Patrick Henry's "Speech to the Second Virginia Convention"



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Patrick Henry's "Speech to the Second Virginia Convention"


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After reading the text, recording data in a citation table as you conduct a second read. Within the table, write specific phrases or sentences from the text and articulate the significance of each. “Read like a detective” [1]to determine the specific message the author is trying to convey. 

UPGRADE. The citation table into a form within Google Docs. Answers are submitted online. The following day, in small groups, students study the compiled responses and select a predetermined number of sentences that combine to outline the author’s intent. Discussions are continually guided to focus on specific words, phrases and sentences the author used to deliver his/her message. 

Assessment Rubric


Statement Starter

After working on their citation table for a predetermined amount of time, students partner and provide each other objective feedback on their completed tables. The teacher then presents the class with a statement:

“Ladies and gentlemen, Patrick Henry was a pacifist!”

Students work collaboratively with their partner to generate a cited summary in agreement with or dispute of the statement starter. As students write, they use the following questions to guide their responses:

  1. Are we interpreting the text correctly? 
  2. Are we citing specific language from the text?
  3. Is our evidence convincing?

Students continually prompt one another and the sharing of objective feedback is evident throughout the exercise. Prompting and feedback utilize both discussion and diagnostic questioning techniques.

Assessment Rubric


Comparison and Synthesis of Ideas (CSI)

After closely analyzing Patrick Henry's "Speech to the Second Virginia Convention" and Margaret Chase Smith’s “Remarks to theSenate in Support of a Declaration of Conscience”, compare and contrast ideas from each; being certain to cite specific words each author used.  This strategy can also be used to help recognize thematic content that is common to both texts. You should be able to generate both differences and similarities among texts, as well as synthesize the information that each text shares.   

Assessment Rubric


[1]
PARCC (2011). PARCC Model Content Frameworks: English Language Arts/Literacy Grades 3-11. Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career; October 2011, p. 86
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