1. Activate Prior Knowledge  Go to www.todaysmeet.com/patterson2 and complete the following:www.todaysmeet.com/ ✪ Write at least one complete sentence describing what you know about John F. Kennedy and/or the world at the time of his inauguration.  You will receive credit for submitting a relevant, appropriate response, so be sure to include your name.

2. A Presidential Beginning SpringBoard Level 6, Activity 3.4

3. Objectives…  To examine the role of syntax in JFK’s Inaugural Address  To examine the rhetorical devices of JFK’s inaugural address  To analyze the effect of rhetorical devices on the delivered speech

4. A Change…  On January 20, 1961, nearly one million people in the nation’s capital braved subfreezing temperatures and eight inches of snow from a blizzard that had swept through the mid-Atlantic to witness JFK’s inauguration.  The overnight storm clearing into a crisp, sparkling morning seemed symbolic—change was in the air.

5. A Day of Firsts…  When John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th president, he was the first chief executive to be born in the 20th century, the first Catholic, and the youngest man ever elected to the office.  This day marked the first of a thousand days that would bring about incredible change and hope for America and the rest of the world.

6. A Very Good Place to Start…  The new president began his inaugural address with these words: ✪ “We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom —symbolizing an end as well as a beginning—signifying renewal as well as change… Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.”

7. Uniquely Presidential…  An inaugural address is a speech for a very specific event—being sworn into the office of the presidency.  The speeches of modern presidents share some commonalities in referencing American history, the importance of the occasion, and hope for the future.  Each president, however, has faced the particular challenges of his time and put his own distinctive rhetorical stamp on the address.

8. The Kennedy Stamp  With its distinctive and eloquent syntactical style, Kennedy’s inaugural address has become one of the most famous and most-often quoted speeches.  Your task is to analyze the effectiveness of the stylistic features of syntax in JFK’s speech so you can later use some of the same structures in your own speeches.

9. Step One: Let’s Listen…  First, you will read through JFK’s inaugural address as you listen to a recording of its delivery.  As you read and listen, put a ★ STAR ★ next to sections of the text that strike you as being particularly effective.

10. Step Two: Let’s Read Closely…

11. Your Reading Assignment…  Here are the sections for which your group is responsible.  Sections 1-2: Group #1  Sections 3-5: Group #2  Sections 6-7: Group #3  Sections 8-9: Group #4  Sections 10-11: Group #5  Sections 12-13: Group #6  Sections 14-15: Group #7

12. Your Exit Ticket…  Please work quietly and independently to complete the following as you exit ticket for the day:  On a post-it note, write down ONE rhetorical device JFK uses to enhance the effectiveness of his inaugural address.  When the bell rings, please place your post-it note on the black tray by the door. Be sure to include your first and last name!