persuasive essay activity high school

• Teaching Persuasive Writing in a Fun Way

by Gordana S | Feb 14, 2021 | Student Skills | 0 comments

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Teaching Persuasive Writing in High School—Theory and Practice

Teaching different writing skills to high school students is crucial if you want them to develop the soft skills they’ll need in life. When considering the reasons why reading and writing skills are important , it’s a mistake to think only in terms of language conventions and an excellent GPA.

Your students will have to use different writing skills and strategies in life. For example, they will need to write personal statements to get into the college of their choice. When they are enrolled, they will do college essays and write motivational letters to get internships . Adolescents enjoy coming up with creative ways to express themselves in their personal lives too. Research shows high school students enjoy writing — 93% of them do it for pleasure. 

Your students will benefit from learning persuasive writing strategies in a variety of ways. Not only will they need to master persuasion for everyday exchanges, but also for their personal statement essays and college applications. To that end, let’s see what persuasive writing encompasses and how you can teach it to your students effectively.

Take the Right Approach to Teaching Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is used in any text that aims to nudge readers to form an opinion or take action. While it’s a given that most persuasive writing belongs to the non-fiction genre, fiction writers can use persuasion to influence their readers’ worldviews too.

Even though your students read persuasive texts, they don’t necessarily know how to write an effective persuasive essay themselves. This means that you need to teach them the specific skills that go into composing a persuasive essay one by one.

In your teaching, you cannot miss a lesson on effective opening and closing paragraphs or the importance of outlining. You also have to teach students how to do research effectively and choose the right words to construct their sentences. Only when your students know each of the techniques used in writing persuasive texts can they compose a solid persuasive essay.

Characteristics of Persuasive Writing

Credit: Elijah Macleod

Readers are more likely to believe a professional in the field than someone who has no connection or experience with the subject of a text. Experienced writers know that the first step to writing a persuasive piece is gaining knowledge on the topic.  

To do it, your students have to know how to do research first. When it’s clear from their essays that they know what they are writing about, their texts will be more effective and convincing. Whether they can write persuasively depends on the techniques of persuasive writing that you teach them.

Some of the most common characteristics of persuasive essays are:

• Current statistics that support the author’s argument
• Examples from real life
• Observation of current events and phenomena
• Acknowledgment and rebuttal of the opposing argument
• Additional research from reputable institutions

These characteristics contribute to the validity of the statements in an essay and the credibility of the author. Sound, well-researched arguments should sway the reader to take the author’s point of view .

Essential Persuasion Techniques

Whether it’s used in writing or speech, persuasion has three essential elements:

Take a look at the table demonstrating what each of the three is:

You should teach your students about ethos, pathos, and logos to show them why it’s important to use those elements of persuasion. They will not only learn how to use them to their advantage but also be more successful in recognizing when their intellect and emotions are being appealed to.

Teach Your Students Persuasive Writing Skills

Credit: Kelly Sikkema

Ethos, pathos, and logos are the backbone of persuasion. There are many techniques your students can employ to use these three elements effectively.

Teaching your students persuasive writing isn’t much different from teaching them critical or argumentative writing . Some skills—such as an excellent command of vocabulary and critical thinking—are needed for any type of writing.

The next time you are planning a persuasive writing activity, think about how you can teach these techniques to your students:

• Establishing tone
• Targeting a specific audience
• Using the right words
• Locating evidence
• Presenting data
• Telling a story
• Refuting an argument
• Appealing to the readers’ emotions 
• Rephrasing effectively

Outlining is a prewriting activity that your students should employ when creating any type of essay. Your students should learn that a clear outline will help them in each stage of their writing process. Outlining makes it easier for them to organize their ideas into specific parts of the essay and serves as a reference they can use to check whether they are straying off topic.

If time and curricula allow, you should have a lesson dedicated to writing effective outlines only. You can distribute a sample outline of a persuasive essay to all your students to introduce them to the technique. They can see that an outline consists of:

• The introduction —in which authors determine how they will present the topic, opposing views, and thesis statements
• Body paragraphs —in which authors decide how they will back up their claims
• The conclusion —which summarizes the thesis effectively and calls to action

When students have studied the outline structure, give them a sample essay to examine how well the author executed their plan. You can have a class discussion about the usefulness of an effective outline.

An interesting exercise is to allow your students to construct outlines for already written essays before they make outlines for their texts.

When your students compose outlines for their persuasive texts, make sure you give them feedback on their work. Help them see if they are on the right path.  

Establishing Tone

Tone is essential for persuasive writing. The tone your students set in their essays will build trust more than the topic of the assignment. Teach your students what tone they should use to sound confident when defending their arguments in essays.

For example, imagine your students are arguing against the rule of wearing uniforms in high schools. Rather than writing “wearing uniforms in high schools may impact the students’ self-expression negatively,” they should write “wearing uniforms in high schools eliminates the students’ self-expression.” The second sentence is more confident, and the essay assumes a stronger stand and convinces the reader that uniforms aren’t a good idea.

Targeting a Specific Audience

Instead of aiming to appeal to as many people as possible, persuasive writing is more effective if targeted at a specific audience. Depending on the argument that your students want to support or the field for which they are writing, the type of audience will vary.

When your students hand in their persuasive writing essays, you will be their only judge, but they shouldn’t see you as their target audience. Teach your students they should also appeal to a specific audience rather than the masses. You can give them a list of questions they can go over, such as:

• Who will benefit from what I have to say the most?
• What problems do people I address experience?
• Who is this issue important to?
• What has the best chance to trigger emotions in my target audience?

