Materials and Lessons to Prepare Students for Advanced Placement English Classes

Created by Megan Pankiewicz, on behalf of The English Teachers Friend

Verbs for Analytical Writing

illustrate illuminate reveal mean suggest clarify indicate represent prove propose imply assert consider infer state estimate define classify invoke analyze compare hypothesize synthesize summarize disagree generalize narrate evaluate simplify measure note predict introduce report challenge delineate depict interpret provide acknowledge distinguish inform specify determine detail sum up designate point out set forth deduce derive characterize guide maintain present organize investigate assess determine calculate support devise construct evaluate attribute obtain argue reiterate reinforce convey

Name: Period:

Analytical Thinking Organizer

Understanding the passage as a whole Narrow to Broad

Subject Occasion Audience Purpose Speaker

Understanding specific techniques in the passage as they relate to the whole TECHNIQUE Metaphor DIRECT QUOTE
Now is the time to life our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.

EFFECT
King compares the clergymens stance (that of injustice) with something lowly, while human dignity occupies the higher moral ground.

HOW EFFECT CONNECTS TO THE WHOLE

Kings opinion of the clergymans discrimination is symbolized by physical objects, which create an image that draw attention to the moral disparity. Note also that a rock is higher and therefore closer to God, which relates to his audience.

Name: Period:

Analyzing ____________________
Narrow to Broad

Subject Occasion Audience Purpose Speaker

Persuasive Appeal Ethos Ethos Logos Logos Pathos Pathos Quotation Analysis of use

Specific word

Connotation

Analysis

Questions to Ask When Analyzing a Visual Work

Subject: What is this visual about? Occasion a. What is the historical, cultural (group beliefs), social (individual beliefs), or economic context? III. Audience a. How does the work reveal the authors attitude toward the audience? IV. Purpose a. What is the purpose of the work? b. What is the message of the work? c. Is there a secondary message? V. Point of view (speaker) a. What is the point of view of the work? b. Is the point of view significant, and if so, why? VI. What is the overall tone and mood of the work? a. If there are colors, what is their effect or purpose? b. If there is text, how does the type face contribute to the tone or mood? VII. Style a. What type of visual is this? b. Does its genre add to its meaning? c. Why did the artist choose to represent his/her message in this manner? VIII. Appeals a. To what does the artist appeal logos, ethos, or pathos? IX. Character(s) a. Describe the characters physical traits. i. Are there any exaggerations? If so, what is their purpose? b. What personality traits or feelings are perceived? i. How does the artist portray these? c. What are the characters doing? What does this behavior say about them? d. What are the reactions of other characters to the central character? e. What purpose does the character serve in terms of the work as a whole? X. Setting a. Does the place and environment have a specific purpose? Explain. XI. Conflict a. Whats the problem? XII. Details a. Are items exaggerated (hyperbole)? For what purpose? b. Is some of the imagery dominating? To what sense does this appeal? c. Is some of the imagery repeated? For what purpose? d. Is there a pattern to the images? XIII. Allusions a. Does something refer to an event or person in history? b. Does something refer to an event or character in literature? XIV. Symbolism a. Do some of the concrete items represent abstract ideas? Explain. b. What colors are used and what do these colors symbolize? c. Is there a contrast of lightness and darkness? What does this mean? XIX. Irony a. Is something depicted in the situation ironic? b. Does the audience know more than the character(s) about the situation? For what purpose? I. II.

Gallery Walk Activity

One way to expose students to several visual texts at once is to use the Gallery Walk activity. While students complete a warm-up activity, the teacher tapes a dozen advertisements to the lockers outside the classroom. Students then take the provided graphic organizer out to the hallway and silently walk the gallery, making notes as to the importance of visual elements that stand out to them. After 10-15 minutes, students return to the room for a whole-class discussion of their observations. This activity accomplishes several goals: it gets kids moving, they are exposed to a variety of images to analyze, and their discussion is enriched by the ability to compare and contrast.
VISUAL Tyson Chicken Nuggets TECHNIQUE White background with bold red lettering EFFECT AND PURPOSE The idea of a clean plate is reinforced through the clean white background and the ease of reading a bold, red font.

Project V.A.
Objective: Students will be able create an advertisement by making specific, purposeful decisions using effective visual techniques and strategies. Materials: Project V.A. portfolios (one for each team of students) 0 The portfolios should include information about the product for which students will be creating the ad, as well as information about the magazine in which the ad will run. (Ex. Quaker Oatmeal ad in Teen magazine) Props: bowls, spoons, product itself Access to computer(s) Camera(s) with ability to put pictures on computers Access to printer High-tech version: Access to computers with Photoshop or other design programs Access to color printer Low-tech version: Construction paper Markers, crayons, colored pencils Rulers Scissors Any other crafts materials students might want to use Time requirement: Two 50 minute periods OR One 90 minute period Assessment: Holistic grade based on completion, evidence of purposeful use of visual strategies, adherence to the rules, and behavior during project. Judges can award bonus points to the winning team. Agenda: 1) Before class, have materials set up and prepared. 2) Explain to students they will work in groups of 3-4. (This can be done the day before to save on time.) 3) Explain what students will be doing and why. This should include a basic overview of the project, but should not include reading through the portfolio materials. 4) Make them aware of the time restrictions and behavior expectations. 5) Explain the resources the students will have to complete the project. 6) Give students the rest of the period(s) to complete their project. 7) If possible, line up judges ahead of time (other faculty or parents) who can determine the winning project, following a brief explanation by each team of the decisions they made to complete the project. 8) Display projects in classroom for fun!

