1. Show your students this PowerPoint. It teaches your students about The Bing, The Bang, and The Bongo. I do not know who originally posted it on the internet, but I am very grateful, I have used it for the past two years to introduce the 5 paragraph essay format. If you goggle, "The Bing, The Bang, and the Bongo and PPT," this is the first link that pops up. Or click this picture to download.
2. Share some tips for writing persuasive essays. I use this website: http://www.copyblogger.com/persuasive-writing/, it is definitely above a fifth grade reading level, but I try to explain and give examples to help my students understand them.
3. Print off this download for your students. It is two parts. First, it gets them thinking about their 3 reasons (the bing, the bang, and the bongo), and also organizes their writing for a 5 paragraph essay. The second page is an outline where students get to practice writing an essay using the topic of their choice.