Syllabus
AP SEMINAR
About the AP Capstone Program
AP Capstone is an innovative diploma program from the College Board that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. AP Capstone is built on the foundation of two AP courses - AP Seminar and AP Research - and is designed to complement and enhance the in-depth, discipline-specific study experienced in other AP courses.
In AP Seminar, students investigate real-world issues from multiple perspectives, gathering and analyzing information from various sources in order to develop credible and valid evidence-based arguments. In AP Research, students cultivate the skills and discipline necessary to conduct independent research in order to produce and defend a scholarly academic thesis.
Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing will receive the AP Capstone Diploma. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams will receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.
AP Seminar Course Description
AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, research studies, and foundational literary and philosophical texts; listening to and viewing speeches, broadcasts and personal accounts; and experiencing artistic works and performances. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Ultimately, the course aims to equip students with the power to analyze and evaluate information with accuracy and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.
Supplies Needed: Three ring binder, thumb drive, highlighters in 5 different colors, and annotation sticky note pads in varying colors.
Special request: Bag of candy, a ream of paper, a box of Kleenex, a role of paper towels, hand sanitizer, Windex, computer screen cleaning wipes.
Internet Access: Students will need daily access to the internet either at home or the public library. The Capstone department at Edison Prep will provide a classroom set of iPads for the students use. However if parents prefer, students are allowed to bring to class their personal laptop, iPad, or smart phone.
Lab Attendance: Students will be encouraged to take advantage of lab time to get support with their research, essays, and presentations. Edison will allow students to stay after school or come to the school on specific weekends to meet with peers and faculty to discuss their research. Students will have access to computers, printers, necessary software programs, and the internet when attending these labs.
Instructional Resources: To meet the course objectives, current media, magazines, journals, newspapers and other secondary and primary sources will be incorporated.
Support texts will come from the following sources:
Turabian, Kate L. - Student's Guide to Writing College Papers
Jacobus - A World of Ideas
Palmquist, Mike - The Bedford Researcher
Faigley, L. and Selzer, J. and Pirrone, J. - Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments
Austin, Michael - Reading the World Ideas That Matter
Chaffee, John - Critical Thinking, Thoughtful Writing
Palmquist, M. (2012). The Bedford Researcher (4th ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's
Evaluation and Grading
Grading Scale: The AP (weighted) grading scale will be used with the following variances:
A: 90 and above
B: 80 - 89
C: 70 - 79
D: 60 - 69
F: 59 or below
Grading Values by Semester: Grades will be entered into PowerSchool using the grading scale above, however the overall value for each grade will based on the work values noted below:
1st Semester
· Unit 1 AP Seminar 101 - 30% of overall grade (20% Participation, 20% Classwork, 60% Exams)
· Unit 2 Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation - 30% of overall grade (20% Participation, 20% Classwork, 30% Research Paper, 30% Presentation)
· Unit 3 AP Seminar Symposium – 10% of overall grade (5% Preparation, 5% Participation)
· Unit 4 Group Project and Presentation – 30% of overall grade (15% Participation, 15% Classwork, 30% Individual Research Paper, 20% Synthesized Research Paper, 20% Presentation)
2nd Semester
· Unit 1 Team Project and Presentation = 35% of overall grade (15% Participation, 15% Classwork, 30% Individual Research Paper, 20% Synthesized Research Paper, 20% Presentation)
· Unit 2 Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation = 35% of overall grade (20% Participation, 20% Classwork, 30% Research Paper, 30% Presentation)
· Unit 3 AP Seminar End-of-Course Exam – May 5th = 30% of overall grade (AP exam score will serve as their grade for this Unit (5 = 100, 4 = 90, 3 = 80, 2 = 70, 1 = 60). If the student decides to not take the exam an alternate exam will be administered and graded with equal point value.
Participation: Evaluation will be based on how student participation (comments, ideas, and questions) helped to enhance and/or to advance the overall collective understanding through critical discussion and listening. A weekly participation grade will be recorded based on teacher observations and notes using the scale noted below.
