AP Language & Composition
Reading Notes Guide - Unit 1
Link to Expanded Reading List
Learning Objectives
As you read, focus on the following reading skills:
● Identify and describe components of the text’s rhetorical situation: the exigence, audience, writer, purpose, context, and
message.
● Explain how a text demonstrates the writer’s understanding of an audience’s beliefs, values, or needs.
● Identify and explain claims and evidence within an implicit argument.
● Identify and describe the overarching thesis of an implicit argument.
● Describe the writer’s line of reasoning and explain whether it supports an argument’s overarching thesis.
● Recognize and explain the use of methods of development to accomplish a purpose.
Unit 1 Essential Thematic Questions
● What is it actually like to be a teenager/young adult in America? Is it different now than it used to be?
● What drives us to search for our “true selves”? How does that search influence our transition from adolescence to
adulthood?
● Is rebellion a necessary part of growing up, or can maturity be achieved without it?
● How do the people we meet on our journeys shape our understanding of the world and ourselves?
● What does it mean to feel caught between two cultures or ways of life during adolescence?
● How does the idea of "home" evolve as we grow up?
● How do adversity and hardship contribute to personal growth during adolescence?
● In what ways do societal and familial pressures influence a young person’s aspirations?
● How do external pressures from parents, teachers, and peers affect a teenager's mental health?
● Can a person’s identity become too closely tied to their achievements? Why or why not?
● What are the dangers of living a life focused on pleasing others instead of following personal passions?
Table of Contents
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 1
What book are you reading? What are the total number of pages and how many pages did you assign yourself to read
this week? (Keep in mind that you are supposed to be finished with the book by the end of week 3!)
Remember that these are just NOTES! Incomplete sentences and bulleted lists are fine!
General Notes - OPTIONAL. As you read this section, take note of details that seem especially important, meaningful, or
significant to you. These might be quotes that particularly resonate with you, an event or incident that seems
particularly important or revealing, dialogue or character action/interaction that seems particularly important or
revealing, a fact or piece of information that feels especially significant or meaningful.
In the chart below, use the “Evidence” column to record the textual detail (quote, event, incident, dialogue, character
action/interaction, fact, piece of information, etc.) and the “Commentary” column to record your thoughts/ideas about
why the detail is important, meaningful, or significant. Add extra rows as needed.
Alternatively, you may choose to annotate as you read (either with sticky notes, or–only if you purchased your own
text–by writing in the book itself).
Evidence Commentary
The following sections are REQUIRED! Complete all.
Based on what you read this week, comment on how the author is approaching the topics outlined below–what
points does the writer seem to be making relative to these subjects or issues? (Choose ONE of the following bullet
points that really resonates with you based on what you read.)
● For some Americans more than others, the experience of adolescence and young adulthood is specifically
shaped by prevailing institutions such as America’s capitalist/free-market economy, immigration law (and
other types of law/legal decisions), the public education system, American social norms and values, etc. Are
you conscious of any of these forces as influences in the lives of the protagonists of the book you’re reading?
Explain thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to support your answer.
● Our relationships with others often change and evolve over the course of the time as we mature. What
patterns do you observe in the way relationships change between people in the book you’re? How might
things continue to evolve into the future? Explain thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to
support your answer.
● The ideas that adults have about what it’s like to be a young adult/adolescent are often different from the
realities of actually being a young adult/adolescent. In the book you’re reading, what tensions exist for the
protagonist between ideals about growing up and maturing and the reality they’re living? How do the ideals
and realities of the protagonist’s coming of age contrast/compare to those embodied by other members of
the various communities they inhabit (think not only of differences but also of commonalities)? Explain
thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to support your answer.
In unit 1, we’re thinking a lot about the “rhetorical situation” as it pertains to communication. Based on this week’s
reading, what thoughts do you have about the following elements of the rhetorical situation for the book you’re
reading? (Answer as many as you can at this point in your reading.)
● Writer: have you learned anything about the writer’s background/experiences that adds to your understanding
of the text?
● Context: are you aware of any social or cultural factors at the time of writing that might have influenced the
writer’s thinking on the issues discussed? Any big “real world” events, incidents, or trends that might be
relevant?
● Exigence: do you know what prompted the writer to actually write this book? Was there a specific incident or
experience that motivated them?
● Audience: can you tell who the writer is writing “for”? Does the writer seem to have a particular audience in
mind? How can you tell?
● Message: what seems to be the main point of the text so far? The big ideas?
● Purpose: what does the writer want to accomplish with the text? Are they hoping to inform, entertain,
persuade? (Maybe some combination of those three?) What do you think they hope the book will encourage
people to do or feel or believe differently?
Week 2
What book are you reading? What are the total number of pages and how many pages did you assign yourself to read
this week? (Keep in mind that you are supposed to be finished with the book by the end of week 3!)
Remember that these are just NOTES! Incomplete sentences and bulleted lists are fine!
General Notes - OPTIONAL. As you read this section, take note of details that seem especially important, meaningful,
or significant to you. These might be quotes that particularly resonate with you, an event or incident that seems
particularly important or revealing, dialogue or character action/interaction that seems particularly important or
revealing, a fact or piece of information that feels especially significant or meaningful.
In the chart below, use the “Evidence” column to record the textual detail (quote, event, incident, dialogue, character
action/interaction, fact, piece of information, etc.) and the “Commentary” column to record your thoughts/ideas
about why the detail is important, meaningful, or significant. Add extra rows as needed.
