Rhetoric 1 is a semester-long course designed for high students grades 10-12 who desire to study the art of rhetoric through reading Great Book selections and writing practice. Additionally, students engage in live-class discussions addressing the reading materials to further practice rhetorical skills and to engage in mature, meaningful, and respectful discourse. Students learn how to disagree with courtesy and professionalism. Although the course focuses on writing, students will gain basic public speaking experience by delivering at least one speech to a live class. This course is distinct because students read great literature selections which model rhetoric and then put observed techniques into practice by composing their own written essays. This exercise allows the student to learn by example and practice. Students work with an assigned writing partner to develop proof-reading and editing skills. Selected material has additional support through supplemental videos and podcasts for deeper and more meaningful conversation. Students are guided through the five canons of rhetoric: invention, organization, style, memory, and delivery. They are taught how to use the five common topics for invention: definition, comparison, relationship, circumstance, and testimony. This course is pending approval for dual enrollment.

LEARNING OUTCOMES  General Learning Outcome (GLO)  As one might expect in a writing course, the overall general education outcome for Rhetoric 1 is the following: Students will demonstrate their ability to read and write critically by engaging in meaningful conversation, writing substantive essays, editing peer essays, and revising essays based on feedback. Students’ ability to meet this general education outcome is assessed by their participation in class conversation, and timely submission of writing assignments and revisions.  Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)  To demonstrate the accomplishment of the purpose of this course, students, at the end of the course, should be able to: 

1. Describe the biblical and ethical principles and responsibilities associated with writing. 
2. Demonstrate written organizational skills:  a. Develop essay purpose and content (doing research, developing main ideas and supporting material, organizing and citing information, as appropriate for the speaking occasion);  b. Demonstrate organizational structure and good flow throughout the writing assignment;  c. Construct effective introductions and conclusions; and, d. Select and utilize appropriate language and style. 
3. Analyze written essays and readings authored by self, classmates, and others.
4. Explain the history of rhetoric, the different purposes and forms of rhetoric, basic processes in writing different elements of an argument, and common fallacies in persuasion.