AP Spanish Language and Culture Syllabus
Course Overview
The primary objective of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course is to help
advanced Spanish students to further develop their command of written and spoken
Spanish within the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive and
presentational), while preparing them to pass the AP exam at the end of the school
year. This course is comparable to a third-year Spanish course at the university level
with an emphasis on conversation, composition, advanced grammar and vocabulary.
The AP Spanish Language and Culture course will be conducted almost entirely in
Spanish. Successful completion of Spanish III is a pre-requisite to this course. However,
in some cases, with teacher approval, students with a strong background in the Spanish
language may take this course after completing Spanish II. Students who take this
course will earn college credit upon passing the AP exam administered in May.
AP Tutoring
In addition to taking the AP Spanish Language and Culture course, it is highly
recommended that all students planning to take the AP exam in May also attend the AP
Tutoring sessions offered in April. These tutoring sessions will be conducted after
school and on Saturdays and will allow students to further practice AP exam format and
testing strategies, and to receive additional formative feedback from the teacher before
taking the AP exam. It is recommended that each student attend a minimum of two
after-school sessions and one Saturday session in order to practice testing strategies
for all sections of the AP exam.
Grading
Grading for the AP Spanish Language and Culture course is divided into two categories:
Daily grades and Major Grades. Daily grades count as 40% of the student’s overall
grade and include: minor projects, regular homework assignments, class work, quizzes,
compositions, dictations, interactive skits, interactive journal writing, debates, AP exam
practice exercises, etc. Major grades count as 60% of the student’s overall grade and
will include written and oral exams, notebook, class participation (grade based on
student’s use of Spanish in class, participation in classroom activities and blog
interaction with teacher and classmates), as well as at least one major group or
individual project per semester.
Major Projects
In addition to regular unit exams covering advanced grammar and vocabulary concepts,
the notebook exam, and the participation grade, students will also receive a major grade
for at least one Major Project per semester. These projects may vary from year to year
based on students’ needs and interests. The following are examples of Major Projects
for each semester:
Etymology Project: The major project for the first semester will be a studentcreated electronic presentation on the etymology of the Spanish language. First,
students will carefully read and discuss an article chosen by the teacher entitled “El
Idioma Español” about the origins and influences of other cultures on the development
of the Spanish language. Then, students will utilize library resources during class time
to research the influences of foreign cultures on modern-day Spanish vocabulary.
Working with a partner, students will create an electronic presentation (i.e. PowerPoint,
Prezi, etc.) highlighting at least four foreign cultures which have influenced modern
Spanish vocabulary and provide at least five vocabulary examples derived from each
culture accompanied by a visual representation of each vocabulary word. The student
and his/her partner will present this project to the class in Spanish and include a proper
list of resources. Students will be graded on participation, content, originality,
appearance, vocabulary and presentation.
Video Project: The major project for the second semester will be a group video
project (television commercial, movie trailer, short movie, etc.) This project requires
students to interact using only Spanish during all stages. In addition, this project focuses
students on advanced grammatical concepts (subjunctive and imperative moods).
Working in a group of three or four and using only Spanish, students will first brainstorm
ten possible themes for their video within their group. Then, students will pick a theme
and write the rough draft of a script entirely in Spanish. The only requirement of the
video project, besides the use of the target language during all stages of the project, is
that students demonstrate mastery of the rules for use of the subjunctive mood in
dependent clauses as well as formal commands. Therefore, in the script and the
subsequent video, students must use the subjunctive mood properly at least ten times
and the imperative mood properly at least five times. Once the rough draft of the script
is edited and approved by the teacher, students will type their final script and highlight
their examples of subjunctive and imperative moods. Finally, students will meet with
their groups outside of class to perform and record their videos in a digital format and
edit them to be viewed in class. The grading rubric for this project includes six
categories: 1) pronunciation, 2) grammar/ syntax, 3) script, 4) subjunctive mood, 5)
imperative mood, 6) technical aspect. The first two are individual grades and remaining
four are group grades. Students are graded individually on Spanish pronunciation and
grammar/ syntax; however, all group members will earn the same grade for script,
subjunctive mood, imperative mood and technical aspect.
Minor Projects
Throughout this course, students will complete multiple small group and/ or individual
assignments which count as part of their Daily grade. The specific weight of the
components of each project will vary based on the scope and depth of the task required.
