Jocelyn's English Blog

Response: I wasn't in class to take notes or do the practice and there was nothing in canvas so I looked it up. Clustering can be useful to organize ideas before immediately trying to write a complete response. You could write several possibilities and see how they're connected instead of struggling to develop one idea from the start. Summary: I was not in school on Friday because of an appointment

Yesterday, you constructed a full AP Language argument essay. Think about the experience from beginning to end. What part of writing the essay was easiest for you, and what part was the most challenging? Why? What is one thing you would do differently on your next argument essay?

Response: Writing a full AP Language argument essay from beginning to end helped me understand how much planning goes into developing a strong argument. The easiest part for me was forming my main claim because I could identify my position and think of reasons that supported it. The more difficult part was coming up with strong evidence in a limited time and developing my commentary. I needed a clearer connection between the claim, evidence, and reasoning throughout the entire essay. For my next argument essay, I would spend more time planning my evidence and reasoning before writing so that each piece of evidence clearly contributes to the overall argument. Summary: Today in class we sat down a wrote a full length argument essay. Reflection: Its important that we practice writing full length essays on a time limit so we're better prepared for our AP exam. Getting feedback now so we know what to fix can help us get better scores in the future.

Select the vocabulary word from today that you think will be most useful to you in the future. Explain what the word means in your own words and describe a situation in which you could realistically use it.

Response: The vocabulary word I think will be most useful to me in the future is arable, which means land that's suitable for growing crops. I already knew what the word meant because I have encountered it in other AP classes, especially in AP Human Geography. It was often used when discussing agriculture, population, and availability. In AP World last year, the world helped us describe how access to fertile or arable land influenced the development and expansion of civilizations. I could still realistically use it this year in AP U.S History when discussing settlement, westward expansion, agriculture, and conflicts over land. Summary: Today in class we learned and reviewed some vocab from an exercise book. Reflection: Learning more words can make us better writers so we're not constantly repeating words and phrases. It could also be helpful on exams such as the AP exam to demonstrate complexity and the SAT where we're being tested on our personal vocabularies.

In “Missing Your People,” Tracy Brower explains the importance of belonging. Describe a time when you felt like you truly belonged. What created that feeling?

Response: A time I felt like I truly belonged was when I joined my old friend group. I got to hang around a group of people who made me feel comfortable sharing things that I had not before. What created that feeling was being able to speak and enjoy myself without worrying that I would be ignored or judged for my personality. Everyone was truly friends and made others feel validated and like their presence actually mattered. I felt a strong connection to them because we all liked the same things and spent a lot of time together. Summary: Today we worked on a Common lit about connection and a sense of belonging. Reflection: Reading about connection and a sense of belonging can help us understand how relationships and communities influence the way people think and communicate. Learning about belonging can also give a broader perspective on different experiences which is important when developing arguments about social issues.

Think about a time when you completed an assignment without fully understanding what the teacher was looking for. How might knowing the “ins and outs” of a rubric change the way you approach an assignment? Connect your experience to what you learned today about the AP Lang Argument Essay rubric.

Response: One time I completed an assignment in history without fully understanding the instructions. I focused mainly on answering the questions and finishing the assignment rather than carefully reviewing it to make sure I even understood the requirements. Although I included information that was correct, I got a low score because my answers lacked the depth and explanations my teacher was looking for. This experience taught me that completing an assignment is not always the same as successfully meeting its expectations. After learning more about the argument rubric I can connect this experience to the importance of understanding the purpose and requirements of a task before beginning it. In the future, I can use rubrics and assignment instructions as guides to organize my ideas. Summary: Today we took notes on writing good commentary for evidence in an argumentative essay. Reflection: Writing good commentary can help me write better paragraphs as my reasoning will show wh...

Some students look at a rubric only after receiving their grade, while others use it as a guide while completing the assignment. Which approach do you usually take? After reviewing the AP Lang Argument Essay rubric today, explain how you could use the rubric as a roadmap to improve your argument writing.

Response: I usually use the rubric as a guide while completing an assignment so I know exactly what I need to do. The argument essay rubric gives specific expectations for using evidence, explaining reasoning, and demonstrating complexity. It can be used as a roadmap to check my writing as I work instead of waiting for my essay to be finished or until the AP exam is here. Using the rubric can make my writing more purposeful because I know beforehand what each part of my essay needs to be like and how it contributes to my overall argument. It can also help avoid unnecessary writing so you don't lose time on timed writing. Summary: Today we took notes and looked at the Essay Rubric. Reflection: Knowing what graders are actually looking for in our essays is extremely useful so we can avoid adding unnecessary information to our essays and so we know what we need to include.

After reviewing and scoring other AP Language argument essays, identify two important takeaways that you can apply to your own writing. Explain what you learned about claims, evidence, commentary, the “so what?” explanation, or the AP rubric. Use specific observations from the essays you reviewed. Write one complete paragraph.

Response: After reviewing and scoring other AP Lang essays, one important takeaway is that having evidence is not enough if the writer does not clearly explain how it supports the argument. I noticed that stronger responses that received more points clearly connected their evidence back to their main claim instead of simply presenting an example and moving on. Additionally, good responses' commentary needs to answer the So What? question by explaining why the evidence matters and what it reveals about the larger argument. This is something I can apply to my own writing by spending more time explaining the significance of my evidence instead of assuming the reader will make connections for me. Comparing the essays really helped me see the difference between stating facts versus developing a convincing argument. Summary: Today in class we reviewed past argumentative essays and scored them based on the AP rubric. Reflection: It's good to know what a high scoring essay looks like ...

