The Power of Persuasion

An examination of the power of persuasion through the lens of critical literacy, advertising, world issues, editorials, debates, speeches and Maniac Magee.

  1. Maniac Magee Persuasive Essay

Synthesizing is the ability to separate fact from opinion, draw inferences based on the facts presented, and evaluate the information to form your own conclusions.

  • As part of your ability to synthesize, you will create a thesis of the novel “Maniac Magee".
  • Your thesis MUST be thoughtful.
  • You MUST have sufficient evidence from the text to support your thesis.
  • You MUST use citations from the text to support your thesis.
  • Use the graphic organizer provided to organize your information
  • Use the student success criteria on writing a persuasive essay during your writing.

Submit all graphic organizers, student success criteria, first drafts when you hand in your final copy.

Final Due Date: ______

  1. Storytelling

Using the reading strategies of inferring, identify main idea, analyzing and synthesizing text and other reading strategies you will select a story that speaks to you and you will follow the guidelines to tell a story to a selected audience.

Due Date: ______

  1. Media/Critical Literacy

Select a product that uses advertising to persuade consumers. Create a collage of the visual images and texts used to persuade YOU the consumer. How do the images or text capture the viewer’s interest? What is the targeted audience? Does it present an accurate image? How effective is it? Whose voice is missing? Are the images accurate representations of reality?

Written analysis –Along with your collage you will provide a written analysis of the product you have selected and its effectiveness. More guidelines will follow.

Due Date for collage and written analysis: ______

  1. Editorial

An editorial is an article in a newspaper or magazine that is an expression of the views of individuals.

You will write an editorial that pertains to a world issue in our geography units of study.

Due Date: ______

  1. Debate

A debate is to a discussion about a specific topic with opposite views. We will use De Bono Six Thinking Hats to guide us in a debate about a world issue that pertains to our geography units of study.

Due Date: ______

  1. Advocacy Speech

You will write and deliver a speech that pertains to a world issue or an issue of your choice.

Due Date: ______

All assignments will come with detailed guidelines to help you to be successful but if you have any questions we encourage you to seek support. Since this is term three the expectation is that you adhere to the prescript due dates. If you can not make it on the prescript due dates, it is your responsibility to persuade us to change it.

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Organizer for Persuasive Essay – Maniac Magee

  1. Create a thesis statement that is related to Maniac’s character traits.

□ thesis statement can be proven with evidence from the text

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  1. Have the thesis statement.

Revised thesis statement:

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  1. Use graphic organizer to make inference about Maniac and provide evidence from text to support your inference. Does this relate back to your thesis statement?
  1. Introductory/Opening Paragraph

□ state the title and author of the book

□ introduce the thesis statement

□ briefly state the supporting evidence to your thesis statement

1st Paragraph

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2nd Paragraph

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3rd Paragraph

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4th Paragraph

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Concluding Paragraph

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Rubric for Persuasive Character Inference Essay

Reading Expectations

1.5 Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts

develop and explain interpretations ofincreasingly complex or difficult textsusing stated and implied ideas from thetexts to support their interpretations

1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehensionstrategies and use themappropriately before, during, and after

reading to understand increasinglycomplex texts

Writing Expectations

Organizing Ideas

1.5 identify and order main ideas and supportingdetails and group them intounits that could be used to develop

multi-paragraph piece of writing, usinga variety of strategies and organizationalpatterns

Proofreading

3.6 proofread and correct their writing using guidelines developed with peers and the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task)

Word Choice

2.3 regularly use vivid and/or figurative language and innovative expressions in their writing

Categories / Level 4
High degree / Level 3
Considerable / Level 2
Some / Level 1
Limited
Knowledge and Understanding / □Demonstrates
thorough knowledge and understanding of the character in this novel. / □Demonstrates
considerable knowledge and understanding of
the character in this novel. / □Demonstrates
some knowledge and understanding of the character in this novel. / □Demonstrates
limited knowledge and understanding of the character in this novel.
Thinking / □Thesis statements with supported evidence from text are clear and concise (page numbers and quotes) demonstrating insightfulness and critical thinking.
□Uses a wide variety of reading strategies to analyze, infer, and synthesize text. / □Thesis statements with supported evidence from text are clear and concise (page numbers and quotes) demonstrating critical thinking.
□Uses a wide variety of reading strategies to analyze, infer, and synthesize text. / □Thesis statement issuperficial with limited supported evidence from text.
□Uses some reading strategies to analyze, infer, and synthesize text.
. / □Thesis statement is unclear or not present with limited supported evidence from text.
□Uses limited reading strategies to analyze, infer, and synthesize text.
Communication / Introductory Paragraph
□Clear and concise summary of novel followed by thoughtful thesis statement.
□All important points to support thesis statement are clearly stated in the introduction.
Supporting Paragraphs
□Clear and logical organization of ideas, smooth transitions between paragraphs.
□Evidence from text demonstrates thorough reflection, relevance and directly relates to the thesis.
□Thorough and insightful references and connections made between the evidence and the thesis.
□Uses a wide variety of persuasive and transitional words.
□All Persuasive and transitional words are underlined.
Concluding Paragraph
□Restates the thesis and concludes all points made in essay.
□Closing sentence effectively captures the attention of the readers.
. / Introductory Paragraph
□Clear and concise summary of novel followed by thoughtful thesis statement.
□All important points to support thesis statement are clearly stated in the introduction.
Supporting Paragraphs
□Clear and logical organization of ideas, smooth transitions between paragraphs.
□Evidence from text demonstrates considerable reflection, relevance and directly relates to the thesis.
□Considerable referencesand connections made between the evidence and the thesis.
□Uses considerable persuasive and transitional words.
□Most Persuasive and transitional words are underlined.
Concluding Paragraph
□Restates the thesis and concludes most points made in essay.
□Closing sentence captures the attention of the readers. / Introductory Paragraph
□ Summary of novel is not concise and a superficial thesis statement.
□Some points to support thesis statement are stated in the introduction.
Supporting Paragraphs
□Someorganizations of ideas are off topic in relation to thesis. Limited effectiveness when transitioning ideas from one paragraph to another.
□Evidence from text demonstrates some reflection, relevance and directly relates to the thesis.
□ Some references connections made between the evidence and the thesis.
□Uses some persuasive and transitional words.
□Some Persuasive and transitional words are underlined.
Concluding Paragraph
□Restates the thesis and concludes some points made in essay.
□Closing sentence does not capture the attention of the readers.
. / Introductory Paragraph
□Summary and thesis statement is unclear.
□Limited points to support thesis statement are stated in the introduction..
.Supporting Paragraphs
□Ideas need organization. Jumps from idea to idea. No transition of ideas from one paragraph to another.
□ Limited evidence from text does not demonstratereflection, relevance and directly relates to the thesis.
□Limited references and connections made between the evidence and the thesis.
□Uses limited persuasive and transitional words.
□Persuasive and transitional words are NOT underlined.
Concluding Paragraph
□Restated thesis and points made in essay are unclear.
□No closing sentence to capture the attention of the readers.
Application / □ With a high degree of effectiveness applies information from graphic organizer to develop a well planned essay with a thoughtful thesis and supporting evidence from text. / □ With effectiveness applies information from graphic organizer to develop a well planned essay with a thoughtful thesis and supporting evidence from text. / □ With some effectiveness applies information from graphic organizer to develop a well planned essay with a thoughtful thesis and supporting evidence from text. / □ With limited effectiveness applies information from graphic organizer to develop a well planned essay with a thoughtful thesis and supporting evidence from text.