SEVEN STEPS TO WRITING SUCCESSkyliejulie4745.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/0/2/32028825/seven... · 2019. 8. 29. · ©JenMcVeity2012 Licensedforsingleschooluse. 1 SEVEN STEPS TO WRITING

© Jen McVeity 2012 Licensed for single school use. www.sevenstepswriting.com 1

SEVEN STEPS TO WRITING SUCCESS

Step 1: Plan for Success • Step 2: Sizzling StartsStep 3: Tightening Tension • Step 4: Dynamic DialogueStep 5: Show, Don’t Tell • Step 6: Ban the Boring • Step 7: Endings with Impact

Imagine kids excited, energetic and bubbling with ideas. They are laughing and learningfrom each other. Then suddenly they are writing fast and confidently – often achievingmore in just five minutes than they would in a lesson.

That’s what a Seven Steps classroom looks like.

The Seven Steps has helped over 100,000 students in Australia and the USA rapidlyimprove their writing skills and their enjoyment of writing. The program alsosignificantly increases students’ NAPLAN scores. Plus it’s so easy to implement!

Why did writing get so hard?

• Do students groan when you say ‘writing lesson’?• Are your ESL students sidelined and worried?• Do you struggle to find ways for kids with learning difficulties to be creative?• Are your gifted kids being extended to their full ability?• Did you ever get taught the specific skills of writing? Are you thinking ‘there must

be an easier way’?

Yes, there is a simple way. The Seven Steps system takes the top seven writingtechniques – and then links them with quick and fun writing activities. Taking smallsteps makes writing fun and achievable for every student.

Change can’t happen in a day, but it can in a term.

WHAT ARE THE SEVEN STEPS?

Step 1: Plan for SuccessHow many times have you told your students ‘plan your work’ – and they ignore you? Thebiggest hurdle is to show thinking is far more important than physically writing. To beoriginal you need to have LOTS of ideas, so brainstorm and practice generating ideas often.

Step 2: Sizzling StartsDo you get the same old starts, ‘One day... Once upon a time... I think that... In my opinion...’over and over again? Teach students how to start at the ‘moment of change’ to gain a reader’sinterest immediately.

Step 3: Tightening TensionTo persuade (not just set out facts) you have to build up momentum. Start strong, butsave your best arguments and persuasive techniques for near the end.

Step 4: Dynamic DialogueQuotations from experts, real words from a flood victim, concise sayings from famouspeople, even words from the people in your article (‘I thought I was going to die fromfear...’) give strength and vibrancy to writing.

Step 5: Show, Don't TellIf you were told children were dying from lack of clean water, would you send money?Most likely not. However, if you were shown one small skinny child, squatting by apolluted river, exhausted, hungry, and desperately needing water... would you help?

Step 6: Ban the BoringThe first ideas are usually the worst – as everyone else is thinking of them too. Challengestudents to be better than basic, they can be brilliant, not boring.

Step 7: Endings with ImpactFirst lines and last lines are what people remember the most. ‘In conclusion, I think...’ iswriting by numbers. Be powerful in order to persuade.



SEVEN STEPS - THE UNIQUE DIFFERENCE

How does the Seven Steps get students excited about writing AND rapidly improveNAPLAN data? There are four special points of difference.

1. The unique ‘Chunking’ conceptThe Seven Steps is a unique systemwhich chunkswriting into the seven main techniques. Throughchunking, students learn in small parts and practisejust those Steps until they have mastered them. Itmakes writing easy.

The chunking concept is modelled on the way welearn new skills in areas such as sport. Take tennisfor instance. First we learn the individual skills -forehand, backhand, serve, volley and smash.THEN we put the skills together to play a game.

Yet in schools we often ask students to 'write astory' – in other words play the whole ‘tennismatch'. Hence they struggle.

2. The missing link - Think first, write secondSo much writing advice addresses the more minor things of spelling, grammar andsentence structure. However authors prioritise differently. They know great writing stemsfrom great ideas. Train students in brainstorming and frequently separate this from writing.If you need 5 good ideas for a persuasive piece, brainstorm 10-15 ideas. Instil in studentsthinking is the most important part of writing.

3. Use other people’s brains for energyTo be creative, we need to be confident and not feel pressured. Encourage students to workin groups, talk, laugh and swap writing ideas. Get them to share their brainstorming andwriting in groups.

4. Designed by an authorThe program was developed by international author Jen McVeity. Jen is the author of over20 books, a Churchill Fellow, an Australian Literacy Champion and she’s been board chair ofthe largest writing organisation in the world. However, she’s also an ex-teacher, so you canbe sure the system is practical for teachers and enjoyable for students.



NAPLAN AND THE PERSUASIVE TASK

In 2011, the writing task for NAPLAN changed from Narrative to Persuasive writing.

Here is the definition of persuasive writing from the official NAP website:The purpose of persuasive writing is to persuade a reader to a point of view on an issue.Persuasive writing may express an opinion, discuss, analyse and evaluate an issue. It may alsoentertain and inform. (© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2011)

In 2011, the NAP website (www.nap.edu.au) suggests that markers expected anExpository style of writing. They defined this as: 'introduction, development of argument(body) and conclusion.'

However, this does not mean we should teach 'writing by numbers'. There seems to bea lot of material circulating that suggests the 'correct' way to teach Persuasive is this:

Introduction: State what you intend to say. ‘I think this because.....’Par 2 - Argument a)Par 3 - Argument b)Par 4 - Argument c)Conclusion: Sum up what you said. 'Therefore I think this because of reasons a) b) and c).'

While the actual structure is logical, the use of the introduction and conclusion as'summaries' wastes major opportunities to reach out to the reader and actually persuade.(See Step 2 Sizzling Starts and Step 7: Endings with Impact.)

Look at the marking criteria used by NAP markers on the next page.Students are highly rewarded if they demonstrate the mastery of 'big picture' writingtechniques. These skills include being able to:

• engage the reader (Audience - 6 marks)• use strong ideas (Ideas - 5 marks)• plan powerfully (Text Structure - 4 marks, Cohesion - 4 marks)• and actually persuade the reader (Persuasive Devises - 4 marks).

Note that the secretarial side of writing - the spelling and punctuation - are only worth 11 marksout of the total 48 marks available. Thus it is far better to aim for higher level writing skills.

The goal of a persuasive piece of writing is to persuade!

IMPORTANTInformation on NAPLAN is continually updated, so check the website regularlyfor changes: www.nap.edu.au



NAPLAN MARKING CRITERIA



1. Audience(6 marks)

2. Text structure(4 marks)

The writer’s capacity to orient, engage and persuadethe reader.

The organisation of the structural components of apersuasive text (introduction, body and conclusion)into an appropriate and effective text structure.

3. Ideas(5 marks)

The selection, relevance and elaboration of ideasfor a persuasive argument.

4. Persuasive devices(4 marks)

The use of a range of persuasive devices to enhancethe writer’s position and persuade the reader.

5. Vocabulary(5 marks)

The range and precision of contextuallyappropriate language choices.

6. Cohesion(4 marks)

The control of multiple threads and relationshipsacross the text, achieved through the use ofreferring words, ellipsis, text connectives,substitutions and word associations.

7. Paragraphing(3 marks)

The segmenting of text into paragraphs thatassists the reader to follow the line of argument.

