Kimberly Livaudais

Darlene Flowers

Lesson on the Significant Writers of The Age of Reason

English III (11th grade)

3.01 Use language persuasively in addressing a particular issue by:

  • finding and interpreting information effectively.
  • recognizing propaganda as a purposeful technique.
  • establishing and defending a point of view.
  • responding respectfully to viewpoints and biases.

3.02 Select an issue or theme and take a stance on that issue by:

  • reflecting the viewpoint(s) of Americans of different times and places.
  • showing sensitivity or empathy for the culture represented.
  • supporting the argument with specific reasons.

3.03 Use argumentation for:

  • interpreting researched information effectively.
  • establishing and defending a point of view.
  • addressing concerns of the opposition.
  • using logical strategies (e.g., deductive and inductive reasoning, syllogisms, analogies) and sophisticated techniques (e.g., rhetorical devices, parallelism, irony, concrete images).
  • developing a sense of completion.

This lesson is focusing on Age of Reason writers and their intent and strategies for addressing opposing viewpoints. In this lesson, the teacher intends to present the writings of a few significant revolutionary writers and study each writer’s intent and rhetorical devices within persuasion such as logical, emotional and ethical appeals that help convey this intent. Through this lesson students will be able to study how the colonials used writing to affect change during the Revolutionary War. Students will also apply the strategies for conveying argument by creating individual products the effectively persuade a particular audience.

Texts:

Excerpt from Declaration of Independence

Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the VA Convention” and Tecumseh’s speech

Paine’s “Common Sense”

Letters from Abigail Adams to John Adams – “Remember the Ladies”

Honors Age of Reason Content Outline:

  1. The learner will examine argumentation and develop informed opinions
  2. Definition of argumentation – is an appeal predominantly to logic and reason. It deals with complex issues that can be debated
  3. Logical appeals (logos) persuading by the use of reasoning
  4. Ethical appeals (ethos) persuading by character of author
  5. Emotional appeals (pathos) persuades audiences by arousing the emotions
  6. Opposing viewpoints
  7. Development of informed opinion with opposing viewpoint
  8. Skit that reflects persuasion and appeals
  9. Speechthat use persuasion and appeals
  10. Written constitution that usepersuasion and appeals
  1. The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
  2. Declaration of Independence
  3. Rebellion and protest theme
  4. logical arguments
  5. opposing viewpoints
  6. Common Sense
  7. Rebellion and protest theme
  8. logical arguments
  9. opposing viewpoints
  10. Speech to the VA Convention
  11. Rebellion and protest theme
  12. logical arguments
  13. opposing viewpoints
  1. The learner will interpret and evaluate representative texts to deepen understanding of literature of the United States.
  2. Significance of literary movements as they have evolved through the literature.
  3. Propaganda
  4. Political literature
  5. Compare Declaration of Independence with Declaration of Sentiments
  6. Evaluate the literary merit and/or historical significance of a work from Colonial Literature.
  7. Characteristics of Age of Reason
  8. Connect between issues of the Age of Reason and modern issues.
  1. The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage
  2. Students will write a skit using correct grammar and revising skills.
  3. Students will write a mock Declaration of Independence and edit for grammatical conventions.
  4. Students will write a political persuasive speech editing for grammar.

Product Modifications

-area of concern chosen by students for speech and/or declaration of independence

-addressed to other students/social studies teachers

-evaluation has 4 parts – student grade, teacher grade, guest grade, and self grade

Tiered Assignment for Age of Reason

Write a political pamphlet about a modern issue. You could persuade your audience to vote for a particular measure, bill, or law, or you could write a political pamphlet to persuade the American people to take action over a social or political issue – transportation, unregulated housing growth, taxation, etc.

You may use Publisher or create a wiki to create your pamphlet.

Your political pamphlet must contain the following:

1. 2. A statement—made in one or sometimes two sentences—that announces what will follow in the essay - not only the announcement of a topic but also the claim that the writer is making about that topic.

2. All manner of support, or evidence, for the position he or she gives in the thesis statement: reasons, examples, facts, statistics, quotations.

3. Critical responses. The writer should anticipate what critics will say to undermine his or her argument. The writer should come up with responses to criticism.

