Persuasive Writing: Will You Take Me Home?
Overview
So many animals need a home! Students will visit the Humane Society’s Adoptable Animals page to pick an animal they’d like to see get a forever home. Students will use ChatterPix an iOS app and the power of persuasion to animate a photograph of an animal in need of adoption.
There are several alternatives for those who don't have iPads in the classroom.
Note: This activity may take several class periods depending on how quickly the students learn how to use ChatterPix. You may also want to guide them while picking out the animal for adoption. Give them a time limit to decide on an animal.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Be able to scan a QR code.
- Be able to take a screenshot.
- Be able to create a sound recording.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Words:
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Adopt: To adopt is to take in and provide love, shelter, food, water and more.
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Animal Shelter or Humane Society: The animal shelter or humane society is a temporary place where animals are given medical treatment, food, water and shelter until they are adopted
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QR Code: A QR code is a computer-generated coded design in the shape of a square, that has the website address embedded into it. When scanned with a scanner app, the iPad camera uses the code to go directly to the website or link.
Pre-planning
To prepare for this lesson:
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Visit the Huron Valley Humane Society Adoption Page Website or the website of your own local animal shelter to create a QR code for the address
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Copy the animal shelter link and then open a new tab. To create a QR code, search the QR code generator and paste the animal shelter link to create a QR code.
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Make sure all devices have Chatterpix and the QR code scanner app installed. (If not, post the link address on the board.)
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Tap on animals to see their bio and jot a few notes.
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Enlarge the photo of the animal by using fingers to drag the photo to fit the screen.
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Practice taking a screenshot of an animal by pressing the home and the power button at the same time.
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Open ChatterPix and allow access to the microphone and camera roll.
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Familiarize yourself with ChatterPix by walking through each prompting step:
- Select a photo in the camera roll.
- Drag your finger across the mouth of the animal.
- Hit the white recording button and when prompted share the information about the animal.
- Save to camera roll or other sharing options.
- Here are some examples of videos written in the third person:
Note:
- If you don't have iPads, another alternative is Blabberize which can be used on any device.
- To create a sound recording you can use Online Voice Recorder and save the mp3. The students can add the sound to a PowerPoint slide with an image on it.
Accommodations
- See the Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4students website in the Teacher Resources.
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For Struggling Writers: Read the book I Wanna an Iguana or watch the YouTube Video. Together, list the reasons Alex wants an iguana. Discuss how those might be the same or different reasons someone might want to adopt an animal from the Humane Society.
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For Advanced Writers: Challenge the student to write in first person, instead of third person. Use characteristics from the website to create a voice in their writing. For example: In the animal bio it may state “playful”. Students could write “I’ll be waiting for you with a tennis ball in my mouth ready to play when you are!
Steps
Directions for this activity:
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Have the students scan the QR code that the teacher created of their local animal shelter by opening the QR code app on their device and placing the screen over the QR code.
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Have them select an animal and tap on the bio.
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The students will write down information about the animal that would be important for a potential owner to know, such as age, gender, size and characteristics.
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Have them create three to five sentences from their notes that they would want to share about their animal.
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Have them enlarge the photo of the animal by using fingers to drag the photo to fit the screen.
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Take a screenshot of an animal by pressing the home and the power button at the same time.
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Show the students the example videos written in the third person:
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Have them open ChatterPix and follow the prompts by:
- Selecting the photo in the camera roll
- Dragging their finger across the mouth of the animal
- Hit white recording button and when prompted share the sentences written about the animal
- Save to camera roll or other sharing options
Assessment Options
Different options for assessing the students:
- Observations
- Check for understanding
- Create a rubric to check for sound recording clarity.
MITECS COMPETENCIES & ISTE STANDARDS
MITECS: Michigan adopted the "ISTE Standards for Students" called MITECS (Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students) in 2018.
Creative Communicator
6a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
6b. Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
6c. Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
6d. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.
Devices and Resources
Device: PC, Chromebook, Mac, iPad
Browser: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, ALL
App, Extension, or Add-on:
Websites:
Adopt Midnight
Huron Valley Humane Society Adoption Page Website
I Wanna an Iguana book on Amazon
CONTENT AREA RESOURCES
ELA
Students can take pictures of their fiction characters and create recordings that share character traits or information about their characters.
Integrated Arts
Art:
- Students can take a screenshot of a famous piece of artwork, such as the Mona Lisa or The Scream, and tell the history behind the artwork. QR codes can be made with a picture inside of the artwork or the artist.
- Students may also find pictures of famous artist and share their life through the eye of the artist.
Physical Education:
- Students may research their favorite athlete and share a an obstacle or challenge they had to overcome as an athlete, or an interesting fact about their life. This can be uploaded to a YouTube channel or Seesaw and pictures can be hung in the hallway leading to the gym with a QR code. Students can scan the QR code to go to the link and watched.
- Students can chose the sportball of their choice and give helpful tips. The video can be uploaded to a YouTube channel (or Seesaw) with a QR code for accessibility. For example, a talking basketball saying “Remember to keep your elbows in and aim for the red square on the backboard when shooting.”
Music:
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Students pick a favorite musician and sing one of the songs they are known for. These photos can be hung in the music room with a question “Can you guess what song I’m known for? Scan the QR Code to find out!”
Science
A great example is from Mr. DeMaio’s YouTube Channel, where he uses landforms, plants, and planets to share facts. Students can create their own videos of landforms, plant cycles or planets.
Social Studies
A great example is from Mr. DeMaio’s YouTube Channel, where he uses Presidents and famous people in history to share facts. Students can do the same with famous people from history.
Credits
This task card was created by Mary Ledford, Saline Area Schools. April 2018. Updated October 2023.