Brief Description

Students will learn about persuasive writing.  They will find information about Sabino Canyon from a University of Arizona website.  They will choose a topic to write about and then write a persuasive paragraph trying to enlighten others about the wonders of Sabino Canyon.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 3T-E1. Use formatting capabilities of technology tools for communicating and illustrating
• 5T-E1. Locate information from electronic resources

• R-E2. Use reading strategies such as making inferences and predictions, summarizing, paraphrasing, differentiating fact from opinion, drawing conclusions, and determining the author’s purpose and perspective to comprehend written selections
• W-E5. Write a report that conveys a point of view and develops a topic with appropriate facts, details, examples and descriptions from a variety of cited sources

Academic

• Using the Sabino Canyon website, students will research and report on one self selected aspect of Sabino Canyon with fewer than three errors in conventions.

• Using a word processing program, students will write one paragraph and include at least one picture with correct formatting techniques.

Students should already know how to use a word processing program.  They should be able to indent, change fonts and font sizes, and insert pictures. They should also be able to find and type in the address of a website for navigation across the Internet.

Materials

• Web access to http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/sabino/
• Student created note taking sheet
• Access to a word processing program

In order to meet the needs of Special Education students and Sheltered English Immersion students, the teacher could already have a note sheet created or have another student help take relevant notes. They could also have a computer version of the notes so that they can cut and paste into their notes for further changes at a later time. The Gifted Students could create a persuasive letter or brochure to advertise Sabino Canyon’s attractions more for an increase in tourism.

Procedures

• Teacher will ask student why they try new food after watching commercials.  Teacher will lead students to discuss persuasion.
• Teacher will tell students that persuasive writing is a fun yet challenging type of writing where one tries to get others to feel the same way about something.
• Teacher will ask students what types of things might get someone to visit a tourist attraction.  Teacher will lead discussion with students.
• Teacher will remind students that there are attractions in our area that some people do not take advantage of.
• Teacher will introduce Sabino Canyon website at http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/sabino/
• Teacher will assign the task.  Go to website, read all the pages, and look at all the pictures.  Choose one aspect of the canyon that you think will attract the most people to visit if they read about it.  Write a paragraph trying to talk someone into going to Sabino Canyon to see your one topic.
• Teacher will discuss copyright issues with the students and ask them to include pictures from the website (permission has been given) to strengthen their argument.
• Teacher will tell students that the first part is research.  Read all available information and choose which area to write about. Using a self-created note-taking sheet, take at least five valuable notes to include in your writing.
• Students will go to the lab and begin the research aspect.
• Once done, students will draft a rough copy of the paragraph to be submitted to the teacher and edited by a classmate.
• Students will go back to lab at next available time and type their final draft and import a picture from the website of their topic.  Students would left click on the picture, save it as a self-created name, and then insert it into their document.
• Students will save a print final for assessment purposes.

Students will be assessed through the attached grading sheet.  They will be graded on the traits of Ideas, Voice, and Conventions.  Points will also be given for the image being correctly inserted into the document.