WRITING AT ITS FINEST: THE ART OF PERSUASION

GRADE LEVEL: EIGHT TO TENTH GRADE

EACH LESSON WILL BASED ON A 50 MINUTE CLASS PERIOD

Emily Johnson

12/14/10

English 4790

Professor Stearns - Pfeiffer

Unit Overview

For this 15 day unit, students will be introduced to persuasive writing. Each week of this unit will cover an important process of persuasive writing: pre writing, writing, and the finalization of the students’ persuasive essays.

Week one is designed produce the mindset of the persuader. As a matter of fact, this week is designed to enable as much practice with the strengthening of forming a valuable argument.

Week two just requires the students to write their persuasive essays; and during this week the students will have many opportunities to consult their teachers for help and advice.

Week three is the process of finalizing their persuasive essays. At the beginning of the third week, the students will be involved in an engaging peer review project; and of course, at the end of the third week, students will turn in their final drafts.

Lastly, at some point after their papers have been returned, they will be required to meet with the teacher for mutual grade agreement.

Theory to Practice

To be quite honest, I have based this writing unit on passed experiences that I have had in the English classroom. Time and time again, a teacher would introduce the class to a new form of writing, but would only read directly from those redundant, writing guideline books; and after reading through these guidelines, there were no entertaining or educational activities designed to help us master certain concepts of a particular writing piece. Instead, we just reviewed the same mundane information on how to properly write a five – paragraph essay with a strong thesis. From there, we were sent off to write! Thus, this is why I made this unit such a lengthy unit to teach my students to write not only properly, but confidently.

A part from the purpose of getting my students ready for the ACTs and SATs, I chose to create a persuasive writing unit for a very specific reason. In writing any type of essay, there is always a need for persuasion. In every paper you write, whether in a narrative, letter, satire, etc, etc, there will always be some form of an argument. In that case, the order of my unit requires that students first THINK persuasively and then WRITE persuasively – for what we write reflects how we manage our thought processes. I know that some students get their ideas across more efficiently vocally rather than in written form (vice versa) but no matter what, we are all thinkers before we become writers.

Works Cited

" S t u d y G u i d e s a n d S t r a t e g i e s . " W r i t i n g p e r s u a s i v e o r a r g u m e n t a t i v e e s s a y s . N . p . , 1 9 9 6 .

W e b . 1 5 D e c 2 0 1 0 . < h t t p : / / w w w . s t u d y g s . n e t / w r t s t r 4 . h t m > .

" e n g l i s h f o r e v e r y o n e . o r g . " R u n - O n S e n t e n c e s . N . p . , n . d . W e b . 1 5 D e c 2 0 1 0 .

< h t t p : / / e n g l i s h f o r e v e r y o n e . o r g / P D F s / R u n % 2 0 o n % 2 0 s e n t e n c e s . p d f > .

" e n g l i s h f o r e v e r y o n e . o r g . " R u n - O n S e n t e n c e s - A n s w e r s . N . p . , n . d . W e b . 1 5 D e c 2 0 1 0 .

< h t t p : / / e n g l i s h f o r e v e r y o n e . o r g / P D F s / R u n % 2 0 o n % 2 0 s e n t e n c e s . p d f > .

" S c h o o l Q u o t e s . " R e d n e c k G i r l . N . p . , n . d . W e b . 1 5 D e c 2 0 1 0 .

< h t t p : / / m e m b e r s . t r i p o d . c o m / m i _ r u k a 0 / i d 1 4 . h t m l > .

N . p . , n . d . W e b . 1 5 D e c 2 0 1 0 .

< h t t p : / / w w w . r e a d w r i t e t h i n k . o r g / f i l e s / r e s o u r c e s / l e s s o n _ i m a g e s / l e s s o n 4 0 5 /

P e r s u a s i v e W r i t i n g S c o r i n g G u i d e . p d f > .

