Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Components of a Letter
Date: 10/26/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT list the components of a letter.
Necessary materials & supplies:

Dear Mrs. LaRue

Examples of letter from parents

PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)
I will tell my students we are going to be learning about the components of a letter,
which means parts of a letter.
I will help make connections to prior lessons by incorporating the book Dear Mrs.
LaRue that we read at the beginning of the year.
I will motivate the students to become engaged in the lesson by using letter their
family members wrote to them. This will also help them to understand its real world
purpose.
I can make connections to community resources and students funds of knowledge by
incorporating letters from the community in the lesson.
I will make explicit behavior expectations at the beginning of the lesson by giving
them an incentive to write a letter back to their parents at the end of the lesson if the
behave and we can get through the necessities.
OUTLINE of key events (15 minutes)
Identify the components of a letter using the book Dear Mrs. LaRue
o Read a letter from book.
o I notice 5 components of this letter. That means five parts. I am going to read
another letter. Look closely at both letter.
o Have the two letters side by side on the doc cam.
o See if you can notice one part of the letters that is consistent in both.
o Read the other letter.
o Can anyone tell me one component they noticed?
o Continue to talk about the components until all 5 are identified.
Examine letters from family members and determine all of the components
o Put a letter on the doc cam.
o Read the letter out loud.
o Talk about the components the letter included and ones the family member
may have forgot.
o Repeat this process till most of the letters are read and you feel like your
students have an understanding of the components.
Create a brace map on components of a letter
o If I was to create a thinking map on the components of a letter or parts of a
letter, what map would I use?
o How many components of a letter are there?
o Draw the template of the brace map.
o Now I would like you to complete the rest of the brace map. Think about all of
the components of the letter and the order in which they go if you were to
write a letter. What would come first? What would come second?
CLOSING (5 minutes)
I will bring closure to my lesson and actively involve the student in reflecting on their

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

experiences by asking how we might be able to use this information we learned

outside of the classroom.
The feedback I want from my students at this time is verbal communication about
how they can write letter to their family members.
The brace map will ensure adequate feedback because I will be able to see if they
understand the purpose of the lesson. If they listed all the components of a letter and
also put them in the order in which you write one, I will know they met the objective
of the lesson.
I will prepare them for future experiences explain that we will be writing a letter to
Andrew, the character in Freckle Juice, at the end of the week. Remind them to keep
these components of a letter in the back of their head, because it is something we
will use later in the week and they will use later in life.

ASSESSMENT

Exemplar:

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Components of Persuasive Writing

Date: 10/27/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT list the components of persuasive writing.
Necessary materials & supplies:

The Day the Crayons Quit

PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)
I will tell the students we are going to be learning about the components of
persuasive writing, which is also known as opinion writing.
I will help make connections to prior lessons by incorporating the book The Day the
Crayons Quit that is written in letters, which relates to yesterdays lesson.
I will motivate the students to become engaged in the lesson by letting them know
we will be reading The Day the Crayons Quit, which has humor and should grab the
students attention.
I can make connections to community resources and students funds of knowledge
by asking them what their parents opinion was on the letters they wrote to them
from yesterdays lesson.
I will make explicit behavior expectations at the beginning of the lesson by explaining
when they will be working as a whole class and when they will be working
individually. This way they will be aware of what is coming next and know the voice
level expectations.
OUTLINE of key events (20 minutes)
Identify what persuasive writing is
o Persuasive writing is a type of genre of writing. Can anyone tell me another
type of genre they have read or wrote before? Do you know the purpose of
that writing?
o What is an opinion? (How you feel about something)

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

The purpose of persuasive writing, or opinion writing, is trying to convince

someone how you feel about something.
Identify the components of persuasive writing
o Persuasive writing has 3 components. What does that mean? Persuasive
writing has 3? (Parts)
o The first part is to state an opinion, the second part is to give reasons for the
opinion, and the last part is have a conclusion.
Examine persuasive letters using the book The Day the Crayons Quit
o Put a letter on the doc cam.
o Who notices what component of a letter is missing? (Date)
o When I am reading, I want you to pay attention and see if you notice the
components of persuasive writing. What is the crayons opinion, does it give a
reason, and how does it conclude?
o Read the letter out loud.
o Who noticed the crayons opinion? What reasons did it give to support its
opinion? How did it conclude the letter?
o Repeat this process till most of the letters are read and you feel like your
students have an understanding of the components.
Create a brace map on components of persuasive writing
o If I was to create a thinking map on the components of persuasive writing or
parts of persuasive writing, what map would I use?
o How many components of persuasive writing are there?
o Draw the template of the brace map.
o Now I would like you to complete the rest of the brace map. Think about all of
the components of persuasive writing and the order in which they go.
o

