Lesson 1: Introduction to rhetoric
- Television commercials
- Logos, pathos, & ethos
PASS Standards and Objective
Visual Literacy:
Standard 2: Evaluate Media – .
Reading/Literature:
Standard 2: Comprehension
2. Inferences and Interpretation
Standard 2: Evaluate Media – .
- Define and design language and content that reflect the target audience for particular messages and products (e.g., in advertising and sales techniques aimed specifically towards teenagers; in products aimed toward different classes, races, ages, genders; in the appeal of popular television shows and films for a particular audience).
Reading/Literature:
Standard 2: Comprehension
2. Inferences and Interpretation
- Analyze characteristics of text, including its structure, word choice, and intended audience.
Objective: Students will thoughtfully answer the questions about the commercials regarding their intended audience and their effects.
Materials
- Worksheets
- Youtube videos
Activities
Opening Activity: Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Students will be asked to number off and divide themselves into four to five separate groups. (2 minutes)
Students will be shown a series of three separate videos:
Students will be asked to number off and divide themselves into four to five separate groups. (2 minutes)
Students will be shown a series of three separate videos:
Old Spice - The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
The Snuggie Commercial
Students will be given a series of questions (worksheet) to answer about each video. Each group of students will discuss their answers together, but write down their answers on a collective worksheet. Before they discuss their answers for each video, the class will re-watch each video for a second time. (30 minutes)
Questions:
After each group has discussed and answered the questions about each video, a representative from each group will write the group’s responses on the board. (5 minutes)
The class will discuss and compare/contrast each group’s answer. The students will be asked to detect patterns among the commercials, based upon the class’s responses. The discussion will ultimately lead to the teacher’s introduction to logos, ethos, and pathos.
Closing Activity – Students will record the definitions of logos, pathos, and ethos in their notebooks. (20 minutes)
Questions:
- How do you feel watching this commercial?
- Who is the intended audience for this commercial?
- What does this commercial want its audience to do?
- How does it try and convince its audience to do it?
- Is the commercial convincing? Why or why not?
After each group has discussed and answered the questions about each video, a representative from each group will write the group’s responses on the board. (5 minutes)
The class will discuss and compare/contrast each group’s answer. The students will be asked to detect patterns among the commercials, based upon the class’s responses. The discussion will ultimately lead to the teacher’s introduction to logos, ethos, and pathos.
Closing Activity – Students will record the definitions of logos, pathos, and ethos in their notebooks. (20 minutes)
Homework—Students will choose one of the three videos and write a journal response about the commercial’s use of either logos, pathos, or ethos for homework. They will be given another list of questions to answer in their response.
- Give three examples of the commercial’s use of logos/pathos/ethos.
- Write about at least one reason why the commercial wouldn’t convince the viewer to buy the product.
Assessment
- Will visually assess the students’ progress as they work together
- Will collect the group’s worksheets
- Homework will be collected the next day
Lesson 2: All About The Thesis
- What is a thesis?
- How a commercial has a thesis
- Relation between argument and evidence
PASS Standards and Objective
Standard 2: Modes and Forms of Writing
3. Compose persuasive/argumentative compositions that:
3. Compose persuasive/argumentative compositions that:
- include a well-defined thesis that makes a clear and knowledgeable appeal in a sustained and effective fashion.
- clarify and defend positions with precise and relevant evidence, including facts, expert opinions, quotations, expressions of commonly accepted beliefs, and logical reasoning.
- effectively address reader's concerns, counterclaims, biases, and expectations
Materials
- Youtube videos
- Highlighters (3 colors)
- Journal responses
Activities
Opening Activity: Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Students will take out their journal responses about the video they selected to write about. They will highlight each of the examples that they mentioned in their text in one color.
They will highlight any criticisms they had of the commercial’s effectiveness in another color.
They will highlight their reasoning for the commercial needing its use of logos/pathos/ethos in another color.
(15 minutes)
The students will listen to an explanation about how the questions they answered in their journal response make up the information needed to write a thesis about the commercial. “Thesis” will be defined, and the class will discuss the difference between a strong thesis and a weak thesis. (20 minutes)
Resource:.
Closing Activity: There will be final instruction on writing a thesis, and the students will respond by turning their journal response into one sentence—a strong thesis. (30 minutes)
Main Activities:
Students will take out their journal responses about the video they selected to write about. They will highlight each of the examples that they mentioned in their text in one color.
They will highlight any criticisms they had of the commercial’s effectiveness in another color.
They will highlight their reasoning for the commercial needing its use of logos/pathos/ethos in another color.
(15 minutes)
The students will listen to an explanation about how the questions they answered in their journal response make up the information needed to write a thesis about the commercial. “Thesis” will be defined, and the class will discuss the difference between a strong thesis and a weak thesis. (20 minutes)
Resource:.
Closing Activity: There will be final instruction on writing a thesis, and the students will respond by turning their journal response into one sentence—a strong thesis. (30 minutes)
Assessment
- Visual
- Highlighted journal responses will be collected
- Thesis statements will be collected
Lesson 3: Other Forms of Rhetoric
- Hyperbole
- Satire
- Nostalgia
- Allegory
- Connotation
PASS Standards and Objective
Standard 2: Modes and Forms of Writing
3. Compose persuasive/argumentative compositions that:
2. Interpreting Information - The student will analyze and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
3. Compose persuasive/argumentative compositions that:
- clarify and defend positions with precise and relevant evidence, including facts, expert opinions, quotations, expressions of commonly accepted beliefs, and logical reasoning.
- effectively address reader's concerns, counterclaims, biases, and expectations
- use a conventional format to write a formal letter, email, or memorandum.
2. Interpreting Information - The student will analyze and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
- Summarize, paraphrase, and/or quote relevant information.
- Draw conclusions from information gathered
Materials
- Individual computers and/or phones
- Smartboard
Activities
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Students will draw sticks and become divided up into five new groups.
Each group will be assigned a rhetorical device:
Each group will be instructed to define their rhetorical device, find one to two examples of it, and prepare an explanation that they will present to their fellow classmates. They must incorporate the Smartboard into their impromptu presentations.
Each group will be given time to research and prepare their presentations.
(15 minutes)
While each student group presents, the others will be instructed to take notes about each rhetorical device in their notebooks.
(30 minutes)
Questions will be encouraged after each presentation. The teacher will assist the presenters if they are asked a question that they cannot answer.
Closing Activity: Class will discuss how these devices can strengthen an argument. (10 minutes)
Homework: Students will write a (fake) email to the principal asking for a snow day. They must use one of the rhetorical devices discussed in class. Example will use hyperbole, so students must choose a different device.
Main Activities:
Students will draw sticks and become divided up into five new groups.
Each group will be assigned a rhetorical device:
- Hyperbole
- Satire
- Nostalgia
- Allegory
- Connotation
Each group will be instructed to define their rhetorical device, find one to two examples of it, and prepare an explanation that they will present to their fellow classmates. They must incorporate the Smartboard into their impromptu presentations.
Each group will be given time to research and prepare their presentations.
(15 minutes)
While each student group presents, the others will be instructed to take notes about each rhetorical device in their notebooks.
(30 minutes)
Questions will be encouraged after each presentation. The teacher will assist the presenters if they are asked a question that they cannot answer.
Closing Activity: Class will discuss how these devices can strengthen an argument. (10 minutes)
Homework: Students will write a (fake) email to the principal asking for a snow day. They must use one of the rhetorical devices discussed in class. Example will use hyperbole, so students must choose a different device.
Assessment
- Visual
- Fake emails will be collected