A
Highly Effective Participant
Insightful questions and comments; clearly does the reading and goes
beyond by introducing other relevant material
B
Consistent Participant
Thoughtful questions and comments; clearly does the reading
C
Occasional Participant
Regularly attends class; sporadic involvement in discussions; often based on personal opinion rather than analysis of class material
D
Observer
Regularly attends class, but does not get involved in class discussion
F
Occasional Observer
Sporadic attendance; no participation in class
Daily work: Students will be studying the processes and tasks needed to produce effective research papers that are presented intelligently. Those skills will have class work and homework assignments that require timely completion for which they will be assigned a grade that will be worth 10% of their overall grade. Assignments turned in late will receive 10% reduction in grade for every day late (i.e. 1 day late 10% grade reduction, 2 days late 20%, etc.).
Unit Lesson Plans by Semester
Unit 1 AP Seminar 101 = 30%: Students will be introduced to the primary AP Seminar concepts of THEME, QUEST, RAVEN, and LENSES:
THEMES - AP Seminar students will learn to develop their research around THEMES. Theme based research is a highly effective way for both teacher and student to explore the Seminar QUEST, RAVEN AND LENSE concepts. The exploration of these concepts “QUESTING” is detailed below. An expanded list of possible THEMES is provided at the bottom of the syllabus.
QUEST - The QUESTING process teaches students how to pursue a research THEME. This QUESTING experience includes:
Q - Question and Explore - The student will learn to form an arguable debatable question. The student needs to be able to explore and identify reliable/credible and relevant sources.
U - Understand and Analyze Arguments - The student will learn to identify and evaluate the main idea of an article as well as recognize bias in the author’s sources and perspectives. Students generate questions that articulate the relevant implications and impact of the text.
E - Evaluate Multiple Perspectives - Students should be conversant with the historical, cultural, causal background of the issue. Students should be able to identify the source’s biases, assumptions, and rhetorical purpose (as well as their own biases), identify both conflict and confluence b/w sources, and recognize both the limits and the ramifications of a source.
S - Synthesize Ideas - Determine meaning, accommodate new information, and consider outcomes.
T - Team, Transform, and Transmit - Students genuinely collaborate to know and understand the audience they are presenting with and to, ultimately transforming their own understanding.
RAVEN – Like QUEST, this is a mnemonic that helps student determine the credibility of source information found on the internet.
R – Reputation – What is the reputation of the author, the sources, and the publication? Do past actions or lies indicate the author, sources, or publication may not be reliable? Is the author, source, or publication in a position of authority?
A - Ability to Observe – Is the author in a position that allows access to reliable evidence? If the article is about an event, did the author actually observe the event?
V - Vested Interest – Does the author have a personal stake in the topic or event? Would the author gain anything by lying? Would the author gain anything by telling the truth?
E – Expertise – Does the author have specialized knowledge on the topic or event? Does the evidence come from a source that has expertise on the topic or event?
N – Neutrality – Is the author neutral about the issue or is bias evident? Is the source of the evidence neutral or biased?
LENSES - Students will review source material (articles, poems, music, professional journals, etc.) and attempt to find THEMES. Students consider possible questions that could be researched about their THEME by looking at the issues via specific LENS: Environmental, Scientific, Economic, Political and Historical, Artistic and Philosophical, Cultural and Social, Futuristic, Ethical, and Global Perspectives. Examples of Themes are provided at the bottom of the syllabus. Students will practice researching and writing about themes through each of the respective LENSES.
TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND RESOURCES – Faculty from the Edison Media Center will work to build student knowledge and expertise on Microsoft Word and Popwerpoint. Students will learn how to use academically based internet research databases such as GALE AND EBSCO to find source material when looking at THEMES AND LENSES. To ensure effective storage and sharing of researched and written research papers, students will create a Gmail account and learn how store their work on Googledrive. To confirm the integrity and quality of every research paper, students will be required to upload their completed papers onto Turnitin.com. Combining these skills, students will have all necessary to create intelligent knowledge-based research papers and presentations.
PRESENTATION SKILLS – Students will learn and practice basic presentation skills in front of an audience and a camera utilizing note cards and a PowerPoint presentation.
