Lesson 7: Writing conference + check-in day 

By the end of this lesson, students should have the following completed: 

• Their Persuasion Map (hook + 3 reasons + concluding call-to-action statement) 

• Their introductory paragraph 

Once students have completed the above, they should begin writing their first supporting reason paragraph. 

 

As students work, individual writing conferences should be held with students in a quiet corner in the classroom. I tend to choose the back of the classroom since our desks are in groups (it is less distracting for students who are not in the conference and still affords the same classroom management opportunities).

 

During individual writing conferences, teachers should strive as much as possible to do the following: 

• Speak to individual students for no more than 2-3 minutes at a time. If a student requires additional support, they should come back for another session after they have worked (the idea here is to break the work into smaller more digestibel chunks for reluctant writers) 

• Follow Nancie Atwell's 7 Principles that guide teaching and student learning (click here to see a video of Atwell in action)

• Use guiding questions and allow students to do most of the talking (i.e. 'what are you working on?'; 'where are we at for your speech?'; 'how are you feeling about where you are right now?'; 'what can I help you with?') 

• MIrror students' body language and use appropriate eye-contact to buidl nonverbal rapport 

• Close the conference with a very clear action plan for the student 

 

Lesson 8: Using the 3 modes of persuasion (logos, ethos & pathos) 

By the end of this lesson, students will know the 3 modes of persuasion: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini-lesson on the 3 modes of persuasion

​Using the Lesson 8 section of the Unit PowerPoint, lead the following mini-lesson:  

• Explain the 3 modes of persuasion being sure to take time with each of the modes (do not move to Ethos until you are sure students comprehend logos) 

• Play the following video

 

Persuasive advertising 'card' activity 

This activity is designed to get students thinking about the 3 modes of persuasion with relation to advertising. 

• Provide each student with a set of three 'cards', one for each persuasive mode (see the 'Ethos-Logos-Pathos' document for the cutouts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Show students the following Budweiser ad and ask them to hold up the persuasive mode(s) being used by the company to see beer (a different commercial can be selected). In an effort to include all students' participation, you should not move on to a general discussion until all students have held up their cards. 

• Select 3-4 online ads and ask students to hold up their modes of persuasion 'cards' for each of the ads shown. The ads that were shown in our class were the following (these are also on the Unit PowerPoint). 
   

Exit card: 

In their notebooks, students should answer the following questions: 

• Provide a one sentence definition of each of the modes of persuasion (Ethos, Logos, Pathos) 

• Provide one way you will make sure your speech:

  • Is logical

  • Conveyed with emotion

  • Establishes you as a trustworthy/credible source

 

Lesson 9: Writing conference + check-in day 

By the end of this lesson, students should be well on their way to completing the body of their speech. They should work on each of their supporting reason paragraphs, ensuring that they: 

• List and explain their 3 supporting reasons (1 per paragraph) 

• Address and refute counter arguments 

• Include all three modes of their persuasion
   

For guidelines on how to lead individual writing conferences, please see Lesson 7. 

 

Lesson 10: Incorporating metaphors & similes   

By the end of this lesson, students will know how a metaphor can be used to enhance a persuasive speech. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini-lesson: Metaphors & similes 

Using the Lesson 10 section of the Unit PowerPoint, lead the class in a mini-lesson on metaphors and similes.

 

Metaphors in speeches

To illustrate how metaphors can be used to further an argument, play the following videos, both of which use a metaphor of life to persuade their audience. Before playing the videos, explain to the class that both speeches will provide different metaphors for life. A brief class discussion should be held between videos to ensure that students understood the metaphor used. 

 

Al Pacino / Any Given Sunday 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robin Williams / Dead Poets Society

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point, students should develop a metaphor or a simile that they may choose to include in their speech. For the remainder of the class, students should continue writing their speech. 

 

Lesson 11:  Making good use of rhetorical questions 

By the end of this lesson, students will know how rhetorical questions can be used to further persuade an audience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini-lesson: Rhetorical questions

Using the Lesson 11 section of the Unit PowerPoint, lead the class in a mini-lesson on rhetorical questions. 

 

Rhetorical questions in speeches 

To illustrate how rhetorical questions can be used to further an argument, play the following video, which makes good use of rhetorical questions to persuade their audience. Before playing the video, provide the students with some background contextual information on Malcolm X. 

 

Malcolm X / Who taught you to hate yourself?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point, students should develop a rhetorical question that they may choose to include in their speech. For the remainder of the class, students should continue writing their speech.  

