About This Lesson Plan

SUBJECT
Writing Process, Expository Writing, Personal Letter Writing, Persuasive Writing, Teacher Tips and Strategies

GRADE
9-12

DURATION
3 Class Periods

UNIT PLAN
Writing Persuasive Letters

What's in a Name?

By Elizabeth Ramos

In this lesson, students will write a persuasive business letter.

OBJECTIVE

Students will: 

  1. Determine how they'd like to change a candy bar and write a persuasive argument as such.
  2. Use a checklist while revising their persuasive letter during peer review.

MATERIALS

  1. Transparencies
  2. Overhead projector
  3. Persuasive Letter Checklist (PDF)
  4. Letter to the Mars Candy Company from Letters from a Nut
  5. Letter to the Mars Candy Company Exercise (PDF)
  6. Persuasive Letter Rubric (PDF)
  7. Editing Marks Reproducible (PDF) from Lesson Two
  8. Business Letter Exercise (PDF) from Lesson Two

SET UP AND PREPARE

  1. Buy a variety of candy bars — enough for each student. Place a candy bar at each student's desk prior to class.
  2. Make transparencies and student copies of the Persuasive Letter Checklist, Letter to the Mars Candy Company, Letter to the Mars Candy Company Exercise, and the Persuasive Letter Rubric.
  3. Research various candy companies' addresses on the Internet.

REPRODUCIBLES

  1. Persuasive Letter Checklist (PDF)
  2. Letter to the Mars Candy Company Exercise (PDF)
  3. Persuasive Letter Rubric (PDF)
  4. Editing Marks Reproducible (PDF)
  5. Business Letter Exercise (PDF)

DIRECTIONS
Day 1

Step 1: Before the beginning of class, place a candy bar at each student's desk. When students settle in, tell them that they will begin today's lesson by enjoying their candy bar! Give students time to eat. When they finish, ask them what they liked or disliked about it. Is there anything they would change to make it even better? More appetizing? More appealing? Generate a brief discussion about their opinions.

Step 2: Share with students that today they will be writing their own persuasive business letter, asking the president of a candy company to change the candy bar they just ate to make it even more enjoyable! Place the transparency of the Letter to the Mars Candy Corporation on the overhead projector. Distribute copies to the students and ask them to follow along as you read the letter aloud to them.

Step 3: Distribute the Letter to the Mars Candy Company Exercise. Place the transparency on the overhead. Review the sheet with the students, explaining that this exercise will serve as a prewriting activity for their persuasive business letter. They'll use this to brainstorm ideas for a persuasive argument about how the candy bar company could change the candy bar for the better. Allow time for students to brainstorm and complete the exercise.

Day 2

Step 4: Begin this day by sharing the Persuasive Letter Checklist with the students. Distribute the copies to the class. Review the checklist, using the transparency on the overhead projector. Tell them that this is the required information for their persuasive business letter to the president of the candy company. Instruct them to refer to it as they write their letter and for the peer review.

Step 5: Using the Persuasive Letter Checklist, the Business Letter Exercise sheets from Lesson Two, and the Letter to the Mars Candy Company and Exercise as references, instruct students to transfer their ideas to a rough draft of their letter. Allow time for students to complete their rough drafts. Share the appropriate addresses so that students can complete the letter heading.

Day 3

Step 6: Begin this day by having each student choose a partner for peer review. Ask each to read the other's letter, checking for correct grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Students should use the Persuasive Letter Checklist and Editing Marks sheet to review their partner's letter. Allow time for making revisions.

Step 7: After editing and revising, instruct students to write a final draft of their letter. If you wish, you may want to send in the letters to see if the students will receive a response! Make copies of each letter before doing so.

SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS
Allow students who may be having difficulty writing on their own to share their changes with you verbally.

ASSESS STUDENTS
Written Outcome: Use the Persuasive Letter Rubric provided to evaluate each letter and attach it to the letter when returning it to the student.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. Complete the Letter to the Mars Candy Company Exercise.
2. Write a persuasive business letter to the president of a candy company.

HOME CONNECTION

  • Students can ask their parents to try the same candy bar and make suggestions as to how they would want to change it.
  • Students can bring items from home that they wish to change and write to the company president.

EVALUATE THE LESSON

  • Did the Letter to the Mars Candy Company act as a good model to inspire the students to write their own persuasive business letter?
  • Did the candy serve as a productive anticipatory set or not? What are some other ideas that can be used next time?
  • Did the students have enough prewriting time?

Help | Privacy Policy
EMAIL THIS

* YOUR NAME

* YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

* RECIPIENT'S EMAIL ADDRESS(ES)

(Separate multiple email addresses with commas)

Check this box to send yourself a copy of the email.

INCLUDE A PERSONAL MESSAGE (Optional)


Scholastic respects your privacy. We do not retain or distribute lists of email addresses.