Activity Summary:

This lesson is a scaffolded approach to teaching students how to deconstruct visual arguments by analyzing various book covers. Students will practice individually, as a group, and then as presenters to the class.

Instructions:

• Assign students a number 1-6 (15 min):
  • Instruct students to open the visual corresponding to their number using the link to a GoogleDoc prepared by instructor beforehand.
  • Individually, students breakdown the visual using the oral questions from before that are now projected on Powerpoint:
    • What are the visual components of the book cover?
    • What argument is being conveyed?
    • Identify ethos, pathos, and/or logos.
    • Discuss the argument’s effectiveness and/or ineffectiveness with reasons.
  • Students join their groups and discuss what they discovered.
• The groups will come to the front of the room to present their book covers to the class, describing the argument being made, and discussing its effectiveness/ineffectiveness with reasons (15 min)