Illustrated lesson that teaches how to evaluate claims.

1. Give Trump the Medal of Freedom:
An Analysis of Persuasive Text
A Common Core Lesson
By
Dean Berry, Ed. D.
Gregg Berry, B. A.
Common Core Curriculum Solutions
www.commoncorecurriculum.info

2. Common Core Reading Standards
Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, assessing whether
the reasoning is sound and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; recognize when
irrelevant evidence is introduced.

3. Common Core Speaking
and Listening Standards
Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-
one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on topics, texts,
and issues, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.

4. Common Core Speaking
and Listening Standards
Delineate a speaker’s argument
and specific claims, evaluating
the soundness of the reasoning
and relevance and sufficiency of
the evidence and identifying when
irrelevant evidence is introduced.

5. Reading with Your Eyes and Your Brain
Skillful readers learn how to read persuasive or
opinionated text with a very critical eye. They
realize that the author’s purpose is to convince the
reader to believe what the author is saying and to
consider the arguments given as valid even if they
violate logical reasoning and lack supporting
evidence. The author’s motive may be to get the
reader to buy something, vote a certain way,
change an attitude, or behave differently.

6. • In order to avoid manipulation by the author,
good readers learn how to detect poor reasoning
and faulty arguments. They are able to identify
the various logical fallacies such as ,
overgeneralization, slippery slope, attacking the
messenger, appealing to emotion and others.
During this lesson, we will examine an article
that uses these types of techniques to persuade
the reader. We will also look at the use of
language and tone by the author.

7. Identifying how the author establishes the tone of
the selection helps the reader understand the
author’s purpose and if the author is attempting
to persuade the reader using emotion rather than
logical arguments.

8. The tone may stimulate an emotion
or create a specific mood that helps
the author deliver his/her message.

10. There are many different tones that authors
can use to get across their message.

11. The tone may be very thoughtful with a presentation
of facts on both sides of the issue or…

12. The tone of the text may be created to evoke
intense emotion. Creating fear, pity or anger
is a common way for an author to manipulate
the reader into accepting a spurious
argument that is seriously lacking in
supporting evidence and clear logic.

13. Sometimes an author chooses to use more powerful,
emotionally charged words to create an emotional
response in the reader.

14. Loaded words pack a lot of power and emotion.

15. Read the first page of the following article and look
for words and phrases that offer clues as to the
tone being set by the author.
As we read the text, use your own paper and list the words
or phrases that set the tone for the article. Describe the
tone the author has created.

16. GIVE TRUMP THE MEDAL OF FREEDOM
By
Ted Nugent

17. • In a recent Politico article, Fleischer is quoted as saying,
in part, that “Donald Trump is like watching a roadside
accident. Everybody pulls over to see the mess.”
Donald Trump is a mess? Maybe Mr. Fleischer should open up the
political garbage can he and the majority of Fedzillacrats live in
and take a look at the real, certifiable, rotting, stinking mess that has
been caused by the professional scammers of both political stripes for
the past 50 years.
Mr. Fleischer and other critics of Mr. Trump aren’t listening to the
blaring trumpets of dissatisfaction that are blown by millions of
Americans who realize that it’s the professional political punks in D.C.
who have engineered the economic train wreck that is strangling the
economy, shrinking the middle class and creating even further
embarrassing, America-destroying dependence on Fedzilla by tens
and tens of millions of Americans.

18. Class Discussion
• How would you describe the tone of the first
page of the article?
• What are some examples of words used by the
author to evoke emotion?
Continue reading the next couple of pages.

19. • In a recent Politico article, Fleischer is quoted as saying,
in part, that “Donald Trump is like watching a roadside
accident. Everybody pulls over to see the mess.”
Donald Trump is a mess? Maybe Mr. Fleischer should open up the
political garbage can he and the majority of Fedzillacrats live in
and take a look at the real, certifiable, rotting, stinking mess that has
been caused by the professional scammers of both political stripes for
the past 50 years.
Mr. Fleischer and other critics of Mr. Trump aren’t listening to the
blaring trumpets of dissatisfaction that are blown by millions of
Americans who realize that it’s the professional political punks in D.C.
who have engineered the economic train wreck that is strangling the
economy, shrinking the middle class and creating even further
embarrassing, America-destroying dependence on Fedzilla by tens
and tens of millions of Americans.

20. Some authors use personal attacks on their
opponent in order to divert attention away
from issues that really matter.

