Holiday Debates: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

About this formative
This formative is designed as a light-hearted take on winter holiday traditions, and an introduction to the three tools of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos . 😊 Use this as a way to discuss holiday traditions and their experiences over winter break in non-traditional way. 

Objectives
Students will be able to:
Identify examples of ethos, pathos, and logos
Build an argument using ethos, pathos, and logos.
To use this formative
Feel free to delete sections and questions, and/or modify and add your own questions! 
Please note: the final activity directs students to an external website containing advertisements. Please visit this website in advance to check whether the content is suitable for your students.

Remember to:
Add an answer key to questions if you'd like to enable autograding
Adjust the number of points each question is worth
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Welcome!
Are you ready to debate today? 🗣️ 

6

Watch this video about the three rhetorical tools: pathos, logos, and ethos:

(Need more help or prefer to read? Khan Academy has a good summary of the three tools.)

Now match a definition AND an example to each tool:

Definition 1: Aims to convince you by establishing someone's credibility, knowledge or experience. 🤓
Definition 2: Aims to convince you by appealing to logic or reason. 📈
Definition 3: Aims to convince you by making you feel a strong emotion, such as fear 😨, anger 😠, or pity 😭.
Example 1: "Please donate money to Anytown's dog shelter. There are so many innocent dogs there, and without funding, they could be put down!"
Example 2: "Extra Clean toothpaste is used by more dentists than any other toothpaste. Buy it today!"
Example 3: "Jury, you must acquit this man. He has a serious injury to his leg, so he cannot possibly have jumped over that fence."

Ethos
Pathos
Logos

Get ready to rumble! 🥊 
We're going to read about and write some arguments related to holiday season.

1

Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or neither? 😋
"I've been hosting holiday dinners at my house for years, so I can tell you that everyone loves pumpkin pie. Trust me, it's a winner!"

This is a(n)...

2

Write your own logos argument for the same question: Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or neither?

1

Best way to prepare potatoes? 🥔
"9 out 10 chefs prefer roasted potatoes to mashed. You can't argue with those stats!"

This is a(n)...

2

Write your own pathos argument for the same question: Best way to prepare potatoes?

(Tip: potatoes can be roasted, boiled, turned into fries, turned into mash...)

1

What is the most overrated side at family holiday dinner? 🥗
"Green bean casserole is clearly the most overrated side. It is slimy, unmistakably salty, and bland in taste. It honestly make me want to throw up. Doesn't it make you want to, too?"

This is a(n)...

2

Write your own ethos argument for the same question: What is the most overrated side?

(If you can't think of one, write about mashed potatoes!)

5

Read this debate about Thanksgiving, and underline ethos arguments in red, pathos arguments in green, and logos arguments in blue:

(Source: New York Times)

0

What's your take on the debate above?

2

Ready for the knock out? 🏆 
Now it's time for you to compose your own argument.

0

Step 1:
Pick one of the questions below, or devise your own question:
Should winter vacation be longer?
Which is better: real or artificial Christmas trees?
Is it ok to re-gift an item someone has given to you?
If you devise your own question, it must be debateable (have two clear answers) and genuine (a question that people actually debate - not one where almost everyone has the same opinion). It must also be related to winter and/or a winter holiday.

Type the question you've chosen here:

5

Step 2:
Brainstorm ethos, pathos, and logos arguments you could use:

10

Step 3:
Write a 3 paragraph essay arguing your side of the question. You must include one ethos argument, one pathos argument, and one logos argument (one per paragraph).

Great job! 💪 
Finished early? Try this activity:
Visit Ads of the World, and browse through the ads. Try to identify which tool(s) - ethos, pathos, or logos - each ad is using. 
Screenshot and upload two examples into each of the Show Your Work fields below, and annotate: how do you know that this ad is using this tool?

0

Ethos examples:

0

Pathos examples:

0

Logos examples:

😊 

Welcome!

Watch this video about the three rhetorical tools: pathos, logos, and ethos:(Need more help or prefer to read? Khan Academy has a good summary of the three tools.)Now match a definition AND an example to each tool:

Get ready to rumble! 🥊

Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or neither? 😋 "I've been hosting holiday dinners at my house for years, so I can tell you that everyone loves pumpkin pie. Trust me, it's a winner!"This is a(n)...

Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or neither? 😋

Write your own logos argument for the same question: Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or neither?

Best way to prepare potatoes? 🥔 "9 out 10 chefs prefer roasted potatoes to mashed. You can't argue with those stats!"This is a(n)...

Best way to prepare potatoes? 🥔

Write your own pathos argument for the same question: Best way to prepare potatoes?(Tip: potatoes can be roasted, boiled, turned into fries, turned into mash...)

What is the most overrated side at family holiday dinner? 🥗 "Green bean casserole is clearly the most overrated side. It is slimy, unmistakably salty, and bland in taste. It honestly make me want to throw up. Doesn't it make you want to, too?"This is a(n)...

What is the most overrated side at family holiday dinner? 🥗

Write your own ethos argument for the same question: What is the most overrated side?(If you can't think of one, write about mashed potatoes!)

Read this debate about Thanksgiving, and underline ethos arguments in red, pathos arguments in green, and logos arguments in blue:(Source: New York Times)

What's your take on the debate above?

Ready for the knock out? 🏆

Step 2:Brainstorm ethos, pathos, and logos arguments you could use:

Step 3:Write a 3 paragraph essay arguing your side of the question. You must include one ethos argument, one pathos argument, and one logos argument (one per paragraph).

Great job! 💪

Ethos examples:

Pathos examples:

Logos examples:

😊

Watch this video about the three rhetorical tools: pathos, logos, and ethos:

(Need more help or prefer to read? Khan Academy has a good summary of the three tools.)

Now match a definition AND an example to each tool:

Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or neither? 😋
"I've been hosting holiday dinners at my house for years, so I can tell you that everyone loves pumpkin pie. Trust me, it's a winner!"

This is a(n)...

Best way to prepare potatoes? 🥔
"9 out 10 chefs prefer roasted potatoes to mashed. You can't argue with those stats!"

This is a(n)...

Write your own pathos argument for the same question: Best way to prepare potatoes?

(Tip: potatoes can be roasted, boiled, turned into fries, turned into mash...)

What is the most overrated side at family holiday dinner? 🥗
"Green bean casserole is clearly the most overrated side. It is slimy, unmistakably salty, and bland in taste. It honestly make me want to throw up. Doesn't it make you want to, too?"

This is a(n)...

Write your own ethos argument for the same question: What is the most overrated side?

(If you can't think of one, write about mashed potatoes!)

Read this debate about Thanksgiving, and underline ethos arguments in red, pathos arguments in green, and logos arguments in blue:

(Source: New York Times)

Step 2:
Brainstorm ethos, pathos, and logos arguments you could use:

Step 3:
Write a 3 paragraph essay arguing your side of the question. You must include one ethos argument, one pathos argument, and one logos argument (one per paragraph).