This curriculum was designed to connect to AP themes starting in year 1, from the very beginning. Each unit connects to at least one AP theme. By the time they reach upper AP classes, they will have a lot of knowledge and experiences so they are ready to discuss at a higher level.
Click the button to read more details about the theme:
We believe that MULTIPLE AP themes should be incorporated in MULTIPLE units, instead of planning a unit completely based on an AP theme and only touching on it once during the year.
Big “X” means it’s is a major component. Diamond “♦” means it is only a touch (like one lesson).
Χ=main focus ♦=minor | Contemporary Life | Families & Communities | Beauty | Global Challenges | Personal & Public Identities | Science & Technology |
| Animals in the Amazon | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| New Friends at School | ♦ | ♦ | Χ | |||
| Kites | ♦ | Χ | ♦ | ♦ | ||
| Snacks | Χ | |||||
| Portraits | ♦ | Χ | Χ | |||
| Birthdays | Χ | |||||
| Athletes & Sports | Χ | ♦ | Χ | |||
| Families & Activities | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Street Food | Χ | ♦ | ||||
| Ecotourism | ♦ | Χ | ||||
| Homes | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Schools of the World | Χ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| Thanksgiving | ♦ | Χ | ||||
| Fashion | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Healthy Life | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Breakfast | Χ | |||||
| A Week in the City | ♦ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Restaurants | Χ | ♦ | ||||
| Music of the Year | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| TV Series | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Games & Apps | ♦ | ♦ | X | |||
| Celebrations | ♦ | Χ | ||||
| Disasters | ♦ | X | ||||
| Social Media | ♦ | Χ | Χ | |||
| Street Art | ♦ | Χ | ♦ | ♦ | ||
| Singers (Celia, Edith, etc) | ♦ | Χ | Χ | |||
| Olympics | Χ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| Summer Plans | Χ | ♦ | ||||
| Chefs & Recipes | Χ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| Community | Χ | Χ | ||||
| Parks | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Legends | Χ | |||||
| Illnesses & Remedies | Χ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Travel Industry | Χ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| Movies & Series (adv) | Χ | Χ | Χ | Χ | ||
| The Future is Now | Χ | Χ | ||||
| World of Sports | Χ | Χ | Χ | |||
| Waters | ♦ | Χ | ♦ | |||
| Trash Problem | ♦ | Χ | Χ | ♦ | ||
| Farm to Table | ♦ | Χ | Χ | |||
| Stories of Migration | ♦ | Χ | Χ | |||
| Influential People | ♦ | Χ | Χ |
Global Challenges
“AP Language and Culture teachers are encouraged to consider the interconnectedness of the themes. A unit on environmental issues (Global Challenges) might, for example, touch upon recommended contexts from more than one theme. Students might study inventions as catalysts of change (Science and Technology), influences from religious beliefs or social values (Personal and Public Identities), or the aesthetics of eco-friendly architecture (Beauty and Aesthetics).” – The College Board AP
What are Global Challenges?
Climate change, immigration, population growth, discrimination, other conflicts, and allocation of scarce resources
Recommended Contexts:
• Economic Issues / Los temas económicos
• Environmental Issues / Los temas del medio ambiente
• Philosophical Thought and Religion / El pensamiento filosófico y la religión
• Population and Demographics / La población y la demografía
• Social Welfare / El bienestar social
• Social Conscience / La conciencia social
Overarching Essential Questions:
• What environmental, political, and social issues pose challenges to societies throughout the world? / ¿Cuáles son los desafíos sociales, políticos y del medio ambiente que enfrentan las sociedades del mundo?
• What are the origins of those issues? / ¿Cuáles son los orígenes de esos desafíos?
• What are possible solutions to those challenges? / ¿Cuáles son algunas posibles soluciones a esos desafíos?
What should they be able to do at each level?
Novice: Recognize and interpret memorized words related to global challenges/issues in the target culture(s) and in students’ own cultures in highly contextualized texts. Use memorized words, phrases and some sentences related to global challenges.
