In a recent conversation with some other AP® Lit teachers (the likes of which I am humbled to be included), we began talking about the role that the AP® Lit skills play in our students’ approaches to education. We described the skills using three different symbols, and I began to think that it would ...
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My 10 Favorite Short Stories for AP Lit
After completing so many AP Lit Skill Spotlights, it's becoming clear to me that some texts are used more than others. Here's my list of the top 10 short stories for AP Lit, based on three criteria: 1) application of AP Lit skills; 2) interest and engagement for readers; 3) potential analysis of ...
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AP Lit Skill Spotlight: Narrator & Perspective
Enduring Understanding: A speaker's or narrator’s perspective controls the details and emphases that affect how readers experience and interpret a text.Below are a variety of clips to get students thinking about a narrator’s perspective and how we as the audience are influenced by that particular ...
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AP Lit Skill Spotlight: Character and Setting
When you examine the AP® Lit CED, you notice a natural progression in the Setting skills. First, students are asked to identify elements of setting (2.A). Next, they analyze the function of setting in 2.B, such as how it contributes to a story's mood or theme. Finally, students should analyze the ...
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Mosaic 2021 – A Mixed Media Approach to AP Lit
This is a blog-version of my presentation in the online Mosaic conference on July 19, 2021. To view the presentation from that night, click here. Three years ago, I began teaching How to Read Literature Like a Professor in class for the first time. While I saw its potential in an AP® Lit class, I ...
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AP Lit Skill Spotlight: Similes in Prose
Some may be surprised to see a seemingly poetic skill such as a simile in Short Fiction III for AP® Lit, but it does make sense. Advanced readers need to notice a writer's comparison and be able to analyze its significance as well. While this spotlight lesson zeroes in on similes, it can include all ...
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