Unit 2 Weeks 6-10: Assorted Classroom Activities

The following is an assortment of teaching activities that are roughly sequential and provide one path through unit 2. You may not be able to fit all these activities into the unit, and so may want use only some.

Collect papers, organize reflection, overview unit 2
A) Collect paper 1 from students (and peer review if assigned). B) Have students do a reflection in which they spend 10 minutes writing about their paper, the process, elements they found difficult, interesting, etc. C) Give an overview of unit 2 and explain assignment 2.

Go over Rhetorical strategies
D) Go over the material introducing rhetorical strategies in the reader and online. There are powerpoints introducing and explaining rhetorical strategies on the wiki you can use. You can also use or review chapter 6 on rhetorical analysisin Everything’san Argument(pdf is on wiki) if you wish.

Examine some short texts and have students identify and discuss strategies.
E) Examine a sample short text and ask students to work through it discussing strategies. There are many sample texts on the wiki. Some favorites are 1) Parry’s “Branding a Condition,” 2) Bin Laden’s “Letter to America,”3) Rockmore’s“How Texas Teaches History” (can be used with unit two teaching materials on style, syntax, and tropes). This is an op-ed about how the history of slavery istaught in Texas textbooks. It introduces questions of agency, plot, point of view, framing, etc. It addresses the question of agency in a simple, interesting way. It also opens up the larger issue of how style and syntax can function strategically. It could be useful to help students think about how Carr handles agency in his description of the effects of digital technology (e.g. his use of passive constructions and imagery).
If you feel like addressing a more topical issue this text, A Law Professor's Response to Black Lives Matter T-shirt Complaintis interesting. The professor’s “reply” is an analysis and critique of the strategies students used, and also discusses strategies the students ought to have used in order to be more persuasive. Of course it draws on many strategies itself, and these can be examined and evaluated.
You may wish to and explore strategies by showing short visual texts. There are some on the wiki. If you feel brave there is “This Unicorn Changed the Way I Poop - #SquattyPotty” which Jamie McDowell, a recent TA shared with us. Guerilla marketing at its silliest and most disturbing.
Have students research Carr and the text
F) Spend 10 minutes – in groups – researching Carr. Students can use phones, etc. Research rhetorical situation, who Carr is, where/when text appeared, reception, what can be gleaned from Carr’s social media accounts (twitter, blog, Facebook) etc. Assign each group member an activity.
Look at comments readers have made using hypothes.is (see original Atlantic page)

Long or Short video of Carr outlining his argument and discuss with students
G) 6 minute PBS interview with Carrexplaining his main arguments
16 minute Interview ("Is the Internet Making Us Stupid?")

Homework: read Carr’s text, compose a reading response and post to blog.
Possible reading response topics:
- Ask students todiscuss the extent to which they can/can’t find connections between their own experiences online and the dynamics Carr describes. (See “Early Discussion Questions.”) Example: How are your reading habits affected by social media, your smartphone, and all the other digital devices you use? Do you recognize any of the problems Carr describes? Have you developed ways of coping with the challenges Carr describes?
OR
Read Carr's "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" and post responses to the following on your blog:

Describe the overall argument and two of the main claims. Use textual evidence to support your analysis.
If your last name is A-H,identify two strategies in the first 10 paragraphs of the text and discuss how they work and how they help persuade.
If your last name is G-Z,identify two strategies in paragraphs 11-20 of the text and discuss how they work and how they helppersuade.

Discuss Carr and Chart Key Passages

-For discussion ideas see the collected teaching materials for unit 2.

-Assign groups responsibility to chart sections of the text. There are charting notes in the collected teaching materials for unit 2. See “Carr Quotations for Discussion & Analysis” handout.

Map the Key Claims and Evidence

-Build an argument map.

-Examine how evidence supports claims, the strategic way evidence is used, and strengths/weaknesses.Look at the kinds of evidence Carr uses – the “spread” and “sequence” of evidence. Personal experience, testimony, stories from friends, studies, interview/quotes from experts, etc. Where is this strongest and best supported? Where is it not?

-Carr starts with a very dramatic example (and analogy) from the movie 2001. Show the clip in class and ask students whether they share Carr’s interpretation of the scene and agree with the way he uses it. He appears to assume his audience will be familiar with the movie. What does this tell us?

-Parfitt (Writingin Response)pages 122 – 126discusses types of evidence and presents an “argument matrix” that models how to start building a critique of Carr.

Class Activity (or Homework). Examine the following:

how Carr usesevidencestrategically (selection, presentation, organization)
how Carr usesanalogiesto persuade
how Carr draws onauthorities
how Carr establishesethos
how Carruses pathos

Class Activity (or Homework).“Group Work: Identifying Strategies”

Work through the“Group Work: Identifying Strategies” handout, assigning students (or groups) to be responsible for analyzing and presenting to the class particular strategies.

Carr & Academic Discourse

Parfitt ((Writing in Response,pp. 4-9) discusses how Carrillustrates elements of academic discourse. Parfitt also presents a helpful close reading of some sections in Carr. This could be used to help students understand some of the moves Carr makes.

(If Time) Research/Identify the Conversation & Stage a Debate:

After Carr wrote his article many authors responded directly to the claims, and Carr was invited to a series of debates. Students could be asked to report on some of these in order to help think through both the strategies Carr uses and strengths/weaknesses in his argument.

Encyclopedia Britannicahosted a forum on Carr's text.Many prominent writers responded with short, lively posts (1-2 pages). Here are some examples:
Clay Shirky:Why Abundance is Good: My Reply to Nick Carr

Nick Carr:Why Skepticism is Good: My Reply to Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky:Why Abundance Should Breed Optimism: A Second Reply to Nick Carr

Andrew Keen:The New Techno-Historical Determinism

Discuss Introduction and Body templates & Sample Student Writing
Show students sample template sentences and outlines for paper 2. Work with templates and outlines and draft, share and discuss passages.
Give students “Steps to Crafting a Body Paragraph Focused on Analysis” handout, then revise draft body paragraphs if needed. Remind them they need to

Identify rhetorical strategies in the text
Describe how they work
Describe why they are used – what purpose do they accomplish?
Always include a discussion of how this strategy helps the author develop and support the
argument.

Evaluation
Model critical questions (“doubting/believing” game) and discuss criteria for evaluating arguments. For example, discuss the scope of Carr’s claims, the type, amount, quality, typicality, selection, framing and relevance of the evidence; the way analogies are built, rebuttals handled, etc.
See the “Evaluation” section of the collected teaching materials and select handouts/activities that seem useful.

Drafting the Paper

-Share and discuss drafts. Chart and assess sample (finished) student papers from past.

-Provide rubrics and peer review forms and work on key sections of the paper.

-Review the “Tips and Guidelines” handout and the elements of strong analysis.

-Organize Peer Review

-Conferencing