Using the Right Words

A careful selection of words can influence readers to feel more deeply about the problem students present in their essays, so make sure you work with them on expanding their vocabulary. Having a large number of synonyms and topic-specific vocabulary in their arsenal will help them pick the most efficient word for what they want to express.

You should also equip your students with the words and phrases that are commonly used in persuasive writing. Give them a reference list of phrases they can use and show them how specific vocabulary helps their essay convince the reader that they are knowledgeable on the topic.

An excellent exercise is to have a quick vocabulary brainstorming session with the whole class based on the topic of the essay your students need to write. For example, if they need to write a topic on pollution, your class should brainstorm on the topic-related words and phrases. This gives your students useful vocabulary for the essay, ideas on what to write about, and in turn, how to outline their texts.

Finding Evidence

The best technique to prove a point is to refer to concrete evidence that supports it. Your students may not be familiar with academic research yet, which is why it’s a good idea to teach them how to do research in high school. They will not be overwhelmed when the same is required of them in college.

Make sure your students know these rules of effective research:

• Knowing which keywords to use to get the results fast online
• Checking whether the information is relevant and up-to-date
• Choosing statistics published by reputable institutions
• Selecting the most relevant type of information for their essays

Same as outlining, research is part of almost all longer writing. If possible, dedicate a lesson to teaching the importance of research to your high school students. Another lesson should be devoted to teaching your students how they can locate data successfully.

You can start with a fun topic that is interesting to your students. For example, if there are rumors about their favorite celebrities, you can tell them to research the validity of those rumors.

Presenting Data

If the research your students do involves data, they need to present it in their essay effectively. Knowing how to present data in a persuasive essay might be more work for your students than finding it in the first place. If they clutter their essays with numbers for the sake of having them, they will probably do their writing a disservice.

The best course of action is to give students a text that presents statistics clearly and effectively. They should also learn the vocabulary that is used to explain data. Your students can then practice presenting data themselves in their essays. 

Telling a Story

Telling a story can be a great way to connect with readers. Your students need to learn how to use narration to their benefit. Make sure they don’t turn their persuasive essays into fiction, though. A story element should appeal to the reader’s emotions and influence them to take the author’s side .

Providing examples from real life can back up your students’ arguments as effectively as presenting a precedent or striking statistics. Relating real-life experience can be a neat way your students can start a speech in a school competition , for example. Teach your students they don’t have to tell stories from their personal lives if they don’t have any they would like to share.

Refuting an Argument

Acknowledging the other side of an argument is essential for successful persuasion. Readers will hardly be convinced to side with a certain opinion if the opposite one isn’t refuted.

You should make it clear to your students that they must not run from opposing viewpoints. When they present them in their persuasive essays and explain why those arguments are not as valid as their own, their essays will be that more compelling.

When you present the topics for the essay to your students, have a class discussion on the opposing views first. Each student can pick one side of the argument and practice how to refute the opposing one with their partner. 

Appealing to Readers’ Emotions 

Your students can appeal to their readers’ emotions by the use of narration or the right word choices—but these aren’t the only techniques. Others include:

• Creating an effective hook in the introductory sentence
• Addressing the reader directly
• Making the reader relate to the author’s experience
• Using direct questions to make readers think about what they have read

When your students master these nuances of persuasive writing, they should use them to a steady degree. Logic should be the primary focus of their essays rather than emotional manipulation.

You should also engage your students in acknowledging how other writers do it. The best example would be the advertisements that your students are bombarded with on the daily. The ads your students see on their phones or in the newspapers use persuasive language and appeal to their emotions. When your students recognize it, they can get ideas on how to use persuasion in their own essays and be more mindful when they are the target of persuasive writing themselves. 

Rephrasing Effectively

Your students will have to repeat themselves in their persuasive essays. Most notably, their concluding paragraph will have to restate their thesis statement. You should teach them how to paraphrase it effectively.

Teach your students to express the same idea again in other words. When they are invested in the topic of their assignment and have researched it thoroughly, they should have no problem doing that.

When you devote one lesson to closing paragraphs, give your students other authors’ intros to rephrase. They need to connect their conclusions to the hook in the original intro, but they mustn’t introduce new concepts in that final paragraph.

Activities for Teaching Persuasive Writing

Credit: Free-Photos

You can come up with various activities to teach your students persuasive writing, but make sure to have one main goal for each activity.

To practice persuasive writing through class activities, your students can:

• Watch and learn from other writers
• Look for relevant sources
• Outline their essays

Watch and Learn

For this activity, pick a good example of persuasive writing and distribute it to your students. They should single out the specific techniques the author used to influence readers.

Ask your students which persuasive methods are prevalent in the text. You can also tell them to jot down any words and phrases they believe are there for a specific reason—to make readers adopt the author’s viewpoint.

Look for Sources

If your students have little experience with research, prepare an activity that can introduce them to it carefully. You can give them a list of specific questions they can find answers to. Their answers should be backed up by relevant sources. 

Organize Your Ideas

Having your students create an outline for their persuasive essay should be an individual activity. Teach them the main parts of an outline and let them try their hand at writing one.

Here’s an idea of what a persuasive essay outline should cover:

How To Teach Persuasive Writing—Your Ideas

If you have ample experience in teaching, you might be familiar with many of the points mentioned in this article. Perhaps you would like to add your own.