Unit 2 Project: Individual Research Project, Essay and Presentation: This unit will be taught with considerable focus on going slow and confirming base knowledge around the concepts taught in Unit 1 (THEME, QUEST, RAVEN, LENS, TECHNOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION). Each Student will work to identify, investigate, analyze, and evaluate an academic or real-world problem, question, or issue. I will give the students a series of articles, books, pictures, poems, and/or songs that contain a theme. Each student will be responsible for identifying the theme from the provided documents and then select two LENSES from which they want to consider researching their THEME. Examples of possible research themes and lenses are noted at the bottom of the syllabus. The actual THEME used during each section is not published in the syllabus so that students may discover the THEME at the time of the assignment. Each student designs and/or considers options, alternatives, and approaches and develops an 800 word written report and 6 minute multimedia presentation to communicate its conclusion, solution, or recommendation. SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
Individual Essay Rough Draft
Individual Essay Final
Synthesize Essay Final
Group Presentations
Unit 3 Annual Symposium: ANNUAL EDISON PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL AP SEMINAR SYMPOSIUM – After completion of the Individual Research Project, Edison Prep hosts it’s an annual AP Seminar Symposium. Industry experts are invited to sit on a panel in an open dialogue with AP Seminar students to discuss the THEME researched during the Unit 2 Individual Research Project, Essay and Presentation. Our paneled guests will have a brief moment to introduce themselves and give a summary statement about their opinions with regard to the THEME. Students will be allowed an opportunity ask and debate the guests about respective facts, research findings, and opinions. A review of last year’s Symposium can be found at the bottom of the Syllabus. Students will be graded on their preparation and participation in creating questions and challenging participants about opinions and facts.
Unit 4 Project: Team Research Project Essay and Presentation: This unit will be taught with an emphasis on training the student on how to search out solutions to problems from within a small group, other faculty, and industry experts. Students work in teams of three to six to identify, investigate, analyze, and evaluate an academic or real-world problem, question, or issue. I will give the students a series of articles, books, pictures, poems, and/or songs that contain a theme. The team will be responsible for identifying the theme from the provided documents and then selecting individual LENSES from which each member will independently use when researching the team’s THEME. Examples of possible research themes and lenses are noted at the bottom of the syllabus. The actual THEME used during each section is not published in the syllabus so that students may discover the THEME at the time of the assignment. Each team member will write an independent research paper that will include 1,200 words of research and 800 words of reflection on the research process. Once completed the team members work together to a synthesized a 3,000 word written report and an 8 minute multimedia presentation to communicate its conclusion, solution, or recommendation. SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
Individual Essay Rough Draft
Individual Essay Final
Synthesize Essay Final
Group Presentations
SECOND SEMESTER
Unit 1: Team Project and Presentation
Team Research Project Essay and Presentation: This unit will be taught with an emphasis on training the student on how to search out solutions to problems from within a small group, other faculty, and industry experts. Students work in teams of three to six to identify, investigate, analyze, and evaluate an academic or real-world problem, question, or issue. Each team will select a separate research topic from a list provided. Respective teams will be responsible for identifying and agreeing upon a topic and a THEME to be researched by all team members. Each team member will then select an individual LENSE from which to pursue independent research. Each team member will write an independent research paper that will include 1,200 words of research and 800 words of reflection on the research process. Once completed the team members work together to a synthesized a 3,000 word written report and an 8 minute multimedia presentation to communicate its conclusion, solution, or recommendation.
This unit activity is the first part of the AP Capstone/Seminar score. THE TEACHER IS NO LONGER ALLOWED TO SHOW THE STUDENT HOW TO PURSUE THE RESEARCH, WRITING, AND PRESENTING SKILLS LEARNED IN THE PREVIOUS 3 UNITS. I will give the students a series of articles, books, pictures, poems, and/or songs that contain a theme. Each team will be responsible for identifying the theme and then selecting a LENSE from which they want to consider pursuing. Team Research Projects Essay and Presentation: Students work in teams of three to six to identify, investigate, analyze, and evaluate an academic or real-world problem, question, or issue. Each team designs and/or considers options, alternatives, and approaches and develops a written report and multimedia presentation to communicate its conclusion, solution, or recommendation. SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
Individual Essay Rough Draft January 16th
Individual 1200 Word Essay Final January 23rd
Synthesize Essay and Reflection Final January 30th
Group Presentations February 3rd – 6th
COLLEGE BOARD DOES NOT ALLOW FOR LATE SUBMISSIONS.
