Objective: Students will be able to analyze the effectiveness of a US speech and write an argument defending their analysis. 

Essential Question: How do the language and structure choices made by an author determine the effectiveness of a text? / Analyze the rhetorical language and structure in foundational U.S. documents and speeches with historical significance. Create and write arguments to support claims in substantive topics. 

Unit Writing Prompt: Write an argument supporting your claims by analyzing the rhetorical language and structure in a foundational U.S. document or speech with historical significance. Be sure to use evidence from the texts to support and develop your thinking. 

CCSS ELA 11-12 Priority Standards:

Reading Informational: 1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. 2. Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

Writing: 1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

ELD: Part IA, 2. Interacting via written English: Interacting with others in written English in various communicative forms (print, communicative technology, and multimedia). Part IB, 6. Reading/viewing closely: Reading closely literary and informational texts and viewing multimedia to determine how meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language. Part IC, 10. Writing: Writing literary and informational texts to present, describe, and explain ideas and information, using appropriate technology. Part IIA, 1. Understanding text structure and organization based on purpose, text type, and discipline Part IIB, 5. Modifying to add details to provide more information and create precision. Part IIC, 7. Condensing ideas within sentences using a variety of language resources.