Grandparent+Essay+Contest

Grandparent Persuasive Writing Unit 

Each year the Senior Center of Plymouth puts on an essay contest for sixth graders in Sheboygan County. This unit offers students an opportunity to talk about their granparents or other favorite older person. We write a persuasive essay and then create a photo-story that tells about your grandparent.

__//**Student Targets:**//__
 * Student writes an essay describing their special relationship with a person using the 6 traits of writing.
 * Student uses editing techniques to create a final product with revisions.
 * Student writes an essay that is focused on one person and is well sequenced. Information supports writer’s purpose to show a special relationship throughout paper.
 * Student creates an introduction that is attention grabbing. Convincing tone is used to persuade the audience.
 * Student uses persuasive details about the special relationships throughout.
 * Student varies word choice. Words a, and the use of verb tense is correct throughout
 * Student used words to describe the importance of the relationship throughout.
 * Student varies sentence structure throughout.
 * Student obseves the rules of spelling, grammar, and the use of verb tense is correct throughout.

Day by Day Schedule: Day 1: Model and share piece of literature that highlights a relationship with an older person. Preview grandparent writing unit. Brainstorm/Discuss potential topics. Why are grandparents important? Assign: Discuss w/ parents Day 2: Argument building. Listing of ideas. Why your grandparents, specifically are important. Narrow to top 3 reasons. Building supporting details. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Assign: Outline form of paper. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 3: Converting outline/lists to paragraph form of 5 paragraph essays. Opinion/Argument paper on why //“your relationship with a grandparent is a special one.”// <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 4: Identifying topic sentences. Do paragraphs support them? Inserting sensory language. Examples, figurative language, etc. Peer Editing- Revising. Thesaurus activities. Replacing boring words. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 5: Typing. Publishing finished works. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 6: Sharing favorite paragraphs. ABC book examples presented. Students make flip book of information about selected grandparent. A-J (At least 2 sentences per page.) Alliteration and consonance lyric devices highlighted. Write Source p. 221 <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 7: Students make flip book of information about selected grandparent. K-Z <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 8: Students use photo-story to create a digital version of the ABC Book. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 9: Students use photo-story to create a digital version of the ABC Book. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Day 10: Students use photo-story to create a digital version of the ABC Book.