Moderation Activity 1: Persuasive Letter

Moderation activity 1: Persuasive letter

Aim : To focus on assessing children’s skills in writing persuasively.

Task for moderation: Write a letter to the mayor of …… to convince him/her that your superhero should be chosen to save…….. (Pupils and/or practitioner to decide on mission)

Suggested approach: Our suggestion is to spend some time, with the Wow Words cards and Possible Powers cards, to let pupils invent their superhero. They could do this in pairs or fours. (See also possible drama activities and ideas: Meetings, Paired improvisation and Forum Theatre would lend themselves to this work).

Then look at the example letter and get pupils to generate success criteria for persuasive writing before writing their own letter. (Possible ideas included below.)

……………………………………………………………………… ………………………………… Learning Objective

L.O. We are learning to write in a way that persuades the reader.

Big Picture: Being able to talk and write persuasively is an important life skill. (Getting a job, getting your own way, gaining support for your cause etc.)

Context: A letter to the mayor ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………..

Wow words / phrases dynamic confounding strong as steel amazing fabulous enormous superb surprising benefit beautiful eye-popping weird attractive marvellous wondrous thunderous freezing gigantic fierce breath-taking startling stupefying mind-blowing thrilling astonishing inspiring

Possible Powers read minds elasticity invisibility fire control ice-power flight agility force field intellect gadgets healing power shape-shifter super sight super strength super speed wall-crawling super smell breathe underwater size-shifting

Model Letter

5 Creative View Happytown England

1st February 2011

Dear Mayor,

Search no more! I have found a superhero to end our troubles. She is the best superhero in the world. She is strong as steel, intelligent and masterfully agile! Her name is SuperCat.

The six-foot killer mice that have been roaming our streets since Christmas will be no match for SuperCat. Her claws are razor-sharp and she can pounce at the speed of lightning. As soon as she senses a mouse anywhere within half a mile she can immediately locate it with her excellent sense of smell and within seconds that mouse will be history.

SuperCat is just what this town needs to rid us of our nightmares – and all she asks for in return is a comfortable bed to sleep in and to be allowed to eat all the mice she catches.

Some people might argue that in the past SuperCat has not always been the best superhero, for example when she was called upon to rid the town of werewolves – but this time she will be ideal because everyone knows that mice are the enemies of cats.

How much longer can the town cope with these vicious mice before everyone is driven mad? I urge you not to delay a moment longer – call SuperCat today and bring an end to our misery.

Thank you for reading my letter. I trust you will do the right thing for the town.

Yours truly,

A Feline Possible Success criteria. (These are some of the things you could discuss with the children - you may want to focus your teaching around 4 or 5 of these in particular )

Top tips for writing persuasively and structuring your writing Choose from:-

 An introduction that points you to the main point of the piece of writing. e.g. “Superhero X is the best in the world. He is strong, reliable and ….”

 Each main point is supported by evidence and examples (Point Evidence Explanation)

 Contains facts and appeals to the imagination.

 Powerful and passionate words chosen for maximum impact

 Use logical connectives. “This proves that…. So it’s clear….. Therefore…..In fact…Furthermore… as a result…in contrast…. Significantly….

 Rhetorical questions e.g. “Do you want to live free from fear?”

 Address the reader directly: “This is just what you have been waiting for!”

 Use simple psychology: “Everyone knows that…”

 Use memorable slogans using alliteration or rhyme. “Ditch the rest, get the best”

 Think about counter-arguments the reader may think of and include information to make them see they were incorrect or irrelevant. E.g. Some may argue that nothing can be done. However….”

 A concluding statement that repeats and reinforces your view. “Having seen all that superhero x can offer, …..”