Classroom Resource

The Rhetorical Triangle | Ford's Theatre

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

By understanding Aristotle’s three elements of persuasive speech—the ancient Greek words ethos, pathos, and logos—students will be able to analyze the effectiveness of rhetorical strategies and elements in commercials and speeches. This lesson could be used in grades 5-12. In Lesson Activity Two, there are links to resources that allow the teacher to choose appropriate texts for their students.

Content Standards

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.1
Identify and explain an author’s rhetorical choices, including point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings, to develop central and supporting ideas.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Rhetorical choices
Point of view
Purpose
Anecdotes
Figurative word meaning
Connotative word meaning
Technical word meaning
Central idea
Supporting idea

Knowledge

Students know:

Authors make specific rhetorical choices in their writing to convey meaning.
Rhetorical devices include point of view, purpose, personal anecdotes, and word choice.
Authors develop the main idea of the text by including supporting details to further elaborate on the text's central meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify an author's rhetorical choices related to point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings.
Explain why an author made particular rhetorical choices related to point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings.
Explain how an author's rhetorical choices developed the central and supporting ideas of the text.

Understanding

Students understand that:

When writing a text, authors make specific decisions about the structure, format, and vocabulary to accurately convey their central idea.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 7

ELA21.7.12
Determine the intended purposes of techniques used for rhetorical effect in multiple digital sources.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Rhetorical effects
Digital sources

Knowledge

Students know:

Techniques used for rhetorical effect.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify the purpose and effect of rhetorical choices in a digital text.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Rhetorical choices contribute to the overall meaning of a digital text.
Rhetorical choices have specific effects on the text's meaning.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.16
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Grammar
Rhetorical style
Fiction
Poetry
Prose
Nonfiction
Historical documents
Business documents
Informational documents
Workplace documents

Knowledge

Students know:

Methods to identify an author's particular rhetorical style.
Formal, standard English conventions and their usage in a variety of text genres.
Authors choose to use particular grammar and rhetorical style in writing to convey the meaning of the text.

Skills

Students are able to:

Interpret how an author's use of grammar contributes to the meaning of text in multiple genres.
Interpret how an author's rhetorical style contributes to the meaning of the text in multiple genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:

An author's grammar and rhetorical style affect the meaning of different texts.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.16
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Grammar
Rhetorical style
Fiction
Poetry
Prose
Nonfiction
Historical documents
Business documents
Informational documents
Workplace documents

Knowledge

Students know:

Methods to identify an author's particular rhetorical style.
Formal, standard English conventions and their usage in a variety of text genres.
Authors choose to use particular grammar and rhetorical style in writing to convey the meaning of the text.

Skills

Students are able to:

Interpret how an author's use of grammar contributes to the meaning of text in multiple genres.
Interpret how an author's rhetorical style contributes to the meaning of the text in multiple genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:

An author's grammar and rhetorical style affect the meaning of different texts.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.19
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Grammar
Rhetorical style
Fiction
Poetry
Prose
Nonfiction
Historical documents
Business documents
Informational documents
Workplace documents

Knowledge

Students know:

Methods to identify an author's particular rhetorical style.
Formal, standard English conventions and their usage in a variety of text genres.
Authors choose to use particular grammar and rhetorical style in writing to convey the meaning of the text.

Skills

Students are able to:

Interpret how an author's grammar use contributes to text's meaning in multiple genres.
Interpret how an author's rhetorical style contributes to the meaning of the text in multiple genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:

An author's grammar and rhetorical style affect the meaning of different texts.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.19
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Grammar
Rhetorical style
Fiction
Poetry
Prose
Nonfiction
Historical documents
Business documents
Informational documents
Workplace documents

Knowledge

Students know:

Methods to identify an author's particular rhetorical style.
Formal, standard English conventions and their usage in a variety of text genres.
Authors choose to use particular grammar and rhetorical style in writing to convey the meaning of the text.

Skills

Students are able to:

Interpret how an author's grammar use contributes to text's meaning in multiple genres.
Interpret how an author's rhetorical style contributes to the meaning of the text in multiple genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:

An author's grammar and rhetorical style affect the meaning of different texts.

Interdisciplinary Connection(s)

Link to Resource

https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/rhetorical-triangle/the-rhetorical-t…

Content Type / Source

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

PBS

Accessibility

License

Custom License Type (URL)

https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/help/terms-of-use/#restrictions

Comments or Notes

Handouts and materials associated with this resource can be found to the right of the video under the heading, "Support Materials for Use with Students".

Approved Date

2022-08-31

Curated by

Learning Resource Type

The Rhetorical Triangle | Ford's Theatre

Subject Area

Grade(s)

Overview

ELA21.6.1 Identify and explain an author’s rhetorical choices, including point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings, to develop central and supporting ideas.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.7.12 Determine the intended purposes of techniques used for rhetorical effect in multiple digital sources.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.9.16 Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.10.16 Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.11.19 Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.12.19 Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

URL (web address)

CR Resource Type

Resource Provider

Custom License Type (URL)

Comments or Notes

Approved Date

ELA21.6.1
Identify and explain an author’s rhetorical choices, including point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings, to develop central and supporting ideas.

ELA21.7.12
Determine the intended purposes of techniques used for rhetorical effect in multiple digital sources.

ELA21.9.16
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

ELA21.10.16
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

ELA21.11.19
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.

ELA21.12.19
Interpret how an author’s grammar and rhetorical style contribute to the meaning in both fiction, including poetry and prose, and nonfiction, including historical, business, informational, and workplace documents.