Unit 2: Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation
This unit activity is the second part of the AP Capstone/Seminar score. THE TEACHER IS NO LONGER ALLOWED TO SHOW THE STUDENT HOW TO PURSUE THE RESEARCH, WRITING, AND PRESENTING SKILLS LEARNED IN THE PREVIOUS 3 UNITS. The College Board’s AP Program will annually release on or about January 2nd cross-curricular source material (texts) representing a range of perspectives focused on a single theme. Students will use these texts to identify a research question of their own; conduct research; analyze, evaluate, and select evidence to develop an argument; and present and defend their conclusions. Students will have 30 school days in which to complete their research, compose their essays, and develop their presentations. The presentations will be performed after the 30 day window.
SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
AP Source Material Release – On or about January 2nd
Individual Essay Rough Draft – March 13th
Individual Essay Final – April 10th
Individual Presentations - April 20th – 24th
Unit 3: AP Seminar End-of-Course Exam – May 5th
During the AP Exam window, students will take the AP Seminar End-of-Course Exam. The exam consists of five items (three short-answer and two essay questions). The three short –answer questions assess analysis of an argument in a single source or document. The first essay question requires the students to perform a close reading of two documents and perform a comparative analysis and evaluation of the authors’ arguments. The second essay question assesses students’ skills in synthesizing and creating an evidence-based argument.
Tulsa Public Schools AP Expectations
Tulsa Public Schools’ students who enroll in courses provided through the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program must take the associated examinations for those courses when eligible. Students and parents/guardians shall be notified by the schools of this requirement through related published materials and course selection procedures.
Students who decline to sit for these examinations forfeit the weighted grade eligibility for the courses taken. There is no minimum or passing score required on any examination to qualify for a weighted grade.
Registrars shall remove from a student’s GPA weighted grade calculation the weighting of any AP course for which no examination registration exists.
Counselors shall make available information regarding examination fee reductions and/or waivers for eligible students/families as authorized by the examining agencies and/or the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
Plagiarism Policy
A student who fails to acknowledge the source or author of any and all information or evidence taken from the work of someone else through citation, attribution, or reference in the body of the work, or through a bibliographic entry, will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar and/or AP Research Performance Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that fails to properly acknowledge sources or authors on the Team Multimedia Presentation will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation.
A student who incorporates falsified or fabricated information (e.g. evidence, data, sources, and/or authors) will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar and/or AP Research Performance Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that incorporates falsified or fabricated information in the Team Multimedia Presentation will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation.
THEME EXAMPLES
Abstinence programs
Advertising
Airport security
Beauty contests
Cheap labor
Civil disobedience
Cybercrime
Gay marriage
Health care crisis
Homeland Security
Infidelity
Immigration
Juvenile offenders
Noise pollution
Nonverbal communication
Obesity and weight loss
Racial bias in media
Single sex schools
Social anxiety
Social media
Title IX
Wage gap
Wind energy
Workaholics
LENS EXAMPLES
· Ethics: Do we have an ethical/moral responsibility to protect and provide for illegal minors?
· Political: What are the perspectives of varied agencies? How will they manage across the various departments?
· Cultural: As the country becomes more Hispanic how will immigration policy change?
· Economics: How are economic resources (re) apportioned to respond to demographic change? How economic contexts do influence community’s view of immigration? How do demographic changes change or accommodate existing economic structures?
· Political and Historical: Are there certain events in history that increased/decreased in immigration? Should there be a limit to the number of immigrants in a place (state/country)? Are the territorial borders in place fair and reasonable? Who has the power to define the other as an immigrant?
· Cultural and Social: How does a society navigate changing cultural influences? How does a cultures view of itself impact its interactions with other cultures? What factors contribute to the formation of a dominant culture?
· Artistic and Philosophical: How do coexistent cultures represent one another? How do cultures navigate competing world views? How do the arts of different cultures impact/influence one another?