Fourth Grade Writing Unit

Writing: Persuasive Essay

Shared by:

Jennifer BonamoIndian River Elementary

Planning Criteria

Language Arts Curriculum Map

Evaluation of current students and their placement in the writing continuum

My ESOL student had school uniforms in China

ESOL Strategies Included in Unit Plan

Access prior knowledge Choose a familiar topic Write about what you know Share expertise Use technology for research and writing Share information in technology format Work in groups

Planning Materials

Language Arts Curriculum Maps

Writing Journal

Thinking Maps

Persuasive Essay Webquest

Mini Computer Lab: Internet Access

Identify a topic or organizing concept for the unit:

Writing a Persuasive Essay

Include an introduction to the unit:

Freedom of speech! Know your rights! Speak up! Don't stand by and let the world pass you by. Educate yourselves about important issues that matter to you! Decisions are made by adults every day that affect your life and your future. With this WebQuest, you have been given the opportunity to take an active role.

There are people in the school who disagree with you. So it's useful to develop skills in persuasion. A persuasion task goes beyond a simple retelling by requiring you to develop a convincing case that is based on what you've learned.

Decide on a culminating activity in which students will demonstrate understanding of

the unit's concepts: Using the Persuasive

Essay Webquest, students will receive a score on their Power Point presentation. This presentation is based on their essay.

List the materials to be used:

• Persuasive Essay WebQuest• Writing Journals (Students have a

spiral notebook for each subject)• Computer with Internet and

PowerPoint (or similar program such Open Office Impress)

• Thinking Map (Double Bubble Map)

List activities that build on students' prior knowledge, contextualize the concepts, and teach

students what they need to know to understand the unit's concepts:

• Prior Knowledge: School Uniforms in China

• Contextualize the concepts: Slideshow

• Teach students what they need to know: Internet research guided by WebQuest with links to investigate

Identify ESOL students' cultural need to know to understand the

unit's concepts:

• My student's cultural experience with school uniforms and life experience with persuasion, is used as prior knowledge along with life experience to teach the importance of persuasion and how it is used in an essay about a topic in a school setting.

Objectives that you will be covering in the unit's concepts:

Objectives:A persuasive essay (also known as the argument essay) has one

of two objectives:

1. To convince your reader to adopt your point of view 2. To convince your reader to take a specific course of action

A good persuasive essay argues one side of a very narrow topic. Although the persuasive essay only addresses one side of the issue, the topic must be debatable. The persuasive essay recognizes that there are two sides to every question, but only presents one preferred side to the reader. It’s important for you to understand both sides of the debate in order to promote your viewpoint effectively.

Goals that you will be covering in the unit's concepts:

• Students will be able to research the pros and cons of school uniforms, using the links provided in the WebQuest.

• Students will be able to take notes of the pros and cons of using school uniforms.

• Students will be able to transfer these facts to a slideshow as a group.

• Students will be able to write a persuasive essay individually on school uniforms; choosing one side and try to persuade the audience to agree with their position .

Florida Sunshine State Standards

ESOL strategies need to be identified:

Access prior knowledge Choose a familiar topic Write about what you know Share expertise Use technology for research and writing Share information in technology format Work in groups

Include how students will be assessed throughout the unit:

Students will be assessed:• Through observation• As a group; working together to

achieve one group objective• On their journal notes in their spiral

notebooks• With the WebQuest slideshow

rubric• With the WebQuest persuasive

essay rubric

What do you want the students to know and be able to do at the end of this unit?

Students will be able to research the debate concerning school uniforms, take notes about the pros and cons of the topic, share their research in a slide show and share their presentation orally, and then write a persuasive essay with the goal of convincing readers to side with the students' opinion about school uniforms.

Is there an alternative assessment for students who do not master the objectives

for each subcategory?

Students in fourth grade are required to complete a persuasive essay. However, the expectations and given rubrics would be adjusted for ESOL and ESE students with IEPs in Language Arts. The score would emphasize the concepts acquired through the research and presentation, not the grammar, spelling, and other items which would be problematic for a typical ESOL student.

Are ESOL students' needs recognized in the unit? If so, how?

The ESOL student's needs are recognized by:

• Basing the unit on ESOL student's prior knowledge of school uniforms

• Using a technology-based unit• Incorporating buddy and group

work• Teacher conferences

Is there an alternative assignment/assessment for students not mastering the goals and/or objectives

the first time?

If students did not master the assignment goals in the slideshow or essay the first time, I would extend the time given so that mastery could be obtained even if it took additional time for completion of the goals and objectives.

What accommodations would you make for ESOL students?

ESOL and ESE Student Accommodations

This activity is geared to accommodate ESOL and ESE students, as well as students with varying ability levels, as it activates prior knowledge to the writing situation and encourages students to link writing activities with their own personal experiences.

Rubric

Writing ScheduleDay 1:

• Using our document camera, review Persuasion Essay Webquest on the internet using the large screen.

• (My ESOL student will relate to this assignment as he used to wear uniforms in school when he lived in China. I would share this fact but ask that he not give his personal opinion about the topic at this time.

• Cut out and glue webquest into Writing Journal. Leave room for notes.

Writing Schedule Continued....

Day 2:• One hour will be scheduled for computer

and internet use in the Media Center.• Using the Smart Board, I will review the

webquest and students will begin to research uniforms, using the given links first.

Writing Schedule Continued....• During writing time, students will be

working in groups researching, taking notes, reviewing, discussing, then beginning their slideshow in pairs. Groups of four who completed research will again divide so that two students are at each computer together working on their slideshow.

• My ESOL student will always have a “buddy” to research, discuss, and design his slideshow.

Writing Schedule Continued....

• Students will continue to research and after they have created their slideshow in teams; using key points, they will work individually on their persuasive essay.

• Allowing students to work on their individual pace, I will also use this time to work individually with my ESOL student, checking for understanding and mastery of my expectations.

Writing Schedule Continued....

• When students have completed their essay or after two weeks, whichever comes first, then we will begin to share our slideshows, sparking discussion within the class.

• Students who prefer to show their slideshow to me, one on one, may do so.