LESSON TITLE: Writing A Persuasive Essay : Growing Up Too Fast?

Lesson #1 Introductory Paragraph

TEACHER NAME: Yingxin Liang

Preparation/Planning
ESL Course: Intermediate
Writing
Level Beginning Intermediate Advanced Multilevel
Topic/Theme:
□ √ □ □
Growing Up Too Fast
Listening Students will be able to understand the story of the young climber,
Jordan Romero, from a YouTube Video.
Objectives
Students will be able to listen and comprehend the instructions of the
activities.
Speaking Students will be able to express their opinions on a debatable question.
Students will be able to give support for their ideas to convince others.
Students will be able to discuss and share ideas with peers.

Reading Students will be able to analyze an introduction (finding background

information and a thesis statement) in the well-supported model readings
and understand how to organize an opinion essay.
Students will be able to clarify the difference between persuasive essay
and argumentative essay.
Students will be able to read and know how to use persuasive language,
understanding words and phrases that suggest that somebody is giving
an opinion.
Students will be able to understand an online news article about Jordan
Romero that serves as source of background information.

Writing Students will be able to use T-chart (Appendix 1) to list thoughts about
two sides of an issue.
 Students will be able to list the background information from the online
news article that they need to include in their introduction.
Students will be able to write a thesis statement that clearly and formally
state opinions by using persuasive language.
Students will be able to write a draft of thesis statement that clearly
presents their opinions and revise their thesis statement after peer
assessment.
Bridging

What background knowledge
do the students already have?
- The students have cultural and individual experience about
appropriate age for doing different activities For example, they
would have the personal ideas on the appropriate age to watch
a violent movie. Although I viewed the topic of age as
interesting and culturally different, I was excited to see how
students would react considering they come from diverse
cultural backgrounds. I tried to keep this at the forefront of my
mind as I conducted the lesson.
- In addition, the students know how to express their ideas and
give reasons on a specific topics verbally and they know how
to write a persuasive paragraph by using persuasive language.

What will you do to activate
or link students’ prior
knowledge or experience to
upcoming content?
- The lesson will begin with a kinetic activity, which asks
students to share their opinions with the class about appropriate
age for doing different things.
- The students will take turns choosing one card with an action,
for example “watch a violent movie”, then write down an age
they think is appropriate for someone to watch a violent movie.
- The rest of the students will show if they agree or not by
standing at different places around the host: if their ideal age is
higher than the host’s, stand on his/her left; if their ideal age is
lower than the host’s, stand on his/her right; if their ideal age is
as the same as the host’s, stand behind the host.
- After knowing the concept of age from each other, students
will get back to the seats and watch a YouTube Video about
Jordan Romer, the youngest person ever to climb Mount
Everest.

