This document outlines technology resources that can be used to help students in grades 7-9 write persuasive essays. It describes how blogs, websites, podcasts, and videos can help students stay organized, find evidence, and make strong arguments. Specific resources highlighted include blogs that provide essay outlines, a YouTube video that uses pop culture to explain persuasive appeals, a podcast that breaks down persuasive writing, and websites with writing examples and advertising analyses. Worksheets, graphic organizers, and online interactive tools are also presented to help students structure their essays and receive peer feedback. The goal is to make essay writing more engaging and help students master this important skill.

1. Persuasive Essay Writing
A Technology Based Unit for Students
in Grades 7-9
Aidan Tatar

2. Technology Integration Rationale
Essay writing is a integral skill that every student
must master, yet so many students find themselves
struggling when sitting down to write an essay. By
integrating technology into a persuasive essay writing
unit, students can use technology based resources to help
themselves stay organized, come up with evidence, and
make strong arguments. Students can then keep these
helpful websites and use the technology to help them
write successful essays in their future courses. Finally,
technology can help make this sometime dry topic more
fun and interactive.
http://capture.quinnipiac.edu/recordings/astatar/Technology%20Integration%20Rationale/Techn
ology_Integration_Rationale_-_20140122_135644_15.html

3. Technology Integration
The following slides will display various
technology-based resources that will
aid in student understanding of the
persuasive essay.
• Blogs
• Websites
• Podcasts
• Websites

4. Use of Blogs
This blog is reserved for English teachers and other experts
to write how-to guides for everything related to the study
of English. This blog provides an excellent outline of a
persuasive essay for students to follow including where to
place each of their points, counterpoints, and evidence.
The blog also provides links to other helpful blogs related
to the topic.
http://blog.myetutor.tv/higher-english-tutor-persuasive-essaystructure/

5. Use of Internet Video/YouTube
This video used pop culture
references such as the Twilight
movie series to illustrate the
different types of appeals one
can make while writing a
persuasive essay. This could be
helpful in engaging the class as
well as getting them thinking
about a topic that interests
them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaGJNxCxB-s

6. Use of Podcasts
This podcast developed by the
Tennessee Department of
Education really breaks down
everything a student may need
to know about persuasive
writing. It also asks the listener
questions which would serve as
a great interactive tool as well
as an assessment if the teacher
were to pause the podcast so
the students could answer each
question.
This podcast is available on iTunes under the Tennessee Department
of Education

7. Use of Websites
• http://www.aaf.org/default.asp?id=1236
• Persuasion is often displayed in advertisements and in the media.
This is the American Advertising Federation’s page on ethics in
American advertising. This will encourage students to consider
ethics and remember to be respectful during their papers.
• https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/1/
• This Purdue University run website provides resources that students
can use to help improve their writing, overcome writers block, and
learn to revise their work.
• http://www.nytimes.com/pages/opinion/
• The New York Times online version’s opinion page is filled with
excellent examples of persuasive writing including editorials and
letters to the editor.

8. Teaching Materials: Persuasion Game
for iPad
This app helps students practice identifying
persuasive language along with coming with
a single and multi-player game that allows
students to apply their knowledge. This app
is available on the app store for under
$10.00
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/persuasive-strategies/id503156670?mt=8

9. Teaching Techniques: Persuasion in
Advertising
This worksheet helps
students to understand the
persuasive techniques
behind advertising while
still being creative. Learning
about persuasion in
advertising will help them
improve their writing.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/unit_persu
asivewriting_transfertechniques.pdf

10. Teaching Materials: Persuasion Sample
This persuasive writing
example paper provides
students with an example
of what a persuasive
paper should look like
and what kind of
language should be used.
Students can use this
example as a jumping off
point for their own
essays.
http://www.timeforkids.com/files/homewo
rk_helper/aplus_papers/PersuasiveSampler
.pdf

11. Teaching Materials: Peer Review Sheet
This activity is designed for
after students finish their
persuasive writing essay.
Each student will get a
sticky note and self
evaluate themselves on
the effectiveness of their
essay. This helps students
think about their work and
encourages honesty.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/279856564314855523/

12. Inspiration Graphic Organizer

13. Subject Specific Internet Resource
This website has a variety of resources for
teachers. This lesson plan looks at Lincoln’s speech
defending the Union. Students can evaluate the
effectiveness of this speech and use it to improve
the quality of their own writing.
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/first-inaugural-address1861mdashdefending-american-union#sect-thelesson

14. Additional Internet Resources
http://www.readwritethink.org/clas
sroom-resources/studentinteractives/persuasion-30034.html
This interactive website allows
students to plug their main points
and supporting evidence into a
graphic organizer. This helps
students to stay organized and
strengthen their arguments.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesso
n-plan/game-persuasion
This website is an online project that
provides a lesson to teach children
about persuasion by putting them in
groups, giving them time to prepare,
and having them argue a point in front
of the class. This lesson also focuses
on improving vocabulary and working
well with others, both of which are
important skill sets.

15. Web 2.0 Internet Resources
This website is an excellent teaching resource.
Students and teachers can make an account and
start a class blog where students can ask questions
and teachers can post assignments. When the
students finish their persuasive essays they can
post them to their blog for their fellow classmates
to read and comment on. This not only creates a
classroom community, it improves students writing
skills as well.
http://blog.com/

16. SlideShare