Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing

One of the joys of homeschooling is seeing your children’s personalities shine through their work, and nowhere is that more evident than in their writing. Recently, when I shared some of the writing activities I had set, a few readers asked to see more examples. So today, I’m sharing a little glimpse into one of our favourite assignments: a Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing task that turned out to be both meaningful and unexpectedly moving.

Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing: A Fun Medieval Homeschool Activity

The Assignment: Writing from the Heart

For this activity, the children were asked to step back in time and imagine themselves as wives during the Crusades.

Their task?
To write an informal letter to their spouses, who were away fighting, pleading with them to come home.

There were very few requirements:

• No need to include an address or date (unless they wanted to)
• No formal structure enforced
• No heavy editing process

This was their first persuasive writing assignment, and I wanted it to feel natural, creative, and, most importantly, enjoyable.

Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing Bringing History to Life

To make the experience more immersive, we added a simple but powerful touch:
writing with a quill and ink.

It’s amazing how something so small can transform an activity. Suddenly, the children weren’t just completing a writing task, they were living it. The slower pace, the careful strokes, and even the occasional ink blot all helped them step into another time.

This is one of the reasons I love combining history with writing. It allows children to:

• Develop empathy for people in the past
• Engage emotionally with historical events
• Express ideas in a meaningful way

A First Attempt at Persuasive Writing

What made this Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing task particularly interesting was that it was done without formal instruction in persuasive techniques.

Aside from some prior speech work (Pope Urban II in 1095), and creating a persuasive poster, the children were simply asked to write what they felt would convince their spouses to return home.

And the results?
Surprisingly powerful.

There were heartfelt pleas, emotional imagery, and even poetic phrases that felt far beyond what I had expected at this stage.

It was interesting to see them using some of the persuasive techniques they had learnt from creating a persuasive poster. So, did I think the letter was effective in persuading William to come home?  I’d say ‘nights full of music’ was pretty persuasive and I’m not even going to mention ‘nights long ago…put out by the embers of war’…where does she get it from?!!

Also I’m not sure to what she refers when she talks about things that are too terrible to mention because of a fear of upsetting dear William.  I mean, she’s already specified disembowelling;  hacked off and chopped off limbs; death…what more is there?

One line that stood out to me painted such a vivid picture of longing and memory that I had to pause and smile. It’s moments like these that remind me how naturally children can write when given the freedom to explore.

Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing: Why Informal Writing Matters

In a homeschool setting, it can be tempting to focus heavily on structure, grammar, and correctness.

But this assignment was a reminder that informal writing has real value.

By removing the pressure of perfection:

• Children write more freely
• Their authentic voice emerges
• Creativity flourishes

There were spelling mistakes.
There were uneven lines (I probably should have pencilled guidelines!).

But there was also personality, imagination, and genuine emotion, and that matters just as much, if not more, at this stage.

Looking Ahead: Building Skills Intentionally

While this was a relaxed and creative introduction, our next step will be more structured.

For their upcoming assignment, the children will:

• Learn specific persuasive techniques
• Apply them in a formal letter
• Write to a historical figure (the Pope)

Afterwards, we’ll revisit their original letters and ask:

• Did they already use persuasive techniques naturally?
• How could their writing be strengthened?
• What makes an argument more convincing?

This kind of reflection helps children see their own growth and understand writing more deeply.

The Beauty of Homeschool Writing

I have to say, reading my children’s writing is one of my absolute favourite parts of homeschooling.

It may not be perfect.
It may not always be grammatically correct.

But every piece is filled with personality, humour, and creativity. And more often than not, I find myself smiling (or even laughing!) as I read.

That, to me, is what learning should feel like.

Reflection Questions for Your Homeschool

• How do your children respond to creative writing assignments?
• Do you prioritise creativity or structure in early writing tasks?
• How could you incorporate history into your writing lessons?
• What persuasive techniques do your children already use naturally?
• How can you make writing feel more meaningful and less like a chore?

Hands-On Activity Ideas

If you’d like to try your own Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing lesson, here are some ideas to bring it to life:

1. Create a Medieval Writing Experience

• Use quill pens or homemade feather pens
• Write on tea-stained paper for an aged effect

2. Role-Play Before Writing

• Act out a conversation between spouses
• Discuss emotions, fears, and motivations

3. Build a Simple Historical Context

• Map where the Crusades took place
• Talk about travel distance and dangers

4. Introduce Persuasive Techniques (Next Step)

• Emotional appeal
• Descriptive imagery
• Direct requests

5. Compare Informal vs Formal Writing

• Write a second, edited version
• Discuss improvements and differences

6. Share and Present

• Read letters aloud
• Let siblings respond as the “husband”

This Crusades Activity Persuasive Writing project reminded me that sometimes the best learning happens when we step back, keep things simple, and let our children create.

And truly, there’s nothing better than seeing their thoughts come alive on paper.