Many believe that high school students don’t learn writing skills effectively. Despite wanting to unleash their creativity, your students often don’t have sufficient tools to do so. If you feel it’s time for that to change, we want to hear what innovations you would bring to American education.

Write to us, and we’ll be glad to share your ideas with our readers. 

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Teaching Argumentation and Persuasion: 6 Engaging Activities Beyond the Argumentative Essay

There are many engaging activities to use when teaching argumentation and persuasion beyond the classic essay. While the argumentative essay can certainly be effective, try something new with one of these 6 engaging activities. Your students will be excited and eager to apply argumentation and persuasion in the classroom and beyond.

When it comes to teaching argumentation and persuasion, I’m like a kid on Christmas morning. I’m eager, excited, and full of energy. Yet, over the years, I’ve found that my students don’t always meet me with the same enthusiasm. Instead, they roll their figurative eyes at the thought of writing yet another essay.

I had to do something to save my favorite holiday– I mean unit– of the year.

I’ve spent more hours than I’d like to admit, wracking my brain for activities that would make teaching argumentation and persuasion, dare I say, fun! But the time and effort paid off. When I started implementing activities beyond the argumentative essays, my students were engaged and active participants. It was a win-win.

Lucky for you, I’ve done the work (and put in the time) so you don’t have to. Instead, simply keep reading to uncover some of my secret weapons for teaching argumentation and persuasion. The following activities can be used instead of or in conjunction with the classic argumentative essay. It’s totally up to you and what will best suit your students’ needs. Regardless, you don’t have to spend the hours brainstorming from square one. You can thank me later. In the meantime, read on, my teacher friends!

Laying the Foundation for Teaching Argumentation and Persuasion

Before jumping into one of the activities below, you need to set your students up for success. Therefore, be sure to teach the essential concepts for effective argumentation and persuasion. Afterall, both argumentation and persuasion are cornerstone communication skills in the 21st century.

So, not only do you want to do these topics justice for the sake of your classroom. But, they’re also some of the most transferable skills your students will use in the real world.

Note: if you’re just looking for the activities, no problem! Keep scrolling– I promise they’re there.

Understanding the Difference Between Argumentation and Persuasion

While these two topics are often taught together, it’s important for students to know that they aren’t exactly synonyms. Instead, you could argue (see what I did there) these two concepts act as compliments to one another. In many cases, persuasion can strengthen an argument, and vice versa. But again, they’re not exactly the same when it comes to speaking or writing. (However, I find it useful to remind students of one of the most important aspects they do share: there has to be at least two sides.) You can clarify the major differences between the two by looking at the main goal for each type of writing or speech:

• The goal of argumentative writing is to get the audience to acknowledge your stance on a topic. Moreover, a strong argument shows the reader your viewpoint is valid and deserves consideration. Therefore, argumentative writing is heavily rooted in logic and facts and addressed counterclaims.
• Goal of persuasive writing is to get the audience to agree with you and your stance on a particular topic or viewpoint. While logic most certainly strengthens persuasion, there is also a heavy emphasis on emotional elements as well.

The truth is, the two are often used hand in hand in the real world with everything from marketing and public service campaigns to politics and law. And, in most cases, persuasive writing is more personal and passionate for students. Therefore, I strive to teach the two together to increase student engagement and real word application. Talk about a dream duo for students and teachers alike!

Rhetoric and Rhetorical Appeals

I absolutely love comparing persuasion and argumentation to art. Why? Because it’s a true craft. Do I explain it that way to my students? Abso-freakin-lutely. Why? Because they need to understand that presenting a sound and persuasive argument is a skill. That these writing and speaking skills take time and effort to develop.

Enter: Rhetoric. I always begin this unit by defining argumentation, persuasion, and rhetoric, explaining how the latter literally means the art of persuasion. Then, I introduce the three main rhetorical appeals (shout out Aristotle). Rather than simply giving the students the definitions of ethos, pathos, and logos, I begin by asking questions to help reveal the definitions. Here are some of the questions I use– and that you can most certainly steal for your own classroom:

• To introduce ethos , I ask, “Who would you trust to give advice about toothpaste? Why?”
• To introduce logos , I might ask, “If you wanted to learn how to build a successful business, what is the benefit of a successful entrepreneur giving you step-by-step guidance?”
• To introduce pathos , I ask, “Think about a time where you got emotional during a commercial, song, or movie. What was it that made you so emotional?”

The Power of Words

Once students have an understanding of these essential definitions, it’s time to move on to a more abstract, yet highly significant, concept: the power of words. This is where I introduce the importance (and power) of diction. This is the perfect time to explain how words impact reader/audience experience.

One of the simplest examples to make a case for this claim is asking students to analyze the difference between the terms house and home. I’ve never had a class not come to the conclusion that a house is a structure and place of living, where a home is a place filled with love.

To round out the discussion on why and how words have an impact on the audience, introduce connotation and denotation. Spending a handful of minutes explaining the emotional meaning behind words (connotation) can be a game changer. It reminds students that there is, in fact, emotional power in the words we use. To drive the point home, you can ask them to compare times when they were upset vs. angry vs. furious.

A Fun and Engaging Warm-Up Activity for Teaching Argumentation and Persuasion

What tween or teen doesn’t like arguing with adults? (Trust me. They’re far and few between.) In other words, students will eat this activity up. Rather than focusing on deep and heavy topics that require a great deal of research and unpacking, this activity is a lighthearted warm-up. The goal is to get students to start thinking about what goes into a sound and persuasive argument.

