Friday, April 28

HOMEWORK: Read and annotate the 2015 Synthesis Prompt before Monday. (Students absent today will be able to pick up packet early Monday OR read in class before beginning essay on Monday.)

Reminder: Finish reading and annotating Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" and write a rhetorical analysis essay for Monday, May 1. 

Continued full AP practice test, finishing up the Multiple Choice section. (Students absent today will have up to 17 minutes of time to complete this section of the test.)

Students began work on AP Argument prompt; 15 minutes remain for this essay.
COLLECTED completed and incomplete tests; students will be given 15--20 minutes to work on the Argument prompt before beginning the Synthesis essay on Monday.

DUE DATES

MONDAY, May 1: Rhetorical analysis essay on Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" due for a grade.

Thursday, April 27

Reminder: Finish reading and annotating Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" and write a rhetorical analysis essay for Monday, May 1. 

Continued full AP practice test with Multiple Choice section.
COLLECTED completed and incomplete tests; students will have additional time tomorrow, up to the timed limit.

DUE DATES

MONDAY, May 1: Rhetorical analysis essay on Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" due for a grade.

Wednesday, April 26

Reminder: Finish reading and annotating Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" and write a rhetorical analysis essay for Monday, May 1. 

Began full AP practice test with 2015 Essay 2 (Chavez/King). Timed.
COLLECTED completed essays.

DUE DATES

MONDAY, May 1: Rhetorical analysis essay on Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" due for a grade today.

Tuesday, April 25

Short class today due to early release schedule.
HOMEWORK: Finish reading and annotating Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" and write a rhetorical analysis essay for Monday, May 1.

Students shared opening sentences from yesterday's rhetorical analysis with their groups; discussed strategy for the introduction to an AP essay.
COLLECTED the opening sentences. (Students absent yesterday do NOT submit this assignment.)


Introduced and distributed Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." Discussed the complications of irony in archaic texts; began reading together.

DUE DATES

MONDAY, May 1: Rhetorical analysis essay on Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" due for a grade today.

Monday, April 24

HOMEWORK: Write the first 2--3 sentences of a rhetorical analysis essay based on the 2014 prompt. (Students absent today will NOT be required to submit this assignment.)

COLLECTED the do-over AP style argument essay on either "The Cave" or Machiavelli's "The Prince." 
Quick review of approaching a rhetorical analysis essay.
Read and annotated the 2014 AP Rhetorical Analysis essay on child labor.
Groups discussed purpose, tone and shifts in tone, and significant rhetorical strategies around diction and syntax.
Groups shared their insights with the class.

DUE DATES

MONDAY, April 24: The Do-over! AP style argument essay on either of the prompts listed yesterday ("The Cave" or Machiavelli on promises).  Will be collected for a grade!

Thursday, April 13

Homework: MONDAY, April 24: The Do-over! AP style argument essay on either of the prompts listed yesterday ("The Cave" or Machiavelli on promises).  Will be collected for a grade!
Watched and discussed "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?" with an eye to rhetorical analysis.  Groups discussed audience, purpose, tone, syntax, and diction, and other strategies.
Groups reported back to the class as a whole.

DUE DATES

MONDAY, April 24: The Do-over! AP style argument essay on either of the prompts listed yesterday ("The Cave" or Machiavelli on promises).  Will be collected for a grade!

Wednesday, April 12

Homework: For Thursday, read and annotate "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?" with an eye to rhetorical analysis.  Consider audience, purpose, tone, syntax, and diction, and other strategies as you read!

Students self-evaluated their AP argument essays from yesterday; groups gave feedback.

Ms. Bishop, in a fit of mercy not to be duplicated this year, allowed all students the chance to re-do their essays over vacation, and to submit them when they are representative of their best (not worst) work...

DUE DATES

MONDAY, April 24: The Do-over! AP style argument essay on either of the prompts listed yesterday ("The Cave" or Machiavelli on promises).  Will be collected for a grade!

