1 Created by Scott Foley, Bloomington High School

2012

Name:Date:Period:Point Value: _____

Instructions: This is a pre-writing packet meant to help you organize and work out the details of your persuasive paper.

Remember: In this paper, you will choose only one character to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet and you will convince your audience to agree with you using at least three supported arguments and counterarguments.

Persuasive

Paper Pre-

Writing Packet

2 Created by Scott Foley, Bloomington High School

2012

Brainstorming Characters

Instructions: List a character in each box that you could blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

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2012

Developing ReasonsInstructions: Now that you’ve brainstormed four characters to blame, develop three reasons why each of those characters could be blamed for the death of Romeo and Juliet.

Character:

Reason #1:

Reason #2:

Reason #3:

Character:

Reason #1 -

Reason #2 -

Reason #3 -

Character:

Reason #1 -

Reason #2 -

Reason #3 -

Character:

Reason #1 -

Reason #2 -

Reason #3 -

This is just the

pre-writing

stage, so stay

loose and be

4 Created by Scott Foley, Bloomington High School

2012

Make Your Final Decision

Instructions: Based upon the brainstorming you’ve already done, choose the one character you want to focus upon in the persuasive paper as the cause of Romeo and Juliet’s deaths.

I choose to blame …

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2012

The Thesis Statement

Reminder: All essays should have a thesis statement in the first (introductory) paragraph. The thesis statement is that one single statement that the entire paper works to support or prove true. Here is an example of a persuasive thesis statement:

Instructions: In the following box, write down a potential thesis statement for your persuasive paper. It should

Specifically name the person you’re blaming for Romeo and Juliet’s death List three specific reasons this person is to blame Use only one or two sentences

Without a doubt, Batman is the reason for Joker’s continued criminal activity because Batman dropped Joker into the vat of chemicals that created him, Batman inspires Joker to act melodramatically, and Batman refuses to kill Joker.

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2012

It’s All in the Details

Instructions: Now that you’ve chosen the one person you want to blame and developed three reasons why you want to blame that person, it’s time to develop your examples and details. In the following word balloons, provide at least three details or examples for each reason given.

One detail to

support this

is________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_____________

Another detail to

support this is

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

____________

I blame _______________

because ______________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________

Reason #1

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2012

My last detail to

support this

is_______________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

I also blame

_____________________

because ______________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

________________

One detail to

support this

is________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

__

Another detail to

support this is

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

_____My last detail to support

this is_______________

Reason #2

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2012

My last detail to support

this is_______________

I also blame

_____________________

because ______________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

________________

One detail to

support this

is________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

__

Another detail to

support this is

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

_____

Reason #3

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2012

The Counterargument

Instructions: For a persuasive paper to truly work, the author must anticipate the ways in which people will argue against their thesis statement and proactively provide counterarguments. The counterargument can work as one of the details supporting a reason. Here is an example:

My last detail to

support this

is_______________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

I understand you believe that Batman is a hero and

should never kill anyone, but when you take into account

the fact that Joker has killed one of the Robins, murdered

Commissioner Gordon’s wife Sara Essen, and crippled

Commissioner Gordon’s daughter Barbara (thus ending

her career as Batgirl), you really must agree that the

Joker should be stopped at all cost. Because Batman is

unwilling to kill a madman who is guilty of murder a

thousand times over, there will likely be a thousand more

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2012

Develop Your Counterarguments

Instructions: In the following boxes, provide a counterargument for each of the three reasons you gave proving your character is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

I understand you believe that Batman is a hero and

should never kill anyone, but when you take into account

the fact that Joker has killed one of the Robins, murdered

Commissioner Gordon’s wife Sara Essen, and crippled

Commissioner Gordon’s daughter Barbara (thus ending

her career as Batgirl), you really must agree that the

Joker should be stopped at all cost. Because Batman is

unwilling to kill a madman who is guilty of murder a

thousand times over, there will likely be a thousand more

Counterargument #1

Counterargument #2

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2012

Counterargument #3

Counterargument #2

Introduction

Hook Thesis Statement

Body Paragraph #1

Reasono Supporto Supporto Support

Body Paragraph #2

Reasono Supporto Supporto Support

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2012

You are now ready to write! You’ve done everything necessary to plan a wonderful persuasive essay. To review, you’ve

Brainstormed possible characters to blame Picked reasons to blame each of those characters Settled upon one character to blame

Write on!

Body Paragraph #3

Reasono Supporto Supporto Support

Conclusion

Restated thesis Final statement/call to action

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2012

Developed a thesis statement Constructed counterarguments Considered the structure of a persuasive essay

But remember, even though you’ve done a great job with the prewriting stage, there’s more to be done as you perfect your persuasive essay. Of course, you’ll need to

Write the rough draft Have a peer edit and critique it Read it out loud to yourself in order to edit and critique it as well Make all of the necessary revisions Read it over one last time

After having done all of this, you’ll be ready to publish! Publishing opportunities include

Handing it in to your teacher Running off copies for your friends and family on a Xerox machine Posting it to your blog