Name:

Civic Engagement Project

Rhetoric and Audience in American Political Discourse

Presentation Date: __________________________________

Group Members:

Background:

For the past two weeks, we have been studying rhetoric, rhetorical devices, and the role of audience in
American political discourse. We have discussed what politics is, what it means to be political, and who
gets to be political.

Now, it is your turn. In the tradition of figures like Kendrick Lamar, Colin Kaepernick, and Fannie Lou
Hamer, you will be taking on the role of a politically and civically engaged citizen, an activist, to argue for a
specific and substantive change in your school.

Drawing on rhetorical devices, your group will make a ​four​-​six minute ​presentation to school leadership,
two teachers, and two of your peers.

This is an opportunity to have your voice heard and make your school a better place for yourselves and
future students.

The Final Product: Important Dates: (Would include actual dates)

▢ ​A four-six minute oral presentation, to be delivered ▢ Day 10: ​Form groups based around a shared interest in a
to a panel of school community members problem that you would like to address

▢ Day 11: ​Conference with Mr. Hogan to talk through

▢ ​A visual component for your presentation
(PowerPoint or Google Slides)
▢ ​A self-reflection sheet that will be used to help
determine your grade
Research Form
▢ Day 12: ​Conference with Mr. Hogan as needed and dividing
up research
▢ Day 13: ​Research should be finished; putting together
visual aid and practicing presentation; practice presentation +
feedback

▢ Day 14: ​Presentation practice + conferences with Mr.

Hogan as needed

▢ Day 15: ​Presentation day

Goals:
Your grade will be determined in large part by the effort you put forth towards achieving your goals. You
will be setting 1-3 goals in collaboration with Mr. Hogan. Like always, we will set SMART goals:

S​pecific
M​easureable
A​ttainable
R​ealistic
T​imely

You will receive a grade on ​DUE DATE.​ If you are unhappy with that grade, you will have the opportunity
to replace that grade with a higher one by taking necessary steps to reflect on your previous grade and
take concrete steps to working towards your goals.

Remember, Mr. Hogan is here to support you!

Pre-Conference Draft SMART Goals Post-Conference SMART Goals

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

​ ositioning yourself as an activist

Step 1: ​▢ P
Identify an issue in your school. What would you like to see changed?

A. What is the issue or topic that I care about? (Draft 1) Is it school-specific? Is it something
that you can come up with a solution for?

B. What is the issue or topic that I care about? (Draft 2)

 C. Why should other people care?

D. What is a realistic and positive change that could happen to address this issue?

Step 2: ​▢​ Rhetoric review + examples (This page is review--use class notes to complete it and ask
for help if you need it!
Rhetoric Definition:
Rhetorical Devices Review: Examples of your activist using these rhetorical devices
Ethos Definition: Pathos Definition: Logos Definition:

Ethos in your project: Pathos in your project: Logos in your project:

Step 3: ​▢​ Using rhetorical devices like an activist to support your argument. (Use and expand upon
work you did in step 3)

Ethos: What are credible people saying about your topic? Keep in mind that you are
surrounded by people that live in your community and go to your school.

Pathos: How can you use emotion to convince people to pay attention to your topic and your
solution?

Logos: How can you use facts or data to convince people to pay attention to your argument?
Step 4: ​▢​Citation review: (You have notes on this from past projects this year.

How to cite a source (website):

(If you can find it) Author. “Name of what you read.” ​Name of website, URL.

Ex: “Martin Luther King Jr., Biographical.” ​NobelPrize.org​,

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/.

Step 5: ​▢ ​Preparing to present your argument

Three components of an effective visual presentation: Checklist:

1. ▢
2. ▢
3. ▢

Step 6: ​▢ ​Your Slideshow Presentation: Mr. Hogan will conference with you about this.

Thesis: ​▢

1. Intro + thesis: Present your problem and solution ​▢

2. Ethos component ​▢

3. Pathos component ​▢
 4. Logos component ​▢

Conclusion: 1-2 sentences to summarize your work ​▢

Works Cited: ​▢

Step 7: ​▢ ​Reflection

Discuss your SMART goals. What effort did you put in to attain those goals? What more, if
anything, could you have done? What goals may you want to set in the future?

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What part of this project are you most proud of? It can be a final product, work or research you did
along the way, or anything else you would like to share. Please be specific and explain your
thinking.

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Which presentation (other than your own) did you find to be most convincing? Why?
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What was it like to work in a group? What challenges did you encounter? What positive things
came from that experience?
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I thought this project was challenging:

YES NO

I learned skills that I can use in other classes from this project:

YES NO

I learned something new about audience and rhetoric from this project:

YES NO

Anything else to share?

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Your final grade:

Your score: Mr. Hogan’s score:

/100
/100