Intermediate Low/Mid: Identify some solutions and some effects related to global challenges/issues in the target culture(s) and in students’ own cultures. Talk about the global challenges including some solutions and effects.
Intermediate High: Collect, share, and analyze data related to global challenges/issues in the target culture(s) and in students’ own cultures. Identify cultures’ perspectives about the global challenges. Discuss the global challenges including solutions and effects from different viewpoints.
Global Challenges included in unit | Global Challenges not included, but a relevant extention | |
| Animals in the Amazon | I can give basic information about the Amazon rain forest. I can describe the Amazon’s climate. | Destruction of Amazon (infographic) Biodiversity of Amazon |
| New Friends at School | I can identify people’s nationality (multiculturalism). | |
| Kites | I can pick a day to fly a kite. (weather) | |
| Snacks | ||
| Portraits | I can describe a person in a portrait. | representation of minorities (hair) |
| Birthdays | ||
| Athletes & Sports | ||
| Families & Activities | ||
| Street Food | ||
| Ecotourism | Entire unit introduces the idea of ecotourism as an alternate to traditional vacations. | |
| Homes | I can talk about housing solutions. (homelessness, 3D printing) | |
| Schools of the World | I can compare prices of school supplies. (Economic Issues, access to resources) | Access to school/education |
| Thanksgiving | ||
| Fashion | Fast fashion, Economic Issues | |
| Healthy Life | Χ | |
| Breakfast | ||
| A Week in the City | Impact of transportation on a city Urban Heat Islands (temperature) | |
| Restaurants | Food waste from restaurants | |
| Music of the Year | ||
| TV Series | ||
| Games & Apps | E-waste | |
| Celebrations | Philosophical Thought and Religion | Waste after a celebration (ex: beads after Mardi Gras) |
| Natural Disasters | Entire unit focuses on Natural Disasters and how they affect the world. | |
| Social Media | ||
| Street Art | ||
| Singers (Celia, Edith, etc) | Χ | |
| Olympics | What happens to the cities/buildings AFTER the Olympics? | |
| Summer Plans | ||
| Chefs & Recipes | Access to food, Social Welfare | |
| Improving Our Community | I can investigate/discuss how to improve a problem. Social Welfare
| How are immigrants treated in your community compared to other ones? Population and Demographics |
| Parks (natural) | I can explain the challenges parks are facing. (conservation, extinction, pollution) | Environmental Issues |
| Legends | ||
| Illnesses & Remedies | I can investigate/explain how diseases are transmitted. (epidemics) | Access to healthcare |
| Travel Industry | Effects of travel on environment Carbon footprint | |
| Movies & Series (adv) | ||
| The Future is Now | e-waste | |
| World of Sports | equality for all | |
| Protecting Our Waters | Entire Unit: Why is it important to protect our waters? What role do I play? I can identify the issues and possible solutions to water issues. | Environmental Issues, Population and Demographics |
| Trash Problem | Entire Unit: How does what we discard reflect our values? (habits) How do we reduce, recycle and reuse? I can identify the issues and possible solutions to trash & recycling issues. | Environmental Issues, Population and Demographics |
| Farm to Table | Entire unit: What is the significance of the farm to table movement? (modern farming) How are different countries addressing the challenges of food production? | Environmental Issues, Social Welfare, Population and Demographics |
| Stories of Migration | Entire Unit: In what ways do stories of migration help us understand who we are? Why do people migrate? Social Welfare | Population and Demographics |
| Influential People | Social Conscience, minority rights |
Sources:
NY State Association of World Language Administrators (NYSAWLA): http://www.flacs.org/docs/common_core/resources/College_Board_AP_Language_and_Culture_Themes.pdf
New Jersey Student Learning Standards – World Languages: https://www.nj.gov/education/cccs/2020/2020%20NJSLS-WL.pdf
