Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Effective Speeches Name: Daphne J. True

Content Area: English Language Arts Grade Level: 8th Grade
CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.7
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of
using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text,
video, multimedia) to present a particular topic
or idea.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning
is sound and the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence
is introduced.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce
and publish writing and present the relationships
between information and ideas efficiently as well
as to interact and collaborate with others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2
Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

Essential Question: How can we write speeches that inspire change?
Supporting questions:
What makes a speech effective?
What kind of appeals make the most effective speeches?
What rhetorical devices make speeches powerful?
How does the delivery of a speech affect reception?
What are effective techniques we can use to make our speeches more impactful?
What are the most important local, national, or worldwide issues we can address in a persuasive speech?

Unit Summary:
Unit Summary: In this unit, we will be learning about public speaking. Students will begin by considering what they already know about speeches.
Next, students will study and analyze famous historical speeches to investigate what makes a speech effective. This will include not only the
methods of speech delivery, but also rhetorical devices and rhetorical appeals. After this, students will workshop how to write an argument for a
speech. Students will then demonstrate their knowledge by writing their own speeches on the topic of their choosing, after which they will engage
in a digital peer review group workshop of this written work. The grand finale of the unit will be the delivery of our speeches: instead of delivering
them in person for the class, we will create online presentations in which we use images, videos, or other media to supplement our presentation
and make it creative, innovative, and captivating.

Assessment Plan:
• Entry-Level: Quick-write on "I Have a
Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Formative: Summative:
• Guided Lecture Notes • Final Written Copy of Student's Speech
• Quiz: Rhetorical Devices, Individual • Creative Digital Recording of Student's
Communication Skills, and Monroe's Speech
Motivated Sequence
• Mind-Map: Local, Country-wide, and
Global Issues for Speech Topics
• Graphic Organizer: Monroe's
Motivated Sequence and Speech-
Writing
• Argument Workshop Exercise
• Speech Draft
• Peer Review Responses
Lesson 1 (Teacher Lecture)
Student Learning  Acceptable Lesson Activities: Teacher will lecture on Monroe’s Motivated Sequence (attention, need,
Objectives: Evidence satisfaction, visualization, action) and basic communication skills necessary for public
 Students will be (Assessments): speaking (Enunciation, Volume, Rate, Pitch, Body Language, Gestures, Eye Contact,
able to identify Accurately Response to Audience).
the five steps of completed Students will fill out guided notes based on teacher lecture by filling in missing information
Monroe’s guided notes on the guided notes handout and responding to all questions.
Motivated worksheet Guided notes include a graphic organizer of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, Definitions of
Sequence and  Quiz the aforementioned communication skills, and the following questions:
understand their
purpose. Persuasive Speech
 Students will be Persuasive speech is meant to persuade the audience to ___________, ______________,
able to or ___________. It differs from expository speech which is meant solely to inform and
demonstrate doesn’t ______________________.
their understand Making Connections:
of the Can you give an example of another persuasive speech? What was the goal of this speech?
communication What kind of persuasive speech would you write to affect change in your community or the
skills necessary world?
for public
speaking by
writing/sharing Clarification question:
their own opinion Sometimes speakers will open a speech with an anecdote as their “attention grabber.”
on which skill is Why might this be an effective way to open a speech?
most important.
Viewpoint Question:
What do you think is the most important communication skill in public speaking? Why?

Lesson 2 (Webercise/ iPad Lesson)

Student Learning Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
Objectives: Accurately completed
 Students will webercise worksheet Students will complete the following activities and answer the following questions:
exhibit an Ethos, Pathos, Logos Review
understanding of Go to https://quizlet.com/88647114/match.
rhetorical appeals Play the quick review match game.
 by writing their Then, based on the information in the game, write your own example of each type of
own examples of appeal:
ethical, logical, Ethical appeal example:
and emotional Logical appeal example:
appeals. Emotional (pathos) appeal example:
 Students will Learning about Persuasive Speeches
demonstrate an Read the online article from Newsela about writing persuasive speeches (You can find it at
understanding of https://newsela.com/read/lib-write-persuasive-speech/id/36483/).
the basic tenets of Take the Quiz on Newsela about the article. Be sure to print your results or show them to
persuasive speech the teacher for credit.
by responding to Answer the following questions about the article:
questions about What is the purpose of a persuasive speech?
the Newsela After greeting your audience, how should your speech begin?
article. Give an example of how you might begin a speech:
 Students will be How many main points does the article suggest you have in the body of your speech? Why
able to analyze do you think a speech needs multiple main points?
speeches for what The article suggests your speech doesn’t have to be on a real issue. What do you think?
makes them Why?
effective by
watching/listening Speech Analysis Practice
to famous
speeches and Listen to“Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: Address to Parliament on May 13th, 1940”by
responding to Winston Churchill (1940). You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TlkN-
focus questions. dcDCk
What is Winston Churchill’s main point?
What do you think was effective about this speech?
Would the speech have been more effective if you could watch Prime Minister Churchill
deliver it? Why or Why not?
Watch at least 5 minutes of President Barack Obama's Keynote Speech at the DNC (2004).
You can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWynt87PaJ0
Name two communication skills President Obama is using to make his speech delivery
effective:
Skill 1:
Skill 2:
 Now, explain why these skills add to the audience’s perception of the speech:
Skill 1 is effective because:
Skill 2: is effective because:

