COURSE DESCRIPTION


Rhetoric is the study of effective persuasion through speaking or writing. In this course, students will study the art of rhetoric by reading the course text Rhetoric by Aristotle. They will also be asked to read, watch and analyze some famous speeches and, since it is an election year, some Presidential debates.
Students will learn: the syllogism as the building block of logic; the role of logos, pathos, and ethos in a speech; the difference between ceremonial, political, and forensic speeches; the different emotional appeals; Cicero’s Six Moves; and a variety of rhetorical devices. Students will write and deliver 1-2 speeches, with minor writing assignments leading up to each of the speeches.

COURSE SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS


Course Duration:

  • 15 weeks

Class Time:

  • Tuesdays, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Pacific, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Teacher-Student Interaction (Weekly):

  • 55 minute live class
  • One graded assignment with detailed feedback (optional)

Class Size:

  • 20 student maximum, 5 minimum

Dates:

Sept.: 10, 17, 24
Oct.: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Nov.: 5, 12, 19, 26
Dec.: 3, 10, 17

Course Text


Rhetoric by Aristotle

(not included with course)


"...political orators often make any concession short of admitting that they are recommending their hearers to take an inexpedient course or not to take an expedient one. The question of whether it is not unjust for a city to enslave its innocent neighbors often does not trouble them at all."
- Aristotle





Hi, I'm Ms. Finnigan


I received my B.A. in English from Boston College and my M.F.A. in Creative Writing from The University of Montana. I've been teaching homeschooled students online since 2008. For nine years (2013-22), I taught at Kolbe Academy Online, and before that I taught at a hybrid school in Atlanta. In 2023, I started Teach to the Text.

In the 2023-24 school year, I taught a Senior Writing Class for SCOPE (St. Croix Organization of Parent Educators), a non-denominational Christian co-op in Wisconsin. The high school students convened in the classroom of a church and jumped on their laptops, and I taught them from my home in Colorado.

This fall, we'll be studying the art of speechmaking. What better time to study this than in an election year? SCOPE has given me permission to open up this class to other online students who may want to participate. I can vouch for the fact that this is a great group of kids! And because of this partnership, I can offer this class at a great price! But the registration process will be a little different. You'll have to contact Anne at SCOPE to register, but you should feel free to email me with any questions.

Note: This course is being offered in collaboration with a non-denominational Christian co-op in St. Croix, WI. Other online students are welcome to join as long as those families agree to pay the co-op fee and sign off on the values statement.


PRICING

Cost:

$190 for basic course. This includes:

  1. the live classes and class discussions
  2. access to weekly, auto-graded quizzes to test understanding, and
  3. grading and feedback on final speeches
  4. fee to register with SCOPE*

$275 for course with weekly writing feedback. Includes everything listed above. In addition, students can turn in writing assignments each week for guidance and feedback and can access teacher Office Hours.

*All families must pay an $80 registration fee to SCOPE. If you are only taking this one class online, other co-op fees (building fee, volunteer fee) will be waived.


ENROLLMENT


TO ENROLL, email Anne at [email protected] before registering with SCOPE on the website. Anne will adjust the invoice to reflect only the membership fees.

For more information about SCOPE:

https://www.homeschool-life.com/mn/scope/


For questions about the curriculum or whether this class would be right for your student, email Ms. Finnigan:

[email protected]