This semester will focus on developing college and career readiness in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking.   We will approach the curriculum using common core instructional approaches, including inquiry based learning and group/individual problem solving.  The major project for the semester is the Career Portfolio project, in which students will be asked to research, write about, and present a topic of their choosing which is relevant to their future paths.  All students will write a narrative essay which they may use for college and/or scholarship applications.  Literature will include a variety of selections from around the world, beginning with early heroic myths such as Beowulf (Theme:  The Epic Hero) and continuing with Hamlet and Brave New World (Theme;  The Human Condition).   Second semester literature assignments will focus on the themes of "Exchange of Ideas" and "Emotional Currents."   Reading assignments will also include articles and nonfiction pieces about a variety of topics, preparing students for college and career expectations.  Grammar and vocabulary instruction will be approached through the reading and writing assignments. 

 

AP Seminar is the first course in a two-year program created by College Board called AP Capstone.  In Seminar, students engage in activities focused on five Big Ideas:  Question and Explore, Understand and Analyze, Evaluate Multiple Perspectives, Synthesize Ideas, and Team/Transform/Transmit.  Students will read, discuss, analyze, and evaluate a wide variety of scholarly, journalistic, literary, artistic, and foundational texts relevant to the topic of Global Perspectives. They will also engage in individual and team-based research projects focused on synthesizing multiple resources to develop an original argument and share their findings in the form of multimedia presentations.  

 

Team Research Project and Presentation (20% of overall AP Score)--January and February

Individual Research Project and Presentation (35% of overall AP Score)--March and April

End of Course Exam (45% of overall score)--May

 

First semester instruction will focus on developing skills relevant to each part of the assessment.  Students will be given multiple opportunities to practice these skills in the form of "mock" assessments which count as formative and summative assessments.  First semester curriculum will be organized around three thematic units:

Unit 1:  Identity and Diversity (Weeks 1-6)

Unit 2:  Effects of Globalization (Weeks 7-12)

Unit 3:  Issues Related to Human Rights (Weeks 13-18)

 

 

 

 

Global Perspective Studies:  GPS is a four-year curricular and enrichment path that gives students the opportunity to explore cultures, careers and social issues in a wide range of settings.  Please see the school website for more detailed information, upcoming events and forms.