Monday

 Monday and Tuesday:

Read The Autobiography of Malcolm X chapters 2&3 and work on journals ( you need at least 1 paragraph for each chapter).

Wednesday

 We will be Malcolm X today. First we will look at some MC questions.

Tuesday

 Today we will finish going over the MC questions and then read Richard Wright.

You will need to read the first chapter of Malcolm X by 12/1

Monday

 Today, I would like to discuss your essays. Then look over the MC questions you did last week on AP Classroom and finally talk about Malcolm X. We will also be looking at Richard Wright.

Friday

 Work on open/argument question. Please share your essays with me as you write.

2025 A

In a 2022 interview with People magazine promoting her program to empower young girls through sport, professional tennis player and mental health advocate Naomi Osaka said: “For me, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to try to be present in each moment. It’s easy to lose sight of how far you’ve come, but I’ve been prioritizing trying to live in the moment and enjoy the journey.”

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Osaka’s claim about embracing the present moment is valid.

 2025 B

Amanda Gorman is the first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, an honor given to a young person for exceptional artistic expression, civic engagement, and social impact. In a 2021 interview in Time magazine, when asked how to maintain optimism1 in challenging times, Gorman stated: “Optimism shouldn’t be seen as opposed to pessimism, but in conversation with it. Your optimism will never be as powerful as it is in that exact moment when you want to give it up.” 

 

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gorman’s claim about the relationship between optimism and pessimism is valid.

 Think of this essay as an EXCOM or EXTEMP question. 

AP Question 3 Rubric 

AP LANGUAGE PROMPTS

Strategies:

1) Analyze and interpret the prompt. You need to make the prompt and figure out what it means. If you have to write it in your own words do it. Then take a position. You might want to define key words from the prompt in your interpretation.

2) Write a thesis and order of development (why order of development?).

3) Think about evidence. (we should discuss evidence. This is a persuasive essay - think about the types of evidence we discussed back in English 10 during the persuasion/debate unit). List ideas for evidence.

4) Make quick outline of order of development and evidence that backs up each point.

 

 

 

Wednesday

Today we need to look at the last essay on the exam - the open (or argument) essay. We need to discuss what you know about the essay/prompt, what you need to know about the essay/prompt to earn a high score. Then we need to look at some prompts (see all prompts first), and discuss some strategies for approaching the essay.

Note - this is your assignment for the next few days (Thursday and Friday). 

2025 A

In a 2022 interview with People magazine promoting her program to empower young girls through sport, professional tennis player and mental health advocate Naomi Osaka said: “For me, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to try to be present in each moment. It’s easy to lose sight of how far you’ve come, but I’ve been prioritizing trying to live in the moment and enjoy the journey.”

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Osaka’s claim about embracing the present moment is valid.

 2025 B

Amanda Gorman is the first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, an honor given to a young person for exceptional artistic expression, civic engagement, and social impact. In a 2021 interview in Time magazine, when asked how to maintain optimism1 in challenging times, Gorman stated: “Optimism shouldn’t be seen as opposed to pessimism, but in conversation with it. Your optimism will never be as powerful as it is in that exact moment when you want to give it up.” 

 

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gorman’s claim about the relationship between optimism and pessimism is valid.

 Think of this essay as an EXCOM or EXTEMP question. 

AP Question 3 Rubric 

AP LANGUAGE PROMPTS

Strategies:

1) Analyze and interpret the prompt. You need to make the prompt and figure out what it means. If you have to write it in your own words do it. Then take a position. You might want to define key words from the prompt in your interpretation.

2) Write a thesis and order of development (why order of development?).

3) Think about evidence. (we should discuss evidence. This is a persuasive essay - think about the types of evidence we discussed back in English 10 during the persuasion/debate unit). List ideas for evidence.

4) Make quick outline of order of development and evidence that backs up each point.

 

 

 

Tuesday

 We will read "How Ir Feels to Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston. Finish AP Classroom MCs.

HW: Either read "Notes of a Native Son" or write a precis on "How It Feels to Be Colored Me"

Tomorrow we will be discussing the open question.

Monday

 Today we will discuss the ending of "Notes of a Native Son", give you some time to finish your precis, and then we will look at Zora Neale Hurston, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me".

HW: AP Classroom

Friday

 Today we are going to finish "Notes of a Native Son" and write a precis.

1. Name of author, [optional: a phrase describing author], genre, title of the work, date in parentheses (additional publishing information in parentheses or note); a rhetorically accurate verb (such as “assert,” “argue,” “suggest,” “imply,” “claim,” etc.); and a that clause containing the major assertion (thesis statement) of the work.
   

