This document provides teaching strategies for analyzing Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" in an AP English class. It recommends starting with the clergymen's statement that prompted King's response to provide context for his argument. Teachers are advised to have students work in groups to focus on different rhetorical elements of King's long letter, such as ethos, logos, pathos, metaphors, allusions, etc. While fascinating for its display of rhetorical principles, the complexity and length of the letter means it will take several class periods to fully analyze.
This document provides the syllabus for an opinion writing course taught in fall 2016. The course will focus on analyzing the argumentative techniques of prominent American columnists from the last 50 years. Students will write multiple op-eds over the course of the semester and receive feedback from the professor and peers. The class will emphasize constructing clear, convincing, and provocative arguments supported by evidence. Students' writing will account for 75% of the final grade while class participation makes up the remaining 25%.
The document provides lesson materials for a Grade 9 English class focusing on enhancing the self through literature. It includes objectives, learning competencies, and procedures for a lesson analyzing the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley. The lesson introduces the poem and author, discusses literary elements and themes, and relates the themes of overcoming adversity in the poem to a video example. Students will practice identifying unfamiliar words using context clues and discuss how the selection may be influenced by various factors.
Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest for high school students that helps build confidence and public speaking skills. Students must memorize and recite poems from an approved anthology. There are school, state, regional, and national competitions, with cash prizes for winners. To advance, students must compete at each level, reciting an increasing number of poems according to the rules. The document outlines the schedule and requirements for a local high school's participation in the Poetry Out Loud contest.
Here are the answers to the exercises:
1. My name is Adam. Last week, my teacher made a presentation on symbols of the United Kingdom. Mrs. Baratu often describes other cultures for us. Were you aware of the school system in the United States? When I heard about it, I didn't think that there would be much of a difference between our educational systems. What classes will you take next year? Yesterday, Felicia told me that she is not going to university next September. She wants to go to art college.
2. What are you doing right now? Nothing much. I was just thinking of heading to the store when you called. Oh yeah? I hear that place is having a sale on
This document provides information about an art show featuring student works from various elementary, middle, and high schools in the West Potomac area. Each entry includes the title of the artwork, student name, grade, and teacher. There are over 100 individual artworks represented from schools such as Groveton Elementary, Hybla Valley Elementary, Belle View Elementary, and others. The artworks cover a wide range of mediums and subjects.
House on Mango Street Adult Education Guide 2008Cheyenne Tuller
This document provides an introduction and recommendations for using an adult education guide created to help low-level adult readers participate in a community book reading project of The House on Mango Street. It was created by staff at the Donald H. Londer Learning Center in Portland, Oregon for a 2005 reading event. The guide divides the book into themes, provides vocabulary lists and activities for each section, and offers tips for making the reading accessible for adults with literacy challenges. The goal is to help more community members be included in the book discussion through planning and background materials.
The document discusses non-traditional types of English lessons used at the final assessment and generalization stages. It describes several types of lessons including quiz games, press conferences, and musical performances that make the lessons more engaging for students. The goal is to creatively assess what students have learned and help them develop their speaking skills in a relaxed environment. Computer technologies are used to supplement but not replace interactive lessons led by teachers.
The document is an English textbook for 10th grade students in Moldova. It contains 6 units covering topics such as education, family, health, recreation, shopping, and learning across cultures. Each unit has 5 lessons with readings, exercises, and activities to help students improve their English language skills. The supplement at the end includes additional resources on writing, grammar, and irregular verbs.
This document provides the syllabus for an opinion writing course taught in fall 2016. The course will focus on analyzing the argumentative techniques of prominent American columnists from the last 50 years. Students will write multiple op-eds over the course of the semester and receive feedback from the professor and peers. The class will emphasize constructing clear, convincing, and provocative arguments supported by evidence. Students' writing will account for 75% of the final grade while class participation makes up the remaining 25%.
The document provides lesson materials for a Grade 9 English class focusing on enhancing the self through literature. It includes objectives, learning competencies, and procedures for a lesson analyzing the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley. The lesson introduces the poem and author, discusses literary elements and themes, and relates the themes of overcoming adversity in the poem to a video example. Students will practice identifying unfamiliar words using context clues and discuss how the selection may be influenced by various factors.
Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest for high school students that helps build confidence and public speaking skills. Students must memorize and recite poems from an approved anthology. There are school, state, regional, and national competitions, with cash prizes for winners. To advance, students must compete at each level, reciting an increasing number of poems according to the rules. The document outlines the schedule and requirements for a local high school's participation in the Poetry Out Loud contest.
Here are the answers to the exercises:
1. My name is Adam. Last week, my teacher made a presentation on symbols of the United Kingdom. Mrs. Baratu often describes other cultures for us. Were you aware of the school system in the United States? When I heard about it, I didn't think that there would be much of a difference between our educational systems. What classes will you take next year? Yesterday, Felicia told me that she is not going to university next September. She wants to go to art college.
2. What are you doing right now? Nothing much. I was just thinking of heading to the store when you called. Oh yeah? I hear that place is having a sale on
This document provides information about an art show featuring student works from various elementary, middle, and high schools in the West Potomac area. Each entry includes the title of the artwork, student name, grade, and teacher. There are over 100 individual artworks represented from schools such as Groveton Elementary, Hybla Valley Elementary, Belle View Elementary, and others. The artworks cover a wide range of mediums and subjects.
House on Mango Street Adult Education Guide 2008Cheyenne Tuller
This document provides an introduction and recommendations for using an adult education guide created to help low-level adult readers participate in a community book reading project of The House on Mango Street. It was created by staff at the Donald H. Londer Learning Center in Portland, Oregon for a 2005 reading event. The guide divides the book into themes, provides vocabulary lists and activities for each section, and offers tips for making the reading accessible for adults with literacy challenges. The goal is to help more community members be included in the book discussion through planning and background materials.
The document discusses non-traditional types of English lessons used at the final assessment and generalization stages. It describes several types of lessons including quiz games, press conferences, and musical performances that make the lessons more engaging for students. The goal is to creatively assess what students have learned and help them develop their speaking skills in a relaxed environment. Computer technologies are used to supplement but not replace interactive lessons led by teachers.
The document is an English textbook for 10th grade students in Moldova. It contains 6 units covering topics such as education, family, health, recreation, shopping, and learning across cultures. Each unit has 5 lessons with readings, exercises, and activities to help students improve their English language skills. The supplement at the end includes additional resources on writing, grammar, and irregular verbs.
A half day session with English and Humanities teachers, gr 7-12, focusing on literature circles without roles. Students read with limits on amount read, keep response journals and meet in groups to discuss their books and deepen their understanding.