" R u b r i c s a n d S e l f A s s e s s m e n t P r o j e c t . " P r o j e c t Z e r o ' s R u b r i c s a n d S e l f - A s s e s s m e n t .

P r e s i d e n t a n d f e l l w o s o f H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y , 2 0 1 0 . W e b . 1 5 D e c 2 0 1 0 .

< h t t p : / / w w w . p z . h a r v a r d . e d u / r e s e a r c h / R u b r i c s S e l f P E . h t m > .

h t t p : / / m i c h i g a n . g o v / d o c u m e n t s / m d e / E L A _ H S C E _ 9 - 1 5 - 0 9 _ 2 9 2 3 4 0 _ 7 . p d f

Student Objectives

LESSON ONE: What it means to persuade

- Students will simply the master the authentic definition of what the word, “persuade” means.

LESSON TWO: How to write persuasively

- Students will master the proper step – by – step processes of how to effectively write a persuasive essay.

LESSON THREE: The Debate

- Students will practice in the mastering of the ability to formulate strong arguments.

LESSON FOUR: Writing Persuasively

- Students will master the art of writing a persuasive essay using the proper ways of creating a strong and persuasive thesis that is supported with strong supporting ideas.

LESSON FIVE: Peer Review

- Students will master the art of critiquing or improving another student’s ways of persuasion.

LESSON SIX: Alternative lesson – Mutual Agreement

- Students will master the ability to take a stance for their writing.

Expectations, Expectations, Expectaions!

Standard 1.1 Understand and practice writing as a recursive process

CE 1.1.1 Demonstrate flexibility in using independent and collaborative strategies for planning, drafting, revising, and editing complex concepts.

CE 1.1.2 Know and use of variety of prewriting strategies to generate, focus, and organize ideas.

**CE 1.1.4 Compose drafts that convey an impression, express an opinion, raise a question, argue a position, explore a topic, tell a story, or serve another purpose, while simultaneously considering the constraints and possibilities.**

**CE 1.1.5 Revise drafts to more fully and/or precisely convey meaning – drawing on response from others, self – reflection, and reading one’s own work with the eye of the reader; then refine the text - deleting and/or reorganizing ideas, and addressing potential readers’ questions.**

CE 1.1.6 Reorganize sentence elements as needed and choose grammatical and stylistic options that provide sentence variety, fluency, and flow.

CE 1.1.7 Edit for style, tone, and word choice, and for conventions of grammar, usage and mechanics that are appropriate for audience.

CE 1.1.8 Proofread to check spelling, layout, and font; and prepare selected pieces for a public audience.

Standard 1.2 Use writing, speaking, and visual expression for personal understanding and growth.

CE 1.2.1 Write, speak, and use images and graphs to understand and discover complex ideas.

CE 1.2.2 Write, speak, and visually represent to develop self – awareness and insight.

Standard 1.3 Communicate in speech, writing, and multimedia using content, form, voice, and style appropriate to the audience and purpose.

CE 1.3.2 Compose written and spoken essays or work – related text that demonstrate logical thinking and the development of ideas for academic, creative, and personal purposes: essays that convey the author’s message by using an engaging introduction.

CE 1.3.3 Compose essays with well – crafted and varied sentences demonstrating a precise, flexible, and creative use of language.

**CE 1.3.4 Develop and extend a thesis, argument, or exploration of a topic by analyzing differing perspectives and employing a structure that effectively conveys the ideas in writing.**

CE 1.3.5 From the outset, identify and assess audience expectations and needs; consider the rhetorical effects of style and content based on that assessment; and adapt communication strategies appropriately and effectively.

** CE 1.3.7 Participate collaboratively and productively in groups – fulfilling roles and responsibilities, posing relevant questions, giving and following instructions, acknowledging and building on ideas and contributions of others to answer questions or to solve problems; and offering dissent courteously. **

**CE 1.3.8 Evaluate own and others’ effectiveness in group discussion and formal presentations.**

Standard 1.4 Develop and use the tools and practices of inquiry and research – generating, exploring, and refining important questions; creating a hypothesis or thesis; gathering and studying evidence; drawing conclusions; and composing a report.

