Pupils will gain the ability to identify and follow arguments in persuasive nonfiction texts and media. At the end of the lesson, they can: 
- Define the term "persuasive argument." 
- List the different ways to persuade someone. 
- Analyze and assess the evidence.

- How can readers decide which information from what they hear, read, and see to believe?
- How do literary and informational texts become meaningful to strategic readers?
- How does interaction with text elicit thought and response?
- What is the true purpose of this text?

- Persuasive Tactics and Propaganda Techniques: Propaganda techniques and persuasive tactics are used to influence people to believe, buy, or do something. Students should be able to identify and comprehend the persuasive tactics and propaganda techniques listed below: 
+ A claim is a statement that a person asserts as true. 
+ Name-calling is an attack on a person instead of an issue. 
+ A bandwagon appeal tries to persuade the reader to do, think, or buy something because it is popular or because “everyone” is doing it. 
+ A red herring is an attempt to distract the reader with details not relevant to the argument. 
+ An emotional appeal tries to persuade the reader by using words that appeal to the reader’s emotions instead of to logic or reason. 
+ A testimonial attempts to persuade the reader by using a famous person to endorse a product or an idea (for instance, the celebrity endorsement). 
+ Repetition attempts to persuade the reader by repeating a message over and over again. 
+ A sweeping generalization (stereotyping) makes an oversimplified statement about a group based on limited information. 
+ A circular argument states a conclusion as part of the proof of the argument. 
+ An appeal to numbers, facts, or statistics attempts to persuade the reader by showing how many people think something is true. 
- Author’s Purpose: The author’s intent to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people, or to persuade or convince the audience to do or not do something.

- Should Dogs Be Allowed in Public Parks? (L-6-3-1_Should Dogs Be Allowed in Public Parks)
- overhead projector/document camera
- markers (red and blue)
- chart paper
- a variety of nonfiction persuasive texts/media written at the reading level of your students
- The following examples have been suggested because they provide a variety of forms of persuasive text that are appropriate for students. Please be sure to preview all sites beforehand. Teachers may substitute other materials to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity.
+ National Geographic Kids magazine (advertisements)
+ http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/reviews/default.stm
+ http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/dogeared/
+ http://www.jointuse.org/resources/make-joint-use-happen/sample-letters-to-the-editor/
+ local newspapers
+ http://www.suzanne-williams.com/persuasi.htm
- direct mail advertisements
- Persuasive Text graphic organizer (L-6-3-1_Persuasive Text Graphic Organizer), one copy per pair of students
- Persuasive Strategies Activity (L-6-3-1_Persuasive Strategies Activity), one copy per student
- copies of Persuasive Strategies (L-6-3-1_Persuasive Strategies)

- To improve the reader's comprehension of the text, the purpose of this lesson is to further develop the student's ability to identify and follow an argument in a persuasive text. Give students their Persuasive Strategies Activity to turn in to gauge their understanding of the material. Evaluate students' performance in meeting the objective of tracking arguments in persuasive texts by going over their responses. If necessary, give further instructions. 
- Observe students as they converse with partners. Assess pupils' proficiency in the following areas: 
+ Recognize, follow, and assess arguments in nonfiction texts. 
+ Recognize and comprehend the strategies of argumentation employed in nonfiction writing. 
+ Describe how analyzing an argument aids in a reader's comprehension of the author's intent.

Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement 
W: Go over the qualities of an argument, talk about the distinction between writing to explain and writing to persuade, and ask students to look through a persuasive essay to locate different points of support and opposition. 
H: Assign students to collaborate in creating a list of writing genres that incorporate arguments as well as identifying arguments in a range of persuasive texts and media. 
E: Let students work in groups to talk about their findings and how they deduced the arguments in the persuasive text or media they were given. 
R: Give students the chance to talk with a partner about what they understand, present it to the class as a whole, and then defend or revise it.
E: Provide students with an opportunity to apply what they have learned by observing them to gauge their comprehension of identifying and analyzing arguments in persuasive text and media.
T: Offer students the chance to demonstrate their understanding of how to identify arguments in persuasive texts and media by having them participate in small- and large-group discussions as well as an independent assignment.
O: This lesson's learning exercises include large-group instruction and discussion, small-group inquiry, partner work, and individual application of the material.

