Advanced Placement Language and Composition

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Advanced Placement Language and Composition

Scottsbluff High School

Todd Menghini

Course Description

This course engages students to become skilled readers of literature written in a variety of disciplines, periods, and cultures. In understanding the rhetoric used in such works, students will compose independent works of analysis, synthesis, comparison, process, and exposition to exemplify mastery of writing. Students will learn to research and utilize primary and secondary sources to synthesize material from these texts into their own writing. They will also display the common citation conventions recommended by professional organizations such as the Modern Language Association or American Psychological Association.

Students in this course should have successfully completed the Composition and Speech classes required of all Freshman and Sophomores along with British and American Literature classes. This class concentrates on composition and the reading of nonfiction prose and provides students opportunities to express their views on a variety of subjects in multiple writing opportunities depending on audience and purpose. The course encourages students to read and write for independent growth as well as course completion. Throughout the semester, students will develop a variety of voices pertinent to the audience, style, and purpose of their texts. Upon completion of the course, students will have developed a portfolio of work similar to any professional writer.

Class Overview and Expectations

Throughout the course students will read texts, write journals, editorials, responses, and essays. Their grades will reflect a functional knowledge of rhetorical devices, understand the value of audience, and display a mastery of writing styles. Grades will also reflect class participation, test and quiz mastery, group discussion, leadership of literary circles, and oral presentations. Students will take tests and quizzes over literature and vocabulary throughout the semester in preparation to the AP Language and Composition test. Due to the rigor and expectations of the class, students must attend class to successfully complete the course. You are also required to have a portable drive to store all your work and writings. This will allow you to work on your materials at home and at school.

Class Grading

Major assessments 70%

Daily work 30%

This is the grading assignment set by the administration.

Composition

Prewriting : Before writing any essay, students will have read examples of the type of essays they will be writing, specifically focusing their attention on rhetorical strategies. The teacher will provide direct instruction focusing on the use of logical organization and the techniques that writers’ use—particularly those exemplified in the essays studied—to increase coherence and effectiveness. This whole class instruction will focus students on rhetorical strategies and encourage them to model these strategies in their own writing. The teacher will guide students to an understanding of how writers use effective and appropriate diction, varied sentence structures, purposeful organization and a balance of generalizations and specific, illustrative detail to achieve their purpose and maintain reader interest. Using a mini-lesson format, the teacher will also provide direct instruction of writing devices, sentence syntax, strategy, and idea development.

Drafting, Composing, Revising : Each major paper must go through at least two drafts. Students will be required to bring hard copies of work to class to engage in the revising process with the teacher or peers. Peer editing involves a grade for the ability to assist and analyze each other’s work. In individual writing conferences with the teacher, I will focus on mentoring the student’s individual needs to create a professional portfolio of writing. Conferences will provide time to assess and address each student’s individual needs.

After Writing : Students will maintain portfolios of their writing. Furthermore, students will keep a journal reflecting on their growth as writers and their increasing ability to critically evaluate their own writing and the writing of others.

Course work

Every unit is designed to last three to six weeks in the block schedule at Scottsbluff High School. The thematic units will incorporate a variety of text and writing assignments. In class writing assignments are to be kept separate from the other writing assignments.

Textbook

The Language of Composition Renee H. Shae, Lawrence Scanlon, Robin Dissen Aufses

Unit 1 Understanding Rhetoric

This unit is designed to introduce the concepts of rhetorical analysis.

Possible Readings

Chapters 1 and 2 of The Language of Composition

Included in the introduction is the vocabulary needed to analyze rhetoric throughout the year. Diverse writing styles will also be examined so students will understand the expectations of the course.

Unit 2 Language

Students will examine the influence of language in society.

