This paper discussed using vertical teaming as a way to organize multi-year curriculum planning for academically talented adolescents. Vertical teams include educators from different grade levels in a given discipline who work cooperatively to develop and implement a vertically aligned program aimed at helping students acquire the skills necessary for success in the Advanced Placement Program. In such a team, the benchmark used to align the curriculum is the Advanced Placement examination which anchors the student outcome expectation. The purpose the AP Vertical Team is to include students who might not otherwise participate in the Advanced Placement program, including students of color or students from low-income homes. The second purpose of the team organization is to develop appropriate curriculum for each grade level. Curriculum examples are provided to illustrate the use of vertical teams in English literature. The teams are highlighted to illustrate that teachers who work together toward a common goal use locally developed strategies to facilitate their curriculum planning and that teachers at each grade level in the team can make a contribution to the advanced student's understanding and appreciation of complex ideas in a discipline. (Contains 12 references.) (CR)