Five paragraphs
45 Minutes
• Your job in writing a persuasive essay is to convince the reader
that your way is the right way. You need to convince them
without a shadow of a doubt that they should join your side of
the argument.
• Transitions need to be used throughout the essay
• Compositional risks and propaganda should be used. You can’t
earn a five or six without them!
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Introduction
• Hook – magic three
• State the situation
• Tell us your opinion
• List your reasons
Body
• Reason one –
• Transition, topic sentence
• Supporting details with transitions and some evidence of propaganda
• Transition summative sentence
• Reason two –
• Transition, topic sentence
• Supporting details with transitions and some evidence of propaganda
• Transition summative sentence
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• Reason three –
• Transition, topic sentence
• Supporting details with transitions and some evidence of propaganda
• Transition summative sentence
Conclusion
• Transition, opinion, restate
• Transition, summary sentences
• Call to action
• Read the prompt carefully –
• Read it several times to make sure you understand it
• Jot down what the question means, or make a list for what it’s asking
• Write down what it might not be asking – to keep you focused
• Examples
• The board of education in our town has just voted to require all students to
wear uniforms. Do you agree with the board’s decision?
• Due to budget cuts, the board of education in our town has decided to
discontinue all after-school activities. Write a letter to the board of
education members telling them how you feel about their decision.
• Take the time to brainstorm, it can help organize your thoughts
and ideas. You also won’t forget what your initial thoughts were
on the topic. How many times have we written to body
paragraph three and forgotten what we were supposed to
write because we didn’t brainstorm?!
• Webbing
• Topic inside big circle
• Write down any words that come to mind – connect them to the web
• Listing
• Write down ALL ideas – just create a list
• Webbing – School Uniforms
individuality
clothes
unfair
uncomfortable
Stop bullying
Uniforms
Don’t have to
think about what
to wear
Students feel
better
cost
expensive
• List – School Uniforms
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Are unfair
Clothes
Are they expensive
Uncomfortable
Student individuality
Don’t have to think about what to wear
Might stop bullying
Students feel better if not getting picked on
• Students often forget much of what they have learned the
previous year over the summer months. This is called summer
loss. Many teachers are complaining that they must review
many concepts that were previously taught to the students
before they can move on to the current year’s material. This
causes them to lose time; therefore, they may not finish teaching
what needs to be covered by June. In order to prevent this loss,
people have proposed that the school year be extended
through the summer months. What would you say to the people
who have made the proposal?
• HOOKS –
• Magic three – In school I was, showing off my brand new Uggs,
playing with the fringe on my shirt and admiring Jack’s awesome
painted jeans.
• Ask a question – How can students show their individuality?
• State an interesting piece of information – Students love to show off
their individuality by wearing different types of clothing.
• Three words that describe your topic – Unfair, boring and ugly all
describe how students feel about wearing uniforms.
• Make the reader think – Imagine going to a school where everyone
looks the same; the same clothes, the same colors, the same
patterns.
• State the situation/Bridge–
• Add two to three sentences creating a bridge from the hook to the
situation.
• The school board has just voted to require all students to wear
uniforms. This decision is absurd and should not be considered fair or
reasonable!
• State your opinion – THESIS
• This is explaining to the reader what side you and have chosen and
BRIEFLY why.
• I encourage everyone to consider all of the drawbacks to this decision.
• OR
• There are many reasons why uniforms in school are a terrible idea.
• Imagine going to a school where everyone looks the same: the
same clothes, the same colors, the same patterns. This sounds
pretty boring, right? Sadly, this is something that might happen
in our town if the board of education has their way. No one
wants to be bored in school, whether by teachers or what others
wear. Therefore, students should not be required to wear
uniforms for several reasons.
• Write an introduction for the “extended school year” prompt.
• The three body paragraphs are all set up similarly.
• First, start with a transition – it helps the reader to better follow
your essay and keeps it organized.
• Give more information about your reason - - include facts,
statistics (number facts) or examples. This is also an excellent
opportunity to include compositional risks and propaganda.
• Follow the 50% rule for transitions!!!
• The last body paragraph should be your strongest reason. Save
the best for last so that is what the reader remembers about
your essay.