Engagement with New Material
What will you do to engage
students in the active learning
of the new material?
What will you do to ensure
that all students are engaged?
Application
- Then they will share opinions on a debatable question in
groups—“Is it a good idea to let a 13-year-old climb one of the
highest mountains in the world?”
- To engage students in the active learning of the new material, I
will help them to review the structure of a persuasive paragraph
and identify the similarities between a persuasive paragraph
and a persuasive essay. To have a further understanding of
persuasive writing, I will engage students to identify the
differences between persuasive essay and argumentative essay.
I will hand out some scripts with statements that describe the
persuasive essay and argumentative essay respectively.
Students will work with their partners to figure out if statement
is describing a persuasive essay or an argumentative essay.
- After the discussion, I will share comparative examples of two
genres of writing and make a brief conclusion of the
differences.
- To ensure that all students are engaged I will consistently do
informal assessments through observation and conversation.
- Each students will have one script with statements and they
need to share out the statement and the opinions toward the
statements with their partners.
- I will walk around the classroom, listening to their group
discussion, observing the individual working, and answering
any of their questions. All students will be asked to participate
thinking and sharing. Except for the pair-work and group-work,
I will include individual-work and whole class-work so all
students will have different responsibilities throughout the
tasks we do in the lesson.
What opportunities will you
provide students to practice
and apply their
knowledge/skill to meet the
objectives for this lesson? To
apply to other contexts?
- Speaking: Throughout the speaking task, the students will be
- Reading: Throughout the reading task, the students will be
- Writing: Throughout the writing task, they will be asked to
Assessment
- Listening: Throughout the listening task, the students will be
asked to talk about the main idea of the story of the young
climber, Jordan Romero after watching the YouTube video.
Additionally, I will give both verbal and literal instruction
before each activities. The students will be asked to participate
activities by following the instructions throughout the lesson.
first asked to share their opinions about appropriate age for
doing different activities and their personal experience in the
warm-up activity. Then the students will have an opportunity to
share their opinions on the controversial issue of the young
climber.
asked to read two essays talking about the same topic and
analyze the difference of organization between the two essays.
After the students figure out how to organize a persuasive
essay, they will be asked to analyze a model writing (Appendix
2) of persuasive essay by identifying the thesis statement and
background information of the issue in model writings. They
will work independently and then share with peers. Before they
start to write a introductory paragraph, they will use a online
news article about Jordan Romero as outside resources to get
more background information. They will highlight the useful
information from the reading that they need to include in their
own writing.
consider the potential benefits and drawbacks on this issue and
write them down on the “T-chart”. T-chart is a two-column
graphic organizer which helps students look at two sides of an
issue. The students will be asked to plan an introduction for the
topic “Should a 13-year-old climb one of the highest mountains
in the world?”. They will first begin to write a draft of their
thesis statement. Then share the thesis statement to peers. Peers
will give comment and the students will revise their thesis
statement.
How will you assess their
learning of the objectives?
Closing
How will you help students
recap the learning and link it
back to the original purpose
of the lesson?
Technology
- Listening: I will assess the listening task informally by walking
around the class and listening the students during the pair-
work and group-work. I will listen to students as they engage in
the discussion questions and be alert for individuals who are
displaying signs of confusion, discomfort, or lack of
engagement.
- Speaking: I will assess the speaking task informally by sitting
with each pair of students for a few minutes each. While I
listen to them, I will be paying close attention to listening
comprehension, speaking comprehension, as well as
appropriate vocabulary use.
- Reading: I will assess the reading task informally by listening
to each pair of students analyze the model writing. Like the
listening task, I will be alert for individuals who are displaying
signs of confusion, discomfort, or lack of engagement. I will
also informally assess if they highlight the useful information
as supporting background information in the online news
article.
- Writing: I will assess the writing task by checking if the
students use T-chart clearly and effectively. I will be paying
close attention to appropriate vocabulary use of the T-chart.
After the students finishing writing their thesis statement, I will
collect the writing and review it outside of the class. I will give
my students written feedback by identifying if they have used
persuasive language in their writing and provide necessary
suggestion.
- Students will review the structures of introduction of a
persuasive essay and the use of T-chart that they have listed
thoughts about two sides of an issue. Before we finish the
lesson, I will go over what we have discussed in class and
explain that a complete introduction will be finished for
homework.
If applicable for your context
and your lesson, how will you
meaningfully integrate
technology into your lesson?
Reflection
What went well? How do you
know?
What didn’t go as planned?
- The YouTube Video will be used as supplement sources of
background information. It will help the students know more
about the story of Jordan Romero and practice their listening
skill.
- The Google Slides (link here)will be used to show important
course content and lead discussions or give instruction.
● Opening and closing is engaging. The class began with an
introduction of agenda and a kinesthetic warm-up activity.
Although it seemed a little bit confusing when we first started the
activity, I called on the students to come up to me and gave them
more body instruction for the first round. They apparently became
more engaging for the following time and they even came up with
some questions, for example, one of the students asked whether or
not I meant college or being financially independent when they
were thinking about the appropriate age for staying away home. It
was proved that they are open to the activity and positively
engaging. I ended the class by reviewing what the class did today
by going through the different activities and then told the students
what the homework was. In this way, the students were clear about
how the class today scaffold their follow-up study.
● The worksheet of T-chart is level-appropriate. I explained that the
T-chart is used to help the students look at two sides of an issue
After knowing why I am using the materials and what the purpose
of the materials are, the students found T-chart is helpful to
organize their ideas. When they were told that they don’t need to
focus on their grammar or spelling during the T-Chart activity,
they found more easier to express their idea by using the T-chart.
● The students were encouraged to be the problem solver. When
there were difficult words (ex. “rebuttal”), I asked the students to
define the word instead of just telling them. When one of the
students asked where the contrast signal was, I asked his group
members to answer his question. I meant to empower the students
to take over their initiative for their studying and understanding.
When I noticed one of the pairs have finished talking because of
the limited ideas, I asked them to turn around and speak to more
students. This broadened their interaction with the material and
provided them with more inspiration to expand farther into the
topic.
The warm-up activity was planned for 10 minutes, however it took 20
minutes which was greatly beyond my expectation. Because something
didn’t go the way I planned, the rest of the class activity became

