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Persuasive Piece Writing Assignment
•
Write a persuasive piece about any issue on which people have differing opinions.
•
Write in third person.
•
You may work alone or in a group of two or three people.
•
If working in a group, all members of the group must be involved in all aspects of the
writing process.
•
The fi nished piece should be handwritten in D’Nealian cursive. If you are working in
a group, each member of the group needs to hand write an equal portion of the fi nal
work. Each students’ handwriting will only effect their handwriting grade on the
piece, not every member of the groups’ grade. Please label your handwriting with
your name so you will get credit for your handwriting.
Timeline:
Due on Friday, February 28, 2025, Week 26.
•
Complete outline
•
Cover page
•
Abstract
•
At least one Footnote or Endnote.
Due on Friday, March 6, 2025, Week 27.
•
Arguments for your opinion paragraphs.
•
At least one Footnote or Endnote for each paragraph.
Due on Thursday, March 14, 2025, Week 28.
•
Arguments against your opinion paragraphs.
•
Your rebuttals to the arguments against your opinion.
•
At least one Footnote or Endnote for each paragraph.
Due on Friday, March 21, 2025, Week 29.
•
Summary paragraph.
•
Bibliography.
•
Final copy is to be handwritten in D’Nealian cursive.
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GRANT SCHOOL
1425 Washington Place, San Diego, CA 92103-1792
Offi ce
: 619
-860
-
5500 Fax: 619-297-8404
Dave P. Martocchio
InstructorDave@me.com
InstructorDave.org
Mobile: 858-354-9417
Format for Drafts:
1.
Choose font such as
Arial, Calibri, Verdana
,
Cambria, Georgia,
or
Times New
Roman
.
2.
Keep the same font for the whole document.
3.
Font size should be from 10 to 12 points.
4.
Headings and Titles can be from 14 to 16 points.
5.
The font color should be black.
6.
Single space between paragraphs.
7.
Left justifi ed.
8.
Page number in bottom right corner in the following format: Page # of #
9.
White background.
10.
Graphs, charts, photos, diagrams, etc. can be in color.
Prepare to Write Your Paragraphs:
1.
Choose a topic that people have differing opinions about.
2.
Decide what side of the argument you are on.
3.
Think about why you feel the way you do.
4.
Do some research to support your position. Make a list of your sources.
5.
Do some research on the opposing position. Make a list of your sources.
6.
Do some research on how to respond to the opposing position that would support
your position. This is the rebuttal.
Outline:
Include the Following Items in the Outline:
1.
Your name.
2.
Your title such as: student, athlete, computer expert, etc.
3.
The date in Month Date, Year format. No abbreviations.
4.
The topic you will write about.
5.
The title of your piece.
6.
Your position on the topic.
7.
The items you have to support your position.
8.
The items you have that would support the opposing view.
9.
The sources of your information.
Cover Page:
1.
Write a descriptive and catchy title for your topic.
2.
Write your name and your "title" (i.e. student, actor, musician, athlete, etc.).
3.
Write the date.
4.
Center justify vertically and horizontally.
Abstract :
A.
Write your opinion in one sentence.
B.
Introduce the topic.
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2
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9
C.
Provide background on the topic.
D.
Restate your opinion in one sentence.
E.
The abstract is one paragraph.
F.
Include at least one footnote/endnote.
Argument For (Supporting Argument)- A paragraph for each argument:
Repeat the process below for as many supporting arguments as you have.
A.
State the supporting argument.
B.
Provide explanation of the supporting argument.
C.
Provide support for the supporting argument.
D.
Include at least one footnote/endnote.
Argument Against (Opposing Argument) - A paragraph for each
argument:
Repeat the process below for as many opposing arguments as you have.
A.
State the opposing argument.
B.
Provide explanation of opposing argument.
C.
Provide support for the opposing argument.
D.
Provide a rebuttal for the opposing argument.
E.
Include at least one footnote/endnote.
Summary - One paragraph:
A.
Restate the opinion.
B.
Summarize the arguments for your opinion.
C.
Provide a concluding statement.
Citations/Bibliography:
A.
If you fi nd information that you want to include in your persuasive piece you may
include it in the text. Here is a website that will help you with formatting the
citations:
https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-format/in-text-citations/
B.
Make a Bibliography/Works Cited list of all the sources of your information at the
end of your piece. Here is a website that will help you with formatting the list:
https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-format/how-to-format-a-mla-works-cited-list/
C. Here is a website that gives examples of how to cite various sources using the
MLA (Modern Language Association) format:
https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/how-do-i-cite-a/
Grading:
Click
HERE
to see how your work will be graded.