4. The pamphlet must contain a rhetorical question and parallel structure.

5. The pamphlet must contain 3 appeals to logic and 3 appeals to emotion.

6. Cannot contain outright fabrications or lies.

Rubric:

4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Content / Contains current politically relevant issue, takes an obvious stance, contains current factual research on issue, acknowledges and deftly responds to opposition. / Contains politically relevant issue, takes a stance, contains factual research on issue, acknowledges and responds to opposition. / Contains an issue, attempts to take a stance, contains some research on issue, attempts to acknowledge and respond to opposition. / Does not address an issue or take a stance on the issue, does not contain research on any issue, does not acknowledge or respond to opposition.
Persuasive Appeals / Contains 3 appeals to logic and 3 appeals to emotion that are well- developed and explained and used to persuade audience as well as well-developed rhetorical question and parallel structure. / Contains 2-3 appeals to logic and 2-3 appeals to emotion that are used to persuade audience and a rhetorical question or parallel structure used to persuade. / Contains 1-2 appeals to logic and 1-2 appeals and a rhetorical question or parallel structure, but are not very persuasive. / Contains 0-1 appeals to logic and 0-1 appeals, 0-1 rhetorical question or parallel structure but are not persuasive.
Tone / Persuasive and convincing, but respectful. Tone is specialized for audience. / Persuasive and convincing, but respectful. Tone is appropriate for audience. / Convincing, but respectful. Audience may or may not be considered / Tone is not persuasive or is rude. Audience is not considered.
Format / Pamphlet– with engaging introduction, main idea is clear, persuasive details that support main idea, and thoughtful conclusion / Pamphlet – with interesting introduction, main idea is somewhat clear, persuasive details that support main idea, and a clear conclusion / Pamphlet – with little introduction, main idea is not very clear, some details that support main idea, and an attempt at a conclusion / Pamphlet – with no introduction, no established main idea, few details that do not clearly support main idea, and no conclusion
Mechanics / Grammatically correct with sentence variety, no run-on sentences or fragments, no wrong pronoun antecedent, and no spelling errors. / Grammatically correct with some sentence variety, 1-2 run-on sentences or fragments, no wrong pronoun antecedent, and 1-2 spelling errors. / Contains detracting grammatical errors with some run-on sentences or fragments, or wrong pronoun antecedent, and several spelling errors. / Contains significant grammatical errors with several run-on sentences or fragments, misused pronoun antecedent, and severe spelling errors.

Imagine that your state is ceding from the United States. Using the US Declaration of Independence, create your own modern Declaration of Independence.

You can use Microsoft Word or Powerpoint to create your Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence –

  • Name at least four reasons for ceding,
  • At least three accusations against the US government, and
  • by what rights you are ceding from the nation.
  • Acknowledges opposition and refutes their claims
  • Use at least 2 rhetorical devices
  • Use examples (2 or more of each) of logos, pathos, and ethos

Rubric:

