Consider, for a moment, the last time you tried to convince something to see things your way. Maybe you wanted your mom to buy you a new phone, or maybe you wanted your best friend to break up with her boyfriend, or maybe you were at work trying to convince a customer to buy whatever it was that you were selling.
In order to get your way, you needed to employ your powers of persuasion - you needed to convince some other person that your way of thinking was the BEST way of thinking (whether it really was or not).
AP English Language & Composition is a course in which you will learn the skills and techniques to persuade people that you are right. You will learn these tricks by analyzing the masters of persuasion and rhetoric (fancy word for arguing) and then by practicing through frequent writing and speaking.
At the end of this course, you will be able to convince anyone to do anything - well, maybe; it all depends on your work ethic and desire to always be right (and who doesn't enjoy the feeling of being able to say, "I told you so!").
In order to prepare for our upcoming year, please complete the following assignments below throughout the course of the summer, in addition to reading the Frederick Douglass autobiography and defining the literary terms. All you will need is a small notebook, which will be collected during the first week of school.
Ok, ready, set, prepare to be persuasive!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Reading/Writing: Habits of Mind
Do you consider yourself a smart person? Are you thorough in your academic work? Are you curious about the world and the people in it? Do you try to learn something new every day?
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then CONGRATULATIONS! You are in the process of developing what is known in the grown-up world as HABITS OF MIND (HOM). These are a set of skills used to solve problems when a solution or answer is not immediately apparent. HOM can be used to identify, analyze, confront, and conquer dilemmas personally, professionally, academically, and ethically.
Please read Chapter 2 from Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind. It can be found by clicking here. You may want to print it out and highlight it, but that is not required.
TASKS: After you have finished reading the article, please answer the following questions in your notebook:
1. Of the 16 Habits of Mind discussed in the article, which three do you already do? Provide examples of how you have applied these three habits of mind in your life (inside or outside of school). Write one page.
2. Of the 16 Habits of Mind discussed in the article, which three would you like to work on to improve during the school year? Why are these three habits of mind important to you? Write one page.
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then CONGRATULATIONS! You are in the process of developing what is known in the grown-up world as HABITS OF MIND (HOM). These are a set of skills used to solve problems when a solution or answer is not immediately apparent. HOM can be used to identify, analyze, confront, and conquer dilemmas personally, professionally, academically, and ethically.
Please read Chapter 2 from Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind. It can be found by clicking here. You may want to print it out and highlight it, but that is not required.
TASKS: After you have finished reading the article, please answer the following questions in your notebook:
1. Of the 16 Habits of Mind discussed in the article, which three do you already do? Provide examples of how you have applied these three habits of mind in your life (inside or outside of school). Write one page.
2. Of the 16 Habits of Mind discussed in the article, which three would you like to work on to improve during the school year? Why are these three habits of mind important to you? Write one page.
Reading/Viewing: Michael Eric Dyson
Introduction:
Michael Eric Dyson is one of the true modern masters of rhetoric and persuasion. His ideas are controversial and shocking, yet they are rooted in firm, academic argument. Your task this summer is to get to know Mr. Dyson and figure out how he gets people to see things his way.
Please explore the following links to learn more about Dyson:
Here is another video of Mr. Dyson discussing President Obama's performance.
Click here to read an editorial by Dyson about Bill Cosby.
Lastly, read this transcript of Dyson discussing race, gender, and politics.
Tasks: 1. In your notebook, create a vocabulary list of 15 words which are new to you after hearing from and reading about Michael E. Dyson. Define these words.
2. From the first video, write a two-page essay in which you describe Dyson's stance on hip hop artists. What evidence does he use to support his positions? Do you agree or disagree with him? Why? Use your own evidence to support your position.
3. Taking into account all of the above links (videos, editorial, and TV transcript), write a one-page essay in which you describe Dyson's style of persuasion. How does he try to get people to see things his way?
Michael Eric Dyson is one of the true modern masters of rhetoric and persuasion. His ideas are controversial and shocking, yet they are rooted in firm, academic argument. Your task this summer is to get to know Mr. Dyson and figure out how he gets people to see things his way.
Please explore the following links to learn more about Dyson:
Here is another video of Mr. Dyson discussing President Obama's performance.
Click here to read an editorial by Dyson about Bill Cosby.
Lastly, read this transcript of Dyson discussing race, gender, and politics.
Tasks: 1. In your notebook, create a vocabulary list of 15 words which are new to you after hearing from and reading about Michael E. Dyson. Define these words.
2. From the first video, write a two-page essay in which you describe Dyson's stance on hip hop artists. What evidence does he use to support his positions? Do you agree or disagree with him? Why? Use your own evidence to support your position.
3. Taking into account all of the above links (videos, editorial, and TV transcript), write a one-page essay in which you describe Dyson's style of persuasion. How does he try to get people to see things his way?
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