Think about your practice with the “So What?” method today. What is one thing you understand about commentary now that you did not fully understand before? How will you apply it when writing your next AP Lang argument?

Response: After practicing the So What? method, I clearly understand more clearly that commentary should explain the significance of my evidence instead of repeating what the evidence says. The three steps for having good commentary lay out a clear path for connecting evidence to a claim instead of loosely tying it back like I used to do. It helps me think about why my evidence matters and what conclusion the reader should take from it. When I write my next essay, I can use this method after each piece of evidence to make sure my reasoning is developed. This will help me create stronger paragraphs because my evidence will not just be included in the essay but will actively support it. Summary: Today in class we looked at examples of claims and evidence and wrote commentary that properly connected the evidence to the claim using the So What? method. Reflection: Proper commentary is how to receive a bulk of the points for essays on the AP exam so knowing how to write it ...

September 11th

September 14, 2026

Response: During the Covid pandemic, my family and I were faced with a lot of new changes to our daily lives such as isolation, health concerns, and uncertainty about when out lives would return to normal. Similarly, after 9/11, Americans experienced fear and uncertainty because they were unsure whether another attack might happen and how their lives would be affected. Both events caused people to question their sense of safety and adjust to new rules set in place as precautions. Covid also changed how I interacted with others and increased awareness about health and safety. 9/11 lead to major changes in airport and national security. Summary: We received the feedback from other groups about our paragraphs and got the chance to revise them. Reflection: Other people can catch mistakes that we miss and getting feedback can help us better consider to her perspectives for our evidence.

Think of a time when you or someone you know used informal language in a situation where formal language may have been more appropriate. What happened? Looking back, what could have been said differently, and what did the situation teach you about choosing your words carefully?

September 14, 2026

Response: Last school year at the Georgia Key Club Conference, I won an art award for poster design and as informed my design would be used for the state for the upcoming year. As a result of my win my friends and I, were able to meet people who held high positions in Key Club and would be good to network with. However, one of my friends used a lot of slang and informal language when talking to professionals. I'm afraid they did not make a good impression. Instead I wish they kept personal information to themselves and spoke more professionally to them. Summary: Today we took notes on formal and informal language then evaluated other people's paragraphs as evidence experts to see their strengths and weaknesses. Reflection: Knowing when the use formal or informal language is extremely important because your speech can leave lasting impressions on people. Choosing the wrong type of language in certain situations can come off as awkward or even cost you useful opportunities. .

Working with others can expose you to ideas or perspectives you may not have considered on your own. What is one idea, suggestion, or approach from a group member that improved your paragraph or changed the way you thought about the argument? Explain how it helped you.

September 14, 2026

Response: One idea I got from a group member was looking at our claim from the perspective of sports teams. We were struggling to find a second piece of evidence that would properly match our topic. One group member suggested we use their experience on multiple sports teams and their observations on how coaches treat suggestions from freshman's versus seniors. Once that group member brought it up, we all realized we had similar observations in our own sports. That allowed us to easily connect the second piece of evidence to our claim as well understood it and had personal experience with it. Summary: Today in class we finished writing our paragraphs as a group. Reflection: Spending a lot of time looking over our paragraphs can help us make sure were doing every part right and further develop our writing skills. Pulling good ideas from different minds and getting constant feedback can help mitigate mistakes so we can write better. Disclaimer: We've lost power for a couple of ...

Write about something you’ve always been curious about.

Response: I've always been curious about what's on other people's minds. I go through a lot of thoughts in a day and I always end up wondering if everyone else overthinks things like I do. I know that everyone has their own personalities and thought processes but sometimes it's hard for me to imagine that everyone is thinking about different things at the same time. That's why the ability to remind minds would be among one of my first picks as a superpower if I ever got the chance. I know I'd be astonished to see the thoughts of the people I think I know the best. Summary: Today in class we got in groups and were given unpopular opinions to write a paragraph on. Reflection. Being able to compose a paragraph as a group may help us further develop our writing skills. Pulling good ideas from different minds and getting constant feedback can help mitigate mistakes so we can write better.

Today, we learned how writers create a clear line of reasoning by connecting a claim, evidence, commentary, and conclusion. Which part of building an argument is most challenging for you, and why?

Response: Personally, I find collecting good evidence to be the hardest for me. I've always been able to easily locate and pull from articles on a subject. However, when I'm given the task to write without prior research all the information in my head disappears. Even when I can remember things from my own observations and experiences I have a difficult time properly connecting to my paper. When I do, I often end up making generalizing claims without evidence. Summary: We looked at our Writables and reading quizzes to see what we got wrong. As a class we went over common mistakes and spent a lot of time discussing those so we did not get to do our activity. reflection. It's good to see what you got wrong on an assignment so you know what to work on and improve for next time. The results from our last paragraphs show we have to to learn as writers.

Write about a fear you have overcome.

Response: Back in middle school, I used to be deathly afraid of roller coasters. Unfortunately, I belonged to a friend group of amusement park enthusiasts, We'd all get seasons to six flags every year and every time we went, I'd sit on the sidelines once we got to the big rides. Until one summer I made a pact with my closest friend, I'd try the Dare Devil Dive if she tried tubing for the first time. She had been scared of the water longer than I'd known and this was the only way to get her out on a boat. It took a lot of courage for me to step onto one of the largest roller coasters I had ever seen, but once I did I fell in love with and have joined my friends as a roller coaster fanatic. Summary: Picture day

Think about the word or phrase you find yourself using the most right now. What is it, what does it mean, and why has it become part of your everyday vocabulary? Explain when you typically use it and what your choice of this word or phrase might reveal about you.