The document provides instructions for students taking an AP Literature class. It outlines a 5-day plan for students to draft essay responses for 3 different AP Literature essay prompts. Each day focuses on a different step of the essay writing process, building upon the previous day. By day 5, students are expected to write a full essay responding to one of the released poetry prompts, incorporating a thesis statement, topic sentences supported by evidence from the text.

1. Please take out something to write with and
remove everything else from your desk.
AP Literature

2. Day 1Day 1
For all 3 passages:
1. Draft a THESIS that directly answers the prompt.
A. Topic sentence #1 that offers the first reason why the thesis is
correct. This should contain a technique (prompt 1 & 2) or concept
(prompt 3) that the author uses in the passage that supports your
thesis.
B. Topic sentence #2 that offers the second reason why the thesis is
correct. This should contain a technique (prompt 1 & 2) or concept
(prompt 3) that the author uses in the passage that supports your
thesis.
C. Get to here for all three prompts and earn an 85%. Topic sentence
#3 that offers the third reason why the thesis is correct. This should
contain a technique (prompt 1 & 2) or concept (prompt 3) that the
author uses in the passage that supports your thesis.
D. Get to here for all three prompts and earn an 95%. Topic sentence #4
that offers the fourth reason why the thesis is correct. This should
contain a technique (prompt 1 & 2) or concept (prompt 3) that the
author uses in the passage that supports your thesis.
E. Get to here for all three prompts and earn an 100%. Topic sentence
#5 that offers the fifth reason why the thesis is correct. This should
contain a technique (prompt 1 & 2) or concept (prompt 3) that the
author uses in the passage that supports your thesis.

3. Draft a Thesis that Directly Answers the
Prompt
In the following passage from Cormac McCarthy's
novel The Crossing, the narrator describes a dramatic
experience. In a well-organized essay, show how
McCarthy's techniques convey the impact of the
experience on the main character.
Questions to get you started:
What is the dramatic experience?
Who is the narrator?
How is the experience described?
What is the impact of the experience on the main character?
You do not have to specifically list any of the specific
techniques in the thesis.
Example Thesis: Cormac McCarthy employs several devices in The
Crossing to effectively enhance the tone of reverence and loss
relating to the main character's experience.

4. Topic Sentences that Offer
Reasons Why the Thesis is Correct
These should each present a topic or technique that the author
uses in the passage that supports your thesis. Be sure to explain
what it does.
The easiest way to do this is to identify as many techniques as
possible within the passage. Which ones can you find?
syntax, imagery, analogies, repetition, unspecific pronoun "he"
Write one sentence that introduced each technique. No need for
elaboration and support yet.
For example:
• McCarthy uses syntax and varies his sentence structure to emphasize the periods
where the man is overcome by remembrance.
Now you try! Complete the activity for the remainder of passage
one AND for the other two essay prompts as well. Finish by the
bell!

5. Day Two
Complete Day 2
COMPLETELY. You
must turn this in
today by the end
of class.
Get Started When You Walk In! Most of You Will Need toGet Started When You Walk In! Most of You Will Need to
Work the Entire Time!Work the Entire Time!
Remember: (1) Thesis statements present T.A.T. info (Title,
Author, Topic). (2) Topic sentences present a device (in
poetry/prose prompts) or concept (in the open-ended prompt).
Within the topic sentence it mentions how it connects back to the
thesis/what it does for the work.

6. Complete Day 3 COMPLETELY.
For Question 3, write it on the
chart in the packet. It has the
first passage for tomorrow on
the back, but you will get it
back at the start of class.
You must turn this in today by
the end of class.
Day 3 includes thesis
statements, topic sentences,
and ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE
for EACH topic sentence (this
can just be the evidence, it
doesn't have to be embedded
in a sentence). Don't just give
line numbers, actually write
the quotes.
Time is of the essence - you
have the entire period, but you
have to move!
Get Started When You Walk In! Most of You Will Need to Work the Entire Time!Get Started When You Walk In! Most of You Will Need to Work the Entire Time!
Many of you need to work on
varying your sentence endings for
your topic sentences. Without
giving specific examples, what
does that unique device do for the
work in order for it to be
something you are writing about
in relation to the prompt?
Day 3

7. Day
Four
You must turn this in
today by the end of class.
Day 4 includes thesis
statements, topic
sentences, and TWO
PIECES OF EVIDENCE for
EACH topic sentence (this
can just be the evidence,
it doesn't have to be
embedded in a sentence)
Time is of the essence -
you have the entire
period, but you have to
move!
Get Started When You Walk In!Get Started When You Walk In!
You Will Need to Work the Entire Time!You Will Need to Work the Entire Time!
Wow! What an improvement
yesterday! Today is a little
tougher - 2 pieces of evidence
each!
You can do it!

8. Day Five - Essay!
Pick a poetry prompt from all of
the released ones. Write the
full essay for that prompt and
label the year!
You must turn this in today by the end of class.
Day 5 essay must include- thesis statement, topic sentences, and TWO
PIECES OF EVIDENCE for EACH topic sentence. (This must be embedded in
sentence format. These are your body paragraphs.)
Grading:
• Thesis,5 topics, and 2 pieces of evidence and 3 pieces of commentary for
each=105
• Thesis, 4 topics, and 2 pieces of evidence and two pieces of commentary for
each=95
• Thesis, 3 topics and 2 pieces of evidence and two pieces of commentary for each
=85
• You will lose 10 points for any topic sentence that does not have 2 pieces of
evidence.
• ***In addition, you still must meet all of the
requirements for our essay rubric from the College
Board to meet those levels. The above is a guide to
help you hit those levels!