Common Core Exemplar: "Speech in the Virginia Convention" by Patrick Henry

© 2012 James Mulhern

Sample CCSS Reading and Writing Activity—Analysis of Informational/Argumentative Text (Seminal U.S. Text)--"Speech in the Virginia Convention" by Patrick Henry
(Please note that this is not an official publication of the CCSS.  The lesson plan is one that I created based on CCSS.)

Standards Addressed: RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3, RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6, RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9, RI.11-12.10, W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.9, SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.6.

Analysis of Patrick Henry's "Speech in the Virginia Convention"—Grades 11-12.

Learning Objectives:  The goal of this exemplar is to develop Close-Reading and Analysis skills, Speaking and Listening skills, and Metacognition. Students will come to a greater understanding of author’s purpose, theme(s), diction, mood, syntax, imagery, audience, structure/organization, persuasive techniques, and other rhetorical techniques.  Pairing this lesson with discussions of the current presidential election will also guide students to understand the power of political discourse. This lesson plan should be chunked over a few class periods, as it requires some mini-lectures by the teacher, and the text itself is high in its complexity.

Frontloading:  Tell students that the speech they are about to read and analyze is one of the most famous in American history.  Impress upon them the power of oratory--persuasive and rhetorical techniques--to change the course of history.  Explain that at the time of this speech, the colonists were very divided over separating from their homeland, and Henry's speech was pivotal in convincing his fellow delegates that the colonies must finally break away from England.  Tell students that Patrick Henry grew up listening to sermons from The Great Awakening, and was influenced by the rhetoric he heard from preachers during that time period.  In addition, students should know that his father, a pastor, was an important figure in his upbringing. Henry's rhetorical mastery, as well as the many religious allusions in his speech, were no doubt a result of his life experience listening to sermons. You should guide students to make connections to the contemporary presidential election, and suggest that they pay attention to the rhetoric in the speeches of the candidates and the political advertisements that they see on television. This practice will help them to understand the relevance of rhetoric, and to develop an understanding of the power of language in political discourse across time.  This lesson can be paired with the lesson plan analyzing the rhetoric of President Obama also posted on this website.  Ask students what types of rhetorical techniques are used by both Henry and Obama?  How are the speeches similar in the ways that they are organized/structured?

Mini-Lectures on Persuasive Techniques and Analysis:  Use the handouts below to explain/review important devices used in oratory, as well as the process of analysis itself.

To purchase this lesson plan go to the following website:

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Mulhern, English

Persuasive Techniques Handout (President Obama, Patrick Henry, Jonathan Edwards, and other great orators)

The following persuasive techniques are some ways, among many, that writers and speakers effectively persuade their audiences.  Of course, not every technique is used by each speaker; and there are also additional techniques that you will learn about as we read more literature.

1. complimenting those with dissenting (different) viewpoints

2. metaphors

3. extended metaphors

4. allusions

5. words with religious connotations; or religious imagery

6. ethical appeals (ethos)

7. logical appeals (logos)

8. emotional appeals (pathos)

9. rhetorical questions

10. loaded language

11. parallelism

12. cadence

13. anticipation of counter-arguments

14. repetition of diction and syntax

15. variety in sentence structure (long/short) and punctuation; rhythm

16. an offered solution or plan

17. building to a climactic moment (or several) in the writing

18. strong conclusion

19. strong lead that grabs the attention of the audience

20. variety in diction (using formal as well as informal words to

      appeal to different audiences)
21. vivid imagery and description
22. figurative language (metaphors, simile, personification)
23. finding common ground
24. establishing context for present occasion/providing background
      and history
25. clearly defining purpose/objectives/reasoning (logos)
26. awareness of multiple audiences or groups (constituencies) within
      the larger audience being addressed
27. concession to the opposition: a speaker or writer acknowledges the
      validity of an opponent's point
28. repetition of images, motifs/themes, metaphors

