Jackson Public Schools
Summer Reading Activities
Provide parents with the tools they need to bridge the summer learning gap with this collection of fun activities. Whether it's creating an alphabet poster with illustrations for each letter, playing a game of sight word concentration,...
Curated OER
The Union is Perpetual: Lincoln is Elected
Students view primary documents about the race for President in the time of Abraham Lincoln. In this election lesson, students prepare arguments for and against Lincoln using an analysis sheet. Students create a poster or cartoon to...
Curated OER
Giving a Persuasive Speech
High schoolers examine how to plan their own thoughts, write down specific notes, and prepare to give their speech on a topic from the list. They take a specific side and present their arguments to the class.
Curated OER
Designing Visual Support For "The Greatest American" Speech
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Emotion or Reason?
Young scholars use persuasive devices to construct oral or written arguments. In this arguments lesson, students discuss the types of persuasive devices used in arguments and form groups to select a topic to research. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Overcoming Censorship Through Art
Students examine and discuss government-imposed censorship of art and artists' methods for counteracting censorship. They view censored artwork, write a persuasive essay, and create an art piece.
Curated OER
The Giver: A Research Unit
Eighth graders complete a reading of Lois Lowry's, The Giver, and determine a social problem the effects the "utopian society." They research information about the social problem using a number Internet, print, and media resources. They...
Literacy Design Collaborative
The Art of Persuasion: How Rhetorical Devices Influence Audiences
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...
Curated OER
The Gettysburg Address: An American Treasure
Learners apply information found in Lincoln's speeches, especially The Gettysburg Address, to create a persuasive speech on a current topic.
Curated OER
Let's Walk That Talk
Students present speeches. In this philanthropy lesson plan, students invite another class to come visit. They talk about philanthropy and present persuasive speeches written in a previous lesson plan. The visiting students answer the...
Curated OER
Delivering a Persuasive Speech
Students demonstrate the appropriate classroom public speaking and listening skills that would be necessary to influence or change someone's mind or way of thinking about a topic. They define the elements of persuasion and recognize the...
Curated OER
How to Move the Crowd: The Persuasive, Powerful Rhetoric of Mark Antony -Folger Shakespeare Library
Tenth graders explore a close reading of the speeches of Brutus and Mark Anthony in 3.2. They identify the effects of the rhetorical appeals used. Students explore the variety of ways in which Anthony might have delivered the speech....
Curated OER
Opening Statements (Timed Writing) Model Lesson Plan
Learners review purpose and timing of opening statements in mock trials, discuss particulars of what should be included in opening statements, and write individual opening statements based on facts of their case.
Curated OER
Planning the Persuasive Paper and Debate
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.
The New York Times
Great Debate: Developing Argumentation Skills
"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...
Curated OER
Colonial North Carolina
Students resarch people and events from a given list. Then based on teacher options, students employ perspectives, an audience, a presentation format, and topic to prepare a two-page document to share with the class. Students also...
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
Marshall Plan: Convince the American People
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...
Curated OER
The Rest Cure: Gender in Medicine and Literature
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...
East Lyme Public Schools
To Declare or Not to Declare Independence?
Class members adopt the persona of real figures in American history, Patriots and Loyalists, research these individuals to determine their stance, and then debate the question of whether or not to declare independence from England.
Curated OER
May the Best Character Win
Running an election campaign takes money. Class groups must effectively budget money in order to design and purchase sufficient advertising aimed at procuring classmates' votes. After completing an online tutorial, they also write and...
Curated OER
Persuade or Die!
Students read Patrick Henry's speech. They review prior learning about persuasive writing, and the American revolutionary war. Students listen as the teacher reads Patrick Henry's speech aloud to the class using lots of emotion and...
iCivics
Emphasize Minimize
Encourage your class members to consider what points they are really emphasizing when they are making an argument, whether in writing or in speech. Watch out though, as this lesson may just leave your learners eager to debate you!
K20 LEARN
Trigger Warnings - Intellectual Rights and Responsibilities: Banned Books, Censorship Part 1
"Warning: Conducting this lesson plan may be harmful." Such statements, called "Trigger Warnings," are the focus of a two-part lesson plan that looks at censorship, especially the pros and cons of trigger warnings. Class members read two...
Student Handouts
Logical Fallacies
Help your learners grow their critical thinking and analytical skills by asking them to examine logical fallacies. After reading an example, pupils determine if two sets of premises and conclusions are logical fallacies or not and...