AP English III Unit 1

Big Idea:

• Students will be able to identify parts of an argument within a passage.
• Students will be able to identify the question asked by the prompt and answer the question resulting in creating a position statement.
• Students will be able to construct an argumentative essay.

Student Expectations:

Priority TEKS

SC1 The course requires students to write in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essays) about a variety of subjects (e.g., public policies, popular culture, personal experiences).

SC8 The course requires students to analyze how visual images relate to written texts and/or how visual images serve as alternative forms of texts.

Focus TEKS

SC2 The course requires students to write essays that proceed through several stages or drafts with the revision incorporating, as appropriate, feedback from teachers and peers.

Ongoing TEKS

SC6 The course requires students to produce one or more argumentative writing assignments. Topics should be based on readings representing a wide variety of prose styles and genres and might include such topics as public policies, popular culture, and personal experiences.

SC3 The course requires students to write in informal contexts (e.g., imitation exercises, journal keeping, collaborative writing, and in-class responses) designed to help them become increasingly aware of themselves as writers and/or aware of the techniques employed by the writers they read.

Learning Targets:

• Understand argumentative terms
• Identify assertions, claims, concessions, rebuttals, qualifications, assumptions, and generalizations within a text.
• Understand how to structure an argumentative essay
• Construct an outline in TSIS format.
• Write an argumentative essay in which the position taken (agree, disagree, qualify) is supported by evidence from both the text and known evidence.
• Identify the question the prompt is asking.
• Answer the question in the form of a position statement.
• Formulate explanation of evidence to support your chosen position.
• Explain the author’s use of rhetorical strategies.
• Explain the author’s use of rhetorical techniques

Essential Questions:

• What assertions, claims, concessions, rebuttals, qualification, assumptions, and generalizations are made within a text, advertisement, or speech?
• What is the claim made by the author?
• What assertions does the author make?
• What generalizations does the author make?
• What assumptions does the author make?
• Do you agree, disagree, or qualify with the author’s claim?
• Did you properly concede to the opposing argument using valid evidence?
• Does your third body paragraph properly refute your concession?

Extra Information:

Adopted Textbook:

District Grading Policy

Texas Gateway Online Resource Center