Persuasive Writing Prompts

P h a r r - S a n J u a n - A l a m o I S D

6 0 1 E K e l l y , P h a r r , T e x a s 7 8 5 7 7

9 5 6 - 3 5 4 - 2 0 0 0

Eng. II Curriculum Team Teacher generated STAAR formatted prompts that could be

used as Extended Learning Opportunities

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Table of Contents Prompt Page Number

A person’s thoughts vs. their actions 2

Drug testing for food stamps 3

Electronic devices 4

English immersion 5

Foreign Language 6

Impact of technology 7

Money or happiness 8

Religion 9

Sharing secrets 10

Standardized testing

What others think vs. who you are

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12

2

Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Some people define themselves by what they believe, while other allow their actions to speak for them.

Write an essay stating your position on which is more important what a person thinks or what a person does.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

“Authentic patriotism is not about you, what you believe or what you think is right…Authentic

patriotism is not an opinion. It is an action.”

Stephen Kiernan

3

Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Originally, the Social Security Act was created for Americans who were too old to work or in economic

distress. At that time, the early 1930’s, only a handful of citizens had private pensions that they could fall back

on if they lost a job or were no longer able to maintain a job due to their advanced age.

Write an essay stating your position on whether people should be drug tested to be able to receive food stamps.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

“Successful people have a social responsibility to make the world a better place and not just

take from it.”

Carrie Underwood

Read more at

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/social_responsibility.html#8AFDtlrwbKTorKwj.99

Read more at

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/social_responsibility.html#8AFDtlrwbKTorKwj.99

Stephen Kiernan

4

Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Many teens today have cell phones, iPods, iPads, etc. While most educational institutions have banned

technology form the classrooms, other believe that the ability to quickly access the web for discussion

information can be beneficial for the students. Think about whether or not electronic devices should be allowed

in school and why.

Write an essay stating your position on whether or not cell phones and/or other electronic devices are beneficial

in an academic environment.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

One look at an email can rob you of fifteen minutes of focus. One call on your cellphone, one

tweet, one instant massage can destroy our schedule, forcing you to move to meetings, or blow

off really important things like love and friendship.

Jacqueline Leo

5

Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Many school districts offer students who are native speakers of another language the opportunity to take classes

in their native tongue (dual language programs) so that they can better understand their classes and not lag

behind their peers. Some people believe that students need to be immersed in English in order to succeed.

Write an essay stating your position on whether or not non-native students would benefit by being placed in

English-only classes.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character

and growth of its speakers.

Cesar Chavez

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Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

In our increasingly global society, where people are competing for the high-paying jobs, many believe that all

students should be required to learn a foreign language in early childhood, or elementary school. Europe and

other nations have long required students to be subjected to Spanish and other languages, as well.

Write an essay stating your position on whether a foreign language should be a requirement in early childhood

education in the United States.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

The limits of my language means the limits of my world.

Ludwig Wittgenstein

7

Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Since Einstein time, technology has become an even greater part of our daily lives. Is that a good thing, or has

our dependence on technology harmed us?

Write an essay stating your position on whether the impact of technology on our society or an your life is

beneficial or harmful.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”

Albert Einstein

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Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement taken from senvencounties.org.

Money, in and of itself, is not very spectacular. What money can do for you is what is really important. Money

gives you freedom and choices. You can decide where and how you want to live when your have a good income

or financial resources.

Write an essay stating your position on whether you believe it is more important to be rich or to be happy.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

“A little thought and little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.”

John Ruskin

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Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Some societies function solely around religion while others try and distance themselves from it.

Write an essay stating your position on the role religion plays within a society.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

“The true meaning of religion is thus, not simply morality, but morality touched by emotion.”

Matthew Arnold

10

Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Many times in life, people provide information in confidence in order to relieve guilt, when the need to share is

overwhelming because of fear and various other reasons. Unfortunately, the person who holds the secret

becomes accountable not only to the giver but often becomes responsible for the welfare of others. Under what

circumstances can you share secrets with others?

Write an essay stating your position on whether or not one should divulge information given in confidence.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

“If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the

trees.”

Khalil Gibran

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Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Alfie Kohn, an author of twelve books on topics dealing with parenting, education and human behavior, stated

that “Every hour spent,” on preparation for standardized tests, “is an hour not spent helping students to become

critical, creative, curios learners.”

Write an essay stating your position on whether you agree or disagree with making state exams such as the

STAAR/EOC for English I and II, Algebra I, U. S. History and Biology a requirement for high school

graduation.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

“Probably the greatest benefit of standardized testing is that teachers and schools are

responsible for teaching students what they are required to know for these standardized tests.

This is primarily because these scores become public record and teachers and schools that

don’t perform up to par can come under intense scrutiny.

Derrick Meador

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Persuasive Prompt

Read the information in the box below

Think carefully about the following statement.

Some people do not give for the sake of benefiting others but out of concerns for how giving makes them

appear to others.

Write an essay stating your position on which is more important: what others think or who you actually are.

Be sure to –

State your position clearly

Use appropriate organization

Provide support for your argument

Choose your words carefully

Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give,

but how much love we put in the giving

Mother Teresa