• Arguing with “Adults”

Working independently or in small groups, students will pick a “silly” or lighthearted topic. Encourage them to think of things they’d like to convince their parents, teachers, or other adults. Since these topics are light hearted and often come from a place of passion, students will have no problem coming up with reasons why their curfew should be extended by an hour or two or why homework should be abolished. They’re excited to argue why their parents should buy them a car or why a puppy is a must-have addition to their family.

Next, allow students five minutes to choose a topic and brainstorm their argument. Then, give them 10-20 minutes to write their argument. (The timing of this activity is flexible, so you can adjust it based on the structure of your class.) After they write out their argument, it’s time to share– and let the discussion unfold. As each student (or group) shares their argument, have fun playing devil’s advocate. Challenge them to push their arguments and reasoning further.

While you might want to guide the students through the discussion, let them really come to terms with the idea of what makes a sound and persuasive argument. And if you really want to play up the fun? Challenge the other students to play that role! Have your students in the audience play the role of the adults to whom the argument is targeted. This will challenge students to find holes in the arguments, brainstorming ways to make an argument even stronger. Additionally, it challenges them to think about the importance of audience perspective , looking beyond their own interests, blind spots, and biases. The end result? Develop a list of student generated “check-points” for an argument that is both powerful and persuasive.

Engaging Activities for Teaching Argumentation and Persuasion

Watching TV. Driving down the highway. Scrolling through social media. The art of argumentation and persuasion are everywhere . So, why not bring some of those real-life examples to your classroom? Because the truth is, persuasion and argumentation comes in all shapes and sizes. Therefore, it might be time to look beyond the traditional argumentative essay. And with these activities, you can.

An oldie but a goodie. In fact, discussing teaching argumentation and persuasion wouldn’t feel right without some sort of debate. So, to begin this student-centered activity, select (or have students choose) a topic to argue. This can be a murder or crime– and you can even have fun with historical topics like the Salem witch trials if it’s around Halloween or you’re reading The Crucible . Alternatively, you can root your debate in an ethical dilemma or an essential question. Generally speaking, you can look toward real life events or literature for inspiration. You can even head to your state bar association website for mock trial resources and cases– like these from the state of NH . As long as there is evidence to be found and a case to make, you should be good to go.

Before really diving into the mock trial, spend time reviewing the basics of the justice system and trials. Then, once you choose your topic, divide students into teams of prosecution and defense. Once the teams are determined, students can dive into researching and crafting their arguments. However, be sure to emphasize the need for evidence based claims while also discussing the power of persuasion in the courtroom. (There are plenty of video clips you can show and analyze to see these two elements in action.) Each group, both the prosecution and defense, are responsible for crafting an opening statement, a claim, a rebuttal, and a closing statement. For smaller classes, you can serve as the judge and jury. For larger classes, you can run several trials, letting the other groups act as the jury if they’re not presenting. Either way, students will be far more eager to win the jury over with their evidence than they are to write a paper.

There’s no better way for students to show off their new persuasive skills and knowledge of ethos, logos, and pathos than to craft their own arguments. And a mock trial allows them to do so in a way other than the classic essay. But with a verdict on the line, there’s a lot at stake. Therefore, this activity amps up eager participation.

Mock Trial Teacher Tip. Mock trials make debating more exciting– especially if you really play up the trial theme. (Have an old graduation gown? Use it as the judge’s robe! A wig? Yes please! A gavel? A must.)  So, grab your gavel and give this engaging activity a try!

• Students Do Shark Tank

This activity brings the worlds of business, marketing, and advertisements into the conversation. Talk about real world connection! Most older students will be familiar with this show. However, it’s always fun to show a clip for an episode or two just in case. Plus. Who doesn’t love watching videos in class? (Teachers and students alike.) Shark Tank is all about the pitch. So, have fun replicating this idea in your classroom! And instead of presenting to the likes of Mark Cuban, students will present to you . If you’re able, try getting a few other guest sharks on the “show”.

Before diving into the project, in addition to watching a few clips of the show, take some time to analyze the world of advertising. Encourage students to find connections between argumentative and persuasive writing and real-life commercials, social media campaigns, and print advertisements. Then, put students in small groups and together they will create their own product. Alternatively, you can have them pick an existing product they’re passionate about. Then, the fun begins.

Using their new knowledge of persuasive language techniques and argumentation, students must convince the sharks to invest in their product! For a fun twist that gets everyone involved, let the audience in on the investments. Print out a set amount of “money” for each student. After all the presentations, allow them to “invest” in their favorite products. As for the presentations themselves, I like to require a visual advertisement– like a poster– and a written component– like an elevator pitch. Students can then display their visuals as they give their speech. Later, students can view all of the visuals as they decide where to “invest” their money.

Shark Tank Teacher Tip. Looking to beef up the argumentative writing side of things? You can have students submit a short research-based argumentative paper that supports the need for their product. Regardless of the specifics, students will be eager to dive into this activity with such real world application.

• Speech Remix

From Abraham Lincoln’s  “The Gettysburg Address” and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream,” history has its fair share of powerful speeches. And they’re great examples of argumentation and persuasion as well. So, begin this activity by analyzing a mentor text as a class. Then, turn it over to the students to showcase their knowledge on their own.

