Reading Encore – Persuasive Writing Project – Student Choice
You will be selecting a topic for which you will complete one of the following research projects. You will not only determine the
topic, you will select the task and the product. Below is a list of possible topics and products. You can choose from the lists, or you
can come up with your own idea. If you come up with your own idea, it must be teacher approved.
Product Options
 Essays / PowerPoint Presentation
 Reports / To be presented with visual aids
 Speeches /
 Research reports
 Exhibits to include a written product
 Presentations to include a speech or written
product
 Journalistic products, such as feature
articles
 Editorials
 Formal letters, as to a State official
 Proposals
 Response/Reaction papers
 Cost/benefit analyses
 Interviews written up as articles
 Non-fiction narratives, such as accounts of
an event
 Other (must be approved)
Topic Options
 Domestic violence and the NFL
 Steroid use and MLB
 Bullying in school
 Student dress code
 Meth production in Kentucky
 School start times
 Funding the arts in education
 Home school
 Government regulation of school lunches
 Ferguson shooting
 Tobacco use among minors
 Advantages of being in band
 How to reduce failure in school
 Abortion
 Governments taking farmland for building
roads
 Legalization of marijuana
 Steroid use among high school athletes
 Violence in schools
 Negative impact of social media
 E-cigarette and vapors use among minors
 Gun Control
 Other (must be approved)
Templates that you will use to write the prompt are below. Select the template that best fits your project idea, and
then write out the full prompt by filling in the blanks based on your project idea.
Analysis
Comparison
Evaluation
Task 1: [Insert optional question] After researching ________ (informational
texts) on ________ (content), write ________ (an essay or substitute) in which
you argue ________ (content). Support your position with evidence from your
research. (Argumentation/Analysis)
Task 3: [Insert optional question] After researching ________ (informational
texts) on ________ (content), write ________ (an essay or substitute) in which
you compare ________ (content) and argue ________ (content). Support your
position with evidence from your research. (Argumentation/Comparison)
Task 5: [Insert optional question] After researching ________ (informational
texts) on ________ (content), write ________ (an essay or substitute) in which
you discuss ________ (content) and evaluate ________ (content). Support your
position with evidence from your research. (Argumentation/Evaluation)
Problem-Solution
Task 7: [Insert optional question] After researching ________ (informational
texts) on ________ (content), write ________ (an essay or substitute) in which
you identify a problem ________ (content) and propose a solution. Support
your position with evidence from your research. (Argumentation/ProblemSolution)
Cause-Effect
Task 9: [Insert optional question] After researching ________ (informational
texts) on ________ (content), write ________ (an essay or substitute) in which
you argue the cause(s) of ________ (content) and explain the effect(s)
________ (content). Support your discussion with evidence from your research.
(Argumentation/Cause-Effect)
Scoring Breakdown and Rubric





Topic and product selection – 25 points
Writing Template Task – 25 points
Collection of research materials – 100 points (minimum of five credible sources required; these can be articles, interviews, radio broadcasts, news programming,
videos, blogs, etc.)
Cornell Notes for three of the five sources – 150 points
Final Product – 200 points
Total points to be earned = 400 points
Final Product Argumentation Teaching Task Rubric
Scoring Elements
Not Yet
1
Approaches Expectations
1.5
2
Meets Expectations
2.5
3
Advanced
3.5
4
Focus
Attempts to address prompt, but
lacks focus or is off-task.
Addresses prompt appropriately and
establishes a position, but focus is
uneven. D. Addresses additional
demands superficially.
Addresses prompt appropriately and
maintains a clear, steady focus. Provides a
generally convincing position. D: Addresses
additional demands sufficiently
Addresses all aspects of prompt appropriately
with a consistently strong focus and
convincing position. D: Addresses additional
demands with thoroughness and makes a
connection to claim.
Controlling Idea
Attempts to establish a claim, but
lacks a clear purpose.
Establishes a claim.
Establishes a credible claim.
Establishes and maintains a substantive and
credible claim or proposal.
Reading/
Research
Attempts to reference reading
materials to develop response, but
lacks connections or relevance to
the purpose of the prompt.
