Santa Ana Unified School District
The Power of Point of View
Sometimes a whole story can change based on the perspective of the person telling it. Practice identifying and analyzing point of view in various reading passages and writing assignments with a language arts packet, complete with Common...
Safe Drinking Water Foundation
Making a Difference
After learning about the effects of water pollution, your class will discuss ways to make people in their community aware of the importance of water conservation. Then, your young environmentalists will write a letter to the local...
Carolina K-12
Compulsory Voting
Should voting in the United States be compulsory? In 2004, fewer than 60 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the American national elections. After reviewing arguments for and against compulsory voting, your young citizens will...
Curated OER
Propaganda & Persuasive Techniques: Do You Buy It?
Fifth graders investigate the basic persuasive techniques employed in advertising. They identify three examples of propaganda/persuasive techniques, complete an observation chart, take an advertising quiz, complete a spreadsheet that...
Curated OER
The Union is Perpetual: Lincoln is Elected
Young scholars view primary documents about the race for President in the time of Abraham Lincoln. In this election lesson, students prepare arguments for and against Lincoln using an analysis sheet. Young scholars create a...
Curated OER
Writing a Political Leader
Eighth graders write to a political leader. In this citizenship lesson, 8th graders discuss leaders of our government and how to voice opinions. Students draft a letter in preparation for revisions. The lesson is part of a unit.
Curated OER
Using Aphorisms to Help Dealing with People
Here's a formal plan for what many effective teachers already do: Provide a week's worth of aphorisms and have learners choose one to write about in their journals each day. They reflect on the meaning of each aphorism and project how it...
Curated OER
Introducing Recycling
Students study environmental issues of excess garbage and learn about recycling. For this recycling lesson, students discuss recycling and read a story about too much garbage. Students write a persuasive essay about the importance of...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Debate: Islam & Democracy
World religion or social studies classes studying Islam may find this debate-based lesson useful for exploring Islam and its compatibility with democracy. The final assessment is a five-paragraph persuasive essay. Some information on the...
Curated OER
Debate on China's One Child Policy
High schoolers learn about China's One Child Policy. They read an article about a specific family's experience under the policy (not included) and research and explain the key points of the policy. They assess the pros and cons in a...
Curated OER
Critical Literacy in the 21st Century: Sitti's Secrets
Fourth graders write persuasive letters. In this letter writing lesson, 4th graders read Sitti's Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye and discuss their areas or topics of concern. Students select a person to write a letter to and how they...
Curated OER
Curator's Report
Students write a curator's report in order to persuade a board of directors to purchase an artwork for a museum.
Curated OER
Apply Post-Reading Skills and Discuss Persuasive Text
Students put their reading comprehension skills to practice. In this interpreting text instructional activity, students read "Chief Red Jacket's Reply," and then respond to questions that require them to reason, infer, and analyze the...
Curated OER
The Education of Shelby Knox Lesson Plan: The History of Teaching About Sex
Young scholars examine the current debate over sex education. They examine a variety of sex education approaches and determine which one is use in thier school district.
Curated OER
Writing a Political Leader
Pupils peer edit a letter. In this editing lesson, students peer edit a letter written to a political figure by another student. Pupils discuss edits and revisions needed for improvement. This is a continuation lesson that is part...
Curated OER
Giving a Persuasive Speech
Students examine how to plan their own thoughts, write down specific notes, and prepare to give their speech on a topic from the list. They take a specific side and present their arguments to the class.
Curated OER
Creative Writing
Eleventh graders write a persuasive letter to the editor using the writing process.
Curated OER
Using Commas in Your Writing
In this commas instructional activity, students complete three activities that help them follow the rules for comma usage to make their writing clear.
Curated OER
Propaganda
How does word choice affect the reading of a text? Compare two headlines that were written about the same event. Is one biased? Discuss how word choice often reveals the author's feelings about a topic. Then look at different techniques...
Curated OER
How Advertisers Persuade
This plan centers around the article "How Advertisers Persuade," although it is not included in the lesson itself. Get your class thinking about advertising, appeals, and techniques that companies use to get their products from the shelf...
Jen London
Julius Caesar Funeral Speech Essay Assignment
"Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause." "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!" As part of a study of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, individuals as asked to compare the funeral speeches of Brutus and...
Curated OER
Formal versus Informal Language
Engage in an activity that focuses on the concepts of formal and informal language use. Middle and high schoolers compare and contrast each style by using a Venn diagram that includes some examples. They read and hear a passage of lyrics...
Roald Dahl
George's Marvelous Medicine
Six lessons comprise a unit about Roald Dahl's George's Marvelous Medicine. Over time, scholars explore themes such as the power of words, exciting writing, and mixed feelings. They examine the writing's literary devices, persuasive...
Curated OER
Argument of Policy
After investigating different policies within the school district, young reformers select a policy they would like to change. They then investigate the policy, and craft a letter in which they advocate a change to the policy. For guided...