This module asks 9th and 10th grade students to read two famous speeches regarding the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy. Students are challenged to closely analyze these speeches in terms of language structure and democratic ideals.
The instructional sequence in this module includes independent and supported reading, conceptual dialogue, and writing a comparative analysis essay. Ultimately, students practice a series of interrelated literacy skills while gaining a deeper understanding of historical rhetoric of two iconic leaders. The key texts in this module are considered bookend speeches and exemplify primary documents whose clear exegesis and compelling examples offer vivid and concrete avenues for close reading.
The classroom assessment builds on the comparative analysis writing practice and challenges students to expand their thinking about rhetoric in contemporary American democracy.