These assignments will include multiple modes of communication (interpersonal,
interpretive and presentational) as well as reading, writing and speaking elements.
Some of the minor projects, like the “Refranes” Project will focus on language elements
such as metaphors, idiomatic expressions, advanced grammar or vocabulary. The
remaining minor projects will be Cultural Theme Projects which will allow students to
practice the three modes of communication in Spanish within the context of the six AP
Cultural Themes covered on the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam in May. The
following are examples of Minor Projects:
“Refranes” Project: Students will study fifty common Spanish proverbs or sayings
chosen by the teacher. They will analyze both literal and metaphorical meanings of the
sayings and compare and contrast these Spanish expressions with common sayings in
English which express the same idea, if they exist. First, working with a partner (if
possible, native Spanish speakers are paired with native English speakers), students
will evaluate a list of fifty Spanish “refranes” which are missing the last word of the
saying. Students are asked to complete the “refranes” that they know or think they may
know. In addition, they are asked to consider both the literal and non-literal meanings of
each expression. Finally, students are asked to provide an English saying that they
believe conveys a similar meaning, if possible. This process is followed by a teacher-led
class discussion during which students will agree upon the correct completion of the
sayings, share their interpretations of the “refranes” and suggest possible English
equivalents. Once all “refranes” have been discussed in detail, students are assigned to
prepare and perform a group skit in Spanish to demonstrate their comprehension of the
metaphorical meaning of the “refranes.” Students are required to employ at least two
“refranes” from the list per group member. In order to receive full credit, students must
use only Spanish and use the Spanish sayings appropriately within the context of their
dramatization.
Cultural Theme Projects: Throughout the AP Spanish Language and Culture
course, students will be required to complete several Cultural Theme Projects based on
the six AP Cultural Themes: 1) Global Challenges, 2) Science and Technology, 3)
Contemporary Life, 4) Personal and Public Identities, 5) Families and Communities, 6)
Beauty and Aesthetics. In many cases, multiple cultural themes will overlap in one
project.
Generally speaking, the process will begin with an interpretive element to provoke
thought and discussion. For some assignments, the interpretive element will be
authentic Spanish literature such as a short story or poem. Other projects will begin with
authentic non-literary sources such as newspaper or magazine articles, internet blogs,
or charts or graphs. Other Cultural Theme Projects will be introduced using authentic
audio recordings and/ or audiovisual sources such as a movie or YouTube clips. The
second element of these projects will usually include a two-way interpersonal activity
such as a class debate, group discussion, class blog, e-mail, letter, etc. The final
element of these projects will usually be a presentational assignment such as writing an
essay, creating a persuasive video, or making an oral presentation (to the class or an
audio recording).
The following examples of Culture Theme Projects demonstrate the types of activities
which will be used throughout the course to integrate the six AP Culture Themes while
practicing the three modes of communication. Specific activities and topics may be
modified from year to year based on current events and/ or students’ interests.
Examples of Culture Theme Projects
#1- Cultural Themes: Global Challenges, Personal and Public
Identities, Families and Communities
Recommended Contexts: Economic Issues, Philosophical Thought and Religion,
Population and Demographics, Social Conscience, Personal Beliefs, Customs and
Values, Family Structure
I. Reading and Graphic Activity (Interpretive): GRAPHS, CHARTS & STATISTICS
Links:
http://www.libertad.org/sorprendentes-datos-sobre-la-verdadera-pobreza-en-estadosunidos-en-2011-6987
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2011/09/110913_eeuu_pobreza_censo_en.shtml
http://zonafranca.mx/estadisticas-de-los-latinos-en-estados-unidos/
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condado_de_Cameron
*Working in small groups, students are asked to read, interpret and discuss information
from several sources in Spanish related to poverty in the United States and our local
region. During this process, students will read from non-literary sources as well as
analyze several charts and graphs. Afterwards, each group is asked to share something
new they learned from the information with the class.
II. Audiovisual Activity (Interpretive): MOVIE (“Macario”)
*Students are asked to focus on economic, religious, social issues as well as family
structure, traditions and beliefs highlighted in “Macario” as they watch the beginning the
movie.
III. Informal Speaking Activity (Interpersonal): DISCUSSION
*Students participate in a class discussion as they focus on some key questions related
to economic, religious, social and family issues highlighted in “Macario.” The questions
require students to make personal comparisons as well as compare the issues from the
movie with modern-day issues.