Tuesday, April 11

Homework: For Wednesday, write an AP-style argument for or against either:

• Socrates' suggestion that the best rulers are reluctant philosopher kings: "the state whose prospective rulers come to their duties with the least enthusiasm is bound to have the best and most tranquil government," or
• Machiavelli's advice that "A wise ruler...cannot and should not keep his word when such an observance of faith would be to his disadvantage and when the reasons which made him promise are removed."  (For "rulers" consider substituting nations, and for promises, consider treaties with other nations.)

Whole class discussion of Plato's "The Myth of the Cave" the excerpt from Machiavelli's "The Prince."
COLLECTED paragraphs based on questions accompanying "The Prince."

DUE DATES

WEDNESDAY, April 12: AP style argument essay on either of the prompts listed above.

Monday, April 10

This class taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence. 

Homework: For Tuesday, read and annotate excerpt from Machiavelli's "The Prince."  Write a journal entry on any of the seven questions that follow it.

Groups shared and discussed annotations on Plato's "The Myth of the Cave" and questions 2--5 following it.
Groups began reading and discussing Machiavelli excerpt.

DUE DATES

MONDAY,  April 10: Read and Annotate Plato's "The Myth of the Cave." 
TUESDAY, April 11: Read and annotate excerpt from Machiavelli's "The Prince."  Write a journal entry on any of the seven questions that follow it.

Friday, April 7

New Homework: For Monday: Read and Annotate Plato's "The Myth of the Cave." 

Homework check for yesterday's missing synthesis essays.
COLLECTED revised synthesis essays.

40 minute timed AP synthesis essay, to 2009 prompt on space exploration.

DUE DATES

MONDAY,  April 10: Read and Annotate Plato's "The Myth of the Cave."

Thursday, April 6

Homework check for yesterday's missing synthesis essays.
Groups wrapped up evaluating each member's 2013 (monuments) essay.

As groups finished work, members began working on revising their chosen synthesis essay, due Friday.
15 minute document review period for tomorrow's timed synthesis essay.
COLLECTED prompt and document packets.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  April 7: Choose stronger of the two AP Synthesis essays to revise and submit for a grade on Friday.  

Wednesday, April 5

HOMEWORK: Missing your synthesis essay to 2013 AP prompt yesterday?  Write it for tomorrow!
Groups wrapped up evaluating each member's 2014 (value of college) synthesis essay, using the Synthesis Essay Rubric and began evaluating each member's 2013 (monuments) essay.

As groups finished work, members began working on revising their chosen essay for Friday.

DUE DATES

WEDNESDAY, April 5: 2013 Synthesis essay due!
FRIDAY,  April 7: Choose stronger of the two AP Synthesis essays to revise and submit for a grade on Friday.  

Tuesday, April 4

HOMEWORK: By tomorrow: write synthesis essay to 2013 AP prompt (on monuments).
Returned 2014 synthesis essays for group evaluation today.
Groups reported their consensus (or lack of consensus) regarding "Fight over Confederate Monuments Turns Ugly."
Reported the strongest arguments in support and in opposition to the group.

Groups began evaluating each member's 2014 (value of college) synthesis essay, using the Synthesis Essay Rubric; gave specific feedback regarding each indicator. (Will continue this process on Wednesday.)

DUE DATES

WEDNESDAY, April 5: 2013 Synthesis essay due!
FRIDAY,  April 7: Choose stronger of the two AP Synthesis essays to revise and submit for a grade on Friday.  

Monday, April 3

COLLECTED Last 2014 makeup essays.
Discussed importance of concession/refutation essay structure in real-world persuasion.
PowerPoint notes on etiquette for difficult conversations in social justice.

Groups read, annotated, and discussed article "Fight over Confederate Monuments Turns Ugly."
Groups attempted to reach a consensus as to their position (OK to disagree with group!) and to identify the strongest argument for the opposition.

DUE DATES

TUESDAY, April 4: Students who missed today's class due to the college fair field trip should catch up with the Confederate monuments article; read, annotate, and find a position and the strongest counter-argument to your position!

WEDNESDAY, April 5: 2013 Synthesis essay due!