Alternatively, you may choose to annotate as you read (either with sticky notes, or–only if you purchased your own
text–by writing in the book itself).
Evidence Commentary
The following sections are REQUIRED! Complete all.
Based on what you read this week, comment further on how the author is approaching the topics outlined below–
what points does the writer seem to be making relative to these subjects or issues? (Choose ONE of the following
bullet points that really resonates with you based on what you read.)
● For some Americans more than others, the experience of adolescence and young adulthood is specifically
shaped by prevailing institutions such as America’s capitalist/free-market economy, immigration law (and
other types of law/legal decisions), the public education system, American social norms and values, etc. Are
you conscious of any of these forces as influences in the lives of the protagonists of the book you’re reading?
Explain thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to support your answer.
● Our relationships with others often change and evolve over the course of the time as we mature. What
patterns do you observe in the way relationships change between people in the book you’re? How might
things continue to evolve into the future? Explain thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to
support your answer.
● The ideas that adults have about what it’s like to be a young adult/adolescent are often different from the
realities of actually being a young adult/adolescent. In the book you’re reading, what tensions exist for the
protagonist between ideals about growing up and maturing and the reality they’re living? How do the ideals
and realities of the protagonist’s coming of age contrast/compare to those embodied by other members of
the various communities they inhabit (think not only of differences but also of commonalities)? Explain
thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to support your answer.
In unit 1, we’re thinking a lot about the basic elements of an argument–a primary claim or overarching thesis
supported with logical reasoning, evidence, and commentary. Based on this week’s reading, how would you evaluate
your anchor text as an argument?
● First, what do you consider to be the writer’s primary claim/overarching thesis? What are their BIG points?
(Remember, a claim can be explicitly stated OR implied).
● What evidence/commentary has the writer supplied that is especially helpful in developing their big claims?
● Overall, do you consider the argument to be an effective one so far? Why/why not?
Week 3
What book are you reading? What are the total number of pages and how many pages did you assign yourself to read
this week? (Keep in mind that you are supposed to be finished with the book by the end of week 3!)
Remember that these are just NOTES! Incomplete sentences and bulleted lists are fine!
General Notes - OPTIONAL. As you read this section, take note of details that seem especially important, meaningful,
or significant to you. These might be quotes that particularly resonate with you, an event or incident that seems
particularly important or revealing, dialogue or character action/interaction that seems particularly important or
revealing, a fact or piece of information that feels especially significant or meaningful.
In the chart below, use the “Evidence” column to record the textual detail (quote, event, incident, dialogue, character
action/interaction, fact, piece of information, etc.) and the “Commentary” column to record your thoughts/ideas
about why the detail is important, meaningful, or significant. Add extra rows as needed.
Alternatively, you may choose to annotate as you read (either with sticky notes, or–only if you purchased your own
text–by writing in the book itself).
Evidence Commentary
The following sections are REQUIRED! Complete all.
Based on what you read this week, comment further on how the author is approaching the topics outlined below–
what points does the writer seem to be making relative to these subjects or issues? (Choose ONE of the following
bullet points that really resonates with you based on what you read.)
● For some Americans more than others, the experience of adolescence and young adulthood is specifically
shaped by prevailing institutions such as America’s capitalist/free-market economy, immigration law (and
other types of law/legal decisions), the public education system, American social norms and values, etc. Are
you conscious of any of these forces as influences in the lives of the protagonists of the book you’re reading?
Explain thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to support your answer.
● Our relationships with others often change and evolve over the course of the time as we mature. What
patterns do you observe in the way relationships change between people in the book you’re? How might
things continue to evolve into the future? Explain thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to
support your answer.
● The ideas that adults have about what it’s like to be a young adult/adolescent are often different from the
realities of actually being a young adult/adolescent. In the book you’re reading, what tensions exist for the
protagonist between ideals about growing up and maturing and the reality they’re living? How do the ideals
and realities of the protagonist’s coming of age contrast/compare to those embodied by other members of
the various communities they inhabit (think not only of differences but also of commonalities)? Explain
thoughtfully and with specific details from the text to support your answer.
In unit 1, we’re learning about/paying attention to the concept of “lines of reasoning” (the combination of reasons
and evidence a writer uses to support a claim and the way/order in which a writer chooses to arrange their reasons
and evidence). We’re also analyzing “modes of development” (a line of reasoning that falls into one of several well
known patterns of organization). Based on what you read this week, comment on the following:
● The writer’s overall line of reasoning (combination of reasons and evidence provided to support their primary
claims; the way in which they’ve structured/organized their argument). What do you notice about their
organizational/structural choices? How effective have these choices been? What would be different if different
organizational/structural choices had been made?
● Are there any particular modes of development that stand out to you? (ex: description, narration, cause/effect,
problem-solution, etc. – remember, it’s totally normal to find multiple modes of development, especially in a
longer text).
Week 4/Reflection - complete AFTER you have finished the entire book.
Respond to the following prompts based on your own thoughts and feelings AND based on your reading of your
specific anchor text (your thoughts/feelings might not always be the same as the writer of/people featured in your
anchor text). Give a complete, full, and thoughtful answer to each prompt. Use specific evidence and examples from
the text to support your answer.
● What does it mean to “grow up”? To be a “grown up”?
● What factors (family, peers, personal experiences, social norms and expectations, legal designations, etc.) are
most important in changing us from children to adults?
● What is it actually like to be a teenager/young adult in America? Is it different now than it used to be?
