persuasive writing lesson plan objectives

5 Top Persuasive Writing Lesson Plans for Students and Teachers

The purpose of any persuasive writing text is to persuade the reader of a particular point of view or to take a specific course of action. Persuasive texts come in many different forms, including, but not limited to, essays, editorials, letters, advertisements, and reviews. While persuasive texts come in many shapes and sizes, they all share standard features.

Persuasive texts employ a wide variety of different rhetorical strategies and techniques to achieve their ends. For example, they’ll use emotive language and rhetorical questions. Images are sometimes used to entice or appeal to the reader or viewer. 

Advertising is one key form of persuasive writing . It makes vigorous use of all the tools in the persuasive writing toolbox as it strives to sell goods or services to the reader.

In this article, you’ll learn how to take your students from reluctant salespersons to master marketers in a lightning-fast five days. 

Students will first learn how the various persuasive strategies work before incorporating them into their advertisements. We have comprehensive guides to persuasive writing and advertisements you should explore also.

So, let’s get started!

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 1: Identify the Key Features of Adverts

Before your students will be able to produce their own well-written advertisements, they’ll need to be well-versed in all the tricks up the skilful salesperson’s sleeves.

One of the most productive ways for students to do this is through reverse engineering.

Organize your students into small groups or pairs and distribute print advertisements gleaned from various sources such as magazines, newspapers, and posters. You could also show projections of some sample advertisements projected onto the whiteboard to facilitate this exercise.

Now, ask the students to examine the advertisements and answer the following question: 

What techniques do the advertisers use to get our attention?

Challenge the students to go beyond the pretty obvious features of advertisements, e.g. branding, slogans, and testimonials, to also look at more subtle techniques such as the use and interplay of images and various other effects created by language choices and figurative devices. 

When the students have finished their discussions, give them feedback as a whole class and use their responses to compile a master list of the various features they have identified. 

Some features suggested by the class might include:

• Emotive language
• Exaggeration
• Appealing adjectives
• Powerful verbs
• Strong adverbs
• Contact details
• Alliteration
• Rhetorical questions
• Testimonials

Once you have compiled a master list of persuasive strategies and techniques used in advertising, these can handily be turned into checklists that the students can use when producing their own advertisements later.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 2: Analyze an Advert

Now, the students have a solid understanding of the different features of advertisements and a checklist to work from; it’s time for them to analyze an advert in more detail. 

Not only will this prove a valuable exercise to help prepare your students for producing their own advertisements later in the week, but it will also serve as an excellent task to improve your students’ media literacy skills. It may even help to innoculate them from media manipulation in the future.

To get started on their advertisement analysis, they’ll need to source a suitable advertisement to look at in detail. 

Older and higher-ability students may be fit to make their own choices regarding which advertisement to analyze. If this is the case, perhaps they can choose an advert for a product they like or a product or service in a category that interests them greatly. 

Allowing your students some say in the ads they analyze will help fuel their interest and enthusiasm when creating their own advertisements later.

However, it might be best to choose a sample advertisement for younger students and those of lower ability – or at least offer a pre-vetted, limited choice. They will most likely have enough to contend with already!

When students have a suitable advertisement to hand, please encourage them to use their checklist from yesterday’s lesson to explore how the ad works. The students should then write a paragraph identifying the various techniques used in the advertisement and their effect.

Challenge the students to write another paragraph or two, considering what makes the advertisement work – or not, as the case may be. Ask them to consider where the advertisement could be improved. Could the slogan be catchier? How about the logo? Does it convey the brand’s identity appropriately? Are the images used in the advertisement optimal?

When the students have finished their paragraphs, they can display their advert and their analysis and share their thoughts with the class.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 3: Plan an Advertisement

At this stage, your students should have a good understanding of many of the main features of advertisements and had plenty of opportunities to see examples of these in action. Now it’s time for them to begin to plan for writing their own advertisements. Here are some areas for your students to think about when starting the planning process.

The Purpose and Audience

Like any other writing type, students will need to identify both the purpose and the audience for their advertisements bef ore putting pen to paper.

The purpose of any advertisement is to sell goods or services. Precisely what goods or services are being sold is the first question that needs to be answered.

