Five Day
Lesson Plan
10th Grade
Language
Arts
Speech and Writing
The Art of Persuasion
EmilyYoung
SECD 532
October
2010
Abstract
This five day lesson is designed for a tenth grade Language Arts class. It includes
standards from English, Language Development, Reading, Analysis, History, Social Science,
Language, Music, and use of technology. The lesson is on the art of persuasion and rhetorical
messages. They students will learn about the usage of pathos, mythos, and logos. The lesson will
engage students in discussing various speeches, documents, advertisements, and music, in order
to see the messages trying to be made. Because our world is becoming saturated with media and
images, it’s important for students to be able to think critically about the images that surround
them every day. It’s easy to dismiss messages from the media, particularly advertisements, and
allow their subliminal effects to influence our beliefs.
California State Standards
Grades Nine and Ten
Language Arts Standards
READING
Day Day Day Day Day
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1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic
Vocabulary Development Students apply their knowledge of
word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in
reading materials and use those words accurately. Vocabulary and
Concept Development
1.1 Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words and
understand word derivations.
1.2. Distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings of words
and interpret the connotative power of words.
1.3 Identify Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology and use the knowledge to
understand the origin and meaning of new words (e.g., the word narcissistic
drawn from the myth of Narcissus and Echo).
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2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational
Materials) Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate
material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and
positions advanced. The selections in Recom-mended Literature,
Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve illustrate the quality and
complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition, by grade
twelve, students read two million words annually on their own,
including a wide variety of classic and contempo-rary literature,
magazines, newspapers, and online information. In grades nine and ten,
students make substantial progress toward this goal. Structural Features
of Informational Materials
2.1 Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace documents,
including the graphics and headers, and explain how authors use the features to
achieve their purposes.
2.2 Prepare a bibliography of reference materials for a report using a variety of
consumer, workplace, and public documents.
2.3 Generate relevant questions about readings on issues that can be
researched.
2.4 Synthesize the content from several sources or works by a single author
dealing with a single issue; paraphrase the ideas and connect them to other
sources and related topics to demonstrate comprehension.
2.5 Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through original
analysis, evaluation, and elaboration.
2.6 Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning tools by following technical
directions (e.g., those found with graphic calculators and specialized software
programs and in access guides to World Wide Web sites on the Internet).
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Expository Critique
2.7 Critique the logic of functional documents by examining the sequence of
information and procedures in anticipation of possible reader
misunderstandings.
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2.8 Evaluate the credibility of an author’s argument or defense of a claim by
critiquing the relationship between generalizations and evidence, the
comprehensiveness of evidence, and the way in which the author’s intent
affects the structure and tone of the text (e.g., in professional journals,
editorials, political speeches, primary source material).
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3.0 Literary Response and Analysis Students read and
respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that
reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They
conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent patterns and themes. The
selections in Recommended Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade
Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read
by students. Structural Features of Literature
3.1 Articulate the relationship between the expressed purposes and the
characteristics of different forms of dramatic literature (e.g., comedy, tragedy,
drama, dramatic monologue).
3.2 Compare and contrast the presentation of a similar theme or topic across
genres to explain how the selection of genre shapes the theme or topic.
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.3 Analyze interactions between main and subordinate characters in a literary
text (e.g., internal and external conflicts, motivations, relationships, influences)
and explain the way those interactions affect the plot.
3.4 Determine characters’ traits by what the characters say about themselves in
narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and soliloquy.
3.5 Compare works that express a universal theme and provide evidence to
support the ideas expressed in each work.
3.6 Analyze and trace an author’s development of time and sequence, including
the use of complex literary devices (e.g., foreshadowing, flashbacks).
3.7 Recognize and understand the significance of various literary devices,
including figurative language, imagery, allegory, and symbolism, and explain
their appeal.
3.8 Interpret and evaluate the impact of ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions,
ironies, and incongruities in a text.
3.9 Explain how voice, persona, and the choice of a narrator affect
characterization and the tone, plot, and credibility of a text.
3.10 Identify and describe the function of dialogue, scene designs, soliloquies,
asides, and character foils in dramatic literature. Literary Criticism
3.11 Evaluate the aesthetic qualities of style, including the impact of diction
and figurative language on tone, mood, and theme, using the terminology of
literary criticism. (Aesthetic approach)
3.12 Analyze the way in which a work of literature is related to the themes and
issues of its historical period. (Historical approach)
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WRITING
1.0 Writing Strategies Students write coherent and focused
essays that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned
argument. The writing demonstrates students’ awareness of the
audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the
writing process as needed. Organization and Focus
1.1 Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys a clear
and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a consistent tone and
focus throughout the piece of writing.
