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:
I.
The learner will examine argumentation and develop informed opinions
A. Definition of argumentation – is an appeal predominantly to logic and reason. It deals
with complex issues that can be debated
1. Logical appeals (logos) persuading by the use of reasoning
2. Ethical appeals (ethos) persuading by character of author
3. Emotional appeals (pathos) persuades audiences by arousing the emotions
4. Opposing viewpoints
B. Development of informed opinion with opposing viewpoint
1. Skit that reflects persuasion and appeals
2. Speech that use persuasion and appeals
3. Written constitution that use persuasion and appeals
II.
The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and
synthesize ideas.
A. Declaration of Independence
1. Rebellion and protest theme
2. logical arguments
3. opposing viewpoints
B. Common Sense
1. Rebellion and protest theme
2. logical arguments
3. opposing viewpoints
C. Speech to the VA Convention
1. Rebellion and protest theme
2. logical arguments
3. opposing viewpoints
III.
The learner will interpret and evaluate representative texts to deepen understanding of
literature of the United States.
A. Significance of literary movements as they have evolved through the literature.
1. Propaganda
2. Political literature
3. Compare Declaration of Independence with Declaration of Sentiments
B. Evaluate the literary merit and/or historical significance of a work from Colonial
Literature.
1. Characteristics of Age of Reason
2. Connect between issues of the Age of Reason and modern issues.
IV.
The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage
A. Students will write a skit using correct grammar and revising skills.
B. Students will write a mock Declaration of Independence and edit for grammatical
conventions.
C. 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
Political Pamphlet
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:
Content
Persuasive
Appeals
Tone
Format
Mechanics
4
Contains current
politically relevant
issue, takes an
obvious stance,
contains current
factual research on
issue,
acknowledges and
deftly responds to
opposition.
Contains 3 appeals
to logic and 3
appeals to emotion
that are welldeveloped and
explained and used
to persuade
audience as well as
well-developed
rhetorical question
and parallel
structure.
Persuasive and
convincing, but
respectful. Tone is
specialized for
audience.
Pamphlet– with
engaging
introduction, main
idea is clear,
persuasive details
that support main
idea, and
thoughtful
conclusion
Grammatically
correct with
sentence variety,
no run-on
sentences or
fragments, no
wrong pronoun
antecedent, and no
spelling errors.
3
Contains
politically relevant
issue, takes a
stance, contains
factual research on
issue,
acknowledges and
responds to
opposition.
2
Contains an issue,
attempts to take a
stance, contains
some research on
issue, attempts to
acknowledge and
respond to
opposition.
1
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.
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, 01 rhetorical
question or parallel
structure but are
not persuasive.
Persuasive and
convincing, but
respectful. Tone is
appropriate for
audience.
Pamphlet – with
interesting
introduction, main
idea is somewhat
clear, persuasive
details that support
main idea, and a
clear conclusion
Convincing, but
respectful.
Audience may or
may not be
considered
Pamphlet – with
little introduction,
main idea is not
very clear, some
details that support
main idea, and an
attempt at a
conclusion
Tone is not
persuasive or is
rude. Audience is
not considered.
Grammatically
correct with some
sentence variety,
1-2 run-on
sentences or
fragments, no
wrong pronoun
antecedent, and 12 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.
Pamphlet – with
no introduction, no
established main
idea, few details
that do not clearly
support main idea,
and no conclusion
Writing a Declaration of Independence.
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:
Content
Persuasive
Appeals
Tone
Format
Mechanics
4
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 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.
Persuasive and
convincing, but
respectful. Tone is
specialized for
audience.
Declaration in
Writing– with
engaging
introduction, main
idea is clear,
persuasive details
that support main
idea, and
thoughtful
conclusion
Grammatically
correct with
sentence variety,
no run-on
sentences or
fragments, no
wrong pronoun
antecedent, and no
spelling errors.
3
Contains logical
reasoning for
ceding the union
(3-4) and factual
researched
accusations against
the US
government (3),
acknowledges and
responds to
opposition.
2
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.
1
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.
Contains 0-1
appeals to logos,
pathos, or ethos, 01 other rhetorical
devices, not
persausive
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.
Persuasive and
convincing, but
respectful. Tone is
appropriate for
audience.
Declaration in
Writing – with
interesting
introduction, main
idea is somewhat
clear, persuasive
details that support
main idea, and a
clear conclusion
Contains some
logos, pathos, and
ethos but are not
very persuasive,
contains one other
rhetorical device,
but not used
effectively to
persuade.
Convincing, but
respectful.
Audience may or
may not be
considered
Declaration in
Writing – with
little introduction,
main idea is not
very clear, some
details that support
main idea, and an
attempt at a
conclusion
Tone is not
persuasive or is
rude. Audience is
not considered.
Grammatically
correct with some
sentence variety,
1-2 run-on
sentences or
fragments, no
wrong pronoun
antecedent, and 12 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.
Declaration in
Writing – with no
introduction, no
established main
idea, few details
that do not clearly
support main idea,
and no conclusion
Persuading others to rebel and fight for freedom –
speeches.
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:
Content
Persuasive
Appeals
Tone
Format
Mechanics
4
Contains current
politically relevant
issue, takes an
obvious stance,
contains current
factual research on
issue,
acknowledges and
deftly responds to
opposition.
Contains 3 logos
and pathos, 2
ethos, and two
other rhetorical
devices that are
well- developed
and explained and
used to persuade
audience.
Persuasive and
convincing, but
respectful. Tone is
specialized for
audience.
Speech – with
engaging
introduction, main
idea is clear,
persuasive details
that support main
idea, and
thoughtful
conclusion
Grammatically
correct with
sentence variety,
no run-on
sentences or
fragments, no
wrong pronoun
antecedent, and no
spelling errors.
3
Contains
politically relevant
issue, takes a
stance, contains
factual research on
issue,
acknowledges and
responds to
opposition.
2
Contains an issue,
attempts to take a
stance, contains
some research on
issue, attempts to
acknowledge and
respond to
opposition.
1
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.
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.
Persuasive and
convincing, but
respectful. Tone is
appropriate for
audience.
Speech – with
interesting
introduction, main
idea is somewhat
clear, persuasive
details that support
main idea, and a
clear conclusion
Convincing, but
respectful.
Audience may or
may not be
considered
Speech – with little
introduction, main
idea is not very
clear, some details
that support main
idea, and an
attempt at a
conclusion
Tone is not
persuasive or is
rude. Audience is
not considered.
Grammatically
correct with some
sentence variety,
1-2 run-on
sentences or
fragments, no
wrong pronoun
antecedent, and 12 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.
Speech – with no
introduction, no
established main
idea, few details
that do not clearly
support main idea,
and no conclusion