Period 4 Presentation Dates

Good Morning,

Period 3 Presentation Dates

Good morning,

Research Day

Good morning,

Ms. McConnell is organizing an extra credit book club. You would read the book over break and participate in several lunch meetings after break. See the book descriptions here.  And sign up to participate here.

I'm giving you most of today to research your issue to prepare for your speech and your persuasive letter.  BEFORE YOU LEAVE, complete the Persuasive Issues Exit Slip today.

The Power of Childish Thinking

Good morning,

Do Now:  Make a quick 2x2 table in your writer's notebook and get ready to be amazed.

I have one more persuasive speech for you today. The girl giving this speech is younger than you. (Please don't hold that against her.)  I think you are really going to like what she has to say.

Imitate, Admire and Dig In

Do Now:
Lets imitate:  C/P this sentence into your writer's notebook and then create your own imitation. (Prepare to be random.)
The dragon came crashing and blundering out of the underbrush, its scales glowing a greenish copper color, its soot-caked nostrils venting smoke. 
– Stephen King, The Eyes of the Dragon

We are going to look at another speech video quickly and then you will have some time to be researching your issue further and/or start working on your speech.

Persuasive Speech Assignment

Speaking Persuasively

Do Now:
Over the weekend you should have completed the "Big Picture" version of your community issue. Take out that sheet and summarize it in a paragraph in your writer's notebook.  Add notes to yourself about any information you still need.


You are preparing to write a persuasive letter about a community issue, but you need to be able to talk about the issue before you can really write about it. This week we are going to look at some students presenting short persuasive speeches about issues they have researched. After our spring break you will be giving a short talk about your issue.

Persuasive Speech Assignment

Here is the link to the persuasive speech I showed you in class today. (The one where you took notes about what she did well and what she needed to do better with.)  The link will work on campus and you should be able to watch the embedded video below at home.

Opposing Viewpoints

By now you should know what your local issue is.
You should know what your perspective is about that issue.
You should probably know some of the opposing viewpoints about your issue.
Maybe you even know how you plan to address those opposing viewpoints.

Take a look at the articles you have collected.
You should have a few that support your position.
You should also have a few that support the opposing position.

Are you starting to see the big picture about your issue? 
I have a handout for you that might help.

• Fill it out. 
• Bring it back on Monday. 
• Don't think of it as homework. 
• Think of it as something that will help you get your information organized, but make sure you do it. Start now.

I have one more tool for you. It is called CiteLighter and it is designed to help you organize your sources.  If you are feeling ahead in your research I suggest you check it out.  You need to be using the latest version of Firefox for the Citelighter toolbar to work on your computer.

The Big Picture << Use this link to get the handout if you are NOT here in class today.

Research Continues

Good morning,

I want to give you more time today to refine your ideas about the community issue you want to write about and also to gather more relevant articles to review about that issue.

Please continue using the news sources in the live binder and remember to keep a list in a Google Doc of all the articles you read. For each article include the real link, the title, author, your summary notes AND the DATE you read the article, to help you recall what it was about so you can find it later.

Local Community News

In the last 10-15 minutes of the period please complete this form to tell me about your issue and what you have found so far. (This is for a grade, so be complete.)

Persuasive Letter

Good morning,

You had homework last night to reflect on the Socratic seminar we had yesterday. Please turn that in now.

Today I will explain your next process prompt and we will begin to do some research to refine your topic.

What is an issue in your community that people disagree about? Write a persuasive letter discussing your point of view on a local community issue. Prove your case by citing evidence, addressing opposing viewpoints, and providing counterarguments.

• Use a business letter format
• 2-3 Page Letter
• Works cited page should include all relevant sources that you read for this assignment.
• We will mail your letter to the appropriate person

To simplify your search for an issue I have consolidated most of our major local news sources here.

Local Community News

Socratic Seminar

Good afternoon,

Today we had a socratic seminar in class. If you missed it you really missed out.  For HOMEWORK you need to complete questions 4 and 5 on your socratic seminar sheet. That is due in class on Wednesday.

Tomorrow we begin to look at local issues in our community that you will write your persuasive process piece about.  If you begin to think about those issues tonight remember to focus on issues people disagree about.  Also don't forget to be reading and posting your book reviews in Goodreads before the end of next week! Eeek!

Catching Up

Do Now: Write an entry in your Writer's Notebook about the two days I was gone. Include details about what you accomplished, any problems you had and anything else you think I should know. 

Last week you read several articles about issues of inequality.  Today we will review those and generate questions to prepare for a socratic seminar.

If you did not finish any of the work from last Thursday or Friday for ANY reason, (absent, internet problems etc.) you need to complete that work by tomorrow.  See the blog posts below from Thursday and Friday.

Also remember you need two books read and reviewed in March.  Note: A review=a paragraph or two explaining what you thought about the book, opinions supported by reasons. (A star rating is not a review.)

Ethos, Pathos and Logos

Good morning,

I'd like to see what you can do with the persuasive concepts we have been working on.

