Persuasive+Writing


 * __Fix a School Yard Problem__ **
 * Before **: Teach several lessons about persuasive writing, focusing on audience, techniques used to persuade, format. You could read aloud the books Click, Clack, Moo or I Wanna Iguana as examples of persuasive writing.
 * During **: Take kids outside to SY and observe various "problems" that need to be "fixed". These could include things such as litter on the school grounds, weeds in the gardens, bird feeders that need to be filled. or straightened, sticks or rocks that might be on portions of the walkway that interfere with walking, etc.
 * After: ** Kids could write persuasive pieces to convince people to pick up litter on our SY, to adopt one of the gardens over the summer to care for. They could also write letters to Donnan about something that they want to have added such as another birdhouse.

**__Persuasive Letters to Superintendent and/or Schoolyard__**
 * Before**: (use same "Before" from previous lesson entitled "Fix a Schoolyard Problem")
 * During**: Discuss the reasons why recess is important such as : fresh air, exercise, environmental experiences, social interaction with friends, playing on a team, etc. Older children could also do research to support their ideas (i.e. how often do other schools in PA have recess? What is the childhood obesity rate in SCASD now compared to 10 years ago when we were allowed to have recess on PE days?)
 * After**: Have kids write persuasive letters to the Superintendent and/or Schoolboard to convince them to allow us to have recess on the days when we have Phys Ed, citing the facts and reasons stated above.

**__Persuasive Pen Pals__** 1. There are many environmental reforms taking place at PFE that students are well knowledgeable about. Decide on one of these (i.e. composting, recycling bottles, plastic bottle caps, 1-2 paper towels) topics and the research reasons and statistics for why this environmentally friendly activity is so important. (how many paper towels we use in a day, week, school year? If everyone in the school used 2 paper towels when they dried their hands, how may paper towels could we save? What is the benefit of composting? What happens to the plastic bottle caps once they are recycled? etc.) 2. Find a classroom to be pen pals will at a different district, school, state who do not recycle/compost. 3. Discuss the format of a letter. This ReadWriteThink activity allows you to [|generate the letter online] ! 4. Discuss the important parts of a persuasive writing piece. This [|ReadWriteThink] lesson discusses persuasive strategies (it is a bit advances for anything < 5th grade, but could certainly be modified) Use some type of planning/brainstorming sheet (4square, or this[|online persuasion map] ) 5. Have students write persuasive letters to another classroom. Each letter can include different ideas and reasons why the individual student feels strongly about this topic. 6. Peers can edit for grammatical errors before sending. 7. Mail letters to other school, and wait for a response :)
 * Before**:
 * During**:
 * After**