IMPs in Uncommon Spaces

First off, hello to all the new followers popping in over the last couple months! I've doubled my follower count and it's all been through posts I've made about AP Seminar. I'm going to keep posting about whatever the hell I want, but I've started only sending limiting what I send because I can see my audience is teachers. If there's anything you're struggling with when it comes to Capstone, please send me a message. I've been teaching Seminar since 2016, so there's lots I've tried, invented, fixed, troubleshot, and forgotten about. I will be happy to make posts and share lessons that address specific concerns and timely issues.

Speaking of timely, it's IMP season, Sem nerds! I'll be main-lining PowerPoints Wed-Fri of next week. Woo!!

If you want a quick mini-lesson on IMPs, one that will generate some lively discussion and review the rubric, start class by showing this video:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWW7hNJD8vU/?igsh=Y2U3OGtianJnYWdo

I might preface it by acknowledging that it ISN'T an IMP. It wasn't intended to be. It's an instagram reel! It doesn't directly reference the stimulus material, but it's so obviously on topic that you could easily see the coffee-shop source getting slid right in there. Then have the students discuss. Where would this video score on each row? Why? How could she improve in each row? Which rows would it be easiest to jump straight up to perfect? That last question, I feel, is the best one. I'm going to use that one.

If a student (or teacher) can't see how this is very much on track to being an IMP, they just need their imagination jogged a little. She establishes context (lightning fast, but it's there and done with visuals!), asks a good question (too broad for Seminar, but I've seen worse TBH), cites, authorizes, and thoroughly analyzes a high-quality source (both through summary and direct quotation), defines key terms (this could lead to a great debate on when to use wikipedia and when not to), addresses concerns (not in a concrete way, but this is where easy gains could be made by bringing in perspectives instead of just straw-manning an opposition which in itself is a great thing to demonstrate because it's such a common problem where students who INVENT another perspective instead of finding one through research), and it begins to discuss a solution. All that without even discussing her superb vocal variety (despite spitting 60 wpm like she's a verbal keyboarding test) and smart use of visuals.

(I think I may have overdone it on parentheticals.)

(nah, I'm good)

I have no doubt that if this young woman had four more minutes that she filled with research just as high-quality as her argument, she'd crush that rubric.

So there's a quick mini-lesson, 5-10 minutes depending on the quality and depth of your conversation. Perfect for starting a working class period where they're all sweating over those PowerPoints or even as a bellwork before rehearsing their IMPs in small groups (that's what I'll be doing!).

Again, thanks for following Write All Along. If you need anything, reach out!