8. Sentence structure(6 marks)

The production of grammatically correct,structurally sound and meaningful sentences.

9. Punctuation(5 marks)

The use of correct and appropriate punctuation toaid the reading of the text.

10. Spelling(6 marks)

The accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of thewords used.

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2011.

This is an extract of the material contained in the “2011 NAPLAN PersuasiveWriting Marking Guide—School Release Version”.ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete orinaccurate information.You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material athttp://www.nap.edu.au/NAPLAN/About+each+domain/Writing/index.htmlThis material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.

NINE WAYS TO PREPARE FOR NAPLAN



1. Great writing starts from great ideas.Get students used to brainstorming LOTS of ideas on topics for 5-10 minutes before theywrite. (They don't have to actually write the piece every time, that's too much hardwork.) Continually separate the thinking and planning from the actual physical processof writing – in all genres of writing.

2. Train students to sort and group ideas.If they have nine ideas on TV being better than books, which ones are the strongest?Which ones are weak and should be dropped? Which ones can be combined?

3. Tell students to imagine they are writing to a friendly adult e.g. an aunt or youas a teacher.Sometimes, having a specific person in mind when writing, makes the tone lessstilted and generic.

4. Don’t just teach a ‘list’ of persuasive devices, tap into the world!Advertising is all around us and it is all persuasive writing. Get students to look at ads onTV, in magazines, on billboards and in their mailbox and learn persuasive devices fromthem. Show, Don’tTell (Step 5) is one of the most powerful techniques and easy to learn.

5. The vocabulary is marked separately to spelling, so encourage students to take risks.It’s hard to persuade if you just say ‘I think toys are good.’

6. Higher marks are awarded for use of more complex punctuation such asbrackets ( ), exclamation marks ! and ‘speech marks’.Give stronger students the confidence to use small spots of dialogue to show offtheir mastery. Get less able students to read their work aloud to help with commasand full stops.

7. The last five minutes is the best time to have students check their spelling andgrammar and punctuation in ALL writing.Trying to make this 'perfect' while they are actually writing can lead to a lack ofcreativity. You can't think of detail AND big picture things at the same time. (Forthose of you who have done a Seven Steps teacher PD, remember the Alpha andBeta brain waves?)

8. It takes a long time to get a weak speller up to scratch.So why not work on many of the higher order skills instead such as planning, ideasand brainstorming and engaging the audience? This is far more empowering forstudents too, rather than always trying to patch up their weak spots.

9. The basic of all great writing is strong ideas and planning.So put far greater time into these skills and the rest will follow!

NAPLAN TEST TIPS

By the time students sit the NAPLAN tests in May, here’s the ideal:

a) They will have learnt each of the Seven Steps and practised them in small chunks.b) Every student will be used to working in groups and learning from each other.c) All of them will be experienced in brainstorming ideas and planning BEFORE

they start writing.d) They will love writing because it’s fun.

Thus when students come to the writing component of NAPLAN, they will be verycomfortable with the task.

The best way to know what students go through with NAPLAN (and how you can improvetheir experience and results) is to try these experiments.

1. Reading the instructionsExperiment #1: You are about to write an email to a friend persuading them to join you inyour favourite sport/hobby. You have five minutes to plan this.

Now have someone read the entire page of NAPLAN instructions to you aloud.

e.g. Think about:• an introduction – a way to introduce your ideas clearly• your opinions – with reasons or evidence that explain them• a conclusion – a summary of the main points of your argument• Yadda, yadda, etc, etc.

Got any ideas yet? No. And neither will your students. What is worse, they will be panickingand thinking they SHOULD have ideas.

So before the NAPLAN tests, give the instructions to your students. Get them used to all thedetails. If you have prepared your students correctly, this should all be second nature to themat NAPLAN time. Tell them to ignore you and the instructions as you read them.

2. Creativity can be practisedExperiment #2: This is a timed experiment. Pick five interesting persuasive topics. (There is aTopic List in this section if you need help.)

Students form groups of four. Brainstorming is more fun and far more creative in groups.

Each day give students a new topic and set the groups just five minutes to come up with ideas.

In the first day or so, students struggle with this, five minutes seems like a long time.



NAPLAN TEST TIPS

By the end of the week, note the energy level of the room and the originality of the ideas. Theeasiest way to see how much students have improved is to compare the number of ideas theyhave generated on Monday compared to the long list they have on Friday.

Creativity, like any other skill, improves with practice.

Think about how doing a simple exercise like this before NAPLAN tests will improve students’ideas and originality.

3. Do NOT walk around the roomExperiment #3: Sit at a table and start creatingsomething original like a poem or persuasive ad. Nowhave someone walk behind you a couple of times.Stay focussed. Next have them lean over and readyour work over your shoulder. Are you feeling creative- or threatened? Have them come back a fewminuteslater and do some more reading. Are you stillconcentrating? I doubt it. Research shows thatpeople standing behind you will raise blood pressureand intrude on your concentration. Police interrogateprisoners in this way, without even touching them.

Of course, if a student is looking worried, do go andoffer aid. However, don’t wander aimlessly aroundthe room. Stay nailed to your chair and let kids think.

The Real GoalFinally, NAPLAN is just a snapshot in time of how students can communicate and write. Thefinal goal of persuasive writing is this:

• Will students be able to write to a friend and get them to sponsor a child in Africawith them?

• Will they have the confidence to write to their council and get out of a parking ticket ifthey have a good reason?

• Will they have the ability to persuade others to help the environment – to recycle, savewater or stop climate change?

That is really what persuasive writing and the power of words is all about.



PERSUASIVE TOPICS

Persuade a friend to volunteer with you at Meals on Wheels.

Junk food should not be sold in school canteens.

Persuade your parents to give you a big raise in your pocket money.

Spiders versus snakes – which are more dangerous?

We shouldn’t have exams in primary school.

Dogs versus cats – which is the better pet?

Should every school have a school uniform?

Country living is better than city living.

You should always tell the truth, even if it hurts.

It’s better to be sporty than clever.

Are small families better than big families?

Your grandparents talk about the ‘good old days’ when they were young.

Were they really better than now?

E-readers will take over from books.

Brothers are better than sisters.

Ghosts really do exist.

Girls have it easier than boys.



THE STORY GRAPH - PLANNING GUIDE

An exposition style essay can set out facts, but to persuade, writing has to get thereaders’ attention and change the way they think.

Facts don’t change people’s thinking – the three E’s do.

Engagement + Emotion + Energy

On the next page a story graph is outlined. This is the basis of all writing.

Over 99% of novels, short stories, magazine articles, scripts, movies and TV shows allfollow the Story Graph. Most songs, dinner party stories and jokes follow the outline. Allof my 23 books do, even the picture books.

Once students can see there is a pattern to follow, they can plan easily and feel muchmore confident when writing.



TheStoryGraph

-Persuasive

©JenMcVeity2012

Licensedforsingleschooluse.

www.sevenstepswriting.com

11SEVEN

STEPS

TO

WRITING

SUCCESS

SAMPLE PERSUASIVE PIECE

Topic: Reading books is better than watching TV

NOTE: See Part B – Plan for Success for the plan to this style of article. This work is approximately

500 words long. Warning: There is no guarantee this piece of writing will get a perfect score in a

NAPLAN test! However the main goal of a persuasive piece of writing is to be powerful and

engaging – and to persuade. Will this change your attitude to books andTV? Then it has succeeded.

