Lesson Plan 5: AP Multiple Choice Practice

Excerpt from Emersons The American

Scholar and Questions
UTL 640E
Kathryn Kelley / Austin High School
Language / 11th
11/3/15
1st Period / 10:15 11:28 & 4th Period / 2:45 4:15

Sarah Smith
AP
Teaches # 7 & 8

Enduring Understandings & Essential Questions:

Writersemployvariousrhetorical,figurativeandliterarydevicesintextstocreate
nuancedandpersuasivearguments,andreadersthancanidentifythemeaningof
thosedevicesarebetterequippedtodetectthestructureandmeaningoftexts.
o Howdogrammaticalandstylisticchoicesaffectthepurposeofatext?(c)
o Howdowritersbestpersuadetheiraudiences?(c)
TheAmericanscholarpersonifiestheidealsthatthetranscendentalistsseeasvital
totheAmericandemocracyandtotheabilityformantoliveatruthfuland
authenticlife.
o Whatdoesbeingascholarmean,accordingtoRalphWaldoEmerson?(f)
o Arescholarstheonlypeopleinsocietywhocanbetrulyfreefrom
humanitysmoralandintellectualconstraints?(p)
o Whatisselftrustandselfreliance?(c)
Testtaking,specificallymultiplechoiceexams,cultivatestheskillsetsofreading
comprehensionofanalysisquestionsandthecomprehensionandexaminationof
possibleanswers,skillsetsthatcontributetoacademicand
o Whataretheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofmultiplechoiceexams?(f)
o Whattypeofknowledgeandlearningdomultiplechoiceexamsassess?
(c)
o DoestheAPmultiplechoiceexamassesslearningdifferentlythanother
multiplechoiceexams?(c)

Lesson Objective:
Studentswillcompeteinamultiplechoicegameasaclassafterhaving1)completedthe
12questionpracticesetindependentlyand2)discussedthequestionsinsmallgroupsto
reachconsensusonasetofanswersinordertodeveloptheirclosereadingandanalysis
skills,practicediscussinganddebating,andtopreparefortheAPLanguageexam.

Resources/Materials:
A.TODObeforethedayofthelesson:
Assignstudentsintogroupsof45

Makecopiesofthepracticequestions
MakecopiesofMultipleChoiceGamehandout
Haveanswerkeyandteacheranswersheetready

B.Forthelessonitself:
Arrangedesksintogroups
Haveanonlinetimersetupforindividualquestionpractice
HavewhiteboardsanddryerasemarkersforeachgrouptouseduringtheMC
game

TEKS Addressed in the Lesson:

(6) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Literary Nonfiction. Students understand,
make inferences and draw conclusions about the varied structural patterns and features of
literary nonfiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.
Students are expected to analyze how rhetorical techniques (e.g., repetition, parallel
structure, understatement, overstatement) in literary essays, true life adventures, and
historically important speeches influence the reader, evoke emotions, and create meaning.
(7) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Sensory Language. Students understand,
make inferences and draw conclusions about how an author's sensory language creates
imagery in literary text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.
Students are expected to analyze the meaning of classical, mythological, and biblical
allusions in words, phrases, passages, and literary works.

Steps in Lesson:
Engagement(3minutes)Togetthestudentsreadytodomultiplechoicepractice,and
toseehowtheyarefeelingabouttheAPtestevenifitisntuntilMay,Illdoaquick
thumbsup/thumbsdowntothequestion,IfyouhadthetaketheAPtestnextweek,
wouldyoufeelconfidentaboutthemultiplechoicesection?
StatedObjective(1min)TodayweregoingtobedoingAPmultiplechoicepractice
inafewdifferentways,sothatyallstarttofeelmorecomfortablewiththeformatofthe
APmultiplechoicesection.Wellbeworkingonthesectionsindividuallyandthenwell
begettingintogroupstodoamultiplechoicegame,whereyoullhaveachancetoget
helponanyquestionyoumayhavenotbeensureabout,andthenwellcompeteagainst
eachothersowegetachancetoseewhatthewholeclassisthinkingaboutthesemultiple
choicequestions.
ActiveLearning(~81minutes)
Explain(3minutes):Soforourmultiplechoicepracticeweregoingtobe
doingafewthings.Butfirstwewillworkthroughthissetindividually,andyoull
get25minutestowork.

