Grade Level:  Middle School

Introduction

    After reading the book, The Iceman, by Don Lessem, you are going to take a stand and support it with organized and relevant evidence in a persuasive essay.   When you write to persuade, you should always have a definite opinion about the topic.  Persuading someone to think the way you do requires careful thinking and planning.  You must make your position clear to your readers and include facts and reasons that will strongly support your opinion.
 

Task
 

    As a member of the team  that removed Otzi from the frozen mountain, you have been given a task by the governments of Austria and Italy to decide which country should keep Otzi, the Iceman.  Before making your decision, you must read and gather facts and figures which must be studied in order to make your writing convincing.  In a persuasive essay, that will be read by the leaders of Austria and Italy, you must make your case clear and supported with facts.

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    This is an individual assignment, but you will work with a cooperative learning group to gather facts and opinions before you begin to write. Make sure that you have read The Iceman before completing this assignment.  This assignment should be completed in four class periods.

    1. Before you begin to write, reflect on your personal feelings about the issue.  Read the information found in the Hot Topics list below.

    2. In a cooperative learning activity your group should find facts to support your argument.  The group  will share their findings with the class by using Corel Presentation or Power Point.  A computer will be needed for each group to complete this activity.

    3. Pre-writing activity- Use Inspiration software to make a graphic organizer of all the points you want to address in your persuasive essay.  Save the final copy of your organizer in your folder on the student drive.

    4. Begin your rough draft by writing one clear statement of your opinion. Support that opinion with facts from your readings and quotations which help support the facts.  Your conclusion should be the strongest fact or reason that you have found in your reading.  Remember that when writing a persuasive essay you must pick one point and use facts to support it.

    5. You should use the checklist to evaluate your writing.  Make corrections to your rough draft before exchanging papers with a partner for peer editing.
 

6. Peer editing- Click here for peer editing tool.You should work with a partner to review your writing.

 7. Make final corrections to your rough draft.

 8. You will use a word processing program to produce your final copy. Please double space and use 12 font. Include your name, section, subject and date on your final copy.   Place your final paper in your folder on the student drive.

 9. Your final product for this project will be a statement of your position and the facts to support it on presentation software.  You may use Corel Presentation or Power Point.  Place your final product in your folder on the student drive.  Be ready to present your position statement on the due date of this project.

Resources

    I. Hot Topics List

        *The Discovery Channel's article on Otzi
        *Information about Otzi from the Encyclopedia Britannica
        *Look at the Encyclopedia Britannica for a description of the Otztal Valley
        *An article from the Discover Magazine
        *The Man in the Ice
        *Otzi Returns to Italy
        *Italy Gets the Iceman Back ( from CNN)
        *An article and a great picture
 

    II. Text
        The Iceman by Don Lessem
   III.  Map

        Map of area where Otzi was found.

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Evaluation

        Your final project will be scored using a rubric. Click here to view the scoring rubrics for writing to persuade and language in use. Click here for the technology scoring rubric.
 

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Conclusion

    In this activity you have learned about the discovery of the remains of a man believed to be 5,300 years old.  You have read about the dispute over which country should have rights to the body.  You have formed an opinion and used facts to substantiate your beliefs.  If you are interested in reading about more discoveries made similar to this one, click on the links below.
  Inca ice mummy found
     Ice mummy found
 

Note to teacher:  Some students may have more experience with word processing and may be able to write their rough draft on the computer.  Their corrections may be made using all of the revision tools in the word processing program.
 
 

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