Lesson 3 (Graphic Organizer)

Student Learning Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
Objectives: Accurately completed Students will complete the following activities:
 Students will be graphic organizer
able to consider Step 1: Class-wide Collaborative Mind-mapping: Speech Topics
current issues Directions: On the Popplet on our unit website (found under the LESSON 3: GRAPHIC
locally, ORGANIZER tab), add two ideas for a speech topic. Ms. True has created categories to
nationwide, and which you can connect your issue (as well as provided example student responses). Your
globally and issue can be either social or political and can also be further categorized by region (local,
events and share nationwide, global).
these possible 1. Each thought bubble is called a "popple." To create a popple, simply double-click on the
issues on the class screen in the area you want to add it. Then, type your text in the box. Be sure to create at
mindmap. least two popples with issue ideas.
 Students will be 2. After creating your two popples, identify whether they are social or political issues, and
able to determine whether they are local, nationwide, or global. Then, draw lines connecting your
demonstrate an popple to the proper categories (There should be two lines connecting your popple bubble
understanding of to category bubbles!). To draw these lines, simply click on the little dots surrounding your
Monroe’s popple bubble and press and hold to draw a line to the category popple bubble.
Motivated If you do not already have a Popplet, click here to make a free account (make sure you
Sequence by choose the free option!).
choosing a Step 2: Class-wide Collaborative Mind-mapping: Speech Topics
contemporary Directions:
topic and applying 1. After looking over our class mind-map, choose an issue about which you would like to
the sequence to write your speech.
the topic. 2. Fill out the graphic organizer below to write your speech outline. It should proceed as
 Students will be follows:
able to accurately • Attention (Bubble 1): How are you going to get your audience’s attention? Will you
write rhetorical tell a story? Use a statistic?
appeals based on • Need (Bubble 2): Identify the problem and WHY the audience should see this as a
problem.
 their chosen • Satisfaction (Bubble 3): Suggest possible solutions to the problem. Be creative!
topic. • Visualization (Bubble 4): How will your solution benefit the world or society?
 Students will be • Action (Bubble 5): What can your audience do NOW to make a change?
able to apply two Step 3: Rhetorical and Literary Devices
types of literary Directions: Now that you have an idea of how your speech will proceed, plan to
devices to their incorporate two uses of rhetorical appeals and two types of literary devices in your speech.
topic. Your rhetorical appeals can be logical, emotional, or both.
Your literary devices can be any type of device we’ve discussed this semester. Refer to the
“Literary Terms” link on the USEFUL LINKS page of our class website if you need a
refresher. Be sure to define your literary devices/terms as well.

Lesson 4 (Reciprocal Teaching Argument Workshop)

Lesson 5 (Write Your Speech!)
Lesson 6 (Peer Review)
Unit Resources:
Intro to Unit: Quick-write Video
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech (Full Text)
"I Have a Dream" Speech Full Video
Webercise Links
Quizlet Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Newsela Article Link
President Barack Obama's Keynote Speech at the DNC (2004).
“Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: Address to Parliament on May 13th, 1940”by Winston Churchill (1940).
Graphic Organizer Links
Our Class Popplet
Famous Speeches: Argument Analysis Workshop Activity Links
Group 1: Barack Obama's Keynote Speech at the DNC (2004)
Group 2: “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry (1775)
Group 3: “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: Address to Parliament on May 13th, 1940”by Winston Churchill (1940)
Group 4: “Farewell Address” by George Washington (1796)
Group 5: “State of the Union Address” by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1941)
Group 6: Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln (1863)
Useful Websites:
More Famous Speeches from History.com.
Literary devices:Six Minutes Speech Preparation!
Writing Tips: Teach Scholastic
Public Speaking Tips: Tedx Video with Public Speaking Tips
Rhetorical Appeals Practice: Writing Commons Rhetorical Appeals Checklist
Ted-Ed Video on Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
Research Resources:
Google Scholar, Worldwide Science, or the Educational Resources Information Center
Writing Your Speech: Google Docs