Language Arts: Lesson 4, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Idea of Persuasion

Date: January 4, 2010
Teacher: Mr. West
Subject: 6th Language Arts
Persuasion – Lesson 4, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Idea of Persuasion

Standards:
Interpret and synthesize information from a variety of sources.
Increase fluency, comprehension and insight through meaningful and comprehensive reading instruction.
Develop and apply appropriate criteria to evaluate the quality of communication
Demonstrate an awareness of language conventions and usage during oral presentations

What we will learn (objectives):
Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature
Develop an understanding of persuasion

What we will read or study (content):
Selection from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain

How we will study it (process):
At beginning of each day, use the possible response journal questions as the writing prompts.

Students will independently read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer selection.

As a review of the selection read, class will answer questions from “Stranger in Role” (Action Strategies, pg. 72).

Students will then complete 3 vocab and 1 literature web on the selection from Tom Sawyer, to be finished for homework, if not finished in class.

The following day, the gifted ed and general ed will lead a discussion on the webs as a class.

In teams, students will rotate through the discussion questions. Teams will have 3 – 5 minutes at each question. Both gifted ed and general ed teachers will monitor and assist where needed. Discuss the questions as a class.

Review the idea of “Persuasion” as a class.

Individually students will list chores they are responsible for at home. Each student will then choose one chore and write a one-minute speech to persuade another classmate to do the chore, as Tom persuaded his friends to want to do his chore following the guidelines. Use note cards to prepare speech.

Students will give speech using note cards. After individual student has completed speech, the class will vote as to whether they were persuaded to do the chore and tell why or why not.

How we will know we learned something (product):
Lit web
Vocab web
Speech
Discussion questions

Who will score/grade what?:
Gifted ed teacher will score vocab and lit webs, discussion questions

How will we differentiate content/process/product (if applicable):
Content: selection from Tom Sawyer

Process: Independent reading, team questions, speeches

Product: vocab and lit web, discussion questions, completed 1 minute speech


Homework:
Complete the reading, as needed
Complete the vocab and/or lit webs, as needed
Practice speech

Extension:
Read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Make a chart showing how the characters change over the course of the novel.

Play the game Persuade. In this game, each group of 6 students receives a set of “audience,” “audience background” and “persuasion goal” cards. To begin, a set of cards is drawn and the audience role plays according to the “audience” and “audience background” directions. The persuader then delivers a 4-minute speech to persuade the audience. Following the speech, the audience has 3 minutes to ask questions. At the conclusion of each round, participants rate the speaker using scoring sheets.

What will we do at our next meeting?
Discuss how the lesson went and what short story we would like to read next. Discuss how to incorporate the Learnia data into the lessons.








Selection from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain – discussion questions

Name: Date:

Literary Response and Interpretation

What adjectives would you use to describe the character of Tom Sawyer, based upon this excerpt of the novel? What evidence from the story supports your description?


What was Tom’s “great, magnificent inspiration”? How did he “put the thing in a new light?”


Tom found the world “not so hollow” after all. What does he mean by that statement?


How does Aunt Polly perceive Tom? In what ways is this different from how he perceives himself? Are either of their perceptions more accurate? Why or why not?

What title might you give to this selection from the book? Give reasons for your selection.

Reasoning

What was Tom’s problem? What was his first solution? What was his second solution?


How were the consequences of Tom’s eventual solution different from the consequences he would have faced if Jim had agreed to trade places with him? Which solution was a better one for Tom?


Tom’s solution to his problem was based on certain assumptions or guesses he made about the other boys. What did Tom assume about the other boys? What is meant by the words “He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it – namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain”?


Would you have been persuaded by Tom’s argument? Why or why not?




Change

What techniques did Tom use to change people’s minds?


Would you classify the changes that took place in the story as positive or negative for the people involved? Why? In what ways was the white-washing arrangement thought to be positive by everyone?


How does the classification of something as work or as play change the way you feel about it?




Chore Persuasion Speech

A. Cleary describe what the chore is, in a way that makes it seem attractive to someone who might have to do it.
B. Give at least three reasons to persuade someone else to do the chore.
C. Make an outline of your description and persuasive reasons on note cards – your speech can only be one minute long!
D. Put note cards in order and practice with a partner. Use a timer.
E. Present to the class!




Possible Response Journal questions:
o Have you ever outwitted someone? Describe the occasion and how you managed to fool another person.

o What are some tasks you enjoy doing that others might think of as work? What are some things you think of as work which might seem like play to someone else?