1.2 Use precise language, action verbs, sensory details, appropriate modifiers,
and the active rather than the passive voice. Research and Technology
1.3 Use clear research questions and suitable research methods (e.g., library,
electronic media, personal interview) to elicit and present evidence from
primary and secondary sources.
1.4 Develop the main ideas within the body of the composition through
supporting evidence (e.g., scenarios, commonly held beliefs, hypotheses,
definitions).
1.5 Synthesize information from multiple sources and identify complexities
and discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found in
each medium (e.g., almanacs, microfiche, news sources, in-depth field studies,
speeches, journals, technical documents).
1.6 Integrate quotations and citations into a written text while maintaining the
flow of ideas.
1.7 Use appropriate conventions for documentation in the text, notes, and
bibliographies by adhering to those in style manuals (e.g., Modern Language
Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style).
1.8 Design and publish documents by using advanced publishing software and
graphic programs. Evaluation and Revision
1.9 Revise writing to improve the logic and coherence of the organization and
controlling perspective, the precision of word choice, and the tone by taking
into consideration the audience, purpose, and formality of the context.
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2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their
Characteristics) Students combine the rhetorical strategies of
narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at
least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of
standard American English and the research, organizational, and
drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. Using the writing
strategies of grades nine and ten outlined in Writing Standard 1.0,
students:
2.1 Write biographical or autobiographical narratives or short stories: a. Relate
a sequence of events and communicate the significance of the events to the
audience. b. Locate scenes and incidents in specific places. c. Describe with
concrete sensory details the sights, sounds, and smells of a scene and the
specific actions, movements, gestures, and feelings of the characters; use
interior monologue to depict the characters’ feelings. d. Pace the presentation
of actions to accommodate changes in time and mood. e. Make effective use of
descriptions of appearance, images, shifting perspectives, and sensory details.
2.2 Write responses to literature: a. Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the
significant ideas of literary works. b. Support important ideas and viewpoints
through accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works. c.
Demonstrate awareness of the author’s use of stylistic devices and an
appreciation of the effects created. d. Identify and assess the impact of
perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities within the text.
2.3 Write expository compositions, including analytical essays and research
reports: a. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related claims, including
information on all relevant perspectives. b. Convey information and ideas from
primary and secondary sources accurately and coherently. c. Make distinctions
between the relative value and significance of specific data, facts, and ideas. d.
Include visual aids by employing appropriate technology to organize and
record information on charts, maps, and graphs. e. Anticipate and address
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readers’ potential misunderstandings, biases, and expectations. f. Use technical
terms and notations accurately.
2.4 Write persuasive compositions: a. Structure ideas and arguments in a
sustained and logical fashion. b. Use specific rhetorical devices to support
assertions (e.g., appeal to logic through reasoning; appeal to emotion or ethical
belief; relate a personal anecdote, case study, or analogy). 60 California
Department of Education Reposted June 9, 2009 Writing GRADES NINE AND TEN c.
Clarify and defend positions with precise and relevant evidence, including
facts, expert opinions, quotations, and expressions of commonly accepted
beliefs and logical reasoning. d. Address readers’ concerns, counterclaims,
biases, and expectations.
2.5 Write business letters: a. Provide clear and purposeful information and
address the intended audience appropriately. b. Use appropriate vocabulary,
tone, and style to take into account the nature of the relationship with, and the
knowledge and interests of, the recipients. c. Highlight central ideas or images.
d. Follow a conventional style with page formats, fonts, and spacing that
contribute to the documents’ readability and impact.
2.6 Write technical documents (e.g., a manual on rules of behavior for conflict
resolution, procedures for conducting a meeting, minutes of a meeting): a.
Report information and convey ideas logically and correctly. b. Offer detailed
and accurate specifications. c. Include scenarios, definitions, and examples to
aid comprehension (e.g., troubleshooting guide). d. Anticipate readers’
problems, mistakes, and misunderstandings.
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WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE
CONVENTIONS
The standards for written and oral English language conventions
have been placed between those for writing and for listening and
speaking because these conventions are essential to both sets of
skills.
1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions
Students write and speak with a command of standard English
conventions. Grammar and Mechanics of Writing
1.1 Identify and correctly use clauses (e.g., main and subordinate), phrases
(e.g., gerund, infinitive, and participial), and mechanics of punctuation (e.g.,
semicolons, colons, ellipses, hyphens).
1.2 Understand sentence construction (e.g., parallel structure, subordination,
proper placement of modifiers) and proper English usage (e.g., consistency of
verb tenses).
1.3 Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control of
grammar, paragraph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax. Manuscript
Form
1.4 Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the
conventions of punctuation and capitalization.