CLOSING (5 minutes)
I will bring closure to my lesson and actively involve the student in reflecting on their
experiences by asking why learning about persuasive writing is important.
The feedback I want from my students at this time is verbal communication about
how they will be able to understand a piece of persuasive writing when then read as
well as being able to writing about their feelings on certain situation.
The brace map will ensure adequate feedback because I will be able to see if they
understand the purpose of the lesson. If they listed all the components of persuasive
writing and also put them in the order in which you write, I will know they met the
objective of the lesson.
I will prepare them for future experiences explain that we will be writing a persuasive
letter to Andrew at the end of the week. Remind them to keep these components of
persuasive writing in their head because we will be going into details about each one
as the week goes on.
ASSESSMENT

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Exemplar:

Opinion Statement
Date: 10/28/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT write an opinion statement based on a text.
Necessary materials & supplies:

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Freckle Juice

PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (3 minutes)
Who can tell me the first part of persuasive writing? (Opinion)

Right, today we are going to be learning about to writing an opinion statement.

Can anyone tell me what an opinion is? (What someone thinks or feels)

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Can anyone tell me what a statement is? (Meaningful sentence)

OUTLINE of key events (25 minutes)

Explain what an opinion statement is and provide sentence starters
o I would like you to take out your writing notebook. We are going to write
down what an opinion is and sentence starters to help us with writing an
opinion statement.
o In writing notebook have students right down:
An opinion is
*a belief or feeling
*your point of view
An opinion tells
*how you feel about something
*what you think about something
Sentence starters:
*I prefer
*I think
*I feel
*I know
*I believe
*In my opinion
Read The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
o Who remembers what the purpose of persuasive writing is? (To try and
convince someone how they feel)
o Who is being persuasive in this book? (The wolf)
o What is he trying to persuade us to believe? (That he was framed)
Compose different opinion statements
o Now we are going to write an opinion statement on do you think Alexander
T. Wolf was framed OR not?
o Raise your hand and tell me your opinion using the sentence starters in your
notebook.
o As a student gives you their opinion, write them down on the smart board.
Write opinion statement
o Now you are going to write an opinion statement on the topic of Should
Andrew keep trying to get freckles OR not?
o Pass out a half sheet of notebook paper.
o Remember to put your name and number at the top. You may use your
notebook to help you. Once you finish writing down your opinion statement,
turn over your piece of paper and you may rest your head down.
CLOSING (2 minutes)
I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up your opinion
statements. Make sure your name is on them because we will be using them
tomorrow.
Who can tell me what an opinion is?
What genre of writing do we find opinions?
ASSESSMENT

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Exemplar:

Supporting Reasons
Date: 10/29/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT create an organizational structure with supporting

reasons.
Necessary materials & supplies:

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Freckle Juice

PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (3 minutes)
Who remembers what part comes after opinion in persuasive writing? (Reasons)
Right, today we are going to be learning about the significance of having reasons to
back up your opinion.
Can anyone tell me what a reason is? (Explanation for belief)
OUTLINE of key events (25 minutes)
Discuss significance of having reasons
o If I told you I prefer the Detroit Tigers over the Chicago Cubs, would you
believe me?
o If I told you one reasons I do is because I grew up in Michigan, would you
believe me now?
o Having reasons to support how you feel allows your audience or the reader
believe what you are saying. That is why it is always important to give reasons
to support your opinion.
o What does it mean if you are trying to persuade someone? (You are trying to
convince someone how you feel)
o Right, to do that you need to provide reasons.
Create tree map with supporting reasons (Guided)
o I would like you to take out your writing notebook. We are going to create a
tree map to provide reasons for the opinions we wrote down yesterday on do
you think Alexander T. Wolf was framed OR not? Turn your paper sideways so
the holes are at the top.
o Write down the opinion statement at the top.
o Who can give me one reasons to support this opinion, using what we read in
the book?
o Write down the reason under the tree map.
o Complete this process two more times until you have three reasons.
Create tree map with supporting reasons (Independent)
o Now you are going to create a tree map with supporting reasons based on
the opinion statement you turned in to me yesterday.
o Pass back opinion statements
o On a separate piece of paper I would like you to write the opinion statement
at the top to create you tree map. From there, I would like you to come write
down at least three reasons supporting your opinion.
o Remember to put your name and number at the top. Once you are finished,
turn over your piece of paper and you may rest your head down.
CLOSING (2 minutes)
I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up your tree maps and
opinion statements. Make sure your name is on them because we will be using them
tomorrow.
What can tell me why it is important to have reasons to back up your opinion?
What genre of writing will you find reasons to support their feelings or beliefs?

