Persuasive WritingAn Introduction, by Mr. Thompson

5th Grade ELA

Table of Contents

• Lesson 1: What is Persuasive Writing?• Lesson 2: Know Your Audience• Lesson 3: Do Your Research• Lesson 4: Make it About You• Lesson 5: Make it About Them• Lesson 6: Close With a Punch

LESSON 1What is Persuasive Writing?

What is Persuasive Writing?

• When you write to persuade you are trying to make your reader do or think something different.

• Examples include commercials, ads, political speeches, opinion articles, documentaries, debates, and essays.

PERSUASIVE WRITINGWriting to convince people to think or do something

Commercials, ads, political speeches, debates, essays,

etc.

Use persuasive language

Know your audience

Do your research

Make it about you

Make it about them

Close with a punch!

Persuasive Language

Good writers use persuasive language when they are trying

to change people’s minds and/or actions.

Persuasive Language: Transitions

Introductory Phrases

• In my opinion• It is my belief that• There is no doubt that• It seems to me that• I maintain that• From my point of view

Concluding Phrases

• As you can see• Without a doubt• Obviously• Unquestionably• As I have shown• For the reasons above

Persuasive Language: Transitions

Supporting Reasons

• First• Furthermore• To begin with• In the first place• In addition• Finally• Moreover

Introducing Details

• For example• In fact• For instance• As evidence• In support of this

LESSON 2Know Your Audience

What is Audience?

Your audience is who you are writing to.

This will effect what arguments you use, the tone of your writing,

and even the words you choose.

Know Your Audience

• Think about who you will be writing to.

• What do they probably already know?

• What words, phrases, or ideas will grab their attention?

• Should you use formal or informal language?

• Age• Interests• Hobbies• Gender• Familiarity with topic• Location

Think About:

Formal vs. Informal

Formal Language

• Friends, family, & peers• Friendly tone• Occasional slang words• Use contractions

(it’s, I’ve, you’ve)• Use personal pronouns

(I, we)

Informal Language

• “Standard English” (no slang”)

• Avoid contractions (It is)• Write in the third person

to avoid personal pronouns

There has been concern that. . .

We are concerned that. . .

Formal vs. Informal

LESSON 3Do Your Research

Do Your Research

Good writers back up their persuasive

arguments with facts.

This doesn’t always mean doing hours of research, sometimes it can be as simple as thinking about what you already

know about a topic.

Research

• If possible, research your topic using the internet or text resources.

• Remember to be thinking about whether or not sources are reliable.

Background Knowledge

• Think about what you already know about your topic.

• What facts can you use to help support your argument?

NOTE: This is why it’s always a good idea to find topics you’re already interested in!

Polling

• Try conducting your own research by polling your peers.

• For example, if you’re writing about school lunches then ask how many students prefer on lunch to another.

LESSON 4Make it About You

Make it About You

Making a personal

connection with the topic can help get your point across.

Make it About You

• How does this issue affect you personally?• Using a personal anecdote about “One time when. . .” can

make your persuasive writing more effective.• Remember to also think about your audience and your

purpose though. It doesn’t make much sense to tell a personal anecdote about being lost in a commercial for quaking duck toys, but it would make sense in an advertisement for a life-saving flashlight that alerts rescuers of your location.

Make it About You

Think of some other examples of ways to “Make it About You” using these topics:• Litter on our streets• Extended recess• School uniforms• Endangered species• A proposal to cut all field trips

LESSON 5Make it About Them

Make it About Them

Demonstrate how the topic

will affect your audience.

Make it About Them

• To make someone change their mind or do something different you have to make them care.

• Give examples of what will happen if they do/don’t act in the way you want.

“If you don’t act now to help prevent the dumping of toxic waste, all our homes will be at risk!”

Make it About Them

Think of some other examples of ways to “Make it About Them” using these topics:• Litter on our streets• Extended recess• School uniforms• Endangered species• A proposal to cut all field trips

LESSON 6Close with a Punch!

Close with a Punch!

Pick the two most interesting details for your argument and put one at the beginning and one

at the end.

A fact that makes an emotional

punch can make the best ending.

Close with a Punch!

Challenge Reader

• Challenge your reader with a clear call to action stating what you think they should do.

Look Into the Future

• Invite your reader to look into the future, to see what life will be like if they do/do not do what you’re proposing.

Look into the Future

• "We don't turn back. We leave no one behind. [Cheers.] We pull each other up. [Cheers, applause.] We draw strength from our victories. [Cheers, applause.] And we learn from our mistakes. But we keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon knowing that providence is with us and that we are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on earth."

Challenge Your Reader

• “Our budget has been cut by 25% and private donations are the key to our organization’s survival. I’m sending around the volunteer forms, please sign up to help with one or two of our important fundraisers this year. In addition, you’ll see the donation forms which you can hand to Paul on your way out.”  

Close with a Punch!

• The evidence is overwhelming: the cost of driving a vehicle, both monetarily and environmentally, is outweighing the benefits. We can no longer in good faith support something that is so destructive of the environment. At five dollars per gallon in some areas, we need to ask ourselves if our dependence on cars is merely a result of our own laziness. The bicycle is truly the most efficient means of commuting if we would just take the energy to do so. Saving money while saving the planet is surely enough reason to sway a person without even mentioning the health benefits. Some will never be convinced, but every little bit helps.

Persuasive WritingAn Introduction, by Mr. Thompson

5th Grade ELA