Note: This lesson will work best if your students are familiar with AFOREST as a framework. Check out this lesson which introduces students to the acronym first!

Bring attention to the lesson’s learning intention and discuss. Introduce students to the new mini unit which will provide them with a range of planning tools so they can dive straight into their persuasive writing.

Rule up three columns on the board/butcher’s paper, as below:

Now think aloud as you start to brainstorm reasons to support your argument (at least 3). Explain that these reasons will form your paragraphs. Once you’ve added these to your chart, rethink aloud as you brainstorm some statements incorporating AFOREST devices. Refer back to your AFOREST anchor chart if possible. E.g. “I think I could use the rule of three here…. Hmmm… Books are engaging, entertaining and educational - that’s some alliteration too!”; “How about a rhetorical question to support how books help you use your imagination… Don’t you want to get lost in the world of a wonderful book?”

As you go, revisit the effectiveness of these devices on the reader and discuss how they can help to make your piece more convincing. Continue to add ideas with help from students, until you have at least 3-4 AFOREST supporting details for each reason. Aim to have a variety of devices for each reason.

Now model constructing a body paragraph using the ideas you generated in your brainstorm, e.g.

Firstly, books can help you to learn. Not only are they engaging, entertaining and educational, but they can also improve your spelling, punctuation and grammar. Reading helps us to learn new words and find out interesting facts. I strongly believe that books can help us to become more intelligent. Don’t you want to improve your grades? Pick up a book, now!

Discuss how the Planning with AFOREST brainstorm made starting writing much easier as you had already come up with some great ideas - the hard work was already done!