1.5 Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements, including title page
presentation, pagination, spacing and margins, and integration of source and
support material (e.g., in-text citation, use of direct quotations, paraphrasing)
with appropriate citations.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING
1.0 Listening and Speaking Strategies Students formulate
adroit judgments about oral communication. They deliver focused and
coherent presentations of their own that convey clear and distinct
perspectives and solid reasoning. They use gestures, tone, and
vocabulary tailored to the audience and purpose. Comprehension
1.1 Formulate judgments about the ideas under discussion and support those
judgments with convincing evidence.
1.2 Compare and contrast the ways in which media genres (e.g., televised
news, news magazines, documentaries, online information) cover the same
event. Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
1.3 Choose logical patterns of organization (e.g., chronological, topical, cause
and effect) to inform and to persuade, by soliciting agreement or action, or to
unite audiences behind a common belief or cause.
1.4 Choose appropriate techniques for developing the introduction and
conclusion (e.g., by using literary quotations, anecdotes, references to
authoritative sources).
1.5 Recognize and use elements of classical speech forms (e.g., introduction,
first and second transitions, body, conclusion) in formulating rational
arguments and applying the art of persuasion and debate.
1.6 Present and advance a clear thesis statement and choose appropriate types
of proof (e.g., statistics, testimony, specific instances) that meet standard tests
for evidence, including credibility, validity, and relevance.
1.7 Use props, visual aids, graphs, and electronic media to enhance the appeal
and accuracy of presentations.
1.8 Produce concise notes for extemporaneous delivery.
1.9 Analyze the occasion and the interests of the audience and choose effective
verbal and nonverbal techniques (e.g., voice, gestures, eye contact) for
presentations. Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and Media
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Communications
1.10 Analyze historically significant speeches (e.g., Abraham Lincoln’s
“Gettysburg Address,” Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”) to find the
rhetorical devices and features that make them memorable.
1.11 Assess how language and delivery affect the mood and tone of the oral
communication and make an impact on the audience.
1.12 Evaluate the clarity, quality, effectiveness, and general coherence of a
speaker’s important points, arguments, evidence, organization of ideas,
delivery, diction, and syntax.
1.13 Analyze the types of arguments used by the speaker, including argument
by causation, analogy, authority, emotion, and logic.
1.14 Identify the aesthetic effects of a media presentation and evaluate the
techniques used to create them (e.g., compare Shakespeare’s Henry V with
Kenneth Branagh’s 1990 film version).
2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres and Their
Characteristics) Students deliver polished formal and
extemporaneous presentations that combine the traditional rhetorical
strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description. Student
speaking demonstrates a command of standard American English and
the organizational and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and
Speaking Standard 1.0. Using the speaking strategies of grades nine and
ten outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0, students:
2.1 Deliver narrative presentations: a. Narrate a sequence of events and
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communicate their significance to the audience. b. Locate scenes and incidents
in specific places. c. Describe with concrete sensory details the sights, sounds,
and smells of a scene and the specific actions, movements, gestures, and
feelings of characters. d. Pace the presentation of actions to accommodate time
or mood changes.
2.2 Deliver expository presentations: a. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis
and related claims, including information on all relevant perspectives. b.
Convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources accurately
and coherently. c. Make distinctions between the relative value and
significance of specific data, facts, and ideas. d. Include visual aids by
employing appropriate technology to organize and display information on
charts, maps, and graphs. e. Anticipate and address the listener’s potential
misunderstandings, biases, and expectations. f. Use technical terms and
notations accurately.
2.3 Apply appropriate interviewing techniques: a. Prepare and ask relevant
questions. b. Make notes of responses. c. Use language that conveys maturity,
sensitivity, and respect. d. Respond correctly and effectively to questions. e.
Demonstrate knowledge of the subject or organization. f. Compile and report
responses. g. Evaluate the effectiveness of the interview.
2.5 Deliver persuasive arguments (including evaluation and analysis of
problems and solutions and causes and effects): a. Structure ideas and
arguments in a coherent, logical fashion. b. Use rhetorical devices to support
assertions (e.g., by appeal to logic through reasoning; by appeal to emotion or
ethical belief; by use of personal anecdote, case study, or analogy). c. Clarify
and defend positions with precise and relevant evidence, including facts, expert
opinions, quotations, expressions of commonly accepted beliefs, and logical
reasoning. d. Anticipate and address the listener’s concerns and
counterarguments.
2.6 Deliver descriptive presentations: a. Establish clearly the speaker’s point of
view on the subject of the presentation. b. Establish clearly the speaker’s
relationship with that subject (e.g., dispassionate observation, personal
involvement). c. Use effective, factual descriptions of appearance, concrete
images, shifting perspectives and vantage points, and sensory details.
