AP Language and Composition
Mrs. Strickland
2015/2016 Course Syllabus
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to a wide variety of college-level reading, writing, and analysis. Students are to be aware of the rigorous nature of an AP English course; reading and writing assignments will be extensive and frequent. It is common to be working on two or three different assignments at once. Deep thoughtfulness, analysis, effort, and regular attendance are expected and required for success in this course. This is a college-level course, and I expect that students who take this course will reflect respect for the teacher, the course, and other students. Additionally, do not assume that high grades received in previous upper-caliber classes will guarantee an A in this class; a strong work ethic and a commitment to growing as a learner is necessary. Students should expect a challenging workload including daily readings, written responses, long-term reading and writing assignments, projects that develop comprehension of required concepts and skills, and in-class discussions concerning author’s purpose, usage of resources of language, tone, and awareness of audience.
This course engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts. Through reading selected works, students’ writing and reading should make them aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as how generic conventions and resources of language contribute to the effectiveness of writing. Much of class discussions and activities will focus on the author’s technique, meaning, and expression of ideas. All required readings promote student awareness of writers’ rhetorical choice, purpose, and audience awareness. Students are expected to have a firm knowledge of grammar, syntax, and paragraph structures taught in previous English classes as an effort to build upon and strengthen prior knowledge to reach a more complex understanding of the effect of language on a piece of writing. Most of our readings will be from that of the nonfiction genre; however, we will study literature from various time periods and genres.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
· Analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques;
· Apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing;
· Create and sustain arguments based on readings, research, and/or personal experience;
· Write for a variety of purposes;
· Produce expository, analytical, and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and develop it with appropriate evidence;
· Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writings;
· Demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources;
· Move effectively through the stages of the writing process with careful attention to inquiry and research, drafting, revising, editing, and review;
· Write thoughtfully about their own process of composition;
· Revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience;
· Analyze image as text; and
· Evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers.
Advanced Placement Curriculum Requirements
The College Board outlines the following curricular requirements for a course to be designated as Advanced Placement:
C1. The course teaches and requires students to write in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essays) about a variety of subjects.
C2. The course requires students to write essays that proceed through several stages or drafts, with revision aided by teacher and peers.
C3. The course requires students to write in informal contexts (e.g., journal keeping, collaborative writing, and in-class responses) designed to help them become increasingly aware of themselves as writers and of the techniques employed by the writers they read.
C4. The course requires expository, analytical, and argumentative writing assignments that are based on readings representing a wide variety of prose styles and genres.
C5. The course requires nonfiction readings (e.g., essays, journalism, political writing, autobiographies/biographies, diaries, history, and criticism) that are selected to give students opportunities to identify and explain an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques. When fiction and poetry are assigned, their main purpose should be to help students understand how various effects are achieved by writers’ linguistic and rhetorical choices.
C6. The course teaches students to analyze how graphics and visual images both relate to written texts and serve as alternative forms of text themselves.
C7. The course teaches such research skills as the ability to evaluate, use, and cite primary and secondary sources. The course assigns projects such as the researched argument paper, which goes beyond the parameters of a traditional research paper by asking students to present an argument of their own that includes the analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of sources.
C8. The course teaches students how to cite sources using a recognized editorial style (e.g., Modern Language Association, The Chicago Manual of Style).
C9. The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students’ writing assignments, both before and after students revise their work, that helps the students develop these skills:
a. A wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively
b. A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and coordination
c. Logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis
d. A balance of generalization and specific, illustrative detail
e. An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, an achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure.
Textbooks (provided)
Bacon, Nora. The Well Crafted-Sentence: A Writer's Guide to Style. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009.
Cohen, Samuel. 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology, 3rd ed. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011.
Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say 2nd ed. Norton and Co., 2012.
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Elements of Literature. Fifth Course. 1997.
Shea, Renee, Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Aufses. The Language of Composition. Bedford/St. Martins, 2007.
Trimmer, Joseph F. The Riverside Reader: Alternate Edition. Wadsworth Publishing, 2007.
I will also pull from other texts throughout the school year.
Supplemental Texts
Students will be required to obtain the following supplemental texts to be covered in class. It is highly recommended that students purchase a copy of the texts so they are able to annotate, mark, and highlight within the book for future reference/study.
· The Crucible by Arthur Miller (class set available)
· The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (class set available)
· Hamlet by William Shakespeare (class set available)
· Selections from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (class set available)
Supplies
· Pencils, pens, highlighters, notebook paper
· 3-ring notebook (You may share it with other classes if you would like.)
· Notebook dividers
Section 1- Quickwrites
Section 2- Vocabulary/Multiple Choice
Section 3- Reading assignments
Section 4- Writing
Section 5- Miscellaneous
· Folder with pockets
· Box of Kleenex
*You will also need supplies for your research paper. I will provide you with an additional
handout with that information.
Classroom Organization
A variety of teaching strategies will be used in the class as an effort to accommodate the diverse learning styles of students. Much of class will consist of standard lecture periods during which you will want to take notes. Also, a large part of the class environment will involve group projects and activities. It is your responsibility to engage and participate in all activities regardless of the members in your group. At all times, students’ questions and discussions are strongly encouraged. Research shows that students who actively participate in their learning experience are more successful in secondary and higher education.
