Student Guide for Persuasive Writing about Roanoke

This was a guide that our group created to help scaffold students in their management of the new material.  It has been invaluable in the implementation of the assignment, as we do not have 32 copies of the book...

Roanoke Colony                                                                                                            Name ______________

Outline

I.                Introduction Paragraph

A.    Hook

B.      Counterpoint

C.    Topic Sentence

D.    Preview Sentence

E.      Summary of Facts

II.             Reason #1

A.    Support for Reason #1

B.      Support for Reason #1

C.    Support for Reason #1

III.           Reason #2

A.  Support for Reason #2

B.   Support for Reason #2

C.  Support for Reason #2

IV.         Reason #3

A.  Support for Reason #3

B.   Support for Reason #3

C.  Support for Reason #3

V.           Closing Paragraph

A.    Review the reasons

B.      Call to action

C.    Memorable Wrap-up tied to your hook

Spelling Bank

Roanoke,  Croatoan, 1587, England, Spanish, native, vanished, soldiers, John White, Sir Walter Raleigh, Manteo, flyboat, pinnace flagship, Lyon, skeleton, token, attack, Virginia Dare, destination, armada, privateering, palisade, blond, blue-eyed, North Carolina, archeologists, signet ring, Hatteras Island, clothed

Transition Words for Time

Initially, suddenly, at first, in the year 1587, soon, upon returning, after a time, occasionally, earlier, meanwhile, then, in the end, later that year/day/month, eventually, while, finally, when…, just then, soon thereafter, once

Transition Words for Persuasion

Additionally, furthermore, for example, on the other hand, contrary to…, to prove this point, one reason, perhaps

Five Main Theories

1.       No colonist survivors—they were killed by Croatoans or Spanish explorers

2.      Absorbed by Native tribe—they either went to live with or were captured and enslaved by the Croatoans or Lumbee

3.      Lost at sea—the colonists tried to sail back to England on the pinnace and either got lost, sunk, or were captured by the Spanish

4.      The colonists split into more than one group—some tried to sail away and others stayed and were killed

5.      The White Doe—an Indian legend that says Virginia Dare was raised by Croatoans, but was turned into a white deer by an old medicine man that she refused to marry--some historians say that she is the mother or grandmother of Pocahontas

Circle the theory that you think states what actually happened to the settlers of Roanoke.  Place a star by a theory that is not yours, but that you think also has a lot of evidence (this starred item is what you will address in your counterpoint).

Tier One Historical Thinking

For the past two weeks, my class has been working on their Roanoke persuasive writing after reading Roanoke, An Unsolved Mystery from History. 

The good news is that it does seem to give students that buy in, a personal and intimate connection to the material they are learning.  The bad news is that I now know what happened to the lost colony of Roanoke...they threw themselves into the sea rather than edit another persuasive essay about their fate.

All kidding aside, I now have some very motivated writers and historians that also happen to be fifth graders.  A writing assignment that began as five paragraphs and a single source has blossomed into a part time occupation in research and a thesis for some, so I can't complain too much.

Roanoke Lesson Plan for Foundations

Understanding By Design – Backwards Design Process

(Developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2002)

Stage 1 – Desired Results
Standards: 1.    Historical Skill: Students will build a connection to the past. 2.    Writing Standard: Write persuasive letters or compositions:  state a clear position in support of a proposal, support a position with relevant evidence, follow a simple organizational pattern, and address reader concerns. (2.4) 3.    S.S. Standard: Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers. (5.3)
Understanding (s)/goals Students will understand that: 1.    There are multiple interpretations that can be supported by the evidence left behind from the first colonists of Roanoke. 2.    They need to choose the particular evidence that best supports their interpretation of the events.	Essential Question(s): 1.    What became of the first English settlers that disappeared from the Roanoke Colony? 2.    What evidence best supports this viewpoint?
Student objectives (outcomes):Students will be able to: 1.    Historical Skill: Express multiple theories of the Roanoke Colony events and identify evidence that would support or counter each theory. 2.    Writing Skill: Write a five paragraph persuasive essay with supporting evidence that clearly states the student’s opinion of what became of the settlers of the Lost Colony and addresses reader concerns.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s): 1.    Well organized graphic organizer that shows correctly placed evidence under the theory it supports 2.    Five paragraph persuasive essay clearly presenting their theories, counterpoints, and support	Other Evidence: 1.    Bonnie Bishop anticipation guide (pre and post)
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Activities: ·         Anticipation Guide—true or false ·         Read aloud Roanoke—An Unsolved Mystery from History by Heidi Stemple and Jane Yolen ·         Construct an evidence chart with columns for each of the seven theories ·         In small groups, examine images of primary sources and evaluate first-person accounts of these events—discuss how to best refute evidence that supports another position ·         Discuss and decide upon individual opinions of the evidence ·         Construct five-paragraph persuasive essay supporting their opinions

Summary of Initial Brainstorming for Foundations Project

Our group discussed using the picture book Roanoke, An Unsolved Mystery from History to teach persuasive writing.  We pulled together images of primary and secondary sources from the internet that lend themselves to an investigation into one of the seven theories of the outcome of the settlers from the first English colony in North America (for example, firsthand accounts of what was found on the second return, images of the signet ring discovered in North Carolina, quote of the discription of the appearance of Native Americans with Anglo features, etc.)

We decided to read this book slowly, constructing an evidence chart as we go with our classes.  Students will then choose the theory that they are most partial to and write a persuasive essay to convince their classmates that their survival theory is the best supported.  We are still discussing which goal this lesson best supports--it seems to both connect students with the past and help them to develop the big idea!

Quotes that relate to history and education

Here are some quotes that I have been utilizing with my students this week as writing prompts in Language Arts.  We are finishing up Sign of the Beaver, so while discussing theme, these provided a way to show how many books have multiple lessons or overriding themes.  The students had a great time explaining/arguing why the quote they chose from the list best fit the book.

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglass

No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.

-Frederick Douglass

What to the Slave is the 4th of July. -Frederick Douglass

Slaves are generally expected to sing as well as to work. -Frederick Douglass

 What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.-Samuel Johnson

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.  -Albert Einstein

Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading.  ~G.M. Trevelyan

Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves.  ~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928

Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.  ~Edward Everett

"Who you are is a result of what you have thought." -Buddha

"Do not prepare the path for the child. Prepare the child for the path and he will find his way." - Unknown, Native American

Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither .-Benjamin Franklin

AHF Summer Institute 2011

I was incredibly inspired by the summer seminar presenters of both practices and content.  I think that the highlight for me was the ways in which history can be brought to life by putting the STORY back into it.  Using picture books, puppets, songs, and famous quotes are all vehicles for the narrative.  Our school has begun to implement The Seven Habits of Happy Kids, by Sean Covey.  I am now searching for stories and individuals that exemplify and foster these character traits and tie them into the history that I am already teaching.  Yes, my credit card is suffering from my recent Barnes and Noble spree, but I know that the students will reap the benefits of a piece of visual history.