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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let Me Convince You

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the elements of a persuasive speech and brainstorm topics related to school that they think should be changed. They compose and deliver a three to five minute persuasive speech to their classmates using the key...
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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

The Movies, the Academy Awards and Implicit Bias

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"And the award goes to. . . " High schoolers investigate bias in the movie industry by reading articles, watching a short video, and examining data about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) membership, nominees, and...
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Activity
PBS

Presidential Leadership and the Goal to Unify | America’s Great Divide: From Obama to Trump

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Traditionally, a United States President's Inaugural Address establishes the tone and vision for his presidency. It has stressed the goal to unify the country and bring the political parties together after what are often divisive...
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Worksheet
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The New York Times

Great Debate: Developing Argumentation Skills

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Advertising has no impact on whether people buy something." "Looting is morally permissible during national disasters and emergencies." "Gay teenagers should be allowed to take dates to the prom." Considering a class debate? Check out...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Organizing a Speech

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the elements of an effective speech. They use Inspiration to create a graphic organizer or map of how to effectively organize a speech. Students share their graphic organizer/map with the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing Visual Support For "The Greatest American" Speech

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students study several periods in American history, define the term "greatest American," and brainstorm possible criteria for selecting great Americans. They create a three to five minute persuasive speech along with visual aids to...
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Activity
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John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

Recipe for an Inaugural Address

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
An inaugural address represents the first moments of a new beginning. Using John F. Kennedy's speech as a model for guided practice, groups examine the ingredients of an inaugural address. Individuals then repeat the analysis process...
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Activity
Jen London

Julius Caesar Funeral Speech Essay Assignment

For Teachers 11th - 12th
"Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause." "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!" As part of a study of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, individuals as asked to compare the funeral speeches of Brutus and Mark...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing a Writer's Stance

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Should college admissions decisions be based on whether whose family members attended? Secondary students read and respond to a New York Times article on the issue of 'legacy preferences' in college admissions. Following class...
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Handout
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Ohio Literacy Resource Center

Arguing with Aristotle Ethos, Pathos, Logos

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Introduce your classes to the Art of Rhetoric with a lesson that focuses on Aristotle's persuasive appeals and how they have been used, both ethically and unethically, to influence opinion.
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Unit Plan
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Madison Public Schools

Journalism

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Whether you are teaching a newspaper unit in language arts, covering the First Amendment and censorship in social studies, or focusing on writing ethics in journalism, a unit based on the foundations of journalism would be an excellent...
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eBook
CK-12 Foundation

Commonsense Composition

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Any teacher with common sense should use the perfect resource to improve composition skills. Perfect for flipped lessons and station rotation, the text details information about genres of writing with guiding questions for readers....
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Lesson Plan
Literacy Design Collaborative

The Art of Persuasion: How Rhetorical Devices Influence Audiences

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Scholars analyze a variety of text to identify the development of claims and persuasive techniques writers use. In each text, pupils determine the argument and the persuasive techniques and complete a task introduction worksheet. The...
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Lesson Plan
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PBS

Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Learning About Opioids

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Feeling high is not the only side effect of abusing prescription opioids. Middle and high schoolers learn more about specific painkillers, including Fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Clonazepam, as well as their common brand names and extensive...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let Me Convince You

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the purposes of persuasive speaking and writing with emphasis upon what makes them different from other kinds. They brainstorm and discuss ways to select "The Greatest American Who Ever Lived" and prepare a persuasive...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rhetorical Devices

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders identify and analyze examples of rhetorical devices as valid or invalid inferences. In this text analysis lesson, 12th graders research a controversial topic in teams and identify rhetorical devices for the topic....
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Lesson Plan
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum

Marshall Plan: Convince the American People

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
This is an excellent resource for US history classes, especially AP history. After learning some background on the Marshall Plan, the class, divided into two groups, researches opposing positions on this aid program. Groups read and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planning the Persuasive Paper and Debate

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders work in pairs, using the big six research method, to research a controversial subject of their choosing, write a persuasive paper expressing their views, and then debate with other teams.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Campaign Hot Buttons

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in a simulation that asks them to work as staffers for a candidate running for office. They are assigned to design, administer, and analyze a simple poll on an important community issue. Students develop a position...
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Lesson Plan
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Dream of a Nation

Congressional Debate

For Teachers 10th Standards
Should junk food be banned in schools? Should the US open its borders to all immigrants? Should the US impose term limits for the House of Representatives and for the Senate? Using Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a...
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Activity
National Science Teachers Association

The Ethanol Project

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
In a mock senate hearing regarding the development of ethanol as a fuel source, each person in the class is assigned a role to play and must uphold the stance of their character. Once the senate hearing is complete, each person writes a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rest Cure: Gender in Medicine and Literature

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Read and discuss "The Yellow Wall-Paper" and the gender issues that the story brings up. Use articles from the time period to analyze, complete with specific discussion questions. After two days, scholars write an essay based on topics...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Sam Houston: A Study in Leadership

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Learners read a short excerpt from a speech by Sam Houston and answer corresponding questions as well as engage in additional activities, including writing a persuasive essay and discussing topics in small groups. The resource helps lay...
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Activity
Shmoop

ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "I Have a Dream," is one of the most famous in United States history, but why was it so effective? Ask your class to determine the answer to this question. While the resource includes a description of...