Possible readings

Mother Tongue Amy Tan

Politics and the English Language George Orwell

Slang in America Walt Whitman

Always Living in Spanish Marjorie Agosin

The “F” Word Firoozeh Dumas

In Plain English; Let’s Make it Official Charles Krauthammer

Words Don’t Mean What They Mean Steven Pinker

How to Detect Propaganda Institute for Propaganda Analysis

Writing

Major Project-Students will write an expository essay explaining how language affects the American Culture. The audience would come from a diverse ethnic background who have a profound interest in culture and language. Using the works we have read, students will reference ideas to support their thesis. The students will focus on writing in an active voice and developing precise and concise diction.

Journal Entry-What exactly does “Freedom of Expression” mean? Students will research a variety of court cases and examine how the courts have defined this term.

Discussion Group topics

Bilingualism

The use of slang

Evolution of language

English as an official language

Bias and propaganda use

Unit 3 Family

Students will examine the existence and diversity of families.

Possible readings

In Search of the Good Family Jane Howard

Fish Cheeks Amy Tan

Why Chinese Mothers are Superior Amy Chua

Marrying Absurd Joan Didian

I Want a Wife Judy Brady

Lost in the Kitchen Dave Barry

Why Women Have to Work Amelia Warren Tyagi

Don’t Call Me Mr. Mom Buzz McClain

Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self Alice Walker

Sick Parents go to Work, Stay Home When Kids are Ill Christopher Mele

Norman Rockwell Paintings

Writing

Major project Definition essay-You are writing an expository essay defining what a ”typical” American Family is in the contemporary era. The diverse audience who reads this essay comes from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Using the works we have read, define your view of the American Family. Students must exemplify and label one example of each of the following syntactical techniques in their essay: varied sentence beginning, varied sentence length and syntax, periodic sentence, and parallelism.

Journal Entry-How has television depicted family throughout the years? Explain what forces guided television families. We will add on to this entry as the weeks progress. Students will journal on the rhetorical devices used by the authors in regards to effectiveness, style, and purpose. Students will analyze paintings as visual texts and will compare/contrast works.

Discussion Group Topics

Family roles

Parenting skills

Extended family

Sibling relationships

Family values

Unit 4 Education

Students will focus on the way people learn and the function of education in society.

Possible readings

I Just Wanna be Average Mike Rose

Learning to Read Malcolm X

Learning to Write Fredrick Douglas

The Dog Ate My Disk, and Other Tales of Woe Carolyn Foster Segal

Superman and Me Sherman Alexi

Best in Class Margaret Talbot

I’m Your Teacher, not Your Internet-Service Provider Ellen Laird

Graduation Maya Angelou

A Textbook Case of Failure Alex Johnson

NAEP study of private and public schools

Writing

Major project #2 Narrative-Students will compose a narrative paper explaining their position on how students succeed in school. The writings should exemplify a command of subordination and coordination in their narrative. These students will focus on revision of text and writing in an active voice. Focus on diction and word use will be emphasized.

Journal-Students will journal their daily ideas of the purpose of education in society. They will note how education has evolved with society. Students will examine data from graphs and charts to use in their journal topics.

Discussion Group Topics

Parental involvement in schools

Rigor of standards

Different types of schools

Student expectations

Educational flaws

Real world versus school

Unit 5 Science, Nature, and Technology

Students will examine the scientific influences and ethics in relation to society.

Possible Readings

Animal Liberation Pete Singer

The Future of Happiness Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Into the Electronic Millennium Sven Birkerts

Television: The Plug-In Drug Marie Winn

Where I Lived/What I lived For Henry David Thoreau

Computer Crime Charmayne Cullom

Bird and the Machine Loren Eiseley

The Cosmic Calendar Carl Sagan

The Method of Scientific Investigation T. H. Huxley

How You Became You Bill Bryson

Writing

Major project #3 Persuasive Essay-Students will compose a persuasive essay debating a scientific ethic. They must design their arguments support using the research they found in the library. The topic they choose must be polarized to enhance the debate. The students must depict a working knowledge of rhetorical devices: anaphora, irony, figurative language, analogy, and antithesis.

