Subject: English Language Arts
Grade Level: 9-12
Time Allotment: 90 minutes (this can vary)
Unit: "I Have a Dream" Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Bring Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech into your ELA classroom with this dynamic rhetorical analysis lesson. Students will explore the persuasive power of ethos, pathos, and logos, and visually organize their findings using a storyboard template. This lesson is designed for maximum engagement and critical thinking, helping students connect historical rhetoric to modern communication.
Ready to inspire your students? Download the storyboard template and start your “I Have a Dream” rhetorical analysis lesson today!
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
You’re about to explore one of the most powerful speeches in American history! As you listen to and read Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, you’ll learn how he uses three important persuasive techniques: ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic).
Tip: Use your imagination! Your storyboard should show not just what Dr. King said, but how his words made people feel and why they were so persuasive.
Ready to get started? Open your storyboard template and begin your “I Have a Dream” rhetorical analysis!
Start the lesson by explaining ethos, pathos, and logos. These are persuasive techniques used to convince an audience and are crucial in effective communication and writing. Use simple, relatable examples to describe each: ethos as establishing credibility or trust, pathos as appealing to emotions, and logos as using logic or reason. Reference "I Have a Dream" to show how Martin Luther King Jr. effectively used these techniques.
After the introduction, move on to analyzing specific parts of "I Have a Dream" where King employs ethos, pathos, and logos. Break down the speech into sections and work with students to identify which technique is being used in each section. Discuss how each technique serves the overall purpose of the speech and enhances its persuasive power. This exercise not only reinforces their understanding of the concepts but also illustrates how these techniques can be effectively combined.
Now that students have a solid understanding of ethos, pathos, and logos, and have seen them in action, challenge them to write their own short essays, speeches, or letters employing these techniques. Provide a template or outline to help them structure their writing. Encourage them to think about an issue or topic they are passionate about, as this will naturally lend itself to the persuasive style of writing.
Conclude the lesson with a peer review session. Students exchange their writings with each other for review. Encourage them to provide feedback specifically on the use and effectiveness of ethos, pathos, and logos in the piece. Finally, bring the class together for a reflective discussion. Ask students to share their experiences of writing with these techniques and how their perspective on persuasive writing has changed.
The main objective is to help students identify and analyze the use of ethos, pathos, and logos in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, deepening their understanding of rhetorical strategies and persuasive language.
Students read and listen to the speech, identify examples of ethos, pathos, and logos, and use a storyboard template to visually organize and explain their findings.
This lesson plan is suitable for middle school and high school students, typically grades 6–12.
Ethos refers to Dr. King’s credibility and character, pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions, and logos uses logic and evidence to support his message.
The speech masterfully combines rhetorical devices like repetition, metaphor, and allusion to inspire and persuade, making it a landmark in American oratory.
Yes, the lesson includes reading, listening, group discussion, and visual activities like storyboarding, making it adaptable for various learners.
Yes, many lesson plans offer extension activities such as writing essays, creating original speeches or poems, and further research on the Civil Rights Movement.