Unit 2 Review

“receipts” Review from the Classroom of WilNekia Brinson

Slides
(28) Unit 2 sources for easy printing
Link to the AP AFAM CED

Arguementation Skill 3C: Strategically select sources - evaluating the credibility of the evidence they present - to effectively support a claim.

“Opinion starts the conversation. Evidence wins the argument. BRING THE RECEIPTS!” -  Wilnekia Brinson, AP African American Studies teacher, Houston, TX

Objective: Use historical evidence ("receipts") to support or challenge a claim by selecting the strongest source and defending your argument.

EMPOWERING HISTORIES SPOTLIGHT

This lesson is part of the Empowering Histories Spotlight, a collection of classroom-tested lessons created by outstanding history teachers from across the country. These are the lessons that have inspired my own teaching, and I'm excited to share them with you.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with Wilnekia at the AP African American Studies Exam Reading over the past few summers. Each year, teachers gather one evening to share lessons and best practices, and as soon as Wilnekia started describing this lesson, I knew she had NAILED IT! I had been trying to develop this lesson for years. I’ve added elements to the “receipts” idea to many different lessons but I love how this format brings it all together! I used this lesson with new AP African American Studies at AP Summer Institutes this summer and it was a big hit. I plan to adopt this lesson concept for each of the four units for this course. Here is the link to my unit 1 adaptation.

This lesson is a home run. It gets to the heart of a central goal of AP African American Studies while giving students an engaging opportunity to strengthen both their historical thinking and argumentative skills.

NOTES from Wilnekia Brinson

“As an educator, I am constantly asking myself one question: How do students truly "get it"? Memorizing facts is not enough—students need opportunities to think critically, communicate effectively, and confidently support their ideas with evidence. Receipts was created with that goal in mind. Inspired by the debates and discussions that take place every day on social media and across the internet, this activity challenges students to move beyond opinions by backing up their claims with credible, historical sources. In today's world, everyone has an argument; this assignment teaches students that the strongest arguments are grounded in evidence.

The activity also intentionally develops several of the core skills students need to be successful in AP African American Studies, particularly for the Individual Student Project (ISP). Students practice public speaking under time constraints, become more familiar with the required course sources, learn to quickly analyze and select the strongest evidence, and strengthen their historical reasoning and argumentation. Rather than simply recalling information, students learn to think on their feet, make meaningful connections between sources and claims, and communicate those ideas with confidence. Ultimately, Receipts transforms historical evidence into a practical tool, empowering students to support their voices with facts and "bring the receipts.” - Wilnekia Brinson

Lesson Plan

Divide the class into two teams (or more, depending on class size).

Review the Prompt

    • A historical claim or prompt will be displayed on the screen.

    • Your goal is to debunk the claim using evidence from the provided sources.

Choose Your Receipt

  • One student from each team will come to the front of the classroom.

  • Each student may select only ONE source ("receipt") to support their argument. (Many different "receipts" will work)

  • Once a source has been chosen by a student, it cannot be replaced during their turn.

Present Your Argument

  • Each student will have 2 minutes to:

    • Explain why the prompt is inaccurate or misleading.

    • Use evidence from their chosen source to support their argument.

    • Clearly connect the evidence to their reasoning.

Support Your Claims

  • Strong arguments should:

    • Cite specific evidence from the source.

    • Explain how the evidence disproves the prompt.

    • Demonstrate historical reasoning rather than simply stating an opinion.

About Wilnekia Brinson

Wilnekia Brinson is an accomplished instructional leader, Advanced Placement educator, and curriculum specialist dedicated to advancing academic excellence through rigorous, student-centered instruction. With extensive experience in curriculum development, instructional leadership, teacher coaching, and educational program management, Wilnekia has built a reputation for creating engaging learning environments that empower both students and educators.

Wilnekia currently serves as an Advanced Placement Social Studies Teacher and Social Studies Team Leader with Houston Independent School District, where she teaches AP World History: Modern and was selected as a Year 2 Pilot Instructor for AP African American Studies. She designs and implements standards-aligned curriculum that challenges diverse learners while fostering critical thinking, historical inquiry, and academic achievement.

A recognized leader in Advanced Placement education, Wilnekia was selected as an AP Reader for AP African American Studies and has served as a Question Leader for AP African American Studies for the past two years. In this leadership role, she supports the AP Reading process by training and mentoring AP Readers, ensuring the consistent application of scoring standards, and helping maintain the integrity and quality of the national exam scoring process.

Throughout her career, Wilnekia Brinson has remained committed to educational equity, instructional innovation, and professional excellence. She is passionate about mentoring educators, developing high-quality curriculum, and preparing students to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens through the study of history and the social sciences.