Journal-The topics of entries revolve around humanity’s relationship with nature, science, and technology. The students will examine the effects science has had on humanity. Discussions on nurture v. nature will invoke thought on these topics. Students should practice using rhetorical devices in their journals for preparation of major writing.

Discussion Group Topics

Animal rights and testing

Limits on public technology

Science versus religion

Recycling

Global warming

Disappearing nature

Unit 6 Race and Culture

Students will examine the evolution of racial equality and investigate the diversity of cultures.

Possible Readings

Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space Brent Staples

The Myth of a Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria Judith Ortiz Cofer

N. Dakota at center of 'hostile' debate Sal Ruibal, USA TODAY

How it Feels to be Colored Like Me Zora Neale Hurston

How to Tame a Wild Tongue Gloria Anzaldua

Clashing Civilizations? Edward Said

Notes of a Native Speaker Eric Liu

On Dumpster Diving Lars Eighner

All in the Family episode

Newsweek pictures of racial history

Writing

Major project #4 Compare/Contrast essay-Students are to compare/contrast the racial and cultural diversity of America. Students will exemplify logical organization, pertinent comparisons, and draw conclusions in their essays. Prompt-America, the melting pot of the world, has always struggled with racial and cultural differences. Has that struggle eased in the past decade? Compare/contrast race and culture in America to explain your view.

Journal-Students will examine changes in race and culture through gender, stereotype, language, religion, and government. They will practice using rhetorical devices listed above to find a style with which they are comfortable.

Discussion group topics

Bilingualism in schools/government

Mascots depicting culture groups

Segregation

Blind hypocrisy

Women in culture

Stereotype and generalities

Unit 7 Politics and Government

Students will examine political rhetoric and writings throughout history to understand purpose, style, persuasive techniques, and theme. Students will understand the use of writing devices and the use of satire to emphasize a writer’s style and purpose.

Possible readings

Declaration of Independence

Common Sense Thomas Paine

Civil Disobedience Henry David Thoreau

A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift

Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Two Ways to Belong in America Bharati Mukherjee

Kennedy’s Inaugural Speech John F. Kennedy

On the Rainy River Tim O’Brien

World War 2 Propaganda posters

Writing

Major Project #5 Synthesis paper-Students will write a synthesis paper on the duty of citizenry of America. They are to develop their idea of what the role of a United States citizen should portray. Students should cite at least three works from the reading list and other works studied in class.

Journal-Students will analyze writing styles through rhetorical analysis. They will copy the same devices into their own writings. Topics will vary on political stances in issues discussed and read.

Discussion Group Topics

Revolution of people

What being an American means

Poverty and welfare

Immigration

Conservative and Liberal

Civil disobedience versus war

Unit 8 Popular Culture

Students will investigate the influence of pop culture on society. They will examine the evolution of pop culture from the early 1920’s to today.

Possible Readings

High School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies David Denby

Never Just Pictures Susan Bordo

We Talk, You Listen Vine Deloria Jr.

Popular Culture in the Aftermath of 9/11 Teresa Wiltz

Show and Tell Scott McCloud (graphic essay)

Emily Dickenson and Elvis Presley in Heaven Hans Ostrom (Poetry)

Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie Nikki Giovanni

Is Media Violence Free Speech George Gerbner and Todd Gitlin

American Pie Don McLean (Song)

Writing

Major Project #6 Documentary-Students will create a multi-media documentary of the pop culture of a chosen decade. They will create a website explaining the pop culture of the decade in regards to music, art, invention, entertainment, and fashion.

Journal-Students will journal their thoughts about how pop culture affects society. They will write how media creates image and how it cultivates the younger generation.

Group discussion topics

Reality versus fantasy-life imitate film or vice versa

Stereotypes in film

Pop culture and morality

Art or Offensive

Censorship

War and pop culture

Innocence and pop culture