Rhetorical Appeals in Michelle Obama's TED Talk

This is a word cloud of Michelle Obama's speech (that we watched yesterday). The biggest words are the words she says most often. What can you learn from looking at the most commonly used words in a speech?

Today's Goal: Use Michelle Obama's speech to look specifically at rhetorical devices and appeals, and how they work together to help support an argument.

The Plan (probably in this order):

1. Read (as usual!)
2. Return to Michelle Obama's speech to learn more about how she uses rhetorical devices and appeals to support her argument.
3. Some writing
4. A second look at the Act I, Scene ii excerpt from last Friday

WRITING PROMPTS (IN YOUR ENGLISH JOURNAL):

FIRST, write about the Michelle Obama TED Talk Response:

What devices does Mrs. Obama use to express her argument/message that young women are strong, independent, and capable of becoming educated leaders of the world? How do those devices enhance ethos/logos/pathos? (For example, if she uses an anecdote, and that anecdote enhances her ethos, how does that happen? How do you know?)

THEN, return to the Act 1, Scene ii excerpt from Julius Caesar and reread it.

What new understandings did you gain from reading it again? What devices and appeals did you notice that you had not noticed before? What do you think Brutus is prepared to do for his country and how do you know this?

Homework:

• Vocab Root Practice due tomorrow
• Read your book
• Complete the writing assignment in your English Journal if you did not do it or finish it today in class. (Tomorrow I'm going to ask you to self-grade your English Journal, so be prepared for that.)