In high school, the ELA Common Core Standards require students to develop formal writing skills, creating essays and arguments that are well-thought-out and syntactically varied. They also require students to effectively use persuasive writing strategies to defend a claim or point of view. The ability to dissect and validate, or debunk, other arguments is key to strong persuasive writing. This requires a basic working knowledge of rhetoric. A great way to enhance students' understanding of effective arguments is to teach the Aristotelian concepts of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Students can then identify and analyze the effectiveness of these strategies in a work of literature, a speech, or a letter.
The Declaration of Independence was written to officially announce the colonies’ break-up with England; however, it also needed to formally outline why they had done so not only to King George III, but also to the citizens of the colonies and to the world. It needed to be clear, show that all steps had already been taken to avoid this, and persuade the people that this was the right decision. Have students examine the text and come up with quotes from throughout the document of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos rhetoric. Have students illustrate these examples in a storyboard.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows examples of ethos, pathos, and logos from the Declaration of Independence.
Encourage students to apply rhetorical strategies by creating short persuasive speeches on a topic they care about. This hands-on approach helps them practice using ethos, pathos, and logos in their own words and builds real confidence.
Guide students to pick a subject they feel strongly about—like school uniforms, homework policies, or recycling. Personal interest sparks motivation and makes their arguments more authentic.
Work together to list ideas that show credibility (ethos), appeal to emotions (pathos), and use logic or facts (logos). This ensures their speeches are well-rounded and persuasive.
Have students write a 1–2 minute speech that clearly includes ethos, pathos, and logos. Encourage them to underline or highlight where each strategy is used for easy identification.
Let students rehearse and then deliver their speeches in front of peers. Practice builds confidence and allows classmates to recognize rhetorical strategies in action.
Facilitate a quick feedback session where students share what was effective and suggest ways to strengthen use of ethos, pathos, and logos in each speech. Positive feedback helps everyone grow!
The Declaration of Independence uses ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical reasoning) to persuade its audience. These strategies help justify the colonies' decision to separate from England and encourage support from both domestic and international readers.
Students can identify ethos by looking for statements that establish credibility, pathos through emotionally charged language, and logos in logical arguments or lists of grievances. Analyzing specific quotes and their context helps reveal which rhetorical strategy is being used.
The best way is to have students find and illustrate examples of ethos, pathos, and logos within the text. Activities like creating storyboards or group discussions help deepen understanding and allow students to practice analyzing persuasive techniques in classic literature.
Learning about ethos, pathos, and logos equips students with essential skills for evaluating arguments, writing persuasively, and understanding how authors influence audiences. These skills are vital for academic success and informed citizenship.
Examples include: Ethos: References to the 'opinions of mankind' to show credibility; Pathos: Descriptions of the colonists’ suffering; Logos: Logical listing of grievances against King George III.