Today we are going to look at your textbooks, so go get them.
Anchor Text(s)/Additional Instructional
Resources:
“Doing Nothing is Something” by Anna Quindlen – in textbook page
638
Political Ads – “Daisy” and “America’s Back” – in textbook page
738
“Abolishing the Penny Makes Good Sense” by Alan S. Blinder – in
textbook by 646
“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift
“Writing Workshop: Argument: Persuasive Essay” – page 742
Unit
Learning goal: Students will be able to research, write and perform an
original persuasive essay that takes a side on an issue and successfully argues
for that side.
Scale/Rubric
relating to learning goal:
4 – The student can write and perform an original
persuasive speech that that takes a side on an issue and successfully argues
for that side using all six elements of persuasion. The writing and performance are both
exemplarily effective.
3 – The student is able to write an original and perform
an original persuasive essay that takes a side on an issue and successfully
argues for that side.
2 – With some direction/help from the teacher the student
is able to write and perform an original persuasive essay that takes a side on
an issue and/or successfully argues for that side.
1 – Even with help
from the teacher the student is unable to write and/or perform an original
persuasive essay that takes a side on an issue and successfully argues for that
side.
Objectives
(smaller chunks of overall goal) and suggested time periods
OBJECTIVES: By the end of this unit students will be able
to
1) Define the following terms: Logos, Ethos,
Pathos, Thesis Statement, Order of Development, Conclusion, Transition,
Audience, Hook, Purpose, Evidence
2) List the six traits of writing and the six
steps in the writing process.
3) Properly outline the constructive for a
debate and rebut opponents points/arguments
4) Participate in Spar and Forum debate
5) Watch a national debate and evaluate and
explain who won by keeping a flow chart of arguments and rebuttals
6) Choose a topic about a controversial issues
and take one side of argument
7) List the Do’s and Don’ts of persuasive
argument
8) Write a clear and precise thesis statement
with an order of development
9) Properly cite sources both in-text and on a
works cited page
10) Find evidence from a variety of different
sources including Print Sources, Internet Sources, Media Sources, and Personal
Sources
11) Use the Internet to properly to conduct
research
12) Create at least 10 Bibliography citations
and 10 research entries
13) Use research notes to cite passages from
sources
14) Use evidence to back up your position
15) Use your order of development as an
organizational tool
16) Use transitions to connect points of
argument
17) Use Standard Edited American English
18) Use Proper College Composition Format
19) Use the six steps of the writing process to
draft and revise a paper
20) Write three drafts of a persuasive essay
using at least three sources of evidence
21) Present the final draft of your essay as an
oration to class
ASSIGNMENTS: Participate in a Debate
Tournament, Watch a National High School Debate and keep a flow chart, create
10 MLA citations and source cards, write a persuasive speech and deliver it as
an oration.
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4
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3
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2
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Not Evident
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Thesis Statement, Ideas,
Defining your argument
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Ideas are fresh and
original. Thesis is narrow and manageable.
Order of development clear and precise and helps development one clear main
idea. Hook and thesis connect. Clear important details for support
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Ideas are clear but might
be overused. Topic/ Thesis is fairly
board. Order of develop may ramble and
may not back up thesis. Hook is present
but may not connect with thesis.
Support is attempted but not quite fulfilled with specifics.
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Paper lacks a central idea
or purpose. Ideas are not developed or
seem to go in several directions.
Information is limited or unclear.
Details are missing.
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Not Evident
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Organization
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Original title.
Transitions connect main
ideas. Effective opening and ending.
Easy to follow. Important ideas
stand out. Clear beginning, middle and
end. Details fit where placed.
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Appropriate title. Transitions connect sentence to sentence
but not necessary idea to idea. Good
beginning. Attempted ending. Logical sequencing. Key ideas are beginning to surface. Readable.
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Paper is hard to follow
because transitions are weak or absent.
There is no clear beginning or ending.
Ideas may not fit together or ramble.
Paragraph structure might not be evident.
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Not Evident
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Voice
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Point of view is evident
Clear sense of audience
Enthusiastic about
topic. Says more than is
expected. Words elicit both ideas and
emotions. Work is engaging and
persuades
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Personal treatment of
standard topic. Perspective becomes
evident. Some sense of audience. Conveys ideas to reader. The writer likes the topic, but is not
passionate about it. Writing persuades
in some places
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Paper is lifeless,
mechanic, stilted. Predictable
treatment of topic. Energy
lacking. Audience could be anyone. Writer is indifferent to the topic. Does not persuade at all.