CE 1.4.3 Develop and refine a position, claim, thesis, or hypothesis that will be explored and supported by analyzing different perspectives, resolving inconsistencies, and writing about those differences in a structure appropriate for the audience.

CE 1.4.5 Develop organizational structures appropriate to the purpose and message, and use transitions that produce a sequential or logical flow of ideas.

Standard 1.5 Produce a variety of written, spoken, multigenre, and multimedia works, making conscious choices about language, form, style, and/or visual representations for each work.

**CE 1.5.1 Use writing, speaking, and visual expression, to develop powerful, creative and critical messages.

Standard 2.1 Develop critical reading, listening, and view strategies.

** CE 2.1.11 Demonstrate appropriate social skills and audience, group discussion, or work team behavior by listening attentively and with civility to the ideas of others, gaining the floor in respectful ways, posing appropriate questions, and tolerating ambiguity and lack of consensus.**

**CE 2.1.12 Use a variety of strategies to enhance listening comprehension.

Standard 2.2 Use a variety of reading, listening, and viewing strategies to construct meaning beyond the literal level.

**CE 2.2.1 Recognize literary and persuasive strategies as ways by which authors convey ideas and readers make meaning.**

Standard 2.3 Develop as a reader, listener, and viewer for personal, social, and political purposes, through independent and collaborative reading

**CE 2.3.5 Engage in self – assessment as a reader, listener, and viewer, while monitoring comprehension and using a variety of strategies to overcome difficulties when constructing and conveying meaning.**

PRE WRITING TO BECOME ONE WITH THE ARGUMENT (Wednesday December 1, 2010 through Tuesday

December 7, 2010)

LESSON ONE: Day One: Defining (Wednesday)

Items: Dictionary, five or six writing utensils for the board (chalk/ erasable markers), 25 to 30 copies of the directions for the Live Journal activity

Pre - Introduction to Persuasive Essay assignment (50 minute lesson):

Task One: Board Talk

1) Students will be asked to observe and contemplate the word “persuade” written on the board. ( 1 minute)

2) Students will be asked to volunteer to writer their own definitions of “persuade” on the board. (3 minutes)

3) Students will have a class discussion over the various definitions written on the board. Note: Towards the end of the discussion, one student will be handed a dictionary by teacher and will be asked to find the word “persuade”. Student will be responsible for reading the definition(s) aloud to the class. (15 minutes)

Prewriting: Live Journal assignment: (15 minutes - ?)

1) Students will be given a handout of the directions for their Live Journal assignment Live Journal Activity (the assignment will focus on the “Write your question in your own words” section of the handout)

2) Students and teacher will go over the directions for this assignment in strong detail x Each paragraph will be read aloud by one student. x Teacher will go over the example on the handout. Teacher should feel obligated to ask the class for other examples.

Live Journal Assignment

Directions:

Since all of you are the Kings and Queens of your current high school, it is now your turn to take off those crowns and become your schools very own detectives. For this next journal entry, you will be required to jot down observations about your school throughout an entire school day.

So what are some observations that one should pay attention to? Well, here’s a question that may get your eyeballs searching: What do you like or dislike about your school? Is it the food, the teachers, certain classes, parking lots, school rules, after school activities, etc, etc? With these likes and dislikes, I ask that you write a brief description as to what you are feeling as you write down these observations.

Example

Like Dislike Observation(s) Emotion(s)The food I’d prefer the schools

food over my mother’s Spam sandwiches

My stomach growls with happiness.

Math teacher He honestly doesn’t have any clue how math works!

- Frustration- Anger- Nervous

Bathrooms I have never seen such nasty bathrooms in my life. I mean what do the janitors do all day just sit around and eat our lunch leftovers??

- I sometimes want to puke at the smell of the bathroom.

- I’d rather hold it then go in those bathrooms!

