LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

English III

Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.

Objective 4.03. Assess the power, validity, and truthfulness in the logic of arguments given in public and political documents by:
- identifying the intent and message of the author or artist.
- recognizing how the author addresses opposing viewpoints.
- articulating a personal response to the message and method of the author or artist.
-evaluating the historical significance of the work.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

Jonathan Edwards and the art of persuasion
In this lesson, students will study the elements of persuasive writing in Jonathan Edward's “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” according to the following criteria: speaker, audience, occasion, and means of persuasion, and then analyze a contemporary piece of writing, such as an advertisement, for similar elements.
Format: lesson plan (grade 11–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
By Dave Guiley.
"Civil Disobedience" excerpt seminar
This lesson plan is to be used for a seminar on an excerpt of Henry David Thoreau's work, "Civil Disobedience." The plan will follow the Paideia concept to discuss the great ideas of the text. The plan will provide a pre-guide activity, coaching activity, inner circle seminar questions, outer circle questions and a post writing assignment.
Format: lesson plan (grade 11–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
By Francis Bryant.

Resources on the web

That's not fair! Examining civil liberties with the U.S. Supreme Court
In this lesson, high school students work in collaborative groups to explore the issue of civil liberties by conducting Internet research on related court cases of their choosing. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 11 English Language Arts)
Provided by: IRA/NCTE
Review redux: Introducing literary criticism through reception moments
Using literary critiques of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, students learn to place literature in social and historical context in order to identify reception moments. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 11 English Language Arts)
Provided by: IRA/NCTE
Perspectives on the slave narrative
This lesson plan introduces students to one of the most widely-read genres of 19th-century American literature and an important influence within the African American literary tradition even today. The lesson focuses on The Narrative of William W.... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Provided by: EDSITEment
Myth and truth: The Gettysburg Address
By exploring myths surrounding the “Gettysburg Address,” this lesson asks students to think critically about commonly believed “facts” about this important speech and the Civil War. Students participate in a pre-reading writing activity... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 11 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Copyright infringement or not? The debate over downloading music
This lesson takes advantage of students’ interest in music and audio sharing as part of a persuasive debate unit. After assessing their own opinions on the matter, students investigate the controversial topic of downloading music from the Internet. Students... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Argument, persuasion, or propaganda? Analyzing World War II posters
In this lesson plan, students analyze World War II posters, chosen from online collections, to explore how argument, persuasion, and propaganda differ. Using the famous “I WANT YOU FOR U.S. ARMY” recruiting poster as an example, students use... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9 and 11 English Language Arts)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink