Argumentative Writing

Teaching argumentative writing in upper elementary grades scaffolds from one to five paragraphs. Learn how to use specific structures and strategies to get effective essays from your students. (more…)

Teaching persuasive writing methods to third or fourth graders? Begin with a simple graphic organizer. Then elaborate, improve word choice, add transitions, and vary sentences. Before you know it, kids’…

Beginnings and endings can unify persuasive writing. To open the paragraph, offer an invitation to read on. For example, hook them with a question, dialogue, or surprise statement. At the…

Transitions, or linking words, help readers navigate the text. When students use them, writing flows. For beginners, provide a list of terms. As they become more proficient, ask them to…

Varying sentences improves style. When kids feel finished with their writing, it’s time to shake things up. First, begin every sentence in a paragraph differently. Second, vary sentence types. For…

Elaboration can really strengthen persuasive writing. Let’s take a look at three ways to teach it. As an easy first step, ask kids to add examples. When they get the…

Word choice improves persuasive writing! When kids use specialized vocabulary, their writing becomes more credible. How can your students ramp up their persuasive power? Ask them to develop specialized word…

Persuasive writing structure is strong and straightforward. Begin with an opinion. Add three strong, supportive reasons. End with a call to action. When third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade…

Persuasive paragraph perfection can be achieved. Just teach in four chunks: structure, ideas, sentences, and words. For best results, model the process. Don’t be afraid to write in front of…