Title: Books – magic, mystery and history to hold in your hand

I’m in a fantasy land - magical, mysterious and far away. I am a sorceress, a power, aleader of thousands. Oh… OK, I admit it, I’m in bed, curled up with a book, alone. Thoughyou’re never alone with a book.

Books are not only magical, they are one of the simplest sources of entertainment andknowledge in our world. Look around you on planes and trains and automobiles, howmany people are living rich inner worlds while they head to work each day? Check out thepeople lying by the pool or on the beach. How many are turning pages and laughing orlearning with a book? You don’t see people lugging a TV to the beach do you? No, thereis the heat and the electricity problem, oh and the small problem of the sand.

With books the informationis always at your fingertips.Want to check up on thatinformation about polarbears? Turn back a fewpages, there is it, safe andsecure. On TV, bad luck,it’s gone. Sorry if yousneezed or you had to goto the bathroom or answerthe phone. Flick… themoment is over. You willnever know that polarbears are left handed.



SAMPLE PERSUASIVE PIECE

What are you doing at exactly 8.31pm tomorrow night? TV is great if you want to watch amovie and you are free. Free that is from homework and from chores (‘Jessica, can youempty the dishwasher?’) and free from the phone ringing and your best friend filling you inon THE best news of the year… Of course you could always rent the DVD from the localstore and catch up – if you have a spare $8 and if you promise to return it in a day. TV is arigid taskmaster, forcing you to obey its schedule. Can’t be there at 8.31? Too bad. Yetyour book is waiting patiently for you forever.

You might also want to consider how much an hour of your time is worth. With a bookyou could be sure those sixty minutes of reading time are filled with value, knowledge andinspiration. With TV, ads are allowed to take up twenty minutes of each TV viewing hour.That’s 1/3 of your time where someone is bleating at you to buy a bra, buy a car or shellout $4500 (‘no interest to pay for 3 years’) for a lounge suite. Hello? You’re still in school,who wants a lounge suite? Plus have you ever noticed how much LOUDER the ads areon TV? So here’s another question. Have you ever seen an ad in a book? No? It’s bliss.

‘Jessica, turn that light off, get to bed!’ calls my mother. A sword swings in the magicalforest and I barely hear her. In the distance I hear them turn off the TV and clatter intobed. I snuggle down deeper with my book, turn another page and just keep on reading.



Step 1: Plan for Success

Top TechniquesA strong piece of writing is always based on great ideas.

However many people rush into writing. They think pushing a pen around is ‘real’work. Wrong. The real work of writing lies in thinking. This means you generate high quality ideas– and thus have something important to say.

Before

Books are better than TV.

I think books are better than TV because they are light and easy to carry and you can travelwith them on trains and things. You can read them at any time, and I like the smell ofbooks. Plus TV has too many ads and books don’t.

Here the person has read the topic, and then immediately started writing. The result? All the ideasare crammed into the first paragraph and the writer doesn’t explain any of them. There’s nothingpersuasive here because it’s just a list of facts.

Even worse, now the poor writer has to start padding and using weaker ideas to make up the nextfew paragraphs.

So how do you plan a persuasive piece? Firstly by brainstorming LOTS of ideas. Secondly, you orderthe ideas into sections (or paragraphs) that form your plan.

After

Part 1: Brainstorming ideasBooks are better than TV

• Light and portable – on the beach,people in trains, planes, etc.

• Information is permanent – withTV the information is gone.

• Can read again and again.• Like the smell of books.• TV locks you into a set time. Got

to be there at 8.30 or else. Toomany other things like homework or friends at that time.

• Make great presents – can’t give a TV!• Can read in bed, under the covers.• Ads on TV – over 20 minutes in an hour telling you what to buy or how to look beautiful.• Quiet. Everyone can read a different book in a room.

Push past the ‘pain barrier’ in brainstorming to come up with original ideas. The first ideas are easy,but they will be the ideas everyone else thinks of too.



TOP TIPThink first, and second, andthird - and write last. Greatwriting always starts withgreat ideas.


Part 2: Ordering of IdeasSo now you have lots of ideas, which will be the building blocks of your writing. Next, figure outwhich ideas are strong and which are weak.

Weaker ideasSome of these might be able to be used in otherparagraphs, or even used as a Sizzling Start. Some canjust be deleted altogether.

• Like the smell of books.• Make great presents – can’t give a TV!• Can read in bed, under the covers.• Quiet. Everyone can read a different book in a room.

Strong ideasThere are four strong points, each of which could sustain awhole paragraph. Four main ideas means four paragraphsin the BODY of the writing. (There is still the introductionand conclusion to come.) You can also add to the plan asyou sort it out.

Introduction (Sizzling Start) goes here. (See Step 2.)

Argument 1: Books are light and portable- On the beach, by the pool, people in trains going to work, planes, etc- See people reading often.

Argument 2: Information is permanent- TV, the information is gone in an instant- Books have indexes- Can read again and again.

Argument 3: TV locks you into a set time- Got to be there at 8.30 or else- Best programs are on when you have to do homework or friends call.

Argument 4: Ads are always onTV- 20 minutes an hour is usually ads- Ads always louder than program, too loud- Ever seen an ad in a book?

Conclusion (Ending with Impact) goes here. (See Step 7.)




Introduction and ConclusionNext you just write a Sizzling Start andan Ending with Impact.(See Step 2 and Step 7.)

Build up to the BestFinally, when ordering your ideas, keepyour strongest argument for near theend. To be more persuasive, youshould build up to your best ideas sothat you End with Impact.

Easy isn’t it? You have a plan!

See how it looks on the Seven Steps Story Graph.

MORE HELP:• See the full story from this plan.

(Part A)• Over 7 worksheets for planning

(Part C)• A blank Story Graph for students

(Part C)

NAPLAN Note:

1. Ideas are the building blocks of great writing. NAPLAN suggests 5 minutes for planning, Icontest this, we need MORE time, at least 10 minutes. As an author I probably spend 20% ofmy writing time generating ideas (brainstorming) and then ordering them into a plan.

2. A powerful plan leaves room for the writer to PERSUADE using such tools as Show Don’t Tell(Step 5), rhetorical questions, Dynamic Dialogue (Step 4) and emotive language.

3. Plus, because the argument has a strong plan, the writer should get excellent points for ideas(5 marks), cohesion (4 marks), text structure (4 marks) and of course, paragraphing (3 marks).

It’s all set up by a great plan.




Action Activities

Think First, Write SecondYour mission? Convince students that THINKING is the most important part ofwriting. (Remember approximately 20% of an author’s time is spent planning and brainstorming.)

• Share with students how you brainstorm and plan, in your everyday writing.• Collate quotes from authors on planning. (Thanks Google.)• Invite authors to your school. Ask them to bring their plans.• Separate brainstorming and planning from actually writing.

Make them two different time slots.• Plus, one of the best ways to help kids plan is to use the Story Graph.

(The most used part of the original Seven Steps teacher manual.)

Project Management = PlanningIn groups, get students to brainstorm all the different ways we already use planning in our lives,e.g. Trips to Queensland, building a playhouse, designing a website, etc.