- I really feel like skipping class sometimes and cleaning them myself!

It is not necessary to follow this example. If you just feel like going on a writing tangent, that is absolutely fine! Nonetheless, this is what your entry should include:

1) Likes or dislikes2) Observations3) Emotions/ reactions to observations.

Note: Feel free to ask your friends and fellow classmates about their likes and dislikes towards their school. This could be a nice table conversation opener. Do not be afraid to jot down these conversations in your journals

LESSON TWO- Day Two: Persuasion Guidance (Thursday)

Items: 25 to 30 copies of Persuasive Writing Guide

Introduction to Persuasive Writing (last 15 minutes of class)

1) Students will receive a handout of a guide for writing an effective persuasive essay. x. Focus only the THREE first bulleted points. x. Students will volunteer to read one bulleted point. x. A debriefing may be necessary once the guide has been read.

Live Journal Entries

1) All journal entries will be collected at the end of class.2) Students will be advised of a possible debate towards the end of the week over their journal

entries and the guidelines

Persuasive Essay Guidelines Handout

In persuasive or argumentative writing, we try to convince othersto agree with our facts, share our values,accept our argument and conclusions,

and adopt our way of thinking. 

Elements toward building a good persuasive essay include

establishing facts to support an argument

clarifying relevant values for your audience (perspective)

prioritizing, editing, and/or sequencingthe facts and values in importance to build the argument

forming and stating conclusions "persuading" your audience that your conclusions

are based upon the agreed-upon facts and shared values having the confidence

to communicate your "persuasion" in writing

Here are some strategies to complete a persuasive writing assignment:

Persuasive Essay Guideline Handout

Write out the questions in your own words.

Think of the questions posed in the assignmentwhile you are reading and researching. Determine

o factso any sources that will help you determine their reliability

(as well as for further reference)o what prejudices lie in the argument

or values that color the facts or the issueo what you think of the author's argument

List out facts; consider their importance:prioritize, edit, sequence, discard, etc.Ask yourself "What's missing?"

What are the "hot buttons" of the issue?List possible emotions/emotional reactions and recognize them for later use

Start writing a draft! (refer to: Writing essays, the basics)Start as close as possible to your reading/researchDo not concern yourself with grammar or spelling

Write your first paragrapho Introduce the topico Inform the reader of your point of view!o Entice the reader to continue with the rest of the paper!o Focus on three main points to develop

Establish flow from paragraph to paragraph Keep your voice active Quote sources to establish authority Stay focused on your point of view throughout the essay Focus on logical arguments Don't lapse into summary

in the development--wait for the conclusion Conclusion

o Summarize, then conclude, your argumento Refer to the first paragraph/opening statement as well as the main points

does the conclusion restate the main ideas? reflect the succession and importance of the arguments logically conclude their development?

 

Edit/rewrite the first paragraphto better telegraph your development and conclusion.

Take a day or two off!

Re-read your paperwith a fresh mind and a sharp pencil

o Ask yourself: Does this make sense? Am I convinced?Will this convince a reader? Will they understand my values, and agree with my facts?

o Edit, correct, and re-write as necessaryo Check spelling and grammar!o Have a friend read it and respond to your argument.

Were they convinced?o Revise if necessaryo Turn in the papero Celebrate a job well done,

with the confidence that you have done your best.

How to respond to criticism: Consider criticism as a test of developing your powers of persuasion. Try not to take it personally.

If your facts are criticized, double check them, and then cite your sources.

If your values are criticized, sometimes we need agree "to disagree". Remember: your success in persuading others assumes that the other person is open to being persuaded!

Fear:  If you are not used to communicating, especially in writing, you may need to overcome fear on several levels.  Writing, unlike unrecorded speech, is a permanent record for all to see, and the "context" is not as important as in speech where context "colors" the words.  For example:  your readers do not see you, only your words.  They do not know what you look like, where you live, who you are.

