Analyzing Speeches as Arguments, Obama vs Trump

STUDENT OBJECTIVES

• analyze a speech for rhetorical devices and their purpose.
• identify an author’s purposeful manipulation of language.
• identify elements of argument within a speech.
• write an analysis of a speech with in-text documentation.

Work together in teams of 3 and do the tasks below. Write your answers to point 1,2, 4,5,6,7 and 8 here

Lesson plan

1. What needs to be present in order for a speech to occur?  Keywords;  the need for a speaker, a message, and an audience.
2. How to identify the audience for speeches, since they occur in particular moments in time and are delivered to specific audiences.
3. Watch this video  
4. Write down how persuasive techniques that are used in advertising, specifically, pathos or emotion, logos or logic, and ethos or credibility/character, can be used in a political speech.
5. Look at the use of language in the speech “Yes we can” in Obama’s speech.  Find examples of repetition, triples, alliteration, rhetorical devices, and other stylistic devices,  emotion, metaphors, and message.
6. Discuss the audience and the author’s manipulation of the audience.  Consider posing questions such as
   • This is a successful speech.  Why?
7. Look at the use of language in Donald Trump’s inaugural speech. Find examples of repetition, triples, alliteration, rhetorical devices, and other stylistic devices, emotion, metaphors, and message.
8. Discuss the audience and the author’s manipulation of the audience.  Consider posing questions such as is this a successful speech.  Why?
   

   Assignment

   Write a post on your blog where you compare these two speeches using all the material you have from working in your team. See this plan for writing an essay on your blog. Instead of focusing on one speech, use both and compare them.

Resources:

1.  Analyzing Famous Speeches as Arguments 
2.  See the background and information sheet for teachers for more details.
3. A short 10-minute clip of a presidential speech.
4.  List of Speeches for Students.
5. The Essay Rubric

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/video/persuasive-techniques-advertising-1166.html