The Alpha MysteryIt makes a huge difference if students can understand how their brain works. If you've been partof a Seven Steps toWriting Success workshop, you'll know all about Alpha brain waves and howthe logical versus creative brain functions. If not, Google ‘Alpha Brain Waves and Creativity’ andsee what you find.

Knowing it takes a minute or two to get into Alpha, will help students break the habit of grabbingone or two ideas and then start writing. Hopefully they will keep brainstorming until they pushthrough to Alpha and come up with far more original ideas.

“I wish I’d learnt all of thisbefore this year’s NAPLAN,but now looking forward tonext year’s. Inspiring,awesome, brilliant,enlightening!”Michelle Mason,

Glenmore SS



Step 2: Sizzling Starts

Top Techniques

First impressions are vital. Meet someone new and within three minutesyou already know if they are confident or shy, interesting or boring – and if youwant to talk to them more. Story starts are exactly the same. You have about three sentencesto reach out to your reader and make an impression.

In persuasive writing you should use the introduction to say which side you wish to argue.However you can be creative:

BeforeI think cats are better thandogs because...

AfterThey slobber on your bestoutfit, they bark all nightand their breath smellsexactly like meat left out inthe sun for a week. Dogs aspets, I don’t get it. Give mea cat quiet and curled upon my knee, purrrrlease.

Some text books tell you to summarise the arguments you will be making in the introduction andthen explain them.

BeforeI think books are better than TV because 1)... 2)... 3)... Let me explain.

It’s a bit boring and you are basically using the whole first paragraph to set out the arguments youare going to say anyway. There are more effective ways to persuade.

AfterI’m in a fantasy land far away, magical and mysterious. I am a sorceress, a power, a leaderof thousands. OK, I admit it, I’m in bed, reading a book. TV just doesn’t cut it.

See how you have immediately got your reader interested and on your side? You are now in control.



TOP TIPYou only have sevenseconds to grab yourreader’s interest. Startwith impact. Firstimpressions are vital!

Step 2: Sizzling Starts

Action Activities

Five Minute Fast StartsHere are some new topics for our ever popular Five Minute Fast Starts. The challenge is forstudents to write five Sizzling Starts in five minutes. (Yes that’s right, one minute per start!)Remember the aim is NOT to make it hard work and ask students to write the whole article, justkeep it fun, fast and stick to the starts.

1. Animals should not be kept in zoos.

2. People should be allowed to beg on

the streets.

3. Energy drinks like Mother and Red

Bull are dangerous.

4. If women were in charge of the

world, wars would end.

5. Santa Claus really does exist.

Form groups and get students to sharetheir starts with their friends. They laughand learn so much from each other.

Three Word ChallengePair students up. Each person writes down three words on a piece of paper.e.g. ‘soup’, ‘racing’ and ‘invisible’.

Then they swap papers. Students each get two minutes to write a Sizzling Start, using the three words.

The last thing he ate was soup, three days ago. The note in front of him asked for food. Yet the man

racing down the street, with the expensive Rolex on his wrist didn’t even see him. When you are poor

and need help, you are invisible.

It doesn’t really matter what you are arguing, as long as you are persuasive. The randomness of thewords gets students thinking outside the square – i.e. creatively.

Headline of adsSend students on a search for headlines that grab them. These are also a type of Sizzling Start.Great titles are very powerful – and thus very persuasive.

“FANTASTIC. I want toknow more – I want to writemore – with the kids!”Greg Fisher, Principal,Heywood Consolidated PS



Step 3: Tightening Tension

Top Techniques

In persuasive writing, the arguments or ideas should be built up paragraphby paragraph to a powerful crescendo (the tension scene). Immediately afterthis comes the ending – often a short 'clincher' or emotionally charged paragraph that closesthe writing.

The strong 'crescendo' before the ending is where writers persuade people – and change theirideas forever. Here is a well known example.

BeforeIn conclusion I think that every person has the right to be free no matter what colour their skin.

As readers, we are not convinced. Something is saying in our brain: 'Oh yeah? Prove it.'

AlternativeMartin Luther King – I have a DreamWhen we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, fromevery state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children,black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to joinhands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, Free at last! Free at last! Thank GodAlmighty, we are free at last!

Here’s another example.

BeforeFinally, plastic bags should be banned because they are not as easily disposed of as some

people think. They pollute the land and the sea.

After (Tension/Crescendo technique)You think plastic bags are harmless?Tell that to the dolphin with theplastic bag wound around its snout,slowly starving to death. You thinkthey’re light, easily thrown out? Overone million bags a week are buried,ditched and dumped in our country.One little bag blowing in the windcouldn’t hurt, could it? One maybewouldn’t, a million does.

Use the Story Graph to help students plot their Persuasive writing. The ending will have far moreimpact if it is preceded by a powerful tension paragraph.

TOP TIPSave your strongest idea forlast to build up to apowerful climax. Usequestions, rule of three,short words andsentences to

persuade.



Step 3: Tightening Tension

Action Activities

The Nine Day ChallengeSend your students into the world and ask them to find an example of powerfultension scenes which build to a memorable ending in each of these genres. Get them to bringback samples from one genre a day and share them in a group. For older students, look at thepersuasive techniques used and discuss their effectiveness.

1. Speeches (e.g Winston Churchill, keynotes at conferences)

2. Poetry (e.g. 'Ozymandias' by Shelley or ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling)

3. Plays (e.g. 'Friends, Romans, Countrymen...' Julius Caesar by Shakespeare)

4. Advertising (e.g. The Smith Family)

5. Songs (e.g. Missy Higgins’ video clip of ‘Steer’)

6. Magazine articles

7. Movies (e.g. final scene in ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’)

8. Books (narratives can be persuasive e.g. ‘1984’ by George Orwell)

9. Sit coms.

Become an oratorGet students to select a speech and isolate thetension/crescendo scene. They should practise it, thenread it to a group.

The Gettysburg Address(Abraham Lincoln, 19 November 1863)

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great

task remaining before us – that from these

honored dead we take increased devotion to that

cause for which they gave the last full measure of

devotion – that we here highly resolve that these

dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation,

under God, shall have a new birth of freedom –

and that government of the people, by the people,

for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

“Excellent practicalteaching ideas thatengage all learners.”Deanne Weatherall,Clinton SS



Step 4: Dynamic Dialogue

Top Techniques

Most people think dialogue is mainly used for the narrative style. However,small sections of short, sharp dialogue can give a huge vibrancy to all writing.

Which has more power?

Before

This face cream can make your skin look ten years younger.

After

‘My skin is glowing, I look at least ten years younger.'

Quotations from people add authenticity.

Before

Nursing homes sometimes don’t care enough for their patients. They let people lie in bed for

days. One patient broke his leg and it was a month before anyone found out.

After

'If I treated my dog this way, the RSPCA would sue me,' said the daughter of one patient

who broke his leg and waited over a month for it to be treated.

In real life we learn about people by listening to

their words, so in writing it has a huge effect.

Before

It’s cold outside. The wind is howling.

I curl up on the couch and call for my cat.

After

It’s cold outside. The wind is howling.

I curl up on the couch and call my cat.

‘Here kitty, kitty, kitty...’