21. The Personal Attack Fallacy
An Ad Hominem is a general category of fallacies in
which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of
some irrelevant fact about the person presenting the
claim or argument. Typically, this fallacy involves two
steps. First, the character of the person making the
claim is attacked. Second, this attack is taken to be
evidence against the argument or claim the person in
question is making.

22. Aggression and personal attacks
are sometimes used to discredit
an opponents position on an issue.

23. Some authors engage in name
calling and vicious attacks.

24. Read and Write
Read the next several pages of the article and
identify any examples of Ad Hominem fallacy
that the author uses. Use your own paper and
list the words and phrases that the author
uses to launch an attack on ideas or people
with whom he disagrees. Explain how this
technique might help the author get his/her
argument across to the audience?

25. • Mr. Trump didn’t create this economic swan
dive to the street. Our politicians did, the
very guys Mr. Fleischer apparently believes
are the solution to the problem. If he
actually believes this jabberwocky, Fleischer
should seek political mental health disability.
• Donald Trump is running strong in the early
polls because Americans are fed up with the
political status quo, especially from left-
leaning GOP Fedzillacrats who want to feed
us cow dung while telling us it’s a
cheeseburger.

26. Did you find plenty of emotionally
charged words or phrases?
• Check your notes.
• You should have identified and written some key
phrases.
• Add some more inflammatory language from the
following pages.

27. • The problem with guys like Ari Fleischer, the
former press secretary of George W. Bush, is
that he’s drunk the inside-the-beltway
political Kookaid for so long that he actually
believes his own spin. Poor guy went down
for the third time in the denial goo long ago.
• Donald Trump’s biggest critics all believe
that the engine of all things good and serious
emanates from the professional
Fedzillacrats who apparently enjoy
wallowing in the said goo of Washington, D

28. • Our forefathers wouldn’t recognize the political labyrinth
our professional politicians have created. The very things
our forefathers warned us not to do as it pertains to
embracing a centralized, powerful federal government is
the very cliff our professional politicians have steered
the Goodship America straight off of.
• And Donald Trump is a mess?
• American doesn’t need any more professional political
punks in D.C., unless you believe sticking a red hot
crowbar in your eye is an excellent treatment for
cataracts.
• It’s professional political punks who have created the
puss-filled infected wound of fundamental
transformation, not Donald Trump

29. Class Discussion
Let’s Take a Closer Look
• Share one of the inflammatory phrases from the text.
• What do you think the author is suggesting by using the
phrase?
• What makes some of the other phrases inflammatory?
• Why do you think the author is using these kind of
phrases?
Read the Page Again

30. • Our forefathers wouldn’t recognize the political labyrinth
our professional politicians have created. The very things
our forefathers warned us not to do as it pertains to
embracing a centralized, powerful federal government is
the very cliff our professional politicians have steered
the Goodship America straight off of.
• And Donald Trump is a mess?
• American doesn’t need any more professional political
punks in D.C., unless you believe sticking a red hot
crowbar in your eye is an excellent treatment for
cataracts.
• It’s professional political punks who have created the
puss-filled infected wound of fundamental
transformation, not Donald Trump

31. A you continue to read this article,
look for the author’s claims
and supporting evidence.
Is the evidence adequate to support the
claims that the author is making?

32. What is the author’s message? Did
she/he provide sufficient evidence to
support the claims made in the text?
Explain why you think that the evidence
was or was not strong enough to support
the claims.

33. How much evidence is provided by the author?
When you read the article, examine the author’s
claim and determine if the supporting evidence is
adequate enough to substantiate the claim. After
reading the selection, you will be asked to develop
an outline showing the claim and supporting
arguments with examples and factual statements.

34. What does evidence look like?
When we read a persuasive text, we must read very closely to ensure that the
arguments that are presented include very specific, credible evidence. For example,
we should look for statistical data such as numbers and scores, analogies that
compare similar claims and solutions, quotations or testimonials supporting the
claims, or anecdotal examples that substantiate the claim.

35. What does the research say?
1.Statistical Evidence
• Statistical evidence is the kind of data people tend
to look for first when trying to prove a point. That’s
not surprising when you consider how prevalent it
is in today’s society. Remember those McDonald’s
signs that said “Over 1 billion served”? How about
those Trident chewing gum commercials that say
“4 out of 5 dentists recommend chewing sugarless
gum”? Every time you use numbers to support a
main point, you’re relying on statistical evidence to
carry your argument.