 

Lesson 12: Including anecdotes 

By the end of this lesson, students will know how personal anecdotes can be used to further persuade an audience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To illustrate how anecdotes may be used to further an argument, play the following video, which provides an excellent example of how anecdotes can be used to further persuade. Before playing the video, provide students with some background information on Wahls' speech. 

 

Zach Wahls / speech to a public forum in the Iowa House of Representatives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson 13: Writing conference + check-in day 

By the end of this lesson, students should be well on their way to completing their speech. During this class, they should work on their concluding paragraph as well as proofread their work. Depending on whether you require that they submit a rough draft, this may be an opportune time for students to type up their speeches in the computer lab. 

 

For guidelines on how to lead individual writing conferences, please see Lesson 7. 

 

Lesson 14: Using body language and tone effectively 

By the end of this lesson, students will know that body language and tone of voice account for a large part of our daily communication. Students will also be better able to recognize which emotions they may struggle with when it comes to verbal communication. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Bang body language 

This introductory clip has been chosen to 

• Play the following clip and ask students to pay attention to the body language and facial features of both Penny and Sheldon.

• After the clip, solicit comments from the class about what type of body language is more (and less) effective. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini-lesson: Body language 

Using the Lesson 14 section of the Unit PowerPoint, lead a (very) mini-lesson on what body language is and how important it is for our everyday communication. 

 

Body Language Graffiti exercise 

This exercise is designed to have students pay very close attention to the variety of ways we use our bodies and faces to communicate what we're thinking and how we're feeling. 

• Split the class into small groups of 3-4 

• Provide each group with a large piece of blank white paper and markers 

• Select 3-4 clips from TV programs or movies and play them with the sound off. For our class, we played the following: 

  1. Elf the Movie (Santa Announcement) 

  2. Whiplash (Rushing or Dragging scene) 

  3. Dear White People (You can't eat here) 

  4. Toy Story (Buzz vs. Woddy scene) 

 

• As students watch the clips, they should write what they observe on the piece of paper 'graffiti' style (i.e. "shrugged", "angry", "depressed", "crossed arms", etc.) 

• After each clip, have move the white graffiti papers clockwise so that each group gets to contribute to each paper 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conveying emotion through tone 

• Ask students to list some of the emotions that were written on the white graffiti sheets. As they provide examples, the teacher should scribe the suggestions on the smartboard/chalkboard. The teacher should ensure that a good variety of emotions are listed. 

• In pairs, students will pratice saying the same words/sentence with an emotion of their partner's choosing (we used the words "ham sandwich").  

• As students practice at least 3-4 of the emotions listed, they should pay close attention to which ones were easy or more difficult to convey. The idea here is for students to get to know what their tonal range is and how it can be best employed for the delivery of the speech. 

• After all students have praticed 3-4 emotions, they should read the first paragraph of their speech with emotion to their partner. Ask students to take special care to read with feeling in their voice. 

 

Lesson 15: Practice your persuasion! 

This class should provide all students to practice reading their speeches with at least 3 other members of the class. 

 

Speech reading 'speed dating'

• Ask students to stand and form two or four equal lines in the classroom (i.e. two groups of 14 or four groups 7 if you have 28 students)

• Starting with the line of students on the right-hand side of the classroom, students should read their speech to the person in front of them. All students will be given 3 minutes with the person facing them. As with Lesson 6, an online timer can be used to ensure proper timekeeping. 

• Once the timer buzzes, the students on the left-hand side of the classroom should read their speech to the person in front of them. 

• Once the timer buzzes, all students should move toward the right so that they are standing in front of a new 'audience member'. The process should start again, with the timer set back to 3-minutes. 

• After all students have had the chance to read their speech to at least 3 other members of the class, the teacher should lead a large class discussion about how students felt and what they thought while reading their speeches. 

 

Exit card:

• After their speech reading speed dating, students should complete the following questions on an exit card: 

  • When I read my speech, my pace of reading was ____________

  • After reading my speech a few times I now feel ____________ about presenting in front of the class 

  • One aspect of my delivery that I did really well is ____________

  • One aspect of my delivery that would be improved upon is ____________

 

Lessons 16 & 17: Persuade us! 

Depending on the number of students in your class, you may require more than 2 days. As with all projects that require students to speak in front of the class, it's especially important that the teacher provides as calm and welcoming an environment as possible. If at all feasible, consider making the environment feel less intimidating for students by doing any of the following: 

• Bring in snacks, like cookies or donuts, for students to snack on while their peers read their speeches 

• Play some calming music as students come into the room 

• Dim the lights and/or allow students to deliver from a space in the classroom they feel most comfortable (not necessarily right at the front) 

 

Before the first student begins their speech, remind the class of the big idea and that all of them have the power to impact those around them through their persuasive arguments.