Author's Purpose and Craft: Explaining Differences Between Rhetorical Devices And Logical Fallacies (TEKS.ELA.6.9.G)
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Texas 6th Grade ELA › Author's Purpose and Craft: Explaining Differences Between Rhetorical Devices And Logical Fallacies (TEKS.ELA.6.9.G)
Should our cafeteria keep the new healthy-lunch plan? Yes. When students eat balanced meals, they focus longer and feel better in class. In last year's district report, schools that added salad bars saw 12 percent fewer afternoon nurse visits and a 9 percent rise in homework completion. Offering fruit, whole grains, and water does not remove choice; it adds energy that helps us learn. If we want strong minds, we should choose strong fuel. Anyone who complains about the plan just wants to eat junk all day, and students who prefer fries obviously don't care about their health. Plus, the cost difference is small when we consider the benefit of better attention. Teachers already tell us they notice calmer afternoons when lunches are lighter. We ask athletes to fuel up before games; why not fuel up for algebra? Keep the healthy-lunch plan so every student has a fair shot to feel alert and ready to think from first period to the final bell.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Ethos and ad hominem
Logos and sweeping generalization
Pathos and false dilemma
Ethos and slippery slope
Explanation
Correct: Logos and sweeping generalization. Rhetorical devices are strategies that strengthen persuasion (ethos = credibility, logos = reason/evidence, pathos = emotion). Logical fallacies are flawed patterns of reasoning that weaken an argument. Logos appears in the evidence sentence: "In last year's district report, schools that added salad bars saw 12 percent fewer afternoon nurse visits and a 9 percent rise in homework completion." The fallacy is a sweeping generalization: "Anyone who complains about the plan just wants to eat junk all day…" (unfairly labels all opponents). Scaffold: Ethos—trust me (expert/experience); Logos—facts, data, clear reasons; Pathos—feelings, values. Common fallacies: sweeping generalization, false dilemma (only two choices), slippery slope (exaggerated chain), ad hominem (attack person), post hoc (after therefore because). Extension: Highlight one logos sentence and one fallacy sentence in the passage. Enrichment: Find an advertisement—identify one rhetorical appeal it uses and one possible fallacy (e.g., "everyone's doing it" = bandwagon).
Choose a book before bed. As a school librarian for 20 years, I have watched hundreds of students transform from reluctant readers into confident thinkers after making a simple nightly habit. Research shows that 15 to 20 minutes of reading can build vocabulary and reduce stress, helping your brain settle for sleep. When you read, you practice focus without the blue glow or endless scrolling that steals time. You have a clear choice: either read at least 20 minutes every night or you will fall behind everyone else. Bring a book you like—mystery, sports, graphic novels—and keep it on your pillow so the decision is easy. I have seen students return, proud to finish a series and eager for the next one, and their writing improves too. Set a small reminder, just like you would for practice or chores. This tiny routine builds a habit that lasts beyond middle school. Pick reading tonight; your future self will thank you in class tomorrow.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Pathos and slippery slope
Logos and hasty generalization
Pathos and bandwagon
Ethos and false dilemma
Explanation
Correct: Ethos and false dilemma. Rhetorical devices are persuasive tools; logical fallacies are reasoning errors. Ethos appears when the writer builds credibility: "As a school librarian for 20 years, I have watched hundreds of students…" The fallacy is a false dilemma: "either read at least 20 minutes every night or you will fall behind everyone else," which wrongly reduces choices to two outcomes. Scaffold: Ethos—trust my experience; Logos—facts/logic; Pathos—feelings/values. Fallacies: false dilemma (only two choices), hasty generalization (too little evidence), bandwagon ("everyone's doing it"), slippery slope (exaggerated chain). Extension: Highlight one ethos sentence and one false-dilemma sentence in the passage. Enrichment: Analyze a real advertisement—does it use ethos (a celebrity expert) or a fallacy like false dilemma ("buy this or fail")?