36. What do you think?
Use your imagination
What are some possible types
of statistical evidence?
Global Warming?
Extinction of Animals?
Academic Test Scores of American Students?

37. What do the experts say?
2. Testimonial Evidence
• Testimonial evidence is another type of evidence
that is commonly turned to by people trying to
prove a point. Commercials that use
spokespersons to testify about the quality of a
company’s product, lawyers who rely on eye-
witness accounts to win a case, and students who
quote an authority in their essays are all using
testimonial evidence.

38. Stand and Deliver
Who can give us a testimonial about one
of these?
The Newest Xbox Video Game
Rap Music
Dirt Bikes
Your Favorite Perfume

39. Do personal observations
support the claim?
3. Anecdotal Evidence
• Often dismissed as untrustworthy and meaningless,
anecdotal evidence is one of the more underutilized
types of evidence. Anecdotal evidence is evidence
that is based on a person’s observations of the
world. It can actually be very useful for disproving
generalizations because all you need is one example
that contradicts a claim.

40. •Be careful when using this type of
evidence to try and support your
claims. One example of a non-native
English speaker who has perfect grammar
does NOT prove that ALL non-native English
speakers have perfect grammar. All the
anecdote can do is disprove the claim that
all immigrants who are non-native English
speakers have terrible grammar.

41. You CAN use this type of evidence to support
claims, though, if you use it in conjunction
with other types of evidence. Personal
observations can serve as wonderful
examples to introduce a topic and build it up –
just make sure you include statistical
evidence so the reader of your paper doesn’t
question whether your examples are just
isolated incidents.

42. Use Your Imagination
• Create an anecdote or personal observation about a
situation and solution that seems to work very well.
Use the following topics to write complete sentences
creating an anecdote that provides proof that the topic
solves a serious problem.
• Falling Asleep in Class
• Body Odor
• Using Google Search for Homework Problems

43. Do similar situations provide evidence?
4. Analogical Evidence
• The last type of evidence is called analogical
evidence. It is also underutilized, but this time for a
reason. Analogies are mainly useful when dealing with
a topic that is under-researched. If you are on the
cutting edge of an issue, you’re the person breaking
new ground. When you don’t have statistics to refer to
or other authorities on the matter to quote, you have to
get your evidence from somewhere. Analogical
evidence steps in to save the day.

44. • Take the following example: You work
for a company that is considering
turning some land into a theme park. On
that land there happens to be a river
that your bosses think would make a
great white-water rafting ride. They’ve
called on you to assess whether or not
that ride would be a good idea.

45. • Since the land in question is as yet undeveloped,
you have no casualty reports or statistics to refer
to. In this case, you can look to other rivers with
the same general shape to them, altitude,
etc. and see if any white-water rafting casualties
have occurred on those rivers. Although the rivers
are different, the similarities between them should
be strong enough to give credibility to your
research. Realtors use the same type of
analogical evidence when determining the value
of a home.
• When you use analogies to support your claims,
always remember their power.

46. How do you evaluate the author’s claim?

47. Let’s Review These Ideas
Discuss and Take Some Notes
• What are some types of evidence that we might
look for?
• What kind of emotional appeals might the author
use? How should the reader deal with these?
• Why should we expect the author to recognize or
refute opposing claims?
Also, take notes on the following page so you can
use these prompts when you read the article.

48. Now read the entire article again and
use these phrases to record your notes
showing the evidence used in the text.
•According to the text…
•The author stated…
•For instance…
•For example…
•Because…
Copy These Prompts

49. GIVE TRUMP THE MEDAL OF FREEDOM
By
Ted Nugent

50. How much evidence is provided by the author?
As you read this article, examine the author’s
claim and determine if the supporting evidence is
adequate enough to substantiate the claim. Take
notes as you read so you can develop an outline
showing the claim and supporting arguments with
examples and factual statements.

51. • In a recent Politico article, Fleischer is quoted as saying,
in part, that “Donald Trump is like watching a roadside
accident. Everybody pulls over to see the mess.”
Donald Trump is a mess? Maybe Mr. Fleischer should open up the
political garbage can he and the majority of Fedzillacrats live in
and take a look at the real, certifiable, rotting, stinking mess that has
been caused by the professional scammers of both political stripes for
the past 50 years.
Mr. Fleischer and other critics of Mr. Trump aren’t listening to the
blaring trumpets of dissatisfaction that are blown by millions of
Americans who realize that it’s the professional political punks in D.C.
who have engineered the economic train wreck that is strangling the
economy, shrinking the middle class and creating even further
embarrassing, America-destroying dependence on Fedzilla by tens
and tens of millions of Americans.

