Persuasion in Democratic Politics

Sample Lesson Plans

All of unit's lesson plans are to be developed in 82–minute classes. However, they can easily be changed according to teachers' needs.

Lesson 1: Government and Politics in Venezuela

Goal

Understand the difference between political systems (anarchy, democracy, monarchy, republic, etc) as well as the implications of a coup d´ítat.

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson students will be able to:

1. Students demonstrate and understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the counties studied. (Standard 2.1)
2. Students demonstrate and understanding of the relationship between history and politics. (Standard 2.2)
3. Reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines –history and government– through Spanish. (Standard 3.1)

Special Needs

Students are already familiar with the definition and concept different political systems, covered in previous lessons.

Materials

LCD projector, computer with Internet access, computers for students with Internet access, Power Point presentation and copies of "Sistemas Políticos" graphic organizer, questionnaire about the Power Point presentation.

Procedure

"Pass the bull" strategy: I start all of my lessons asking students questions while passing around a foam toy (a bull). All these questions are related to material we have previously covered: grammar, vocabulary, and cultural aspects. It is a fun, useful strategy because it allows me to assess students daily and it helps to start the class on a good tone, since students like it. This time students will be asked to conjugate different verbs in the present tense and also easy questions about different political systems.

Students and teacher will then go over a Power Point presentation on the different political systems. Some students will be asked to read the slides out loud. When done, students will complete the graphic organizer in pairs. Teacher will call on volunteer students to go to the board and write in the different sections. Afterwards, students will be asked to move into a computer to complete the questionnaire about political systems and what systems countries in Latin and South America have, looking information up in web pages posted in the questionnaire handout. Students will be asked to turn their work in at the end of the period.

Assessment/homework

Students will be asked to translate all the political systems in Spanish as well as giving an example of each in Spanish Speaking countries in Latin–South America.

Lesson 2: Rhetorician for a day

Goal

Understand the basics of rhetoric and some of its techniques to be persuasive.

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson students will:

1. Engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions and exchange opinions. (Standard 1.1)
2. Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. (Standard 1.3)
3. Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language. (Standard 3.1)

Special Needs

Students will already be familiar with the concepts of ethos, logos, pathos and kairos, as well as some of the rhetoric techniques or strategies.

Materials

Rubric with all the details about the project "Rhetorician for a day, " copies of the a sample short speech.

Procedure

"Pass the bull: " ask students questions about rhetoric: What is ethos, etc? Students will read the sample short speech and with students and teachers will analyze it together in order to learn how to do it. The teacher will then distribute the project rubric in which the whole process is explained in detail. Students will have to write a speech that they will have to deliver in front of the class eventually. Some of the topics will be in the lines of banning beauty contests, euthanasia, keeping animals in zoos, privacy rights, school uniforms, recycling and so on. The idea is to have one student in favor and one against every topic. Using professor Garsten´s "rhetoric guide," they will start planning what the pattern of their speech will be.

Assessment/homework

Students will be asked to work on an activity the teacher will distribute before the end of the period. The activity will ask questions about the theme of their speech– to see if they have understood– as well as the stage where they are in the process of writing their speech.

(There will be a follow up lesson in which students will share their mini–speeches with the rest of the class.)

Lesson 3: Reading for Information– Hugo Chávez

Goal

Practice for the Reading For Information part of the CAPT test.

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson students will be able to:

1. Understand and interpret written language on a variety of topics. (Standard 1.3)
2. Reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language. (Standard 3.1)

Special Needs

Students know all the requirements for the rhetoric component of the unit and have already written questions for the Jeopardy practice before competing with the Latin classes.

Materials

LCD projector connected with a computer, jeopardy Power Point game.

Procedure

Teacher will facilitate a copy of Hugo Chavez´s adapted speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, on September 20, 2006. Students will work individually on this RFI practice for 40 minutes. Then, the teacher will divide students in groups of three and we will play Rhetoric Jeopardy for the rest of the period.

Assessment/homework

Students will write a 30–line long paragraph guided reflection on Chávez´s speech.