Questions:
¿Cuál es la situación económica de Macario? ¿Hay personas hoy en día que viven
como Macario? ¿Dónde?
¿Cómo es la familia de Macario? ¿Cómo se compara la familia de Macario con tu
familia? ¿Cómo son parecidas? ¿Cómo son diferentes?
¿Cuáles son algunas creencias personales de Macario, de su familia y de su pueblo?
¿Existen esas creencias hoy en día? ¿Han cambiado estas creencias desde los
tiempos de Macario? ¿Cómo han cambiado? ¿Tiene algunas creencias personales tu
familia como las de Macario? ¿Cuáles son?
III. Formal Writing Assignment (Interpersonal): LETTER TO THE VICEROY
*Stopping the movie at the point where Macario is arrested, students are asked to write
a formal letter of at least 60 words in length addressed to the “Virrey” from the movie. In
the letter, students must express their personal opinions about Macario’s situation and
make recommendations regarding his fate.
Prompt:
En la película, Macario ha sido arrestado y acusado de ser brujo o charlatán. Escribe
una carta formal al Virrey de la película expresando tu opinión personal sobre la
situación de Macario. Provee recomendaciones. ¿Qué deben hacer para determinar las
habilidades de Macario. ¿Cuál debe ser su castigo? Tu carta debe tener una extensión
mínima de 60 palabras.
IV. Formal Speaking Assignment (Presentational): VIDEO-RECORDED
PERSUASIVE SPEECH
*Students plan and record a two-minute oral presentation on digitial video responding to
the prompt questions. Students are asked to address moral, cultural and philosophical
issues associated with the act of stealing. Videos are turned in to teacher via flash drive
for evaluation. Some examples are viewed in class.
Prompt:
En la película de “Macario,” la esposa de Macario roba algo de la casa de su patrona.
¿Cuáles son tus creencias personales sobre el acto de robar? ¿Siempre es malo
robar? ¿Por qué? ¿El robar es crimen o pecado? ¿Existen situaciones que justifican
robar? ¿Cuáles son? ¿Existen diferencias de opinión sobre este tema dependiendo de
la cultura? Puedes referirte a la película tanto como tus experiencias personales al
hacer tu presentación. Tu grabación debe tener una extensión de aproximadamente
dos minutos.
#2 - Cultural Themes: Science and Technology, Families and
Communities
Recommended Contexts: Access to Technology, Effects of Technology on Self and
Society, Innovations, Customs and Values, Education Communities
I. Audiovisual Introduction (Interpretive): YOUTUBE CLIPS (“La Tecnología y la
Familia”/ “Tecnología y Familia”)
Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAkv9PevNYg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfr4nYYJV-w
*Students watch cartoon-style YouTube clips in Spanish dramatizing ways that
technology affects the relationships, interactions and daily activities of the modern-day
family.
II. Speaking Activity (Interpersonal): CLASS DEBATE
*Students are assigned to a PRO or CON group and given 20 minutes to prepare
arguments on the advantages or disadvantages of the presence technology in modern
society. Students will debate in Spanish as a group according to alloted time periods.
Prompt:
¿En tu opinión, en general es una ventaja o desventaja la presencia de la tecnología en
nuestra sociedad (familia, escuela, negocio, etc.)? ¿Por qué? Respalda tu punto de
vista con ejemplos.
III. Reading and Informal Writing Assignment (Interpersonal): CLASS BLOG
Link:
http://unoytodos.blogspot.com/2009/10/celulares-en-la-escuela-si-o-no.html
*For homework, students must log in to the class blog forum at www.edmodo.com.
Then, they must follow the link and carefully read and analyze the article entitled
“Celulares en la Escuela ¿Sí o No?” After reading carefully, students will participate in
the class blog discussion. In order to earn full participation credit, students must
respond appropriately to the teacher’s prompt and reply to the responses of at least 3
classmates in Spanish.
Prompt:
¿Cuáles son las ventajas o desventajas del uso de los aparatos electrónicos
personales durante la escuela?
IV. Formal Writing Assignment (Presentational): PERSUASIVE ESSAY
*Students write a persuasive essay or at least 200 words about the effects of
technology on modern-day family relationships. The writing process will include a
graphic organizer, rough draft and peer editing.
Prompt:
¿En tu opinión, la evolución de la tecnología de los últimos años en nuestra sociedad
ha tenido más ventajas o más desventajas con respecto a las relaciones familiares?
