SIOUX FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICTAP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

SEPTEMBER 2011

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The goal of this course is to enable students to read critically, to recognize the rhetorical strategies writers use to influence their audience, to utilize rhetorical strategies in their own writing, and to write clearly and effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences. According to the course description published by The College Board in 2006, the AP English Language and Composition course’s primary objective is to ultimately “enable students to write effectively and confidently…across the curriculum and in their professional and personal lives” (6).

Successful completion of this year-long course will result in fulfillment of our school’s and state’s requirements in American Literature (1/2 credit) and composition (1/2 credit).

COURSE GUIDE

1ST SEMESTER

For a complete listing of 1st semester activities, see attached syllabi for each high school. Significant Task: The Scarlet Letter skit

2ND SEMESTER

For a complete listing of 2nd semester activities, see attached syllabi for each high school. Significant Task: Research paper

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Common Core Standards

AP English Language and Composition covers all of the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts Reading and Writing for grade 11. Listed below are the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts.

Common Core StandardsLanguage Arts11th and 12th Grade WritingRoll Out 2011-2012

Literature

Common Core Key Ideas and Details:1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the textsays explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.2. Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their developmentover the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.3. Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

Common Core Craft and Structure:1. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text.2. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.3. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

Common Core Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:1. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different

media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

2. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including theapplication of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).

3. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S.documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.

Common Core Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:1. By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades

11–CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text complexity band independently andproficiently.

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Common Core Vocabulary Acquisition:1. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and

phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.b. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception,conceivable).c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase

(e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).2. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and

nuances in word meanings.a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text.b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.

3. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words andphrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level;

demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Common Core StandardsLanguage Arts11th Grade WritingRoll Out 2011-2012

Text Types and Purposes:

Common Core: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying themost relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and

evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and

conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Common Core: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so

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that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

c. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.

d. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.

e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).

Common Core: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well- structured event sequences.

a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, orobservation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.

b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery,

suspense,growth, or resolution).d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to

convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or

resolved over the course of the narrative.

Production and Distribution of Writing:

Common Core: 1. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)

Common Core:2. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is mostsignificant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions shoulddemonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades11–12 on page 54.)Conventions Common Core:1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and

usage when writing or speaking.a. Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes

contested.b. Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of

English Usage, Garner’s Modern American Usage) as needed. 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,

punctuation, and spelling when writing.a. Observe hyphenation conventions.

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b. Spell correctly.3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in

different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and tocomprehend more fully when reading or listening.a. Vary syntax for effect, consulting references (e.g., Tufte’s Artful Sentences) for guidance as needed; apply

an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts when reading.

Common Core:3. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and updateindividual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback,including new arguments or information.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Common Core:

1. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

2. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

3. Draw evidence form literary or informational texts to support analysis,reflection, and research.

a. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrateknowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-centuryfoundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics”).

b. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses]”).

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AP English Language and Composition Syllabus--RHS

Course Overview

The goal of this course is to enable students to read critically, to recognize the rhetorical strategies writers use to influence their audience, to utilize rhetorical strategies in their own writing, and to write clearly and effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences. According to the course description published by The College Board in 2006, the AP English Language and Composition course’s primary objective is to ultimately “enable students to write effectively and confidently…across the curriculum and in their professional and personal lives” (6).

Successful completion of this year-long course will result in fulfillment of our school’s and state’s requirements in American Literature (1/2 credit) and composition (1/2 credit).

Course Goals

This course’s goals are based on The College Board’s 2006 published goals for AP English Language and Composition students (9). They are listed below and referenced throughout the syllabus.

1. Analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques

2. Apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing3. Create and sustain arguments based on readings, research, and/or personal experience4. Write for a variety of purposes5. Produce expository, analytical, and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and

develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/or secondary sources, cogent explanations, and clear transitions

6. Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writings

7. Demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources8. Move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and research,

drafting, revising, editing, and review9. Write thoughtfully about their own process of composition10. Revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience11. Analyze image as text12. Evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers

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Assessment

65% Major WorkFinal papers, projects, tests, and quizzes account for most of the grade in order to mimic the expectations at most colleges.

