Persuasive Writing: Unit 2 EA #2: Letter to Editor
January 2, 2013
Learning Focus (131)
• You will be learning how to write a persuasive text in the form of a letter to the editor.
Previewing EA #2 (166-169)
• Close Reading of prompt, steps and scoring guide.
• Close reading: Accessing small chunks of text to read, reread, mark and annotate key passages.
Assignment
• Choose an editorial, analyze the persuasive arguments, and write a letter to the editor, agreeing or disagreeing with the writer of the editorial.
Steps
• Pre-writing
• Drafting
• Revising
• Editing for Publication
Pre-writing and Planning• Choose a relevant newspaper editorial about an issue that you
are interested in and feel strongly about.
• As you read, highlight the persuasive appeals and techniques, and identify points that you would like to respond to.
• Use the “Guidelines for Reading an Editorial” (167) and/or SOAPSTone (168) graphic organizer to develop a thorough understanding of the editorial.
• Review the “Guidelines for Writing a Letter to the Editor” in Activity 2.20. Then use a prewriting strategy to generate ideas.
Drafting
• Draft your letter in business-letter format.
Revising Through Sharing and Responding
• Share your draft in your writing group to gather suggestions for revision (format, organization, ideas, and language); revise accordingly.
• Consult the Scoring Guide to aid revisions.
Editing for Publication
• Prepare to publish your letter.
• Edit your draft: Check for spelling, capitalization, grammar, and usage errors.
(CHAMPS errors)
Activity 2.12
• Quick write: Select an item that disappointed you, and describe the experience. (pg. 132)
• On a separate paper, write a letter to the company that makes the product.
• Use Standard Business Letter Block Format – model on page 133.
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