Learning Intention: To understand how to use reasons and examples (evidence) to persuade someone of your opinion.

Success Criteria:

• Listen to a video.
• Brainstorm ideas for your persuasive text.
• Write 2 sentences that include a reason and an example.
• Comment on other students' comments (as many as possible).
• Start your Scholar writing project.
• Add ideas to your draft in Creator.

Molly Steer is only 9 but she can persuade you to stop using single-use plastic drinking straws. Listen to her TED talk in Cairns in 2017.

Here is Molly's opinion. Note there is a reason (because they hurt marine animals) followed by an example (plastic straw in turtle's nose). An example is EVIDENCE to back up your opinion.

Plastic drinking straws should be banned because they hurt marine animals. For example, a plastic straw has been found in a turtle's nose and it was very painful to remove it.

Let's make a class list of things that you think should be banned. 

Comment: QUICK WRITE: Choose one of the topics and write 2 sentences. Include a reason and an example. Use Molly's sentence as a model for your sentence.

Then read other students' sentences and comment on as many as you can by providing other reasons and/or examples. Start with "Another reason is......" or "Another example is......"

Learning Intention: To understand the structure of persuasive texts and how to write a paragraph that presents an opinion supported by reasons and examples.

Success Criteria:

• Read and discuss a persuasive mentor text.
• Annotate the PEC structure of a persuasive text.
• Analyse a paragraph of a persuasive text.
• Comment on what you know about persuasive texts.

Let's read "Plastic Straws Suck". Then in a Think-Pair-Share, discuss:

• What is the author's opinion?
• Do you agree with the author?
• Why/Why not?
• Is the text persuasive?

Look at "Plastic Straws Suck" again. Let's annotate it. In the margins, write P for the Point Paragraph, E 1, E2, E3 and EO (opposing opinion) for the Evidence/Example Paragraphs and C for the Conclusion paragraph. 

Now look at all the connectives at the beginning of the paragraphs and also in the middle of paragraphs. Put a circle around them all - they have been italicised so they are easy to find.

Check to see that each paragraph is doing its job!

Does the P paragraph:

• clearly state the opinion of the writer?
• include at least 3 main reasons and one opposing reason?

Do the E1, E2, E3 and EO paragraphs present arguments with reasons and examples?

Does the C paragraph:

• summarise the main points/reason?
• have a strong concluding statement (e.g., comment on why the topic is important, ask a question, comment on the future, or have a call for action)?

2. How to write an E paragraph

Now let's look at the fourth paragraph more closely. This paragraph is an E paragraph.

Another reason for banning plastic straws is because it would protect wildlife such as seals, dolphins, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds that die each year because of plastic in the ocean. For example, plastic straws have been found in the noses of turtles, causing terrible pain and sometimes death to these poor, hungry, harmless animals. Say no to plastic straws.

With a partner, discuss the following questions:

• What words in the first sentence tell you the writer’s opinion? 
• What words in the first sentence tell you the main reason to support the writer’s opinion?
• What is one example that the writer provides?
• What transition words and conjunctions does the writer use to connect ideas in this paragraph?

Comment: What do you think is important to include in persuasive texts? Write down as many ideas as you can in the time limit. Add a new comment for every new idea. Let's see how much our community already knows about writing persuasive texts. Read other students' comments and comment on ones that you think are very important. You can write, "I agree!"

Fig. 2: Plastic Sea

Learning Intention: To understand language choices that can make my opinion more persuasive.

Success Criteria:

• Watch some videoclips about persuasive techniques.
• Identify persuasive techniques in a text.
• Incorporate at least 3 persuasive techniques in my writing project.
• Comment.

We are going to investigate what persuasive techniques are used in "Plastic Straws Suck" to get the author's points across to the reader.

1. Watch the video about rhetorical questions. Then look at the first paragraph in "Plastic Straws Suck" and identify the rhetorical question. Then add at least one rhetorical question to your writing project (if you don't already have one).

2. Repetition is a way that you can emphasise a point. Repetition is a word or a phrase used 2 or more times close together or following a pattern such as the sentence at the end of each E paragraph. Find the examples in the mentor text, "Plastic Straws Suck". Then add repetition to your writing project to emphasise an important point. If you want to find out more, here is a short videoclip about repetition.

