Unit 1
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Rhetoric and Persuasion: Mastering the Art of Argument

reading and Writing Workshop

Essay Prompts

Unit Plan

Foundations of Rhetoric

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 

Unit 1
Unit Overview:
This unit introduces students to the foundational concepts of rhetoric. Students will learn to identify and analyze rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos), use the rhetorical triangle to evaluate communication, apply the SOAPSTone strategy to understand rhetorical situations, and analyze classic and modern texts.

Essential Questions:

• What is rhetoric, and why is it essential for effective communication?
• How do authors and speakers use rhetorical strategies to achieve their purpose?
• How can understanding rhetorical situations improve our critical reading and writing skills?

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• Define rhetoric and explain its purpose.
• Identify Aristotle’s appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) in texts.
• Apply the rhetorical triangle to analyze how the relationship between speaker, audience, and purpose shapes a text.
• Use SOAPSTone to analyze a variety of rhetorical situations.
• Synthesize ideas and evidence from classical and modern texts to construct insightful analyses.

Major Topics and Lessons
​Week 1: Introduction to Rhetoric & Aristotle’s Appeals

• Define rhetoric: historical background (Aristotle, Plato, and classical rhetoric).
• Lesson: Introduction to Aristotle’s appeals: Ethos (credibility), Pathos (emotion), Logos (logic).
• Text: Excerpts from Aristotle’s Rhetoric (Book 1).
• Activity: Group analysis of short excerpts; identify appeals in advertisements and speeches.

Week 2: The Rhetorical Triangle

• Explore the interaction between Speaker, Audience, and Purpose.
• Lesson: How the triangle frames all rhetorical situations.
• Activity: Case study - students map out the rhetorical triangle for contemporary speeches.

Week 3: SOAPSTone Strategy

• Break down each element of SOAPSTone (Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker, Tone).
• Lesson: Apply SOAPSTone to nonfiction texts and speeches.
• Text: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr.
• Activity: In pairs, complete a SOAPSTone chart for MLK’s letter.

Week 4: Identifying Rhetorical Situations

• Define and discuss the concept of rhetorical situations.
• Lesson: How historical, social, and cultural contexts affect rhetorical choices.
• Activity: Compare two speeches from different eras using SOAPSTone and the rhetorical triangle.

Major Texts:

• Selections from Aristotle’s Rhetoric
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
• Supplemental: modern and historical speeches (e.g., JFK’s Inaugural Address, speeches from leaders or activists relevant to your students' interests)

Collaborative Discussions:

• Socratic Seminar on the rhetorical strategies in MLK’s letter.
• Small group discussion: How would the appeals change if MLK wrote today?

Assessment:
Performance Task:

• SOAPSTone Analysis of a Historical Speech

Assignment:

• Choose a historical speech (teacher-provided list or student choice with approval).
• Complete a full SOAPSTone chart.
• Write a 2-3 page analysis explaining how the speaker uses ethos, pathos, and logos in relation to the rhetorical situation (SOAPSTone).
• Cite specific evidence (RI.11-12.1) and identify central ideas (RI.11-12.2).

Rubric Criteria:

• Depth and accuracy of SOAPSTone analysis.
• Clear identification of rhetorical appeals and their effectiveness.
• Integration of textual evidence with commentary.
• Clarity and organization of writing.
• Engagement and contributions to collaborative discussions (SL.11-12.1).

Formative Assessments:

• Exit tickets (identify an appeal in a short passage)
• SOAPSTone graphic organizers during class
• Peer review of draft analyses

Extension/Enrichment:

• Students rewrite a famous speech for a different audience or occasion, adjusting rhetorical strategies accordingly.
• Research how modern media uses Aristotle’s appeals (e.g., political ads, social media campaigns).

Standards:

• RI.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RI.11-12.2: 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.
• SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
​1. AI Socratic Circle Prep (ChatGPT)

• Objective: Prepare for a group Socratic Seminar on MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail.
• Process:
  • In small groups, students input excerpts from MLK’s letter into ChatGPT and ask it to identify the rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) within the passage.
  • Groups then compare AI’s analysis with their own and discuss discrepancies.
  • Use findings to generate higher-level discussion questions for the Socratic Seminar.
• Outcome: Students engage with AI as a peer reviewer, refining their analytical skills.

2. Collaborative Infographic: The Rhetorical Triangle (Canva Magic Write)

• Objective: Create a visual explaining the rhetorical triangle in action.
• Process:
  • Using Canva Magic Write, students co-develop an infographic that visually represents a breakdown of the rhetorical triangle (speaker, audience, purpose) for a speech of their choice.
  • Canva AI can also help generate text blurbs or example situations for each element.
• Outcome: Groups present their infographic to the class, explaining how the rhetorical triangle shaped rhetorical choices in their selected text.

3. AI-Generated Modern Speech Rewrite (ChatGPT)

• Objective: Explore how rhetorical appeals would shift for a modern audience.
• Process:
  • Groups input an excerpt from Aristotle’s Rhetoric or another classical text into ChatGPT and prompt it to modernize the speech for a 21st-century audience.
  • Groups then critique the AI-generated version, discussing how ethos, pathos, and logos have been altered to suit modern rhetorical situations.
• Outcome: Students develop awareness of how rhetorical appeals shift with audience, occasion, and purpose.

Individual Activities1. SOAPSTone Chart with AI Feedback (ChatGPT or Perplexity.ai)

• Objective: Complete a SOAPSTone analysis of a historical or modern speech.
• Process:
  • Students complete a SOAPSTone chart on their own.
  • Then, they consult ChatGPT or Perplexity.ai by inputting the speech and asking the AI to provide its own SOAPSTone breakdown.
  • Students compare their work with the AI-generated breakdown, reflecting on areas of agreement and divergence in a short reflection.
• Outcome: Students strengthen their critical reading and self-assessment skills.

2. Peer Review with AI Support (Quillbot or Grammarly)

• Objective: Refine rhetorical analysis writing.
• Process:
  • Students draft their rhetorical analysis (SOAPSTone assessment).
  • Before peer review, students run their drafts through Grammarly or Quillbot to check for clarity, coherence, and conciseness.
  • Students then exchange papers for peer feedback, noting how AI suggestions were helpful or limiting.
• Outcome: Students combine AI support with peer input for deeper writing refinement.

3. AI as Rhetorical Coach (ChatGPT)

• Objective: Practice identifying rhetorical appeals in unfamiliar texts.
• Process:
  • Students ask ChatGPT to generate a short persuasive paragraph using a specific rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, or logos).
  • The student must identify the appeal in the AI-generated paragraph and explain how the AI’s writing demonstrates that appeal.
  • For advanced students, they can also request ChatGPT to intentionally blend appeals and analyze the complexity.
• Outcome: Students build skill in analyzing rhetorical techniques in real-time.

Optional AI Extension ActivityAI-Augmented Debate Prep (ChatGPT or Bard)

• In pairs or individually, students research a rhetorical situation (e.g., environmental policy speech, civil rights address) using Perplexity.ai or Google Bard.
• Students then use ChatGPT to help draft opening statements or arguments using varied rhetorical appeals.
• In a mini-debate format, students deliver their arguments, highlighting where they incorporated ethos, pathos, or logos based on AI-assisted writing.