o StudentsalsohavetheirMCGamehandoutthattheywillrecordtheir
answersontoaftertheyhavefinishedansweringthepracticequestions.At
thebottomtheywillwriteanytermsorphrasesthattheyareunsureabout
ordontknow/recognize.
Apply(25minutes):Studentsreadthepracticepassageandgothroughthe12
practicequestionsindividually,selectingananswerforeachquestion.During
individualwork,theywontbeallowedtouseanysupplementalmaterials
(YellowPages,notes,etc.).TheywillcopytheiranswersontotheirMCGame
handouttousewhentheygetintotheirgroups.
o TherewillbeatimerontheboardtohelpstudentsgetintotheAPtest
takingmode.
Explain(3minutes):Afterindividualpractice,wewilltransitionintoworking
withingroups.YoualreadyhaveyourMCGamehandoutwithyouranswersin
onecolumn,andnowyouandyourgrouparegoingtodiscusseachquestionso
thatyouhaveagroupanswerforeachquestion.Yourgrouphastocometoa
consensusthroughtalkingabouteachquestion,notjustletonepersonsaytheir
answerisrightandmoveon!
o IfstudentshadntfinishedcopyingtheirindividualanswersontotheMC
Gamehandout,theywillhave~1minuteduringthistimetodoso.
Apply(~28minutes):Workingingroups,studentswillworkthroughthe12
questions,discussingastheygotodecideononeanswerforthewholegroup.
Duringthistime,studentswillbeallowedtousetheirnotes,dictionariesortheir
YellowPagestohelpthemanswerthequestions.
o Iftheydiscussallquestionsandhavechosengroupanswersforall
questions,theywilldiscussthewordstheywroteunderIamunsure
aboutthemeaningontheirMCGamehandout.
Evaluate(22minutes):Afterallgroupshavediscussedintheirsmallgroups,we
willdoamultiplechoicegameasawholeclass.Wewillgothroughandread
aloudeachquestion,andeachgroupwillholduptheiranswerontheir
whiteboard,foreachcorrectanswerthegroupwillgetonepoint.Ifthereare
answersotherthanthecorrectanswer,wewilldiscussthequestionasaclassand
Iwillaskagroupthatgotthatquestionright,toexplainwhytheiransweris
correct.
o Afterwevegonethroughthe12practicequestions,wewilldiscussasa
classtheIamunsureaboutthemeaningsectionontheirMCgame
handoutstomakesuretherearenolingeringquestionsafterthepractice
set.

Closure(5minutes)OnthebacksideoftheirMCGamehandout,studentswilldoa3
21exitfromthepractice.Theywillwrite3thingstheylearned(newterm,something
aboutthepassage,etc.),2thingstheyhaveaquestionabout(theformatofAPmultiple
choice,oneofthequestions,etc.)and1thingtheywantmetoknow(aboutiftheyliked
howwedidthegame,iftheythinkithelpedthemworkonAPmultiplechoice,ifthey
likedworkingingroups,etc.).

Theywillturntheseinastheyleavetheclassroom,alongwiththeirMCGame
handout.

Modifications:
1stPeriod
Drew(504):Havingherindividualworkpartofthegroupworkwillkeepheraccountable
toworkingindependently.
Iwillencouragehertoparticipateduringwholeclassdiscussionbyaskingher
grouptoshareortoansweraquestion.
Joe(504):Transitioningfromindividualtosmallgrouptowholeclassworkwillkeep
himengagedandfocusedonthetasks.
Willusenonverbalsignalsifnecessarywhileheisworkingindividuallyorinhis
group.
Carmen(504):Havingherindividualworkbepartofthegroupworkwillkeepher
accountabletoworkingindependently,andgiveheranysupportsheneedswiththe
individualtask.
Threedifferentlevelsofclassroomorganizationwillkeepherengaged,even
thoughitsnottotallymultisensoryinstruction.
4thPeriod
Kian(504):WorkingindividuallyalongwithworkingwithagroupwillprovideKian
withsupportifisstrugglingtofocusorgettinganxious.
Ifheneedstoexittheclassroomordoanythingtokeephimselfcalm,Iwillallow
himtodoso.

Differentiation Strategies:

WorkingindividuallywillshowstudentswhattheywillhavetodoontheAPtest.
Gettingtogetherwithagrouptoreviewanswerswillprovidesupportforstudents
whoarestrugglingwiththeindividualpractice.
Eachgrouphavingtocometoaconsensusontheanswerstoeachquestionwill
allowstudentstodiscussanddebate.
Playingthemultiplechoicegamewillallowstudentswhothriveoncompetition
anoutlettoshowthatintheclassroom,andalsoprovidethemanopportunityto

Evaluation Strategies:

(formal):completionoftheindividualmultiplechoicepracticeset
(informal):monitoringofsmallgroupdiscussionanddebate,groupscompletion
ofthemultiplechoicegamehandout
(informal):duringgame,willbeabletoseeifeachgroupchoseananswerfor
eachquestionwithintheirgroup
(formal):studentswillturnintheirMCGamehandoutsattheendofclass

Notes/Recommendations for next time:

Thestudentsthoughtthiswasuseful!Andmanyofthemsaidthattheythought
hearingotherpeoplesthoughtprocesseswasinsightfulandhelpedthemthink
aboutthequestionsinnewways.
HowcanweconnectAPMCpracticetobroaderideasandteaching?Arethere
anyreallifeconnectionsthatwecanmakewhenteachingthis?
Studentsin6thperiodwerealittletoocompetitiveandnegativetowardsother
groups.Howdoyoupromotefriendlycompetitionifyouhaventbeendoingit
sincethebeginningofthesemester?Isthereanywaytosetuptheseactivitiesso
thatcertaingroupsthatmayhavehadmoredifficultywiththeexercisedontfeel
embarrassedinfrontoftherestoftheclass?
PairinghighachievingstudentswithlowerachievingstudentsworkedsowellI
heardalotofstudentsteachingeachother!Andstudentsallsaidthatworking
togetherandusingtheirpeersmindsandotherassortednoteshelpedthemto
betterunderstandwhytheyarestruggling.
WritingfeedbackonstudentsindividualMCGamehandoutswasproductiveand
usefulbecauseseeingtheirthoughtsinformedmytakeawaysfromthelessonand
helpedmethinkabouthowIwoulddothisdifferentlywithotherstudents,and
potentiallywithaclassofthesesameAPLangstudentsinthestudentteaching
semester.