Presents information from reading
materials relevant to the purpose of
the prompt with minor lapses in
accuracy or completeness.
Accurately presents details from reading
materials relevant to the purpose of the
prompt to develop argument or claim.
Accurately and effectively presents important
details from reading materials to develop
argument or claim.
Development
Attempts to provide details in
response to the prompt, but lacks
sufficient development or relevance
to the purpose of the prompt.
Presents appropriate details to
support and develop the focus,
controlling idea, or claim, with
minor lapses in the reasoning,
examples, or explanations.
Presents appropriate and sufficient details
to support and develop the focus,
controlling idea, or claim.
Presents thorough and detailed information to
effectively support and develop the focus,
controlling idea, or claim.
Attempts to organize ideas, but lacks
control of structure.
Uses an appropriate organizational
structure for development of
reasoning and logic, with minor
lapses in structure and/or
coherence.
Maintains an appropriate organizational
structure to address specific requirements
of the prompt. Structure reveals the
reasoning and logic of the argument.
Maintains an organizational structure that
intentionally and effectively enhances the
presentation of information as required by the
specific prompt. Structure enhances
development of the reasoning and logic of the
argument.
Conventions
Attempts to demonstrate standard
English conventions, but lacks
cohesion and control of grammar,
usage, and mechanics. Sources are
used without citation.
Demonstrates an uneven command
of standard English conventions and
cohesion.
Uses language and tone with some
inaccurate, inappropriate, or uneven
features. Inconsistently cites
sources.
Demonstrates a command of standard
English conventions and cohesion, with few
errors. Response includes language and
tone appropriate to the audience, purpose,
and specific requirements of the prompt.
Cites sources using appropriate format with
only minor errors.
Demonstrates and maintains a well-developed
command of standard English conventions
and cohesion, with few errors. Response
includes language and tone consistently
appropriate to the audience, purpose, and
specific requirements of the prompt.
Consistently cites sources using appropriate
format.
Content
Understanding
Attempts to include disciplinary
content in argument, but
understanding of content is weak;
content is irrelevant, inappropriate,
or inaccurate.
Briefly notes disciplinary content
relevant to the prompt; shows basic
or uneven understanding of content;
minor errors in explanation.
Accurately presents disciplinary content
relevant to the prompt with sufficient
explanations that demonstrate
understanding.
Integrates relevant and accurate disciplinary
content with thorough explanations that
demonstrate in-depth understanding.
Organization
Calendar
Sunday
November 23
November 30
December 7
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
November 20
Friday
November 21
-Select partner, topic,
and product – due at
the end of the class
period (25 points)
-Begin writing
template task – due
tomorrow at the end
of the period
-Finish writing
template task – due at
the end of the period
(25 points)
-Begin collecting
research materials
November 24
November 25
November 26
November 27
November 28
Continue collection of
research materials –
five credible sources
needed – submit in
the research matrix –
November 25 (100
pts)
Finish collection of
research materials –
five credible sources
needed – submit in
the research matrix –
due today at the end
of the period (100 pts)
Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving Break
December 1
December 2
December 3
December 4
December 5
Begin work on written
and/or visual
component of project
– due December 10
Work on written
and/or visual
component of project
– due December 10
Work on written
and/or visual
component of project
– due December 10
Work on written
and/or visual
component of project
– due December 10
Work on written
and/or visual
component of project
– due December 10
December 8
December 9
Work on written
and/or visual
component of project
– due December 10
Complete work on
written and/or visual
component of project
– due December 10
December 10
Project due date
Begin presenting
projects
December 11
December 12
Project presentations
Project Presentations
Saturday
November 22
November 29
December 6
December 13
Research Materials Matrix
Title of the source
Example:
“Teens Need to
Start School Later”
Author of the source
Terra Ziporyn Snider
Format
Brief description
Brief video along with
article
Opinion piece on
how students benefit
from starting school
later
Citation created from citationmachine.net
Snider, T. (2014, November 19). Teens need to start
school later. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/28/opinion/sniderschool-later-start-times/index.html