Back to home page
Back to lesson page plans for 9-12

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan - Dress Codes

LESSON RATIONALE

N.Y.S. English/Language Arts Learning Standards

Standard 3:  Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
            Key idea 2: Speaking and writing for critical analysis and evaluation requires presenting opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information, and issues clearly, logically, and persuasively with reference to specific criteria on which the opinion or judgment is based.

Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction
            Key idea 1: Oral communication in formal and informal settings requires the ability to talk with people of different ages, genders, and cultures, to adapt presentations to different audiences, and to reflect on how talk varies in different situations.

 

Instructional Objectives:
            Students will:
1. Understand the complexity, pros and cons, of the implementation of public policy matters [comprehension]
2. Actively give their opinions about the issue of dress codes using specific examples or evidence to support their ideas [analysis]
3. Debate how and why people form opinions and try to convince others that these opinions are correct or facts [analysis]
4. Compose an editorial for the school newspaper, defending their opinions on the issue of implementing dress codes [evaluation]

Adaptations:

For student with emotional disturbance: Teacher will provide clear, concise verbal directions.  Directions will also be written down.  Behavioral expectations will be reviewed by the class before the lesson begins. During discussion, teacher will facilitate and provide support as needed.

 

Materials:

Students' writing journals, paper, pencils

Editorial page from the local newspaper (preferably that students can personally relate to)

Chalk board and chalk or chart paper (pros and cons chart)

LESSON OPENING

Anticipatory Set:

"Good afternoon everyone.  I would like to share with you a memo that I just received during lunch." (Read fake memo)

            Due to certain circumstances in our school, the Gananda School Board is considering placing into effect a dress code/uniform policy effective at the beginning of the next school year.  The school board would appreciate any teacher or student input as to this matter.  Details of this policy will be forthcoming.

LESSON BODY

Activities

1. Refocus the group.

"Alright, let's discuss this topic in some sort of orderly fashion.  Now, the memo said that the policy is not definitely going to be used and that they are looking for student input.  Therefore, I thought that we could use this resource time to write a persuasive essay explaining to the school board why they should or should not put this dress code into action."

2. Ask the students why they think that this new policy is important?  Why should they care about this and other public policies.

--"How will this new policy effect you?"

--"Do you like or dislike this new policy?"

--"Do you think that it is fair?

3. Students will then generate a list of negatives and positives of the new policy

 Students should also list what "circumstances" were eluded to in the announcement.

Write on the board a "pro" and "cons" list as well as a "Can they do that" list.  Have students also draw this chart on their own sheet of paper.[modeling]

Have students fill in at least four more pros/cons in their individual charts [guided practice]

Share responses.

4. Make connections with newspapers/editorials

Discuss what type of newspaper might be interested in learning about this policy and what students think

Display the editorial page from the local paper

Read the editorial

Ask the students whether or not they think
that the author was for or against the topic of the editorial [check for understanding]

Ask students to state one reason the author gave to support his/her opinion. [guided practice]

5. Give directions for editorial writing.

 Write an editorial about whether or not they think that the policy of having a dress code should be a part of next years policy.

Have a basic guideline written out for each student that explains the components of an editorial.

Give time parameters for assignment.

Model directions aloud for the students

"Let's say that I think that it is a good idea that Gananda starts having a dress code.  First, I would try to come up with one sentence that clearly state my position on the subject.   Then, I would look at the list of cons and show why one of those is not a good argument.  I would show why my argument is better by supporting it with evidence.  [modeling]

 

6. Students begin working - T circulate [guided practice]

            [Extension activity: Have students draw a political cartoon to illustrate their opinion]

            [Extension activity:  Have students attend a school board function for a better understanding of the public policy process]

 

Closure:

            "I am very pleased to see how everyone is working on this assignment.  What is one argument that one of you are going to use in your editorial?  (Call on a couple of students to share). I would like you to finish these editorials independently.

Okay, now what if I were to tell you that the memo that I read at the beginning of the class was not a real memo.  Why do you think that I would present a topic in such a way?  [check for understanding]

(Make sure that students understand that they should be actively involved in the public policy process since it effects them)  

LESSON FOLLOW-UP

Independent practice:

            Finish writing editorials.

Evaluation:

            What did I want the students to learn?

Understand that the pros and cons have to be considered when deciding public policy

Give their opinions about the issue of dress codes using specific examples or evidence to support their ideas

Explain how and why people form opinions and try to convince others that these opinions are correct or facts

Compose an editorial for the school newspaper, defending their opinions on the issue of implementing dress codes

            How will I know they learned it?

Quality of verbal responses, especially explanations offered to support responses.

Editorial: the appropriateness and strength of the editorial; (responses have clear statement of their argument, provide one example that those on the other side give and explains why that argument is not valid, and provides adequate support to persuade someone to take his/her side of the issue)

LESSON RESOURCES     

            References for student use:

Written guidelines for how to engage in class discussions

Written description of basic parts of an editorial

Example of an editorial from local newspaper

            References for teacher use:

N.Y.S. English/Language Arts Learning Standards

Handout identifying and explaining Bloom's taxonomy sheet