TOP TIPReal words from real peopleare incredibly powerful.Use quotations, tips fromexperts and dialogue toconvince.

Step 4: Dynamic Dialogue

Action Activities

QuotationsQuotations from famous (or funny) people are also a way to introduce a ‘voice’ into apiece of writing, e.g. cats versus dogs:

• Dogs come when they are called. Cats take a message and get back to you. (Mary Bly)

• Cats are smarter than dogs. You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through snow. (Jeff Valdez)

Next time you set a topic, get students to search the internet for quotations on the idea.Share them in groups, talk and discuss. Then students can brainstorm their own sayings.This is an excellent way to get them used to writing short and powerful taglines.

Words from the Experts

‘The use of pocket-money is one way to remove pressure children place on their parents to buy,

buy, buy,’ claims Michael Grose, a leading parent educator and author.

Convincing right? The expert voice carries huge weight and using their exact words is even morepersuasive. Ask students to find examples of an ‘expert’s words’ in:

• Books• Magazines• Newspapers

Get them used to the idea of quoting experts as a way to convince.

Dialogue Dares

'That's mine! I want it! Mummy, it's not fair!'

That’s the start of a persuasive paragraph. Here’s the challenge. Students have to use this as their‘creative topic sentence’ and continue on. For example:

All over the world, in thousands of languages these words are being yelled by kids.

Is fighting between children normal? Probably. Is it desirable? No.

So how can we show children a better way?

Some more topic sentences:

• 'What a lovely painting Jess. Did you do it all by yourself?'• 'Sheesh, not again. Get off my case for once will you. Talk to the hand.'• 'Darling, the yellow looks lovely on you. It matches your…er face.'• 'Make sure everything's switched off luv. Gotta make it safe.'

“I now have aframework to use.Actually I have beenlooking for somethinglike this for years.”Michael Routledge,Principal,

Westwood SS



Step 5: Show, Don’t Tell

Top Techniques

Kids ‘tell’ because it is quick and simple. However, it is also unconvincing.

Painting a word picture is probably the simplest and most persuasive technique ofall. You only have to look at advertising to see this. Charities such as the Smith Family andthe Salvation Army are great examples of Show, Don’t Tell persuasive advertising. Nocomplicated words and no overly complex sentence structures.They just show one child, onesituation – and make you see the world through their eyes.

What readers can see in their mind, makes them empathise and connect.

BeforeYes, we should help other countries

even when we have poverty here

because children in places like

Ethiopia are dying without water.

After

Thirsty? Walk into a shop and pick up

a bottle of water. Pay a few dollars,

unscrew the top and drink. That's if

you're lucky and live in Australia.

Now take a close look at that small

bottle in your hands. If you lived in

Ethiopia, that is all the water you

have to live on for three days.

BeforeCome to our tropical rainforest, you’ll love the silence and rich green colours.

After

You feel the silence first, until you listen more and hear the hundreds of birds calling and

singing in the valley. Underneath your feet, the leaves rustle and the spicy smell of gum trees

and damp earth comes with each step. The deeper into the forest you go, the more the green

will fill your soul – dark ferns, a riot of creepers, clinging moss, and through it all comes a

soft sunshine filtering through leaves to light memories.

Persuasive writing aims to evoke emotions and make people act – and that is why ads are the bestway of all to teach students the art of persuasive texts.



TOP TIPDetail shows us real life.Don’t talk about ‘lots’ orthousands or even millions.Show us one child in need,one dog greeting you atthe door or one personbeing a hero – that will

win your readersover.

Step 5: Show, Don’t Tell

Action Activities

Ads All AroundGet students to collect persuasive style ads from all sources. This includes:

Form groups and discuss the persuasive techniques. Vote on which ones ‘move’ the reader the most.

More Ideas For Ads All Around1. Make a poster collage of all the different ads you’ve found from above.

2. For older students get them to identify which emotion the ads are trying to invoke, e.g. familyappeal, youth appeal, expert appeal, curiosity, humour, safety, love, value for money.

3. Have a competition to see who can find the most persuasive ad each week. (A great way toteach students to look at all the advertising around them and analyse it.)

4. Now get students to create their own ad, using the Show, Don't Tell technique. They couldchoose to write and film aTV ad, design a print ad, create a radio ad, etc.

Advertise your school

Give students free reign! Take on the role of marketing your school. Get students to design anad to appear as a full page spread in the local paper. To be most persuasive they should ‘show’what are the best things about the school to others.



“Great to see writingbroken up into steps witha clear guide to engagekids to love writing.”Kellie Dobson,Duaringa SS

• Magazines• Newspapers• Google Ads• Anything online• Junk mail

• Direct mail• Email blasts• TV ads• Photos of posters/billboards

Step 6: Ban the Boring

Top Techniques

Planning is one of the key factors to Ban the Boring. When you have LOTSof great ideas – and you have ordered them into paragraphs – then a lot of the‘waffle’ and padding never even happens. This leaves you free to use a huge range ofpersuasive techniques.

BeforeI think snakes are a lot more dangerous than sharks. Sharks, you have to go swimming toget bitten, but snakes are on land. Plus the poison of a snake makes you really sick andsome people say that the treatment (antivenom) makes you sick for ages. It’s reallyimportant that you avoid snakes and wear shoes. I’ve seen lots of snakes in my life.

After

How many sharks have you seen in your life? None? Yet how many times have you heardthe cry ‘snake, snake!’ and felt real fear?

In the hot long grass of theAustralian paddocks, snakeslurk. Here come the kids,laughing and giggling, herecomes a farmer on his way towork, there go the camperslooking for water. You can’t seethem or hear them, but snakesare there. They don’t mean tokill, but when a careless footfalls too near, the snake rearsand attacks. That is whendisaster strikes.

The antivenom might save you – hopefully. However the cure can also cause severeproblems. ‘Large amounts of antivenom can cause rashes, arthritis and kidney problems,’claims Dr Geoff M, a specialist in snake bites...

A quick analysis shows this:• Planning (Step 1) has separated the ideas so that each one can be dealt with strongly.• Sizzling Start (Step 2) instantly tells which side the reader is on – and grabs our attention.• Dialogue (Step 4) gives more vibrancy (‘snake, snake’) and also conviction (Dr Geoff’s words).• Show, Don’t Tell (Step 5) shows us kids, farmers, campers... all people we can identify with.

Don’t settle for bland and boring – be brilliant!



TOP TIPLess is more. There are lotsof ideas and words areeasy. Take a tip fromauthors - slash and burnto make your ideas

stand out.

Step 6: Ban the Boring

Action Activities

Lose What They All Use

There are many ‘standard’ phrases which everyone uses hoping they’ll sound convincing.

Unfortunately 100,000 other students are all using the same phrases. With your students, form alist of things that are better avoided. Then encourage students to lose them forever. Here are afew of mine:

• I think... (Oh good, that’s a relief.)

• In my opinion... (Er, is anyone else writing this with you?)

• Some people think... (In other words, you have no facts and you heard people say this once.)

• My friends say... (They’re not experts either, it sounds immature.)

• It’s really, really important... (Really? Really, really? I’m not persuaded.)

• I’ve seen... (We’ve all seen strange stuff, personal experience is not really convincing.)

• In conclusion... (Duh, it’s the last paragraph right? The reader can see that. If you have any

sort of power in writing, avoid this extremely basic pointer.)

