Welcome.
Language is power.
2026–27
Now!
of every month
Summer Reading.
Welcome to AP Lang! This assignment is designed to ease you into the analytical thinking you'll develop throughout the year in this class.
Don't worry! This may be your first time diving into rhetorical analysis, and I know I'm throwing you into the deep end with this. I don't need you to swim with perfect form; but I do want you to tread water. What I mean by this is: I am more interested in you genuinely reading the texts and putting effort into completing the assignment. Don't worry if you look at something you've written and think this is way off. I am going to teach you all you need to know.
Start with this:
Think about a time someone convinced you of something. Think about a time an ad made you want a product. None of that was an accident! Words have power. This is what we will explore in our class: how influential speakers and writers use language to persuade, inform, and inspire action from their audiences.
What You Will Do In This Assignment:
- Choose and analyze 3 speeches from the curated list below
- Track and reflect on specific aspects of the speeches using the guided graphic organizer
- Prepare to share your thoughts during our first-week discussions
You will read 3 speeches. Choose 1 from Category A, choose 1 from Category B, and then choose 1 on your own using the guidelines in Category C.
- Malala Yousafzai, UN Speech on Girls' Education (2013)
- Barack Obama, 2008 Victory Speech
- Greta Thunberg, UN Climate Action Summit (2019)
- Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech (2004) — Kenyan environmental activist; transcript available in English
- Any TED Talk from 2020-2026
- Any graduation commencement speech from 2020-2026
- Any political speech from a recent election cycle (local, state, or national)
For each speech, you will complete a SPACE CAT analysis. This framework breaks rhetorical analysis into manageable pieces. Each letter stands for a key element of the rhetorical situation or the speaker's choices.
Here is how to get started: Begin by following the "Sample Speech" link to a very short speech by President Ronald Reagan given the night that the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in mid-air with millions of Americans watching. As you read, think about:
- in general, who is he speaking to?
- who is he speaking to, specifically?
- why is he giving this speech?
- where and when is he giving this speech?
- what specific event caused him to give this speech?
After reading the speech, click the link to the Vocab List and Example SPACECAT analysis. This model answer will help guide your analyses.
Finally, click to open the graphic organizer, which you will complete three times (once for each speech you select to read).
First day of school.
I will provide you a folder through Google Classroom where you will upload each of your completed graphic organizers.
You may discuss speeches, share your selections, and talk through ideas verbally. Each student must complete their own written analysis independently.
All options for Category A and B are linked for you in the black box above. For your selection under Category C, you can search online to find one that matches the listed requirements.
That depends on how quickly you read and write, but reading any speech from Category A and any speech from Category B and one more of your choice, and filling out a graphic organizer for each, can certainly be done in an afternoon.
It may help to listen or watch the speech on YouTube first, then read the transcript.
If you print the speech out, annotate it. Otherwise, jot down moments that stand out: a powerful phrase, a shift in tone, or a surprising piece of info like a statistic.
The vocab sheet is there to help you. Look through it first so you can be on the lookout for some of those rhetorical devices!
Trust your instinct. We're looking for how an author gets their message across persuasively. If something strikes you as powerful, it probably is. Then you just need to state why and how!
Don't suffer in silence. Reach out if you get stuck. This is new for everyone, and I'm here for you!
Documents & Downloads.
Language & Composition.
This class is built for those who want to understand how communication actually works in the real world. You'll learn how arguments are crafted, how ideas are shaped, and how language influences people.
We read articles, speeches, essays, op-eds, memoirs, infographics, and visual texts, breaking down how authors make choices about style, organization, tone, and evidence.
Your Teacher
Mutavdzija
This is my fourth year teaching at UPAD and my fourth year as a teacher. Outside the classroom, I coach debate, where the same idea shows up: preparation and clear communication win. I'm excited to bring that same energy to AP Lang this year, and to work with you.