AP Course:

AP English Literature & Composition

Phyllis Wright

CONSULTANT: Phyllis Wright

Phyllis Wright has taught AP Language and AP Literature at Las Cruces High School and Alma d’arte Charter High School in Las Cruces, NM, for a combined 48 years. She has a Master’s degree in English, with post-graduate work in Greece and England. She has been honored as the 1997 New Mexico State Teacher of the Year, a 1999 Golden Apple Fellow, and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.  As a 2002 United States—NIS—Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, she participated in a cultural exchange as a guest English teacher in Rotov-na-Donu, Russia. 

Phyllis has been an active College Board consultant since 1986 and has worked with teachers all over the world, from China, Thailand, and South Korea to Jordon and the UAE. Trained as a College Board National Leader and consultant/teacher mentor, she has served as a Reader and Table Leader for the AP Language exam and as a member of AP English Test Development Committee.She is also a member of the Pre-AP National Faculty and is a Co-Mentor for the College Board’s International Teacher Community.Outside of school, she is an avid hiker and the Training Director for Mesilla Valley Search and Rescue Team.

Class Description:

Day 1: Equity; Big Ideas, Poetry Analysis FRQ

Introductions/Goals
Online Guidelines
Introductions and Goals
AP Exam Overview
College Board slides (1-39)

  • Course and Exam Description/Curricular Requirements Overview

  • Big Ideas, Enduring Understandings, and Course Content

  • Skills and/or Practices

  • Introduction to Assessmen

Integrated Discussion

  • Rhetorical Framework and Situation

  • AP Prompt Types and Commonalties

  • Spiraling the Big Ideas

  • Focus on Analysis:  TP-CASTT

Examining the Poetry Analysis FRQ
2021 Poetry Question 1-6 Analytical Rubric 
Synchronous and Breakout Work: College Board FRQs, poetry, art, music, film (Why Man Creates (Saul Bass) 25 minutes
Asynchronous Work: 

  • Deep dive into Course Description and Exam Description Binder

  • Explore AP Central and AP Teacher Community

  • Read Student Samples from 2021 Poetry Question

  • Plan for Day 4 Big Idea/Lesson plan workshop  

Day 2: Equity, Prose Fiction Analysis FRQ, Multiple Choice

Discuss/ Score Student Samples from 2021 Synthesis Question
College Board slides (40-88): 

  • Diving into Unit 1

  • Unit 1 Content, Topics, Scope, and Sequence

  • Unit 1 Skills Instructional Strategies

  • Unit 1 AP Classroom Deep-Dive       

Integrated Discussion: Focus on Character and Setting

Text Selection and Sensitive Literature
Examining the Prose Fiction Analysis FRQ
2021 Prose Fiction Analysis Question 1-6 Analytical Rubric
Synchronous and Breakout Work:  non-fiction, College Board FRQs, poetry, art, music
Asynchronous Work: 

  • Read Student Samples from 2021 Prose Fiction. FRQ

  • Explore AP Classroom

  • Plan for Day 4 Big Idea/Lesson plan workshop 

Day 3: Equity, Literary Argument FRQ

Discuss/Score Student Samples from 2021 Prose Analysis FRQ
College Board slides (89-93)

  • Unit 1: Purposeful Planning

  • Consultant/Participant Unit of Choice

  • Unit Skills and Instructional Strategies

  • AP Classroom Connections

Integrated Discussion: Focus on Structure and Narration

Literary Argument (open-ended question) in relief
2021 Literary Argument Question 1-6 Analytical Rubric 
Synchronous and Breakout Work:  College Board FRQs, poetry, art, music
Asynchronous Work: 

  • Read Student Samples from 2021 Literary Argument FRQ

  • Plan for Day 4 Big Idea/Lesson plan workshop 

Day 4: Equity; Big Idea Presentations, Instructional Planning

 Big Idea/Lesson Plan Presentations
Discuss/Score Student Samples from 2021 Literary Argument FRQ
Focus on Figurative Language and Literary Argumentation
College Board Slides:  Instructional Planning Report (1-22)

  • Examine AP Audit:  College Board Slide

  • Group Discussion and Questions

  • Teacher Q & A

  • Evaluations and Au revoirs