Introduce Yourself as Another Activity

Overview: This activity is designed to get students thinking about rhetorical analysis by asking them to write in different situations. It is perfect for the first day of school.

Materials:

Note cards or slips of paper

A hat, bowl, or bag from which to draw the papers

Procedure:

1. Before class, cut a number of slips of paper equal to the number of students in the class.
2. On each slip of paper, write a different scenario in which people might introduce themselves. For instance: You’ve called into a radio show. You are a contestant on American Idol. It is your first day as a first grade teacher.
3. Fold each slip of paper, and put it in the hat, bowl, or bag.
4. As students to write 10 simple sentences about themselves. If you wish, guide them with specific questions, like

·         What year are you?

·         What do you like to do in your spare time?

5. Put students in partners. Ask them to switch the 10 simple sentences with their partners.
6. Have each student draw a scenario from the hat.
7. Ask students to write a paragraph-long introduction (according to the scenario they drew) of their partners by combining the 10 simple sentences.
8. Ask students to read their introductions out loud.
9. Begin a discussion regarding the differences in the introductions due to the situations that were drawn from the hat.

Differentiation: 

• Ask students to come up with their own list of situations in which a person might be introduced before you begin the activity.
• Later in the school year, re-purpose this so students are introducing authors they've researched, not other students.