52. • Mr. Trump didn’t create this economic swan
dive to the street. Our politicians did, the
very guys Mr. Fleischer apparently believes
are the solution to the problem. If he
actually believes this jabberwocky, Fleischer
should seek political mental health disability.
• Donald Trump is running strong in the early
polls because Americans are fed up with the
political status quo, especially from left-
leaning GOP Fedzillacrats who want to feed
us cow dung while telling us it’s a
cheeseburger.

53. • The problem with guys like Ari Fleischer, the
former press secretary of George W. Bush, is
that he’s drunk the inside-the-beltway
political Kookaid for so long that he actually
believes his own spin. Poor guy went down
for the third time in the denial goo long ago.
• Donald Trump’s biggest critics all believe
that the engine of all things good and serious
emanates from the professional
Fedzillacrats who apparently enjoy
wallowing in the said goo of Washington, D

54. • Our forefathers wouldn’t recognize the political labyrinth
our professional politicians have created. The very things
our forefathers warned us not to do as it pertains to
embracing a centralized, powerful federal government is
the very cliff our professional politicians have steered
the Goodship America straight off of.
• And Donald Trump is a mess?
• American doesn’t need any more professional political
punks in D.C., unless you believe sticking a red hot
crowbar in your eye is an excellent treatment for
cataracts.
• It’s professional political punks who have created the
puss-filled infected wound of fundamental
transformation, not Donald Trump

55. Remember to Keep Taking Notes
Your are looking or logical arguments that
are supported by statistics, acceptable
analogies, relevant testimonials, and
suitable anecdotal evidence. Personal
opinions are not acceptable evidence.

56. • They are the ones calling for a bigger bureaucratic
shovel for the hole they have already dug, not Donald
Trump.
• They are the ones who have lied to Americans or
intentionally hidden the truth from us, not Donald
Trump.
• It’s professional politicians who are the enemy of life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness, not Donald Trump.
• Donald Trump’s message sings to Americans because
he doesn’t play politically correct brain-dead games. He
calls them like he sees them. That’s refreshing to
millions of Americans who believe political correctness
is a public cancer that has eroded free speech and
everything else good about America.

57. • Those who condemn Donald Trump for refusing to use
cowardly, politically correct words would be wise to
remember the words of Harry Truman who said, “Once a
government is committed to the principle of silencing the
voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is
down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until
it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and
creates a country where everyone lives in fear.”
• Instead of being condemned and lampooned by the likes
of Ari Fleischer and his ilk, Donald Trump should be given
the Medal of Freedom for speaking his mind in such a
bold, honest and straight-forward manner.
• If you want to watch a real political train wreck, witness
a real mess in progress, you need look no further than the
professional politicians who have borrowed and spent
this country into oblivion. Trump that if you dare

58. • Carry on, Mr. Trump. Unless you are taking
flak, you’re not over the target.
• And for the record, I dare anybody to show
me one word from Trump that isn’t accurate.
What sort of denial gagged liar denies that
our country is being invaded by drugrunners,
murderers and rapists? What sort of denial
gagged liar could possibly believe Trump
meant legal immigrants?
• GOP, your very existence is on the line here.
Show some honesty or you’re done.

59. How much evidence is provided by the author?
Now that you have read the article, review your
notes about the author’s claim and supporting
evidence. Use your own paper and develop an
outline showing the claim and supporting
arguments with examples and factual statements.

60. Let’s Talk
•How might you summarize the
article you just read?
•What was the author’s main point
in writing the article?

61. Verbalize Your Summary
Using several sentences, turn to
another student and tell them
the main point of the article.
Explain if you thought the
author was believable.

62. Quick Write
How might you summarize the
article you just read? Use a couple
of sentences to write a summary
of the article. Explain if you
thought the author was believable.

63. Additional Common Core
Standards Covered

64. Reading Standards
Cite the textual evidence that
most strongly supports an
analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.

65. Writing Standards
Use words, phrases, and
clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among
claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.

66. 66
Copyright Protected © 2015 Dean R. Berry
All Rights Reserved
No part of this document may be reproduced without written
permission from the author