ASSESSMENT

Persuasive Letter Unit

Exemplar:

Gryglak

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Writing a Letter
Date: 10/30/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT write a letter.
Necessary materials & supplies:

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Freckle Juice

PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (3 minutes)
Today we are going to be using our tree maps to write a letter.
Who remembers the components, or parts of a letter? (Date, greeting, body,
closing, signature)
Going around until all parts of the letter are named.
OUTLINE of key events (25 minutes)
Demonstrate how to write a letter using tree map (Guided)
o I would like you to take out your writing notebook. We are going to turn this
the tree map we made yesterday on do you think Alexander T. Wolf was
framed OR not into a letter.
What is todays date? (October 30th)
Who can tell me where that goes?
Write the date in the upper right corner.
Whom are we writing to? (The wolf)
Write Dear Alexander T. Wolf in the upper left.
Looking at the tree map, what should our body of the letter include?
(Our opinion statement and reasons)
What should we start with? (Opinion statement)
Write the opinion statement as the first sentence of the body.
What should come next? (Reasons)
Write the reasons in the body.
What two components are we missing? (Closing and signature)
Write the closing and your name.
Write a letter using tree map (Independent)
o Now you are going to write a letter using the tree map you made on Freckle
Juice.
o Pass back tree maps.
o On a separate sheet of paper I would like you to write a letter using the
information in your tree map just like we did up here. Remember to think
about who you are writing the letter to and what you should include in the
body.
o Remember to put your name and number at the top. Once you are finished,
turn over your piece of paper and you may rest your head down.
CLOSING (2 minutes)
I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up your letters and
tree maps. Make sure your name is on them so I can give credit to you for complete
the assignment correctly.
What is the purpose of writing these letters?
Why might someone write a letter to someone with their opinion and reasons?

Persuasive Letter Unit

ASSESSMENT

Exemplar:

Gryglak

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Opinion Statement & Supporting Reasons

Date: 11/02/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT write an opinion statement based on a text.

SWBAT create an organizational structure with supporting reasons.

Necessary materials & supplies:
How Not to Start Third Grade
PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)
This week we are going to continue to learn how to write a persuasive letter.
Who can tell me what two parts of persuasive writing we learned about last week?
(Opinion statement and supporting reasons)
Who can tell me what part we still need to learn about? (Conclusion)
OUTLINE of key events (15 minutes)
Introduce new topic
o This week we have started reading a new book.
o Who can tell me what it is? (How Not to Start Third Grade)
o This is the book you are going to use to write your persuasive letter at the
end of the week.
o Before you can write a persuasive letter, you need to have an opinion and
your supporting reasons.
Review opinion statement and reasons
o Lets view.

Persuasive Letter Unit

o
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Write
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Gryglak

What is the purpose of persuasive writing, or opinion writing? (To convince

someone how you feel about something)
Who can tell me what an opinion is? (What someone thinks or feels)
What is an opinion statement then? (Meaningful sentence saying your
feelings on a topic)
Why is it important to give reasons to support your opinion? (So reader
believes what you are saying. So you convince them.)
opinion statement and create tree map with supporting reasons
Now you are going to write an opinion statement on the new topic of should
Will help his brother out on the first day of school OR not? After you write
your opinion statement, make a tree map off of it with at least three
supporting reasons.
Remember to put your name and number at the top. Once you finish writing
down your opinion statement and creating your tree map, turn over your
piece of paper and you may rest your head down.

