Intro To Rhetorical Analysis
In class today, students continued to use the tools, strategies, and rubric provided to examine, feedback, and revise their introductions to an AP Style rhetorical analysis essay (Madeline Allbright’s speech). Their third revision is due tomorrow (if they still have less than proficient score). We will also use part of the hour to draft an intro to an SAT style rhetorical essay.
Rhetorical Analysis Formative Assessment
Greeting:
Students turned in their min-research (trial write up) on Monday 2/3 and will spend the rest of the week on learning/refining their rhetorical analysis writing skills. On Wednesday 2/5, student will write the AP style rhetorical essay in class based on a released AP prompt and we will use their writing to assess their strengths and target their weaknesses. Students got the prompt to take home and read. In class today, they will draft and revise their essays. The rest of this week and next, well into our after break period, we will learn writing and feedback strategies that will help students improve their thinking, reading, and writing in this genre.
Claim and Write-Up (Mini-Research): Due 1/31
- A claim must be arguable but stated as a fact. It must be debatable with inquiry and evidence; it is not a personal opinion or feeling.
- A claim defines your writing’s goals, direction, and scope.
- A good claim is specific and asserts a focused argument.
Here is a quick rubric:
- Answers your research question
- Packed (complex sentence with 2-3 prongs)
- Arguable opinion (debatable)
- Concise
- Clear
Claim (Use the Rubric): ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Write-Up: Choose one element of the claim, make that your topic sentence and provide reasoning and evidence (1-2 paragraphs): ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Semester 1 Reflections
- As you reflect back on the past few months in this class (call them semester 1), what are some thoughts, accomplishments, regrets, trials and tribulations you encountered?
- Did you achieve your goal(s) this semester? Why or why not? Present your evidence.
- What are your final thoughts as you wrap up this period of your education and your life and what are some goals/plans you would like to set for the next one?
Think, jot downs notes/evidence, then make a (super)claim and perhaps some (sub)claims and defend using evidence and reasoning. Your successful reflections must:
- Demonstrate a conscious and thorough understanding of the writing prompt and the subject matter. It is well organized (intro, body, conclusion) and can be used as an example for other students.
- Use specific and convincing examples from to support claims in your own writing, making insightful and applicable connections to our unit of studies and our standards and skills.
- Use stylistically sophisticated language that is precise and engaging, with notable sense of voice, awareness of audience and purpose, and varied sentence structure.
- Demonstrate control of the conventions with essentially no errors, even with sophisticated language.
Due Date: On or before the day of your final exam….
Final Reading for Semester 1: “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” By Jonathan Kozol
Baldwin Questions
Choose and Answer one of the following Questions (Each team member answers a different one):
• In “A Talk to Teachers” what myths does Baldwin describe as central to Americas’s perception of itself?
• In “A Talk to Teachers,” what is the significance of the relationship James Baldwin establishes with his audience in the opening two paragraphs?
• What is the “crucial paradox” mentioned in the second paragraph of James Baldwin’s “A Talk to Teachers”?
• In this essay, how would you describe Baldwin’s perspective on history?
• Identify four appeals to pathos in paragraphs 3-5 of James Baldwin’s speech “A Talk To Teachers”. .
Baldwin Reflection
After reading Baldwin’s Essay, reflect on one or more of his claims. First, look over the essay and your notes from our discussions, formulate a claim based on his ideas and evidence, then argue your claim analyzing his idesa and using evidence/support from the text, your experiences. You may use this rubric to help steer you. http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson963/Rubric.pdf
Wrap Up Before Final
Greetings AP Students:
Before our final next week, here are some bullets to remember:
- We will wrap up our unit on education with a reflection, rhetorical precis, and a short essay question on Baldwin’s essay (detail will follow).
- We will read “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” by Jonathan Kozol in class as the final piece.
- Next Monday and Tuesday (1/13 and 1/14), we will have a speaking assessment (philosophical chairs) on the unit. More details to follow.
- Homework for this evening: Reflection on Baldwin’s Essay.
Prose Presentations
In class today, students worked on their Prose presentations. We will present tomorrow 12/17 and Wednesday 12/18. We must include:
Team claim (on Prose’s Big Six)…How effective was her claim? A visual aid that helps your audience understand your thinking about Prose.
Prose’s Claim and the rhetorical choices she makes to further her claim.