The course will require intense reading assignments in which students will be encouraged to remain ahead. Much of what we discuss in class will have been read prior to the class session in which it is being discussed; thus, students are going to be required to read and analyze major texts independently. While students are learning to develop a reading of a text on their own, they are also learning how major critics use and discuss the elements of language, specifically the craft of careful word choice and use of specific, illustrative detail. The more students read professional models of analysis, the better their own writing will become.
The following activities and assignments will infiltrate all the units this year:
Vocabulary and Rhetorical Devices
Vocabulary and rhetorical devices will be addressed in quick writes, reading selections, and student writing. Students will be provided with a list of college level vocabulary and rhetorical devices. Students will be tested/quizzed on these words periodically.
Quick Writes/Journals
Upon entering the classroom, students will be provided with a close reading assignment or multiple choice question. Students will be expected to respond to the directions for that day by completing a quick write. Quick writes will be collected periodically. Completing this assignment is an integral part of the course as it will help develop an understanding of key skills, it will serve as a gateway to class discussions, and it will aid in enhancing one's vocabulary. Additionally, it will help students to become aware of other writers' styles.
Current Events
In order to be able to construct solid arguments in the persuasive and synthesis essays, students must have an understanding of current events. See the class calendar and assignment sheets for more specifics on the current events assignments. Students should utilize resources such as national/world news networks.
Multiple Choice Practice
Throughout the course of the year, each unit will contain multiple choice practice to help prepare the students for the AP exam. The students will be provided with questions to help guide them through comprehending what the multiple choice passages are addressing. As the students begin to progress with the multiple choice practice, they will begin to complete timed multiple choice practice. A variety of released multiple choice test questions from the College Board will be utilized.
In Class/Outside of Class Writings
Students will complete a variety of writings throughout the school year. They will be required to utilize a variety of sentence structures and logical organizational skills in their writing. As we study different techniques used by writers, I will expect students to incorporate syntactic variety in their own writing. For instance after studying King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," students will be encouraged to experiment with the periodic sentence in their own writing. I will conduct minilessons throughout the year to promote the usage of various areas that students could improve and enhance their writing (i.e. transitions, writer's voice, use of details/reasoning)
Student Evaluation
Students’ grades will come from objective tests, major compositions, weekly quizzes, daily practice assignments, major projects, and other activities completed both in and out of class. A student’s average will be derived from the following:
· 55% Tests—unit tests, final compositions, major projects
· 35% Daily—quizzes, practice assignments, homework, composition drafts
· 10% Term Exam
In compliance with the Biloxi Public School District policy, grades for this course will be awarded as follows.
· A = 100-90
· B = 89-80
· C = 79-70
· D = 69-65
· F = 64 and below
As this is a college level class, late work will not be accepted.
AP Language and Composition Retest Policy
To retest, students must successfully complete a remediation assignment (including after school tutoring) and retest within 10 days of receiving his or her score on the original test. If, at the teacher's discretion, a student does not put forth sufficient effort on the original test (turns test in after a very short length of time, does not appear to have worked through EACH question thoroughly and/or to the best of the student's ability), the teacher may elect to not allow the student to reteach/retest. All daily/missed work relating to the test must be complete before the retesting process may begin.
Course Planner
This is a tentative outline of the content to be covered in the course. Please note that this can be altered at the discretion of the instructor. Students will be given prior notice of any changes to be made. Again, this is an outlined schedule, not a lesson plan, thus it is not exhaustive or definitive. If a student is absent, he or she still expected to adhere to any changes made regardless of the type/reason for absence. Changes and updates will be reflected on the class website.
Unit 1- An Introduction to Course, Writing, and Research
Students will begin with an introduction to the course, which will overview rhetoric, argumentation, and synthesis. They will evaluate themselves as writers by creating a writing metaphor. Then, they will begin formulating a full length research paper by using acceptable primary and secondary sources. They will learn the components of what makes a source acceptable and correct documentation under the guidelines of MLA. Topics for the research paper project will be chosen by the instructor, and students will be required to form an applicable argument and develop it through the use of outside sources.
Some of the readings/assignments for this unit are the following:
· Annotation practice for close readings
· NPR word activity
· Sherman Alexie, "The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me"
· Frederick Douglas, "Learning to Read and Write"
· Research paper
· Vocabulary/Research paper skill test
The focus of this unit will remain on introducing the components of the AP course and research. The unit will culminate with a completed research paper that students will have composed through the various stages of the writing process, which will include peer editing and teacher feedback before the final draft is submitted.
Unit 2- Close Examination of Rhetoric and Argumentation Through Historical Documents
This unit will be devoted to distingishing rhetorical and stylistic devices (diction, syntax, imagery) as they appear in historical argumentative documents (i.e. speeches) from various time periods. Students will determine how these devices aid the argument and convey the author's purpose of the piece. Students will be required to annotate the texts and analyze the rhetorical devices. Students will work collaboratively on at least one of the readings to identify the usage of rhetorical devices and construct an introduction for an essay. Students will come rhetorical analysis of historical document project. Students will be required to construct various components of the rhetorical essay throughout the duration of this unit. This unit will conclude with the first timed writing practice of the year on the AP released prompt of Kennedy's speech . I will annotate the essays, and the students will have an opportunity to revise the essay.