Unit 2
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Rhetoric and Persuasion: Mastering the Art of Argument

reading and Writing Workshop

Essay Prompts

Unit Plan

Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction

Activities

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

Unit 2
​​Overview:
This unit will focus on analyzing nonfiction texts by examining rhetorical elements such as diction, tone, syntax, and rhetorical devices. Students will learn how authors adjust their writing to fit purpose and audience and will explore how these choices affect meaning and effectiveness. Students will engage with historical and contemporary texts and apply their skills in a culminating rhetorical analysis essay.
Essential Questions:

• How do authors use diction, tone, and syntax to shape meaning and influence their audience?
• How can identifying rhetorical devices deepen our understanding of a text’s purpose and effectiveness?
• How do audience and purpose affect an author’s rhetorical choices?

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

• Analyze diction, tone, and syntax in nonfiction texts.
• Identify and explain the effects of rhetorical devices such as parallelism, antithesis, and rhetorical questions.
• Explain how authors adapt their rhetorical strategies based on audience and purpose.
• Write a rhetorical analysis essay using clear textual evidence and analytical reasoning.

Week 1: Diction, Tone, and Syntax

• Lessons: Define and explore diction, tone, and syntax in nonfiction.
• Text: Excerpts from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
• Activity: Close reading in small groups; students annotate for word choice, tone shifts, and sentence structure.
• Discussion: How does Douglass’s use of diction and tone reinforce his message?

Week 2: Rhetorical Devices (Parallelism, Antithesis, Rhetorical Questions, etc.)

• Lessons: Teach key rhetorical devices and their persuasive effects.
• Text: Susan B. Anthony’s “On Women’s Right to Vote” speech.
• Activity: Students identify and analyze rhetorical devices in the speech and present their findings.
• Discussion: How do rhetorical devices enhance Anthony’s argument and engage the audience?

Week 3: Purpose and Audience Adaptation

• Lessons: Explore how authors tailor their writing based on audience and purpose.
• Text: Selected contemporary op-eds (teacher choice based on student interest).
• Activity: In pairs, students complete a purpose and audience analysis chart.
• Discussion: How do modern writers adjust diction and structure based on their intended readers?

Week 4: Synthesizing Skills for Rhetorical Analysis

• Lessons: Review rhetorical strategies and how they work together in nonfiction texts.
• Activity: Practice rhetorical analysis on a short nonfiction text (in-class timed write).
• Workshop: Peer review and teacher conferencing on drafts of rhetorical analysis essays.
• Discussion: Share observations about rhetorical choices across historical and modern texts.

Major Texts:

• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (excerpts)
• Susan B. Anthony’s “On Women’s Right to Vote”
• Selected contemporary op-eds (e.g., from major newspapers or magazines)

Collaborative Discussions:

• Socratic Seminar on how Frederick Douglass’s tone, diction, and syntax enhance his message.
• Group Presentations on rhetorical devices in Susan B. Anthony’s speech.
• Debate: How would Susan B. Anthony or Douglass adapt their rhetoric for a modern audience?

Assessment:
​Performance Task:

• Rhetorical Analysis Essay:
  • Choose a nonfiction text from a provided list (historical or contemporary).
  • Write a 3-4 page essay analyzing the author’s use of diction, tone, syntax, and rhetorical devices.
  • Explain how the author adapts rhetorical strategies based on purpose and audience.
  • Cite specific evidence (RI.11-12.1) and identify central ideas (RI.11-12.2).

Rubric Criteria:

• Depth and accuracy of rhetorical analysis.
• Clear explanation of rhetorical devices and their effects.
• Insight into audience and purpose adaptation.
• Integration of strong textual evidence with analysis.
• Clarity and organization of writing.

Formative Assessments:

• Daily exit tickets (e.g., identify the tone of a paragraph).
• Rhetorical device scavenger hunts in texts.
• Drafting workshops and peer reviews.