Here are 8 sentences about a legendary person I know:
1. Genghis Khan was a legendary ruler who founded the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in history.
2. He was born in 1162 in what is now Mongolia.
3. Genghis Khan united the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia and built the extensive Mongol Empire.
4. He waged large-scale military campaigns throughout Asia, Europe and parts of Africa.
5. The Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan grew to be larger than the Roman Empire.
6. He created a unified empire under his firm and centralized military control.
7. Genghis Khan was a skilled military
The document provides guidance for a language assistant to aid children's language development through one-way, two-way, and three-way communication activities. It suggests presenting vocabulary and information, as well as interactive games and projects. The assistant should speak clearly and repeat often to help children practice. Songs, stories, and games are recommended to make learning fun and motivate the children.
The document provides an overview of the Grade 10 English course which aims to develop students' language skills through analyzing multicultural themes and becoming independent learners; it outlines standards, texts, assignments, grading policies and expectations for students, including participating in discussions and completing presentations, essays, and a research report. Technology is integrated into the course through activities like emailing, blogging, and recording assignments.
Kristine Brezenski has over 15 years of experience in education. She holds two Master's degrees and multiple teaching certifications. She has taught at several middle schools, focusing on language arts, reading, and special education. Brezenski also has experience in leadership roles in higher education, such as residence life director. She remains involved in her community through volunteer work.
- The document is a bulletin from Jefferson Education and Career Center providing information on upcoming events, recognitions, holidays, and policies.
- It recognizes a student who received a $1000 scholarship and provides the dates for upcoming GED testing and graduation ceremonies.
- It discusses Memorial Day and its history as well as Asian Pacific American Heritage month, profiling notable Asian Americans including cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang, and figure skater Michelle Kwan.
- It provides updates on testing, donations, conferences, and reviews classroom supervision policies.
The passage describes the daily schedule of an American exchange student named Diana attending high school in Philadelphia. It provides details of her typical school day, which includes 7 classes of around 50 minutes each from 8:15 AM to 3:28 PM, with a short break between classes. Students have lunch during the 3rd period. After classes end, most students participate in extracurricular activities, while some attend an optional study period. Diana is involved in gymnastics, soccer, and choir, which takes up most of her evenings. She wakes up at 6:30 AM and does not return home until 6:30-7:00 PM each day, finding time for homework between dinner and bed at 11:00 PM. The
English for Success is a textbook that aims to teach English through practical communication skills while also covering important grammar structures. It teaches students how to use English in situations like renting a home or going to a restaurant, and discusses topics from the origin of the universe to entertainment. The textbook helps students improve their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, increases cultural awareness, and strengthens critical thinking. It meets the requirements of the National Curriculum.
1) The document outlines a teaching manual for a lesson on the song "We Are the World" by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. It details the objectives, prerequisites, teaching procedures, resources, and assessment for the lesson.
2) The lesson aims to have students read and understand the lyrics of the song, learn about the singers Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and grasp the message of unity conveyed in the song.
3) The teaching procedures include reading and analyzing the lyrics, discussing unfamiliar words, listening to a reading by the teacher, sharing in groups, and watching a video of the song. Formative assessment occurs through student responses and presentations.
This document provides an instructional unit guide for 4th grade ELA covering Unit 3 from November 6th to December 19th. It includes a decoding block, language comprehension and writing block, process writing section, recommended texts to use, and guidance for using social studies texts. The unit focuses on ideas and how they can lead to new learning, accomplishments, and inventions. Students will complete a culminating writing piece arguing whether New England or Middle Atlantic states have had a greater impact on society.
Here are the answers:
a) The White Hat stands for control.
b) The Green Hat stands for creativity.
c) The Yellow Hat stands for optimism.
d) The Black Hat stands for pessimism.
e) The Blue Hat stands for facts.
f) The Red Hat stands for emotions.
Now choose a hat and discuss computers in education from that perspective. Remember to think like someone wearing that hat.
This document provides an overview of an English 10 Honors class taught by Mrs. Navejar. It introduces the teacher and her background and family. It outlines the syllabus, class rules, course overview, and reading strategies that will be covered. It also describes group activities where students will summarize and analyze chapters of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
The document makes the case for teaching Mandarin Chinese in K-12 schools. It notes that most other industrialized countries require foreign language study starting in early elementary school, unlike the US. Studies show foreign language study benefits students' academic performance and narrows achievement gaps. Understanding other cultures and languages is important for national security and economic competitiveness. As China's economy grows, the ability to speak Mandarin will be increasingly valuable for international trade and relations.
School shooting information and timelineCraig Tupot
This document provides a timeline of school shootings in the United States and other countries from 1764 to 2004. It begins with the earliest known school shooting in 1764 in Pennsylvania and details many other fatal incidents over the years at schools in Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, California, Canada, and other locations. The timeline shows that school shootings have been occurring for decades and highlights numerous attacks that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries at schools across the world throughout this period.
School shooting information and timeline slideshareCraig Tupot
This document provides a timeline of school shootings in the United States and other countries from 1764 to 2011. It begins with some of the earliest and deadliest school shootings, such as the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, and continues chronologically with over 50 additional shootings, providing basic details about each incident such as location, date, shooter, and number of casualties. The timeline shows that school shootings have been an ongoing problem in various parts of the world for many decades.
School shooting information and timelineCraig Tupot
This document provides a timeline of school shootings in the United States and other countries from 1764 to 2011. It begins with some of the earliest and deadliest school shootings, such as the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, and continues to list over 50 other incidents, with details on location, date, perpetrators if known, and victim details. The timeline shows that while school shootings were initially rare events, they have been occurring with increasing frequency in recent decades across many countries.
This document appears to be a yearbook from Ward Elementary School for the 2006-2007 school year. It lists the 5th grade teachers and their classes. It also lists various school activities that took place such as American Legion nominees, student council officers, D.A.R.E., a school carnival, a trip to see the Houston Symphony, a science fair, a spelling bee, a diabetes walk, a family fun night, field trips, field day, and spirit stick winners. It thanks the students for a great year and wishes them a safe summer.
Tina has recently moved to town from Bath, England. She lives with her mother, father, and younger sister. Her father is an actor who got a job at the local theatre, prompting their move. Her mother is a nurse. Tina has adjusted well to her new school and neighborhood.
100 Successful College Applicat - The Harvard Independent.pdfMaharshJani
This document is the introduction to the book "100 Successful College Application Essays". It provides background on the book, acknowledging the hundreds of students who submitted essays for consideration. It thanks the editors and staff who selected the 100 essays included in the book. The introduction explains that the intent of the book is not to give advice, but rather to inspire students working on their own college application essays by providing examples of successful essays that were selected for inclusion.