CLOSING (5 minutes)
I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up your tree maps.
Make sure your name is on them because we will be using them tomorrow.
Who can tell me what genre of writing you will be writing at the end of the week?
Why do you think it is important for you to know this type of writing?
How do you think writing persuasively helps you read persuasive writing?
ASSESSMENT

Exemplar:

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Linking Words
Date: 11/03/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT write a body of a letter using linking words and phrases.
Necessary materials & supplies:
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
How Not to Start Third Grade
PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)
Today we are going to be learning how to use linking words and phrases when
writing a persuasive piece.
What do you think linking words are?
What is a phrase?
What do you think linking words and phrases are used for?
OUTLINE of key events (15 minutes)
Discuss linking words
o I would like you to take out your writing notebook. We are going to write
down what a linking word is and examples to help us write.

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

In writing notebook have students write down:

Linking words and phrases
*help you to connect ideas and sentences
*help you connect your opinion to reasons
Linking words and phrases:
*First
*To start
*To begin with
*Second
*Next
*Another reason
*Finally
*Lastly
*One last reason
Use linking words to write body of letter (Guided)
o Using our linking words we are going to write the body of a letter.
o Where does the body of a letter go? (In the middle)
o Take out the tree map you made as a class the day before.
o
Looking at the reasons we choose to write, which one should we start with?
What linking word or phrase can we use from our writing notebook to start off
our body?
o Should we use the same linking words in one paragraph?
o Right, no. That would make the paragraph boring and hard to read.
o Complete this process two more times until you have used all three reasons.
Use linking words to write body of letter (Independent)
o Now you are going to write a body of a letter using the tree maps you made
yesterday on should Will help his brother out on the first day of school or not?
o Pass back tree maps
o On a separate piece of paper I would like you to write the body of a letter just
like we did up here using linking words and phrases. You may use your
notebook to help you. Remember to use different linking words and phrases.
o Remember to put your name and number at the top. Once you are finished,
turn over your piece of paper and you may rest your head down.
o

CLOSING (5 minutes)
I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up the body of letter
you wrote and your tree map. Make sure your name is on them because we will be
using them tomorrow.
Who can tell me how linking words and phrases are helpful?
What genre of writing will you see linking words and phrases?
ASSESSMENT

Persuasive Letter Unit

Exemplar:

Conclusion Statement
Date: 11/04/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT write a conclusion statement.
Necessary materials & supplies:
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Gryglak

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

How Not to Start Third Grade

PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)
Who remembers the last part of persuasive writing? We talked about the opinion
and reasons, what was the last part I mentioned last week? (Conclusion)
Right, today we are going to be learning about how to write a conclusion
statement.
Can anyone tell me what a conclusion is? (The last part of something)
What do you think a conclusion statement is?
OUTLINE of key events (15 minutes)
Explain what a conclusion statement is and provide sentence starters
o I would like you to take out your writing notebook. We are going to write
down what a conclusion statement is and sentence starters to help us with
writing an conclusion statement.
o In writing notebook have students write down:
A conclusion statement
* is the ending sentence
*restates your opinion
Sentence starters:
*As you can see
*All in all
*To sum it up
*To summarize
*In conclusion
Compose different conclusion statements
o Now we are going to write a conclusion statement supporting your opinion
we created last week on The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.
o Raise your hand and tell me one conclusion statement we could use to
restate our opinion and wrap up our ideas.
o As a student gives you a conclusion, write them down on the smart board.
Write conclusion statement
o Now you are going to write a conclusion statement on your opinion
statement you created at the beginning of the week on should Will help his
brother out at school?
o Pass back tree maps and a half sheet of notebook paper.
o Remember to put your name and number at the top. You may use your
notebook to help you. Once you finish writing down your conclusion
statement, turn over your piece of paper and you may rest your head down.
CLOSING (5 minutes)
I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up your conclusion
statement and tree maps. Make sure your name is on them because we will be using
them tomorrow.
Who can tell me what a conclusion statement is?
What does it restate?
What genre of writing do we find a conclusion that restates your opinion?
ASSESSMENT

Persuasive Letter Unit

Exemplar:

Organize Persuasive Letter

Gryglak

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Date: 11/05/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT create an organization structure to organize their writing.
Necessary materials & supplies:
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
How Not to Start Third Grade
PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)
Today we are going to be learning how to use organizing all of the pieces we have
written this week into a persuasive letter.
OUTLINE of key events (15 minutes)
Review components of letter and persuasive writing
o Who remembers the parts of a letter? Give me one?
o Continue with this process until all part of the letter is said.
o Write down the parts as students recall them.
o Who can tell me one part of persuasive writing?
o Continue with this process until all parts of persuasive writing is said.
o Write down the parts as students recall them.