2. An explanation of how the author develops and/or supports the thesis, usually in chronological order.

3. A statement of the author’s apparent purpose followed by an “in order to” phrase.

4. A description of the intended audience (and/or the relationship the author establishes

   with the audience) and a description of his or her tone.
   

 

Amanda Gorman is the first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, an honor given to a young person for exceptional artistic expression, civic engagement, and social impact. In a 2021 interview in Time magazine, when asked how to maintain optimism1 in challenging times, Gorman stated: “Optimism shouldn’t be seen as opposed to pessimism,2 but in conversation with it. Your optimism will never be as powerful as it is in that exact moment when you want to give it up.” 

 

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gorman’s claim about the relationship between optimism and pessimism is valid. 1: a tendency to view things in a positive light.

Note - before you write anything you should practice outlining the essay.

Ideas for Hook:

Thesis Statement:

Order of Development:

Point or claim # 1:

    a) evidence to back up claim

    b) 2nd piece of evidence to back up claim

Point or claim # 2:

    a) evidence to back up claim

    b) 2nd piece of evidence to back up claim

Point or claim # 3:

    a) evidence to back up claim

    b) 2nd piece of evidence to back up claim

Ideas for Conclusion:

Thursday

 Please turn in your essays. Today we are going to read "Notes of a Native Son" by James Baldwin and look at the open question.

Amanda Gorman is the first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, an honor given to a young person for exceptional artistic expression, civic engagement, and social impact. In a 2021 interview in Time magazine, when asked how to maintain optimism1 in challenging times, Gorman stated: “Optimism shouldn’t be seen as opposed to pessimism,2 but in conversation with it. Your optimism will never be as powerful as it is in that exact moment when you want to give it up.” 

 

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gorman’s claim about the relationship between optimism and pessimism is valid. 1: a tendency to view things in a positive light.

Note - before you write anything you should practice outlining the essay.

Ideas for Hook:

Thesis Statement:

Order of Development:

Point or claim # 1:

    a) evidence to back up claim

    b) 2nd piece of evidence to back up claim

Point or claim # 2:

    a) evidence to back up claim

    b) 2nd piece of evidence to back up claim

Point or claim # 3:

    a) evidence to back up claim

    b) 2nd piece of evidence to back up claim

Ideas for Conclusion:

 

 

Wednesday

 You have today to work on your essay question. Essay is due tomorrow.

 1) ESSAY QUESTION:

As describe in Walden what is Thoreau's assessment of American Culture (what is wrong with it)?  Using specific evidence from the text discuss and outline his argument.  Then respond to it.  Do you agree or disagree with his insights? 

This issue should cover the entire book - not just "Economy" - meaning you should trace his argument, how it weaves throughout the book, also (think Structure), and use specific evidence from various section of the text.  Note, this essays needs to be at least three pages.  It can be longer.


As far as structure goes, think about the following the cycle of a year (Summer - Spring), and find parallels (Pond in Summer vs Pond in Winter).  These parallels will have interrelated ideas or a return or expansion on an ideal.  Further think about the dialectical structure in which pairs of chapters present thematic counterpoints to each other (e.g. "Reading" vs. "Sounds," "Solitude" vs. "Visitors").


You should also look at the Thoreau's continue assessment of American or Human culture.  It is in all chapters - through, it is more subtle in most (examples will be shown below).

Bill McKibben's focus on Thoreau's practical advice for living, however, calls our attention to another structure in which the long opening chapter, "Economy," provides a diagnosis of what is wrong with American life: materialism. The body of the book then presents a cure for the disease of materialism: striving for purity and simplicity as exemplified by Thoreau's own experience and by the symbolic purity of Walden Pond. The final chapter presents Thoreau's optimistic prognosis that each individual reader has the potential to vastly improve his or her life by shifting priorities.

Think about particular themes of the book.

Self-Reliance

Materialism

Life, Consciousness and Existence

The interconnection of all things

Society and class structure

Visions of America

Technology/Modernization

How to live one’s life

Work vs. Enjoying Life

Liberation from traditional economic systems
Solitude
Self-Improvement
Practical and Formal Education
Nature as Eternal Guide and Teacher

 

2) Towards the end of the book Thoreau states 

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.”

What does he mean by this and how does Walden reflect this quote. Make an argument about how Thoreau achieves this quote. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. This essay needs to be at least three pages.  

Work for this work:

“The Position of Poverty” by John Kenneth Galbraith

“Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin

“How It Feels to be Colored Me” by Zora Neale Hurston

 

AP Classroom, Precis.