Lesson:
We started the class period discussing the student's journalist experiences, particularly how difficult it was for them to write objectively. This sparked a long discussion which took all our class time.
Later this week, I will post a summation of all the classes' feedback and discussions about journalism.
Assignment:
The assignment is just the opposite of objective neutrality. Students are to write a newspaper editorial OR persuasive essay taking and defending a strong personal position.
Since most of the class is also in the Starting Points class, they may combine the two by writing a five-paragraph essay that fulfills both class assignments.
Showing posts with label Persuasive writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Persuasive writing. Show all posts
Monday, February 2, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
7th - 8th Writing, January 16
For convenience, I am copying the post I originally made here
Lesson:
In this lesson, I taught the basic principles of persuasive writing.
Persuasion is the art of guiding and influencing others to think, feel, and behave in a desired manner. Persuasion involves establishing a need or problem, proposing a solution, supporting that solution with sound evidence and argumentation that will appeal to the audience, foreseeing and countering any resistance or opposition to the proposed solution, and issuing a clear call to action.
Persuasion involves:
ethos - an appeal from the authority and integrity of the writer (or speaker)
pathos - an appeal to the emotions of the audience
logos - am appeal to fact and logic
Logic without emotion may be dry or merciless, and may fail to stir many people to act or change.
Emotion without logic may be shallow at best, and may fail to produce lasting change.
Persuasion without ethos becomes propaganda, manipulation, or brainwashing.
We discussed how to structure and support an argument, how to choose the best terms to define one's arguments, how to understand and counter opposing viewpoints, how to gain the trust of the reader (in part by not alienating the reader with overblown claims, unsupported absolutes, or inflammatory language), and how to move the reader along to the desired conclusion.
Assignment:
Students are to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choosing, whether a political, moral, or practical policy issue. This must be a topic about which decent, honest people may disagree, and which calls for and allows for a change of mind or behavior.
Lesson:
In this lesson, I taught the basic principles of persuasive writing.
Persuasion is the art of guiding and influencing others to think, feel, and behave in a desired manner. Persuasion involves establishing a need or problem, proposing a solution, supporting that solution with sound evidence and argumentation that will appeal to the audience, foreseeing and countering any resistance or opposition to the proposed solution, and issuing a clear call to action.
Persuasion involves:
ethos - an appeal from the authority and integrity of the writer (or speaker)
pathos - an appeal to the emotions of the audience
logos - am appeal to fact and logic
Logic without emotion may be dry or merciless, and may fail to stir many people to act or change.
Emotion without logic may be shallow at best, and may fail to produce lasting change.
Persuasion without ethos becomes propaganda, manipulation, or brainwashing.
We discussed how to structure and support an argument, how to choose the best terms to define one's arguments, how to understand and counter opposing viewpoints, how to gain the trust of the reader (in part by not alienating the reader with overblown claims, unsupported absolutes, or inflammatory language), and how to move the reader along to the desired conclusion.
Assignment:
Students are to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choosing, whether a political, moral, or practical policy issue. This must be a topic about which decent, honest people may disagree, and which calls for and allows for a change of mind or behavior.
Monday, January 5, 2009
9th - 12th Writing, December 12
Lesson:
Common wisdom posits that the best way to learn is to teach. Another axiom tells us that it is easier to spot our faults in others than in ourselves. Perhaps both of these statements come into play during class read-arounds. Evaluating their classmates' writing and making suggestions for improvement helps students to turn a more objective eye on their own efforts.
I had expected to collect the students' most recent persuasive essays and issue a new assignment. However, the students all said that the previous read-around session had helped them tremendously, which I could see for myself when I quickly scanned their newest essays. The class also said that, though they felt more capable and confident with persuasive writing, they still needed more practice. Looking over their work, I concurred.
So, we spent a brief portion of this class period reviewing a few tips, such as organizing one's points for greatest impact, and choosing terms which would advance one's case without offending one's reader.
After that, we spent the remainder of the period in class read-arounds of their most recent persuasive essays.
Assignment:
Students were to take home and revise their latest persuasive essays.
Common wisdom posits that the best way to learn is to teach. Another axiom tells us that it is easier to spot our faults in others than in ourselves. Perhaps both of these statements come into play during class read-arounds. Evaluating their classmates' writing and making suggestions for improvement helps students to turn a more objective eye on their own efforts.
I had expected to collect the students' most recent persuasive essays and issue a new assignment. However, the students all said that the previous read-around session had helped them tremendously, which I could see for myself when I quickly scanned their newest essays. The class also said that, though they felt more capable and confident with persuasive writing, they still needed more practice. Looking over their work, I concurred.
So, we spent a brief portion of this class period reviewing a few tips, such as organizing one's points for greatest impact, and choosing terms which would advance one's case without offending one's reader.
After that, we spent the remainder of the period in class read-arounds of their most recent persuasive essays.
Assignment:
Students were to take home and revise their latest persuasive essays.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
9th - 12th Writing, December 5
Lesson:
We spent most of the class period reading and critiquing student essays. The read-arounds during the last session paid off handsomely; these persuasive essays showed notable improvements over the original drafts.
Many of the students tackled thorny topics like abortion policies or immigration reform. Those are challenging subjects, especially for an essay of this size, but the students did well.
We again stressed the need to remember their target audience, to structure their arguments to appeal to the readers' needs and viewpoints, and to issue a clear call to action.
Assignment:
Each student will prepare another five-paragraph persuasive essay on a different topic of choice.