Portrait Paragraph Assignment

Explanation for instructor: As we all know, physical description is a major vehicle through which authors develop their characters. We want students to take note of a writers use of concrete detail, imagery, and sentence structure, but we dont want kids to stop there. We want them to own those techniques in their own writing. To begin this assignment, the teacher will first select an exemplary passage of character description. It is best if this passage comes from a text the class is studying, so the teacher can lead the class through an analysis that will enhance their reading of the novel in addition to preparing them for this assignment. Prior to the activity, the teacher should collect images of enough portraits to provide each student with one. On the day of the activity, students will be given the directions detailed below and then select the portrait they want to use as the subject of their description. They can write their rough drafts in class and possibly even complete peer editing the same day. After peer or teacher feedback has been provided, students can write their final draft. _______________________________________________________ Mr. Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow lovable. At friendly meetings, and when the wine was to his taste, something eminently human beaconed from his eye; something indeed which never found its way into his talk, but which spoke not only in these silent symbols of the after-dinner face, but more often and loudly in the acts of his life. He was austere with himself; drank gin when he was alone, to mortify a taste for vintages; and though he enjoyed the theatre, had not crossed the doors of one for twenty years. But he had an approved tolerance for others; sometimes wondering, almost with envy, at the high pressure of spirits involved in their misdeeds; and in any extremity inclined to help rather than to reprove. DIRECTIONS: Having re-read the first paragraph of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, please select a portrait on which to base your own character description. When constructing your description, you will need to model Stevensons writing in regards to his sentence structure. You want to include creative details, so pick a portrait of someone who interests you. Today we will work on the rough draft, and in a few days you will make revisions for a final draft.

15

ANALYZING TONE IN SPEECHES

LANGUAGE
DI I CT ON

Words How do words create tone?

PERSUASIVE APPEALS

AX NT Y
The TONE is.... in the following section:

RH TE ETOR CH NIQ ICAL UE S

Ho

wd

Images

How do images create tone? OTHER

oe

st

he

ton

er

ela

te

to

the

pu

rpo

se?

IM

AG

Y ER

COMPARING SPEECHES OF THE SAME GENRE

PURPOSE ORGANIZATION

PERSONA(S) OF SPEAKER TONE(S)

DICTION

RHETORICAL TECHNIQUES

PRIMARY DIFFERENCES & WHY

PRIMARY SIMILARITIES & WHY

PRIMARY DIFFERENCES & WHY

Semester Exams: Since I am constantly assessing my students preparation for the AP exam through practice exams, I wanted to find a form of assessment for their semester exam that moved away from multiple choice or essays. One of the AP Lang course objectives is that students reflect on their own writing, so to that end, I created the Self-Reflection Portfolio. I would provide students with a list of all their writing assignments for the semester, so they could organize those papers in a three-ring binder prior to exam day. On the day of the exam, they met me in the computer lab with their portfolios in hand (they were penalized if the portfolios were not already assembled), whereupon I would give them slips of paper with the questions listed below. Students would have the full period to compose their answers before printing them out and putting them at the front of the portfolio. Although I was left with a giant stack of binders, I could grade their answers incredibly quickly and actually enjoyed reading their responses. On their end-of-the-year evaluations, the kids always commented on how much they learned from writing the reflections and were proud of to physically hold all of the work they had accomplished. AP Language Fall Semester Exam Self-reflection Please address the following questions, taking into account your work over the course of the semester and using examples from your work as evidence. You can answer the questions in this order or in a different order if you prefer. Be thoughtful and thorough in your reflections. This isnt a gimme grade it should be a learning tool as well as an assessment. 1) In what ways have you developed as a writer? 2) What do you consider to be your strengths? 3) What do you consider to be your weaknesses? 4) In what ways would you still like to improve as a writer this year? 5) Fill in the blanks: The ___ that helped me the most with my writing was _____, because ____. 6) What actions can you take in the next semester to continue to improve? AP Language Spring Semester Exam Self-reflection Please address the following questions, taking into account your work over the course of the semester and using examples from your work as evidence. You can answer the questions in this order or in a different order if you prefer. Be thoughtful and thorough in your reflections. This isnt a gimme grade it should be a learning tool as well as an assessment. 1) In what ways have you developed as a writer from the end of the first semester?

2) What do you consider to be your strengths? Are these the same as you mentioned before? How have they evolved? Have you discovered new strengths? 3) What do you consider to be your weaknesses? Are these the same as you mentioned before? Are they different? 4) 5) Look back at your answer for #4 in from the fall portfolio: In what ways would you still like to improve as a writer this year? Did you achieve your goals? How so or why not? Fill in the blanks: The ___ that helped me the most with my writing was _____, because ____.

6) In what ways have you developed as a reader from the beginning of the year? 7) Fill in the blanks: The ___ that helped me the most with my reading was _____, because ____.

8) What actions can you take over the summer to stay engaged in reading and writing?