A Nation Begins

Ryan Myers

ED 608-01

Dr. Helms

Common Sense

• 7th grade• Thomas Paine’s

Common Sense• Persuasive writing• The Declaration of

Independence

Objectives

• Students will be able to:

• Read and understand Common Sense by Thomas Paine

• Identify the passages that are persuasive

• Write a persuasive paper about a topic of their choosing

Materials Needed

• Classroom set of Common Sense

• Each student should have lined paper and a writing utensil

• Overhead projector

• Dry erase marker

• TV and VCR

• The Constitution Video

Web Sites

• www.encyclopedia.com

• www.encarta.com• www.britannica.com• www.art.com• http://teachers.teach-n

ology.com

Student Activities

• Students will do the following:

• Read Common Sense• Watch a video about

the Constitution• Participate in a class

discussion of both the reading and video

• Help to generate a list of topics that they can take sides on

• Write a persuasive letter of their own using one of the topics

Common Sense

• Written by Thomas Paine to persuade others to join the fight for independence

• A well written argument in the classic sense, not the modern terms of an argument

Reading

• Students will now read Common Sense

• Each student should have their own copy of the brief work

Video Presentation

• Students will now watch the video titled The Constitution: The Compromise that Made a Nation

• Students are to decide if this was the right thing to do

Discussion Time

• Students will brainstorm a list of topics for a persuasive letter

• Teacher will lead discussion and write ideas on the overhead

How did this all lead to a new nation?

• Students should discuss how they think these rhetorical writings help lead to the new nation

The Declaration of Independence

• What effect did Paine’s pamphlets have on this happening?

• Was his argument persuasive enough to make you rebel against your king and country?

A poem for the nation

• Is this a persuasive piece of writing?

• If so, is it effective?• Which would you

choose to persuade others? A poem? An essay? A picture perhaps?

Web Related Sites

• Students are free to browse the web after the slide show to check out the list of related web sites

Writing the Argument

• Students will write their persuasive letter stating both fact and opinion just as Paine did in Common Sense

Revising the Argument

• Students should be prepared to write a minimum of two drafts of their persuasive argument

Publishing

• Students will hand in a final, typed copy of their persuasive writing

The Great Debate

• A mock debate will be staged for the students to argue their ideas on different sides of an issue

Is the new nation born?

• Students will reflect on whether their arguments were strong enough to sway opinion

• Did they garner enough support to win the debate?

• Was their argument worthwhile?

• Can they use this argument to change something in their surroundings?

And the winner is…

• Everyone who participates should be congratulated on their efforts to form a new nation, or solve some other crises they have argued for