3. Another persuasive technique is modality. This is how you show whether you are certain or unsure about your opinion. To be really persuasive, you need to show certainty and that you really believe in your opinion. Look at the 2 lists below. Which list shows high modality (certainty) and which list shows low modality (uncertainty ).

Fig.10: High and Low Modality

 ​4. Yet another persuasive technique is where you speak directly to your reader and use a direct verb (also called the imperative). There are many examples in "Plastic Straws Suck". One example is "Say no to plastic straws". 

Place a double line under all the examples of speaking directly to the reader that you find. (Hint: look at the end of  the C paragraph). 

5. Exclamations: "Ban plastic straws for the environment!" uses an exclamation point which is another persuasive technique. There are two other uses of exclamation points. Can you find them? Put a hash symbol (#) in the margin next to them. Add an exclamation to your persuasive text.

6. Using emotional language is also a powerful persuasive technique. Look at paragraph E3 and highlight all the emotional language. Extension: Note also that emotional language is not used to describe the people with disabilities in paragraph EO. Why do you think the author has decided to do this?

7. Extension (optional): Discuss persuasive techniques such as anecdotes and triples (there is a triple in the conclusion and in "poor, hungry, harmless animals"). Here is an anecdote: 

When I was in kindergarten, I loved packing a juice box in my school lunch. I didn’t know that the straws and the wrappers would become such a litter problem.

 Watch this short video if you want to find out more.

Comment: What is your favourite persuasive device? Give an example of that persuasive device. Read other students' comments and comment on 1-2 that you think are good. You can write, "That is an excellent idea!"

Learning Intention: To understand how persuasive and information texts are the same and different.

Success Criteria:

• Highlight sentences that are the same in the two texts on plastic straws.
• Start project.
• Comment.

1. Think-Pair-Share: What are some of the important things you remember about persuasive writing?

2. Now listen to a new text about plastic straws.

Think-Pair-Share: What do you notice about it?

In pairs highlight the words and sentences in the information text that are the same as the words in the persuasive text.

Comment: Let's make a class list of how information texts and persuasive texts are the same and different. Keep adding ideas until we have the longest class list ever! Read other students' ideas and comment on 1-2. You could write, "I think that is important too!"

Fig. 4: Ban Plastic Straws!

Learning Intention: To understand and use the features of an information text.

Success Criteria:

• Annotate the mentor information text.
• Continue work on your information writing project.
• Comment.

As a whole class, we will annotate the mentor information text. Remember that the mentor text is your best friend!

• In the margins, select and write P, E and C for each paragraph.
• Put a squiggly line under the headings - there are 5.
• Underline the connectives - there are 6.
• Tick the 2 images. Note that you can choose to use a  very short youtube video too.
• Highlight the quote.

Now let's look at the P paragraph.

• Underline the hook - it's a rhetorical question.
• Are there any other rhetorical questions in the mentor text?
• Number 1-4, the four ideas that will be covered. These help the reader as they now know what the text will be about. They are like signposts.

Now let's look at the E Paragraphs.

• Use a different colour to highlight all the facts and examples There are 2 or 3 in each paragraph.
• What to you notice about the final sentence in each E paragraph. Hint: It's got something to do with "alternatives to plastic straws".

Now let's look at the C paragraph.

• Number the 4 main ideas that are covered in the text.
• Underline the final sentence. It's about the future!

Let's make a list of all the verbs. Call them out and we will write them on the board. What do you notice about the tense? Is it mainly  present, past or future? Are there modal verbs?

Finally, look at the reference section. You should include at least one reference. Include the author, year, title and link.

Comment: What is one change you will make to your persuasive text when you turn it into an information text? Read other students' comments and comment on 1-2. You could write, " I think that change will improve your information text!"

Fig. 5: Did you know that alternatives to plastic straws could be bamboo, paper, metal, silicone and glass? Some straws are even edible!

Learning Intention: To reflect on what you have learnt about persuasive writing.

Success Criteria:

• Comment on what you have learnt.
• Read 2-3 published arguments.

Comment: What have you learnt about writing persuasive texts? Keep adding comments until you run out of ideas. Then read  two - three other people’s published persuasive texts. Comment on 1-2 that you like, explaining why.

Fig. 6: Yes, you have persuaded me!