Lucy's English Blog

  Prompt Response:  Using clustering helped me generate ideas by letting me get all my thoughts down visually without worrying about the structure right away. Branching out from a central idea made it easy to make unexpected connections. The most useful part of the process was seeing how different subtopics linked together, which helped me select my strongest arguments faster. I would definitely use this strategy when planning an AP Lang essay because it fits into the short planning window and gives a clear outline of the argument before writing.  Summary: Today in class we talked about brainstorming strategies like clustering. We did a practice clustering on the topic of jobs.  Reflection:  This made the brainstorming phase much less overwhelming. This helped me to learn how to organize my thoughts before jumping straight into writing. This makes it much easier to build a clear line of reasoning in future essays. 

 Prompt Response: The easiest part for me was writing the claim. Since I already knew my stance, it was easy to develop a clear point to drive the argument. The most challenging part was writing the commentary. Connecting the evidence back to the claim required deeper analysis, and it took more effort to explain why the evidence mattered instead of just summarizing what happened. On my next essay, one thing I would do differently is outline my commentary before drafting. Sketching out the steps between my evidence and claim beforehand will make the analysis flow much better.  Summary: Today in class we received the 2024 AP Lang Exam prompt about selfies. We then wrote an argumentative essay on this topic.  Reflection: This helped test me on working under a time limit. I had to fully develop and revise an essay in a limited amount of time, which will help me for the exam. 

  Prompt Response:  A time I felt like I truly belonged was when my friends made a deliberate point to include me in what they were doing. We were hanging out in a group, and instead of just talking among themselves, they pulled me into the conversation and asked for my opinion. What created that feeling of belonging wasn't just being in the same room with people, but thinking that my presence was noticed and valued. This helped me feel comfortable and accepted, which is the kind of meaningful connection Tracy Brower describes when talking about the power of belonging.  Summary: Today in class we read, completed multiple choice questions, and a free response question based on the Common Lit called "Missing Your People."  Reflection:  This gave me a new perspective on why connection and community are so important in our lives.  Answering the multiple choice questions helped me double check my understanding of the article's main points, and the free response ...

  Prompt Response:  The word archaic will be the most useful to me in the future. This word means old-fashioned or not current. I could realistically use this word in many situations, including when I run into a rule, system, or technology that hasn't been updated in years. For example, if I'm dealing with a process that relies on slow tools, I could say that relying on such an archaic system slows everyone down and makes tasks much harder than they need to be.  Summary: Today in class, we copied down vocab words, made up example sentences for the words, and completed a multiple choice exercise.  Reflection:  This helped me understand how to apply these new vocabulary words rather than just memorizing them. Working through the multiple choice exercise was a great way to test my recall and see how the words fit into different contexts. 

 Prompt response: Before, I would accidentally use commentary by just repeating what happened in my evidence or summarizing the facts. Now I understand that commentary connects my proof directly to my main point by showing why it matters. Next time I write an AP Lang argument, I will stop and ask myself, "so what?" after every example so I can explain the big picture instead of just telling a story.  Summary: Today in class, we worked on a packet where we received a claim and evidence and had to create commentary for it.  Reflection: Writing commentary forces me to dig deeper into my own thoughts instead of relying on someone else's words. It teaches me how to make a really convincing argument that only I could write.

  Prompt Response:  I usually review a rubric before and while I write an assignment rather than waiting until after I get my grade, which keeps me from guessing what the teacher wants and stops me from wasting time on details that don't earn points.  After reviewing the AP Lang argument essay rubric, I can use it as a roadmap to plan, write, and check my essay by following its structure. First, I can use the thesis section to make sure I state a clear position in my opening paragraph. Next, I can use the evidence and commentary section as a checklist for my body paragraphs to make sure I don't just list the facts. Finally, the rubric reminds me to push for the sophistication point by showing deeper thought.  Summary: Today in class, we took some notes on the aspects of argumentative essays and looked at a past prompt from the AP Lang exam. We then brainstormed ideas for our position on the prompt.  Reflection:  This helps me organize my thoughts and build ...

  Prompt Response:  The first important takeaway was that the thesis point is extremely easy to get. Even if your essay is not well developed or clear, you can still receive the point by just stating your position. Another takeaway was that you can earn the sophistication point by exemplifying complex thought and possibly introducing and addressing a counterargument. I learned that the "so what" explanation shows why the example matters, what the example proves, and how it connects to the claim. The best essays didn't just list examples, they explained why those examples mattered. Now I know to always explain my evidence fully so my reader understands my point.   Summary: Today in class we reviewed students past responses to prompts on the AP Lang exam and graded them.  Reflection:  Grading past students' responses showed me exactly what AP readers look for and how small mistakes can cost points on the rubric.  Seeing real examples helped me realize th...

