Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl Persuasive Essay - Prosecution/Defense

This Lamb to the Slaughter writing activity will get your students in high gear! After reading the short story by Roald Dahl, students write closing arguments for either Mrs. Maloney’s prosecution or defense. Since we all know she’s guilty, it’s all about citing evidence to support claims.

✅ Print

✅ Digital

✅ Optional Speaking

Students LOVE this essay because they get to take on the persona of a lawyer. They talk about “my client” or “the defendant” and really ham things up for the judge. Even with the dramatic flair, they are still practicing citing textual evidence.

❤️ I love it when students want to give their essay as a speech. This option (and I always make it optional) is a great way to add some drama in ELA and give students space to practice public speaking.

Your Lamb to the Slaughter essay includes:

1. Project Description & Brainstorming Worksheet – students collect textual evidence and decide how to “spin” it for the jury (.pdf and .doc)
2. Rubric – Choose between analytic and holistic versions (.pdf & .doc)
3. Printer-friendly versions - prints as a half-sheet with the rubric on the front and brainstorming on the back)
4. Digital version (Google Slides)

⭐️ Want more activities for Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl? This resource is included in my Lamb to the Slaughter Activities Bundle!

What other teachers are saying:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “My students love this short story and debate constantly about the fate of the main character. I used this resource, and also turned it into a class debate topic.” -Andrea M.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I used this in summer school for students repeating 9th grade ELA. They loved the story and it really helped them to grasp irony. Then, the essay was the perfect way for me to assess their literary analysis.” -Courtney K.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This was a fun wrap-up to Lamb to the Slaughter. It was a great way to use persuasive writing without writing a dry essay.” -Paige B.

About Your Download:

Your download is a .zip file containing a print-and-go version of this product and an editable version in Microsoft Word. Instructions for use and copyright information are included in this resource. Feel free to email me at nouvelle.ela@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Other materials for teaching Short Stories:

"The Lady or the Tiger?" by Frank Stockton Argumentative Essay

"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs Mood Rewrite

Short Story (Adapted) Unit Test

Short Stories Unit for Interactive Notebooks

Short Story Unit Test Bundle - Honors, Standard, Adapted

This product is also part of the *Writing Activities Bundle!*

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-Danielle @ Nouvelle ELA

Blog: Danielle @ Nouvelle ELA