We spent most of the class period reading and critiquing student essays. The read-arounds during the last session paid off handsomely; these persuasive essays showed notable improvements over the original drafts.
Many of the students tackled thorny topics like abortion policies or immigration reform. Those are challenging subjects, especially for an essay of this size, but the students did well.
We again stressed the need to remember their target audience, to structure their arguments to appeal to the readers' needs and viewpoints, and to issue a clear call to action.
Assignment:
Each student will prepare another five-paragraph persuasive essay on a different topic of choice.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
9th - 12th Writing, November 21
Lesson:
Since several students have missed a few key sessions lately, I thought it best not to move on to a new assignment immediately before Thanksgiving break. Instead, we spent most of the class period in read-arounds of their persuasive essays. Read-arounds, wherein students pass around and critique one another's major papers, are a common practice in college. In our case, it not only acquainted the students with that procedure, but it also gave them a chance to hone their editing and revision skills together.
Assignment:
We will not meet during Thanksgiving week, resuming again December 5.
Students are to revise and edit their five-paragraph persuasive essays. They should take into account the critiques of their classmates, though they are not bound by those, and must still exercise their own best judgment.
Since several students have missed a few key sessions lately, I thought it best not to move on to a new assignment immediately before Thanksgiving break. Instead, we spent most of the class period in read-arounds of their persuasive essays. Read-arounds, wherein students pass around and critique one another's major papers, are a common practice in college. In our case, it not only acquainted the students with that procedure, but it also gave them a chance to hone their editing and revision skills together.
Assignment:
We will not meet during Thanksgiving week, resuming again December 5.
Students are to revise and edit their five-paragraph persuasive essays. They should take into account the critiques of their classmates, though they are not bound by those, and must still exercise their own best judgment.
Monday, November 17, 2008
9th - 12th Writing, November 14
Lesson:
Our class was quite small since some students were away participating in a speech/debate tournament. Rather than move on to the planned lesson with so many absent, we used the class period as a workshop for the students who were there.
We read their thesis statements, discussed their topics, and brainstormed ways to frame their arguments in more positive and compelling terms. I reiterated their need to be clear about their specific call to action --- to know in no uncertain terms exactly what they are asking of their readers. Only then can they guide their readers skillfully to that conclusion.
Assignment:
Students are to complete a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choice.
Our class was quite small since some students were away participating in a speech/debate tournament. Rather than move on to the planned lesson with so many absent, we used the class period as a workshop for the students who were there.
We read their thesis statements, discussed their topics, and brainstormed ways to frame their arguments in more positive and compelling terms. I reiterated their need to be clear about their specific call to action --- to know in no uncertain terms exactly what they are asking of their readers. Only then can they guide their readers skillfully to that conclusion.
Assignment:
Students are to complete a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choice.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
9th - 12th Writing, November 7
Lesson:
In this lesson, I taught the basic principles of persuasive writing.
Persuasion is the art of guiding and influencing others to think, feel, and behave in a desired manner. Persuasion involves establishing a need or problem, proposing a solution, supporting that solution with sound evidence and argumentation that will appeal to the audience, foreseeing and countering any resistance or opposition to the proposed solution, and issuing a clear call to action.
Persuasion involves:
ethos - an appeal from the authority and integrity of the writer (or speaker)
pathos - an appeal to the emotions of the audience
logos - am appeal to fact and logic
Logic without emotion may be dry or merciless, and may fail to stir many people to act or change.
Emotion without logic may be shallow at best, and may fail to produce lasting change.
Persuasion without ethos becomes propaganda, manipulation, or brainwashing.
We discussed how to structure and support an argument, how to choose the best terms to define one's arguments, how to understand and counter opposing viewpoints, how to gain the trust of the reader (in part by not alienating the reader with overblown claims, unsupported absolutes, or inflammatory language), and how to move the reader along to the desired conclusion.
I distributed a list of some common logical fallacies, such as ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, etc.
We discussed some of these, and will spend more time next lesson discussing logical fallacies and identifying them in common usage.
Assignment:
Students are to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choosing, whether a political, moral, or practical policy issue. This must be a topic about which decent, honest people may disagree, and which calls for and allows for a change of mind or behavior.
In this lesson, I taught the basic principles of persuasive writing.
Persuasion is the art of guiding and influencing others to think, feel, and behave in a desired manner. Persuasion involves establishing a need or problem, proposing a solution, supporting that solution with sound evidence and argumentation that will appeal to the audience, foreseeing and countering any resistance or opposition to the proposed solution, and issuing a clear call to action.
Persuasion involves:
ethos - an appeal from the authority and integrity of the writer (or speaker)
pathos - an appeal to the emotions of the audience
logos - am appeal to fact and logic
Logic without emotion may be dry or merciless, and may fail to stir many people to act or change.
Emotion without logic may be shallow at best, and may fail to produce lasting change.
Persuasion without ethos becomes propaganda, manipulation, or brainwashing.
We discussed how to structure and support an argument, how to choose the best terms to define one's arguments, how to understand and counter opposing viewpoints, how to gain the trust of the reader (in part by not alienating the reader with overblown claims, unsupported absolutes, or inflammatory language), and how to move the reader along to the desired conclusion.
I distributed a list of some common logical fallacies, such as ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, etc.
We discussed some of these, and will spend more time next lesson discussing logical fallacies and identifying them in common usage.
Assignment:
Students are to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choosing, whether a political, moral, or practical policy issue. This must be a topic about which decent, honest people may disagree, and which calls for and allows for a change of mind or behavior.
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