District 11 Educational Support Services
Literacy & Language Arts

Grade 8, Quarter 3: January Unit
The Art of Persuasion


Overview

During the first three weeks of this quarter, you will be looking at persuasion. You encounter persuasive writing everyday. Whether it’s trying to get your teachers to give you less homework, a TV advertisement trying to get you to buy its product, the President of the United States giving the State of the Union address, or even an article about your favorite musician, persuasive writing plays an important part in your everyday life. You will examine some persuasive articles and continue working with main ideas and supporting details. You will also be looking at author’s point of view and his/her persuasive techniques. 

With persuasive writing, the goal is to try and convince people to agree with you. It is important to remember that persuasive writing relies heavily on facts, not opinions. And remember, persuasive writing does not have to be boring!  Keep this thought from Barry Lane in mind as you work on your persuasive writing: ”Don’t write that school lunches are gross; write about yellowing vanilla pudding and gobs of cool whip that coat the roof of your mouth like latex paint.”  Effective persuasive writers use the same techniques you learned earlier in the year: connect to your reader with vivid language use and engaging images!

For Teachers
Prior Unit
 Next Unit
Yearly Overview
I Have a Dream: The Art of Persuasion Daily Lessons 1 2 3 4 5

 

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • Effective readers analyze text to make predictions and draw conclusions; infer purpose of text.

  • Effective readers apply different strategies and skills to understand a variety of texts.

  • Effective readers can locate meanings, pronunciations, spellings, and derivations of unfamiliar words, and can use and apply new words in other contexts to improve vocabulary.

  • Effective readers identify and incorporate relevant, personal knowledge in order to connect with the text.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • What is text?  How do we apply different strategies and skills to understand a variety of texts?

  • How do we communicate?  What is effective communication? Why does effective communication require a process?

  • What is standard English?  Why do we need to know and use standard English rules?

  • How do we apply stylistic elements and appropriate formats?

  • What is critical thinking?  How do we think critically in our lives?

  • What is literature?  How can we make personal connections through literature?

  • What makes us human?

Standards
  Highest Frequency Standards High Frequency Standards Other Standards & E-skills

Reading


1c/4e. Analyze main idea and supporting details in a variety of text and genre/Analyze the text's main idea and use relevant details to support the analysis.

1g.  Identify the meaning of unfamiliar words in context using word recognition skills and context clues. 

4d.  Analyze text to make predictions and draw conclusions.

 

    1f.  Locate and recall information in different text structures (for example:  cause/effect, problem/solution, compare/contrast).
    4a. Identify author's point of view and purpose.

    4c. Differentiate fact from opinion in a variety of texts. 

    5a. Use organizational features of printed text (for example:  annotations, citations, and bibliographic references).

    5d.  Evaluate information for specific needs and credibility.

    5f.  Locate meanings, pronunciations, and derivations of unfamiliar words using dictionaries, glossaries and other sources.

    6a.  Read and respond to a variety of literature that represents perspectives from places, people, and events that are familiar and unfamiliar.  


       4b.  Use reading and writing skills to identify problems, list possible solutions, and answer questions.

 

Writing


2a.  Write in a variety of genres - persuasive.

2b.  Organize ideas so that there is an inviting introduction, logical arrangement of ideas and a purposeful conclusion. 

2c.  Use vivid and precise language appropriate to audience and purpose.  

2f.   Vary sentence structure and length to enhance meaning and fluency.

2g.  Develop ideas and content with specific details, examples, and/or reasons to address a prompt. 
 3a.  Identify eight parts of speech.

 3b.  Use standard English usage in writing, including pronoun/antecedent agreement, subject/verb agreement, regular/irregular verbs, and modifiers. 

3c.  Write in complete sentences.

3d.  Use conventions correctly.

3e.  Use conventional spelling.

3f.   Use paragraphing correctly so that each paragraph is differentiated by indenting or blocking and includes one major, focused idea. 


    2d.  Plan, draft, revise, and edit for a legible final copy.

    2e.  Write in format (for example:  lab reports, summaries, formal letters, and memos) and voice appropriate to purpose and audience.

  • Lessons

    Lesson 1: Lesson 1 Title
    Duration: @ 1 class period

    Standard information #: 
    District Indicator:
     
    Enduring Understanding:
     
    Essential Questions:
     
    Assessment:
     

    Activities

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    Resources

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    Differentiation
    Extension:
     
    Support:
     


     

Parents


 

Teacher Resources

 


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