Cutting Room and Movies

‘Everyday’ does NOT have to be incorporated into writing. For instance, ever noticed how much

more exciting life is in movies?

Challenge students to watch TV and make a list called: ‘Real Life Things That Never Happen in

Movies’. The one with the longest, funniest or most original list wins!

Here are some fun examples:

• When someone steals a car, the driver’s seat is always in the correct position.

• All women wake up and go to bed wearing make-up.

• Every dog is calm and well trained.

• When eating at a cafe the food is served one minute after ordering it.

• No one has bad breath.

• Laptops don’t ever run out of battery.

• If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone you meet will know the steps.



“Great workable ideas,easy to implement. Goodfun ideas that kids willlove – working withoutknowing it.”Roberta Matsen,Koumala SS

Step 7: Endings with Impact

Top Techniques

An ending which has impact leaves that final convincing impression!Here are three different techniques.

1. Link to openingYour introduction (Sizzling Start) sets up ascenario. Your ending goes back and links to that.

Start‘Dad!’ she wailed. ‘Lucy says there isn’t atooth fairy. But there really is, isn’t there?’She looks up at you with dark pleadingeyes. She’s five years old. Do you tell herthe real truth or the happy fairytale?

End(After you’ve argued for truth on important things– but maybe white lies are also necessary.)

‘Dad, so what about the Tooth Fairy?She really will come tonight, won’t she?’You look into her shining eyes and you tell her the ‘truth’.‘Of course she will, the Tooth Fairy always comes to you, doesn’t she?’

2. Paint a word picture (Show, Don’t Tell)

BeforeTherefore I think big families are better than small families.

AfterAt dinner we sit down to steaming plates and lots of food and lots of noise. Dad is teasingJeremy about his girlfriend. Sarah has just conned me into helping her with her homework.We fight a lot, we laugh a lot. We’re a big family, but in the end, we’re always friends.

3. Call to actionWe need to feel we can make a difference. Tell the reader exactly what to do.

BeforeIn conclusion children need to grow up safely and you can help.

AfterCan you do just two things? Give up just one ice-cream a week, that’s $3. Give that moneyto a child in Nepal. Give that they may grow.



TOP TIPThere are 3 main ways toend with impact. Link tothe opening, ShowDon’t Tell or create acall to action.

Step 7: Endings with Impact

Action Activities

Journalism ClosersGet students to pick a magazine or newspaper article they have read this week. In groupsof 3–5, ask them to read out the last line of the article and explain why it works.

Quotes from authorsAsk every student to find a quotation from a journalist, author or script writer about endings. Theycan write them up in coloured texta on a big poster. There should be as many quotes as there arestudents in the class. The trick is this – the early students get their work up first, later students can’trepeat quotations and have to go back and research more.• ‘If I see an ending, I can work backward.’ (Arthur Miller)

• ‘In my end is my beginning.’ (T. S. Eliot)

Three Ending Techniques

Link to opening

Challenge students to write the Sizzling Starts and Endings with Impact to these topics:• Ghosts really do exist.• Brothers are better than sisters.

Paint a word picture (Show, Don’t Tell)

Write the Conclusion/Ending for these topics:• Camping versus motels – which is better for holidays?• Every student should do voluntary work to help others.

Call to action

Create a ‘do something better’ ending for these campaigns.• Clean up your school.• Ban exams!



“Absolutely fantastic!...If I had learnt these stepswhen I was at school Iwouldn’t have thought ofEnglish lessons asboring.”Kelli Johnson,

Dysart SS

SEVEN STEPS TEMPLATES

Persuasive writing is an integral part of the school curriculum, and it is part of theNAPLAN testing from 2011 onwards. However, the final goal of persuasive writing isto equip students with the skills to communicate with power and to challenge andchange people’s thinking.

Too often students start writing with only a few scattered ideas in their head. Thesewriting templates show students how to ‘think first and write second’.

The benefits?

• Taking time to brainstorm means far greater originality and depth of ideas.

• Separating the thinking and planning from the physical act of writing means studentsdon’t have to simultaneously think and write. Thus their expression and use ofpersuasive techniques radically improves.

• Many brains make light work. Group work is used often. Working in groups frees upthe imagination, generates more original ideas, and of course is more fun.

What is included:

2 x simple writing templates (group work)• Dogs vs cats• Brothers vs sisters

1 x advanced writing template (group work)• Spiders vs snakes

1 x advanced writing template(individual work)

• It’s better to be sporty than clever

1 x linear planning template

1 x visual planning template (Story Graph)

1 x blank writing template



EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

TOPIC: Dogs or cats - which are the better pet?

Your side: Dogs are better.

1. Form groups of exactly four. All of youmust write dogs are better than cats.

2. Number off in the groups 1, 2, 3, 4.

3. Time to brainstorm. Everyone (exceptPerson 4) gets 1 - 2 minutes ofbrainstorming from the group.

Person 1

Your topic:How do dogs show affection?

Jot down all the ideas the group gives you.(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Get home and dogs are delighted

to see you.• They wag their tails, bark, look happy.

Person 2

Your topic:What games can you play with your dog?(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Play fetch with a stick.• Will chase ball in beach cricket.

Person 3

Your topic:How easy is it to care for a dog?(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Dogs are not fussy about food.• They are easily trained.



BRAINSTORMING SPACE

EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

Person 4

You don’t get brainstorming time. Your role isTop (Introduction) andTail (Conclusion).You have to write:

a) Sizzling Start (Introduction)It can be very creative as long as the reader knows immediately which side you are arguing.• Dogs have best friends, cats have staff. If you want to be employee of the month get a cat.

If you want to be greeted at the door as if you are bringing chicken and chocolate and a freetrip to Luna Park every night, get a dog.

b) Ending with Impact (Conclusion)Create an ending readers will remember.• I’m tired, I open the front door, Freddy hears me and starts barking in delight. I know exactly

what’s he’s trying to say. ‘Welcome home, it’s so great to see you, come play, come play!’

4. Time to write. Each person in the group writes just their part of the article.(One paragraph each, or two short ones for Person 4 doing theTop andTail.)

Depending on your grade level, you have 4 - 8 minutes to write.

Ready, steady... write!

5. Now arrange yourself in order of your paragraphs. Try to find a cat lover group. Read yourarticle to the opposing team. Good luck. May the most persuasive team win!



EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

TOPIC: Dogs or cats - which are the better pet?

Your side: Cats are better.

1. Form groups of exactly four. All of youmust write cats are better than dogs.



Person 1

Your topic:How do cats show affection?

Jot down all the ideas the group gives you.(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Curl up on lap.• Purr loudly when patted.

Person 2

Your topic:What games can you play with your cat?(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)

• Chase a ball and string.• Hide and seek.

Person 3

Your topic:How easy is it to care for a cat?(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Clean themselves

- never have to bathe a cat.• They don’t need walks every day.



BRAINSTORMING SPACE

EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

Person 4

You don’t get brainstorming time. Your role is Top (Introduction) and Tail (Conclusion). Youhave to write:a) Sizzling Start (Introduction)It can be very creative as long as the reader knows immediately which side you’re arguing.• Cats were once worshipped as gods, and you can see why. Sleek, soft and intelligent, they

are the soul of a home.

b) Ending with Impact (Conclusion)Create an ending readers will remember.• It’s raining, the wind is howling, next door I hear the neighbour’s dog whining for a walk.