Create brace map to organize persuasive letter (Guided)

o When I asked you to make a brace map of the parts of a letter last week,
what did it look like? How many parts were there? (5)
o What came first? Next? Last?
o Continue until you have gone through all parts. Make the brace map with the
students on the smart board.
o What did the brace map of the parts of persuasive letter look like? How many
parts were there? (3)
o
What came first? Next? Last?
o Make this brace map next to the other one.
o How could we combine these brace maps to make one? (Have the
persuasive letter coming off of the body)
o Create this combined brace map for the students on the smart board.
o I would like you to take out your writing notebook and copy down this brace
map. We are going to use it to organize our writing from this week.
o Give students 2 minutes to copy down this brace map.
o Now we are going to take the opinion statement, body of letter with linking
words, and conclusion statement on The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs to
create a brace map to help us write our letters tomorrow.
o Fill in the brace map on the smart board with the help from the students.

Create brace map to organize persuasive letter (Independent)

o Now you are going to create a brace map using your opinion statement, body
of letter using linking words, and conclusion statement on How Not to Start
Third Grade. You have all of the components writing down. All you are doing is
organizing and coping down what you have already written.
o Pass out tree map, body of letter, and conclusion statement.
o Remember to put your name and number at the top. You may use your
notebook to help you. Once you finish your brace map, turn over your piece of
paper and you may rest your head down.

CLOSING (5 minutes)

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up your brace map,
tree map, body of letter, and conclusion statement. Make sure your name is on them
because we will be using them tomorrow.
Who can tell me why organizing your writing is useful?

ASSESSMENT

Exemplar:

Writing a Persuasive Letter

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

Date: 11/06/15
Lesson Objective: SWBAT write a persuasive letter.
Necessary materials & supplies:
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
How Not to Start Third Grade
PROCEDURES
INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)
Today we are going to be using our brace map to write a persuasive letter.
How is this different from last week? (Writing persuasive letter and not just any
letter. Using brace map instead of tree map)
OUTLINE of key events (15 minutes)
Demonstrate how to write a persuasive letter using brace map (Guided)
o I would like you to take out your writing notebooks. We are going to turn this
brace map we made yesterday into a persuasive letter.
Looking at our nice brace map, where should we start? (With the
date)
Where should that go? (Upper right corner)
Write down the date.
What is the next part on our brace map? (The greeting)
Where does this go? (Under the date to the left)
What comes next on our brace map? (The body)
How do you think we should start the body? (With the opinion
statement)
What do we have to remember when writing a paragraph? (To
indent)
After our opinion statement what should we write next? (The reasons)
How do we know the reasons come next? (Because it comes after
opinion in the brace map.
Is there a specific order I should put the reasons in? (Make sure it
makes sense with the linking words you used.
Now what? I finished the reasons and the body. (You should write the
greeting and signature to finish the letter.
Do I have all the parts of a letter?
Go through the parts and check them off on your demonstration.
Do I have all the parts of a persuasive writing?
Go through the parts and check them off on your demonstration.

Write a persuasive letter using brace map (Independent)

o Now you are going to write a persuasive letter using the brace map you
made yesterday on How Not to Start Third Grade.
o Pass back brace maps.
o On a separate sheet of paper I would like you to write a persuasive letter
using the information in your brace map just like we did up here. All of the
information is already writing for you if you completed your brace map
correctly. You are making sure you have all the parts of a persuasive writing
and a letter.
o Remember to put your name and number at the top. Once you are finished,
turn over your piece of paper and you may rest your head down.

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak

CLOSING (5 minutes)
I would like you to put away your writing notebooks and pass up your persuasive
letters and brace maps. Make sure your name is on them so I can give credit to you
for completing the assignment correctly.
What was the purpose of writing these letters?
Why might someone write a persuasive letter to someone?
ASSESSMENT

Exemplar:

Persuasive Letter Unit

Gryglak