Students might like to focus on the goods or services advertised in the adverts they’ve been exploring over the previous two days. Or, if they prefer, they might like to choose something new entirely.

Once they’ve chosen what they’re selling, students will need to identify who they will sell it to. Scattershot advertisements that attempt to sell to everyone often end up selling to no one.

One effective way to help focus an advert is to define a ‘buyer persona’ first. This is a profile of the hypothetical buyer who the ad will target.

Students can consider the following characteristics to help them develop their buyer’s persona:

• Education level
• Marital status
• Likes/Dislikes
• Who they trust
• What they read/watch

The Brand Name

The next stage is for the student to decide on a name for their company. This should usually be something relatively short and memorable, and appealing to the target audience.

Generally, the student will need to come up with at least four or five ideas first. They can then choose the best. 

It can be a helpful practice for the student to look at the brand names for companies selling similar goods and services. A little internet research will be beneficial here.

Now it’s time for students to jot down ideas for their brand’s slogan. Slogans are short and punchy phrases that help make brands more memorable for customers. 

Slogans often employ literary devices such as alliteration, puns, or rhyme. They don’t always have to be the most meaningful things in the world; it’s more important that they’re memorable. Think Nike’s Just to Do It or McDonald’s I’m Lovin’ It – not the most meaning-rich phrases in the world but instantly recognizable!

The Body Copy

This part of the advertisement will contain the bulk of the writing. It’s where the students will get to use the various techniques and strategies they’ve explored in the previous activities.

Despite containing most of the ad’s text, advertising copy is usually concise and to the point. Student’s should strive to get the main points across in the fewest words possible. Nothing turns readers off faster than impenetrable walls of text.

To help organize the text, students may use bullet points and subheadings. They should be sure to include any specific information or specifications that they want the reader to know about the product or service. 

The language chosen should also be appropriate for speaking to the audience that they have defined earlier.

The Call to Action

The Call to Action – commonly referred to as the CTA , usually comes at the end of an advertisement.

The CTA typically comprises a few sentences that invite the reader to take a particular course of action. Normally, to buy the advertised goods or service.

However, not all CTAs focus on getting the reader to make an immediate purchase. Some, for example, aim to get the reader to provide their contact details so they can be sold to later. 

Students need to first define what their Call to Action will invite readers to do. They will then need to choose a strong imperative that will call on the reader to take that specific action. Commonly used verbs that urge readers to take action include subscribe, join, buy, etc.

The CTA must be clear and specific; the reader should be in no doubt about what the advertisement is asking them to do. 

Often, the CTA will create a sense of urgency by limiting special offers by time. 

As part of the planning process, students should use some of their time in today’s session to think about and make some notes on options they might like to include in the final drafts of their Call to Action.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 4: Create the Advertisement

Day 4, already! This is the day students will try to bring all the elements together. They’ll work to complete their advertisements by the end of today’s session.

You may like to have the students collaborating to produce their ads or working individually. Either way, reinforce the importance of attention to detail in their work. 

The main focus for persuasive texts of any kind, advertisements included, shouldn’t be length but, instead, it should be on how effectively it persuades the reader to take the desired action.

Students should incorporate their planning from yesterday and refer to their checklists as they create. As precise language is so essential to effective marketing, encourage students to use thesauruses to help them find just the right word for their copy.

When students have had a chance to draft their advertisements, they can then get into small groups and compare their work. This is an opportunity for students to provide each other with constructive criticism. 

They can use their checklists as a basis to provide this criticism. Students can then revise their advertisements in light of the advice they’ve received in their groups.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 5: Further Practice in the Art of Persuasion

In the process of comparing their work with each other, with reference to the criteria they’ve worked on earlier in the week, students will no doubt identify areas they are strong in and other areas where they are weaker.

Day 5’s activities should offer students an opportunity to practice those areas identified as needing further work to bring them up to par.

For example, students can practice their persuasion skills by moving their focus from printed ads to other types of marketing endeavours that utilise the arts of persuasion.

Where students struggled to employ literary devices in their advertising copy, they may benefit from creating a radio jingle or radio ad for their product or service. As this type of ad can contain no visual imagery to support, writing a radio jingle or ad will force the student to pay particular attention to verbal imagery, rhyme, alliteration, etc. 

