AP Language and Composition 2017-2018
Due to the nature of this course, there will be times when you will self-select from additional texts and resources to provide other viewpoints and arguments on the topic and allow for a more well-developed response to the required readings. Readings listed here are the core texts for each unit. A variety of texts will be studied, including memoir, graphic novels, visual texts, drama, and poetry to analyze how language is used differently for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Unit 6: Using Language to Effect Social Change (Approx. 3/4 weeks)
· Essential question: How can language bring about revolution?
· An exploration of the writing that inspire, influence, and reflect upon various kinds of revolutions
(Chapters 13 in The Language of Composition)
o Thoreau, “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience”
o Woolf, “Thoughts on Peace During an Air Raid”
o Picasso, “Guernica” (visual text)
o Other selections from The Language of Composition
· Panel discussions of Satrapi, Persepolis and O’Brien, The Things They Carried
· Major paper #5 – Expository response to a choice of quotation(s) taken from Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone and Satrapi’s, Persepolis or O’Brien’s, The Things They Carried
Unit 7: Community (Approx. 3/4 weeks)
· Essential question: How are communities created? What is a community?
· An examination of how communities are built, what they offer, and how they function.
(Chapter 6 in The Language of Composition)
o Thoreau, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”
o Gladwell, “Small Change”
o Carnegie, “Gospel of Wealth”
o Morales, “Child of the Americas” (poem)
o Zapiro, “World Economic Forum” (cartoon)
o Other selections from The Language of Composition
o Panel discussions of the language (elements of style) used to create distinctive voices
in Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible:
- characters and their development
- qualities that make a community (through the characters’ eyes)
- how communities are established, what they offer, and how they function
Annotation in the novel NOT required, but highly encouraged
· Major paper #6 – descriptive essay The Poisonwood Bible
Unit 8: Gender (Approx. 3/4 weeks)
· Essential question: How does language shape and reflect gender roles?
· A look at how gender is constructed and gender bias in media (Chapter 8 in The Language of Composition)
o Gould, “Women’s Brains”
o Woolf, “Professions for Women”
o Brady, “I Want a Wife”
o Piercy, “Barbie Doll” (poem)
o McCombe, “Marlboro Man” (photo)
o Brooks, “Mind Over Muscle”
· Socratic seminar on gender, language, and style in Brönte’s Wuthering Heights
· Major paper #7 – Argumentative research paper with Bibliography and Works Cited
Breakdown:
Jan. 2, 3: Satrapi, Persepolis and O’Brien, The Things They Carried – discussion: examples of revolution/rhetoric
Peer-review Great Expectations essay-optional rewrite due Wed. 1/10, Tues. 1/11 (combined average)
Persepolis or The Things They Carried expository essay assigned (one draft)– due Blue 1/18, Gold 1/19
The Language of Composition Ch. 13
Jan. 4, 5: Satrapi, Persepolis and O’Brien, The Things They Carried – prepare for panels for discussion (30
min. each) on Mon. 1/8 and Tues. 1/9
The Language of Composition Ch. 13 SNOW DAYS – no school
Jan. 8, 9: Satrapi, Persepolis and O’Brien, The Things They Carried discussion
The Language of Composition Ch. 13
Jan. 10, 11: Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible introduction – read by Gold 2/1, Blue 2/2
Great Expectations final draft and first draft due (grades averaged)
AP Lang/Comp College Board multiple-choice practice and discussion
Jan. 12, 16: AP Lang/Comp College Board practice
Read Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible
Jan. 17, 18: AP Lang/Comp College Board practice and discussion
Peer-review Persepolis or The Things They Carried expository essay (Blue 1/18 due today)
Jan. 19, 22: Peer-review Persepolis or The Things They Carried expository essay (Gold 1/19 due today)
Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible
Jan. 23, 24: Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible
______
Jan. 25, 26: Continue reading Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible – have up to and including p. 311 (the
end of Book Three The Judges) read for class discussion
Jan. 29, 30: Continue reading Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible/ The Language of Composition Ch. 6
no exam
Jan. 31: Continue reading Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible/ The Language of Composition Ch. 6
no exam
Feb. 1, 2: Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible/ The Language of Composition Ch. 6
Choose students to work with in a group and prepare panel discussions using shared documents for
BLUE Mon. 2/5 and GOLD Tues. 2/6
Feb 1 – shortened day/Feb 2 – NO SCHOOL
Feb. 5, 6: Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible panel discussions (30 min. each)
The Language of Composition Ch. 6
Feb. 7, 8: The Poisonwood Bible characters and their development timed writing
The Language of Composition Ch. 6
Feb. 9, 12: The Language of Composition Ch. 6/The Language of Composition Ch. 8
Feb. 13, 14: AP Lang/Comp College Board multiple-choice practice and discussion
The Language of Composition Ch. 8
Feb. 15, 16: AP Lang/Comp College Board practice and discussion
Feb. 20, 21: AP Lang/Comp College Board - revisit writing and multiple-choice
Feb. 22, 23: Emily Brönte’ Wuthering Heights introduction – half of novel should be read by Gold 3/13, Blue 3/12
in preparation for a Socratic Seminar/second half of novel read by Gold 3/27, Blue 3/26
Feb. 26, 27: Research paper introduction
Feb. 28, Mar. 1: Research paper intro – first draft due in class Gold 3/29, Blue 3/28
Mar. 2, 5: Research paper - library
Mar. 6, 7: Research paper - library
Mar. 8, 9: Research paper
Mar. 12, 13: Wuthering Heights check in and discussion of first half of novel - Socratic Seminar/research paper
Mar. 14, 15: Research paper/The Language of Composition Ch. 8
Mar. 16, 19: Research paper/The Language of Composition Ch. 8
Mar. 20, 21: Research paper
Mar. 22, 23: Research paper
Mar. 26, 27: Emily Brönte’ Wuthering Heights Socratic Seminar
Mar. 28, 29: AP Lang/Comp College Board multiple-choice practice and discussion
The Language of Composition Ch. 8/first draft research paper due – printed and on Hapara
SPRING BREAK – March 30-April 9 – Spring Break assignment
Read Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible by Gold 2/6, Blue 2/5. You must take notes/quotes about the following:
- characters and their development
- qualities that make a community (through the characters’ eyes)
- how communities are established, what they offer, and how they function
Annotation in the novel NOT required, but highly encouraged. You will have panel discussions about this piece of literature, and also be required to write an essay using notes only.
PURCHASE a copy of Emily Brönte’ Wuthering Heights by Gold 2/23, Blue 2/22
Emily Brönte’ Wuthering Heights first half of novel should be read by Gold 3/13, Blue 3/12 and second half of
novel read by Gold 3/27, Blue 3/26, annotating the text for gender, language, and style (revisit Strunk and
White’s Elements of Style p. 66-85 for a refresher on what style looks like). Although this little self-help book is to
aid a writer, you should be able to identify elements of style as you read Brönte’s novel. Ask yourself, is the style
“distinguished and distinguishing?” (Strunk and White 66). How?
*Daily content subject to change at instructor’s discretion. Changes will be posted on website