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Lesson Plan Daily Agenda
Day 1:
Introduction of the Rhetorical Triangle and Persuasive Writing
Materials: Handout, power point presentation, white board
Procedure:
Teachers Job: Draw a triangle on the board. Above the triangle, write the phrase, “the rhetorical
situation.” Ask students for a definition of rhetoric using the KWL model. After listening to
some of their responses, write “using language effectively to please or persuade in any given
situation” on the board. Explain that rhetoric is often based on first analyzing the rhetorical
situation and then applying the appeals to reason—ethos, logos, pathos in order to be persuasive
in that specific situation.
Provide the students a handout of the triangle they can keep with them and refer to. Include the
definitions of ethos, logos, and pathos.
On each point of the triangle write one of the three words: audience, communicator, and
message. Then discuss how these elements work together to create purposeful, persuasive
communication. You might refer to them as the context.
The communicator uses credibility to influence the audience. The communicator establishes
credibility through correctness, eloquence, and having notable authority on a topic.
The audience is influenced by beliefs, values, knowledge and experience. In persuasive writing,
the communicator will analyze the audience in order to prepare a message that will speak to that
audience.
Finally, the message is the information or argument. It uses data, gives evidence, and provides
support for claims.
Understanding the connection between the communicator, audience, and message provides
context for making persuasive appeals to reason.
The Appeals to Reason
After explaining the rhetorical situation, explain how the appeal to reason fit into it. The appeals
to reason—ethos, logos, and pathos are persuasive strategies. You might write them alongside
the triangle.
Ethos
Ethical appeals are based on the character of the speaker. An example of ethos, particular to
advertising, is using celebrity endorsements.
Logos
Logical appeals are based on logic or reason. This is the information in the document that is
meant to be fact or data. In advertising, we see little logos; however, the fine print in drug
advertisements would be an example.
Pathos
Pathetic or emotional appeals are based on emotion Advertisements tend to be highly pathosdriven and play on emotions of happiness, sadness, playfulness, excitement, fear and more.
The students will have 25 minutes to work in pairs reading various short news paper and
magazine articles discussing in pairs the 5w’s. After reading and discussing with one person they
will switch partners and hear about the other’s article and share what they read in theirs. They
will be looking for examples of ethos logos and pathos. They are also asked to find styles used
such as repeating ideas, comparisons, reasoning, consistency, and credibility. After the students
work with two pairs we will discuss any issues, questions, or ideas in a large group. The closing
will be a reality check in their journal. Summarizing the main points they learned today.
Homework Day 1: Bring in an advertisement they saw and discuss the message and correlation
with the rhetoric ideas we discussed in class.
Day 2:
“I Have a Dream”
Materials: Computer lab, “I Have a Dream’
Procedure:
The Class will explore speeches such as Martin Luther king Jr’s “I have a Dream” and a number
of other speeches they find on the internet. The class will enter with the articles waiting on their
desks. They will be asked to take out the paper that was given to them yesterday. As a large
group we will read and discuss “I Have Dream”. We will point out the Ethos, Logos and Pathos
within the speech.
Teachers Job: Identify the rhetorical situation of the speech as a class. Discuss who the speaker
is, who the audience is, and what the purpose of the message is. Have the class help with
questions such as
Who (author, audience)?
What (genre of writing)?
Why (purpose)? When?
Where?
How (appeals, style choices)?
Make sure all the students understand the context of the speech. Ask students to identify
examples of ethos, logos, and pathos in pairs or individually. Give them 15-25 minutes to work
on this on their own. After they’ve had enough time, ask students to share what they found.
Make sure to ask each pair or team to share at least one appeal. Discuss each example and give
further explanation as to why the appeals make the speech stronger or weaker.
After reading then viewing the famous speech the class will have time to go to the computer lab
and find other famous speeches from the list on http://www.americanrhetoric.com. They will take
notes on their findings.
HOMEWORK FOR DAY 2:
Ask students to use the handout provided on day 1 and analyze a song of their choice. They
should find at least one example of each appeal in the song.
Students will bring the song analysis to the next class and share.
Day 3:
Quiz-Persuasive Media and Music
Materials: Short Video- Famous speeches, quiz
Procedure: When the students arrive they will be asked to take out pencil or pen. They will be
given a short quiz on some vocabulary and ideas we have gone over so far. This will take about
10 minutes.
