1. What are you reading?

2. AP Language and Composition It’s Thursday, 24 August 2017
Time will pass; will you? 69 school days remain in the fall semester.
Today’s Objective:
Students will begin practicing AP-level multiple-choice.
Students will be introduced, via reading and viewing a video, to the concept of philosophy.

3. Recognition, Happy Birthdays and Congratulations!
It’s Roshan’s birthday!
Adrian’s birthday is Saturday!

4. Housekeeping From Counseling:
Keep abreast of the Daily Course Calendar. This is a fluid document…
Last updated August 16
From Counseling:
The PSAT practice books have arrived so we are now ready for students to sign up.  Attached is a flier with all the pertinent information if you would like to post it in your classroom.  I will also have copies available in the bookstore when students pay the $20 and get their practice books. JUNIORS ONLY can go to the bookstore and sign up.  Underclassmen will be able to start signing up on Sept 5.This does fall on the last Saturday of fall break.  We don’t do refunds, so students need to make sure they are going to be here before they register. 

5. Coming Due—do not squander time—that’s the stuff life’s made of!
NOTE: You should be spending 3-5 hours a week on research.
Monday, 8/28
All work for “The Allegory of the Cave”
Score sheets will be collected, with required work attached
Vocab Log #2
Tuesday, 9/5
Grammar Lesson #2: Short, simple sentences and fragments
Annotated Bibs # 1 and 2 —tii upload is required

6. The curious student and my email box…
Today’s Class Objective: Students will practice AP-level multiple-choice tests.
The curious student and my box…
Is this for points?
Review: Rhetorical Precis “Anyone Can Think Like a Philosopher”
AP-level multiple-choice practice
This is how we’ll do it—consider this “close reading” practice, and AP exam prep

7. Today’s Class Objective: Students will be introduced, via reading, the concept of philosophy.
“The Allegory of the Cave”
The Matrix—an allegory to the allegory?
Plato’s Forms
Plato’s Cave
What will be talk about on Monday? Anything you want. You’re in charge— for example…
Reading: first time through

8. Whose idea was this rhetoric thing?
Socrates: B.C.E.
Father of Western philosophy and Mentor to Plato. Epistemology and logic.
Plato: B.C.E.
Student of Socrates and founder of “The Academy” Philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric and mathematics.
Aristotle: B.C.E.
Student of Plato, and teacher to Alexander the Great.

9. Heuristic dictionary.com
adjective
1.serving to indicate or point out; stimulating interest as a means of furthering investigation.
2.encouraging a person to learn, discover, understand, or solve problems on his or her own, as by experimenting, evaluating possible answers or solutions, or by trial and error: a heuristic teaching method.
3.of, relating to, or based on experimentation, evaluation, or trial-and-error methods.
4.Computers, Mathematics. pertaining to a trial-and- error method of problem solving used when an algorithmic approach is impractical.

10. With the use of heuristics, anyone can think like a philosopher
Read and annotate the essay
Write a rhetorical precis—word-processed, due Thursday

12. Today’s Class Objective: Students will review the standards for credible research, and explore topics and research techniques.
Class Website
Reviewing CARS—your “bible” for research
The CARS Checklist for Research (Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support)
Be SAFE when you research—look for Statistics, Anecdotes, Facts and Expert Opinions

13. The “checked practice” assignments
I would rather reward you for effort than punish you with a grade for some assignments. We will do a number of “practice” assignments of varying levels of difficulty. I don’t always expect you to have the “right” answers; indeed, there may be many “right” answers as a matter of opinion. What I look for is thought and effort. I can tell by looking at your work approximately how much thought and time was put into the assignment.  Did you attempt to complete the assignment when you got to class, for example? This would definitely not demonstrate effort.
 If you would like to contest a grade, simply bring the assignment in to me, with proper reasons, and we’ll discuss it.
+: A range (90-100%): Excellence and Effort. Time, effort, and diligence are apparent. All the work is completed; full support is offered for all answers; examples are given when needed. (25 = )
 : B range (80-89%): Adequate work and effort. The work was completed, but more support and effort and development should be apparent. You understood the assignment, but might have done better. (25 = )
 -: C range (70-79%): Average work and effort. An attempt was made to complete the assignment, but your understanding of it is not clear, effort may not be apparent and the work may be sloppy. (25 = )
U: D range (50-69%): unacceptable work. Your work is incomplete, rushed, or simply incorrect. This level or work in unacceptable for an AP-level class. (15)

14. Facts do matter—understand the point of credibility

16. Rhetoric Rhetoric: Close Reading: Rhetorical Analysis:
The traditional definition of rhetoric, first proposed by Aristotle, and embellished over the centuries by scholars and teachers, is that rhetoric is the art of observing in any given case the “available means of persuasion.”
Close Reading:
Reading to “develop an understanding of a text, written or visual, that is based first on the words and images themselves and then on the larger ideas those words suggest.”
Rhetorical Analysis:
Defining an author’s purpose, then identifying and analyzing the techniques and strategies employed to achieve that purpose.

17. Today’s Class Vocabulary log out
Today’s Class Vocabulary log out? Objective: To review and begin to learn the basics of synthesis writing.
What is synthesis writing?
From a Greek root which means “to put together,” synthesis is the process of bringing together information from various sources, written or visual, to develop a position on a particular topic and form a new whole.
Explanatory Synthesis: brings together sources to illustrate a subject (encyclopedias, textbooks, brochures, museum guides, music performance notes, etc.)
Argumentative Synthesis aims to persuade, to convince readers of a claim. Some evidence (sources) is provided to support the claim, while other evidence (sources) may be used to represent views the writer rejects (commonly known as refutation).

18. AP one-word scoring descriptors for timed writing essays:
Effective and Adequate Essays
Ineffective Essays
A 9 is “unique”
An 8 is “sophisticated”
A 7 is “effective”
A 6 is “adequate”
A 5 is “uneven”
A 4 is “inadequate”
A 3 is “unsuccessful”
A 2 is “confusing”
A 1 is “ugh?”

19. Evaluation The 9-point rubric
9-point descriptors
The Anchor Papers—these are “samples”— responses vary
Camera Shots (these are worth 50 points)
Scoring…

20. Why Goals and Objectives?
Course Goal—broad, long-term
To understand the elements of argument and other genres or writing, and apply them in both writing, and analysis.
Daily Objective—accomplishing “pieces” of the “goal,” one step at a time
To understand and evaluate the finer elements argument