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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Non-Fiction Texts

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine different types of non-fiction texts. In this non fiction lesson, 3rd graders use different types of texts to gather information. Students work in groups to analyze the texts for author's purpose, common themes, and...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Persuasion Portfolios

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
After class members brainstorm a list of current social and political issues, groups each select a different topic from the list to research. Teams create a portfolio of at least 10 examples of stories about their issue, stories that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Author's Purpose

For Teachers 5th Standards
Determining an author's purpose can help readers understand a text more deeply. Using a PIES chart (persuade, inform, entertain, share) and poems from Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems by Barbara Rogasky, class members organize lines that show...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Summer of the Monkeys

For Teachers 6th - 8th
While reading the book Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls, the class ties together the core reading objectives, which are making predictions, comprehending new information, reading for author's purpose, independence in reading, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pourquoi Tales

For Teachers 5th
Lead a web search for information on writers and discuss the craft of purposeful writing as a class. Your students investigate "pourquoi tales" which are "why" stories. and then write their own examples of pourquoi stories to share in a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marketing to Teens: Parody Ads

For Teachers 8th - 11th
High schoolers deconstruct advertising messages by analyzing parody ads and exploring the purpose of satire. Then they create their own parodies based on real ads discussed in class. A creative activity to extend any study of media,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Persuasion and Parallel Structure

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Discuss the definition of parallel structure with your high school class. In small groups, they read a section of "The Declaration of Independence" to identify examples of parallel structure. Each learner writes an essay explaining the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Purpose and Power of Persuasion

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders are introduced to and discuss the power of persuasion. After reading text, they identify the author's purpose, perspective and argument. They write their own fiction and non-fiction texts and develop a perspective after...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Expressing Your Views to the Letter

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Analyze the motivation, purpose, and value of letters to the editor by examining letters written in response to the violence at Columbine High School. For homework, middle and high schoolers write their own letters to the editor about an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Persuasion in Print

For Teachers 9th
Advertisers target teenagers. Groups select three magazine advertisements for similar products, analyze the appeals used in each, create a poster that features the persuasive techniques used, and present their findings to the class. The...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Persuasive Practice: A Mt. Rushmore Addition

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Budding authors research a US President and persuade the National Park Service to add him to Mt. Rushmore. In addition to the persuasive essay, individuals are required to develop a visual presentation using a web-based software that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Propaganda

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How does word choice affect the reading of a text? Compare two headlines that were written about the same event. Is one biased? Discuss how word choice often reveals the author's feelings about a topic. Then look at different techniques...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying an Author's Purpose

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students read, "Research Shows TV PSAs Effective In Reducing Teen Marijuana Use", discuss the article with questions imbedded in the lesson and write their own PSA.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Junk Mail Explosion, Why You Buy and How Ads Persuade

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students increase their awareness of persuasion tactics used in "junk mail" advertising.
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Lesson Plan
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Teaching Tolerance

Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice | Advertisements Promoting Activism

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Activism can create real change. Class members examine a series of photographs that represent a different form of activism. Individuals then craft a persuasive speech in which they argue why the photo they chose is the best example of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are You For Real?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students try to find newspaper and magazine articles that are informative or persuasive. They practice determining the differences between the two types of articles. They identify the devices authors use to persuade the audience.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Did You Write That?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders use actual written media to identify and discuss an author's purpose for writing. They identify the author's purpose in a selection from the newspaper, and write a short description of how they came to their conclusion.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Persuade Me

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students develop their writing skills. In this writing strategies lesson, students examine persuasive writing techniques on order to write persuasive mailers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Media Literacy Analyzed

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Fourth and fifth graders define the term media literacy, then come up with examples that they share with the class. The types of media studied are auditory, visual, and written. Learners get together in pairs and perform a media...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bill of Rights: Debating the Amendments

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Provide your class with an opportunity to investigate an important historical document. Without identifying the document, distribute copies of the original Bill of Rights, as transcribed by John Beckley, Clerk of the House of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Everyone's an Author

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine variety of written pieces of quality fiction, discuss what different story elements are present and how those elements make stories as effective as they are, and create a class story.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Formal versus Informal Language

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Engage in an activity that focuses on the concepts of formal and informal language use. Middle and high schoolers compare and contrast each style by using a Venn diagram that includes some examples. They read and hear a passage of lyrics...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Autobiography

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders read and write autobiographical sketches, determine the author's purpose in writing, and type paragraphs using WP utilities.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Lorax Explorations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers read and debate the purpose of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, analyze its story elements, and write their own The Lorax II.