Poor man and dumb dog. I’m cuddled up on the couch, warm and cosy... with my cat.

4. Time to write. Each person in the group writes just their part of the article. (Oneparagraph each, or two short ones for Person 4 doing theTop andTail.)



5. Now arrange yourself in order of your paragraphs. Try to find a dog lover group. Readyour article to the opposing team. Good luck. May the most persuasive team win!



EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

TOPIC: Brothers are better than sisters

Your side: Brothers are better.

1. Form groups of exactly four. All of youmust write brothers are better thansisters.



Person 1

Your topic:How has a brother helped you?(It doesn’t have to beYOUR brother.)

Jot down all the ideas the group gives you.(1 - 2 minutes). Remember to create pictures– and emotions – in the reader’s mind.• Helped me move my bedroom around.• Never minds if I borrow his clothes.

Person 2Your topic:What things can boys do that are useful?(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)

• Great at reading maps and finding where to go.• Strong – can open jars, lift heavy things.• Good to play sport with – and watch sport too.

Person 3Your topic:You get to criticise sisters! Have fun.(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Always on phone and Facebook.• Spends hours in the bathroom.• Sides with Mum in arguments.



BRAINSTORMING SPACE

EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

Person 4

You don’t get brainstorming time. Your role is Top (Introduction) and Tail (Conclusion). Youhave to write:a) Sizzling Start (Introduction)It can be very creative as long as the reader knows immediately which side you’re arguing.• I’m a tomboy, which means I’m a girl. I’ve always wanted a brother. Brothers are great, they

can hit a ball, they can take you surfing and best of all they don’t hog the phone or thebathroom every day of your life.

b) Ending with Impact (Conclusion)Create an ending readers will remember.• So there you have it. Girls giggle and conversations are a minefield. If you ask me multi-task

means multi-chaos. So...does anyone out there want to swap their brother for my sister?

4. Time to write. Each person in the group writes just their part of the article. (Oneparagraph each, or two short ones for Person 4 doing the Top and Tail.)



5. Now arrange yourself in order of your paragraphs. Try to find a ‘sister’ group. Read yourarticle to the opposing team. Good luck. May the most persuasive team win!



EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

TOPIC: Brothers are better than sisters

Your side: Sisters are better.

1. Form groups of exactly four. All of youmust write sisters are better thanbrothers.



Person 1

Your topic:How has a sister helped you?(It doesn’t have to beYOUR sister.)

Jot down all the ideas the group gives you.(1 - 2 minutes). Remember to create pictures– and emotions – in the reader’s mind.• Helps me with my homework.• Taught me to braid my hair.

Person 2

Your topic:What things can sisters do that are useful?(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Can share secrets with.• Help patch up fights with parents.

Person 3

Your topic: You get to criticise brothers!How easy is that? Have fun.(1 - 2 minutes of brainstorming.)• Just grunts when you talk to him.• Smells of sweat a lot.• Gets out of chores heaps. (Lazy.)



BRAINSTORMING SPACE

EASY GROUP TEMPLATE

Person 4

You don’t get brainstorming time. Your role is Top (Introduction) and Tail (Conclusion). Youhave to write:a) Sizzling Start (Introduction)It can be very creative as long as the reader knows immediately which side you’re arguing.• I’ve never forgiven my sister for what she did when I was nine, but I’ve never forgotten all

the things she did to help me, comfort me and made me smile all the other days in my life.

b) Ending with Impact (Conclusion)Create an ending readers will remember.• Sisters are annoying and bossy and can beat you to the bathroom any time, any day. Yet when

things go wrong, when you are hurting or struggling or are just in need of a listener, sistersare there. You can try and fool the world, but you can’t fool your sister.

4. Time to write. Each person in the group writes just their part of the article. (Oneparagraph each, or two short ones for Person 4 doing theTop andTail.)



5. Now arrange yourself in order of your paragraphs. Try to find a ‘brothers’ group. Readyour article to the opposing team. Good luck. May the most persuasive team win!



ADVANCED GROUP TEMPLATE

Topic: Spiders versus snakes– which are more dangerous?

In this example

a) You work in groups.b) You brainstorm and then order ideas

into a plan.c) Each person will write one paragraph

of the article.d) Soon you will learn how to do this on

your own.

Task 1: Form groupsDecide if you want to argue for spiders or forsnakes being the most dangerous.

Form groups of 4-6 people on your side.

Warning: As each person will be writing oneparagraph of the article, the more people in your group, the more ideas you will need. Beware!

Task 2: BrainstormWhat are all the ideas you can think of FOR or AGAINST the topic? Remember all ideas can beincluded, you will select and order them later. Be flexible and have fun.




Task 3: Select and group ideas

Look at the brainstorm list. It will bechaotic – full of great ideas, some weakerideas and some downright silly ideas!

Talk to the others in your group. Whatare the 3-5 main ideas? What ideas canbe joined together? What ideas shouldbe deleted?

For younger students 3 main ideas areenough, for older students you canprobably use 3-6 ideas.

Sort the ideas into main sections. E.g.

• Main idea 1: Spiders are very common.You hardly ever see a snake.

• Main idea 2: Spiders often come outat night. Can’t see them.

• Main idea 3: More hospital visitsfrom spider bites than snake bites.

Task 4: Divide up the work

Each person chooses one main idea towork on.

Save one person to do theTop (introduction)and Tail (conclusion). See below.



MAIN IDEA 1

MAIN IDEA 2

MAIN IDEA 3

MAIN IDEA 4 (OPTIONAL)



Task 5: Brainstorming help

Now each person gets approximately one minutebrainstorming help from the group to give themmore ideas. For instance:

Person 1: Spiders are far more common.Hardly ever see a snake.• I’ve seen one snake – and 20,000 spiders.• Spiders are in houses, cars, in the garden.

Person 2: Spiders can come out at nightas well as day.• One night, two spiders were in

my bedroom.• Snakes are reptiles so need sun to move.

Person 3: More spider bites than snake bites.• 3000 snake bites a year but 4000

spider bites.

Task 6: The Top and Tail Person

You don’t get brainstorming time. Your role is Top(Introduction) and Tail (Conclusion).You have to write:

a) Sizzling Start (Introduction)It can be creative, even fun as long as the readerknows exactly which side you are arguing.

• Australia has more animals that bite and fightthan any other nation in the world. Howeverwhich would you rather face, a shy snake in theoutback or a poisonous spider in your bed?

b) Ending with Impact (Conclusion)• Australia has one of the harshest climates in

the world and yes the most poisonous snakes.Yet it is when you are curled up in bed, asleepand unknowing that the spiders come out. Bewarned. You may never wake up.



BRAINSTORMING SPACE


Task 7: Time to write.

Each member of the group has 4 - 8 minutes (depending on your grade level) to write theirparagraph (and the Top and Tail) of the article.

Task 8: Read and order paragraphs

Share your paragraph with the group. Now you can put them in order for maximum impact.Remember the Story Graph? Powerful writing builds up to a climax so put your best paragraphnear the end.

Task 9: Persuade!

