The Art of Persuasion

How can we inspire people to create change?

Grades
4-12
Subjects
ELA
Key Content
argument, persuasive communication, rhetorical appeals, graphic design, visual literacy
Image of child-like colored pencil drawing of the earth.

Students experience what it means to be a changemaker as they work in teams to create persuasive visual designs that inspire others to change a belief and/or take action on issues they care about. Students conduct research to learn what is needed to make their change idea a reality. Students learn about the three rhetorical appeals – logos, pathos, and ethos – and four graphic design principles – proximity, alignment, contrast, and repetition – which they then apply to craft compelling visual designs that communicate a persuasive message. Students compose written arguments providing a rationale for their change ideas, share their graphic designs on social media, and present their work at a community event.