© 2012 James Mulhern

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Mulhern, English

Explanation of Analysis Handout

What is Analysis?  Analysis is "breaking apart a Whole into its Parts and explaining how those Parts support and contribute to the meaning/effect of the Whole."  Sounds like a boring definition, and it certainly is--puts me to sleep.  But that's just because you can't picture what the definition means; the definition is dull.  But you are analyzing all the time, in every aspect of your life--whether you are trying to figure out a friend's mood when you read his/her texts, sizing someone up in the hallway, getting a first impression of someone you meet at a football game, even reading this handout.  Let me give you a concrete, specific example that you can picture so that it is easier for you to understand what Analysis means:

Example:  You are at Publix in the cereal aisle, trying to grab a box of your favorite Cheerios off the shelf, but a lady is blocking you.  She is dressed for success--Jimmy Choo shoes, a Gucci handbag, fine gold jewelry, and a big diamond ring on her finger.  She is talking on her BlackBerry cell phone, arguing with someone, saying, "I can't believe you expect me to do your ridiculous shopping again! I haven't got time for this.  Why don't you ask your secretary to do your little chores.  I'm getting my nails done in fifteen minutes!  And then I simply must get a facial."  

You keep saying, "Excuse me," as you try to reach for the Cheerios, but the lady ignores you and even turns her back to you.  It's as if she doesn't even know you exist.

Okay.  So you have definitely formed an opinion of her.  You probably don't like her.  You probably think she's selfish and you also think she is rich and rude.  How did you form that Whole impression?  You analyzed the parts: "dressed for success," "Jimmy Choo shoes," "a Gucci handbag," "fine gold jewelry," "a big diamond ring," "her tone of conversation--'ridiculous shopping' and 'little chores.' "  In addition, the lady "ignores you" and "turns her back to you."  Your overall impression that she is rude and rich and selfish was determined by your quickly assembling all those Parts to form that Whole impression. That's Analysis.

When you read a piece of writing you are doing the same thing. However, the individual words (diction), the groups of words (syntax), the sentences (long ones vs. short ones), the specific examples/details, the similes and metaphors (figurative language), the description (imagery), the repetition, the rhythm, the sound quality (cadence), and many other devices (see below) are all Parts that support and contribute to the author's main purpose, mood, theme, or style (the Whole).  Your teacher will help you understand the guidelines listed below so that you can begin to analyze a piece of writing. Good luck!

 

How do I analyze a piece of writing? (a selection, a text, an excerpt, a passage)

1. Read the piece to comprehend what is being said.  You can’t begin to analyze until you know what the writer is saying.  Use a dictionary for the difficult words if necessary.

2. “The Big Picture/the Whole”:  As you read to literally comprehend meaning, you must also be thinking about all of the following:

a. What is the writer’s thesis/assertion/main point?  What is the overall purpose of the essay?
b. What is the particular occasion and who is the audience?  Remember, sometimes a writer/speaker is addressing several audiences at once.  For example, when the President gives a speech, he is aware of all the different groups of people within America, but he is also very aware of all the nations in the world that may be listening.
c. In addition to a primary purpose implicit in any piece of writing, the author often has other objectives/goals as well. As you read, consider some of the other objectives.  Which parts of the text make you aware of these objectives?

d. What is the writer’s tone? (attitude towards what he/she is writing)

e. What is the main theme/message of this text?  Are there multiple themes within the passage? Cite text that supports each theme.

f. What is the mood of this piece? (emotional quality)  Does the mood change at points? Cite text.
g. Where are the shifts in the writing?  Shifts are changes in tone, mood, theme, organizational pattern (One example of an organizational shift would be if the author changes his/her time perspective.  Perhaps he/she goes from discussing the past to the future, then to the present.)

h. How would you describe the writing style? (Does the author use difficult words, easier words, short sentences, long sentences, short paragraphs, long paragraphs, a lot of description, very little description, etc.)?

i. In what ways is the structure/organization of this essay effective?  Why does the author choose this structure/organization?  How does the structure contribute to the overall effect of the essay?

j. Which modes of discourse (narration, compare/contrast, exposition, persuasion, cause/effect, etc.) is the author using?  Which mode of discourse predominates (is most used)?  How is the use of different modes of discourse within the essay effective?  Why?  