This version was presented at the Archdiocese of Detroit 2nd Annual In-Service for Teachers and Administration at the University of Detroit Mercy on August 4, 2015. The presentation describes a teaching strategy to boost motivation in male students, specifically in reading but other subjects are presented as well.
The document introduces the characters of Alex and his friends who are part of the Teen Scene drama and music group. It provides a short self-introduction for each character, describing their name, age, interests and personality traits. The characters introduced are Lori Hudson, Joseph Sanders, Karen Jackson, Diane Sanders, and Alex Romero. Each character shares some biographical details and how they would describe their own personality.
A half day session with English and Humanities teachers, gr 7-12, focusing on literature circles without roles. Students read with limits on amount read, keep response journals and meet in groups to discuss their books and deepen their understanding.
Here are 8 sentences about a legendary person I know:
1. Genghis Khan was a legendary ruler who founded the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in history.
2. He was born in 1162 in what is now Mongolia.
3. Genghis Khan united the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia and built the extensive Mongol Empire.
4. He waged large-scale military campaigns throughout Asia, Europe and parts of Africa.
5. The Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan grew to be larger than the Roman Empire.
6. He created a unified empire under his firm and centralized military control.
7. Genghis Khan was a skilled military
The document provides guidance for a language assistant to aid children's language development through one-way, two-way, and three-way communication activities. It suggests presenting vocabulary and information, as well as interactive games and projects. The assistant should speak clearly and repeat often to help children practice. Songs, stories, and games are recommended to make learning fun and motivate the children.
The document provides an overview of the Grade 10 English course which aims to develop students' language skills through analyzing multicultural themes and becoming independent learners; it outlines standards, texts, assignments, grading policies and expectations for students, including participating in discussions and completing presentations, essays, and a research report. Technology is integrated into the course through activities like emailing, blogging, and recording assignments.
Kristine Brezenski has over 15 years of experience in education. She holds two Master's degrees and multiple teaching certifications. She has taught at several middle schools, focusing on language arts, reading, and special education. Brezenski also has experience in leadership roles in higher education, such as residence life director. She remains involved in her community through volunteer work.
- The document is a bulletin from Jefferson Education and Career Center providing information on upcoming events, recognitions, holidays, and policies.
- It recognizes a student who received a $1000 scholarship and provides the dates for upcoming GED testing and graduation ceremonies.
- It discusses Memorial Day and its history as well as Asian Pacific American Heritage month, profiling notable Asian Americans including cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang, and figure skater Michelle Kwan.
- It provides updates on testing, donations, conferences, and reviews classroom supervision policies.
The passage describes the daily schedule of an American exchange student named Diana attending high school in Philadelphia. It provides details of her typical school day, which includes 7 classes of around 50 minutes each from 8:15 AM to 3:28 PM, with a short break between classes. Students have lunch during the 3rd period. After classes end, most students participate in extracurricular activities, while some attend an optional study period. Diana is involved in gymnastics, soccer, and choir, which takes up most of her evenings. She wakes up at 6:30 AM and does not return home until 6:30-7:00 PM each day, finding time for homework between dinner and bed at 11:00 PM. The
English for Success is a textbook that aims to teach English through practical communication skills while also covering important grammar structures. It teaches students how to use English in situations like renting a home or going to a restaurant, and discusses topics from the origin of the universe to entertainment. The textbook helps students improve their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, increases cultural awareness, and strengthens critical thinking. It meets the requirements of the National Curriculum.
1) The document outlines a teaching manual for a lesson on the song "We Are the World" by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. It details the objectives, prerequisites, teaching procedures, resources, and assessment for the lesson.
2) The lesson aims to have students read and understand the lyrics of the song, learn about the singers Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and grasp the message of unity conveyed in the song.
3) The teaching procedures include reading and analyzing the lyrics, discussing unfamiliar words, listening to a reading by the teacher, sharing in groups, and watching a video of the song. Formative assessment occurs through student responses and presentations.
This document provides an instructional unit guide for 4th grade ELA covering Unit 3 from November 6th to December 19th. It includes a decoding block, language comprehension and writing block, process writing section, recommended texts to use, and guidance for using social studies texts. The unit focuses on ideas and how they can lead to new learning, accomplishments, and inventions. Students will complete a culminating writing piece arguing whether New England or Middle Atlantic states have had a greater impact on society.
Here are the answers:
a) The White Hat stands for control.
b) The Green Hat stands for creativity.
c) The Yellow Hat stands for optimism.
d) The Black Hat stands for pessimism.
e) The Blue Hat stands for facts.
f) The Red Hat stands for emotions.
Now choose a hat and discuss computers in education from that perspective. Remember to think like someone wearing that hat.
This document provides an overview of an English 10 Honors class taught by Mrs. Navejar. It introduces the teacher and her background and family. It outlines the syllabus, class rules, course overview, and reading strategies that will be covered. It also describes group activities where students will summarize and analyze chapters of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
The document makes the case for teaching Mandarin Chinese in K-12 schools. It notes that most other industrialized countries require foreign language study starting in early elementary school, unlike the US. Studies show foreign language study benefits students' academic performance and narrows achievement gaps. Understanding other cultures and languages is important for national security and economic competitiveness. As China's economy grows, the ability to speak Mandarin will be increasingly valuable for international trade and relations.
School shooting information and timelineCraig Tupot
This document provides a timeline of school shootings in the United States and other countries from 1764 to 2004. It begins with the earliest known school shooting in 1764 in Pennsylvania and details many other fatal incidents over the years at schools in Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, California, Canada, and other locations. The timeline shows that school shootings have been occurring for decades and highlights numerous attacks that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries at schools across the world throughout this period.
School shooting information and timeline slideshareCraig Tupot
This document provides a timeline of school shootings in the United States and other countries from 1764 to 2011. It begins with some of the earliest and deadliest school shootings, such as the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, and continues chronologically with over 50 additional shootings, providing basic details about each incident such as location, date, shooter, and number of casualties. The timeline shows that school shootings have been an ongoing problem in various parts of the world for many decades.
School shooting information and timelineCraig Tupot
This document provides a timeline of school shootings in the United States and other countries from 1764 to 2011. It begins with some of the earliest and deadliest school shootings, such as the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, and continues to list over 50 other incidents, with details on location, date, perpetrators if known, and victim details. The timeline shows that while school shootings were initially rare events, they have been occurring with increasing frequency in recent decades across many countries.
