American Literature
Week One: The Art of Writing Persuasively
Day One:
Content: The student will know and identify examples of persuasive writing prompts.
Performance Expectations: The student will identify and explain the elements of persuasive writing.
Background: Rationale: In order to succeed on the GHSGWT, the student must be able to write
persuasively.
Materials: Handouts/ transparencies (teacher made):
1) list of the elements of persuasive writing
2) the writing process
3) sample writing prompts for the GHSGWT
Warm-up: Journal Entry:
Writing Topic The principal at your school has instituted random locker and backpack/bookbag searches to
check for guns, knives, and other weapons. Anyone caught with these weapons will be immediately
suspended. The principal argues that the random searches will not only guard against illegal weapons at
school but will also help students feel safer. What is your position on this issue?
Writing Situation Write a letter to the school newspaper stating your position and supporting it with three
convincing reasons.
Instruction:
Introduce and explain the elements of persuasive writing
Review the steps of the writing process, using attached materials.
Discuss the purpose and function of the thesis statement within the persuasive essay
Introduction of vocabulary for the persuasive essay (i.e., claim, evidence, and statistics)
Formulation of the thesis statement
Guided Practice:
In the provided models, guide the students in identifying the elements of persuasive
writing: thesis statement, main points, supporting details and identification of the
audience addressed
Independent Practice: Student will work in pairs. Using a different model of persuasive writing, the pair
will identify the thesis statement, main points, and 2 supporting details of each main
point.
Reflection: Ticket out of the door: Without notes, define 2 elements of persuasive writing
Homework: Distribute copies of the GHSGT writing scoring rubric.
Assignment: Read the rubric and become familiar with the four domains and their elements.
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Day Two:
Content: The student will be familiar with the requirements in each domain of the GHSGWT scoring
rubric.
Performance Expectation: The student will use the scoring rubric to analyze the elements of a persuasive
essay.
Background: Rationale: Students will use rubric to determine how an effective essay is constructed.
Materials: Copies of several examples of models of persuasive writing
Students will receive copies of the rubric for GHSWT for peer to peer to editing
Warm-Up: Based on the GHSGWT rubric, list your strengths and weaknesses as a writer.
Instruction: Distribute the copies of the different models of the persuasive writing. Explain the purpose of
annotation and demonstrate annotating persuasive essays with emphasis on the Domain of Ideas
and the Domain of Conventions.
Guided Practice: Annotate the remainder of the essay using domains three and four.
Independent Instruction:
Distribute another piece of persuasive writing. Using the rubric for the
GHSGWT, annotate this piece of writing, identifying the different elements
of the each domain.
Reflection: Based on the list of weaknesses you created for your journal entry, prioritize how you plan to
work on these weaknesses.
Homework: Finish the annotation of the persuasive piece.
Day Three:
Mock Writing Assessment
Day Four:
* Performance Expectation
Content: The student will know how to use the domain of the GHSGWT scoring rubric to analyze
his own writing and aid in the composition of the persuasive piece.
*PE: Students will utilize rubric to brainstorm, prewrite and plan for development of the persuasive
essay.
Warm –up: Students will receive topics in preparation for the GHSGWT and make a selection based
on the writing situation which appeals to him or her. Student must give validation for selection.
Instruction: Assessment of homework with final review of the scoring rubric.
Evaluation of appropriate communication of supportive ideas throughout the persuasive
essay.
Provide guidelines for the cumulative assignment for the letter to parents.
Guided Practice: Guide students through the composition of thesis statements based upon the topic
statements used for warm-ups.
Independent Practice: Select one new topic from the journal and formulate a thesis statement,
main points and supporting details.
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Reflection: Review work written with peers keeping domains aligned
Homework: Parents will assist students in the composition of assignment entitled Letter to Parents
Day Five:
Content: The student will know all the elements of writing an effective piece of persuasive writing.
Performance Expectation: The student will write an original persuasive essay, incorporating all elements
of each domain in the scoring rubric.
Background: Rationale: The student will review the rubric and how to write an effective essay.
Materials: Copies of writing prompt(s) and the rubrics
Warm-up: Review the annotation students did at home to complete the four domains of the rubric.
Students will continue to mark their copies to have a completely annotated essay.
Instruction: Distribute the writing prompts; discuss the requirements of the prompt. Answer any
questions.
Guided exercise: Student will use the steps in the writing process to think and plan the essay.
Independent Practice: The student will write an original essay based on the writing prompt.
Reflection: Student will share the rough draft with his/ her peers for comments and corrections.
Homework: Finish the persuasive essay for submission.
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American Literature
Additional Practice: Persuasive Writing Assignments\
These assignments are tied to the core curriculum for American Literature and are designed to provide more
opportunities for students to write before the assessment.
Week Two: (Substitute this assignment for a Homework Assignment .)
The student will write a letter to the editor of a paper.
Topic: “Is it truly possible to become an American if you were not born in the United States?”
Week Three: Student will write a persuasive essay on one of the following topics:
“Is Rap a legitimate form of oral tradition? “ Why or Why not?
“Does Rap truly represent your culture and your beliefs?” Why or Why not
Week Four:
Write a letter based William Bradford’s writing. You will assume the persona of a colonial
settler and write a letter to a relative still in England encouraging him and his family to
immigrate to America.
Week Five:
Write a persuasive response to the following question:
“Do you believe that the supernatural can influence the affairs of mankind?”
Week Six:
How does Arthur Miller use persuasive techniques between Danforth and Parris within
The Crucible?
Assessing the writing:
Teacher will use the scoring rubric for the GHSGWT to assess the essays. The assessments can be
individual, shared with the class, or peer scoring.
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