Hopefully in school, and class, we have a safe place to practice both the art of writing and of persuasion.  Then later, when we are in our communities, whether work, church, neighborhoods, and even families, we can benefit from this practice.

Persuasion also has another dimension:  it is built with facts, which illustrate conclusions.  Of course, this means you need to know what you are talking about, and cannot be lazy with your facts, or you will not succeed in convincing anyone.  This shows another level of fear:  Fear of making a mistake that will make your argument or persuasion meaningless.  Since you are writing, and the words are on paper for all to see (or on a web site!), you need to work to make sure your facts are in order.

Thanks to the inspiration of S Ryder, and her sixth grade class in Pennsylvania, for revision of this Guide.

http://www.studygs.net/wrtstr4.htm

Day Three: Arguments Need Proper Sentence Structure (Friday)

Items: 25 to 30 copies of Run – on sentence worksheet and answer sheet, gym clothes, water bottle. Teachers must confirm availability for a gymnasium if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Running with Sentences (Review of run – on sentences)

1) Students will be asked to meet the teacher at the track field (gymnasium) during their English period.

2) Students will receive a worksheet over run – on sentences.3) Students will run around the track/gymnasium as they’re reading the sentences provided on the

worksheet aloud.4) Students will then head back to the classroom and fill out the worksheet5) Students will receive an answer sheet and will have a class discussion over the answers.

http://englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/Run%20on%20sentences.pdf

- Running worksheet

http://englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/Run%20on%20sentences%20-%20answers.pdf

- Answer sheet

HOMEWORK (optional but suggested)

- Students will be asked to study the rest of the PE guidelines for it will be very handy for the activity for the next class period.

LESSON THREE: Day Four and Five (Monday and Tuesday): Debate Class (Pre - Write)

Class preparation:

1) Teacher must have selected four of the most popular dislikes that were written in the students’ journals.

2) The teacher is responsible for creating four slips of paper with actual examples of what certain students have written down (do NOT make these decisions on whether it’s a good statement or not).

Classroom Setup:

3) Eight desks must be set up into two groups of four (each group of four facing one another).

4) Behind the desks, there must a chair, a desk, or a table, settling behind these desks – it’s the moderator’s (the teacher’s) area.

5) This entire formation will be placed in front of the writing board/ chalk board.

6) The rest of the students’ desks will remain the same.

Materials: Persuasive Essay Guideline Handout, paper, writing utensils.

Teacher Introduction: “Okay class, remember that live journal assignment that I had you guys do a few days ago; and do you remember how we spent almost the entire class period going over the construction of a Persuasive Essay, yesterday? Well, today is the day that we put both of these past activities into action, today. I have four of the most popular ‘dislikes” that I found throughout your journal entries. I have used your exact words as topics on these four slips of papers. So what are these papers for? Well today and for part of the class tomorrow, we are going have a debate over these four topics.”

In Class Debate Preparation:

1) Students will get into pre – selected groups of eight (based on a classroom of 25 to 30 minutes, there will be THREE groups of eight and ONE group of six, etc, etc)

2) Students will receive a slip of paper of an actual school – related dislike written by one of their fellow students.

3) Students will have two to three minutes to decide on whether they’ll be for the improvement of this dislike or against such an improvement – they actually like the dislike. (e.g. cafeteria food)

4) Students will then split into their appropriate sides of choice and will have 15 to 20 minutes to discuss their ideas.

The Actual Debate:

1) On the first day, two groups (and the remaining groups the following class period) will quarrel back and forth from seven to ten minutes Note to teachers: If the debate goes longer than the suggested time, do NOT interrupt your students. If both sides are creating a great foundation for their particular argument, let them finish. The maximum amount of time you should allow your students is 15 minutes.