Have students choose a historical speech (you can refer to this bank of speeches here ) to analyze. They can turn in annotations or a short response analyzing the rhetoric of their chosen speech. Here’s the twist. After analyzing the speech, they then use it as a mentor text, implementing its sentence structure, tone and rhetorical techniques as they write their own speech. This is where student choice really kicks up a notch. Allow students to choose a topic, cause, or issue they feel passionate about. However, I always recommend having a list of potential topics on hand for students who need a little more guidance.

Additionally, it might be useful to encourage a backwards design approach. Have students select their topic first, and then find a speech that is a good match. For example, a social justice issue might pair well with Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. However, be sure students choosing unique and more modern topics are not dissuaded if they can’t find the perfect match. Regardless, in the end, this activity pays homage to great speeches of the past while allowing students to take ownership as they apply the argumentative and persuasive techniques to modern day.

Speech Remix Teacher Tip. Why limit yourself to the four walls of your classroom? This activity is a perfect opportunity for cross-curricular collaboration. Consider reaching out to the history teachers and focus your class study on a speech that lines up with the social studies curriculum. This will allow students to have a more in depth background knowledge, giving them more context for the speaker’s rhetorical approach. Similarly, a speech of this caliber might be less intimidating if they understand the context, allowing them to really focus on the rhetorical approach.

• #Influencer

In the age of social media, companies make a pretty penny using influencer campaigns. And it’s really quite fitting. Afterall, argumentation and persuasion is all about influence . So, to kick off this activity, spend some time looking at social media ads and influencer accounts. Be sure to analyze everything from photos to captions to hashtags.

After looking at real word examples, it’s time for students to take on the role of an “influencer” – they can be themselves or create an influencer persona. The next step is for them to choose which product of service they are “fit” to promote and, ideally, sell. Students should pick something they have experience with or knowledge about, from video games to make-up. Then, have students write a letter to the “company” (aka you) to convince them that they are capable of being an influencer. This is where they really need to tap into ethos. They should clearly explain why they are a reputable source and should be trusted to sell “your” product. If they’ve convinced you, then they can sign a “contract” (aka the assignment requirements) that outlines the agreement.

Here’s where the fun and creativity happens. While you can determine the specific requirements, students should create a portfolio of campaign materials to promote their chosen product. This is where you can determine how in depth or brief you want the assignment to be. The portfolio can include artifacts like a series of social media posts, youtube videos or scripts, an email funnel, or even blog posts– or a portfolio combining various types of artifacts.

#Influencer Teacher Tip. If you’re looking to amp up the requirements and turn this into a unit-long assignment or a full blown summative assessment, you totally can. Consider adjusting the assignment to be a multigenre project of sorts. Present students with a list and overview of various genres they can include as part of their project. Then, let them select the ones they wish to include in their multigenre portfolio.

• PSA – The Passion Project

The name alone screams engagement, right? Even better, this activity is engaging.  Instead of assigning a list of overused (and sometimes outdated) argumentative prompts, let students take the reins by choosing a topic that matters to them . So, after teaching your students about rhetorical appeals, the appropriate use of persuasion, and the basics of argumentative writing, let students showcase their newfound skills with the PSA Passion Project. In this project, rather than simply writing an essay for the sake of getting grades, students are diving into an issue of their choice in hopes of raising awareness.

Begin by having students select a social or environmental issue that is important to them. These can range from animal testing in the beauty industry to the impact of social media on mental health. In other words, there’s a wide variety of topics out there, so your students are bound to find something that matters to them. Then, they must plan, develop, and create a public service announcement campaign around the issue. This is where you can really drive home the idea of call to action with persuasion. The challenge with the PSA assignment is crafting an argument that is applicable and persuasive for a mass audience. Afterall, when it comes to wide-spread change, there is power in numbers. (This activity can serve as its own unit or work in conjunction with the study of classic essays like “On The Duty of Civil Disobedience” by Thoreau or “A Letter From Birmingham County Jail” by MLK Jr..

This activity has plenty of room for creativity and student choice. However, that doesn’t mean you have to give up a writing component. Instead, require students to complete a minimum of two items: a written piece and a visual or media element. The writing pieces can range from a more traditional argumentative essay to back up their media component. Alternatively, they can write a speech, persuasive letter, or educational blog post. Then, for the media components, they can create a poster, a video, a social media post, or an infographic– just to name a few. Now, if you’re really looking to diversify the elements of this project, consider turning the PSA Passion Project into a full blown multigenre project!

PSA Passion Project Teacher Tip. Despite your best efforts, some students will claim they can’t find a topic they’re passionate about. (Teenagers.) That’s why I always come prepared with a list of topics students can choose from. Even students eager to choose their own topic might like to see a list for inspiration. Save yourself some time by giving them ideas from this list of engaging argumentative writing prompts!

A Final Note on the Art of Teaching Argumentation and Persuasion

Remember, I’m not saying traditional essays are bad. But I think it’s worth looking beyond the traditions and asking ourselves, how can we make this better ? Better for the students. More reflective of and applicable to the world we live in. If there’s some fun to be had along the way, so be it! (In fact, I encourage it!)

So, as you go one to try any one (or all!) of these activities in your classroom, feel free to make adjustments as needed. And If you’re still looking for a more traditional essay to be your summative assessment, that’s A-OK too! In fact, the activities above can be shortened and adjusted to serve as a mini-lesson or formative assignments before writing a more traditional argumentative essay.

The bottom line is this…

Ever since I changed my approach to teaching argumentation and persuasion, it’s become something my students and I enjoy together . Imagine that!

