Some might say turkey is the pièce de resistance of Thanksgiving dinner, but Butler Catholic students in Maria Cosme’s third grade class are taking a different stand.
Calling on the writing skills they’ve learned so far this year, students are putting their pens to paper to convince people to go “turkey-less” this Thanksgiving.
“We learned about persuasive writing,” Mrs. Cosme explained. “The students are convincing their families not to eat turkey.”
Following the steps in the writing process, BCS third graders in recent days have stepped into the feathers of America’s tastiest bird to write essays inviting loved ones to gobble down a different main course for Thanksgiving.
The project isn’t just about taking a stand. It’s about convincing others to join the cause. Students mapped out their arguments before sitting down to write their papers. Outlines required students to think critically about their positions by having them generate specific reasons for their arguments, backed up with evidence.
Along the way, students implemented new writing techniques and expanded on old skills.
“We talked about strong word choices and getting rid of worn-out words,” Mrs. Cosme said.
Once these elements were established, students began crafting their introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions. This part of the project really showed individual growth among the young writers. Instead of the 5-sentence paragraphs usually expected in essays, students were asked to craft 8-sentence paragraphs.
Each essay ended with a thought-provoking call-to-action that asked readers to think about Thanksgiving dinner in new ways.
Knowing how challenging a turkey-less Thanksgiving can be, students even offered some of their favorite dishes as alternatives.
“There was pizza,” Mrs. Cosme recalled. “There was spaghetti. Soup. Salad.”
Sweeter options, such as candy and apple pie, also made the list.
As Thanksgiving nears, students will be putting the finishing touches on their essays before taking them home to share with their families.
Who knows? In one ‘fowl’-swoop, they just might change the course of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner!