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AP® Seminar

Syllabus

Course Essential Questions:

How does the process of asking and answering questions lead to meaningful research?
How can we understand and analyze texts to recognize the implications and predict the consequences of an argument?
How do we understand the complexity of an issue or problem by evaluating multiple perspectives?
How do we think critically about the information and then add to the ideas of others while avoiding plagiarism?
How do we collaborate, communicate and reflect to effectively convey an argument through an appropriate medium?

Course Learning Objectives:

Contextualize and identify the complexities of a problem or issue.
Pose questions and seek answers that reflect multiple perspectives and evaluate the relevance and credibility of sources.
Read sources critically for a specific purpose and explain the main idea.
Analyze the line of reasoning and evaluate the credibility of evidence in an argument.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Evaluate alternate, opposing, or competing perspectives or arguments, by considering their implications and limitations.
Formulate a well reasoned argument to interpret and synthesize quantitative/qualitative information from various perspectives to provide insightful commentary that links evidence and claims.
Attribute knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically using an appropriate citation style while being able to offer resolutions, conclusions and/or solutions based on evidence while limitations and implications are considered.
Adapt an argument for context, purpose and audience and then plan, produce and present a cohesive argument to be communicated through appropriate media. Engage an audience through effective techniques and delivery while reflecting on experiences of collaborative and individual effort.
Adhere to established conventions of grammar, mechanics, usage and style.

Unit 1: Introduction to AP Seminar (Weeks 1-2)

Week 1: Course Introduction: QUEST, Perspective and Lenses

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Understand the rules and policies of the course, and expectations of you as a contributing member of our learning community
Begin to build community by sharing important information with your teacher and classmates about yourself and your school
Develop your skills for navigating the course environment and using the various course tools
Identify and discuss the five big ideas for research in the QUEST Framework
Identify the significance of lenses and perspectives when doing research

Week 2: Argumentation and Line of Reasoning

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Read sources critically for a specific purpose and explain the main idea.
Analyze the line of reasoning and evaluate the credibility of evidence in an argument.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Attribute knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically using an appropriate citation style while being able to offer resolutions, conclusions and/or solutions based on evidence while limitations and implications are considered.

Unit 2: Practice Performance Task 1: Team Project and Presentation(Weeks 3-9)

Week 3: Team Project: Introduction

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Summarize and explain a text’s main idea or aim while avoiding faulty generalizations and oversimplification.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Evaluate alternate, opposing, or competing perspectives or arguments, by considering their implications and limitations.

Week 4: Team Project: Research and Sources

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Access and manage information using effective strategies.
Evaluate the relevance and credibility of the source of information and data in relation to the inquiry
Evaluate the relevance and credibility of evidence used to support an argument, taking context into consideration.

Week 5: Team Project: Individual Research Report (IRR) Draft

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Formulate a well-reasoned argument, taking the complexities of the problem or issue into consideration.
Interpret, use, and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative data/information from various perspectives and sources (e.g., primary, secondary, print, non-print) to develop and support an argument.
Provide insightful and cogent commentary that links evidence with claims.
Attribute knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically, using an appropriate citation style.

Week 6: Team Project: Individual Research Report (IRR) Final

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Plan, produce, and present a cohesive argument, considering audience, context, and purpose.
Adhere to established conventions of grammar, usage, style, and mechanics
Reflect on and revise your own writing, thinking, and creative processes.
Attribute knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically, using an appropriate citation style.

Week 7: Team Project: Multimedia Presentation (TMP) Draft

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Identify the information needed for the context of the inquiry.
Evaluate potential resolutions, conclusions, or solutions to problems or issues raised by an argument.
Provide individual contributions to overall collaborative effort to accomplish a task or goal.
Foster constructive team climate, resolve conflicts, and facilitate the contributions of all team members to address complex, open-ended problems.

Week 8: Team Project: Multimedia Presentation (TMP) Practice

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Offer resolutions, conclusions, and/or solutions based on evidence, considering limitations and implications
Provide individual contributions to overall collaborative effort to accomplish a task or goal.
Foster constructive team climate, resolve conflicts, and facilitate the contributions of all team members to address complex, open-ended problems.
Reflect on experiences of collaborative effort.

Week 9: Team Project: Multimedia Presentation (TMP) & Defense; Individual Project: Stimulus Packet

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Evaluate alternate, opposing, or competing perspectives or arguments, by considering their implications and limitations.
Engage an audience by employing effective techniques of delivery or performance.
Reflect on and revise your own writing, thinking, and creative processes.
Contextualize and identify the complexities of a problem or issue.

Unit 3: Practice Performance Task 2: Individual Research-based Essay and Presentation (Weeks 10-15)

Week 10: Individual Project: Introduction

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Pose questions and seek out answers that reflect multiple, divergent, or contradictory perspectives.
Employ appropriate reading strategies and read critically for a specific purpose.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.

Week 11: Individual Project: Research and Sources

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Evaluate the relevance and credibility of evidence used to support an argument, taking context into consideration.
Evaluate potential resolutions, conclusions, or solutions to problems or issues raised by an argument.
Interpret, use, and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative data/information from various perspectives and sources (e.g., primary, secondary, print, non-print) to develop and support an argument.

Week 12: Individual Project: Written Argument (IWA) Draft

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Explain and analyze the logic and line of reasoning of an argument.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Formulate a well-reasoned argument, taking the complexities of the problem or issue into consideration.
Attribute knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically, using an appropriate citation style.

Week 13: Individual Project: Written Argument (IWA) Final

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Connect an argument to broader issues by examining the implications of the author’s claim.
Evaluate alternate, opposing, or competing perspectives or arguments, by considering their implications and limitations.
Provide insightful and cogent commentary that links evidence with claims.

Week 14: Individual Project: Multimedia Presentation (IMP) Practice

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Extend an idea, question, process, or product to innovate or create new understanding.
Plan, produce, and present a cohesive argument, considering audience, context and purpose.
Adapt an argument for context, purpose and/or audience.

Week 15: Individual Project: Multimedia Presentation (IMP) & Defense

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Offer resolutions, conclusions, and/or solutions based on evidence considering limitations and implications.
Communicate information through appropriate media using effective techniques of design.
Adapt an argument for context, purpose, and/or audience.

Unit 4: College Board Performance Task 1: Team Project and Presentation (Weeks 16-23)

Week 16: Review Week: QUEST, Line of Reasoning, Argumentation

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Evaluate alternate, opposing, or competing perspectives or arguments, by considering their implications and limitations.
Formulate a well-reasoned argument, taking the complexities of the problem or issue into consideration.
Extend an idea, question, process, or product to innovate or create new understandings.

Week 17: Team Performance Task 1: Introduction

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Contextualize and identify the complexities of a problem or issue
Pose questions and seek out answers that reflect multiple, divergent, or contradictory perspectives.
Employ appropriate reading strategies and read critically for a specific purpose.

Week 18: Team Performance Task 1: Research, credibility and annotated bibliography

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Explain and analyze the logic and line of reasoning of an argument.
Evaluate the relevance and credibility of evidence used to support an argument, taking context into consideration.
Connect an argument to broader issues by examining the implications of the author’s claim.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Attribute knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically, using an appropriate citation style.

Week 19: Team Performance Task 1: Begin the Individual Research Report

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Formulate a well-reasoned argument, taking the complexities of the problem or issue into consideration.
Provide insightful and cogent commentary that links evidence with claims.
Adhere to established conventions of grammar, usage, style, and mechanics.

Week 20: Team Performance Task 1: Writing the Individual Research Report (IRR)

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Interpret, use, and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative data/information from various perspectives and sources (e.g., primary, secondary, print, non-print) to develop and support an argument.
Attribute knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically, using an appropriate citation style.
Adhere to established conventions of grammar, usage, style, and mechanics.

Week 21: Team Performance Task 1: Begin Presentations and Oral Defense

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Offer resolutions, conclusions, and/or solutions based on evidence considering limitations and implications.
Reflect on and revise your own writing, thinking, and creative processes.
Plan, produce, and present a cohesive argument, considering audience, context, and purpose.
Foster constructive team climate, resolve conflicts, and facilitate the contributions of all team members to address complex, open-ended problems.

Week 22: Team Performance Task 1: Presentations and Oral Defense

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Communicate information through appropriate media using effective techniques of design.
Engage an audience by employing effective techniques of delivery or performance.
Provide individual contributions to overall collaborative effort to accomplish a task or goal.
Reflect on experiences of collaborative effort.

Week 23: Team Performance Task 1: Presentations, Oral Defense, and the Stimulus

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Summarize and explain a text’s main idea or aim while avoiding faulty generalizations and oversimplification.
Reflect on and revise your own writing, thinking, and creative processes.
Reflect on experiences of collaborative effort.
Provide individual contributions to overall collaborative effort to accomplish a task or goal.

Unit 5: College Board Performance Task 2: Individual Research-based Essay and Presentation (Weeks 24-29)

Week 24: Individual Performance Task 2: Introduction

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Pose questions and seek out answers that reflect multiple, divergent, or contradictory perspectives.
Summarize and explain a text’s main idea or aim while avoiding faulty generalizations and oversimplification.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.

Week 25: Individual Performance Task 2: Research for Individual Written Argument

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Explain and analyze the logic and line of reasoning of an argument.
Identify, compare, and interpret multiple perspectives on or arguments about an issue.
Formulate a well-reasoned argument, taking the complexities of the problem or issue into consideration.

Week 26: Individual Performance Task 2: Write Individual Written Argument

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Evaluate the relevance and credibility of evidence used to support an argument, taking context into consideration.
Evaluate potential resolutions, conclusions, or solutions to problems or issues raised by an argument.
Evaluate alternate, opposing, or competing perspectives or arguments, by considering their implications and limitations.
Interpret, use, and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative data/information from various perspectives and sources (e.g., primary, secondary, print, non-print) to develop and support an argument.

Week 27: Individual Performance Task 2: Peer Edit and Final Individual Written Argument

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Evaluate alternate, opposing, or competing perspectives or arguments, by considering their implications and limitations.
Extend an idea, question, process, or product to innovate or create new understandings.
Adapt an argument for context, purpose, and/or audience.

Week 28: Individual Performance Task 2: Presentations and Oral Defense

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Communicate information through appropriate media using effective techniques of design.
Adapt an argument for context, purpose, and/or audience.
Reflect on and revise your own writing, thinking, and creative processes.

Week 29: Individual Performance Task 2: Final Presentation and Oral Defense

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Communicate information through appropriate media using effective techniques of design.
Engage an audience by employing effective techniques of delivery or performance.
Reflect on and revise your own writing, thinking, and creative processes.

Unit 6: Exam Practice (Weeks 30-33)

Week 30: AP Practice Exam

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Complete an AP Practice End-of-Course Exam.

Week 31: AP Exam Tips and Review

Weekly Learning Objectives:

Discuss common misconceptions and tips for the End-of-Course Exam.

Week 32: AP Practice Exam Reflection

Weekly Learning Objectives

Review and reflect on performance on the AP Practice End-of-Course Exam and address areas of improvement.

Week 33: Final Thoughts and Goodbyes

Reflect on your experience in the course.