Need Help?
•
Talk to Mr. Martocchio.
•
Look at the
Writing Reminders
slide deck.
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Persuasive Writing Example - This example is meant to be humorous and instructional.
This does not reflect my true opinions regarding:
smiling or frowning, people who
smile, people who frown, their reasons for doing either, or the effects of smiling or
frowning on others.
Outline:
1.
My name: David Martocchio
2.
My title: Professional Frowner.
3.
Date: February 24, 2025.
4.
Topic: Frowning.
5.
Title: The World Would Be Better Without Smilers.
6.
My position: Smiling is bad for people.
7.
Supporting Arguments: Frowning promotes:
•
Equity
•
Preventing inferiority
•
Inclusivity
•
Reduces frustration
8.
Opposing Arguments: Smiling promotes:
•
Pleasantness
•
Enjoyment
•
Happiness
•
Success
•
Goodness
•
Reacting normally to joy.
9.
The sources of my information.
Frowner, Bob.
The Frowner Life
. Upside Down Smile Books, 2024.
Sad, Joe. “How Frowning Changed My Life.”
Frowning Digest
, Vol 2, Issue 3, January
30, 2024, pp.39-47.
The Frowning Boys
. Directed by Hank Down, Frowning Movie Productions, 2023.
Netflix,
www.netflix.com/browse/genre/frowning
.
Down, Upside. “Frowning is the New Smile.”
The Frowning Times
[San Diego], January
1, 2024, p.A5.
Un, Frown. “The Frowner’s Podcast.”
Frowning is Good For Your Health
, January 28, 2024.
iTunes app.
Fan, Frown. “Frowning Makes Others Feel Good.” Frowners, Let’s Frown Publishing
Co., January 20, 2024,
www.frowners.com/2024/FrowningMakesOthersFeelGood/
.
“How Frowning Can Change Your Life.”
YouTube
, uploaded by Frowneristic, January 14,
2024.
www.youtube.com/watch?frowneristic=LKD98JD
.
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4
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9
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
DO NOT COPY.
Magazine
Movie
Newspaper
Podcast
YouTube
The World Would Be Better Without Smilers
Dave Martocchio — Frowning Coach
January 23, 2024
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Title
Name & Personal Title
Date
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
DO NOT COPY.
The World Would Be Better Without Smilers
Dave Martocchio - Frowning Coach
January 23, 2024
Everyone would be better off without smilers. The world has had smilers for
thousands of years but what benefi t has it brought us? The Grinch in Dr. Seuss’
How
The Grinch Stole Christmas
smiled as he caused trouble in Whoville. The players on the
Texas Rangers were smiling because they were better than all the other teams when
they won the 2023 World Series.
1
Politicians smile when they realize that the other
candidate will lose the election. The person who gets the job after being one of many
that interview, smiles in happiness that no one else got the job. The bride and groom
smile at their wedding because only they will get to marry their partner. The list goes
on: kings and peasants, business owners and customers, teachers and students, parents
and children all smile when they are victorious or get what they want at the expense of
another. This has to stop. Smiling hurts. We need to be more sensitive to others and
frown, not smile through life. Frowning will not offend anyone. Frowning will bring
people together, will foster cooperation, and will build equity and community.
Frowning will promote equity. Smiling is a sign of superiority. Smiling says, “I am
happy because I won, because I got that item, because someone else does not have a
reason to smile.” Frowning will make everyone feel accepted and will advance equity.
We should avoid smiling and start frowning so that no one feels excluded or put down.
2
Frowning will stop others from feeling inferior.
3
Smiling says, “I am better than you.”
If people were to frown more often, others would not feel threatened by another’s
success or accomplishments. Frowning says, “We are all together in this.” Let’s be
kind to everyone and frown more often.
Frowning is inclusive.
4
Smiling is exclusive in that it is only for the successful, the
winner, the best, the elite, the winners. Frowning is a way of showing that everyone is
included. Frowning demonstrates acceptance of everyone regardless of their abilities.
We should frown more to include everyone.
Frowning does not upset others. Smiling at another can upset them. The recipient of
the smile might feel put down or might be reminded of their weaknesses by the smiler.
Frowning, on the other hand, helps others feel sympathetic to the frowner. Instead of
feeling put down or reminded of their weaknesses, the recipient of a frown will feel
empathy
5
for the frowner. Frowning will not create disparate groups, the smilers and
the frowners, it will unite them.
