AP Lang Q3 Activities

Summary

In the video, AP Language teacher Beth Hall shares various projects designed to prepare students for AP Language argument essays. The activities include 'Convince the Class,' where students select a topic, conduct research, and present to persuade classmates; 'Teach the Teacher,' where students inform or persuade the teacher on a topic of interest; 'Make the Case,' which involves researching and summarizing a Supreme Court case or a cold case; and 'Famous Figures,' where students research and write about a notable person using them as evidence for a provided Q3 prompt. Hall also incorporates grammar and vocabulary components, emphasizing the importance of advanced punctuation and vocabulary in writing. She provides a structured timeline for completing these projects and suggests resources for current event research. The video concludes with an offer to join Hall's teacher email list for additional resources and tips.

Takeaways

• 📚 **Grammar Component**: The teacher incorporates grammar into assignments, requiring students to use advanced punctuation and vocabulary, which also aids in ACT preparation.
• 🟢 **Highlighting for Clarity**: Students are instructed to highlight grammar (yellow) and vocabulary (green) in their work for easy checking and to remind them to include these elements.
• 🧐 **Convince the Class Activity**: Students select a topic, conduct research, and create a proposal to persuade the class, involving student choice and anticipation of objections.
• 👩‍🏫 **Teach the Teacher Activity**: Similar to the previous activity, but the teacher is the audience. Students research a topic, write source summaries, and aim to inform or persuade the teacher through an essay.
• 📈 **Make the Case Project**: Students choose a Supreme Court case, famous court case, or cold case to research, providing notes with citations and analyzing the case's impact or significance.
• 🧳 **Toolbox Approach**: The teacher's goal is to equip students with a variety of topics they can write about confidently, thus addressing their concerns about evidence and content.
• ⏰ **Time Management**: Projects are assigned at the beginning of the month and due at the end, allowing students to work incrementally and practice time management.
• 📚 **Famous Figures Project**: Students research a famous person, potentially using a book, podcast, or article, and write a developed paragraph using that person as evidence for a provided Q3 prompt.
• 📰 **In the News Activity**: Students select current events, write detailed summaries, and consider broader implications, aiming to connect pop culture and academic analysis.
• 📚 **Independent Reading**: A non-fiction text is chosen by students for reading, with vocabulary practice and rhetorical analysis of a selected passage, enhancing Q2 skills.
• 📝 **Creating Argument Prompts**: As part of the independent reading, students craft their own argument prompts using quotes from the text and write a thesis and body paragraph in response.
• 📊 **Q3 Database**: As a pre-exam activity, students use their accumulated knowledge to populate a Q3 database, helping them feel more prepared for the AP Lang exam.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of the activities shared by Beth Hall in the video?

The primary goal of the activities is to help students prepare for their AP Lang argument essays by enhancing their writing skills, understanding of advanced punctuation, and ability to incorporate advanced vocabulary.

What is the 'Convince the Class' activity about?

The 'Convince the Class' activity involves students selecting a topic, conducting research, and crafting a proposal to persuade the class of their position on various issues, such as school policies or animal rights.

How does the 'Teach the Teacher' activity differ from 'Convince the Class'?

In the 'Teach the Teacher' activity, the teacher, not the class, is the audience. Students select a topic, conduct research, and write source summaries or essays to inform or persuade the teacher about their topic.

What is the 'Make the Case' project and how does it relate to APUSH or APGov students?

The 'Make the Case' project requires students to select a Supreme Court case, a famous court case, or a cold case to research and provide detailed summaries with citations. It is particularly relevant to APUSH or APGov students as it allows them to use their textbook and notes for research.

What is the significance of practicing MLA citations in these projects?

Practicing MLA citations helps students learn proper citation techniques, which is crucial for academic integrity and is also a skill tested in the AP Lang exam.

How does the 'Famous Figures' project work?

In the 'Famous Figures' project, students select a famous person, conduct research using various sources like books, podcasts, and articles, and write a developed paragraph using the person as evidence for a provided Q3 prompt.

What is the purpose of the 'In the News' activity?

The 'In the News' activity aims to have students select current events, write detailed summaries, and consider the broader implications of the events, encouraging them to think critically about the news they consume.

How does the 'Independent Reading' project enhance students' vocabulary and writing skills?

The 'Independent Reading' project involves students selecting a non-fiction text, identifying unfamiliar vocabulary words, and writing a rhetorical analysis paragraph. This process helps improve their vocabulary and understanding of rhetorical strategies.

What is the duration typically given for these projects?

Beth Hall assigns these projects at the beginning of the month and expects them to be completed by the end of the month, allowing students to work on them incrementally throughout the month.

How does the Q3 database activity help students prepare for the AP Lang exam?

The Q3 database activity allows students to apply the knowledge they have gained from the projects to practice writing for the Q3 essay prompt of the AP Lang exam, making them feel more comfortable with the exam format.

What is the role of student choice in increasing engagement with these projects?

Student choice plays a significant role in increasing engagement as it allows students to select topics they are passionate about, which in turn increases their motivation and investment in the projects.

How does Beth Hall use color-coding in her class to streamline grading and remind students to include grammar and vocabulary?

Beth Hall uses color-coding where grammar is marked in yellow and vocabulary in green. This system helps her quickly check for these elements during grading and serves as a reminder for students to include them in their work.