Extension/Enrichment:

• Rewrite a historical speech (Douglass or Anthony) for a modern-day audience (e.g., social media, TED Talk).
• Research contemporary op-eds on social issues and analyze rhetorical effectiveness.
• Create a multimedia presentation analyzing tone and diction in visual media (e.g., ads, political 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.
• RI.11-12.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how style and content contribute to its power.
• W.11-12.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas clearly and accurately.
• SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in collaborative discussions.

​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
​1. AI-Generated Rhetorical Device Scavenger Hunt

• Task: In small groups, students will input short excerpts (e.g., Douglass or Anthony) into an AI tool and ask it to identify rhetorical devices used (parallelism, rhetorical questions, etc.).
• Follow-up: Groups will then verify or challenge the AI’s findings, annotating directly on the text and justifying where the AI may have missed nuances or overgeneralized.
• Goal: Develop critical analysis skills by interrogating AI results rather than just accepting them.

2. Tone and Syntax Style Remix

• Task: Groups will input a neutral passage (such as a factual news report or plain paragraph) into an AI and prompt it to rewrite it in different tones (formal, ironic, urgent, defiant, etc.) or syntactic styles (short choppy sentences, complex periodic sentences, etc.).
• Follow-up: Groups will analyze which rhetorical choices (diction, syntax) shifted the tone and effectiveness depending on different audience scenarios.
• Goal: Understand the relationship between tone, syntax, and purpose through applied experimentation.

3. AI-Powered Audience Adaptation Debate

• Task: After reading Douglass or Anthony’s text, groups will feed the AI a prompt like, “Rewrite this passage for a modern audience of high school students” or “Rewrite for a skeptical 19th-century Congress.”
• Follow-up: Groups will debate the effectiveness of AI’s adaptations, then manually revise to better suit each intended audience.
• Goal: Practice audience adaptation and refine awareness of historical and contemporary rhetorical contexts.

4. Group Thesis Generator and Critique

• Task: Each group will input their topic (e.g., Douglass' speech) into an AI to generate 2-3 potential thesis statements.
• Follow-up: The group will critique each AI-generated thesis, edit them to improve clarity and argumentative strength, and present the strongest version to the class.
• Goal: Strengthen thesis development skills and practice refining AI outputs.

AI-Integrated Individual Activities1. AI as a Writing Coach for Body Paragraphs

• Task: Students will draft a body paragraph analyzing a rhetorical device in a selected text. Afterward, they will input it into the AI and ask for feedback specifically on cohesion, clarity, and transitions.
• Follow-up: Students will revise their paragraphs based on AI feedback while noting what feedback they found useful or chose to reject.
• Goal: Develop metacognitive writing skills and learn to apply targeted feedback.

2. Solo Rhetorical Device Drill with AI Quizzing

• Task: Students will create flashcards or a question bank on rhetorical devices (e.g., “What is antithesis?” “Give an example of rhetorical questions.”).
• Follow-up: They will use AI to quiz them or create new, more complex application-based questions based on their flashcards (e.g., “Where might a writer use antithesis to persuade an opposing audience?”).
• Goal: Strengthen understanding and application of rhetorical devices in a dynamic way.

3. AI-Supported Op-Ed Analysis

• Task: After selecting a contemporary op-ed, students will input it into the AI and request an initial rhetorical analysis.
• Follow-up: Students will then annotate the text independently, comparing their work to the AI’s output and writing a reflection on the similarities and differences.
• Goal: Build independent analysis skills while developing the ability to critique AI outputs critically.

4. AI-Prompted Revision Station

• Task: Once students complete their rough essay drafts, they will prompt the AI to suggest sentence-level revisions focused on variety, passive voice reduction, and stronger word choices.
• Follow-up: Students will select which edits to keep, document why, and explain their reasoning in a reflection paragraph.
• Goal: Hone revision strategies and practice writer’s agency when working with AI tools.