Background Information

Subject area: EnglishRhetorical Devices: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Grade level: 10
Number of students: 25 students
Allocated time: 45 Minutes
Grouping: Individual, groups, and whole class grouping
Goals and Rationale
Provide students with an understanding of how to utilize rhetorical devices:
ethos, pathos, and logos. Assist students in comprehending how the devices
can be used in order to persuade an audience of the speakers opinions and
thoughts on a topic. These rhetorical devices are important in understanding
and interpreting the speakers purpose in every day events.
Teacher Objectives/ Standards and Benchmarks
Students should know:
-Identify rhetorical devices through provided examples
-Defend claimed identifications through evidence.
1. Identify and provide support of ethos, pathos, and logos in examples.
RI.9-10.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
W.9-10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Develop personal claims and defend with reasoning and evidence.

W.9-10.1a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing
claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

W.9-10.1b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while
pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience
knowledge level and concerns.
Teacher Preparation
-Students will need:
-writing utensil
-Teacher will need:

-projector
-computer
-Videos pulled up
-worksheet
-What needs to be prepared:
-Make worksheet and print copies
Assessment Plans
Prior Knowledge
-Have students answer questions during/following a video
demonstrating ethos, pathos, and logos. Have them answer a set of
questions reflecting the devices.
-Have students discuss what they know about the devices and define
them out on their worksheet with their personal definitions. Discuss as
a class.
Post Knowledge
-Show students a set of three videos containing one device per video.
-Have students decipher which video represents which device and
provide support.
-Have students create two real life examples of each device.
-Have students finish class by reviewing which tool demonstrates
which appeal and how it is used.
Instructional Procedures
Individual work and class discussion will most effectively help students meet
the learning goal. Being able to discuss how each device creates a certain
appeal will enable students to identify the tool through daily events and
examples.
Students will identify the ethos, pathos, and logos within each example and
provide supportive explanations. The teacher will provide opportunities for
students to explore how each device can be portrayed and used in real life
through videos, real life examples, and worksheets.
1. Modeling- Show (5 min)
a. Play three short commercials
i. One reflecting ethos- political figures message
ii. One reflecting pathos- video of animal shelter dogs
iii. One reflecting logos- video for fast food service with real
meat
2. Guided Practice- follow me (6 min)
a. Which video utilized logos?
i. Why?
ii. Share example from the video
b. Which video utilized ethos?
i. Why?
ii. Share example from the video
c. Which video utilized pathos?

i. Why?
ii. Share example from the video
3. Checking for Understanding (8 min)
a. 2 student examples of real life logos
b. 2 student examples of real life pathos
c. 2 student examples of real life ethos
4. Independent Practice (18 min)
a. Review
i. Which tool uses logical appeal?
ii. Which tool uses emotional appeal?
iii. Which tool uses ethical appeal?
iv. Which tool appealed most to you?
v. Which tool do you prefer to use?
Reflection
Students successfully identified which video example contained which
device. This was clear through their explanations and choices that they wrote
down during the videos. Some students confused logos and ethos, but upon
discussing the differences represented in each video all students understood
why each video represented the device that they did. I would follow up with
this by having students create a poster or informational piece that would
demonstrate their personal interpretation of each device through examples
of their own.
As the instructor, I noticed that it was harder to get students to find their
own examples from real life events. They seemed to copy similar ideas and
concepts to those that I had provided them with as through the video
examples. I would probably try to give them a few different scenarios the
next time so that it pushes them to think more outside of the box when
coming up with their own examples.