Here’s how I set up binders for AP English Language and Composition, for both my students and myself.
I use a 2-inch binder (2.5-inch if you’re a bit of a hoarder like me) to keep all my materials organized by unit. If you’re going mostly digital, you can get away with something smaller.
Inside, I use 10 tabs, one for each unit:
- Unit 1: Rhetorical Situation
- Unit 2: Rhetorical Analysis
- Unit 3: Argument
- Unit 4: Synthesis
- Unit 5: Style and Narrative
- Unit 6: Research
- Unit 7/8: Book Club (or “Whole Class Novel” if that’s what you’re doing)
- Final Project
- AP Exam Prep
That last tab is where I have students store their timed writings, progress trackers, and multiple-choice practice; basically anything that helps them get ready for the exam.
You don’t need anything fancy for this. Paper and sticky note tabs work just fine. But if you want to go the extra mile, I designed a set of editable, unit-specific tabs for the course that you can customize and print for your students. They take a little work to prep, but it’s a fun project. They’re also included if you’ve got the mega bundle or the decor bundle.
That’s my whole system. Nothing complicated, just organized.