Focus Question: In persuading texts, how can we identify an argument? What assertions does the writer make? What proof is offered to back up the claim?

Ask, "What is an argument?" (Two people disagree about something and see the situation from two different sides. There may be two sides to every argument: those in favor and those opposed.) Describe how someone is making a claim when they adopt a certain stance in an argument.

On the board or interactive whiteboard, write a question that raises a point of contention. Some instances are as follows:
Is it appropriate for students to text in class?
Should there be year-round schooling?
Using the phrase "texting should not be allowed in class" as an example, describe a claim. On the whiteboard, have students write claims for additional examples. Ask students to provide arguments for or against each topic.

Part 1

Show "Should Dogs Be Allowed in Public Parks?" (L-6-3-1_Should Dogs Be Allowed in Public Parks) via a document camera or overhead projector. Ask students to read the passage and determine the side that is being argued—that is, whether or not dogs belong in public parks.

Ask students to explain why they oppose allowing dogs in public parks. Highlight the red-colored arguments. Possible responses could be as follows:
Dogs might frighten away wildlife.
Dogs can spread illness or parasites.
It will be impossible for people who are afraid of dogs to enjoy the park.
Dogs may harm natural vegetation.
The park's wildlife may pose a threat to dogs.
In the park, dogs can get sick from tick-borne illnesses.
Dog feces are an annoyance.
Request justifications from the students for allowing dogs in public parks. Highlight the points in blue. Possible responses could be as follows:
Dogs and their owners can get plenty of exercise from walks in parks.
Dogs require room to run around, which the owner's house might not offer.
Owners can use the park as a good opportunity to teach their dog's social skills and manners to people and other dogs.
Describe how writers persuade readers with arguments. They typically present arguments in favor of one side or the other and make a claim. Ask, "What kinds of writing are employed in persuasion?" For future reference, compile a list of the students' responses on chart paper to be hung in the classroom. Possible responses could be as follows:

billboards
movie and book reviews
letters
blogs
essays
newspaper articles
debates
podcasts
advertisements in magazines, in newspapers, and on TV
Ask, "What distinguishes persuasive writing from informational writing?" After discussing their responses in pairs, present the results to the class. Make sure your students comprehend that a persuasive text presents a particular claim or viewpoint. Informational texts do not make any claims or take any positions.

Assist students in realizing that one must consider the author's intention when reading any written work that claims a subject or a problem.

Part 2

Tell students that they will be studying various strategies used by authors to persuade readers. To review the authors' techniques, use the L-6-3-1_Persuasive Strategies handout on persuasive strategies. You could make a PowerPoint presentation out of these.

Read over the article "Dogs Allowed in Public Parks?" Talk about the tactics the author employed.

Part 3

Divide the class into pairs. Give a persuasive text or media example to each pair. Provide a persuasive text graphic organizer (L-6-3-1_Persuasive Text Graphic Organizer) for students to complete. Remind students that one section of their graphic organizer may be blank if they are unable to find arguments for both sides in the passage.

Ask the pairs to join another group to form a group of four. Ask students to present the logic they came up with in their persuasive text. Encourage students to edit their work now if they think it needs to be changed.

"Discuss what you think is fact and what you think is opinion in your persuasive text," you might say.

Get the students together to discuss their discussions. Persuade students that the assertion is based on opinion and that the facts provide supporting evidence.

Give each student a different persuasive text example from the classroom collection, and have them complete the L-6-3-1_Persuasive Strategies Activity worksheet. This is an activity that you might want to use for assessment.

To discuss their findings, have students work with a partner. Encourage students to edit their work now if they think it needs to be changed.

Extension:

Pupils who require more learning opportunities can come up with a list of inquiries concerning school policies, like the ones below: Should our school have a policy prohibiting homework? Do school cafeterias have the right to allow vending machines? Are MP3 players permitted in classrooms? Ask students to select a question, make a claim, and provide evidence either in favor of or against the claim. Next, have partners evaluate each other's arguments.
Pupils who are willing to go above and beyond the requirements can select a subject for which they are passionate. Encourage them to do some research on the topic, apply the persuasion techniques you've covered, and make a PowerPoint presentation that you can post on your class website.