Walk past the trash cans after lunch and notice the crumpled bottles and cans that could have had a second life. Imagine those containers floating down a river, past a turtle that mistakes a shiny cap for food. That picture should make us act. If we add clearly labeled recycling bins near every exit, we can cut cafeteria waste quickly and protect our local parks. Students care; they just need a path that's easy to follow. If we don't install more bins this week, the campus will be buried in trash by summer and our community reputation will be ruined. That disaster is not a future any of us want. Recycling bins are inexpensive, durable, and simple to maintain, and they give everyone a way to help right now. Let's do the small thing that creates a big, hopeful feeling when we see a once-overflowing can now half empty.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Pathos and slippery slope
Logos and post hoc
Ethos and ad hominem
Logos and either-or false dilemma
Explanation
Correct: Pathos and slippery slope. Rhetorical devices strengthen persuasion; fallacies weaken it. Pathos appears in emotional imagery: "Imagine those containers floating down a river, past a turtle that mistakes a shiny cap for food." The fallacy is a slippery slope: "If we don't install more bins this week, the campus will be buried in trash by summer…," which exaggerates consequences. Scaffold: Ethos—credibility; Logos—facts/reasons; Pathos—emotion. Fallacies: slippery slope (unjustified chain), post hoc (after therefore because), ad hominem (attack person), false dilemma (only two choices). Extension: Highlight one pathos sentence and one slippery-slope sentence in the passage. Enrichment: Find a recycling ad—identify an emotional appeal it uses and check for a fallacy (does it predict extreme disaster without evidence?).
Starting school 30 minutes later would make our mornings smarter. In studies from pediatric groups, middle school students who slept an extra half hour reported better mood and showed improved attention on memory tasks. Our own attendance logs show fewer tardies on days after three-day weekends. Last year, we moved first period to 8:45 for one week during testing, and scores went up, so the later start clearly caused every point of improvement. Local schools that shifted later reported fewer nurse visits in first period and more on-time homework. Even a short shift helps families with morning routines, making drop-off safer. Sleep is not a luxury; it is part of learning. That result shows what the science already suggests: rested brains learn better. A later bell does not mean less learning; it means the same learning with more focus. Coaches could still hold practice, and buses can adjust routes just as they do for weather days. Let's use the evidence we have and give students the schedule that lets them arrive awake, respectful, and ready to participate.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Ethos and bandwagon
Pathos and circular reasoning
Logos and post hoc
Ethos and hasty generalization
Explanation
Correct: Logos and post hoc. Rhetorical devices are persuasive strategies; fallacies are reasoning mistakes. Logos appears in references to studies and local data about sleep, attention, and attendance. The fallacy is post hoc (confusing correlation with causation): "we moved first period to 8:45 for one week… and scores went up, so the later start clearly caused every point of improvement," which claims certainty from a timing coincidence. Scaffold: Ethos—credibility; Logos—evidence/reasoning; Pathos—emotion. Fallacies: post hoc (after therefore because), bandwagon (everyone's doing it), circular reasoning (repeats claim), hasty generalization (too little evidence). Extension: Highlight one logos sentence and one fallacy sentence in the passage. Enrichment: Examine a real ad—separate solid evidence (logos) from a post hoc claim like "I used this app and my grades went up, so the app caused it."
Our school should limit homework to protect students' well-being and learning. After a full day of classes, piling on hours of worksheets does not prove we're more responsible; it simply steals time from sleep, family, and reading. Imagine dragging a backpack that feels like a boulder as the sun sets, while your family eats dinner without you. Rested minds remember more, and balanced days help us arrive ready to learn. Everyone knows homework only causes stress and teaches nothing. Instead, thoughtful practice can happen during class, where teachers can answer questions and give feedback. Projects, choice reading, and in-class problem solving let us show what we know without midnight anxiety. If we shift some assignments into the school day, we will still meet standards and actually improve the quality of our work. Let's focus on smarter learning, not longer nights, so students can be curious, confident, and prepared.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Ethos + ad hominem
Pathos + sweeping generalization
Logos + straw man
Pathos + false cause
Explanation
Rhetorical devices persuade; logical fallacies are errors that weaken arguments. The emotional image ("Imagine dragging a backpack that feels like a boulder…") is pathos. The claim "Everyone knows homework only causes stress and teaches nothing" is a sweeping generalization because it unfairly applies to all homework. Scaffold: Ethos = trust/credibility; Logos = facts/reasons; Pathos = emotions. Common fallacies: sweeping generalization (judging all by a few), straw man (misrepresenting the other side), ad hominem (attacking a person), false cause (assuming A causes B just because it comes before), slippery slope (claiming one step will lead to extreme results). Extension: Highlight the pathos sentence and the sweeping generalization sentence. Enrichment: Find a real advertisement; identify one rhetorical appeal and any fallacy it uses.
