AP Spanish Literature and Culture

Summer assignment 2024

Descripción del curso en español, haz click aquí.

Course description:

The AP Spanish Literature and Culture course, which is conducted exclusively in Spanish, is an introductory course to the study of Peninsular Spanish, Latin American, and U.S. Hispanic literature written in Spanish from the 14th century to the present day. This class will enable students to successfully complete the AP Spanish Literature and Culture Exam. Not only do we study the literature, but also the fascinating history and cultures of the Hispanic world connected to the six AP Spanish literature themes, which are: las relaciones interpersonales; la construcción del género; las sociedades en contacto; el tiempo y el espacio; la dualidad del ser; and la creación literaria. All these themes overlap throughout the course and there is an emphasis on establishing contextual connections among them and the literary works. 

Students learn literary terminology and literary analysis techniques and approaches for examining different genres (prose, essays, poetry, and drama), movements, and time periods, learning to contextualize literature in relation to history, geography, and evolving cultural products, practices, and perspectives, often augmenting their literary analysis through the lens of art and film. Lessons are designed to enhance students’ ability to acquire knowledge about and skills to identify and interpret figures of speech, tone, characters, themes, rhetorical devices, and literary symbols through the required course readings while strengthening their analytical and interpretative skills. 

Students will study 38 required texts in the AP Spanish Literature and Culture course:

1. Don Juan Manuel, “El Conde Lucanor: Exemplo XXXV”  (“Lo que sucedió a un mozo que casó con una mujer muy fuerte y muy brava”)

2. Anónimo, “Romance del rey moro que perdió Alhama” (“Ay de mi Alhama”)

3. Anónimo, Lazarillo de Tormes: Prólogo y Tratados 1, 2, 3 y 7

4. Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de, El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha: Primera parte, Capítulos I, II, III, IV, V y VIII, IX y Capítulo 74

5. Cortés, Hernán, Segunda carta de relación (fragmentos)

6. Cruz, Sor Juana Inés de la, “Hombres necios que acusáis” 

7. Góngora y Argote, Luis de, Soneto CLXVI (“Mientras por competir con tu cabello”)

8. Quevedo y Villegas, Francisco de, Heráclito cristiano: Salmo XVII

(“Miré los muros de la patria mía”)

9. Tirso de Molina, El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra

10. Vega, Garcilaso de la, Soneto XXIII (“En tanto que de rosa y de azucena”)

11. Bécquer, Gustavo Adolfo, Rima LIII (“Volverán las oscuras golondrinas”)

12.  Darío, Rubén, Cantos de vida y esperanza, VIII (“A Roosevelt”)

13. Heredia, José María, “En una tempestad”

14. Martí, José, “Nuestra América”

15. Pardo Bazán, Emilia, “Las medias rojas”

16. Allende, Isabel, “Dos palabras”

17. Borges, Jorge Luis, “Borges y yo”

18. Borges, Jorge Luis, “El sur”

19. Burgos, Julia de, “A Julia de Burgos”

20. Cortázar, Julio, “La noche boca arriba”

21. Dragún, Osvaldo, “El hombre que se convirtió en perro”

22. Fuentes, Carlos, “Chac Mool”

23. García Lorca, Federico, La casa de Bernarda Alba

24. García Lorca, Federico “Prendimiento de Antoñito el Camborio en camino a Sevilla”

25. García Márquez, Gabriel, “El ahogado más hermoso del mundo”

26. García Márquez, Gabriel, “La siesta del martes”

27. Guillén, Nicolás, “Balada de los dos abuelos”

28. León-Portilla, Miguel, Visión de los vencidos (“Los presagios…” y “Se ha perdido el pueblo mexicatl”)

29. Machado, Antonio, Soledades II (“He andado muchos caminos”)

30. Montero, Rosa, “Como la vida misma”

31. Morejón, Nancy, “Mujer negra”

32. Neruda, Pablo, Residencia en la Tierra 2, “Walking around”

33. Quiroga, Horacio, “El hijo”

34. Rivera, Tomás, “…y no se lo tragó la tierra” (dos capítulos: “…y no se lo tragó la tierra” y “La noche buena”

35. Rulfo, Juan, “No oyes ladrar los perros”

36. Storni, Alfonsina, “Peso ancestral”

37. Ulibarrí, Sabine R., “Mi caballo mago”

38. Unamuno, Miguel de, San Manuel Bueno, mártir

During the first semester students read medieval, Golden Age, and 19th-century authors, followed by the study of 20th- and 21st-century authors during the second semester. Although the primary focus is on the time period during which the works were written, students also establish and discuss thematic and other connections between the works currently being read and literary selections read previously from earlier time periods. 

Exam Day May 13, 2026

Resources:

• AP Classroom by the College Board

• Google Classroom 

Required materials:

• Charged Chromebook and headphones

• A binder to keep handouts

• Pens in a variety of colors and highlighters for text marking and annotating

• One notebook

Grading:

• Interpretative reading and listening assessments: 40%

• Presentational writing assessments: 40%

• Classwork, homework, and other assignments: 20$

Late Work Policy:

• Assignments turned in after the due date will be eligible for a maximum of half credit.

• No submissions will result in a score of 0.

• Communication is key: If you anticipate any issues meeting a deadline, please reach out to me as soon as possible.

Rubrics for grading Free Response Questions:

Classroom Rules: DO's and DON'Ts

DO:

• Be seated in your assigned spot with all necessary materials when the bell rings.

• Show respect for everyone, as well as the equipment and furnishings in the classroom.

• Raise your hand to ask or answer questions in Spanish.

• Follow all rules outlined in the student handbook.

DON'T:

• Refrain from using your phone during class. (See page 20 of SHS Student handbook for consequences.)

📵 Phone-Free Zone 📵

To keep our class focused and distraction-free:

1️⃣ Place your phone in your assigned pocket at the start of class.
2️⃣ Keep it there for the entire period.
3️⃣ Pick it up at the end of class.

✅ Let’s protect our learning space and give each other our full attention!

Thank you for your cooperation!

• Avoid wearing earbuds or headphones unless they're needed for a specific activity.

• Do not play games on your Chromebook.

• Do not request to use the bathroom during teacher-led instruction unless it’s an emergency.