1. Please complete this form to show your working knowledge of Ethos, Pathos and Logos.
2. After completing the form return to the two articles you read yesterday. (They should be saved on your computer, but you can also still find them in the post below this one.)
3. Review each article.
4. In your Writer's Notebook make a list of 3-5 open ended questions each article brings up for you.  These are the kinds of questions that don't have definite answers. These would be questions you would ask if you were having a conversation about the article.
5. Read your independent reading book.

Equity Articles: Analysis

Good morning,

Following up with our reading of "I Have a Dream", today you will be reading selected articles regarding the issue of inequality.  Please read TWO of the five articles below.  They are on different topics and have a range of reading levels and lengths. After you read each article you need to complete the  Equality Articles Analysis Form

• Women in the USA Today
• Denying Citizenship
• Interracial Dating
• Networth Comparison
• Fight for Equal Rights Continues

If you have read and analyzed two articles then you may do some independent research on issues relating to inequality or read your own independent reading book.  

Annotating for Counterargument

 

Do Now:  What is your position about space exploration? Should the United States be working to send a group of people to Mars or focus more on robotic exploration? (Determine your position (claim) and list some reasons (sub-claims) you would use to support it.)

 Lets read and annotate a text. We'll read it together the first time and then you will go through it again on your own.   Here is the article.
Annotate for:  

• Claims-in green
• Opposing Viewpoints-in yellow
• Counterarguments-in pink

The Counterargument

Do Now: Recall the article you read yesterday. Without looking back at it, write a quick summary of what you remember. What was the authors claim? What persuasive techniques was he/she using? What evidence did you find convincing or unconvincing? 

 
Go check your view only copy of my Writer's Notebook. There is a table there that you should c/p into your notebook before we look at some issues.

Persuasive Article Jigsaw

Good morning,

Lets look at some more persuasive writing today.  I'll be dividing you into groups.  Each group will have a different article to read and analyze.  Be prepared to share your findings with the class.

Four Articles: Read the one that matches your group number.  Complete your Article Jigsaw Sheet.
One
Two
Three
Four

Debating the issue

Do Now:
What have you learned from reading/analyzing "I Have a Dream"? Consider both your learning about the content of the speech and your learning about persuasive rhetoric.
 
 Civilized society depends on educated individuals being able to discuss and debate their differences in a reasonable and rational manner. Last week you wrote about the issue of backpack and locker searches. Today we will look more closely at your arguments for and against that (hypothetical) policy. Be prepared to adjust, revise or reinforce your reasons and logic as we proceed.

Homework: Write a paragraph about the debate we had in class today. You can include which side you agree with, but make sure you explain which side had the STRONGER argument and WHY you think that.  Due Monday ON PAPER.

Alternate Homework for people not in class today: Some of you were absent from class for a field trip and some for other reasons. Obviously you can't write about the debate we had if you were not here. Respond to this prompt instead:  If Dr. King (or someone like him) were giving an "I Have A Dream" speech today what do you think he or she would be speaking about? What would the issue be? What would the claim and sub-claim be?

Claim Structure

Good morning,

Several days ago you annotated your copy of "I Have a Dream" for the persuasive techniques Dr. King was using in his speech. You used comments to mark the techniques when you found them.
Yesterday we looked at the concepts of claim and sub claim (reasons/evidence) in "I Have A Dream".

Today we need more practice with claim and subclaims. Working with a partner you will highlight claims in red and sub claims in pink. (If you see additional persuasive techniques as you go you may comment on them as well.)

Claim and Subclaim

Do Now: Identify a claim Dr. King makes and the evidence he uses to support it.

 In his famous "I Have a Dream" speech Dr. King makes the claim that _____________________ (could be a quote). He is saying ___________________________. Some evidence he uses to support his claim is ___________________ and ___________________. 

Tip: Do not confuse the persuasive techniques Dr. King uses with the meaning of his claim and evidence.  

Rhetorical Devices in "I Have A Dream"

Do Now:  What was Dr. King talking about in his "I Have A Dream" speech that we listened to yesterday? What did he want? Why did he want it? What evidence did he give to support his purpose?


Today we will look even more closely at his speech.  You have a new document shared with you Rhtorical Devices and Appeals I Have a Dream - Blank.doc  (another 60 sheets of paper saved).  I will choose a partner for you and together you will look for examples of ethos, pathos and logos in Dr. King's famous speech.

And on a totally unrelated note perhaps you want to submit an idea for the farm bus. 

Let Freedom Ring

Good morning,

Today we look at persuasive techniques in the most famous American speech ever made. I bet you can guess what it is. There is a new doc shared with you in your "view only" folder.  Open it up and make your own copy.

Of course the speech we listened to was "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., delivered August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. After listening we went through the speech again looking for the persuasive techniques Dr. King was using.

Persuasive Print

Do Now:  Click This Link (What are you waiting for? Brad Pitt wants you to click this link. If you click this link it will be good for America. All the cool kids are clicking the link.)

Yesterday we looked at persuasive techniques in major television commercials.
Today we will look at some of your answers from the Do Now and then examine print ads for persuasive techniques.

For each ad determine the dominant persuasive technique. Make a note of it and also list a few reasons you think that.
This __(product)____ ad is using ethos/pathos/logos because_________________ and _________.

Homework: What was the most convincing print add you saw today. Describe what made it convincing.