This document appears to be a yearbook from Ward Elementary School for the 2006-2007 school year. It lists the 5th grade teachers and their classes. It also lists various school activities that took place such as American Legion nominees, student council officers, D.A.R.E., a school carnival, a trip to see the Houston Symphony, a science fair, a spelling bee, a diabetes walk, a family fun night, field trips, field day, and spirit stick winners. It thanks the students for a great year and wishes them a safe summer.
Tina has recently moved to town from Bath, England. She lives with her mother, father, and younger sister. Her father is an actor who got a job at the local theatre, prompting their move. Her mother is a nurse. Tina has adjusted well to her new school and neighborhood.
100 Successful College Applicat - The Harvard Independent.pdfMaharshJani
This document is the introduction to the book "100 Successful College Application Essays". It provides background on the book, acknowledging the hundreds of students who submitted essays for consideration. It thanks the editors and staff who selected the 100 essays included in the book. The introduction explains that the intent of the book is not to give advice, but rather to inspire students working on their own college application essays by providing examples of successful essays that were selected for inclusion.
This version was presented at the Archdiocese of Detroit 2nd Annual In-Service for Teachers and Administration at the University of Detroit Mercy on August 4, 2015. The presentation describes a teaching strategy to boost motivation in male students, specifically in reading but other subjects are presented as well.
The document introduces the characters of Alex and his friends who are part of the Teen Scene drama and music group. It provides a short self-introduction for each character, describing their name, age, interests and personality traits. The characters introduced are Lori Hudson, Joseph Sanders, Karen Jackson, Diane Sanders, and Alex Romero. Each character shares some biographical details and how they would describe their own personality.
This article argues that English teachers should shift their classroom focus from teaching specific literary works to developing students' literacy skills. It recommends replacing traditional whole-class novel studies with student-centered approaches like literature circles that give students choice over what they read. Literature circles allow students to read texts that interest them at their level while still developing skills like inferring meaning and analyzing literary devices. This shift empowers students and better prepares them to be informed citizens and successful in college.
100+ Useful Words and Phrases to Write a Great Essay – ESL Buzz. Definition Essay Writing Tips [+Universal Guide] | Pro Essay Help. How to Write a Definition Essay: Outline, Thesis, Body, and Conclusion. 006 Sample Definition Essay Example ~ Thatsnotus. How to Write a Definition Essay (with Pictures) - wikiHow.
This document provides an overview of topics covered in an education course on literacy instruction. It includes announcements about upcoming assignments and conferences. Students are instructed to submit a topic selection and rationale paper by February 16th that identifies a topic related to literacy instruction, explains its importance, and includes 2-5 relevant references. The document also previews upcoming lessons on word study, including assessing students' spelling abilities, using word sorts to group words and identify patterns, and relating words to authentic reading experiences. Read-alouds are suggested to tie in examples of word patterns.
The document discusses expanding vocabulary for students. It notes that reading widely and exposure to rich oral language are strongly correlated with vocabulary size. It identifies five key aspects of vocabulary instruction: encouraging wide reading, exposing students to high-quality oral language, promoting word consciousness, directly teaching word meanings, and teaching independent word learning strategies. It also describes Beck's three tiers of vocabulary: tier one contains basic words, tier two contains more complex words typically taught directly, and tier three contains specialized words introduced when needed. The document provides examples of words from each tier.
2MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION SERIESJAMES A. BANKS, S.docxlorainedeserre
2
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION SERIES
JAMES A. BANKS, Series Editor
Is Everyone Really Equal? An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice
Education, Second Edition
ÖZLEM SENSOY AND ROBIN DIANGELO
Teaching for Equity in Complex Times: Negotiating Standards in a High-
Performing Bilingual School
JAMY STILLMAN AND LAUREN ANDERSON
Transforming Educational Pathways for Chicana/o Students: A Critical Race
Feminista Praxis
DOLORES DELGADO BERNAL AND ENRIQUE ALEMÁN, JR.
Un-Standardizing Curriculum: Multicultural Teaching in the Standards-Based
Classroom, 2nd Edition
CHRISTINE E. SLEETER AND JUDITH FLORES CARMONA
Global Migration, Diversity, and Civic Education: Improving Policy and Practice
JAMES A. BANKS, MARCELO SUÁREZ-OROZCO, AND MIRIAM BEN-PERETZ,
EDS.
Reclaiming the Multicultural Roots of U.S. Curriculum: Communities of Color and
Official Knowledge in Education
WAYNE AU, ANTHONY L. BROWN, AND DOLORES CALDERÓN
Human Rights and Schooling: An Ethical Framework for Teaching for Social
Justice
AUDREY OSLER
We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools,
Third Edition
GARY R. HOWARD
Teaching and Learning on the Verge: Democratic Education in Action
SHANTI ELLIOTT
Engaging the “Race Question”: Accountability and Equity in U.S. Higher
Education
ALICIA C. DOWD AND ESTELA MARA BENSIMON
Diversity and Education: A Critical Multicultural Approach
MICHAEL VAVRUS
First Freire: Early Writings in Social Justice Education
CARLOS ALBERTO TORRES
Mathematics for Equity: A Framework for Successful Practice
NA’ILAH SUAD NASIR, CARLOS CABANA, BARBARA SHREVE, ESTELLE
WOODBURY, AND NICOLE LOUIE, EDS.
3
Race, Empire, and English Language Teaching: Creating Responsible and Ethical
Anti-Racist Practice
SUHANTHIE MOTHA
Black Male(d): Peril and Promise in the Education of African American Males
TYRONE C. HOWARD
LGBTQ Youth and Education: Policies and Practices
CRIS MAYO
Race Frameworks: A Multidimensional Theory of Racism and Education
ZEUS LEONARDO
Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies for Erasing the Opportunity
Gap
PAUL C. GORSKI
Class Rules: Exposing Inequality in American High Schools
PETER W. COOKSON JR.
Teachers Without Borders? The Hidden Consequences of International Teachers in
U.S. Schools
ALYSSA HADLEY DUNN
Streetsmart Schoolsmart: Urban Poverty and the Education of Adolescent Boys
GILBERTO Q. CONCHAS AND JAMES DIEGO VIGIL
Americans by Heart: Undocumented Latino Students and the Promise of Higher
Education
WILLIAM PÉREZ
Achieving Equity for Latino Students: Expanding the Pathway to Higher Education
Through Public Policy
FRANCES CONTRERAS
Literacy Achievement and Diversity: Keys to Success for Students, Teachers, and
Schools
KATHRYN H. AU
Understanding English Language Variation in U.S. Schools
ANNE H. CHARITY HUDLEY AND CHRISTINE MALLINSON
Latino Children Learning English: Steps in the Journey
GUADALUPE VALDÉS, SARAH CAPITELLI, AND LAURA ALVAREZ
Asians in the Ivory Tower: Dilemmas of Racia ...
2MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION SERIESJAMES A. BANKS, S.docxBHANU281672
2
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION SERIES
JAMES A. BANKS, Series Editor
Is Everyone Really Equal? An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice
Education, Second Edition
ÖZLEM SENSOY AND ROBIN DIANGELO
Teaching for Equity in Complex Times: Negotiating Standards in a High-
Performing Bilingual School
JAMY STILLMAN AND LAUREN ANDERSON
Transforming Educational Pathways for Chicana/o Students: A Critical Race
Feminista Praxis
DOLORES DELGADO BERNAL AND ENRIQUE ALEMÁN, JR.
Un-Standardizing Curriculum: Multicultural Teaching in the Standards-Based
Classroom, 2nd Edition
CHRISTINE E. SLEETER AND JUDITH FLORES CARMONA
Global Migration, Diversity, and Civic Education: Improving Policy and Practice
JAMES A. BANKS, MARCELO SUÁREZ-OROZCO, AND MIRIAM BEN-PERETZ,
EDS.
Reclaiming the Multicultural Roots of U.S. Curriculum: Communities of Color and
Official Knowledge in Education
WAYNE AU, ANTHONY L. BROWN, AND DOLORES CALDERÓN
Human Rights and Schooling: An Ethical Framework for Teaching for Social
Justice
AUDREY OSLER
We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools,
Third Edition
GARY R. HOWARD
Teaching and Learning on the Verge: Democratic Education in Action
SHANTI ELLIOTT
Engaging the “Race Question”: Accountability and Equity in U.S. Higher
Education
ALICIA C. DOWD AND ESTELA MARA BENSIMON
Diversity and Education: A Critical Multicultural Approach
MICHAEL VAVRUS
First Freire: Early Writings in Social Justice Education
CARLOS ALBERTO TORRES
Mathematics for Equity: A Framework for Successful Practice
NA’ILAH SUAD NASIR, CARLOS CABANA, BARBARA SHREVE, ESTELLE
WOODBURY, AND NICOLE LOUIE, EDS.
3
Race, Empire, and English Language Teaching: Creating Responsible and Ethical
Anti-Racist Practice
SUHANTHIE MOTHA
Black Male(d): Peril and Promise in the Education of African American Males
TYRONE C. HOWARD
LGBTQ Youth and Education: Policies and Practices
CRIS MAYO
Race Frameworks: A Multidimensional Theory of Racism and Education
ZEUS LEONARDO
Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies for Erasing the Opportunity
Gap
PAUL C. GORSKI
Class Rules: Exposing Inequality in American High Schools
PETER W. COOKSON JR.
Teachers Without Borders? The Hidden Consequences of International Teachers in
U.S. Schools
ALYSSA HADLEY DUNN
Streetsmart Schoolsmart: Urban Poverty and the Education of Adolescent Boys
GILBERTO Q. CONCHAS AND JAMES DIEGO VIGIL
Americans by Heart: Undocumented Latino Students and the Promise of Higher
Education
WILLIAM PÉREZ
Achieving Equity for Latino Students: Expanding the Pathway to Higher Education
Through Public Policy
FRANCES CONTRERAS
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Similar to Shea scanlon teaching nonfiction in ap english - sample (20)
Shea scanlon teaching nonfiction in ap english - sample
1. page iii blind folio
Teaching Nonfiction
in AP English
A Guide for
Prepared by
Renée H. Shea
Bowie State University, MD
Lawrence Scanlon
Brewster High School, NY
BEDFORD/ST. MARTIN’S Boston New York
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2. v
PREFACE
This teacher’s guide for 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology, Third Edition, provides materials and sup-
port to Advanced Placement English Language teachers. For each of the fifty essays in the reader,
the guide offers the following content:
• Suggested Approaches
• Questions on Rhetoric and Style
• Simulated AP Essay Questions
• Suggested Writing Assignments
• Multiple-Choice Questions
In Suggested Approaches, we describe appropriate strategies for teaching each of the fifty
essays, including interrupted readings, dialectical journals, group work, various prewriting strate-
gies, and other proven techniques. (We explain five of these in detail in an appendix at the back of
the book.) We note which essays seem like good candidates for reading and analysis in class, which
are better suited as homework assignments, and which should be examined over the course of sev-
eral class periods. These Suggested Approaches are not meant to exhaust all options, simply to sug-
gest possibilities.
Questions on Rhetoric and Style call attention to the features of rhetoric in each essay,
including organization, viewpoint, diction, syntax, and appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos. Knowing
and working with these devices will help students with the AP essay and multiple-choice sections.
Simulated AP Essay Questions mimic those that appear on the AP English Language Exam,
focusing on the role of rhetorical techniques and strategies in the construction of an argument. We
also isolate quotations from most of the essays to simulate the “open” exam question in which stu-
dents utilize rhetorical techniques to generate their own arguments.
We offer a number of Suggested Writing Assignments that exercise writing skills other than
those the AP English Language Exam requires. Sometimes these call for personal essays, some-
times for a comparison-and-contrast paper, and sometimes for an opinion piece. These writing
suggestions are always related to the essay in question, but they may not be as rigidly text-based as
those in the Simulated AP Essay Questions.
Finally, the Multiple-Choice Questions mirror the structure, form, and focus of the multiple-
choice questions on the AP English Language Exam. In most cases, these questions pertain only to
a portion of the essay. When, however, an essay is not layered or complex enough to yield a short
excerpt appropriate for multiple-choice questions, we based our questions on the entire piece. In
this edition, the multiple-choice sets appear together at the back of this book, and each set begins
on a new page for ease of photocopying. We hope that this makes it easier for you to distribute
them to your students and assemble your own practice exams.
The multiple-choice sections are intended for instruction as well as formative assessment.
Students who answer the questions as reading quizzes will learn how to pace themselves, guess
strategically, and anticipate the types of questions likely to be asked on the actual exam. Beyond
this, multiple-choice questions can be used to encourage close reading. Students can even work in
groups to come to a consensus on multiple-choice solutions.
NEW FEATURES
This edition of the guide contains two new features.
We’ve added three Sample AP Synthesis Questions — on “the dumbest generation,” intellec-
tual property in the digital age, and political language. These aim to prepare students for the type of
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3. vi
Preface
thinking and writing that they will encounter in the synthesis portion of the AP English Language
Exam. In each synthesis unit, we’ve included a simulated synthesis question along with brief,
recent readings and visuals for students to use in formulating their responses. We hope that your
students find them interesting and that you find them useful.
