Rhetorical Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Active learning works well for this topic because rhetoric is not a passive concept. Students need to see how appeals function in real contexts, not just in definitions. Moving through stations or role-playing lets them test ideas hands-on, which helps them internalize how persuasion actually works in texts and conversations.

• Grade 7
• Language Arts
• 3 activities
• 25 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the use of ethos, pathos, and logos in historical Canadian speeches to identify persuasive strategies.
2. Evaluate the ethical implications of using pathos in modern advertising campaigns.
3. Compare and contrast the effectiveness of ethos, pathos, and logos in constructing a logical argument.
4. Explain how an author establishes credibility (ethos) when addressing a skeptical audience.
5. Critique the reliance on emotional appeals (pathos) versus logical reasoning (logos) in political debates.

Stations Rotation

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Rhetorical Scavenger Hunt

Set up stations with different media: a charity commercial (Pathos), a scientific report (Logos), and a celebrity endorsement (Ethos). Students identify the primary appeal and explain how it's being used to target the audience.

Prepare & details

Explain how an author builds credibility when the audience is skeptical.

Facilitation Tip: During the Rhetorical Scavenger Hunt, place one short excerpt at each station so students can focus on close reading without feeling overwhelmed by too much text.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Role Play

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Role Play: The Persuasion Pitch

Students are given a 'useless' object (e.g., a broken pencil) and must pitch it to the class using a specific assigned appeal. The class votes on which appeal was most convincing for that specific product.

Prepare & details

Analyze in what ways emotional appeals can be used ethically or manipulatively.

Facilitation Tip: When running The Persuasion Pitch, give students 2 minutes of private planning time first to organize their thoughts before speaking.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Analyzing a Speech

After listening to a famous Canadian speech, students work in pairs to highlight examples of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in the transcript. They discuss which appeal was the most powerful in the context of that historical moment.

Prepare & details

Evaluate how logical reasoning strengthens or weakens a persuasive argument.

Facilitation Tip: For the Think-Pair-Share on analyzing speeches, assign clear roles: one student highlights appeals, one tracks quotations, and one prepares a summary for the class.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should approach this topic by treating ethos, pathos, and logos as tools students can practice using, not just labels to memorize. Avoid presenting these as a checklist; instead, model how real speakers and writers combine appeals intentionally. Research shows that when students create their own persuasive texts, they grasp the nuances faster than with worksheets alone. Also, emphasize that ethos is not about being famous, but about establishing trust in context.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently identifying ethos, pathos, and logos in a range of texts and explaining why each appeal matters. They should also begin to critique how these appeals influence their own reactions as readers and listeners, not just label them.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Think-Pair-Share activity, watch for students who dismiss emotional appeals as 'cheating' in arguments.

What to Teach Instead

Use the discussion to guide students back to the original speech excerpts and ask them to find where emotion supports, not replaces, a logical point. Have them underline examples of ethos or logos that appear alongside pathos to show how appeals work together.

Common Misconception

During the Credibility Brainstorm in The Persuasion Pitch activity, watch for students who claim they have no credibility on any topic.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt them to list personal experiences related to school life, hobbies, or local issues. Then ask them to add one researched fact to build Ethos beyond their personal connection, showing that credibility grows with evidence and tone.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Rhetorical Scavenger Hunt, provide three short excerpts. Students identify the primary appeal in each and write one sentence explaining their choice with specific evidence from the text.

Discussion Prompt

During the Think-Pair-Share activity, pose the question: 'When is it acceptable to use emotional appeals in persuasion, and when does it become manipulation?' Have pairs discuss examples they found during the scavenger hunt to justify their reasoning based on ethical considerations.

Exit Ticket

After The Persuasion Pitch activity, students receive a scenario like 'Convince your principal to allow a longer lunch break.' They outline one strategy for building credibility (ethos), one for appealing to emotion (pathos), and one for using logic (logos) in their argument.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to revise a peer’s persuasive pitch, adding or strengthening one appeal in their feedback.
• For students who struggle, provide sentence stems like "This quote appeals to pathos because…" to scaffold their analysis during the scavenger hunt.
• Deeper exploration: Have students compare two versions of the same speech, one written for a school assembly and one for a government debate, analyzing how the appeals shift for different audiences.

Key Vocabulary

Ethos	The appeal to credibility and character. It is how a speaker or writer builds trust and authority with their audience.
Pathos	The appeal to emotion. It involves evoking feelings in the audience to connect with them and influence their perspective.
Logos	The appeal to logic and reason. It uses facts, evidence, and clear reasoning to support an argument.
Rhetorical Appeals	Techniques used to persuade an audience, primarily ethos, pathos, and logos.
Credibility	The quality of being trusted and believed in, often established through expertise, experience, or shared values.