1 thought on “Teaching Argumentation and Persuasion: 6 Engaging Activities Beyond the Argumentative Essay”

awesome advice and ideas. My semester just got a lot better!!!

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130 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Use your words to sway the reader.

Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life. Learn the basics of this valuable skill, then use our big roundup of persuasive essay topics for practice.

Plus, fill out the form on this page to grab our free printable persuasive essay graphic organizers to pair with your lessons!

What is persuasive writing?

In a persuasive essay, the writer uses a combination of facts and emotion to sway a reader to adopt their own point of view or take a specific action. Here are the general steps to writing persuasively:

• State your position: Clearly and succinctly, state your desired opinion or outcome up front. This could be the point of view you want the reader to adopt (“Pineapple has no place on a pizza.”) or the action you want them to take (“All adults should educate themselves and vote in every election.”).
• Provide evidence and support: Use facts to support your point of view, citing sources whenever you can. Explain how those facts back up your position, using logic and reason.
• Anticipate counterarguments: It’s important to know your audience so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them.
• Use emotional appeals: Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, but they incorporate more emotion rather than sticking to facts and logic. For instance, you might try to anger, scare, or create a sense of pride in your reader so they’ll be more likely to agree with you.
• Make a call to action: Finish strong with the specific action you’d like the reader to take, whether it’s voting responsibly or never putting pineapple on a pizza again.

Help students understand what strong persuasive writing looks like by exploring well-known examples of persuasive essays, speeches, ads, and more . Then, use the topics here to give them practice writing persuasively on their own.

School and Education Persuasive Essay Topics

Life and ethics persuasive essay topics, science and technology persuasive essay topics, sports and entertainment persuasive essay topics, just for fun persuasive essay topics.

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• All students should wear school uniforms.
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?
• Should we stop giving final exams?
• Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?

• Which is better, private schools or public schools?
• Should every student have to participate in athletics?
• Should schools teach life skills like financial responsibility?
• Does your school handle bullying well?
• Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
• Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
• What is the most important school subject?
• Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

• Is it ever OK to cheat on homework or a test?
• What are the ideal starting and ending hours for a school day?
• Should students get to grade their teachers?
• Do you think college should be free for anyone who wants to attend?
• Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
• Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?
• Is attending college worth the time and effort?

• Should all students have to learn a foreign language?
• Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
• Schools should reduce or eliminate standardized testing.
• Is it OK to eat animals?
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
• Why is it important to vote?
• Wealthy people should pay a higher tax rate.
• If you find money on the ground, should you try to find the person who lost it, or is it yours to keep?

• Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
• Should all Americans be required to vote?
• Is it better to be kind or truthful?
• Which is better, giving or receiving?
• Should free speech have any limitations?
• Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
• Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?

• Which is more important, happiness or success?
• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is social media helpful or harmful?
• Should parents be punished for their children’s mistakes or crimes?
• Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed when they’re sleepy?
• Do you think the government should find a way to provide free universal health care for everyone?

• Is it better to save your allowance or spend it?
• Is capital punishment ever ethical or justified?
• Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
• Which is better, living in the city or in the country?
• Immigration benefits the United States.
• A border wall between Mexico and the United States is essential for reducing crime rates.
• Should the United States have stronger gun regulations?
• If I could make a new law, it would be …
• Is Pluto a planet?
• Should human cloning be legal?
• Should vaccines be mandatory?
• Do the benefits of nuclear power outweigh the risks?
• Is it right for countries to still maintain nuclear weapon arsenals?

• Should testing on animals be made illegal?
• Will expanded use of artificial intelligence be good for humanity?
• Should all people have free internet access in their homes?
• Is there intelligent life on other planets?
• Does technology create more jobs than it eliminates?
• Should parents use their children’s cell phones to track where they are?
• Should scientists try to develop a way for people to live forever?

• What’s the best type of smartphone: Android or iPhone?
• Which is better, Macs or PCs?
• Do people rely too much on technology in the modern world?
• Should cryptocurrencies replace cash?
• Should there be a minimum age requirement to own a smartphone?
• All people have a responsibility to help combat climate change.
• Is it important to keep spending money on space exploration, or should we use the money for other things?

• Should kids under 13 be allowed to use social media sites?
• Should we ban cigarette smoking and vaping entirely?
• Is it better to be an animal that lives in the water or on land?
• Are humans responsible for an increase in climate change?
• Should all communities be legally required to recycle?
• Should kids be allowed to watch TV on school nights?
• Which is better, paper books or e-books?
• Is the current movie rating system (G, PG, PG-13, etc.) effective?
• Are video games better than board games?
• Sports teams should have to pay to build their own arenas or stadiums rather than relying on the community.
• Movie theater tickets are too expensive.
• Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

• Youth sports have become too competitive.
• Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
• Are celebrities obligated to be positive role models for their fans?
• Does playing violent video games make people more violent in real life?
• Video games need more inclusive and diverse characters.
• Are graphic novels just as valuable as traditional fiction books?
• Women’s sports deserve equal funding and coverage as men’s sports.
• Should everyone play on the same sports teams, regardless of gender?
• Choose a book that’s been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?

• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
• Is hosting the Olympics a waste of a country’s money and resources?
• College athletes should be allowed to accept a salary for playing.
• Which is better, fiction or nonfiction?
• The best music genre is …
• What is one book that everyone should read?
• What new sport should be added to the Olympics?