Analyze a variety of speeches, social movements, technologies, rock music, sports, and politics
to see how these messages are presented in media. We will view a variety in class and discuss in
groups the messages, ethos, pathos, logos, 5w’s and any other styles noticed. The class will be
encouraged to start thinking out methods they want to use and any visuals they can include. After
viewing a variety of media they will be able to start exploring in the computer lab different ideas
on messages they want to present.
Homework Day 3: Choose speech theme/idea
Day 4:
How to Create a Rhetorical Message?
Materials: Ranking Sheet, Assessment Rubric, outline for how to create a persuasive speech
Procedure:
First the class will work on a rhetorical message the teacher will have the outline on the over
head projector. We will pick a topic such as school policies, sports, or homework? So they have
a relevant position on the topic and it will be something they care about. The will call randomly
on students to have them fill in the outline.
Expectations: We will discuss expectations and assessment of the project. The assessment is
based on content, logic, presentation and grammar. The teacher is to provide the assessment
sheet to the class, therefore they will know exactly what they will be graded on.
Creation of a Rhetorical Message-an outline will be provided to each student to help in the
development of the chosen message.
After filling in the outline they are to create their rough draft of their message.
Introduction - establish your argument, and clarify the importance of the issue.
Statement of the Case - tell story behind the argument, offering background information
Proposition Statement - carefully state central proposition, as a thesis statement would be given
Refutation - refute opposition arguments, exposing faulty reasoning
Confirmation - develop your case, using examples, facts, statistics (logos)
Digression - appealing anecdote or description, offering ethos or pathos
Conclusion - finish with strong conviction; review main points, or suggest call to action
The class will work individually on their own rhetorical speech, advertisement, song or other
form of a message they would like to share with others. The teacher is available to assist with
any questions, ideas, or concerns.
Homework Day 3: Continue to work on message at home and practice speeches.
Day 5 Presentations
Materials: Student assessment sheets, speech assessment sheets (for class)
Procedure:
The teacher will quickly go over the assessment sheet on the grading of the presentation and
students will start their persuasive speeches.
Each student is to provide a 3-5 minute speech on their chosen topic.
The class is to take notes as they listen to classmates' speeches. When all the speeches have been
delivered, we will discuss the qualities that we saw and some ideas of what could have been
differently.
Homework on Day 5: Do Look Learn- Student is to write what they got out of the lesson and
what they learned from their presentation, including what they would so different next time.
STUDENT OBJECTIVES THROUGHOUT LESSON
Students will distinguish between positional topics.
Students will defend their choices.
Students will identify persuasive text and media.
Students will identify features of persuasion.
Students will provide counter arguments based on known facts
Students will provide synonyms and antonyms to vocabulary words.
Students will use a dictionary to define vocabulary words.
Students will use context clues.
Students will identify cause and effect.
Students will read persuasive text.
Students will analyze use of features of persuasion.
Students will compare and contrast two speeches.
Appendix
Resources used throughout the lesson
Handout Provided to Class
Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the
author. We tend to believe people whom we respect. One of the central problems of
argumentation is to project an impression to the reader that you are someone worth
listening to, in other words making yourself as author into an authority on the subject
of the paper, as well as someone who is likable and worthy of respect.
Pathos (Emotional) means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions. We can
look at texts ranging from classic essays to contemporary advertisements to see how
pathos, emotional appeals, are used to persuade. Language choice affects the
audience's emotional response, and emotional appeal can effectively be used to
enhance an argument.
Logos (Logical) means persuading by the use of reasoning. This will be the most
important technique we will study, and Aristotle's favorite. We'll look at deductive
and inductive reasoning, and discuss what makes an effective, persuasive reason to
back up your claims. Giving reasons is the heart of argumentation, and cannot be
emphasized enough. We'll study the types of support you can use to substantiate your
thesis, and look at some of the common logical fallacies, in order to avoid them in
your writing.
Quiz
(to be given on day 3 beginning of class, if enough speeches have been
observed)
Ethos:_____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Logos:_____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Pathos:____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Rhetoric:__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Qualities/weaknesses of a persuasive speech:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2 famous speeches and their use of ethos, logos, or pathos:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
OUTLINE
Introduction - establish your argument, and clarify the importance of the issue (hook).