Escribe una composición expresando tu opinión y dando ejemplos específicos. Tu
composición debe tener una extensión mínima de 200 palabras.
#3- Cultural Themes: Contemporary Life, Personal and Public
Identities, Beauty and Aesthetics
Recommended Contexts: Entertainment, Relationships, Social Customs and Values,
Personal Interests, Self-Image, Defining Beauty, Fashion and Design, Language and
Literature
I. Literary Introduction (Interpretive): QUOTES ON TOPIC OF BEAUTY
Link:
http://www.proverbia.net/citastema.asp?tematica=145
*Students are placed in small groups. Each group is assigned five famous literary
quotes by famous Spanish or Latin-American authors related to the theme of “la
belleza.” Students are asked to analyze these Spanish quotes and prepare to share
their interpretation of each quote with the class. After approximately fifteen minutes of
preparation, groups take turns sharing their quotes and their interpretations of the
meanings with the rest of the class.
II. Speaking Activity (Interpersonal): COMPARISONS AND CONNECTIONS
*Working with a partner, students are asked to draw on their own personal experiences
and knowledge to identify and share an incident or event from their life which they feel
exemplifies the concept expressed by one of the famous quotes related to “la belleza.”
III. Audiovisual and Informal Writing Assignment (Interpretive/ Interpersonal):
CLASS BLOG
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eboFgFwNtRU#at=58
*For homework, students must log in to the class blog forum at www.edmodo.com.
Then, they must follow the link and watch the clip of a news interview program from
Argentina (Telefe Noticias) on the topic of plastic surgery addiciton entitled “Los Adictos
a la Cirugía Plástica.” After watching and listening carefully, students will participate in
the class blog discussion. In order to earn full participation credit, students must
respond appropriately to the teacher’s prompt and reply to the responses of at least 3
classmates in Spanish.
Prompt:
¿En tu opinión, la cirugía plástica es algo bueno o malo de nuestra sociedad moderna?
¿Por qué? ¿Quién debe determinar si una persona califica para la cirugía plástica?
¿Existen circunstancias donde no se debe permitir? ¿Hay veces que la cirugía
cosmética es necesaria? Da unos ejemplos y justifica tu respuesta.
IV. Formal Writing (Presentational): SYNTHESIS ESSAY
Links:
http://unpocotondetodo.blogspot.com/2012/04/las-estrellas-de-cine-y-losdesordenes.html
http://www.eldemonio.org/cirugia-plastica-y-la-industria-del-entretenimiento.html
ht79084tp://www.ustream.tv/recorded/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8g_06j0hQw
*Students will read two printed articles from the internet. The first article discusses the
topic of celebrities with eating disorders. The second article is about plastic surgery in
the entertainment industry. After reading the two articles, students will listen to
segments of two radio programs in Spanish. The first audio segment comes from a
Venezuelan radio program and talks about the eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia.
The second audio source comes from Mexican radio and discusses the case of a
woman in Great Britain who died of anorexia. After reading and listening to all sources,
students will synthesize information from all four sources as they write their essay on
the topic beauty and aesthetics.
Prompt:
Primero, vas a leer dos artículos cortos del internet. Después, vas a escuchar dos
segmentos de dos programas diferentes de la radio. Debes tomar apuntes mientras
escuchas. Después de leer y escuchar todas las fuentes, vas a escribir un ensayo
sobre el siguiente tema: ¿Cómo se define la belleza? ¿Cómo se establecen las
percepciones de la belleza y cómo influyen los ideales de la belleza y la estética
en la vida cotidiana? Tu composición debe tener una extensión mínima de 200
palabras y debes referirte a las dos fuentes impresas y a las dos fuentes auditivas
mientras escribes.
#4- Cultural Themes: Personal and Public Identities, Contemporary
Life
Recommended Contexts: Heroes and Historical Figures, National and Ethnic
Identities, Personal Interests, Entertainment, Social Customs and Values
I. Introduction (Interpersonal): CLASS DISCUSSION/ BRAINSTORM
*Guided by the teacher, students participate in a class discussion about possible
definitions and examples of heroes from the past and present. Then, as a group,
students brainstorm a list of what they believe to be the characteristics of a hero.
Prompt:
¿Qué es un héroe? ¿Cuáles son las características o cualidades de un héroe? ¿Tiene
que ser una persona famosa? ¿Tiene que ser una persona verdadera? ¿Puede ser
actor, cantante o un deportista profesional? Da unos ejemplos.