We’ve also included six Classic Essays, all written before 1900, by Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Abraham Lincoln, Niccolò Machiavelli, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Mark Twain, and Mary Woll-
stonecraft. One of the most difficult tasks that AP English Language students must master is
reading and analyzing older prose. Filled with unfamiliar ideas, difficult vocabulary, and com-
plex syntax, essays that predate the twentieth century are especially challenging for students. We
have added these Classic Essays because students will be required to engage with this sort of prose
on the exam. For each of these Classic Essays, we have included the actual text, along with all of
the other supporting features that you have come to expect, such as Suggested Approaches and
Multiple-Choice Questions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank the following teachers who reviewed the last edition of Teaching Nonfiction
in AP English. Their thoughts, suggestions, and encouraging words were a great help and a con-
stant guide: Saundra Borel, Battle Mountain High, Minturn, CO; Patricia Cain, Pasadena Memo-
rial High School, Pasadena, TX; Anne Ducote, James Madison High School, San Antonio, TX;
Susan Edward, Greenwood Community High School, Greenwood, IN; Linda J. Fracek, Grove High
School, Grove, OK; Jill Jessen, Rochester High School, Rochester, MI; Jennifer Kleckner, C. E. Jor-
dan High School, Durham, NC; Janis G. Krell, Bob Jones High School, Madison, AL; Matthew
Logsdon, Henry Clay High School, Lexington, KY; Jennifer McAdams, Upland High School,
Upland, CA; Jennifer E. Poness, Winston Churchill High School, Potomac, MD; David Putnam,
Crest High School, Shelby, NC; Carrie A. Riley, Avon High School, Avon, IN; Heather Sargent, John-
son High School, San Antonio, TX; Stephanie Schleicher, Auburn Senior High School, Auburn,
WA; Susan R. Smith, Spaulding High School, Rochester, NH; and Katie C. Tiller, Boyle County
High School, Danville, KY.
Renée H. Shea
Lawrence Scanlon
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4. vii
CONTENTS
Preface v
50 ESSAYS
SHERMAN ALEXIE The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me 1
MAYA ANGELOU Graduation 3
GLORIA ANZALDÚA How to Tame a Wild Tongue 4
BARBARA LAZEAR ASCHER On Compassion 6
JAMES BALDWIN Notes of a Native Son 8
DAVE BARRY Turkeys in the Kitchen 10
WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY JR. Why Don’t We Complain? 12
RACHEL CARSON The Obligation to Endure 14
JUDITH ORTIZ COFER The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named María 17
JARED DIAMOND The Ends of the World as We Know Them 19
JOAN DIDION On Morality 22
ANNIE DILLARD Seeing 24
FREDERICK DOUGLASS Learning to Read and Write 27
BARBARA EHRENREICH Serving in Florida 29
LARS EIGHNER On Dumpster Diving 32
STEPHANIE ERICSSON The Ways We Lie 34
STEPHEN JAY GOULD Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs 36
LANGSTON HUGHES Salvation 39
ZORA NEALE HURSTON How It Feels to Be Colored Me 41
THOMAS JEFFERSON The Declaration of Independence
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions 43
STEVEN JOHNSON Games 46
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Letter from Birmingham Jail 49
MAXINE HONG KINGSTON No Name Woman 53
VERLYN KLINKENBORG Our Vanishing Night 55
AUDRE LORDE The Fourth of July 58
NANCY MAIRS On Being a Cripple 60
MALCOLM X Learning to Read 62
BILL MCKIBBEN Curbing Nature’s Paparazzi 64
N. SCOTT MOMADAY The Way to Rainy Mountain 67
BHARATI MUKHERJEE Two Ways to Belong in America 69
GEORGE ORWELL Shooting an Elephant 71
PLATO The Allegory of the Cave 75
MICHAEL POLLAN What’s Eating America 77
RICHARD RODRIGUEZ Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood 80
MIKE ROSE “I Just Wanna Be Average” 82
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5. viii
Contents
SCOTT RUSSELL SANDERS The Men We Carry in Our Minds 84
ERIC SCHLOSSER Kid Kustomers 86
DAVID SEDARIS A Plague of Tics 88
SUSAN SONTAG Regarding the Pain of Others 91
BRENT STAPLES Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space 94
JONATHAN SWIFT A Modest Proposal 96
AMY TAN Mother Tongue 98
HENRY DAVID THOREAU Where I Lived, and What I Lived For 100
SOJOURNER TRUTH Ain’t I a Woman? 102
SARAH VOWELL Shooting Dad 104
ALICE WALKER In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens 107
E. B. WHITE Once More to the Lake 109
MARIE WINN Television: The Plug-In Drug 111
VIRGINIA WOOLF The Death of the Moth 113
CLASSIC ESSAYS
RALPH WALDO EMERSON Self-Reliance 117
ABRAHAM LINCOLN The Gettysburg Address 134
NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI The Morals of the Prince 137
LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU From The Turkish Embassy Letters 145
MARK TWAIN Thoughts of God 149
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT From A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 153
SAMPLE AP SYNTHESIS QUESTIONS
Synthesis Question 1: “The Dumbest Generation” 161
Synthesis Question 2: Intellectual Property in the Digital Age 170
Synthesis Question 3: Political Language 178
50 ESSAYS MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
SHERMAN ALEXIE The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me 187
MAYA ANGELOU Graduation 188
GLORIA ANZALDÚA How to Tame a Wild Tongue 189
BARBARA LAZEAR ASCHER On Compassion 191
JAMES BALDWIN Notes of a Native Son 192
DAVE BARRY Turkeys in the Kitchen 194
WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY JR. Why Don’t We Complain? 195
RACHEL CARSON The Obligation to Endure 196
JUDITH ORTIZ COFER The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named María 197
JARED DIAMOND The Ends of the World as We Know Them 198
JOAN DIDION On Morality 200
ANNIE DILLARD Seeing 202
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6. ix
Contents
FREDERICK DOUGLASS Learning to Read and Write 203
BARBARA EHRENREICH Serving in Florida 204
LARS EIGHNER On Dumpster Diving 206
STEPHANIE ERICSSON The Ways We Lie 207
STEPHEN JAY GOULD Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs 208
LANGSTON HUGHES Salvation 210
ZORA NEALE HURSTON How It Feels to Be Colored Me 211
THOMAS JEFFERSON The Declaration of Independence
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions 212
STEVEN JOHNSON Games 214
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Letter from Birmingham Jail 216
MAXINE HONG KINGSTON No Name Woman 217
VERLYN KLINKENBORG Our Vanishing Night 218
AUDRE LORDE The Fourth of July 220
NANCY MAIRS On Being a Cripple 222
MALCOLM X Learning to Read 223
BILL MCKIBBEN Curbing Nature’s Paparazzi 224
N. SCOTT MOMADAY The Way to Rainy Mountain 226
BHARATI MUKHERJEE Two Ways to Belong in America 227
GEORGE ORWELL Shooting an Elephant 228
PLATO The Allegory of the Cave 229
MICHAEL POLLAN What’s Eating America 230
RICHARD RODRIGUEZ Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood 232