2) During the debate, students and teacher will be allowed to interject with questions at any time.3) During the debate, it is important that the students who are the spectators use the Persuasive

Essay Guideline to “rate” their fellow students arguments. 4) At the end of each debate, the spectators AND the actual debaters will be required to spent two

to three minutes “rating” the debates based on what’s presented on their PE guideline sheet.5) The class will then have a discussion on the positive and negatives of each debate.6) Students will be given their live journal entry assignments.7) At the end of day two of the debates, students will receive their official Persuasive Writing

assignment:

X: students will volunteer to read each quote/ paragraph.

“High school is a lot like prison: Bad food, high fences…”

“Question everything! Or shut up and be a victim of authority.”

”I’m so sick of immaturity... name calling... labels... gossip... HIGH SCHOOL... it just doesn’t make sense to my any more... I find myself being nice to people that I would rathet strangle!”

“Walking through the halls of high schools is quite similar to walking through a battle field...”

“This isn’t a school. It’s Hell with fluorescent lighting.”

For the past few days, we have been studying and practicing how to create a hardy argument within a Persuasive essay; and after all of the class discussions and debates, it is finally the chance for all of you to write what you persuade. Read these quotes from different high school students (former and present) and think about what you have written down in your entries.

It is now your turn to write a Persuasive essay of your own on what needs to be improved in your high school. I know that many of you have too many things that you want to be better in your school, but since this is the first time of writing a persuasive essay (the majority of you) I want all of you to focus on ONE improvement. Of course, if you’re a student who believes that your school is absolutely perfect, I strongly encourage you to argue behind such a belief; and just a reminder, as you are writing this paper, feel free to refer back to your PE guidelines – ask yourself questions as you are writing your argument. Of course, never hesitate to ask me for help!

Rough Draft: Monday December 14, 2010 (double space lines)

Final Draft: Friday December 16, 2010 with DOUBLE – SPACED LINES! (at the beginning of the class!)

“______ Needs to be Improved in my High School”

WRITING THE PERSUASIVE ESSAY – ROUGH DRAFTS (TUESDAY DECEMBER 8, 2010 THROUGH FRIDAY

DECEMBER 11, 2010)

LESSON FOUR: Days six Through ten (Tuesday Through Friday)

Class preparation: Teacher must reserve a half hour session in the computer lab for each of the four days that they will be writing their rough drafts.

Items: 25 to 30 copies and the teacher’s grading rubric AND the student’s grading rubric

The Rough Draft Process (30 minutes over four days):

1) Students will be handed a grading rubric for the teacher – teacher and students will go over it as a class.

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson405/PersuasiveWritingScoringGuide.pdf

Teacher explanation on grading:

“Okay, so I know that each rubric has a numbering system. Well kids, I HATE number grading systems. So therefore, I categorize a six as an “A”, five “B”, and so on and so on..

2) Students will be handed a grading rubric for the student – teacher and students will go over it as a class.

(See following page for example of student’s grading rubric)

3) Throughout the four days in the computer lab, each student will have a half hour to work on their rough drafts

4) During these half hour fragments, students will have a brief writing conference with the teacher – the order will be decided by the attendance list.

The Writing Conference (at a table in/or near the computer lab): (5 – 7 minutes)

1) Student will be asked if he or she has any questions, doubts, or confusions – teacher and student will discuss.

2) Student and teacher will read aloud the students’ thesis statement – teacher and student will discuss what works and what doesn’t.

Note: If teacher cannot get through all the meetings during computer lab time, the time for peer review may used for the writing conferences also.

Persuasive Essay RubricHeidi Goodrich Andrade, Project Zero

Criteria 4 3 2 1

The claim I make a claim and explain why it is controversial.

I make a claim but don't explain why it is controversial.

My claim is buried, confused and/or unclear.

I don't say what my argument or claim is.

Reasons in support of the claim

I give clear and accurate reasons in support of my claim.

I give reasons in support of my claim but I may overlook important reasons.

I give 1 or 2 weak reasons that don't support my claim and/or irrelevant or confusing reasons.

I do not give convincing reasons in support of my claim.

Reasons against the claim I discuss the reasons against my claim and explain why it is valid anyway.

