1 | P a g e

Overview

This session will offer multiple literacy strategies and tech tools to prepare a well-crafted and scaffolded

lesson and/or unit to assist your students with persuasive writing. We will explore how the world

around us (mobile devices, the internet, TV, magazines, etc.) provides powerful examples with which to

teach our students! Be prepared to think out of the box and to learn while you play.

“Have we convinced you to read on? We sure hope so!”

Tammy Myskiw – Content Literacy Consultant

Johanne Renaud – Technology Consultant

Table of Contents

Definition & Purpose

Program of Studies

21st Century Skills

Real World Exemplars

Scaffolds for Teaching

Before

During Writing

After

Technology Infusion

Using Web 2.0 tools and Apps for scaffolding and assessment

o My Pop Studio

o write rhymes

o ujam

o Shelfari

o Kidblog

o Postale

Assessment

Rubrics

2 | P a g e

Definition & Purpose

Persuasive Writing:

Students organize information to argue a point of view or to convince others to think or act differently.

Language Arts Program of Studies 1.1.2 Experiment with language

and form

Discuss and respond to ways that content and forms of oral, print and other media text interact to influence understanding (Gr. 7)

1.1.3 Express preferences

Explore and assess oral, print and other media text recommended by others (Gr. 7)

1.2.1 Consider others’ ideas

Integrate own perspectives and interpretations with new understandings developed through discussing and through experiencing a variety of oral, print and other media text (Gr. 9)

ICT Outcomes 21st Century Skills Technology Tools C.1 –

Students will access, use and communicate

information from a variety of technologies.

Specific Outcomes:

communicate in a persuasive and engaging

manner, through appropriate forms, such as

speeches, letters, reports and multimedia

presentations, applying information

technologies for content, audience and purpose

Creativity and Innovation

Postale

ujam

write rhymes

kidblog

Shelfari

My Pop Studio

F.4 –

Students will become discerning consumers of

mass media and electronic information.

Specific Outcomes:

identify aspects of style in a presentation

understand the nature of various media and

how they are consciously used to influence

an audience

identify specific techniques used by the

media to elicit particular responses from an

audience

recognize that the ability of technology to

manipulate images and sound can alter the

meaning of a communication

Communication and Collaboration

My Pop Studio

Internet (real-world examples)

ujam

C.2 –

Students will seek alternative view points,

using information technologies.

Specific Outcomes:

access diverse viewpoints on particular

topics by using appropriate technologies

assemble and organize different

viewpoints in order to assess their

validity

Research and Information Fluency

My Pop Studio

Shelfari

Kidblog

3 | P a g e

Scaffolds for Teaching

Before Writing:

Teacher ensures that students are familiarized with the task’s rubric.

Students brain-storm a list of real-world applications/examples where they interact with

persuasive writing. (Appendix 1) Students utilize these real-world texts to identify signal words used in persuasive writing.

(Appendix 1) Students generate a list of “Top 20” key signal words they identified. (Appendix 2) Students will learn to identify and critique the key components of persuasive writing:

o The hook

o Credible evidence

o Clear position

o The “other side” of the issue

o Compelling conclusion

Technology Infusion:

My Pop Studio

My Pop Studio is a great site to use in order to scaffold the persuasive writing process. The music studio, TV studio and magazines sections can be particularly helpful in having students identify some key signal words that are used in persuasive writing as well as identify credible evidence and understanding the meaning and impact of a clear position.

Popstar Producer allows students to pick the message

you want to send (select a clear position). Then students must sift through lyrics, while considering key signal words, to create a song. They can then share their performance with their peers and have them try to identify the Popstar’s intended message.

Selling with a Song has students analyzing various possible hooks to sell a product. Since the hook is in the form of a song, students must use their knowledge of key signal words to listen to the lyrics for best matches between the song and product.

Celebrity You has students providing credible evidence for their celebrity profile. They will need to take a clear position and persuade their fans by using key signal words in their quotes and responses.

They Said What? Has students sifting through quotes and possible sources to produce credible evidence for their article.

TV Producer lets students create their own product ad from pre-existing video clips and title cards. Students can then have peers evaluate the persuasiveness of their advertisement.

4 | P a g e

Scaffolds for Teaching

During Writing:

Students select topic .

Students create a mindmap that include the key components of persuasive writing.

Students write first draft utilizing relevant key signal words.

Using “The Great Debate” planner students peer evaluate each other’s drafts.

Students use peer feedback to write their final copy.

Technology Infusion:

My Pop Studio

Students can go back to the Selling with a Song activity to select a product and then write their own persuasive jingle/song.

Shelfari

Create a class Gmail account.

Create a class Shelfari account using the Gmail you just created.

Students write persuasive book reviews for an authentic audience.

Kidblog

Create a Kidblog account.

Set “comments permissions” to anyone without a password. (You approve all the comments)

Students can blog about persuasive writing in general.

Students can also create persuasive arguments as to why their favorite games are actually educational. Ask parents/other classes/ etc... to comment on posts.

Postale

Students create persuasive flyers for real and/or fictional products (i.e. apps, games, charities, school activities, etc...) and email them to family and friends.

5 | P a g e

Scaffolds for Teaching

After Writing:

Students self-reflect on the writing process and the persuasiveness of their product.

Students use their writing to create a multimedia product.

Students share the finished product with an authentic audience (ie. Blog, website, school

newsletter, film festival, etc).

Technology Infusion:

We Video

Students create a persuasive ad about a topic of their choosing (product, cause, event, etc...)

WeVideo is a web-based video editing tool which allows them to work on their ads from anywhere!

write rhymes

This web-based tool helps students create rhymes in their texts.

Can be useful if creating a jingle/song for product ad.

ujam

Allows students to mix a song.

Students read a text then select a music genre. They can then add several effects to an mp3 song that can be used in their product ad.

Shelfari

Students continue to write persuasive reviews (good or bad) through the year.

Kidblog

Students can create some self-reflection posts about persuasive writing.

Students can start adding persuasive writing posts (in their own KIDBLOG) about upcoming events in the community. (i.e. movie reviews, teams, etc...)

Postale

Give students voice about future assignments and topics! Students send a persuasive virtual postcard to you and/or the class to persuade you/the class to go with their suggestion.

6 | P a g e

Assessment

Rubrics:

7 | P a g e

Appendix 1

Real World Exemplars

GROUPON:

Have students identify any key signal words usually

found in persuasive writing.

8 | P a g e

Appendix 1

Real World Exemplars

PopCap – Online Gaming:

iTunes – App Store:

Have students identify any key signal words usually

found in persuasive writing.

9 | P a g e

Appendix 2

10 | P a g e

Other Useful Resources

PBS Persuasive Writing – Take a Stand:

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect/resources/4016/preview/

PBS – 19 Persuasive Writing Assignments:

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect/resources/4016/preview/

National Association for Media Literacy Education: http://namle.net/

Media Literacy.org - Persuasive Writing Resources:

http://www.medialiteracy.com/searchresults.htm?cx=partner-pub-

6469250833860037%3Acyxyhg17w53&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=persuasive+writing&sa=Search

Media Awareness Network:

http://media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm

The ART of Persuasion - Scoopit:

http://www.scoop.it/t/the-art-of-persuasion

11 | P a g e

Persuasion!

February 2012

Edmonton, Alberta