• What’s the best video game system?
• Does playing video games make you smarter?
• Should high school athletes be required to maintain a minimum GPA to continue playing?
• Contact sports like boxing and football are too dangerous.
• Does reality TV actually depict real life?
• Should all neighborhoods have free parks and playgrounds?
• Are awards like the Grammys and Oscars biased and in need of reform?
• What’s the best holiday?
• The very best food of all time is …
• Which make better pets, dogs or cats?
• Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?

• What’s the best season of the year?
• Should you put ketchup on a hot dog?
• Is a taco a sandwich?
• Does fruit count as dessert?
• Everyone should eat dessert first.
• Should people have to go to school or work on their birthday?
• Are clowns scary or funny?
• Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?

• The best pizza topping is …
• What would be the best superpower to have?
• Should everyone make their bed every day?
• Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
• Should you put pineapple on a pizza?
• Should you eat macaroni and cheese with a spoon or a fork?

• Describe the world’s best ice cream sundae.
• Is Monday the worst day of the week?
• Would you rather travel back in time or forward in time?
• Is it better to be too hot or too cold?
• Are there aliens living among us here on Earth?

Get my free printable persuasive essay graphic organizers

Download our persuasive essay graphic organizer bundle to pair perfectly with your lesson and allow your students to plan their writing with helpful visuals. There are two worksheets, one with a simple layout for younger students and one with a detailed layout that’s best for older students. Both graphic organizers feature a road map theme that walks your students through all the steps, such as stating their claim, providing reasons and supporting facts, and restating the claim. These graphic organizers work for both persuasive and argumentative essays. Just press the button below to grab them!

What are your favorite persuasive essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school ., you might also like.

40 Real-World Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)

Learn from the experts. Continue Reading

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5 Top Persuasive Writing Lesson Plans for Students and Teachers

The purpose of any persuasive writing text is to persuade the reader of a particular point of view or to take a specific course of action. Persuasive texts come in many different forms, including, but not limited to, essays, editorials, letters, advertisements, and reviews. While persuasive texts come in many shapes and sizes, they all share standard features.

Persuasive texts employ a wide variety of different rhetorical strategies and techniques to achieve their ends. For example, they’ll use emotive language and rhetorical questions. Images are sometimes used to entice or appeal to the reader or viewer. 

Advertising is one key form of persuasive writing . It makes vigorous use of all the tools in the persuasive writing toolbox as it strives to sell goods or services to the reader.

In this article, you’ll learn how to take your students from reluctant salespersons to master marketers in a lightning-fast five days. 

Students will first learn how the various persuasive strategies work before incorporating them into their advertisements. We have comprehensive guides to persuasive writing and advertisements you should explore also.

So, let’s get started!

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 1: Identify the Key Features of Adverts

Before your students will be able to produce their own well-written advertisements, they’ll need to be well-versed in all the tricks up the skilful salesperson’s sleeves.

One of the most productive ways for students to do this is through reverse engineering.

Organize your students into small groups or pairs and distribute print advertisements gleaned from various sources such as magazines, newspapers, and posters. You could also show projections of some sample advertisements projected onto the whiteboard to facilitate this exercise.

Now, ask the students to examine the advertisements and answer the following question: 

What techniques do the advertisers use to get our attention?

Challenge the students to go beyond the pretty obvious features of advertisements, e.g. branding, slogans, and testimonials, to also look at more subtle techniques such as the use and interplay of images and various other effects created by language choices and figurative devices. 

When the students have finished their discussions, give them feedback as a whole class and use their responses to compile a master list of the various features they have identified. 

Some features suggested by the class might include:

• Emotive language
• Exaggeration
• Appealing adjectives
• Powerful verbs
• Strong adverbs
• Contact details
• Alliteration
• Rhetorical questions
• Testimonials

Once you have compiled a master list of persuasive strategies and techniques used in advertising, these can handily be turned into checklists that the students can use when producing their own advertisements later.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 2: Analyze an Advert

Now, the students have a solid understanding of the different features of advertisements and a checklist to work from; it’s time for them to analyze an advert in more detail. 

Not only will this prove a valuable exercise to help prepare your students for producing their own advertisements later in the week, but it will also serve as an excellent task to improve your students’ media literacy skills. It may even help to innoculate them from media manipulation in the future.

To get started on their advertisement analysis, they’ll need to source a suitable advertisement to look at in detail. 

Older and higher-ability students may be fit to make their own choices regarding which advertisement to analyze. If this is the case, perhaps they can choose an advert for a product they like or a product or service in a category that interests them greatly. 

Allowing your students some say in the ads they analyze will help fuel their interest and enthusiasm when creating their own advertisements later.

However, it might be best to choose a sample advertisement for younger students and those of lower ability – or at least offer a pre-vetted, limited choice. They will most likely have enough to contend with already!

When students have a suitable advertisement to hand, please encourage them to use their checklist from yesterday’s lesson to explore how the ad works. The students should then write a paragraph identifying the various techniques used in the advertisement and their effect.

Challenge the students to write another paragraph or two, considering what makes the advertisement work – or not, as the case may be. Ask them to consider where the advertisement could be improved. Could the slogan be catchier? How about the logo? Does it convey the brand’s identity appropriately? Are the images used in the advertisement optimal?

When the students have finished their paragraphs, they can display their advert and their analysis and share their thoughts with the class.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 3: Plan an Advertisement

At this stage, your students should have a good understanding of many of the main features of advertisements and had plenty of opportunities to see examples of these in action. Now it’s time for them to begin to plan for writing their own advertisements. Here are some areas for your students to think about when starting the planning process.