MIKE ROSE “I Just Wanna Be Average” 234
SCOTT RUSSELL SANDERS The Men We Carry in Our Minds 235
ERIC SCHLOSSER Kid Kustomers 236
DAVID SEDARIS A Plague of Tics 238
SUSAN SONTAG Regarding the Pain of Others 239
BRENT STAPLES Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space 241
JONATHAN SWIFT A Modest Proposal 242
AMY TAN Mother Tongue 244
HENRY DAVID THOREAU Where I Lived, and What I Lived For 245
SOJOURNER TRUTH Ain’t I a Woman? 246
SARAH VOWELL Shooting Dad 247
ALICE WALKER In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens 249
E. B. WHITE Once More to the Lake 250
MARIE WINN Television: The Plug-In Drug 251
VIRGINIA WOOLF The Death of the Moth 252
CLASSIC ESSAYS MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
RALPH WALDO EMERSON Self-Reliance 253
ABRAHAM LINCOLN The Gettysburg Address 255
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7. x
Contents
NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI The Morals of the Prince 256
LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU From The Turkish Embassy Letters 257
MARK TWAIN Thoughts of God 259
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT From A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 261
Appendix: Instructional Techniques 263
Answers to 50 Essays Multiple-Choice Questions 266
Answers to Classic Essays Multiple-Choice Questions 268
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8. 49
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Letter From Birmingham Jail (pp. 203–20)
SUGGESTED APPROACHES
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” is truly a textbook of rhetorical principles, strategies, and terms. In
fact, the difficulty of teaching this essay is not a matter of inclusion but exclusion: where to start?
Although fascinating in content and a paragon of craft, the essay is long. It will probably take sev-
eral class periods to discuss it in its entirety, and having students work in groups to focus on spe-
cific elements is one way to manage the complexities and length. One group might, for instance,
read primarily for ethos, another for logos, another for pathos, another for metaphors of light and
dark, another for allusions to the Bible, and so forth.
Regardless of the specific approach, we highly recommend starting with the “Statement by
Alabama Clergymen” (available online at stanford.edu/group/King/frequentdocs/clergy.pdf) that
prompted King’s response. Reading King’s letter in the context of these clergymen’s allegations pro-
vides an excellent entrance to analyze how and why King shapes his argument. In their letter, pub-
lished in the Birmingham newspaper, the clergymen make four specific accusations: (1) King is an
outsider, (2) he and his followers should negotiate for change rather than demonstrate, (3) their
actions are “untimely,” and (4) there is no justification for breaking the law.
Read as a response to this letter, King’s essay can be approached as a shrewd argument that
shows a thorough understanding of its immediate audience. After his introduction, in paragraphs
2–4 King explains why he is not an outsider; in paragraphs 5–11, he explains how his organization
has tried to negotiate and how it will again; in paragraphs 12–14, he refutes the accusation that his
organization’s actions are untimely; and in paragraphs 15–22, he presents an argument justifying
civil disobedience. In each case, King deftly crafts his response to show that he, in fact, agrees with
the claim the clergymen make, but he redefines the terms for them. For example, he agrees that
outsiders should not intrude in community issues; then he shows that he is an insider by virtue of
his position in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, his concern for justice, and his
awareness of the “interrelatedness of all communities and states.”
Thus, King systematically, logically, and, one might argue, respectfully, responds to each
claim made against him. After these counterarguments, he mounts his own argument. In doing so,
he employs all manner of allusions, chiefly appealing to religion and patriotism. He employs figu-
rative language through a series of contrasts: mountain/valley, darkness/light, illness/health,
organic/artificial. A preacher and teacher, King expresses himself using rhetorical questions, antith-
esis, syllogism, parallelism, and a host of other rhetorical strategies. An excellent resource for
detailed analysis of King’s arrangement and his style can be found in Classical Rhetoric for the Mod-
ern Student (4th edition) by Edward Corbett and Robert Connors (Oxford University Press, 1998).
Certainly a cluster of materials on the civil rights movement can help students see different
perspectives — materials such as Alice Walker’s essay “The Civil Rights Movement: What Good
Was It?” and poetry from Rita Dove’s collection On the Bus with Rosa Parks. However, those
interested in making King’s letter the subject of a longer study might compare and contrast it
with Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience.” Our experience is that students need quite a bit of guidance,
including historical context, to conduct such a comparison, but the results are rewarding. A hyper-
linked e-text of “Civil Disobedience” that students might find helpful is at www.vcu.edu/engweb/
transcendentalism/authors/thoreau/civil/
After all, both Thoreau and King could have gotten out of jail fairly expeditiously — Thor-
eau’s aunt offered to pay his bail, and President Kennedy offered to intervene on King’s behalf.
Both chose to remain imprisoned to make a point. On the other hand, Thoreau eventually delivered
his argument to the Concord Lyceum, a rather elite intellectual audience, whereas the charismatic
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9. 50
King/Letter from Birmingham Jail
leader King intended his letter to reach a larger citizenry. A possible beginning is simply to work
with the SOAPS technique (see the appendix). By developing such a comparison, students begin to
see the multiple levels within each category. The following is a model SOAPS chart for King and
Thoreau:
Category King Thoreau
Subject why in Birmingham why withhold poll taxes
segregation slavery/war
freedom freedom
Occasion misuse of the law misuse of the law
human injustices human injustices
nonviolent demonstrations nonpayment of poll taxes, protest war
Audience clergy local concerned citizens
U.S. citizens U.S. citizens
world
Purpose defend self defend self
explain cause explain resistance
influence public policy appeal for revolution
Speaker minister abolitionist
civil rights leader protester
prophet/visionary reformer
A more text-based analysis of style and structure may be even more challenging. One possi-
bility is to consider Thoreau’s rather long account of his night in jail (beginning “The night in
prison was novel and interesting enough” and ending “This is the whole history of ‘My Prisons’ “).
