Rhetorical Analysis Review Day 3: Group Presentations

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SWBAT explain the rhetorical strategies used by a writer through a group presentation.

Big Idea

Having to explain an idea to others verbally can help deepen our understanding of concepts.


Group Presentations

60 minutes

Today we will finish the group rhetorical analysis presentations with our final two.  As was the case yesterday, I set up desks at the front of the room with the rest in a horse shoe shape so the presentation can work more like a panel discussion (I find it awkward when three or four students are all standing at the front of the room with one talking; there is a different anxiety for a lot of students when they are standing and talking—a skill to work on, certainly, but not today.  I want them to focus on presenting a clear and detailed analysis).  They will also have access to the SmartBoard this way to show examples.  The students in the audience are required to write down one question or comment they have regarding the presentation, as well as mark down how they would score the analysis based on the rubric.  I won’t collect these, but I will randomly call on students to share their question, and eventually their scoring tomorrow when we talk about all three as a whole (in a class that needed more accountability or with students who won’t write questions because they might have to read them, I wouldn’t necessarily call on students randomly, but I would collect the questions, perhaps even to read a couple from the pile—it depends on the group of students).

Presentation Processing

15 minutes

After the two presentations are done, we will spend some time talking about general patterns they saw regarding the rubric, and then I will discuss some specific things the students are doing better at and what areas they still need to focus their attention.  While some of this will be based on what I hear in the presentations, I know from listening them prepare, and am extrapolating from the first presentation, that there is stronger focus on specificity regarding language use and focusing on rhetorical appeals rather than analysis of central idea only, they are still thinking about a particular passage as only addressing one appeal, rather than the different appeals working together (rhetorical triangle). 

Next steps:  Students will be finished Ready Player One for tomorrow, and we will do an activity focusing on identifying multiple central ideas in a novel.