  Prompt Response:  When I was younger, I once wrote a story for a class that I thought was amazing. I put in lots of detail and worked really hard on it. But when I got my paper back, the grade was lower than I expected. My teacher said I forgot to answer the main prompt question. If I had known the exact rubric rules back then, my work would have been completely different. Today, learning about the AP Lang rubric showed me how much clarity helps. The AP essay gives points for very specific things. First, you need a clear claim that answers the prompt directly. Next, you need strong evidence and clear explanation that connect the facts back to your main point. Finally, you can earn a point for showing deeper analysis. Now that I know how the scoring works, I will not just sit down and write whatever comes to mind first. Before writing, I will check off the rubric requirements.  Summary: Today in class, we reviewed our peers' suggestions for our essays and made any necess...

  Prompt Response:  It was very interesting to see my classmates views on different topics. For the most part, I agreed with their opinions. On certain topics however, I completely disagreed. Although, even if I did not share their opinion it was intriguing to see how they defended their position. I noticed that some groups essays had different tones and styles. It was beneficial to me by showing how many perspectives there can be on a topic.  Summary: Today we peer reviewed essays. My group evaluated the commentary on the evidence.  Reflection:  This teaches me that strong essays need explicit analysis not just facts to successfully connect evidence to the claim. It is easier to see weak connections in someone else's writing than your own. This objective viewpoint helped me to review my own work more carefully. 

  Prompt Response:  A classmate noticed that we had explained our evidence but did not clearly connect it back to our main point. They suggested adding one sentence to explicitly state how that evidence proved our overall argument. Adding that commentary made the writing much clearer. Instead of leaving the reader to guess why the evidence mattered, we showed them. It taught me that exploring the connection between the evidence and the argument is what actually persuades the reader.  Summary: Today in class, the internet was out, so we worked on vocabulary. We copied down the definitions and completed two exercises for practice. Reflection: This will help me develop more sophisticated language to explain complex ideas and write stronger essays. It also helps me express my thoughts more clearly. 

  Prompt Response:  Someone in my freshman year once asked our English teacher for an extension on an essay. Instead of waiting until after class or sending a polite email, he shouted across the classroom right before the bell rang. He used extremely informal language and lots of slang. The whole room went quiet, and the teacher looked annoyed, not because he asked for the extension, but because of the casual way he brought it up. Calling the teacher by her first name and using slang made it sound like he didn't respect the teacher's authority or the assignment. The teacher denied the extension on the spot and told him that they could talk about responsibility after class. Looking back, he could have handled that situation much better by using formal language. This taught me that when you use extreme slang or overly casual language in a serious setting, people stop focusing on what you are saying and start focusing on how you said it.  Summary: Today we worked on revising...

  Prompt Response:   Something I've always been curious about is the word sonder and its meaning. Sonder is the realization that every person passing by is living a life as detailed and complex as your own. I have always been curious about this because I was constantly thinking about this concept as a little kid. Whenever my family and I went on road trips, I would wonder about the people in the cars around me and all their unique stories. I was so curious because sometimes we think that the world revolves around us, and we forget that everyone is experiencing life the same way we are.  Summary: Today in class we started to revise our paragraphs, making sure that we were following line of reasoning,  Reflection:  This will help me keep my thoughts organized, make sure my points are backed by reasoning, and my writing is easy to follow. It also helps me think critically about how ideas connect. 

  Prompt Response:  The part of the argument that is the most challenging for me is the commentary on the evidence. I have trouble explaining how my explanations of the evidence relate back to my position. I also need to practice being more specific in my evidence and making sure it directly supports my claim. My commentary should be at least three sentences, but I sometimes have trouble coming up with three. I think that the commentary is challenging for me because I feel like I am being repetitive when I try to explain my evidence.  Summary: Today in class we learned about creating a line of reasoning and practice ordering an argument so that it made sense. We then received an unpopular opinion and had to create an argument to defend or refute it.  Reflection:  This will help me logically order my arguments using a line of reasoning. Defending the unpopular opinion helped me explain exactly why and how my evidence relates back to my claim. 

  Prompt Response:  One fear that I have overcome is my fear of heights. When I was younger I was terrified of heights but all my friends loved to do activities like rope courses and go on roller coasters. I would force myself to do these activities with them because I didn't want to seem like I wasn't "cool" or not be able to hang out with my friends. I remember one time my friend and I went to Stone Mountain and she really wanted to go on the high ropes course. I agreed because I wanted her to have fun. The whole time I was on the course I was terrified and had to talk myself into just taking the next step. As I have gotten older, I have been in so many situations that require me to be up high that I am used to it. I am no longer afraid of heights, I just don't enjoy them. I overcame this fear by forcing myself into situations that I did not want to be in.  Summary: Today in class we reviewed our submissions in Writable and analyzed the mistakes.  Reflection: ...