4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Content / Contains current logical reasoning for ceding the union (4) and logical, factual researched accusations against the US government (3), acknowledges and deftly responds to opposition. / Contains logical reasoning for ceding the union (3-4) and factual researched accusations against the US government (3), acknowledges and responds to opposition. / Contains some reasoning for ceding the union (2-4) and some accusations against the US government (2-3), attempts to acknowledge and respond to opposition. / Does not address reasoning for ceding or reasoning is illogical, does not contain research on any accusation against government, does not acknowledge or respond to opposition.
Persuasive Appeals / Contains logos, pathos, and ethos (2+/each) that are well- developed and explained and used to persuade audience as well as two other recognized and well-developed rhetorical devices used to persuade. / Contains logos, pathos, and ethos that are explained and used to persuade audience (but may be missing 1-2 appeals) as well as two other developed rhetorical devices used to persuade. / Contains some logos, pathos, and ethos but are not very persuasive, contains one other rhetorical device, but not used effectively to persuade. / Contains 0-1 appeals to logos, pathos, or ethos, 0-1 other rhetorical devices, not persausive
Tone / Persuasive and convincing, but respectful. Tone is specialized for audience. / Persuasive and convincing, but respectful. Tone is appropriate for audience. / Convincing, but respectful. Audience may or may not be considered / Tone is not persuasive or is rude. Audience is not considered.
Format / Declaration in Writing– with engaging introduction, main idea is clear, persuasive details that support main idea, and thoughtful conclusion / Declaration in Writing– with interesting introduction, main idea is somewhat clear, persuasive details that support main idea, and a clear conclusion / Declaration in Writing– with little introduction, main idea is not very clear, some details that support main idea, and an attempt at a conclusion / Declaration in Writing – with no introduction, no established main idea, few details that do not clearly support main idea, and no conclusion
Mechanics / Grammatically correct with sentence variety, no run-on sentences or fragments, no wrong pronoun antecedent, and no spelling errors. / Grammatically correct with some sentence variety, 1-2 run-on sentences or fragments, no wrong pronoun antecedent, and 1-2 spelling errors. / Contains detracting grammatical errors with some run-on sentences or fragments, or wrong pronoun antecedent, and several spelling errors. / Contains significant grammatical errors with several run-on sentences or fragments, misused pronoun antecedent, and severe spelling errors.

Using Patrick Henry’s speech as a guide, write your own speech that urges and persuades your fellow statesmen to revolt and fight for a freedom. The freedom that you are fighting for needs to be a current state/national issue. You can also look at MLK, Jr.’s speech as another example.

You can use Microsoft Word or Prezi to write out your speech.

Your speech should contain:

1. A statement—made in one or sometimes two sentences—that announces what will follow in the speech - not only the announcement of a topic but also the claim that the writer is making about that topic.

2. All manner of support, or evidence, for the position he or she gives in the thesis statement: reasons, examples, facts, statistics, quotations.

3.Critical responses. The writer should anticipate what critics will say to undermine his or her argument. The writer should come up with responses to criticism.

4. The speech must contain 3 appeals to logos, 3 appeals to pathos, and two appeals to ethos. It must also contain 2 other rhetorical devices.

5. Cannot contain outright fabrications or lies.

Rubric:

4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Content / Contains current politically relevant issue, takes an obvious stance, contains current factual research on issue, acknowledges and deftly responds to opposition. / Contains politically relevant issue, takes a stance, contains factual research on issue, acknowledges and responds to opposition. / Contains an issue, attempts to take a stance, contains some research on issue, attempts to acknowledge and respond to opposition. / Does not address an issue or take a stance on the issue, does not contain research on any issue, does not acknowledge or respond to opposition.
Persuasive Appeals / Contains 3 logos and pathos, 2 ethos, and two other rhetorical devices that are well- developed and explained and used to persuade audience. / Contains 2-3 appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos, and 2 other rhetorical devices that are used to persuade audience. / Contains 1-2 appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos, and 1-2 rhetorical devices, but are not very persuasive. / Contains 0-1 appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos, and 0-1 rhetorical devices, but are not persuasive.
Tone / Persuasive and convincing, but respectful. Tone is specialized for audience. / Persuasive and convincing, but respectful. Tone is appropriate for audience. / Convincing, but respectful. Audience may or may not be considered / Tone is not persuasive or is rude. Audience is not considered.
Format / Speech – with engaging introduction, main idea is clear, persuasive details that support main idea, and thoughtful conclusion / Speech – with interesting introduction, main idea is somewhat clear, persuasive details that support main idea, and a clear conclusion / Speech – with little introduction, main idea is not very clear, some details that support main idea, and an attempt at a conclusion / Speech – with no introduction, no established main idea, few details that do not clearly support main idea, and no conclusion
Mechanics / Grammatically correct with sentence variety, no run-on sentences or fragments, no wrong pronoun antecedent, and no spelling errors. / Grammatically correct with some sentence variety, 1-2 run-on sentences or fragments, no wrong pronoun antecedent, and 1-2 spelling errors. / Contains detracting grammatical errors with some run-on sentences or fragments, or wrong pronoun antecedent, and several spelling errors. / Contains significant grammatical errors with several run-on sentences or fragments, misused pronoun antecedent, and severe spelling errors.