•
To begin, school uniforms can be very uncomfortable. They
aren't made from the nicest fabric and can be itchy and rough
on skin. Additionally, if students aren’t comfortable in their
clothes, they can become distracted and have trouble listening
to the teacher and learning lessons. This could affect their
grades in a negative way. Essentially, students would be
worried about their grades and have another reason for not
being able to concentrate in class.
•
To continue, school uniforms may cost a lot of money.
Parents may not be able to afford the cost of the uniform;
suppliers can charge up to $150 per uniform. Fortunately, if
parents can buy any type of clothing for their child, they can
shop in places they can afford and possibly save money. They
can wait until the clothes go on sale or use store coupons. After
all, it isn’t fair to force parents to pay more money than they
have for clothing.
•
Above all, students show their individuality through their
clothing. Clothing is a way to express how we feel or what
interests we have, such as a sports team like the Giants.
Moreover, students need to have a way to express themselves;
clothing is one of those ways. Some people may believe that
having uniforms will prevent bullies from picking on children for
their clothing, but this is simply not true. Once a bully, always a
bully. Simply put, if everyone is wearing the same thing, bullies
will quickly find another reason to pick on someone, so uniforms
don’t solve that problem. Uniforms will just take away a
student’s ability to be him or herself.
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The last paragraph is the conclusion.
This should begin with a concluding transition!
Restate your thesis/opinion.
Summarize each of your body paragraphs in one sentence.
Wrap it up with a “Call to Action” – Give the reader a job to
do regarding your topic – sign a petition, join a group, write a
letter, make a phone call
• There should be NO NEW information in the conclusion.
• In conclusion, the students should not be required to wear
uniforms. These uniforms could be uncomfortable and prevent
students from paying attention in class. Equally important,
uniforms could also be very expensive, placing an unnecessary
burden on parents. Most important, uniforms will take away
individuality and won’t prevent bullying. Make the decision to
stand against uniforms and allow students to be themselves!
•
•
•
•
•
Imagine going to a school where everyone looks the same: the same clothes, the same colors, the same patters. This sounds
pretty boring, right? Sadly, this is something that might happen in our ton if the board of education has their way. No one wants
to be bored in school, whether by teachers or what others wear. Therefore, students should not be required to wear uniforms for
several reasons.
To begin, school uniforms can be very uncomfortable. They aren't made from the nicest fabric and can be itchy and rough
on skin. Additionally, if students aren’t comfortable in their clothes, they can become distracted and have trouble listening to the
teacher and learning lessons. This could affect their grades in a negative way. Essentially, students would be worried about
their grades and have another reason for not being about to concentrate in class.
To continue, school uniforms may cost a lot of money. Parents may not be able to afford the cost of the uniform; suppliers
can charge up to $150 per uniform. Fortunately, if parents can buy any type of clothing for their child, they can shop in places
they can afford and possibly save money. They can wait to the clothes to go on sale or use store coupons. After all, it isn’t fair
to force parents to pay more money than they have for clothing.
Above all, students show their individuality through their clothing. Clothing is a way to express how we feel or what
interests we have, such as a sports team like the Giants. Moreover, students need to have a way to express themselves; clothing
is one of those ways. Some people may believe that having uniforms will prevent bullies from picking on children for their
clothing, but this is simply not true. Once a bully, always a bully. Simply put, if everyone is wearing the same thing, bullies will
quickly find another reason to pick on someone, so uniforms don’t solve that problem. Uniforms would just take away a student’s
ability to be him or herself.
In conclusion, the students should not be required to wear uniforms. These uniforms could be uncomfortable and prevent
students from paying attention in class. Equally important, uniforms could also be very expensive, placing an unnecessary
burden on parents. Most important, uniforms will take away individuality and won’t prevent bullying. Make the decision to
stand again uniforms and allow students to be themselves!
• In order to score proficiently based on the NJ Holistic Scoring
Rubric, you need to achieve a four or better.
• The following items need to be in your essay for it to be a four:
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An opening and closing
A single focus (you can’t be for and against something)
Transitions
Some development of details
Readability (no one expects perfect penmanship, grammar, mechanics
or punctuation, but there should not be so many errors that the reader
can’t understand what you are trying to communicate. If they can’t
read it, they won’t!)
• Semicolon
• Figurative Language
• Advanced Vocabulary