I discuss the reasons against my claim but leave some reasons out and/or don't explain why the claim still stands.

I say that there are reasons against the claim but I don't discuss them.

I do not acknowledge or discuss the reasons against the claim.

Organization My writing has a compelling opening, an informative middle and a satisfying conclusion.

My writing has a beginning, middle and end. It marches along but doesn't dance.

My writing is organized but sometimes gets off topic.

My writing is aimless and disorganized.

Voice and tone It sounds like I care about my argument. I show how I think and feel about it.

My tone is OK but my paper could have been written by anyone. I need to tell more about how I think and feel.

My writing is bland or pretentious. There is either no hint of a real person in it or it sounds like I'm a fake.

My writing is too formal or too informal. It sounds like I don't like the topic of the essay.

Word choice The words I use are striking but natural, varied and vivid.

I make routine word choices.

The words I use are often dull or uninspired or sound like I am trying too hard to impress.

I use the same words over and over and over and over. Some words may be confusing to a reader.

Sentence fluency My sentences are clear, complete, and of varying lengths.

I have well-constructed sentences.

My sentences are sometimes awkward, and/or contain run-ons and fragments.

Many run-ons, fragments and awkward phrasings make my essay hard to read.

Conventions I use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

I generally use correct conventions. I have a couple of errors I should fix.

I have enough errors in my essay to distract a reader.

Numerous errors make my paper hard to read.

STUDENT RUBRIC http://www.pz.harvard.edu/research/RubricsSelfPE.htm

WRITING THE PERSUASIVE ESSAY – THE FINAL TOUCHES

(MONDAY DECEMBER 14, 2010 THROUGH FRIDAY DECEMBER 18, 2010)

LESSON FIVE: Day 11 – Peer Review Day (Monday)

Class Preparation: teacher must have another copy of the STUDENT rubric for 25 to 30 students.

Items: Two TYPED copies of every student’s rough draft, different colored pens, pencils, or markers, STUDENT rubrics.

Peer Review (50 minute session)

1) Students will number off by two’s – ones will go with ones and twos will go with twos.

2) Each student will take turns reading his or her paper aloud to the other student – either student is allowed to interject at any time for grammatical purposes, confusion, etc, etc.

3) As each student is reading, the other student is responsible for making comments on the student rubric.

4) Once both readings are finished, each student will share what markings they have made on both the paper and the student rubric for the other student.

5) Once finished, both students will return their student rubrics to the proper owner.

Homework:

1) Students will receive a new copy of the same student grading rubric2) Students will be asked to make the proper markings on their student rubric.3) Students will be asked to type a half page to a full page (double spaced) reflection in

response to their papers and their self assessment.4) Students will be given a handout with a series to questions that they must answer in their

self reflection.5) Students will be reminded that their final drafts are due at the end of the week and they

must include their rough draft, their graded student rubric, and their self reflection.

Self Reflection

1) How did you feel while writing this assignment: bored, excited, passionate, nervous?2) What was strong about your paper and what was weak?3) If you have a second chance, what would you do differently?4) As a teacher, did I do everything possible to make you prepared for writing a strong

argument for your persuasive essay? If not, what could I have done better?

Day 15 (Friday December 18) Students turn in rough drafts at beginning of class!

ALTERNATIVE LESSON PLAN: Discussion of Grade

- Once the papers have been returned to the students, each student has an opportunity to have a post writing conference with the teacher.

Conference preparations:

Teacher must provide two extra copies of the student and the teacher grading rubric.

Post Writing Conference:

1) Student must bring everything with them: final draft, rough draft, rubrics, and reflections2) Student will read paper aloud to teacher.3) As student is reading, the teacher will make comments on the TEAHCING grading

rubric.4) Teacher will read paper aloud to student.5) As teacher is reading, the student will make comments on the STUDENT grading rubric.6) Once all reading has been accomplished, teacher and student will compare rubrics and

discuss7) A possible change of the grade may be achieved.