Lisa Bijit

Persuasive Project

    The Persuasive Project will take the propaganda techniques that we went over in class and let the students put them to use. Students will be working in groups with the option of working alone if they choose. Groups will form a band. They will first come up with a band name and logo. Next, they need to plan a concert tour. For sale on the tour will be bumper stickers, T-shirts, and CDs. All three should have the band name and logo and all should have the same colors. The tour bus should also be decorated in the same colors and have the band's name on it. A sheet for tour dates is in the packet along with a sheet to write down the miles from one city to the next. Students should go onto mapquest to find the mileage and log it on the sheet. There is a math trivia sheet that needs to be completed for a grade that uses the mileage sheet. The packet includes a music survey that one person in the group can complete. All members of the group need to complete a "superstar fact sheet."

All of the above will be one grade broken down as follows:

Logo - bumper sticker (5 pts.), T-shirt (5 pts.), tour bus (5 pts), CD cover (5 pts.) - total 70 pts.
the graphic must cover the entire surface and have something to do with the group name, include the logo, and be in the same colors. NO MARKERS, use colored pencils.

Tour dates - need to be in logical order (5 pts.), the tour needs to start in one region and continue to another region (5 pts.)

Mileage sheet - cities must be in correct order of tour dates, miles between cities must be listed and correct (5 pts.)

Math Trivia - complete and correct (5 pts.)

Music Survey - completed (5 pts.)

All "Superstar Fact Sheet" and cover page needs to be completed (5 pts.)

TOTAL = 100 PTS.

The completed project is due Tuesday, November 27th.

Persuasive Essay

Persuasive Essay Phase 1 Instructions Download Checklist.doc

Persuasive Essay Topics Download persuasive_essay_topics.doc    

The persuasive essay teaches a student how to see both sides of an issue, but to slant their writing toward their own personal viewpoint. The essay must be in third person (the use of "I", "me", "my", "you", and "they" is forbidden).  A list of six topics can be found above along with the direcitons given out in class.

Phase 1 - November 9th
Choose a topic
Decide on your position
Write a thesis statement
Write a hook

Phase 2 - November 12th - 14th
Prewrite three supporting details/examples for your position
Prewrite what an opponent to your position would say
Prewrite a counter-argument to the opposition

Phase 3 - November 15th - 16th
Write your rough draft

Phase 4 - November 19th
Hand in typed/handwritten final draft

Structure of paper:

1st Paragraph
Start with a hook (an interesting fact about your topic that is 1 or 2 sentences), a topic sentence (starts with "Research has shown", or "Experts feel" and states your opinion. ex: Research has shown that violent videogames desensitize students to violence in society.) Elaborate on the topic sentence (ex: When students are desensitized to violence in society, they can bring violence into schools making the school environment dangerous.)

2nd paragraph
The paragraph should be on one supporting detail to your topic with a counter-argument and an answer to the counter-argument.
(ex: Many students spend long hours in front of the television playing videogames. This takes time away from outdoor activities and can contribute to obesity in adolescents. Opponents of this view state that obesity is due to bad food choices at school and snacking at home not inactivity in front of the television. However, research has shown that the adolescents today spend 45% more time indoors than 10 years ago. The obesity level has risen according to this decline in outdoor activity.)

3rd and 4th paragraph
Repeat the structure in the 2nd paragraph

5th paragraph (concluding paragraph)
Start with a concluding transition (As you can see, or In conclusion, or For these reasons) and make your final statement. (Limiting or eliminating the time spent playing violent videogames will make the school environment safer. Students will feel more empathy for their classmates and have a more positive attitude toward society in general.)