If the testimonials used in the first advertisement were unconvincing, perhaps the student will benefit from isolating this strategy to focus exclusively on effective testimonial writing. They should spend some time researching testimonials and how to write them effectively. 

For example, testimonials should usually be:

• Short and to the point
• Conversational in tone
• Authentic (use a name, photo, job title, etc.)
• Specific about the benefits
• Directed at overcoming objections.

Once students have a good handle on how these work, they should put their new-found knowledge into practice and get writing as soon as possible.

This research-then-practice model can help the student improve in whatever particular area of persuasion that needs work – as identified in yesterday’s activity.

Getting good at persuasive writing demands our students to develop their knowledge and abilities with a broad range of skills and strategies. 

Advertising copy is a highly concentrated form of persuasive writing and, therefore, an excellent means for our students to gain lots of practice in a short space of time. 

And, as the saying goes, a good start is half the work, so set your class of creative copywriters on the road to marketing mastery today!

ARTICLES RELATED TO PERSUASIVE WRITING LESSON PLANS

How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps

Top 5 Persuasive Writing Techniques for Students

23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students

How to Write an Advertisement: A Complete Guide for Students and Teachers

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Persuasive Writing

Objective: Identify persuasive writing techniques using effective outlines.

Activities: 1) Students will decide if they are pro or con on the following issue: Changing the drinking age to 24. They will decide ahead of time is they are pro: “Change the drinking age to 24″ or con “Keep the drinking age at 21″ 2) They should do some brainstorming on the topic researching laws about it and decide reasons they for the choice they have chosen. 3) They will need to access “Thinkfinity” at www.Thinkfinify.org Use key word “Persuasion Map” 4) Using the interactive site here they will follow the map and put their information into the formulated outline. 5) Once the map is completed they will print it and then write their persuasive essay.

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• Persuasive Discipline: Using Power Messages and Suggestions to Influence Children Toward Positive Behavior
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/ Lessons Plans / Language Arts Lesson Plans / Delivering a Persuasive Speech Lesson Plan

Delivering a Persuasive Speech Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan #: AELP-SPH0200 Submitted by: Douglas Parker Email: [email protected] School/University/Affiliation: Albany Academy, Albany, NY Date: May 30, 2001

Grade Level: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Speech

Duration: Two 50-minute sessions

Description: Students need to understand that how they say something and how they physically present themselves are just as important as what they say. By understanding the dynamics involved in effective persuasive speaking, students will improve their overall confidence in communicating.

Goals: The goal of this lesson is to improve students’ speaking skills by understanding persuasion proficiencies.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the appropriate classroom public speaking and listening skills (e.g., body language, articulation, listening to be able to identify specific examples of the speaker’s coordination of talking and action) that would be necessary to influence or change someone’s mind or way of thinking about a topic.
• Define the elements of persuasion.
• Recognize the elements of personal credibility.
• Develop methods to analyze other students’ speeches.
• Understand outlining main ideas.
• Create a persuasive speech.
• teacher-prepared topics for persuasive speeches
• sample rubric (available in .pdf format)
• Sample Rubric

Procedure: During class discussion, define and explain how people make decisions based on what they see and hear. Explain that sometimes we have to use skills to convince others about our positions. Have the students recall and list their own experiences trying to convince their friends about something, and then ask them to share these with the class. Have the students pick a proposition that not everyone would agree with such as: nuclear power plants are superior energy sources. Have them write a 6-8 minute speech in outline form to persuade the class. Each student will then deliver this speech in front of the class while the rest of the students take notes and prepare to give the speaker feedback on the speech. 

The voice and the body are the best tools — every student is a natural persuader! They have done it all their lives. Every time someone enters a conversation, he or she engages in elementary persuasion techniques. It is true that any time students make a statement of fact, they are asserting its validity and assuming that their listener agrees. This speech goes further than a normal conversational assertion: now students have to assume that not everyone will agree with them from the start, and it is their job to make them see things their way. The goal of this speech is to change someone’s mind or way of thinking about a topic. This is not a speech to sell, as students do not ask that the listener do anything except to agree with them or to begin to listen to their way of thinking. Their message is, of course, very important in this speech, but their voice and body language are even more important. Here they will learn how their delivery can help. There are several important aspects of presentation to keep in mind; the academic elements of persuasion are:

