Unit 1: Reading America

  • State-Sponsored Art

    I use this slideshow in discussions of book-banning and Toni Morrison’s essay, “Peril.”

  • Reflective Mission Statement Assignment

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  • Counternarrative Assignment

    This list of master narratives may help students brainstorm. Editable version:

  • Counternarratives

    I find it useful to offer a list of “master narratives” before beginning this introduction.

  • Reflexive Statements

  • Rhetorical Analysis Assignment

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  • Anti-Suffragist Propaganda & Response

    I use this slideshow in conjunction with Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers.” The suffragists’ decision to base their argument around their roles as homemakers demonstrates excellent understanding of rhetorical strategy. I use their response to introduce the idea of strategic positionally, as presented in this slideshow.

  • Jason Reynolds Discussion Questions

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  • Jason Reynolds’ Commencement Address

    This brilliant speech offers excellent examples of rhetorical technique. For starters, it is a counternarrative with a “yes, but…” or “agree, but with a difference” multi-layered thesis. Reynolds begins by identifying the standard “spread your wings,” trope of graduation speeches, affirms it, then makes it clear what it overlooks. Here is his “three-story thesis”:  First…

  • Analyze: Art to Raise Awareness

    I recommend preceding this lesson with my introduction to analysis. Some of the “Intro to Analysis” slideshow is specific to essays, but you can bypass those parts.