What contingency plan did
you employ?
What would you do
differently next time?
Did your students meet the
purpose and objectives for
this lesson? What is your
evidence for each?
What do your students need
next? How do you know?
What did you learn about
your glows and grows as a
teacher? What can you do to
work on your areas needing
growth?
rushed. For the above-mentioned reason, students had less time to
think and react for each activity.
When I realized that the warm-up activity took too much time, I
involuntarily shorten the planned time for each activity. However, I
found it makes the class less effective. Because the students have not
enough time to digest the knowledge and give appropriate reaction.
And it also made the assessment unreliable and invalid.
For next time, I would strictly control the time of the warm-up activity.
For example, if I feel the time was not enough for all the student to
participate, I would choose some of them who are quiet or shy to
express themselves to be the examples. Also, I would change the way
of questioning. For example, when I want to make sure if the students
understand the instructions, I would like to let them explain the
instructions verbally to their partners, instead of just asking them if
they are clear about it.
The students met some of the objectives for this lesson. For example,
students are to analyze a introduction (finding background
information and thesis statement) in the well-supported model readings
and understand how to organize an opinion essay. With the help of
mentor texts and my explanation, students can independently analyze
another model text to clarify the background information and thesis
statement with peers. Also, the students meet the objectives of writing
that they will be able to use T-chart (two-column graphic organizer) to
lists thoughts about two sides of an issue. When they were told that
they don’t need to focus on their grammar or spelling during the T-
Chart activity, they are easier to express themselves through T-chart.
The students still need to learn how to express their opinion in a well-
organized way with more supporting and convincing details. Because
when I was observing their sharing as a group, some students only list
what she/he wrote in the T-chart, instead of organizing his/her ideas in
a logical way.
From this lesson plan and the reflection I did after it, I can identify one
overarching area that I do particularly well with and one definite point
that I need to continue to improve. The area feel confident with is my
ability to actively interact with my students. I think the most important
reason is that I know my student well. I know who they are as well as
their background information. I believe that it is the reason why I can
use the humorous and approachable language in the class. I know what
level they are, therefore I can have my teaching voice firm and strong.
On the other hand, an area I need to work at improving is the how to
balance portion of the teacher’s control and student’s dominant in the
class.I feel that switching from teacher-centered class to student-
centered class is not a easy job. Sometimes, I was focus too much on
the course content but neglect student’s output. I should give student
more time and freedom to organize their thoughts and ideas. More
importantly, they need to know what they want to learn instead of what
I tell them what they need to learn.
 Appendix 1
Using a T-chart
You can use a two-column graphic organizer, or T-chart, like the one below to
look at two sides of an issue.
Imagine that you are the parent of a 13-year-old who wants to climb Mount
Everest, the world’s highest mountain, with a team of experienced climbers. Before
you decide if you should let your child to, consider the potential benefits and
drawbacks.

Benefits (advantages) Drawbacks (disadvantages)

 Appendix 2
Model 1
In Support of Homeschooling

An increasing number of parents in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United

States have decided not to send their children to elementary or secondary school. Instead, the

parents devote their time and energy to teaching their children at home. Opponents of

homeschooling believe that students belong in a classroom with experienced professionals and

other students of the same age. Although it may not be the best option for all students and all

families, I am in favor of homeschooling for three reasons.

Model 2
Controlling Gangs

In some cities in the United States, teenage gangs create problems. The problems range from

noisy gatherings in the part to robberies. In certain instances, there are even deadly shootings.

Some cities are trying to stop these activities by keeping young people indoors and off the streets.

They have made the school day longer, and they have passed curfew laws that require people under

the age of 18 to be indoors between the hours of 10:00 or 11:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M. Police

departments say that curfew laws to control teenage gangs are necessary, but I feel that such laws

are unfair, unconstitutional, and counterproductive.