Some may say that smiling is pleasant and enjoyable. I agree. Smiling is pleasant and
enjoyable for the smiler but not for others. Smiling is the result of winning, getting,
and/or achieving something. Not everyone wins, gets, and/or achieves and therefore
does not have a reason to smile. The Philadelphia Eagles lost the 2023 Super Bowl.
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Abstract
Second
Supporting
Argument
Third
Supporting
Argument
Fourth
Supporting
Argument
First
Opposing
Argument
First
Supporting
Argument
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
DO NOT COPY.
Seeing the smiles of the Kansas City Chiefs players did not make them feel better.
6
Seeing someone smile because of their success at the expense of someone else is not
pleasant and enjoyable. Frowning does not bring out those reactions. Frowning would
have conveyed empathy for the Eagles and would not have the same effect that smiling
did.
Some may say that people should smile when they feel good, happy, and/or successful.
While
people who feel good, happy and successful smile, it is at the expense of other
people.
7
The smiler is happy that they got a good grade on a test, or played a song well
on the piano, or made a great shot in basketball. The person who did not score well on
the test, or play the song well, or who missed the shot in basketball is not smiling and
is not encouraged by the smiler who did so well in those activities. It would be better
for the smiler to frown with the person who did not do so well.
Some may say that smiling is a natural reaction to being happy about something.
Smiling may be a natural reaction to being happy about something but that does not
make it helpful or productive for others.
8
That natural reaction of smiling in response
to being happy about something will cause another to think about how they are not
happy about that something and make them feel worse. It would be best for the smiler
to frown so as to not upset others and their unhappy thoughts.
Smilers should be more understanding and considerate of others. Not everyone is
successful or gets what they want. Seeing another person smile just makes
them feel
worse. Instead of smiling, one should frown. Frowning will not upset anyone, will
create empathy for others, and will let everyone know that things are
OK
. For
thousands of years smilers have just caused division. There are the smilers who are
happy and successful and then those who are not. Those who are not, feel bad that
they are not, so the smilers should stop smiling at them because it just makes them feel
worse. Instead of smiling, the smiler should frown. Frowning will make the
unsuccessful and the person who did not get what they want feel better because they
will see that the other person understands and still considers them as an equal. Let’s
make this world a better place by not smiling. Start frowning today.
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Summary
Second
Opposing
Argument
Third
Opposing
Argument
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
DO NOT COPY.
First
Opposing
Argument
Endnotes
1.
Click
HERE
for a video showing the Texas Rangers smiling after winning the
World Series in 2023.
2.
Click
HERE
for a story on the negative effects that President Trump’s victory in
2016 had on Hilary Clinton supporters.
3.
Click
HERE
for a story about an Olympic silver medalist who was upset that he
did not win a gold medal.
4.
Click
HERE
for an article on the importance of inclusion.
5.
Click
HERE
for an article on the importance of empathy.
6.
Click
HERE
for an article and photograph of how the Eagles felt after losing Super
Bowl LVII and the third straight championship loss for Philadelphia.
7.
For some examples of how people can react poorly to someone else’s smiles, click
HERE
.
8.
Sometimes smiling may be bad for you. Click
HERE
for the story.
Bibliography/Works Cited
Frowner, Bob.
The Frowner Life
. Upside Down Smile Books, 2024.
Sad, Joe. “How Frowning Changed My Life.”
Frowning Digest
, Vol 2, Issue 3, January
30, 2024, pp.39-47.
The Frowning Boys
. Directed by Hank Down, Frowning Movie Productions, 2023.
Netflix,
www.netflix.com/browse/genre/frowning
.
Down, Upside. “Frowning is the New Smile.”
The Frowning Times
[San Diego], January
1, 2024, p.A5.
Un, Frown. “The Frowner’s Podcast.”
Frowning is Good For Your Health
, January 28, 2024.
iTunes app.
Page
8
of
9
Book
Magazine
Movie
Podcast
Newspaper
The works cited below are fi ctional. They are to be used to understand the formatting of a Bibliography/Works Cited page.
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
DO NOT COPY.
Fan, Frown. “Frowning Makes Others Feel Good.” Frowners, Let’s Frown Publishing
Co., January 20, 2024,
www.frowners.com/2024/FrowningMakesOthersFeelGood/
.
“How Frowning Can Change Your Life.”
YouTube
, uploaded by Frowneristic, January 14,
2024.
www.youtube.com/watch?frowneristic=LKD98JD
.
Page
9
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9
Website
YouTube
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
DO NOT COPY.