The Purpose and Audience

Like any other writing type, students will need to identify both the purpose and the audience for their advertisements bef ore putting pen to paper.

The purpose of any advertisement is to sell goods or services. Precisely what goods or services are being sold is the first question that needs to be answered.

Students might like to focus on the goods or services advertised in the adverts they’ve been exploring over the previous two days. Or, if they prefer, they might like to choose something new entirely.

Once they’ve chosen what they’re selling, students will need to identify who they will sell it to. Scattershot advertisements that attempt to sell to everyone often end up selling to no one.

One effective way to help focus an advert is to define a ‘buyer persona’ first. This is a profile of the hypothetical buyer who the ad will target.

Students can consider the following characteristics to help them develop their buyer’s persona:

• Education level
• Marital status
• Likes/Dislikes
• Who they trust
• What they read/watch

The Brand Name

The next stage is for the student to decide on a name for their company. This should usually be something relatively short and memorable, and appealing to the target audience.

Generally, the student will need to come up with at least four or five ideas first. They can then choose the best. 

It can be a helpful practice for the student to look at the brand names for companies selling similar goods and services. A little internet research will be beneficial here.

Now it’s time for students to jot down ideas for their brand’s slogan. Slogans are short and punchy phrases that help make brands more memorable for customers. 

Slogans often employ literary devices such as alliteration, puns, or rhyme. They don’t always have to be the most meaningful things in the world; it’s more important that they’re memorable. Think Nike’s Just to Do It or McDonald’s I’m Lovin’ It – not the most meaning-rich phrases in the world but instantly recognizable!

The Body Copy

This part of the advertisement will contain the bulk of the writing. It’s where the students will get to use the various techniques and strategies they’ve explored in the previous activities.

Despite containing most of the ad’s text, advertising copy is usually concise and to the point. Student’s should strive to get the main points across in the fewest words possible. Nothing turns readers off faster than impenetrable walls of text.

To help organize the text, students may use bullet points and subheadings. They should be sure to include any specific information or specifications that they want the reader to know about the product or service. 

The language chosen should also be appropriate for speaking to the audience that they have defined earlier.

The Call to Action

The Call to Action – commonly referred to as the CTA , usually comes at the end of an advertisement.

The CTA typically comprises a few sentences that invite the reader to take a particular course of action. Normally, to buy the advertised goods or service.

However, not all CTAs focus on getting the reader to make an immediate purchase. Some, for example, aim to get the reader to provide their contact details so they can be sold to later. 

Students need to first define what their Call to Action will invite readers to do. They will then need to choose a strong imperative that will call on the reader to take that specific action. Commonly used verbs that urge readers to take action include subscribe, join, buy, etc.

The CTA must be clear and specific; the reader should be in no doubt about what the advertisement is asking them to do. 

Often, the CTA will create a sense of urgency by limiting special offers by time. 

As part of the planning process, students should use some of their time in today’s session to think about and make some notes on options they might like to include in the final drafts of their Call to Action.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 4: Create the Advertisement

Day 4, already! This is the day students will try to bring all the elements together. They’ll work to complete their advertisements by the end of today’s session.

You may like to have the students collaborating to produce their ads or working individually. Either way, reinforce the importance of attention to detail in their work. 

The main focus for persuasive texts of any kind, advertisements included, shouldn’t be length but, instead, it should be on how effectively it persuades the reader to take the desired action.

Students should incorporate their planning from yesterday and refer to their checklists as they create. As precise language is so essential to effective marketing, encourage students to use thesauruses to help them find just the right word for their copy.

When students have had a chance to draft their advertisements, they can then get into small groups and compare their work. This is an opportunity for students to provide each other with constructive criticism. 

They can use their checklists as a basis to provide this criticism. Students can then revise their advertisements in light of the advice they’ve received in their groups.

Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan 5: Further Practice in the Art of Persuasion

In the process of comparing their work with each other, with reference to the criteria they’ve worked on earlier in the week, students will no doubt identify areas they are strong in and other areas where they are weaker.

Day 5’s activities should offer students an opportunity to practice those areas identified as needing further work to bring them up to par.

For example, students can practice their persuasion skills by moving their focus from printed ads to other types of marketing endeavours that utilise the arts of persuasion.

Where students struggled to employ literary devices in their advertising copy, they may benefit from creating a radio jingle or radio ad for their product or service. As this type of ad can contain no visual imagery to support, writing a radio jingle or ad will force the student to pay particular attention to verbal imagery, rhyme, alliteration, etc. 

If the testimonials used in the first advertisement were unconvincing, perhaps the student will benefit from isolating this strategy to focus exclusively on effective testimonial writing. They should spend some time researching testimonials and how to write them effectively. 

For example, testimonials should usually be:

• Short and to the point
• Conversational in tone
• Authentic (use a name, photo, job title, etc.)
• Specific about the benefits
• Directed at overcoming objections.

Once students have a good handle on how these work, they should put their new-found knowledge into practice and get writing as soon as possible.

This research-then-practice model can help the student improve in whatever particular area of persuasion that needs work – as identified in yesterday’s activity.

Getting good at persuasive writing demands our students to develop their knowledge and abilities with a broad range of skills and strategies. 

Advertising copy is a highly concentrated form of persuasive writing and, therefore, an excellent means for our students to gain lots of practice in a short space of time. 

And, as the saying goes, a good start is half the work, so set your class of creative copywriters on the road to marketing mastery today!

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