Find a group with an opposing point of view. Read your full persuasive piece to the other team.Can you convince them that spiders/snakes ARE the most dangerous?



ADVANCED SOLO TEMPLATE

Topic: It’s better to be sporty than clever

In this example

a) You’ll be working alone.

b) You will brainstorm and then order

ideas into a plan.

c) Brainstorm again to get more ideas for

each section.

d) Write the full article.

Task 1: Brainstorm

What are all the ideas you can think of FORand AGAINST the topic? Remember all ideascan be included here. You will select andorder them later.

Task 2: Decide your side

Decide if you want to argue for being sportyor for being clever.

For this example, let’s say you will argue it’sbetter to be sporty.

Task 3: Select ideas

Look at the brainstorm list. It will be chaotic– full of great ideas, some weaker ideas andsome downright silly ideas! Pick the ideasyou need. Ask yourself:

• What are the 3-5 main ideas?• What ideas can be joined together?• What ideas should be deleted?

For younger students 3 ideas are enough, forolder students you can probably use 3-5 ideas.



BRAINSTORMING IDEAS


Task 4: Sort the ideas into mainsectionsE.g.

• Main idea 1: Sports people get paidmore than clever people.

• Main idea 2: They have a great life,lots of travel to interesting places.

• Main idea 3: More popular at parties,get to be on TV.

Remember the Story Graph? Powerfulwriting builds up to a climax so put yourbest and strongest ideas near the end.

Task 5: Brainstorm moreNow brainstorm for 2-3 minutes more on eachof the main ideas.

Main idea 1: Sports people get paid more thanclever people.• The head of a huge company gets $3

million a year. A tennis player can get thatin a month.

• Endorsements add more money, e.g. $1million for wearing a Rolex watch.

Main idea 2: Sports people have a great life,lots of travel to interesting places.• Paris on Saturday, Australia on Sunday.• Get to sign autographs.

Main idea 3: More popular at parties, get onTV.• Name who won a Nobel Prize? Too hard.

OK, who won the football?• People know your face, you’re famous.



MAIN IDEA 1

MAIN IDEA 2

MAIN IDEA 3




Task 6: Top (introduction) and Tail (conclusion)

Now write:

a) Sizzling Start (Introduction)It can be creative – even fun – as long as the reader knows immediately which side you are arguing.

• Can you name the head of IBM? What about the person who won the Nobel Prize for literature?Too hard? So here’s an easier question, name one of the top tennis players in the world.Yes, you’re right! So who would you rather be, a sports person or a clever person?

b) Ending with Impact (Conclusion)• It’s midnight, the head of a huge company is just finishing work and is putting away his briefcase.

He’s worked fourteen hours today. He’ll do the same tomorrow. With a sigh, he picks up theremote and turns on the TV. On the screen a top tennis star is just finishing off a match with aflashing forehand. The star will go to bed $100,000 richer tonight. The clever man sighs. ‘If only,’he thought, ‘I’d worked harder on my backhand.’

Task 7: Ready, set . . . write!

SIZZLING START - INTRODUCTION

MAIN IDEA 1






MAIN IDEA 1 (CONT)

MAIN IDEA 2

MAIN IDEA 3




MAIN IDEA 4 - OPTIONAL


END WITH IMPACT - CONCLUSION

PERSUASIVE PLAN TEMPLATE #1

This is what a persuasive piece of writing ‘looks’ like.

Topic:

Your side:



INTRODUCTION - A SIZZLING START

CONCLUSION - END WITH IMPACT

MAIN IDEA 1

EVIDENCE AND SUPPORTING IDEAS MAIN IDEA 2

EVIDENCE AND SUPPORTING IDEAS MAIN IDEA 3

EVIDENCE AND SUPPORTING IDEAS

PERSUASIVE PLAN TEMPLATE #2



TheStoryGraph

Youcanalso

plan

usingthisStory

Graph

TheStoryGraph

©JenMcVeity2012

Licensedforsingleschooluse.

www.sevenstepswriting.com

50SEVEN

STEPS

TO

WRITING

SUCCESS

BLANK WRITING TEMPLATE

“Writing is not something you do with your pen, it’s something youdo with your brain.” Jen McVeity

Want to write with power and persuasion? Follow this four stage guide.

All the information in the boxes is just thinking and brainstorming, so you don’t need to beneat when jotting down your ideas.

Stage 1: BrainstormFirst you need ideas - and LOTS of them.

a) BrainstormWhat are all the ideas you can think of FOR andAGAINST the topic?

b) Decide your sideLook at your ideas and decide which side youwant to argue.

c) Select and order ideasPick the ideas you need. Ask yourself:

• What are the 3-5 main ideas?• What ideas can be joined together?• What ideas should be deleted?

For young students 3 ideas are enough, for olderstudents you can probably use 3-5 ideas.



BRAINSTORMING IDEAS


Stage 2: Plana) List the main ideas into the boxes below.Remember the Story Graph?Put your strongest idea near the end.

b) Brainstorm moreNow brainstorm for 2-3 minutes more on each ofthe main ideas. You want facts, stories andevidence to back up the ideas.



MAIN IDEA 1

BRAINSTORM MORE EVIDENCE ANDFACTS TO SUPPORT YOUR IDEA.

MAIN IDEA 2


MAIN IDEA 3



You may have more ideas. Here is another planning page.



MAIN IDEA 4

BRAINSTORM MORE EVIDENCE AND FACTS TOSUPPORT YOUR IDEA.

MAIN IDEA 5

BRAINSTORM MORE EVIDENCE AND FACTS TOSUPPORT YOUR IDEA.


Stage 3: Top and TailThe opening sentences and the closing lines arewhat readers remember the most. Make thempowerful!

a) Brainstorm ideas for a Sizzling Start(introduction).

b) Brainstorm ideas for an Ending with Impact(conclusion).

These can be creative – even fun – as long as the readerknows immediately which side of the topic you are arguing.




BRAINSTORM


BRAINSTORM


Stage 4: WriteYou’ve done all the hard work, so now the writing is easy. Good luck and great writing!


MAIN IDEA 1




MAIN IDEA 2

MAIN IDEA 3











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Seven Steps Resources• Seven Steps to Writing Success - Narrative Writing• Seven Steps to Writing Success - Persuasive Writing• Seven Steps - Student Workbooks• Twenty Top Topics• Seven Steps DVD - Student Modelling• Parent Tip Sheet - for newsletters• The Lot - full school licences for all resources.Free email newsletter: www.sevenstepswriting.com

Contact UsHighlighting WritingPO Box 194 Sandringham VIC 3191Tel: (61-3) 9521 8439Fax: (61-3) 9521 8437Email: [email protected]

ISBN: 978-1-921052-25-5

Copyright Jen McVeity 2011.All rights reserved.

Illustrations by Ian [email protected]

Design and format by Firefly [email protected]

Step 1: Plan for Success • Step 2: Sizzling StartsStep 3: Tightening Tension • Step 4: Dynamic DialogueStep 5: Show, Don’t Tell • Step 6: Ban the Boring • Step 7: Endings with Impact

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SEVEN STEPS TO WRITING SUCCESSkyliejulie4745.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/0/2/32028825/seven... · 2019. 8. 29. · ©JenMcVeity2012 Licensedforsingleschooluse. 1 SEVEN STEPS TO WRITING