How has the level of carbon dioxide changed over recent years, and what is contributing it? Groups work together to research and present their findings in a creative way. Also built into the lesson is a visit to a sustainable house, but...

"A weak conclusion leaves the reader with an unfinished argument." Don't let your young writers fall into this trap! This is a great method for writing a concluding paragraph to an argumentative essay, which includes summarizing the main...

A thorough lesson on persuasive writing takes middle schoolers through several activities, including group discussion, collaborative posters, and independent writing. They compare historical speeches and analyze the persuasive techniques...

Encourage your middle and high schoolers to share their memories of a recent event. After reading a New York Times article, they discuss Elie Wiesel's memoir, Night. They write their own memoir about a significant event that affected...

What is family? Challenge your scholars to write an encompassing definition of what this word means to them. After reading "It May Be a Family Matter, But Just Try to Define Family," class members discuss the emotional issues surrounding...

What is really the best way to get rid of hiccups? Investigate some old wives' tales and folk remedies related to health. Middle schoolers explore the science behind why people might believe these myths to be true and find the real...

Investigate popular scientific claims and gather evidence to defend or argue against an author's stance. Writers synthesize information and compose their own "Really?" columns modeled after those found in the weekly "Science Times"...

Investigate ethical issues surrounding the Decode project in Iceland. Middle and high schoolers take the positions of the Icelandic government, scientific researchers, and citizens and defend or refute the Decode project in a Reykjavik...

Analyze the motivation, purpose, and value of letters to the editor by examining letters written in response to the violence at Columbine High School. For homework, middle and high schoolers write their own letters to the editor about an...

A fun instructional activity that utilizes toys and persuasion! After reading the article, which was written in 2005, pull some advertisements for toys currently being sold. These will be more relevant to your middle and high schoolers....

It's time to plan! Brainstorm a persuasive writing assignment with this graphic organizer. Middle schoolers use the organizer to choose a topic, create a stance, and note the argument. They also identify the argument for the opposing...

Working in groups, middle and high schoolers describe and discuss photographs depicting working conditions experienced by child laborers in the 19th century. They then write a persuasive paragraph supporting an amendment to regulate the...

Design an informational brochure to urge people to move to a specific community. The purpose of this activity is to expose pupils to expository writing. After creating the brochure, they write a three-paragraph persuasive or...

Who will be the next president? Learners write a persuasive letter to the president of the United States. They research the 2000 Presidential election, interview parents, and reflect on their own opinions and experiences to write their...

Determine the author's point of view in a text. Young readers read Dr. Seuss' The Sneeches and identify the author's purpose in the story. They identify persuasive techniques in writing, asking and answering questions to better...

What is a media baby? Discuss at what age children should be exposed to electronic media. After reading an article, they identify the types of media products for infants and toddlers. Learners will predict the effects of media on the...

Dissect the parts of an advertisement with your class. Middle schoolers discuss advertisements and locate the hook in them. Then, they create an advertisement for a business, in which they include the name of the business, an...

Facilitate a discussion in your middle school class, in which young learners talk about things they feel need to be changed. They examine Bob Dylan's The Time They Are A-Changin' and then write persuasive essays on how the world needs to...

After researching issues involving panthers, middle schoolers practice writing persuasive letters.  They  become familiar with a controversial issue related to panthers and write their position on the issue. This lesson would be a good...

Individuals or groups select an environmental issue, then spend time researching and creating a presentation to share in class. By allowing learners to choose the issue that matters most to them, you will motivate them to do excellent...

Put the advertising in the hands of your pupils. They design and promote a product, using propaganda techniques to persuade those who view their newspaper ad. Learners must include certain information about their product as well as a...

Examine a persuasive piece with a series of categorized analysis questions. You can start out with the basic questions provided at the top of the page, and move on to the more complex questions listed below. The questions cover content,...

A big step in the development of children's reading comprehension skills is the ability to differentiate between the topic of a piece of writing and its purpose. The third lesson in this series presents learners with collections of short...

Most young readers are aware that authors write to entertain or inform the audience, but it's also important for them to understand the art of persuasive writing. In the third lesson of this series, the teacher reads two letters to the...