A.____________________________________________________________________________
B.____________________________________________________________________________
C.____________________________________________________________________________
D.____________________________________________________________________________
Statement of the Case - tell story behind the argument, offering background information
A.____________________________________________________________________________
B.____________________________________________________________________________
C.____________________________________________________________________________
D.____________________________________________________________________________
Proposition Statement - carefully state central proposition, as a thesis statement would be given
A.____________________________________________________________________________
B.____________________________________________________________________________
C.____________________________________________________________________________
D.____________________________________________________________________________
Refutation - refute opposition arguments, exposing faulty reasoning
A.____________________________________________________________________________
B.____________________________________________________________________________
C.____________________________________________________________________________
D.____________________________________________________________________________
Confirmation - develop your case, using examples, facts, statistics (logos)
A.____________________________________________________________________________
B.____________________________________________________________________________
C.____________________________________________________________________________
D.____________________________________________________________________________
Digression - appealing anecdote or description, offering ethos or pathos
A.____________________________________________________________________________
B.____________________________________________________________________________
C.____________________________________________________________________________
D.____________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion - finish with strong conviction; review main points, or suggest call to action
A.____________________________________________________________________________
B.____________________________________________________________________________
C.____________________________________________________________________________
D.____________________________________________________________________________
Assessment
Content-
_______10 points - Is there a clear thesis statement that reflects the writer's position?
__________5 points - Is there a "hook" in the introductory paragraph that makes readers want to read more?
__________5 points - Is there a clear beginning, middle and end?
__________10 points - Are paragraphs guided by strong topic sentences and are all of the sentences within each
paragraph related to the topic sentence?
Comments:
Logic __________10 points- Is the logic in the supporting paragraphs clear, or do readers have to struggle to identify the
reasoning? Are informal arguments clear?
__________5 points - Does the writer anticipate and address opposing arguments or objections?
__________5 points - Is the essay dominated by appeals to reading?
__________5 points - Does the writer make good use of emotional and ethical appeals?
__________5 points - Does the writer avoid logical fallacies (bandwagon appeals, red herrings, etc.)
Comments:
Presentation__________10 points- Student maintains eye contact with audience, seldom returning to notes
__________ 5 points- Student uses a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms so that all audience
members can hear presentation.
__________ 5 points- Student's visual aids explain and reinforce the presentation.
Other_________10 points - Is the essay free of grammar and punctuation errors?
_________10 points - Does the writer avoid wordy sentence constructions?
Comments:
A = 90 – 100 of total points
B = 80 – 89
C = 70 – 79
D = 60 = 69
F = 59 and below
Reflective Log for Class to Use while listening to Speeches
Speech giver
Name
Topic
Name
Rank (after all
speeches have been
delivered)
Notes
Assign a number: most
interesting, next most
interesting, etc.. 1-5
Martin Luther Kings “I have a Dream”
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration
for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the
Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to
millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a
joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the
Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One
hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of
material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of
American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to
dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic
wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were
signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that
all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of
"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on
this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this
sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come
back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are
insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash
this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of
justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This
is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.
Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark
and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our
nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to
make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer
of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of
freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope
that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if
the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America
until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake
the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which
leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty
of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of
bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and
discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again
and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a
distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here
today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to
realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We
can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police
brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot
gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as
long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be
satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by
signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi
cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are
not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness
like a mighty stream."¹
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of
you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your
quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the
winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work
with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama,
go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and
ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a
dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of
former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of
injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom
and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having
his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in
Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and
white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be
made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight;
"and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."2
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this
faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony
of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle
together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one
day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing
with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and
every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of
God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be
able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!3
.
Teacher Background Notes on Martin Luther King’s Speech
Martin Luther King his usage of ethos pathos mythos and logos
On August 28, 1963 more than 250,000 civil-rights supporters attended the March on Washington.
Addressing the protesters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his
famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Profoundly, he proclaimed for a free nation of equality where all race
would join together in the effort to achieve common ground. King stated his yearning for all colors to
unite and be judged by character, not by race. African Americans would not be satisfied until their desire
for freedom from persecution, bitterness, and hatred prevailed. Not only were the points in his speech
powerful, but also the delivery he gave was so persuading and real that it changed the hearts of many
people across America. By using four artificial proofs, mythos, logos, ethos, and pathos, Martin Luther
King was able to open the eyes of people who were blinded by the color of skin.
Including cultural legends such as the nations history of justice in his oration, Martin Luther King
portrayed a style of mythos. King stated the fact that when our ancestors wrote the Constitution and the
Declaration of Independence, they signed a promissory note that would guarantee the inalienable rights of
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all men. At the beginning of his speech he also gave a
symbolic example that they, in search for equality, have come to the nations capital to cash a check. “One
that would provide riches of freedom and the security of justice.” Martin Luther King established a
common bond with so many protesters and citizens when he went on to say, “But we refuse to believe
that the bank of justice is bankrupt…that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of
this nation.” He was trying to prove a point to every American that justice and peace in our nation is not
limited to those of a white inheritance. King did not want African Americans to express a feeling of
hatred toward all white people. He made an excellent point when mentioning, “…not lead us to distrust
of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come
to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny…” By presenting this point in his speech Martin
Luther King made known to everyone that he is a man of great character and honor.
