As the beginning of the year approaches, teachers feel stressed over everything that needs to be done. Whether this is organizing the classroom or planning new lessons, the to-do list is never-ending. On top of this, teachers are trying to ensure every student has an incredible year. This means adding their interests into lessons to keep them engaged. Honestly, this can be hard to do! These 5 beginning of the year AP Lang activities are here to help guide your planning!
What Should I Start With?
Before diving into the AP Language and Composition fun activities, let’s explore the driving factor. For me, it is rhetorical analysis. This type of writing holds a special place in my heart. We spend about 9-12 weeks on rhetorical analysis, depending on the number of fire drills, assemblies, or other interruptions. Rhetorical analysis, also known as AP Lang Q2, is often the most difficult for my students to grasp. So, I prefer to start with rhetoric and revisit it in the second semester.
Now, there is nothing wrong with starting with synthesis or argument! It is okay for teachers to have different preferences since every classroom has students with different needs. When I progress to synthesis, I spend almost an entire marking period guiding students through this skill. We spend a lot of time working with various sources, which is a great way to build their argumentative skills. Then, we begin the second semester with an argument. While this is challenging for students, they have the knowledge used with synthesis to help. Likewise, they have the knowledge gained from their other classes. For instance, their history classes give them a deep understanding of evaluating sources! This aspect is so helpful for my students. If you cover all three elements, do what makes the most sense to you!
Activity 1: Commercial Analysis
Analyzing commercials is a great way to introduce concepts such as the rhetorical situation and rhetorical choices. Commercials are short, quick ways to teach challenging topics. I love to bring in advertisements students enjoy, such as Nike. Likewise, Super Bowl commercials are excellent to use, especially if you are teaching rhetorical analysis in the second semester.
When selecting commercials, just be sure to watch them first to make sure they are appropriate for your school’s guidelines. You want the content to be clear for students. Additionally, you want there to be a strong purpose, message, and audience.
I include my commercial analysis activity in my 9-week Rhetorical Analysis Unit. Check it out here!
Activity 2: Summaries
Now, you might think it doesn’t make sense to use summaries when we want students to avoid summarizing too much in their essays. And that’s true. Indeed, they should be analyzing or arguing. However, summaries are a great activity to use at the beginning of the year! Teachers can guide students into learning while seeing their writing abilities. This activity also provides insight into comprehension.
To implement this activity, I start with a timed draft. So, I provide students with the article and then give them a set amount of time to complete a summary. Ten minutes is usually the perfect amount of time. Then, students can peer edit to focus on word choice, key details, verb usage, and syntax. I can also work on more advanced punctuation if this is a good fit for students. Honestly, this is a great way to help students work under pressure to prepare for the high-stakes testing of the AP Lang exam.
Activity 3: Mini Debates
I love to use mini debates when introducing argument or synthesis. Honestly, I find student-friendly, non-controversial topics are the best way to focus on the skills for this AP Lang activity. This may be debating whether a hot dog is a sandwich or which restaurant has the best fries. You can even personalize topics based on where you live or your students’ interests. Ultimately, mini debates are an excellent way for students to evaluate sources and build an argument. Similarly, this activity is a powerful way to help students remember there are always two sides to consider.
Activity 4: Speed Debating
Speed debating is such a fun way to work on debate topics. To begin, I set up desks or chairs in a way that allows students to face each other. As the name suggests, this setup is similar to Speed Dating. If needed, you can always change what you call the activity–you could call it “the gauntlet,” for instance. Either way, students will love working on content in this format!
A different debate topic is placed on the desk for each pairing. Then, the teacher gives the pair a select amount of time to debate. Students will then rotate around to discuss each topic with a partner. Honestly, this is a great way to build relationships and hear how students make an argument.
Activity 5: Synthesis Dinner Party
For those starting with synthesis, this is a great activity! (It’s actually one of my favorite AP Lang activities for synthesis.) Students will begin by reading their synthesis sources. Typically, I use 6-8 sources, as that is what students encounter on the exam. Students then receive a template that looks like a dinner party table. The middle is where they restate the prompt. Then, the chairs around the plate reflect the number of sources. So, if there are 6 sources, I will put 6 “chairs” or boxes around the table. Students will then organize their sources into the best way for the sources to have a “conversation.” This means that if two sources are opposite, they will go in chairs away from each other. Essentially, the sources that do not agree with each other stay away from each other.
The thought process behind the seating chart sparks so much learning. Students evaluate sources, discuss them with classmates, and dive into a deeper understanding. Many times, I often have students complete short writing explaining their seating chart.
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong way to teach rhetoric, arguments, and synthesis. The activities and lessons vary depending on the teacher, students, and district. However, these 5 beginning of the year AP Lang activities offer creative ways to begin these skills!
For more details, check out the 5 Beginning of the Year AP Lang Activities Video.
Check out this blog post for more AP Lang teacher tips!
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