Sample Lesson Plan for College English I (for one unit)
For the Four Essay Syllabus (slight variations might occur with the other plans) for the Persuasive Paper
Language and Communication (510-609)
Assign the following readings:
Chapter 7, “Language and Rhetoric,” Perecles (470); Plato (478); Aristotle (489); Chapter 6, “Science and Nature,” Maimonides (397); Carson (419); Gore (454).
· Students will use double-entry journal technique throughout the semester to encourage critical and analytical reading/ thinking.
· Students will use the double-entry journal technique to develop their own topic based on the question of how language is used to convey a moral or political vision
Day 1:
Have students create a list of words/ phrases they consider relevant to the topics of ethical rhetoric and science/nature . Link these words and phrases, working in small groups, to the reading for that day.
Days 2 and 3:
Discuss the first two essays, focusing on several things:
1. the ways each one relates to the use of language and morality/political vision
2. the specific focus of each essay
3. stylistic concept for the unit
Use students’ notes from double-journal entry technique to start discussion. Make connections between the discussion of words from Day 1 and the work of these two days.
Day 4:
Teach research technique for the unit; use group assignment to foster collaboration; discuss third essay (see above) and connect to paper. Use chapter in They Say, I Say for this unit in connection with using sources.
Be sure to build on what you have been doing.
Day 5:
Discuss fourth essay (see above) and connect to paper. Work on creation of effective introduction and body paragraphs.
Day 6:
Discuss fifth essay (see above) and connect to paper.
Peer Review
You might use a volunteer’s paper to model peer review. You might also have some students share what they are doing in their papers with the whole group.