AP Lit: Design Thinking & Book Projects

Tuesday and Wednesday were intended to be DEEP design thinking FlashLab experiences for us to get more familiar with the DEEP design thinking strategies and how to apply them to our work in class. Tuesday went well, while Wednesday was thrown off by us having a short class and my having to leave early unexpectedly.

I wanted to connect some of the dots for folks here in advance of you digging into your book projects.  The projects themselves are due on November 6 or 7, depending upon your class.  HOWEVER, you must have your books finished by the beginning of the week (Nov 3 & 4) so we can have our last graded class discussion for Q1.

INDIE BOOK PROJECTS.

By now you should have started your award winning/finalist (of last 20 years) OR AP Lit test suggested title.  There's a list in the Google Drive if you have yet to decide.  Also, our library has several of the titles in stock.

When you embark on creating your project this time, consider it a design challenge:  How might we demonstrate the qualities that earned that work its accolades?

You will be expected to complete the design thinking packet I've provided before -- and I'll provide again -- and submit alongside your project on the due date.

Key:  empathy.  Think about your user. What will engage them?  What will they understand?  What will draw them in and convey your thinking?  And think beyond your immediate user.

No more dumpster projects.  Create something that matters, that will reach your user and that demonstrates genuine understanding.  Consider the myriad possibilities.

AND . . . TRUST THE PROCESS.  Use the design process.  Interview people.  Ideate.  Brainstorm.  Find out what your users want to see, what makes them think, and then align that with your skill sets.

DISCUSSION.

We'll be looking at "Prufrock" on Thursday and Friday with our first graded class discussions.  We'll be using this rubric to assess your discussions.  Key here?  Pointing to specifics in the texts -- citing specific lines --  and building on, as well as refuting or challenging, others' points of view.

We are going to use slightly different formats in the two classes because one is so small.


HOMEWORK.

Read & Annotate: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot

Read: Indie Reading Book.
Design: Project
Due: 1st Week of November

Complete: Synthesis Essay Revisions
Due: Friday!
(If you have submitted a revision this week, you will get one more shot at it.  It will be assessed this weekend.)