To raise achievement, our school should create a daily quiet study block. When distractions drop, focus rises. In a student poll of 120 classmates, 84 said they concentrate better in a calm room, and teachers report that 30 minutes of uninterrupted practice boosts homework completion. Quiet time also gives space for peer tutoring and finishing labs, so fewer assignments pile up. Last Thursday, we set the chairs in rows, and the quiz average rose, so the chairs caused the improvement. That shows how small changes matter. But the real point is consistency: setting aside the same time each day trains our brains to settle, just like athletes warm up before a game. With a quiet block, students can organize binders, plan projects, and ask quick questions, turning panic into progress. Let's adopt a routine that replaces noise with attention, and watch our work get clearer and stronger.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Ethos + sweeping generalization
Pathos + slippery slope
Logos + ad hominem
Logos + false cause
Explanation
Rhetorical devices help persuade; fallacies are faulty reasoning. The use of numbers and cause/effect reasons (poll results and completion boosts) is logos. The sentence "we set the chairs in rows, and the quiz average rose, so the chairs caused the improvement" is false cause—assuming one event caused another just because it came first. Scaffold: Ethos = credibility; Logos = facts/reasons; Pathos = emotions. Fallacies: false cause (A before B, so A caused B), sweeping generalization (too-broad claim), straw man (twisting the other side), ad hominem (attacking a person), slippery slope (exaggerated chain). Extension: Highlight one logos sentence with data and the false-cause sentence. Enrichment: Examine an advertisement; label one appeal and any false-cause claim it implies.
Keep the arts strong at our school. A veteran art teacher with over 20 years of experience says that studio practice teaches persistence, problem-solving, and reflection—the same habits that help in science and math. When someone who has coached hundreds of students says the program builds confidence, we should listen. People who suggest trimming the art budget think creativity is a waste and want kids to stare at blank walls. That picture isn't our school. Art connects ideas, cultures, and feelings; it gives students a safe way to try, fail, revise, and try again. Performances, exhibits, and design challenges also bring families into the building and make our community proud. If we invest in supplies and showcase student work, we'll strengthen learning across subjects. Let's support a program led by experienced educators and keep creativity at the heart of our day.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Ethos + straw man
Pathos + ad hominem
Logos + false cause
Ethos + slippery slope
Explanation
Rhetorical devices persuade; fallacies weaken arguments. Referencing a teacher's long experience builds credibility—ethos. The sentence "People who suggest trimming the art budget think creativity is a waste…" misrepresents the other side, which is a straw man. Scaffold: Ethos = trust/authority; Logos = facts/reasons; Pathos = emotions. Fallacies: straw man (twisting an opponent's view), ad hominem (attacking a person), sweeping generalization (over-broad claim), false cause (assuming causation), slippery slope (exaggerated chain). Extension: Highlight the ethos sentence about the experienced teacher and the straw man sentence. Enrichment: Find an advertisement; identify an ethos appeal and any straw man or similar misrepresentation.
Phones should stay in lockers during class and lunch to protect attention and friendships. Notifications are engineered to grab our eyes; even when a screen is face down, we feel the urge to check it. Studies show that when devices are out of reach, students remember more, take better notes, and participate more often. If we allow phones at lunch, soon no one will talk, then no one will make friends, then grades will collapse, and our school will close. That chain may sound dramatic, but the first link—distraction—hurts real learning. A clear policy with lockable cubbies would cut down on interruptions, stop hallway filming, and reduce lost devices. Teachers could return phones at the final bell so families can reach us after school. Let's choose a simple system that keeps our attention on people and ideas, where it belongs.
Which option correctly identifies the rhetorical device and the logical fallacy in the passage?
Ethos + false cause
Pathos + sweeping generalization
Logos + slippery slope
Logos + ad hominem
Explanation
Rhetorical devices are tools for persuasion; fallacies are reasoning mistakes. The argument uses reasons and research claims about attention—logos. The sentence beginning "If we allow phones at lunch, soon no one will talk… and our school will close" is a slippery slope, jumping to extreme outcomes. Scaffold: Ethos = credibility; Logos = facts/reasons; Pathos = emotions. Fallacies: slippery slope (extreme chain), false cause (assuming causation), sweeping generalization (over-broad), straw man (misrepresenting), ad hominem (attacking a person). Extension: Highlight one logos sentence about attention/memory and the slippery slope sentence. Enrichment: Analyze a real advertisement; note a rhetorical appeal and any slippery-slope style claim.