Environmental Factors Persuasion Assignment

Name: _______________________
Directions:
After following along to the read-aloud article, Study reveals sad link between poverty and
childrens brain development, you are to pick one environmental factor to research further that
was listed in the article or approved by the teacher. If you choose an environmental factor not in
the article, circle other and list what you will be researching on the line next to the bullet point
other. Below is the list of environmental factors that were shared in the video. Please circle the
environmental factor you will be researching in greater detail.

Better nutrition
Health care, schools
Play areas
Air quality
Other environmental factors ______________________________

Upon picking a topic from the article or one that is approved by the teacher, check out a
classroom laptop and begin research on the topic. Possible questions to consider in your research
include:
1)
2)
3)
4)

How does your chosen topic affect students development?

What locations of the world mostly encounter your chosen environmental factor?
How can your environmental factor be defined?
What are solutions to changing the risks associated with your particular
environmental factor?

These questions will help launch your research. The purpose of your research is to use gathered
facts and statistics, along with other persuasive techniques to persuade your peers in believing
that your particular environmental factor is the most detrimental to student success. Using
pathos, logos, and ethos, convince peers that your environmental factor is the one that should be
changed by Congress to ensure proper student development. You are now the Congressman with
all the answers.
After research is conducted and you meet the expectations established in the rubric for a perfect
score, you will present your info in any format that is most authentic to you. You can share your
facts in a poem, short essay, visual drawing with words, a play, etc. Please check the rubric
below to ensure that all requirements are met. Happy researching!
-Ms. B

Rubric for Environmental Factors Persuasion Assignment

4 points
Environmental
factor is preapproved by
teacher or
picked from the
list in the article
At least four
points of
research are
shared in final
project.
Final project
uses at least four
persuasive
techniques to
convince reader
that the
environmental
factor is
important to
student success.
Final project is
creative and
aesthetically
pleasing, with 02 grammatical
errors made.
Presentation was
shared with
peers.

3 points

2 points

At least three
points of
research are
shared in final
project.
Final project
uses at least
three persuasive
techniques to
convince reader
that the
environmental
factor is
important to
student success.
Final project is
creative with 2-3
grammatical
errors made.

At least two
points of
research are
shared in final
project.
Final project
uses at least two
persuasive
techniques to
convince reader
that the
environmental
factor is
important to
student success.
Final project is
disorganized
with 4-5
grammatical
errors made.

1 points

0 points
Environmental
factor is not
relatable to
article or preapproved by
teacher.
At least one final
Final project
point of research
does not show
is shared in final that any research
project.
was collected.
Final project
uses at least one
persuasive
technique to
convince reader
that the
environmental
factor is
important to
student success.
Final project has
no logical flow
with 5+
grammatical
errors.

No persuasive
techniques are
used to convince
reader that the
environmental
factor is
important to
student success.

No final project
is submitted.

No final project
was shared with
classroom peers.

Score: ______ / ______

Comments:
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Example of Student Work

Name: ____Eloise____

Choice: Brain development and nutrition

Presentation: Poem
Mr. Brain
I know you are foggy and jumbled.
And that you dream of French fries dripping with ketchup, and water that flows from the sink.
I know you are trying hard to fight, but your hypothalamus talks to my stomach that aches with
pain.
But with few glial cells to support with nutrients, the rumbles only grow louder.
Professor Black at the University of Maryland claims that lack of proper nutrients are affecting
my studies.
I know Im not dumb and I want to tell her that; I am just hungry.
According to the health clinic nearby, I am to receive 1200 to 1800 calories a day for my age of
8,
But there isnt enough food for my tummy to hog it all.
I need to think about LouLou and Jayden, who are smaller than me.
Whose ribs are as thin as sheets of glass.
Mr. Brain, I am sorry I cant help. I am trying to hold on, but I am foggy and jumbled.

Score: 20/20
Comments: The topic is one that was discussed in the article, nutrition. The student has
persuasive techniques that demonstrate why nutrition is important for brain development. Pathos,
logos, and ethos is used in the article to support the students research. The student found four
research pieces: the glial cells, hypothalamus, number of calories appropriate for children of
early elementary years, and a quote from a professor about how proper nutrients affect schooling.
The presentation was emotional and eye-opening with strong emotional appeal. The persuasive
techniques include: emotional appeal, direct statistics (ex: number of calories needed), repetition

(the word I), and ethos (credible paraphrased quote from a state professor). Overall, the
presentation was creative and well organized.