Lesson

Plan
Name: Ashley Storey
Grade: 10
Subject: English Language Arts
Planned Lesson Date: 2/19/2015

Lesson Objectives

2 or 3 student outcomes
Begin with verb

Students will be able to explain the meaning of ethos, pathos,

and logos.
Students will be able to identify which of these techniques is
being used in various commercials.

Natl / State Standards

AL College & Career

Ready Course of Study -
Common Core
Learning Targets /
District Standards
National Standards
(NCTM; NCTE; etc)

Evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of

evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or
exaggerated or distorted evidence. [SL.9-10.3]
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on Grade 10 topics, texts, and issues, building
on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively. [SL.9-10.1]
Student-friendly Learning Target:
I can explain the three major persuasive techniques: pathos,
logos, and ethos.
I can analyze TV commercials to identify which of these
techniques are used by advertisers to persuade consumers.

Pre-Instructional
Activities

Review
Formative Assessment
Introductory Set
Prior Knowledge
Essential Questions
Problem Question
Writing Prompts
Predictions / Purpose
Vocabulary

*Pass out journals*
Bell ringer: to complete on Edmodo*
We are starting a unit on persuasion. Respond to the writing
prompt on Edmodo: Think of a time when you were trying to
persuade your parents or whomever takes care of you to let you
do something new or riskya request to which they were
inclined to say no initially. How did you go about persuading
them to see things your way? You may describe your speech or
write it out in dialogue form, but try to be convincing as
possible. Consider carefully what sort of evidence works best
with your parents.
Assist individual students as needed if they are having trouble
coming up with an instance.
Discuss responses. Use their own scenarios and reasoning to
segue into the definitions of the following: (Have them copy
these down in their journals)

Persuasion is an appeal to an audience. Ethos, logos, and

pathos were identified by Aristotle as specific appeals necessary
to effectively persuade an audience.
Ethos is the establishment of the credibility of the author or
speaker. An author develops ethos by using objective and fair
language, by considering counterarguments, and by presenting
appropriate and credible sources.
Logos is an appeal to logic. An author develops logos by
offering credible facts and statistics related to the topic at
hand, by using allusion, by using deductive and inductive
reasoning, and by citing credible sources outside the work itself.
Pathos is an appeal to the emotion of the audience. An author
develops pathos by including figurative language such as
metaphor, simile, and vivid imagery, by including emotional
anecdotes, and by offering vivid, connotative language
employed to evoke sympathy and emotional interest in the
topic.
Teaching
Walk through this Prezi with them to ensure understanding
Direct Teaching
of vocab words. Stop at each vocab word (ethos, pathos, and
Graphic Organizers
logos) and make sure they have previously taken down the
Reading Instruction
definition in their journals.
Tech Integration
Prezi: https://prezi.com/1iladdbm4-mn/ethos-pathos-logos/
Teacher Demonstration

Guided Practice
Ill emphasize that pathos, logos, and ethos are not always
Independent Practice
separate entities and may often overlap with one another. For
Small Group Activities
Experiential Activities
example, "Nine out of ten dentists choose Crest," suggests that
Research / Study
the dentists are credible experts (ethos), and also includes a
Simulations
statistic (logos).
Problem Solving

Activities
Differentiated Instruction (If needed: Extra check for understanding: Review one comic
strip at a time and ask the class if it represents an appeal to
Accommodations
Ongoing Assessment
ethos, pathos, or logos. If it seems like they are having trouble

grasping these concepts, I also have an identification activity we
can do together as a class.)

In order to learn more about persuasion, I want you all to
consider how ethos, pathos, and logos are used in
advertisements to influence consumer decisions. Were going
to examine how advertisers target their audiences and choose
the strategies to influence the decisions.


Samuel L Jackson commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qqgCXOGlO0

Ask:
Who is the target audience for the advertisement?
People who have credit cards
Who is the speaker?
Capital One
What is the subject?
Switching CC companies
What elements of ethos, pathos or logos do you see?
Ethos-Samuel L. Jackson, Logos-facts about the APR,
Pathos-evokes a sense of frustration with ever-changing
credit card cash back rules
Which appeal--ethos, pathos or logos--is most
prominent in this advertisement? Why do you think
this appeal was chosen for the target audience? (There
may be varying interpretations of ethos, pathos, and
logos, and oftentimes, the appeals may overlap. As a
result, examine the students ability to defend the
chosen appeal and support it with evidence.)
I would say pathos because it relies heavily on evoking
a sense of frustration potential customers may have
with their other CC companies.
Is the use of the appeal(s) effective for the intended
audience? Why/why not?
(If they cannot answer these initially, re-watch the
commercial)
Closure
Summary / Conclusions
Re-teaching
Formative Assessment
Review
Reflection

Formative assessment:
After the discussion, distribute copies of Commercial Analysis
sheet to everyone

As a group, you will review one commercial Ill assign you and
work together to answer these questions about your
commercial. You must all answer these questions and turn in
your own sheet, but I encourage you to work together to
identify ethos, pathos, logos, the purpose, etc.

To find out what commercial your group will watch, log onto
Edmodo. (Then I will assign each group which number to
watch.)

You will each receive a grade for this assignment. The rest of

today will be a work day.

At end of class, collect Analysis sheets to check students
understanding/mastery of the lesson objectives.
*Have classroom managers take up journals*

At end of class they completed an assessment on defining
ethos, logos, and pathos, and identifying examples thereof.

Name________________________________________

Date______________________

Commercial Analysis

Instructions: View your assigned commercial within your group and then answer
the following questions about your commercial. If you cannot answer a question, go
back and re-watch the commercial again.

Who is the intended audience of this advertisement?


Who is the speaker? (Remember, it is most likely a company or organization.)


What is the purpose of this advertisement? Or, in other words, what is the subject?



Identify any appeals to ethos. (Remember ethos is the appeal to the credibility and
character of the speaker, writer, or narrator. )




Identify any appeals to pathos. (Remember, pathos is the appeal to the emotions or
interests of the audience. )




Identify any appeals to logos. (Remember, logos is an appeal based on the logic and
reason. Can include facts, figures, and statistics.)