Curated OER
Candide: Problematic Situation
"Would a rational and well-regulated world include human suffering?" "If the plight of human suffering is the 'best of all possible worlds' do humans have freewill?" Class members develop their position on an issue raised by Candide,...
Scholastic
Back from the Dead
If you could bring back one extinct animal, what would it be? That is the question your class will ponder. Your budding scientists read a passage, follow a cloning timeline, and review a diagram about the process of reviving a woolly...
Curated OER
Short Story Lesson Plan: “The Californian’s Tale”
Middle schoolers explore the theme of "The Californian's Tale" by Mark Twain. After reading Twain's short story, they identify and study its literary theme. Additionally, they analyze information and relationships in the piece, and write...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Many Bens: Character Revealed in Writing
Benjamin Franklin may be known as a Founding Father, but he was also a prolific writer. Scholars examine his better-known pieces to learn about genre, voice, and early American history. The resource includes options for various...
Carolina K-12
The Electoral College
Is the Electoral College the best method of electing the president of the United States? Your young historians will write a persuasive essay discussing the historical perspective of the college, pros and cons, and a final argument for or...
WindWise Education
How Do You Feel About Wind Energy?
Tell me what you really think. The class reviews articles related to wind energy to see how the author uses words, phrases, and images to sway the reader. Through a class discussion, individuals share their feelings from the media...
Global Oneness Project
The Consciousness of Nature
Scholars voice their opinions about animal consciousness with an article that challenges common ideas about nature. After reading the article, learners engage in a thoughtful discussion before writing out their arguments in a persuasive...
Anti-Defamation League
Microaggressions In Our Lives
Defining, identifying, and learning how to counter microaggression is the lesson's focus for high schoolers. Learners examine a definition of the term, write about their own experiences with microaggression, watch short video examples,...
Curated OER
Persuasion Map
The Persuasion Map, a one-page graphic organizer from Houghton Mifflin, not only makes visual the logical organization structure of persuasive writing, but also provides young writers a chance to organize and record facts they will use...
C-SPAN
Civil Rights Movement: Sit-Ins
Part of the protests of the Civil Rights Movement were small scale sit-ins at lunch counters. This form of on-the-ground activism is the focus of a C-SPAN resource that includes four video-clips about the sit-ins by pupils at a lunch...
Curated OER
The death penalty; What is your view?
Students write a persuasive essay about the death penalty. Students respond to students at St. Ignatius Catholic High School in Cleveland protesting the death of Adremy Dennis. Students research both sides of the debate, before writing...
Curated OER
The Purpose and Power of Persuasion
Examine the power of persuasion and have learners consider how it influences events in their own lives. After reading and analyzing informational texts to understand the author's purpose, class members take a written test and craft a...
Curated OER
Finding the dress code balance
Students write a persuasive essay, expressing their opinions of how the school dress code should be changed. Students investigate their own school's dress code, developing their own opinions of whether the dress code should be more or...
Curated OER
Tibet and China
Students evaluate primary documents that provide different perspectives about the Tibet/China conflict. They identify sources of economic and governmental conflicts. Students create a political cartoon and write persuasive essay on the...
Curated OER
A Thanksgiving Language Lesson!
Sixth graders, in groups, create restaurants, menus, and advertisements to attract Thanksgiving Day customers.
Curated OER
Persuasive Advertisement For A Novel
Sixth graders engage in a project to persuade classmates to read a certain novel. They create a poster using persuasive advertising language. Media can be included in the form of pictures and other graphics to make the visual...
Curated OER
Take a Stand
Students defend their stances regarding topics. In this writing process lesson, students read The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal and participate in writing activities that require them to determine how the feel about a controversial topic...
Curated OER
Using Pictures and Slogans to Persuade an Audience!
Pupils discuss how writers use various techniques to persuade an audience and examine examples used in the media. They interpret their thoughts and feelings about pictures, symbols and slogans and create an advertisement using the...
Curated OER
How To Be Persuasive in an Entertainment Review
Students write persuasively through description and word choice while reviewing a topic of interest to them.
Curated OER
Persuasive Letters and The Tell Tale Heart
Students write persuasive letters based on "The Tell Tale Heart." They brainstorm topic sentences, main ideas, and details. They analyze the character and determine if he is innocent or guilty. They create a map listing their reasons to...
Curated OER
Paint My Counties: Map Coloring the Counties of Arizona
Fourth graders identify the counties of Arizona. For this social studies lesson, 4th graders color a county map of Arizona using the fewest number of colors possible. Students write a persuasive paragraph.
Curated OER
Famous Kansans
Fourth graders research famous Kansans. In this language arts lesson, 4th graders select a famous Kansan and write a persuasive nomination for inclusion in a Hall of Fame.
Curated OER
Creating Student Advertising
Students explore common advertising strategies used by the media. In this advertising lesson, students identify persuasive language in advertisements and construct their own persuasive ad.
Curated OER
Of Mice and Men: Persuasive Paper
Students write a four paragraph persuasive paper on Of Mice and Men. In this Of Mice and Men lesson, students take a position on whether or not George should have killed Lennie. Students are given a paragraph-by-paragraph guide to assist...