What is the effect of this lengthy personal account, and why doesn’t King include something
similar?
Another approach is to focus on paired passages, such as the opening paragraph of each.
Paragraphs 15–22 in King’s “Letter” provide an excellent comparison with Thoreau’s explanation of
what he believes constitutes civil disobedience.
QUESTIONS ON RHETORIC AND STYLE
1. What is King’s tone in the opening paragraph? How might you make an argument for its
being ironic?
2. Why does he arrange paragraphs 2–4 in the order that he does? How would reversing the
order have changed the impact?
3. How do King’s allusions to biblical figures and events appeal to both ethos and pathos?
4. Why does King go in to such detail to explain the basic principles and process of the nonvio-
lent protest movement?
5. In the long sentence in paragraph 14 (beginning with “But when you have seen . . .”), why
does King arrange the “when” clauses in the order that he does? Try repositioning them and
discuss the difference in effect.
6. Paragraph 16 exerts a strong appeal to logos. How can you express King’s argument(s) in a
series of syllogisms?
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10. 51
King/Letter from Birmingham Jail
7. What are the rhetorical strategies in paragraph 25? Try to identify at least four.
8. What are the chief rhetorical strategies in paragraph 31? Identify at least five.
9. Trace one of the following patterns of figurative language throughout King’s “Letter”: dark-
ness and light, high and low, sickness and health.
10. King uses various kinds of repetition — repetition of single words or phrases, of sentence
structures, and of sounds. Focusing on a passage of one or more paragraphs’ length, discuss
the effect of King’s use of repetition.
11. Why does King wait until the end of his “Letter” (pars. 45 and 46) to address the clergymen’s
claim that the Birmingham police behaved admirably?
12. Considering the final three paragraphs as King’s conclusion, discuss whether you believe it is
rhetorically effective.
SIMULATED AP ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Rhetorical Analysis. In paragraphs 13 and 14 of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Martin
Luther King Jr. argues for the urgency of changing segregation laws. Write an essay analyz-
ing the rhetorical strategies he uses to make his argument.
2. Rhetorical Analysis. In paragraphs 27–31 of “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther
King Jr. considers the accusation that his nonviolent protest movement is “extreme.” Write
an essay analyzing the rhetorical strategies he employs to respond to this claim.
Note: This passage is slightly longer than most that appear on the AP Exam. If students have
only 40 minutes to read and write, the passage could be limited to paragraphs 28–31.
3. Argument. Martin Luther King Jr. claims in “Letter from Birmingham Jail” that “it is an
historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals
may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture, but . . . groups tend to
be more immoral than individuals” (par. 12). Write an essay defending, challenging, or quali-
fying King’s claim. Support your position with evidence from your own experience, observa-
tion, or knowledge.
4. Argument. Martin Luther King Jr. made the following observation in “Letter from Bir-
mingham Jail”: “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than
absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more be-
wildering than outright rejection” (par. 23). Write an essay explaining why you agree or dis-
agree with King’s statement. Use specific evidence from your own experience, observation, or
reading to develop your position.
SUGGESTED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1. Write an essay tracing and analyzing the way King balances the twin appeals to religion and
patriotism throughout “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Does he ultimately emphasize one
over the other? If so, why do you think he made that choice?
2. Compare and contrast the rhetorical strategies King employs in “Letter from Birmingham
Jail” with those he uses in another piece, such as the “I Have a Dream” speech or the intro-
duction to his book Why We Can’t Wait (which appeared on the 1989 AP Language Exam).
Explain why certain strategies are more appropriate for a speech.
3. Compare and contrast the rhetorical strategies and styles of “Statement by Alabama Clergy-
men” and King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Include consideration of figurative lan-
guage, allusion, and sentence structure.
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11. 52
King/Letter from Birmingham Jail
4. Alice Walker wrote an essay entitled “The Civil Rights Movement: What Good Was It?” After
reading her essay, write your own essay using her title but updating it to the present day.
What “good” do you believe has resulted from the civil rights movement?
5. Write your own definition of just versus unjust laws and explain a set of circumstances that
you believe would warrant civil disobedience.
6. On the Web site faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html, you will find a color-
coded “Letter from Birmingham Jail” indicating the appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos.
Write an essay in which you take issue with some of the categorizations, and explain your
reasoning.
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12. 216
1. Paragraphs 17 and 18 contain all of the
following EXCEPT
a. antithesis
b. rhetorical question
c. imperative sentence
d. metaphor
e. compound-complex sentence
2. What is the primary purpose of para-
graph 19?
a. to challenge a point made in the pre-
vious paragraph
b. to give an example of a difference
between theory and practice
c. to summarize the points made in the
previous two paragraphs
d. to introduce an idea that the author
will refute in subsequent paragraphs
e. to emphasize the author’s personal
experience
3. The following sentence from paragraph
20 is an example of which rhetorical
device: “I submit that an individual who
breaks a law that conscience tells him is
unjust, and who willingly accepts the
penalty of imprisonment in order to
arouse the conscience of the community
over its injustice, is in reality expressing
the highest respect for the law?”
a. anaphora
b. personification
c. oxymoron
d. paradox
e. apostrophe
4. What is the purpose of sentences 2 and 3
in paragraph 20: “In no sense do I advo-
cate evading or defying the law, as would
the rapid segregationist. That would lead
to anarchy”?
a. to emphasize an assumption of the
author’s argument
b. to signal a shift in tone
c. to acknowledge and refute a counter-
argument
d. to provide a specific example of a
point made in the previous paragraph
e. to qualify the author’s thesis
5. Paragraph 21 appeals to which of the
following?
I. Judeo-Christian beliefs
II. racial pride
III. patriotism
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I and III only
e. I, II, and III
6. Paragraph 22, on Nazi Germany, illus-
trates all of the following EXCEPT
a. hyperbole
b. an appeal to ethos
c. concrete diction
d. an appeal to pathos
e. complex sentences
7. The author’s tone in paragraph 22 can
best be described as
a. ironic bitterness
b. controlled anger
c. grudging respect
d. feigned sympathy
e. detached cynicism
8. Taken as a whole, this passage utilizes
which of the following organizational
patterns?
I. definition
II. cause-and-effect
III. comparison and contrast
a. I only
b. III only
c. I and II only
d. I and III only
e. I, II, and III
9. The style of this passage as a whole is
most accurately characterized as
a. informal and descriptive
b. complex and reasoned
c. abstract and allusive
d. objective and formal
e. emotional and evocative
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Letter From Birmingham Jail
These multiple-choice questions refer to paragraphs 17–22.
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