Another style King presented quite well was ethos, which is his credibility on his speech. Of course he
portrayed this effectively because he himself is an African American, and he knows exactly what kind of
segregation and discrimination his black brothers are experiencing. King gives an example by saying,
“We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the
motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities…as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a
smaller ghetto to a larger one.” He goes on to say, “Some of you have come fresh from narrow
cells…from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and
staggered by the winds of police brutality.” Not a day would go by that somewhere a black person was
treated unequally because of the color of his skin. Martin Luther King addressed to the people such real
and visual examples of occurrences happening, that many people finally began to look at the situation in
another point of view. Many people started thinking, “Oh, this is wrong.”
King’s portrayal of logos was one technique that he made excellent usage of in his speech. To some
people, almost every statement he presented was unforgettable. The organization he used was
outstanding. Martin Luther King started his oration by stating the history of America and then going on
to explain the reason everyone was gathering there on that occasion. “Now is the time to open the doors
of opportunity to all of God’s children…to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the
solid rock of brotherhood.” He mentioned the reality of how things were and the capability of how things
could be. King summed up all of his thoughts and points and left most everyone remembering his final,
most powerful words, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
Finally, the most predominant artificial proof that Martin Luther King presented his audience with was his
style of pathos. He approached his audience on the same level as they were on, and spoke not only his
heart but theirs’ as well. When he spoke of freedom, justice, and liberty the level of his voice and
gestures would emphasize. For example, he said, “This will be the day when all of God’s children will be
able to sing with a new meaning, My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing,” and he
goes on to sing the rest of the verse. People were aware of Martin Luther King’s fervor towards justice
because of the stand he chose to make. He didn’t just give a speech. King was the leader of many
marches in several different states, and his passion and emotion for ending racial discrimination will not
be forgotten.
Martin Luther King is widely known as one of the greatest speakers to ever approach our nation. The
impact he made on America was so much more than effective; it was incredible. The speech Martin
Luther King gave took place 48 years ago, and even today people remember and quote the words he
spoke. Being a man of Christ, he allowed the Lord to use him in furthering the kingdom of God. He is a
man that has gone into history, and every child who goes through school is made known of works.
Martin Luther King’s passion for the civil-rights movement was so strongly effective and evident that it
changed our nation.
TOP 100 RHITORICAL SPEECHES accessed from http://www.americanrhetoric.com
Rank
Speaker
Title/Text/MultiMedia
Audio
Transcript
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I Have A Dream"
mp3
PDF FLASH
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Inaugural Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
First Inaugural Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation
mp3
PDF FLASH
Barbara Charline Jordan
1976 DNC Keynote Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
6
Richard Milhous Nixon
"Checkers"
mp3
PDF FLASH
7
Malcolm X
"The Ballot or the Bullet"
mp3
8
Ronald Wilson Reagan
Shuttle ''Challenger'' Disaster Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Houston Ministerial Association Speech
mp3
PDF FLASH
10
Lyndon Baines Johnson
"We Shall Overcome"
mp3
PDF FLASH
11
Mario Matthew Cuomo
1984 DNC Keynote Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
12
Jesse Louis Jackson
1984 DNC Address
Barbara Charline Jordan
Statement on the Articles of Impeachment
mp3
PDF FLASH
(General) Douglas MacArthur
Farewell Address to Congress
mp3
PDF FLASH
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I've Been to the Mountaintop"
Real Audio
PDF FLASH
Theodore Roosevelt
"The Man with the Muck-rake"
Robert Francis Kennedy
Remarks on the Assassination of MLK
mp3
PDF FLASH
Dwight David Eisenhower
Farewell Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
Thomas Woodrow Wilson
War Message
(General) Douglas MacArthur
"Duty, Honor, Country"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Richard Milhous Nixon
"The Great Silent Majority"
mp3
PDF FLASH
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
"Ich bin ein Berliner"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Clarence Seward Darrow
"Mercy for Leopold and Loeb"
1
2
3
4
5
9
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
24
mp3-Excerpt
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
Russell H. Conwell
"Acres of Diamonds"
Ronald Wilson Reagan
"A Time for Choosing"
26
Huey Pierce Long
"Every Man a King"
PDF FLASH
27
Anna Howard Shaw
"The Fundamental Principle of a Republic"
PDF FLASH
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"The Arsenal of Democracy"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Ronald Wilson Reagan
"The Evil Empire"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Ronald Wilson Reagan
First Inaugural Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
First Fireside Chat
mp3
PDF FLASH
32
Harry S. Truman
"The Truman Doctrine"
mp3
PDF FLASH
33
William Cuthbert Faulkner
Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
Real Audio
PDF FLASH
Eugene Victor Debs
1918 Statement to the Court
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton
"Women's Rights are Human Rights"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Dwight David Eisenhower
"Atoms for Peace"
mp3
PDF FLASH
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
American University Commencement Address
mp3
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards
1988 DNC Keynote Address
mp3
Richard Milhous Nixon
Resignation Speech
mp3
Thomas Woodrow Wilson
"The Fourteen Points"
PDF FLASH
Margaret Chase Smith
"Declaration of Conscience"
PDF FLASH
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"The Four Freedoms"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"A Time to Break Silence"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Mary Church Terrell
"What it Means to be Colored in the...U.S."
