To demonstrate their ability to craft an analysis of informational text, class members read excerpts from James Madison's "The Federalist No. 10," from George Washington's Farewell Address, and from Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address. They consider the main points each makes about political parties and the rights of the majority versus the rights on the minority, and then write an essay in which they compare the authors' attitudes towards political parties.

Concepts

political parties, informational texts, compare and contrast essays

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

english language arts

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• The packet may be used to assess learning or as a practice set to prepare writers for such an assessment

Classroom Considerations

• Presumes writers have experience analyzing informational text and know how to support a thesis using evidence from the source materials

Pros

• The 58-page packet includes a detailed teacher's guide, the three excerpts, worksheets, the writing prompt, and a rubric

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.11-12.1 RI.11-12.8 RI.11-12.9 W.11-12.2.a W.11-12.9.b SL.11-12.1.a