Bacon! Recently in the news, the bacon debate is a terrific topic for persuasive essay writing.
If you’re teaching persuasive essay, this is the perfect topic to use as a whole-class topic or as an individual topic. Oftentimes, I begin my persuasive essay unit by writing a model persuasive essay with my class. This whole-class essay serves many purposes. It models how to write introductions, thesis statements, counterclaims, and rebuttals. The list of potential minilessons can go on and on. Create a fun topic like “Is bacon okay to eat? Guilty? Or wrongly accused?” This is a great way to increase student engagement in the writing process. Students will enjoy reading articles about bacon and the different sides of this debate.
Create a digital bin on the topic with the following links. Always preview the links prior to allowing students to use them, as ads may pop up or the content may not be appropriate for your age group.
Great Promo to Get Your Students Jazzed About the Topic:
America’s Bacon Obsession ~ 1 minute promo by Washington Post
Articles/ Web Links:
Bacon Causes Cancer? When Pigs Fly ~ New York Post
Meat is Linked to Higher Cancer Risk, W.H.O. Report Finds ~ New York Times
WHO Says Hot Dogs, Bacon Cause Cancer: Does this Mean We Should All Become Vegetarians? ~ Washington Post
Bad Day for Bacon: Processed Meats Cause Cancer WHO Says– NPR
The Science Behind How Bacon Causes Cancer ~ Time Magazine
Typically found wearing mismatched socks, Dana Johansen spends her time teaching fifth grade in Connecticut, negotiating with her yellow lab about doggy dinner options, and plopping down on the floor in bookstore aisles to find new reads. She has taught elementary and middle school for fourteen years. Dana is a doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University where she studies blended learning in reading and writing workshop.
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