II. Partner Activity (Interpretive/ Interpersonal): RESEARCH
*Working with a partner, students use library resources (books, internet, etc.) to identify
and research important heroes and/ or historical figures, past and present, from two
different Spanish-speaking countries. After getting teacher approval (in order to avoid
having students choose the same heroes), students will create a PowerPoint
presentation to present to the class. This presentation will include information on the
background of each character as well as photos or illustrations.
Task:
Trabajando con tu compañero, van a utilizar los recursos de la biblioteca (libros,
internet, etc.) para identificar dos héroes o personajes importantes de por lo menos
dos países hispanohablantes. Deben escoger un personaje contemporáneo y un
personaje histórico para cada país. Después de conseguir la aprobación del maestro,
van a indagar los personajes y crear una presentación electrónica (PowerPoint) para
presentar a la clase. Su PowerPoint, además de información sobre los héroes, debe
tener ilustrados o fotos de cada personaje.
III. Formal Speaking Activity (Presentational): POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
*Students present PowerPoint to the class in Spanish making sure to participate
equally. At the end of each presentation, students are encouraged to take questions
from classmates about the information presented.
IV. Composition (Presentational): ESSAY
*Students write an essay of at least 200 words about someone they consider to be a
hero. They can choose someone famous or from their personal life, someone fictional or
real, someone from the past or present. In their essay that must explain why the person
or character they have chosen possesses the necessary qualities to be a hero.
Prompt:
Escoge una persona o personaje que tú consideras como héroe. Puede ser alguien
famoso o alguien de tu vida personal. Puede ser ficticio o veradadero. Además, puede
ser un personaje del presente o del pasado. Escribe una composición describiendo a tu
héroe y explicando por qué este personaje posee las cualidades necesarias para ser
héroe. Tu composición debe tener una extensión mínima de 200 palabras.
Materials and Resources
PRIMARY STUDENT TEXTBOOKS:
Díaz, José M., Abriendo Paso: Gramática, Prentice Hall, 2005
Frisancho, Jorge, AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Preparation, Vista Higher
Learning, 2014
ADDITIONAL TEXTBOOK RESOURCES:
Díaz, José M., Abriendo Paso: Literatura, Prentice Hall, 2005
Dragget, Parthena, Temas AP Language and Culture, 2014
Kanter, Abby, Encuentros Maravillosos, Prentice Hall, 2011
Sandstedt, Lynn, Cumbre, Heinle Cengage Learning, 2014
FAVORITE SHORT STORIES:
Borges, Jorge Luis. “El Otro,” 1975
http://www.lamaquinadeltiempo.com/prosas/borges01.htm
Matute, Ana María. “El Árbol de Oro,” 1961
http://www.eslconnect.com/apspanish/arboldeoro.html
Quiroga, Horacio. “El Almohadón de Plumas,” 1917
http://www.ciudadseva.com/textos/cuentos/esp/quiroga/almohado.htm
Rulfo, Juan. “No Oyes Ladrar Los Perros,” 1953
http://www.literatura.us/rulfo/perros.html
FAVORITE MOVIES:
Ladrón que Roba a Ladrón, 2007
Macario, 1959
La Misma Luna, 2007
Los Olvidados, 1950
Susana, 1951
Voces Inocentes, 2004
FAVORITE WEBSITES:
Authentic Literature:
http://www.literatura.us
http://www.ciudadseva.com
http://www.cuentocuentos.net/
Authentic Non-Literary:
http://es-us.noticias.yahoo.com/
http://noticias.univision.com/
http://cnnespanol.cnn.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/
http://www.elnuevoheraldo.com/ (Local Newspaper)
http://www.peopleenespanol.com/
http://www.un.org/spanish/News/
http://www.informador.com.mx/
Authentic Audio:
http://audiria.com/
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/
http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/spanish/
http://www.youtube.com/
Authentic Audiovisual:
http://www.youtube.com/
http://knvotv48.com/ (Local Television News)
http://msnlatino.telemundo.com/informacion_y_noticias
http://noticias.univision.com/al-punto
http://noticias.univision.com/primer-impacto
Class Blog Sites:
https://www.edmodo.com/
https://moodle.org/
Language Resources:
http://www.wordreference.com
http://www.rae.es
http://www.proverbia.net/