Overview This session will offer multiple literacy strategies and tech tools to prepare a well-crafted and scaffolded lesson and/or unit to assist your students with persuasive writing. We will explore how the world around us (mobile devices, the internet, TV, magazines, etc.) provides powerful examples with which to teach our students! Be prepared to think out of the box and to learn while you play. “Have we convinced you to read on? We sure hope so!” Tammy Myskiw – Content Literacy Consultant Johanne Renaud – Technology Consultant
Table of Contents Definition & Purpose
Program of Studies 21st Century Skills Real World Exemplars
Scaffolds for Teaching
Before During After
Writing
Technology Infusion
Using Web 2.0 tools and Apps for scaffolding and assessment o My Pop Studio o write rhymes o ujam o Shelfari o Kidblog o Postale
Assessment
Rubrics 1|Page
Definition & Purpose Persuasive Writing: Students organize information to argue a point of view or to convince others to think or act differently. Language Arts Program of Studies 1.1.2
Experiment with language and form Discuss and respond to ways that content and forms of oral, print and other media text interact to influence understanding (Gr. 7)
1.1.3
ICT Outcomes C.1 – Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of technologies. Specific Outcomes: communicate in a persuasive and engaging manner, through appropriate forms, such as speeches, letters, reports and multimedia presentations, applying information technologies for content, audience and purpose F.4 – Students will become discerning consumers of mass media and electronic information.
Express preferences Explore and assess oral, print and other media text recommended by others (Gr. 7)
21st Century Skills Creativity and Innovation
Communication and Collaboration
Specific Outcomes: identify aspects of style in a presentation understand the nature of various media and how they are consciously used to influence an audience identify specific techniques used by the media to elicit particular responses from an audience recognize that the ability of technology to manipulate images and sound can alter the meaning of a communication
C.2 – Students will seek alternative view points, using information technologies.
1.2.1
Research and Information Fluency
Consider others’ ideas Integrate own perspectives and interpretations with new understandings developed through discussing and through experiencing a variety of oral, print and other media text (Gr. 9)
Technology Tools Postale ujam write rhymes kidblog Shelfari My Pop Studio
My Pop Studio Internet (real-world examples) ujam
My Pop Studio Shelfari Kidblog
Specific Outcomes: access diverse viewpoints on particular topics by using appropriate technologies assemble and organize different viewpoints in order to assess their validity
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Scaffolds for Teaching Before Writing:
Teacher ensures that students are familiarized with the task’s rubric. Students brain-storm a list of real-world applications/examples where they interact with persuasive writing. (Appendix 1)
Students utilize these real-world texts to identify signal words used in persuasive writing.
(Appendix 1)
Students generate a list of “Top 20” key signal words they identified. (Appendix 2)
Students will learn to identify and critique the key components of persuasive writing: o The hook o Credible evidence o Clear position o The “other side” of the issue o Compelling conclusion
Technology Infusion:
My Pop Studio
My Pop Studio is a great site to use in order to scaffold the persuasive writing process. The music studio, TV studio and magazines sections can be particularly helpful in having students identify some key signal words that are used in persuasive writing as well as identify credible evidence and understanding the meaning and impact of a clear position.
Popstar Producer allows students to pick the message you want to send (select a clear position). Then students must sift through lyrics, while considering key signal words, to create a song. They can then share their performance with their peers and have them try to identify the Popstar’s intended message.
Selling with a Song has students analyzing various possible hooks to sell a product. Since the hook is in the form of a song, students must use their knowledge of key signal words to listen to the lyrics for best matches between the song and product.
Celebrity You has students providing credible evidence for their celebrity profile. They will need to take a clear position and persuade their fans by using key signal words in their quotes and responses.
They Said What? Has students sifting through quotes and possible sources to produce credible evidence for their article.
TV Producer lets students create their own product ad from pre-existing video clips and title cards. Students can then have peers evaluate the persuasiveness of their advertisement.
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Scaffolds for Teaching During Writing:
Students select topic . Students create a mindmap that include the key components of persuasive writing. Students write first draft utilizing relevant key signal words. Using “The Great Debate” planner students peer evaluate each other’s drafts. Students use peer feedback to write their final copy.
Technology Infusion:
My Pop Studio
Students can go back to the Selling with a Song activity to select a product and then write their own persuasive jingle/song.
Shelfari
Create a class Gmail account. Create a class Shelfari account using the Gmail you just created. Students write persuasive book reviews for an authentic audience.
Kidblog
Postale
Create a Kidblog account. Set “comments permissions” to anyone without a password. (You approve all the comments) Students can blog about persuasive writing in general. Students can also create persuasive arguments as to why their favorite games are actually educational. Ask parents/other classes/ etc... to comment on posts. Students create persuasive flyers for real and/or fictional products (i.e. apps, games, charities, school activities, etc...) and email them to family and friends.
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Scaffolds for Teaching After Writing:
Students self-reflect on the writing process and the persuasiveness of their product. Students use their writing to create a multimedia product. Students share the finished product with an authentic audience (ie. Blog, website, school newsletter, film festival, etc).
Technology Infusion:
We Video
write rhymes
Students create a persuasive ad about a topic of their choosing (product, cause, event, etc...) WeVideo is a web-based video editing tool which allows them to work on their ads from anywhere! This web-based tool helps students create rhymes in their texts. Can be useful if creating a jingle/song for product ad.
ujam
Allows students to mix a song. Students read a text then select a music genre. They can then add several effects to an mp3 song that can be used in their product ad.
Shelfari
Students continue to write persuasive reviews (good or bad) through the year.
Kidblog
Students can create some self-reflection posts about persuasive writing. Students can start adding persuasive writing posts (in their own KIDBLOG) about upcoming events in the community. (i.e. movie reviews, teams, etc...)
Postale
Give students voice about future assignments and topics! Students send a persuasive virtual postcard to you and/or the class to persuade you/the class to go with their suggestion.
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Assessment Rubrics:
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Appendix 1 Real World Exemplars GROUPON:

Have students identify any key signal words usually found in persuasive writing. 7|Page
Appendix 1 Real World Exemplars PopCap – Online Gaming:
iTunes – App Store:
Have students identify any key signal words usually found in persuasive writing. 8|Page
Appendix 2
9|Page
Other Useful Resources PBS Persuasive Writing – Take a Stand: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect/resources/4016/preview/
PBS – 19 Persuasive Writing Assignments: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect/resources/4016/preview/
National Association for Media Literacy Education: http://namle.net/
Media Literacy.org - Persuasive Writing Resources: http://www.medialiteracy.com/searchresults.htm?cx=partner-pub6469250833860037%3Acyxyhg17w53&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=persuasive+writing&sa=Search
Media Awareness Network: http://media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm
The ART of Persuasion - Scoopit: http://www.scoop.it/t/the-art-of-persuasion
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Persuasion! February 2012 Edmonton, Alberta
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