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Not evident
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Word Choice
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Precise, fresh, original
words. Vivid images. Avoids repetitions, clichés, and
vagueness. Use of figurative language. Everyday words are used well.
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Uses favorite words
correctly. Experiments with new
words. Attempts to use descriptive
words to create images.
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Ordinary and recognizable
words. Language is generic or
cliché. Uses repetitions or relies on
slang. Overuse of “to be” verbs.
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Not Evident
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Sentence Fluency
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Consistent use of sentence
variety. Sentence structure is correct
and creative. Varied beginnings,
varied structures, and varied lengths.
Natural flow and rhythm.
Writing is not wordy. Rhetorical strategies such as parallelism used effectively.
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Sentences are usually
correct, but some may not flow smoothly.
Simple and compound sentences are present. Varied beginning. Sections have rhythm and flow. Writing could be cut to avoid wordiness.
Rhetorical strategies such as parallelism attempted.
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Sentences are choppy,
incomplete, rambling or awkward.
Meanings are not always clear.
Words are strung together.
Sentences could be extremely wordy.
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Not Evident
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Mechanics
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There may be occasional
errors in mechanics (spelling, fragments, run-ons, punctuation,
capitalization, usage, etc.). However,
it is hard to find errors.
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Errors in writing mechanics
are noticeable but do not impair readability.
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Numerous errors in usage,
grammar, spelling, capitalization, and/or punctuation distract reader and
impair readability.
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Not Evident
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Uses of Persuasive
Tools/Evidence
Expert Testimony
Personal Connection
Statistics, Facts, and
Logic
Counter Argument (Counter
claims)
Audience Self-Interest
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Essay
cites at least two experts in a field related to the topic. Evidence is relevant to thesis. Analysis makes clear how the evidence
connects to the thesis. (Ethos and
Logos)
Student
uses personal experience to connect to the topic (ethos). Experience is relevant and analyzed in
relation to the topic.
Student uses statistics,
facts, and logical argumentation in essay.
The evidence is relevant to the thesis. Analysis makes clear how the evidence
connects and defends the thesis. (Logos)
Student has at least two
counter arguments that refutes or contends an argument of the opposition, or
concedes a point. The counterarguments
are relevant, analyzed and connect evidence with thesis.
(Logos and Ethos)
Student uses HARMS and
BENEFITS of adopting his/her position to influence audience self-interest
(Pathos). The harms/benefits are
relevant and reinforce the thesis.
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Essay cites at least two
experts. Evidence is relevant to
thesis. The analysis makes some
connections between evidence and thesis.
Student
uses personal experience relevant to the topic. Experience offers some insight into the
topic and position of the writer.
Student uses statistics
and/or facts and/or logical argumentation in the essay. The evidence is relevant to the
thesis. The analysis makes some
connections between evidence and thesis.
Student has at least one
counter argument that refutes or concedes an argument of the opposition. The counterargument is relevant, and
analyze.
Student uses HARMS or
BENEFITS of adopting his/her or her position to influence audience
self-interest. The harm or benefit is
relevant and might connect to the thesis.
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Essay cites at least one
expert. Evidence might not be relevant
to thesis. No analysis or no
connection made between evidence and thesis
Student
attempts to use personal connection.
Connection may not be relevant to the topic.
Student attempts to use
statistics and/or facts. Evidence may
not be relevant to thesis or the analysis is confusing or oversimplified.
Student attempts a counter
argument. The counter argument might
not be relevant to the thesis or the analysis might be confusing or
oversimplified.
Student attempts to use
HARMS or BENEFITS to influence audience.
The harm or benefit might not be relevant or the analysis might be
confusing or oversimplified.
.
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Not Evident
Not Evident
Not Evident
Not Evident
Not Evident
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References and Sources
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More
than five sources. All sources of
information are noted in correct in-text citation (MLA format) and correct
Works Cited page.
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Three
to five sources. Some sources of information are noted incorrectly or not in
MLA format. Minor problems with Works
Cited page.
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Less than three
sources. Most information noted
incorrectly. MLA format completely
missing. Many problems with Works
Cited page.
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Not Evident
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