AP Language and Composition Identifying major and minor premise Defining vocab in context

Agenda: Bell ringer Lesson: major vs. minor premise Mini-lesson: vocab in context Practice with James Baldwin

Bell Ringer: Review of DECORUM from TYFA Define “decorum” and describe several ways a speaker might establish decorum with an audience. (You may use your reading).

Optional Bell Ringer: Define the SPEAKER When we protest against this immeasurable, meaningless waste of motherhood and child-life; when we protest against the ever-mounting cost to the world of asylums, prisons, homes for the feeble-minded, and such institutions for the unfit, when we protest against the disorder and chaos and tragedy of modern life, when we point out the biological corruption that is destroying the very heart of American life, we are told that we are making merely an "emotional" appeal. When we point the one immediate practical way toward order and beauty in society, the only way to lay the foundations of a society composed of happy children, happy women, and happy men, they call this idea indecent and immoral. It is not enough to clean up the filth and disorder of our overcrowded cities. It is not enough to stop the evil of Child Labor -- even if we could! It is not enough to decrease the rate of infantile mortality. It is not enough to open playgrounds, and build more public schools in which we can standardize the mind of the young. It is not enough to throw millions upon millions of dollars into charities and philanthropies. Don't deceive ourselves that by so doing we are making the world "Safe for Children."

Lesson: Major vs. Minor Premise Last class, we learned how to find the main idea of a text. Remember: a text can (and probably does, have more than one major idea ) In rhetorical analysis, we break these major ideas into major premises and minor premises.

Lesson: Major vs. Minor Premise A major premise is the overall argument of a piece of rhetoric. This major premise will usually appear in the thesis statement IF the thesis is stated. If the thesis is implied, you will have to define the major premise using a strategy like the one we learned for main idea.

Lesson: Major vs. Minor Premise A minor premise is a smaller claim that is used to support the major premise. An argument takes a from similar to this: IF -Minor premise 1 is true AND -Minor premise 2 is true THEN -Major premise is also true

Lesson: Major vs. Minor Premise You can have more than one major premise, although many arguments will only have one. You can have as many minor premises as necessary to prove the major premise.

Lesson: Major vs. Minor Premise To identify major premise: -Look at thesis statement -Look at all the minor premises and find connections (ask—what argument is being made by all of these together?) To identify minor premises: -Look at topic sentences of paragraphs. -Look at supporting details in paragraphs if no premise is directly stated in the topic sentence.

Practice: Identify major and minor premises in the following video: http://www.ted.com/talks/laura_trice_suggests_we_all_say_thank_you?language=en

Lesson: Vocab in Context We are going to begin dealing with complex and academic arguments in this class. You will encounter lots of vocabulary words you are unfamiliar with. The AP test AND the ACT will ask you questions about vocab, and you will not have access to a dictionary.

Lesson: Vocab in Context To figure out the definitions of unfamiliar words, you must use context clues in the text. Types of context clues: -Examples -Synonyms -Antonyms -General sense of the passage

Lesson: Vocab in Context Context Clues: Examples The sentence will provide examples of that fit the definition of the word. Look at the examples, and see if you can find what they have in common. Instances of common euphemisms include “final resting place” (for grave), “intoxicated” (for drunk), and “restroom” (for toilet). Based on the examples in the sentence, what do you think the word euphemism means?

Lesson: Vocab in Context Context Clues: Synonyms The sentence will provide another word that means the same thing as the unfamiliar word. As soon as I made a flippant remark to my boss, I regretted sounding so disrespectful. Based on the synonym in the sentence, what do you think the word flippant means?

Lesson: Vocab in Context Context Clues: Antonyms The sentence will provide another word that means the opposite of the unfamiliar word. I prefer the occasional disturbance of ear-splitting thunder to the incessant dripping of our kitchen sink. Based on the antonym in the sentence, what do you think the word incessant means?

Lesson: Vocab in Context Context Clues: General sense of the passage Sometimes, you have to do a little more detective work to figure out a word. If no examples, synonyms, or antonyms are given, you will have to ask yourself some questions: Is this situation overall positive or negative? WHY would someone be in this situation or WHEN would someone say something like this?

Don’t worry, ma’am, I can mitigate your daughter’s pain! Context Clues: General sense of the passage - “Why would someone take their daughter to a doctor in the first place?” Don’t worry, ma’am, I can mitigate your daughter’s pain!

Practice: James Baldwin READING STRATEGY: SURVEYING Look at the Baldwin text read ONLY the context, the title, and look at any bold words, pictures, or pull-out quotes. Generate 3 questions you think this text might answer. Write these at the end of the article and label them Q1, Q2, and Q3. As you read, underline where you think the text answers these questions and label those places Q1, Q2, Q3.

Practice: James Baldwin Follow the organizer for identifying vocab in context and identifying major and minor premises.

Homework: Read Everything is an Argument Chapter 3 on Logos.