William Jennings Bryan
"Against Imperialism"
Margaret Higgins Sanger
"The Morality of Birth Control"
25
28
29
30
31
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
mp3-Excerpt
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
Barbara Pierce Bush
1990 Wellesley College Commencement Address
mp3
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Civil Rights Address
mp3
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Cuban Missile Crisis Address
mp3
Spiro Theodore Agnew
"Television News Coverage"
mp3-Excerpt
Jesse Louis Jackson
1988 DNC Address
Mary Fisher
"A Whisper of AIDS"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Lyndon Baines Johnson
"The Great Society"
mp3
PDF FLASH
George Catlett Marshall
"The Marshall Plan"
mp3
Edward Moore Kennedy
"Truth and Tolerance in America"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Adlai Ewing Stevenson
Presidential Nomination Acceptance Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
"The Struggle for Human Rights"
Geraldine Anne Ferraro
Vice-Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech
Robert Marion La Follette
"Free Speech in Wartime"
Ronald Wilson Reagan
40th Anniversary of D-Day Address
Mario Matthew Cuomo
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
"Religious Belief and Public Morality"
PDF FLASH
Edward Moore Kennedy
"Chappaquiddick"
John Llewellyn Lewis
"The Rights of Labor"
Barry Morris Goldwater
Presidential Nomination Acceptance Address
mp3
Stokely Carmichael
"Black Power"
mp3
Hubert Horatio Humphrey
1948 DNC Address
Emma Goldman
Address to the Jury
PDF FLASH
Carrie Chapman Catt
"The Crisis"
PDF FLASH
Newton Norman Minow
"Television and the Public Interest"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Edward Moore Kennedy
Eulogy for Robert Francis Kennedy
mp3
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
Off-site Audio
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
71
Anita Faye Hill
Statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee
72
Thomas Woodrow Wilson
League of Nations Final Address
PDF FLASH
Henry Louis ("Lou") Gehrig
Farewell to Baseball Address
PDF FLASH
Richard Milhous Nixon
Cambodian Incursion Address
Carrie Chapman Catt
Address to the U.S. Congress
Edward Moore Kennedy
1980 DNC Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
Lyndon Baines Johnson
On Vietnam and Not Seeking Re-Election
mp3
PDF FLASH
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Commonwealth Club Address
PDF FLASH
Thomas Woodrow Wilson
First Inaugural Address
PDF FLASH
Mario Savio
"Sproul Hall Sit-in Speech/An End to History"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Elizabeth Glaser
1992 DNC Address
mp3
PDF FLASH
Eugene Victor Debs
"The Issue"
83
Margaret Higgins Sanger
"Children's Era"
84
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin
"A Left-Handed Commencement Address"
Crystal Eastman
"Now We Can Begin"
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
85
86
87
Huey Pierce Long
Address on Taking the Oath of Office
Cesar Estrada Chavez
Speech on Ending His 25 Day Fast
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
Statement at the Smith Act Trial
Jimmy Earl Carter
"A Crisis of Confidence"
Malcolm X
"Message to the Grassroots"
William Jefferson Clinton
Oklahoma Bombing Memorial Address
93
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm
"For the Equal Rights Amendment"
94
Ronald Wilson Reagan
Brandenburg Gate Address
89
90
91
92
mp3
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
"Share Our Wealth"
Gerald Rudolph Ford
88
mp3
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
mp3
PDF FLASH
95
96
97
98
99
100
Eliezer ("Elie") Wiesel
"The Perils of Indifference"
Gerald Rudolph Ford
National Address Pardoning Richard M. Nixon
Thomas Woodrow Wilson
"For the League of Nations"
Lyndon Baines Johnson
"Let Us Continue"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Joseph N. Welch
"Have You No Sense of Decency"
mp3
PDF FLASH
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Adopting the Declaration of Human Rights
mp3
mp3-Excerpt
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH
PDF FLASH