You Can Convince Your Parents! Writing a Persuasive Letter

Subject Area(s):

• K-12: Language Arts
• K-12: Science
• K-12: Technology

Grade Level(s):

• 3rd-4th Grade
• 5th-6th Grade

Description:

Students will choose and research an animal that they feel would make a good pet. Using the information they gain through their research, they will write a persuasive letter to their parents. This letter will serve the purpose of convincing their parents to get them the pet.

Goals & Objectives:

Instructional Goals:

• Students will be able to access information in order to successfully complete their assignment.
• Students will understand that in order for their letter to be persuasive each statement must be supported with facts.
• Using information located during their search, students will write a letter.
• Students will present information.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will access information from a website that pertains to their selected pet.

• Students will list three reasons that their selected pet would make a good one
• Students will write at least one fact that supports each of the three reasons.
• Students will write a persuasive letter that includes the listed reasons and support.

Motivational Goals:

• Generate interest in the research process.
• Build student’s confidence in their ability to use resources effectively.
• Promote student’s satisfaction in their research accomplishments.
• Gain confidence in processing information to fill an information need.
• Motivate students to continue to use information skills after the lesson.

Materials:

Animal Pictures and/or Photographs

Chart Paper

Markers

Smartboard

Pet Books

Handout

Computers

Letter Format Model 

Letter Example 

Web Sites

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=kids_pc_home

http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/turtles/aspets.html

http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/pets/pets.html

http://peteducation.com/

http://pages.matmice.com/home/slydragon2003/

http://animalhospitals-usa.com/pet_care.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/kids/pets.htm

Procedures:

Introduction

1.Begin by sharing a personal story about yourself or someone

you know who has a pet.  Show photographs if possible.

2.  Ask students who have pets to share a little about them. 

Have them discuss what makes their pet a good pet and if they

would recommend that type of pet to others. 

3.  Show students pictures of various types of pets from http://petoftheday.com/

4. Ask students if there is any type of pet that they would really

like to have and why they would want that particular type of

pet.

5. Formulate a list of desired pets with sample reasons

on chart paper.

6. Explain to students that after they research a pet of their choosing, they will write their parents a letter to try to convince them to get them that pet. 

Body

1.  Show students the various bookmarked websites that they

will use to research the pet of their choice.

2.  Make students aware of the selection of pet books that have been

selected and made available for their use.

3.  Distrbute and explain the handout that students will use to gather

information about their pet.

4.  Send students off to do their research.  They will have the remainder

of the period to gather information that will help them to be able to

write a persuasive letter.

5.  Students will meet in the carpet area to share their findings.

Day 2

6.  A review of the previous session will take place.

7.  Students will be handed back their completed handout.

8.  It will be explained to them that they will use the information on their handout to help them to write a persuasive letter.

9.  An example of a persuasive letter will be displayed, read and discussed.

10.  The format of a letter will be briefly reviewed and displayed.

11.  Students will use the rest of the period to write the first draft of their letters.

Conclusion

1.  When time is up, students will meet in the carpet area to share their letters.

2.  Elements that make each letter convincing will be discussed. 

3.  Students will have the opportunity to comment on their classmates letters.

4.  A summary of the objectives and students self-reflection will conclude the

lesson.

5.  Classroom teacher will follow up by allowing students to revise and edit

their first drafts in the classroom.

Assessment:

-Observation of students' ability to access suggested resources.

-Completed handout will demonstrate students' understanding of using facts to support statements.

-Students' participation and excitement will demonstrate their confidence in learning research skills.

-Sharing of completed letters will show students' comprehension of the lesson's task.

Supporting Files:

• Lesson_2_Handout.doc
  
• Lesson_2_Rubric.doc
  

Standards:

National Information Literacy Standards (K-12)

Accesses information efficiently and effectively.

• Recognizes the need for information.
• Develops and uses successful strategies for locating information.

Evaluates information critically and competently.

• Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.

Uses information accurately and creatively

• Organizes information for practical application.
• Integrates new information into one's own knowledge.
• Subject: K-12: Technology

National Content Standards (K-12)

• Understands the nature and operation of systems
• Subject: K-12: Science

Life Sciences

• Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment
• Subject: K-12: Language Arts

Writing

• Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
• Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions
• Gathers and uses information for research purposes

Reading

• Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts