Week 1 - Rhetoric overview and selecting a topic

Synchronous work

This week during our synchronous class time we will:

Do class introductions and get-to-know you's!
Go over the syllabus and general overview of AP English Lang
Practice with some of the online platforms we'll use
Go over the building blocks of rhetoric
Talk about writing conferences and sign up for them

Tasks to complete before coming to class this week:

None! Just be ready to meet and talk to your classmates!

(Of course, if you'd like to start on the tasks below before we meet, go for it! If you have time, try to complete steps 1-2 before class)

Asynchronous Work - 5 steps

Step 1: Learn the building blocks of rhetoric and the rhetorical triangle (45 mins)

What is rhetoric?

Watch this video to get a sense for what the term "rhetoric" means and what the building blocks of rhetoric are.

A deeper look at rhetoric

Read through and take notes on this powerpoint to get a deeper sense of what we will be talking about when we say "rhetoric" in AP Lang, and to see what the "rhetorical triangle" is.

Rhetoric 101

If the video and powerpoint weren't enough, and you need more to get a grasp on "rhetoric"...

Go through these additional resources if you are still confused about rhetoric and the rhetorical triangle, and want more info before you start to practice with it!

Watch Yumna Sammy explain all the key components of rhetoric and how we already do it in everyday life!

Overview of rhetoric

Click this link to read through a breakdown of the basics of rhetoric!

Step 2: Using the rhetorical triangle to break apart an argument! (30 mins)

The Rhetorical Triangle

Click on the green info buttons in the graphic to understand how to analyze something using the rhetorical triangle

Quick practice

Here is a magazine ad from The American Milk Processing Board - look at the ad carefully and analyze it. Try to notice all the subtle things that are going on with the words, the pictures, the colors, etc. Then, answer the questions about it on the attached Padlet to practice using the rhetorical triangle!

•Who is the intended audience – how can you tell?

•In what ways is the company building credibility - why should I trust their product?

•What angle are they taking on their subject? (what key aspects about themselves or their product are they highlighting?)

To add your thoughts to the Padlet, click on the + sign under each heading to add your comment.

Step 3: Practice identifying speaker, audience, and subject (60 mins)

Watch the following ads. As you watch, try to identify the following things for each ad:

Speaker: How does the author (company) make themselves appear credible and trustworthy?
Audience: Who is the specific audience for this ad? (soccer moms, video game-loving teenagers, hassled business-people, etc. etc. ) How is the author (company) appealing to their specific audience - their values, interests, & emotions?
Subject: What angle is the author (company) taking on their topic? (For example: Do they only show one side of the story? Only talk about the topic historically? How do they present the topic: with facts and statistics? Storytelling? Using compare/contrast? Etc.)
Context/Occasion: What’s going on in the world behind-the-scenes? In what ways is the author (company) taking into account or acknowledging some recent historical or political event, or the prevailing cultural/social norms?
Purpose: What is the overall message of this ad?

Once you've decided on your answers to these questions, fill out the google form below with your ideas!

Nike Ad

View full-screen to get the full effect!

Apple Ad

View full-screen to get the full effect!

Rhetorical triangle practice with ads! - click here to open the google form

Step 4: Review and practice with the 3 appeals (45 mins)

An overview of ethos, pathos, logos

Watch this video to get a refresher on ethos, pathos, and logos!

Ethos, pathos, logos examples

Read through and take notes on this powerpoint to get examples of how ethos, pathos, and logos shows up in arguments (in this case, advertisements)

Ethos, pathos, logos

Quick practice

Here is a video ad for The Guardian, a newspaper and news website - watch the ad carefully and analyze it. Try to notice all the subtle things that are going on with the words, the pictures, the colors, the sound effects, etc. Then, answer the questions about it in your notes to practice with the 3 appeals!

Who is the intended audience – how can you tell?
Which appeals do you see in the ad? Where do you see them coming through? (colors, words, images, objects, etc)
What is the overall message of the ad? Why should I trust this company and buy their product?

Step 5: Brainstorm your topic for your own protest speech! (30 mins)

Go to the assignment overview page to read through our project for this rhetoric unit. Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom to look at the ideas for topics for the speech!

Part 1: Spend some time brainstorming what topic you might want to tackle for your protest speech. Make sure as you're thinking about what you might want to do, you talk it over with some people - run ideas by your mom, call your cousin to see what she thinks, text your BFF and see what they say - the more you can talk it through, the easier it is to decide which topic to go for!

Once you think you might know which topic you want to do, post it on the Padlet below! Make sure to post both WHAT you want your topic to be and WHY you think you want to pick that as your topic.

UPDATE: I've turned off commenting for now, since the abortion debate is getting a little heated. We'll discuss in class how to help push brainstorm ideas forward!

Part 2: Once you have posted your own idea about what you might want to protest, go into the Padlet and comment on two other people's brainstorms! Here are some ideas for comments:

Give them an idea for an interesting angle they could take on their topic
Give them an idea for something they could research for their speech
Give them an idea for who could be a good target audience for their speech
Compliment them on an aspect of their brainstorm

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