     3. “The Little Snapshots/the Pieces or Parts”:  Once you can answer some of the questions above, then you can analyze the selection by finding devices/rhetorical techniques that the writer uses to contribute to or support any of items a through j above.   Consider point of view (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd person), diction, syntax, figurative language, repetition, sentence structure (long, short, compound, complex, compound-complex), parallelism, imagery, analogies, anecdotes, similes, metaphors, hyperbole, cadence, rhythm, rhetorical questions, irony, humor, personification, antithesis, contrasts, connotations, turning points (shifts or transitions in the text), lists (catalogs), cumulative/loose sentences, periodic sentences, organizational patterns, modes of discourse, argumentative techniques, emotional appeals (pathos), logical appeals (logos), ethical appeals (ethos), loaded language, allusions, anaphora, understatement, etc.

© 2012 James Mulhern

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Teacher Read-Aloud Followed by Student Independent Reading:  Henry's speech is difficult because of its text complexity.  You should begin the lesson with some scaffolding--reading the first few paragraphs aloud, pointing out some of the rhetorical techniques, and explaining the effects of those techniques (why Henry's choices are clever and persuasive).  Then have students read the text independently, utilizing the handouts on Persuasive Techniques and Analysis.  Tell students to take notes on the techniques that they find, and write down why the particular techniques are effective.  Explain to students that you understand this may be difficult, but encourage them to put their best effort forward.

As students are reading, you should walk around the room, offering assistance as needed for a short while, but then allow students to finish the speech on their own. Tell them to jot down any questions they have about different parts in the speech, or sections that they found difficult (Remind them to note line numbers, paragraph numbers, etc.)  Tell students that they will be able to ask their questions during a group discussion that will come later in the lesson. It is very important that students begin to have practice reading high-complexity texts independently for sustained periods of time, as this is a skill that is emphasized in the Common Core.  You may decide to choose a "reciprocal reading" methodology with this text (see other exemplars on this site for explanations), but it is essential that students have practice trying to engage in the "deep thinking" that is necessary for so complex a text.  Otherwise, they will never develop this skill.  Much of the impetus behind the Common Core is student inability to work independently without an abundance of scaffolding from the teacher.  The Common Core emphasizes that educators need to reinforce independent reading and analysis.  Tell students that a difficult text requires sustained attention, quiet, and focussed, purposeful, "intentional" reading.  Brain research on cognition and memory has demonstrated that unless an individual practices "deep thinking," memory encoding and learning will not take place.  After the students have read the speech on their own, you should read the speech again, in its entirety, while students follow along and jot down additional questions.  

Group Discussion:  Engage the students in a "scholar-led" discussion by asking for volunteers to work with you in facilitating a whole-class discussion. Model for students ways to promote discussion, types of questions to ask, and how to validate the responses/points that peers make during the discussion. This practice will reinforce Speaking and Listening Skills.  Student facilitators should sit at the front of the room, near the teacher.  Explain to the class as a whole that you and the student facilitators are working as a team to elicit responses from everyone in the group and generate an exchange of ideas.

Writing Activity: After a group discussion/analysis of Patrick Henry's speech, tell students to write down a summary (in paragraph form) of the highlights of the Henry Speech discussion (they may use their notes). Tell them to write down the points that they found most interesting. Encourage them to cite the names of their classmates (parenthetically) if they are referencing something a peer said. Also encourage students to make connections to the use of rhetoric in the current presidential election.  You might also pair this lesson with a viewing of clips of speeches from the Democratic and Republican Conventions, as well as political advertisements.  Finally, ask students to reflect upon how this lesson helped them learn about the power of rhetoric. What was most effective? What did they learn about the steps for reading a complex text? This method of self-assessment will develop student metacognition.