AP Seminar (Period 5)

What does it mean to be human? Students in AP Seminar will explore this perennial question by looking at a wide range of perspectives that bridge the sciences and humanities. Throughout the year, we will read and analyze essays, scientific studies, and classic works of literature and philosophy; listen to and view speeches and broadcasts; and experience artistic works and performances. Although specific topics change from year to year, investigating what it means to be human in the 21^st century encourages us to ask a core set of enduring questions:

• What characterizes basic human nature?
• What, if anything, separates human beings from plants, animals, and machines?
• What should be emphasized about the mental lives of human beings?
• Why do human beings create art, fall in love, go to war, and engage in other behaviors?

In developing their own answers to these questions, students will learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, articulate their own perspectives in research-based written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team.

AP Seminar is a foundational course in the AP Capstone Program, and its successful completion is a prerequisite to become eligible for taking AP Research.