The Persuasive Letter:
To Your Parents
IDEAS / CONTENT
 Review your Senior Portfolio
 Decide upon your action plan for
post-secondary education
 1st choice
 2nd choice – if you can’t decide
BACKGROUND
 Reread the most pertinent
portions of your Portfolio
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College Application Essay (narrative)
College Research Essay
Housing options research
Financial plan
Time management plan
ORGANIZATION
Organize your ideas into an outline
Paragraph 1 – Introduction
Paragraph 2 – Arguments/Reasons/
Support
Paragraph 3
–
Conclusion
Paragraph 1 -- Introduction
 Attention Getter or Hook
 Get the attention of the audience
 Background information
 What does the reader need to know about this
issue?
 Thesis statement
Paragraph 2 –
Your reasons/support
 Build to your strongest
argument/reason



Reason
Reason
Reason
#3
#2
#1
(weakest of the three)
(charts/graphs/spreadsheets)
(strongest argument)
 Use transitions
 First, second, primarily, most important,
etc.
Use a variety of support
Types of Support
 Prediction
 Observation
 Statistics
 Comparison
 Analysis
Paragraph 3 -- Conclusion
 Restate your thesis statement
 Provide a brief summary of your
argument/reasons
 Show how your parents will benefit from
supporting your choice
 Ask for your parents’ support
 Be specific in what you are asking for
PREWRITE / DRAFT / PROOFREAD
 Outline
 Rough draft
 Include a variety of Smiley Face
Tricks (minimum of 3)
PRESENTATION / CONVENTIONS
 Write your persuasive business letter
 Format: business letter
 Edit for grammar, spelling, and word
choice errors
Final Draft – TIIC midnight Friday
 Electronic Signature
 Black or blue ink
 Scripted font
 Typed formal name
 Share with your parent/guardian
Parent’s Part
 Extra Credit
 Your parent writes a letter/email
responding to your letter
 Make sure your teacher receives the
response