SJC LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Name: Erin Gorey

School: Bosti Elementary

Course: C.S 414

Date of Lesson: 10/8/15

Cooperating Teacher: Mrs. Whitson

Grade: 4

Specific Lesson: Persuasive Writing

Curriculum Area: ELA

Group Size: 24

Central Focus:
This lesson focuses on how to convince someone through writing.

Learning Objectives:
The students will be able to write a persuasive paragraph in response to a topic read aloud
in class.

NYS Common Core Learning Standards:

W 4.4- Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W 4.1- Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and
information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in
which related ideas are grouped to support the writers purpose.
b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
*W 4.4 will be accomplished through the writing of a detailed paragraph in a friendly
letter format.
*W 4.1 a, b and d will be accomplished when the students write a persuasive letter to
their principal.

Rationale:
Two weeks ago, the students learned what writing a good paragraph entails- a topic
sentence, many details, and a closing sentence. Last week, the students had a debate on whether
or not the school day should be extended. Today, they will be learning how to convince another

person through writing. This month, the students will continue writing paragraphs. Later in the
year, they will write a five-paragraph story.

Materials:
Promethean Board
Elmo projector
Judith Viorsts, Earrings!
25 Scholastic magazines
25 sheets of rough draft letter format paper
5 sheets of labeled rough draft paper (re-engagement)

Development/Procedures
Introduction/Motivation:
The teacher will show the students a picture of a cheeseburger and ask what the picture
reminds them of. The teacher will remind the students what a good paragraph entails. The
teacher will explain how writing can be used for many different reasons. Then, the teacher will
ask the students what it means to persuade someone. The teacher will tell the students that they
will be writing a persuasive letter to their principal, Dr. Cholden!
Instructional Strategies:
1. The students will write the objective of the lesson and what it means to write a
persuasive paragraph in their notebook as the teacher writes it on the Promethean
Board.
2. The teacher will enthusiastically read the story, Earrings!, by Judith Viorst aloud to
the class. The class will briefly describe the reasons and facts the main character used
to try to persuade her parents to get her ears pierced.
3. The students will read the Scholastic News- Edition 4 article entitled, Should Schools
Require Uniforms? aloud. The teacher will display the article on the Elmo projector
while different students read aloud.
4. The students will begin to pre-write. The teacher will draw a T-chart on the
Promethean Board demonstrating a uniform side and a no uniform side. The
students will copy the chart into their notebooks. They will use facts from the article
and their own thoughts to fill-in the chart.
5. The students will do a Turn and Talk with their partner about what they believe and
they will support their argument with details.
6. After one minute, the teacher will say, Raise your hand if you think schools should
have uniforms. Raise your hand if you think schools should not have uniforms. (If all
students pick one side, a student will volunteer to give a fact about the other side.)

7. The teacher will briefly explain the format of a Friendly Letter (Greeting, Body, and
Closing) by displaying an example on the Elmo.
8. The students will write a persuasive letter to their school principal trying to convince
her whether or not their school should require uniforms.

Academic Language:
Persuasive writing, pre-writing, paragraph, T-chart, convince, opinion, facts, Friendly
Letter

Differentiation:
Alan, Madison, Ava, and Riana wear corrective lenses for distance. While reading
Earrings!, I will be sure to seat them in the front. If there is a child with an auditory impairment,
I will be sure that they are also in the front. JD is often distracted and loses focus so I will be
sure he sits close to me during the reading. Timmy has an IEP and receives extra time on writing
assignments. According to Alans 504 Plan, he must work without any distractions near him, so I
will be sure his desk is cleared before he begins to write his letter.

Technology Component:
The teacher will use the Promethean Board to write the objective, and what it means to
persuade another person. The teacher will also draw the pre-writing T-chart on the Promethean
Board so the students can use it as a reference. The teacher will use the Elmo projector to
display the article and the sample letter.

Closure:
The students will be given a few minutes to share their letter with the class if they wish.
The teacher will ask the students, What have you learned today? How can you persuade
someone with your writing?

Assessment:
The teacher will informally observe how the students are grasping the concept of
persuasive writing during the Turn and Talk. As a formal assessment, the teacher will evaluate
the students on the letter they have written to Dr. Cholden. The teacher will assess the students
on the understanding of persuasion by backing up an opinion with facts.

Re-engagement:
If a student is struggling with the concept of persuasive writing, the teacher will work
with them at the side table. The teacher will ask the student if they ever tried to persuade their
parent to buy something they wanted. The student will use this as a model for their own writing.
If a student is still having difficulty, the teacher will label their rough draft paper by writing #1Topic Sentence (what is your opinion about uniforms?) #2- Details that support your opinion that
will persuade Dr. Cholden, and #3- Closing Sentence. The struggling student will fill-in their
sentences. If students are still not grasping the concept, the class can pull apart the details of the
story Earrings! as an example prior to writing.