• Body Language – Make sure that they have a proper posture. If their shoulders are sagging and their legs are crossed, they will not appear as being sincere, and people just will not accept their message.
• Articulation – Articulation means how their total vocal process works. There are several steps to this entire process. Students need to understand the process. First, they need air from the lungs, their vocal cords in their larynx must be working, their mouth and tongue must be in sync, and they have to make sure that they have got some saliva in their mouths to keep things oiled. They should be aware of their physical makeup to be able to understand how they speak.
• Pronunciation – Students need to pronounce each word. They must avoid slang, except to make a point, and not slur the words. They must avoid saying, you know.
• Pitch – Pitch refers to the highs and lows of the voice. Whatever they do, they must avoid a monotone!
• Speed – The speed, or pace, is an important variable to control. Between 140-160 words per minute is the normal pace for a persuasive speech. Any faster and they may appear to be glib; any slower and they sound like they are lecturing. If they are not sure about their speed, tape them for one minute and then replay it and count the number of words they used in the minute! The human ear and brain can compile and decode over 400 spoken words per minute, so if they are going too slow their listeners’ minds are going to start to wander as the brains finds other ways to keep themselves occupied.
• Pauses – The pause, or caesura, is a critical persuasive tool. When they want to emphasize a certain word, have them just pause for one second before; this highlights the word. If they really want to punch it, tell them to pause before and after the word!
• Volume – Volume is another good tool for a persuasive speech, but they should use it with caution. If they scream all the way through their speech, people will become accustomed to it and it will lose its effectiveness. On the other hand, a few well-timed shouts can liven up the speech! They must try to project or throw their voice out over the entire class – or speak to the last row.
• Quality – Quality of voice is gauged by the overall impact that their voice has on their listeners. Quality of voice is the net caliber of their voice, its character and attributes. They must try to keep the vocal quality high; it is what separates their voices from everyone else’s.
• Variance – Variance of vocal elements is the most important consideration of all! One of the most persuasive speakers in modern history was Winston Churchill. One of his most remarkable qualities was his ability to vary the elements of his voice. He would start with a slow, laconic voice and then switch gears to a more rapid pace. People were light-headed after listening to him! Even if they have no desire to run for political office, students can still use the tools of variance. Have them try to change their pitch, volume, and speed at least once every 30 seconds, if only for just one word. Never let them go more than one paragraph without a vocal variance. This keeps the class locked into the speech, if for no other reason than it sounds interesting! Let the students’ words speak for themselves; reflect their nature through their voices. If they use the word strangle, have them say it with a hint of menace in their voices. If they say the word heave, let the class feel the onomatopoeic force behind it. If they say the word bulldozer, make it sound like a titan earthmover, not like a baby with a shovel.

The Strategy: Appear Rational When students are trying to convince someone of something, they must first establish their credibility, or in other words, they must sell themselves before they sell their message. If people feel that they are not being reasonable or rational, they do not stand a chance. They must be committed to the ideals and goals of their speech and what they are saying. They should not use words such as maybe or might- the should use positive words such as will and must. Students must portray themselves as the authority figures in this speech, so they had better supply enough information to prove their points so that they can seem knowledgeable, and they had better know their material cold. People can usually spot someone who is trying to wing a speech. They should also appear to be truthful – even when they are really stretching a point. If they do not appear to be earnest, even if their message is the 100% truth, people will doubt their word and tune out their speech. Lastly, they must not be afraid to show a little emotion – this is not a sterile or static speech. Students’ bodies and voices must match the tone of their words. If their language is strong, they must present a physical force to go along with their deliveries.

The Class Reaction The class has two major criteria to consider after each member’s speech. First, the delivery. Were the speaker’s body, words, and actions in synchronization and harmony? Did one support the other or was there tension between the body and the voice? Secondly, were the students persuaded? Why or why not? Discuss what makes a persuasive speech work and how the intangibles effect a positive outcome. Assessment: The class will assess each speaker’s performance in terms of voice and body coordination and in terms of persuasiveness. Each class can develop performance assessments such as rubrics to facilitate this process (see sample rubric in Materials ).

Useful Internet Resource: * Basic Public Speaking, 2nd edition (written by the lesson plan author) http://www.capital.net/~bps2

Table of Contents

1.1 Learning Objectives: Principles of Persuasive Writing

Understand that the writer's goal is to change the perspective of the reader.

Expand on skills learned through writing five-paragraph essays.

Use DACC (Data/Analysis/Conclusion/Connection) to craft an argument for a specific audience.

Use critical reading skills to evaluate a text for purpose, arguments, evidence, and credibility.

Define the three rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos) and identify them in written texts.

Recognize common logical fallacies in reading and work to avoid them in writing.

• Insert Assessment
• Insert Material

Persuading an Audience: Writing Effective Letters to the Editor

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Students write for an authentic audience on a topic of interest when they compose letters to the editor. They read letters to the editor in local, regional, or national newspapers, note common characteristics of the genre, and later categorize those characteristics. They search newspapers to find news articles on topics that interest them. They discuss the topics and articles they found in small groups, select one article on which to focus, and summarize the article. Next, students use an online tool to begin planning their own letter to the editor, based on the news article they selected and summarized. Students draft their letters, then peer review and revise them. Finally, they publish their letters using an online tool, and mail a copy to the newspaper, if desired.

Featured Resources

Newspaper Article Summary Questions : Students can use this handout to help them summarize a newspaper article they have read.

Persuasion Map : Students can use this online tool to map out an argument for persuasive writing or debate.

Letter Generator : This online tool helps students learn the parts of a letter while publishing their own.

From Theory to Practice

In "Putting Writing to Work," Marjorie G. Keil quotes Vygotsky as she explains, "‘teaching should be organized in such a way that reading and writing are necessary . . . [and that] writing should be incorporated into a task . . . necessary and relevant for life' (118)"; then, she goes on to assert that when reading and writing are "performed solely as an academic exercise, the composing process becomes an endurance test of any writer's self-discipline, time-management, and motivation" (168). By writing letters on issues that they care about to an authentic audiences of readers, students completing this activity have the opportunity to go beyond an "academic exercise" to writing that matters-to them and to their readers.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
• Newspaper Article Summary Questions
• Letter to the Editor Peer Review Questions
• Persuasion Map Planning Sheet

Preparation

• Arrange for current issues of local, regional, or national newspapers for the classroom. Each student should have a newspaper for this activity. You may ask each student to bring a newspaper from home. If computer access allows, you can also use online newspaper sites. In addition to local newspaper sites, you can use resources from the Newseum collection of Today's Front Pages . Students will need to be able to print articles from online newspapers or to return to those pages throughout this lesson.
• Print copies of the Newspaper Article Summary Questions , Persuasion Map Planning Sheet , and Letter to the Editor Peer Review Questions .
• How to Communicate with Journalists , from FAIR
• Tips on Writing Letters to the Editor , from the ACLU
• Write an Opinion Piece or a Letter to the Editor for Your Local Newspaper , from NCTE
• Test the Letter Generator and Persuasion Map on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

• choose and research a current local or national issue.
• review persuasive writing structure and business letter format.
• determine the criteria for effective letters.
• explore the ways that purpose and audience influence a message.
• develop arguments and support ideas with evidence.

Session One

• Explain that the class will be completing a unit on letters to the editor.
• Ask students to share any experiences that they have with letters to the editor of newspapers or magazines that they read.
• Pass out newspapers to the class, and ask students to find the letters to the editor in their papers.
• Give students a few minutes to skim through the letters, and jot down characteristics that they see in the letters.
• Gather the class and ask them to share the characteristics that they have noted. Record their observations on the board or on chart paper.
• Be sure that students notice the connections between the letters and the various articles in the newspaper. Some letters directly respond to previously published articles, others respond generally to topics covered in the newspapers, and some focus on general issues of interest to the newspaper's readers.
• Emphasize that students will have the opportunity to choose topics that interest them for their letters, based on articles that they find in a current issue of the newspaper.
• Have students spend 15–20 minutes skimming the newspapers and reading any articles that grab their attention.
• After students have had the opportunity to explore their newspapers, arrange the class into small groups.
• In these groups, ask students to discuss the topics and articles that interested them with one another.
• Ask students to choose one of the articles for their focus, and complete the Newspaper Article Summary Questions for that article.
• Collect the Newspaper Article Summary Questions at the end of the session, and review the work before the next session. Provide any feedback as necessary.
• For homework, have students read all the letters to the editor in their copy of the newspaper. Ask students to pay attention to the characteristics which the letters have in common and what features makes a letter successful.

