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Creative
Inventions
Designed
by:
Mary H. Harris, Hopkins Middle School
GRADE
LEVEL: Eighth
SUBJECT
(S): Language
Arts/Reading
1)
CORE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (S):
Write
compositions for different purposes (to tell, to
describe, to inform or explain, and to persuade,
to learn, to record personal feelings, to
entertain others, to enjoy) for both familiar
and distant audiences. (8-WA-3)
(PACT IV.D & IV.I1)
2)
OVERVIEW:
In
this lesson, the students will develop the ideas
for an original invention.
The students will write a persuasive
essay explaining why their invention is the
best. Also, as an optional activity, the
students may publish their work on-line or
design a web page to promote the new product.
3)
PURPOSE/FOCUS QUESTION(S):
Can you write a persuasive essay promoting an
original invention?
4)
TIME FRAME:
Four
fifty minute classes
5)
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Blank
drawing paper
Markers
Persuasive
Essay Rubric
Computer
with Internet access
Cyberkids
(http://www.mtlake.com/cyberkids/)
(http://web66.coled.umn.edu/schools.html)
(http://www.ncsa.uica.edu/demoweb/html-primer.html)
Helpful
book:
Platt,
Richard, Smithsonian Visual Timeline of
Inventions. London; New York:
Dorling Kindersley, 1994.
6)
ASSESSMENT:
Students
will create an original invention and write a
persuasive essay promoting the invention.
A sample rubric is provided.
Students will be assessed daily via a
response slip which may be counted as a
participation grade or as points toward a quiz
grade.
7)
INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
ACTIVITY
ONE
1.
Teacher
will introduce the concept of persuasive
writing.
2.
Using
a graphic web, the students will identify
various ways persuasive writing may be used.
Note:
the teacher will emphasize problem/solution
papers, in which the writer selects a problem
and proposes a solution.
3.
Teacher
will introduce the key concept of facts and
opinions in persuasive writing.
The teacher should emphasize that this
concept in writing appeals to the reader’s
sense of reason and to his or her emotions.
Therefore, the teacher will encourage the
students that the best persuasive papers will
use facts and examples to support emotions and
opinions.
4.
Students
will be given a fact and opinion handout to
practice distinguishing between these two
concepts. (see Attachment)
5.
Teacher
will monitor the students’ answers and provide
feedback.
Daily
Assessment:
Students will be given a response slip on which
they will write at least two facts they have
learned from the day’s activity.
This may count as points toward a quiz
grade or a participation grade.
ACTIVITY
TWO
1.Using
a graphic web, the students will brainstorm
ideas for an original invention.
2.With
a partner, the students will select an idea and
develop a plan for the invention.
STEP
ONE:
A.
Decide why this invention is needed and what it
can do.
B.
Brainstorm possible invention and include three
reasons why this invention should be used and is
better than conventional methods or other
inventions.
C.Students
should draw a picture of their invention to help
them get a better idea of how it will work,
look, and its various features.
C.
Teacher will review the writing process
(prewriting, writing, editing, and publishing).
STEP
TWO:
A.Students
will write an introductory paragraph.
B.Students
should write supporting paragraphs for each of
the three reasons this invention should be used.
C.
Students should also think of facts and examples
for each reason.
STEP
THREE:
A.Students
will write the conclusion.
The conclusion should restate the problem
that this invention addresses and the solution
this invention presents in different words and
encourage the reader to purchase the product.
B.With
a partner, the students will be given the
persuasive essay rubric to evaluate their
essays.
C.Teacher
will discuss common problems in the writing.
D.Essays
will be returned to the original writer to
revise.
E.Students
will display the drawings of their inventions
alongside their persuasive compositions in the
classroom or media center.
Daily
Assessment: Students
will be given a response slip on which they will
write at least two facts they have learned from
the day’s activity.
This may count as points toward a quiz
grade or a participation grade.
OPTIONAL
ACTIVITY
THREE
Students
may publish their work on-line in Cyberkids http://www.mtlake.com/cyberkids/
or design a homepage for the new product at http://web66.coled.umn.edu/schools.html
Students
may learn everything they need to know about how
to set up a homepage at
http://www.ncsa.uica.edu/demoweb/html-primer.html).
| PERSUASIVE
ESSAY
Student
Name:________________________
Product:_____________________________
|
EXCELLENT |
GOOD |
| 5 |
3 |
| Established
a clear beginning, middle,
and end of the story/ essay/report |
|
|
| Details
given |
|
|
| Proper
paragraph form(indented and at least 4-5
sentences in length) |
|
|
| Main
ideas easily identified |
|
|
| Handwriting |
|
|
| Paragraphs
make sense; clarity in thought |
|
|
| Use
of capital letters |
|
|
| Use
of punctuation |
|
|
| Three
valid arguments or points that support
the topic |
|
|
| Presentation
of topic(convince or persuade someone
that you have a good invention) |
|
|
| Spelling |
|
|
| Rating
for the story/essay/report |
|
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FACTS
AND OPINIONS
Read
the following sentences from a persuasive essay.
If the statement appeals to a reader’s
emotions, label it O.
If it is factual and appeals to a
reader’s sense of reason, label it F.
_____1.
Middle school and high school students will do
better in school
if
they worked on a computer every day.
_____2.Technology
spending in the United States for grades K-12
increased
to 4 billion dollars in 1995-96, from slightly
over 2
billion
dollars in 1991-92.
_____3.All
students love to work with computers.
_____4.In
a recent survey, 85% of all students polled used
word
processing
on the computer.
_____5.Our
computer lab has not been updated since 1984.
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