The Power of Words: Exploring Literacy and Expression · 2nd Year

Active learning ideas

Crafting Simple Persuasive Messages

Active learning works for crafting persuasive messages because children learn best when they create for real purposes. When students design messages to convince their peers or adjust for different audiences, they see immediate results and feedback. This hands-on practice builds confidence and clarity in their communication skills.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Communicating
• NCCA: Primary - Exploring and Using

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• RAFT Writing
• 30 min · Pairs

Game Pitch Pairs: Convince Your Partner

Pairs choose a game and create a 3-5 sentence persuasive message with drawings. One partner reads it aloud while the other acts as the audience and responds with yes or no reasons. Switch roles and revise based on feedback.

Design a persuasive message to convince a friend to play a certain game.

Facilitation Tip

During Game Pitch Pairs, circulate and listen for students using reasons like 'it’s fun' versus commands like 'you must play,' then pause to highlight which style gets a more positive response.

What to look for

Students write a short persuasive message on a postcard to convince a classmate to join their favorite after-school club. On the back, they write one sentence explaining why they chose specific words to make their message convincing.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• RAFT Writing
• 45 min · Small Groups

Persuasion Station Rotation: Audience Scenarios

Set up stations for different audiences: energetic friend, shy classmate, teacher. Small groups craft one message per station, using sticky notes for words and sketches. Rotate every 7 minutes and vote on the most convincing.

Justify the choice of words and images used to persuade a target audience.

Facilitation Tip

In Persuasion Station Rotation, provide scenario cards with clear audience details (e.g., 'a 5-year-old sibling' or 'your strict grandparent') to push students to tailor their language carefully.

What to look for

In pairs, students exchange their persuasive messages. One student reads their message aloud. The listener identifies the target audience and the main purpose. Then, they offer one suggestion for a word or phrase that could make the message even more persuasive.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Peer Review

Each student makes a poster persuading the class to try a snack or activity. Display posters around the room. Students walk, leave star stickers on favorites, and note one strong word or image with reasons.

Explain why understanding your audience is crucial for effective persuasion.

Facilitation Tip

For the Classroom Ad Gallery Walk, set a timer for 5 minutes per ad so students focus on identifying audience and purpose before moving on to peer feedback.

What to look for

Present students with three short, simple persuasive messages aimed at different audiences (e.g., convincing a parent to extend curfew, convincing a sibling to share a toy, convincing a teacher to give extra homework time). Ask students to quickly identify the audience and the main persuasive technique used in each.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• RAFT Writing
• 20 min · Individual

Word Bank Builder: Individual Drafts

Provide audience cards. Students pick one, build a message using a class word bank of persuasive terms like 'best ever' or 'try it now.' Share one line with a neighbor for quick thumbs up or down.

Design a persuasive message to convince a friend to play a certain game.

Facilitation Tip

In Word Bank Builder, encourage students to underline words they think will work best for their audience, which helps them articulate their choices later.

What to look for

Students write a short persuasive message on a postcard to convince a classmate to join their favorite after-school club. On the back, they write one sentence explaining why they chose specific words to make their message convincing.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model persuasive language with think-alouds, showing how they adapt words for different listeners. Avoid focusing only on outcomes—highlight the process of testing and revising messages. Research shows that young learners develop persuasion skills through repeated, scaffolded practice with immediate feedback, so keep cycles short and targeted.

Successful learning looks like students adapting their language and visuals to fit their audience’s interests and needs. They justify their choices with reasons and revise based on peer feedback. By the end, they can explain why some persuasive techniques work better than others in different situations.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Game Pitch Pairs, watch for students giving commands like 'Play this or you’ll be bored.'

  Prompt students to rephrase with reasons: 'You’ll love this game because it lets you build cool castles and it only takes ten minutes.' Have partners share which version felt more inviting.

• During Persuasion Station Rotation, watch for students using the same words or images for every audience.

  Ask students to hold up their scenario card and explain how their message would change if their audience were a teacher instead of a friend. Use peer examples to show different approaches.

• During Classroom Ad Gallery Walk, watch for students treating images as simple decorations.

  Before the walk, have students pair up and predict how a partner will react to each ad. After viewing, ask them to share whether the images made them more or less interested in the message.

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Methods used in this brief

• RAFT Writing
• Gallery Walk