Session Two

• Begin with a review of the activities that students completed in the previous session.
• Share any general feedback on the topics that students have chosen, based on your review of the Newspaper Article Summary Questions , and pass back the sheets to students.
• Answer any questions that students have on the project at this point.
• Ask the class to share characteristics that they noticed as they read the letters to editor for homework. Record their responses on the board or on chart paper.
• What did you notice about the organization of the letters?
• How were details used in the letters?
• What kind of details were used?
• How do the letters persuade their readers?
• Which letters seemed best?
• What is the difference between an acceptable letter and a great letter?
• Once the list is fairly complete, review the items, and make any additions or corrections.
• Ask students to suggest general categories that fit the characteristics (e.g., formatting issues, structure, ideas).
• Arrange the characteristics into these general categories, creating a checklist or rubric for students' letters.
• Pass out copies of the Persuasion Map Planning Sheet , and use the information to analyze a letter to the editor from one of the newspapers.
• Demonstrate how to use the Persuasion Map to begin gathering and organizing ideas for students' letters.
• Allow students the rest of the session to begin planning their papers with the Persuasion Map .
• Remind students to refer their Newspaper Article Summary Questions as useful.
• As students work, circulate through the room, providing feedback and support.
• If time allows, review the first sentences of several letters from the editor, and ask students point out the similarities between the sentences. Based on these examples, have students write their own sentences. Review the way to punctuate the titles of articles and the newspapers in these opening sentences.
• If desired, point students to one or more of the guidelines for composing letters to the editor listed in the Websites section. 
• For homework, ask students to compose a first draft of their letters. Explain that the letters will be exchanged for peer review during the next session.

Session Three

• Review the criteria for effective letters to the editor that students created during the previous session, and answer any questions that students have about the project or their drafts.
• Pass out copies of the Letter to the Editor Peer Review Questions .
• Arrange students in pairs, and ask partners to exchange and read one another's drafts.
• After reading the drafts, have them fill out the Letter to the Editor Peer Review Questions to provide feedback.
• After students have shared and received feedback, allow time for the students to revise their drafts.
• For homework, ask students to revise their drafts, based on the feedback that they have received. Explain that students will type their final drafts during the next class session.

Session Four

• Review the criteria for effective letters to the editor that students created, and answer any questions that students have about the project or their drafts.
• Focus students' attention on reading their drafts for minor errors before students move to type their letters.
• Remind students to punctuate the title of their articles in quotation marks, to italicize newspaper titles, and to place direct quotations from the article in quotation marks. If desired, use the ReadWriteThink lesson plan Inside or Outside? A Mini-Lesson on Quotation Marks and More as a mini-lesson at this point.
• Demonstrate the Letter Generator , which students will use to publish their letters.
• Allow the rest of the session for students to type and print their letters.
• Collect students' letters, worksheets, and drafts at the end of the session.
• If desired, ask students to print two copies of their letters, and mail one copy of each letter to the newspapers that students are responding to.
• As a book report alternative, have students write letters to the editor from the perspective of a character in a book they have read.
• After writing their letters, have students conduct research on the issues that they have chosen. The letters can serve as students' preliminary thoughts on the issue. Challenge each student to find at least 3 library resources on the issue and use those resources to expand the letter into a more formal proposal for changes that readers should consider making or actions that they should consider taking.
• Modify the lesson by assigning students topics for their letters. If you prefer to use fictional topics, use or adapt the ideas listed on Traci's 18th List of Ten: Ten Persuasive Prompts: Persuasive-Descriptive .

Student Assessment / Reflections

Check drafts and worksheets for completion and effort. Look in particular for indications of improvement over the series of drafts that students complete for the assignment. Assess students’ final drafts using the criteria for effective letters to the editor that students created during the second session of the lesson. If you prefer a more formal rubric, use the Persuasive Letter Rubric .

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The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

The Letter Generator is a useful tool for students to learn the parts of a business or friendly letter and then compose and print letters for both styles of correspondence.

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