT END OF PERIOD!!!

If you are going to be absent on any of these days, you are responsible for emailing all make-up work to me the day it is due. If you are going to be absent on the day the final essay is due (March 28th) you must find a way to get the essay to me on or before that day. I will NOT accept your essay after spring break. You can put your essay in Mrs. Reeds box or e-mail me (stau2919@vandals.uidaho.edu) the essay by no later than 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 28th.