AP Unit Plan
Transfer: Students will be able to independently use their learning to
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Analyze real-life situations regarding charity, adversity, and poverty
Respond to world events with critical thinking and discernment
Understandings: Students will understand that
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Multiple viewpoints exist and must be explored
Evidence for essays must be appropriate and varied
Analysis involves textual evidence and commentary
Essential questions: Students will keep considering
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What is my responsibility to people living in poverty?
To what extent should I become independent?
How can adversity positively affect people’s lives?
What is the role of the government in protecting citizens from exploitation?
Students will know
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Appropriate format for argument, rhetorical analysis, and synthesis essays
Appropriate evidence for argument, rhetorical analysis, and synthesis essays
Students will be skilled at
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Writing the three types of AP essays
Thinking critically about life and world issues
Performance tasks:
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Write persuasive and analytical essays relating to poverty, independence, and
charity
Self-assess essays using grading rubrics and sample papers
Research local food banks and safety net organizations and present the info to the
class
Receive formal observation scores for productive classroom behaviors
Local food banks/ safety net programs and organizations assignment: Tuesday, January 22
Students will work in groups to gather and present information about food banks and
other organizations locally available to struggling families, as well as safety net programs
available across the country. Topics include the following:
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Local food banks/food pantries
Free/reduced lunch program
WIC
ARKids Health Insurance Program
Food Stamps Program
Section 8 Housing
TANF (Welfare Program)
SSI (Disability)
Unemployment Insurance
Local Homeless Shelters/Meal Programs
International Charities (choose one)
An assignment sheet will be provided listing the types of information to be included in the
report. A number of class days will be provided to gather information and plan the
presentation. These days will be spread throughout the unit so as to make the information
more meaningful as students explore the other writings.
Readings:
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Singer and Hardin—Opposing viewpoints from Current Issues and Enduring
questions
Lars Eighner “On Dumpster Diving”
“On Compassion” Barbara Lazear Ascher
From Rereading America:
o “Good Noise” Cora Tucker
o “The Lesson” Toni Cade Bambera
o “Serving in Florida”
Essays:
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Adversity Question 3 2009
Charitable Acts Incentives Question 3 2007
Singer Solution to World Poverty Question 3 2005
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Maria Stewart 2005 Question 1 Form B
Lord Chesterfield’s Letter 2004 Question 1
Benjamin Banneker 2010 Question 2
Learning Events:
Week 1:
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Introduce Group Assignment, form groups, choose/assign topics, choose roles, do
initial exploratory research
Singer Reading Assigned
Discussion of Singer Reading
Singer Essay
Scoring of Singer Essay in Class
Week 2:
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Group project time
Hardin Reading Assigned
Hardin Reading Discussion
Lord Chesterfield Essay
Scoring of Lord Chesterfield Essay
Week 3:
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Group Project Time
“The Lesson” Assigned
Discussion of “The Lesson”
Creative Writing Assignment: Childhood lesson
Group project/finish creative writing assignment
Week 4:
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Assign “On Dumpster Diving”
Discussion of “On Dumpster Diving”
Essay: Incentives for Charitable Acts
Score Charitable Acts Essays
Creative Writing: Give instructions for something unexpected
Week 5:
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Group Project Time
Assign “Good Noise”
Discuss “Good Noise”
Essay: Maria Stewart Question
Score Maria Stewart Essays
Week 6:
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Assign “Serving in Florida”
Discuss “Serving in Florida”
Examine minimum wage and cost of living information for different states
Adversity Essay
Score Adversity Essay, Group Project time
Week 7:
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Assign “On Compassion”
Discuss “On Compassion”
Group Project Time: Presentations next week
Banneker Essay
Score Banneker Essay
Week 8:
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Present Projects