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This blog post covers my lesson plans in AP Lang & Comp from the end of September to the end of October. At this point, I jumped over to some Puritan texts, but I still considered this part of my opening unit about "Early America." The main focus of the lessons switched to introducing the rhetorical analysis essay. I had already had students write an essay in response to an open prompt earlier in the year, so I had a sense of their writing skills (poor), so I knew I was going to have my work cut out for me. Typically, students come in able to write a basic persuasive essay, but the ones I got this year were a mess... so I knew introducing the rhetorical analysis would be a mess...because it's always a mess...even when the kids come in as strong writers.
So, as usual, I tried to break things down as well as I could, and every year I learn a bit more about how to do that.
September 27/30, 2024
If you have not already given your kids a writing diagnostic, I recommend doing that today. I print off old exam prompts, give kids 40 minutes to respond, and see how they do. Afterwards, we play Bananagrams or something fun to blow off some stress.
October 1/2, 2024
Routine, continued.
Grammar
Briefly review pronouns
Have students complete practice on NoRedInk.
Rhetorical Term
Today's rhetorical term is analogy.
Writing Time
Write for 10 minutes on a topic of your choice and attempt to include an analogy.
Optional Prompts: Write on a topic of your choice for 8 minutes and try and use an analogy.
Text/Core Lesson
-Verbally review the Puritans and what they stood for. (1-2 minutes)
-Complete Edwards Word Association
Show each picture on this slideshow, and have kids record their gut reaction to the visual. Students may think of a synonym to the word/image or recording an emotion associated with it. Students may respond with how you feel when you see the word/image.
Follow Up Questions:
How do these words and visuals link together? Commonalities?
Just by looking at the main images, what kind of sermon? Anyone know the name for a sermon like this?
Reading Opening Passage of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God..." (5-10 minutes)
Teacher read opening passage out loud
Students draw dominate image
Briefly discuss:
What seems to be Edwards’s assumption about the members of his congregation, perhaps indeed of himself?
And what seems to be his assumption about the nature of God?
Reading Time & Annotating Time
Give students the passage and have them annotate it.
The rest of this lesson is one of my paid products on TpT. The lesson can be found here: Introduction to the Rhetorical Analysis Essay w. Jonathan Edwards.
October 4/7, 2024
Grammar
Today we learned about FANBOYS conjunctions.
Students used NoRedInk to practice identifying FANBOYS.
Rhetorical Term
Today's rhetorical term was anecdote. This is a handy term for the kids to know as we get into essay writing.
Writing Time
Write for 8 minutes on a topic of your choice and attempt to include an anecdote.
Optional prompt: Write about an exciting moment from your life.
Core Lesson
Jonathan Edwards Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis lesson, cont. This lesson takes a few days.
October 8/9, 2024
Grammar
Today we learned about prepositions. Prepositions show a relationship in a sentence. I do a 30 second demonstration where I stand behind my table, next to my table, under my table, in front of my table, etc., to give students the gist of a preposition.
Students practice identifying prepositions using NoRedInk.
Rhetorical Term
Today's rhetorical term is antithesis
Writing Time
Write for 10 minutes on a topic of your choice and attempt to include an antithesis.
Optional Writing Prompt: Create an example of antithesis with the following line and then use it to begin a story:
“She didn’t lock her door…”
Core Lesson
Jonathan Edwards Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis (paid product)lesson, cont. This lesson takes a few days.
October 10/11, 2024
Grammar
Today we briefly reviewed interjections. This was a 2 minute explanation and then I took questions.
Rhetorical Term
Today's rhetorical term is apostrophe
Writing Time
Write for 8-10 minutes on a topic of your choice and attempt to include an apostrophe. Optional prompt in the presentation.
Core Lesson
Jonathan Edwards Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis lesson, cont. This lesson takes a few days.
October 15/16, 2024
Absent; I assigned students videos and practice questions in AP Classroom.
October 17/18, 2024
Icebreaker
Today we did an attendance question instead of grammar. This actually would have been the perfect time for a small parts of speech quiz, but I spaced.
Here is a PoS practice quiz that you could use as review or that you could alter and use as a quiz. The answers are at the bottom.
Rhetorical Term
Today's rhetorical term was "appeal to authority." This felt as little out of place here and I'll probably move it next year.
Writing Time
Write for 8-10 minutes on a topic of your choice and attempt to include an appeal to authority.
Optional prompt: Pretend to sell a product and complete overuse the appeals to authority in your pitch.
Core Lesson
Jonathan Edwards Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis lesson, cont. This lesson takes a few days.
October 21/22, 2024
Absent for more training; assigned work on AP Classroom and Lexia PowerUp.
October 23/24, 2024
Grammar
Today we briefly reviewed fragments and then students completed fragment identification practice on NoRedInk.
Rhetorical Term
Today's rhetorical term is cacophony
Writing Time
Write for 10 minutes on a topic of your choice and attempt to include an cacophony.
Optional Prompts: Your sibling has started terrible band in your house. Write about the experience. Use cacophony in your description.
Core Lesson
Finish Jonathan Edwards Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis lesson.
End of Quarter
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