AP Seminar:
What Does It Mean to Be Human?
General Resources
Course Syllabus 2020-2021
How to Actively Read Sources
How to Write a Rhetorical Précis in AP Seminar
"Sexy Verbs" in Academic Writing
Socratic Seminars: A User's Guide
Evaluating the Credibility of Sources: RAVEN
Evaluating the Credibility of Online Sources: PAACE
How to Write a Good Research Question
Research Strategies from Google Searches to Navigating Databases
How to Write an Annotated Bibliography in AP Seminar
MLA 8 Citation Guide
Unit 1: Defining Our Nature
Module A: Perspectives on Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne, selection from the Essays, 1588.
Michael Pollan, "The Intelligent Plant," The New Yorker, 2013.
Gary Larson, selected cartoons from The Far Side, 1991.
Clifford Geertz, excerpt from The Interpretation of Cultures, 1973.
Brian Aldiss, "Supertoys Last All Summer Long," 1969.
Brian Christian, "Mind Versus Machine," The Atlantic, 2011.
Artistic perspectives on human nature
Module B: The Darwinian Revolution
The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1-11.
William Paley, excerpts from Natural Theology, 1802.
Nathan Lents, "Five Questions About Human Errors," 2018.
Charles Darwin, excerpts from On the Origin of Species, 1859.
Yuval Noah Harari, "What Explains the Rise of Humans?" 2015.
Scientific American, Special Issue: The Science of Being Human, 2015.
Module C: Exploring Implications of the Darwinian Revolution
Nina Gifford and Ray Linn, "E.O. Wilson's Sociobiology," 2018.
Stephen Cave, "There's No Such Thing as Free Will," 2016.
Jane Goodall, "Chimpanzees—Bridging the Gap," 1993.
Frans de Waal, "Moral Behavior in Animals," 2011.
Alice Walker, "Am I Blue?" 1987.
Peter Singer, "All Animals Are Equal," 1974.
Unit 2: Analyzing Our Mind
Readings and resources coming soon!
Unit 3: Investigating Our Personalities
Readings and resources coming soon!
Unit 4: AP Seminar Performance Task 1
Performance Task 1 Spring 2021 Calendar
Performance Task 1 Instructions and Rubrics
Handouts:
Unit 5: AP Seminar Performance Task 2
Performance Task 2 Spring 2021 Calendar
Performance Task 2 Instructions and Rubrics
Handouts:
Unit 6: Preparing for the EOC and AP Research
AP Seminar End-of-Course Exam
End-of-Course Exam Rubrics
Transitioning to AP Research
Coming soon!
