Curated OER
Writing a Criticism
Students view various paintings and write down the adjectives that come to mind. Using the painting, they use information from a previous lesson to write their own critique or point of view. They share their writings with the class.
Curated OER
The Persuasive Message
Eighth graders engage in a study of persuasive writing. They conduct research looking at a variety of media resources looking for persuasive techniques that are used like advertising. The language of the advertising is examined for how...
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...
Polk Bros Foundation
Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech - April 12th, 1983
Harold Washington forged a coalition of voters and won the Chicago mayoral election of 1983. In doing so he became the first black mayor of that racially and ethnically divided city. Excerpts from his speech are included in a worksheet...
Curated OER
Connotation in Propaganda
High schoolers assess persuasive techniques in propaganda. They identify and critique rhetorical devices in primary source documents (sources are not specified, but links to sites that contain various documents are included). Groups make...
Curated OER
The Purpose and Power of Persuasion
Examine the power of persuasion and have learners consider how it influences events in their own lives. After reading and analyzing informational texts to understand the author's purpose, class members take a written test and craft a...
Curated OER
Connotation and Denotation:
Eighth graders investigate the effect that connotations can have on writing. They are shown examples to build background knowledge before attempting the exercise. They finish by writing a paragraph to practice what they have learned.
Curated OER
Socratic Questioning
If you are new to the technique of Socratic questioning, check out this resource that details the five steps in the Socratic method. The examples of each step are drawn from Brave New World.
Curated OER
Comparison and Contrast: Neat People vs. Sloppy People and Batting Clean-up and Striking Out
After your class reads Neat People vs. Sloppy People and Batting Clean-up and Striking Out, provide them with this resource. Use it as a quiz or a homework assignment to assess your class's understanding of the author's purpose, the...
Curated OER
Smiles Change the World
Learners develop speaking and listening skills while evaluating a list. For this consensus lesson, students define consensus and discuss how it might be used at recess. After learners understand how consensus works, students review and...
Curated OER
Buckets of Bucks for World Hunger
Students participate in a nonprofit organization activity for hunger outreach problems. In this service project lesson, students practice counting coins, complete a service project for a hunger outreach, discuss nutrition and healthy...
Curated OER
The Biomed Unit Project
Students write a persuasive paper following the expository theme format of introduction, first body paragraph, second body paragraph, third body paragraph, and conclusion that addresses the prompt of the final project adequately. They...
Curated OER
Swiss Bank Accountability: Mock Trial
Learners use a variety of sources to construct a case defending and prosecuting the Swiss government for their role in Nazi gold transactions during World War II. They practice research techniques, persuasive writing and speaking.
Curated OER
Pictures and Slogans Persuade an Audience!
Students understand that writers utilize various techniques to persuade an audience. They develop an awareness of how the media works to persuade them as the consumer. They create a visual representation of various feelings and emotions...
Curated OER
Here's to Your Health!
Studets research a health issue. They write an essay about the health issue. The create a public service announcement.
Curated OER
Immigration in the United States
Students explore how recent immigration and migration patterns impact social and political issues. They apply affective learning techniques
Curated OER
Stewardship Letter
Students write a persuasive letter. In this stewardship lesson, students discover the basic format for a formal letter and some effective persuasive techniques. Students write a letter to bring about change in the way humans interact...
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....
Prestwick House
Understanding Language: Slant, Spin, and Bias in the News
We live in a time of fake news, alternative realities, and media bias. What could be more timely than an activity that asks class members to research how different sources report the same topic in the news?
National Endowment for the Humanities
Animal Farm: Allegory and the Art of Persuasion
Introduce your class members to allegory and propaganda with a series of activities designed to accompany a study of George Orwell's Animal Farm. Readers examine the text as an allegory, consider the parallels to collective farms and the...
Channel Islands Film
Magic Isle: Lesson Plan 1
What are the factors that limit growth and expansion? As part of their study of Catalina Island, class members view the West of the West's documentary Magic Isle and research William Wrigley and the Santa Catalina Island Company. After...
Curated OER
"The Merchants of Cool"
Why are so many advertisements geared towards the teenage population? Watch a video with your class (link included), and have them fill out the attached listening guide. Then discuss persuasion, presenting biased information, and where...
English Enhanced Scope and Sequence
Identifying Persuasion in Media Literacy
As part of a study of media literacy, groups examine advertisements from Money, Fortune, The New Yorker, or Good Housekeeping and identify the types of rhetorical appeals used in the ads. After groups present their findings, the whole...
Curated OER
Author's Day
Have your learners choose an author to study. One resource link gives a list of approved authors. Scholars read at least three works produced by that author and produce three separate book reports as well as a two-page author report....