20% Minor WorkSporadic daily work regarding literature or grammar, rough drafts, and all vocabulary work (including vocabulary tests) hold a lesser position of importance but are still essential in order to perform well in this class. After all, impressive products are impossible without diligence in the processes and practice that precede them.

15% ParticipationParticipation in large and small group discussions is necessary in order to create a learning community. Ideas, questions, and insights shared within a group promote deeper understanding for each individual in the group. Participation in discussions also allows your instructor to assess your preparedness and dedication to the work of our class. Participation will be assessed every two weeks, usually when Parent View is updated, according to the rubric below.

20 Actively and meaningfully participated in class discussion and work, no late work, only one non-school-related absence allowedA 19 Participated appropriatelyB 18 No poor behaviors*, but only participated sparinglyB 17 Participated sparinglyC 16 Low participation, but polite; Or, some participation, but also some poor behaviorsD 15 Disruptive or disrespectful

*Sample “poor behaviors” include, but are not limited to, inappropriate side talking, inattention, and not working on the task at hand.

Selected Readings

The AP English Language and Composition exam is non-fiction based. Consequently, non-fiction pieces in this class will receive special attention. However, because the class is meant to fulfill an American Literature requirement mandated by both the school district and state, fictional works are also included. Fictional works will be read with an eye that emphasizes author’s purpose and rhetorical strategies used to achieve that purpose.

Holt’s Elements of Literature, Fifth Course. The Contemporary Reader , Eighth Edition Language Network . Evanston, Illinois: McDougall Littell, 2001. Roskelly, Hephzibah and David A. Jolliffe. Everyday Use: Rhetoric at Work in Reading and Writing. AP ed.

New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2005. Swovelin, Barbara V. Cliffs AP: English Language and Composition. 2nd ed. New York: Hungry Minds,

2001. Summer Reading Assignment Various released AP exam essays Novels, plays, short stories, essays, and poems listed in the Course Planner

Course Planner

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INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

The purpose of the introduction time is to provide students with an accurate picture of the expectations of this course and final exam. The introduction time also provides the instructor with information regarding student proficiency levels.

Course syllabus Introduction to the AP exam Assessment and review of foundational grammar knowledge Assessment and review of foundational literary knowledge and reading skills Summer reading discussions and assessments (Goals 1-8)

Argumentative essay Analytical essay

UNIT ONE: “WEALTH AND THE AMERICAN DREAM”

In this unit we will explore various definitions of the American Dream and how the dream has changed throughout America’s history.

Literature Selections (Goals 1, 11)

While reading students will pay close attention to tone, purpose, theme, irony, figurative language, symbolism, appeals, claims, and style.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and/or The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller “Upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666” and “To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson “Speech at the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry Recent political speech (usually one given by the President) Visual: A Morning View of a Blue Hill Village (1824) by Jonathan Fisher, painter Visual: Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes (1897) by John Singer Sargent, painter Visual: The Great Gatsby film Visual: Death of a Salesman film “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Composition Experiences (Goals 2-8)

Students are often required to identify grammatical elements or rhetorical strategies they chose to use in their compositions. Students are also encouraged to write naturally, as in a dialogue, as opposed to the formulaic five-paragraph essay. In this way, risk-taking is encouraged.

Analysis Essay (select one) What strategies does Patrick Henry use to achieve his purpose in “Speech at the Virginia Convention”? What strategies does Jonathan Edwards use to achieve his purpose in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry

God”? Synthesis Essay (select one)

Using a variety of the literature we read, explain how has the American Dream changed over time? Using a variety of the literature we read, define the American Dream. Using a variety of the literature we read, defend or challenge the assertion that the American Dream has

changed over time.

Before the final draft is due, students will bring their typed essays to class on a designated day for revising, editing, peer conferencing, and teacher conferencing. Final drafts are scored on a nine-point scale according to the following

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rubric in order to mimic the AP exam. Papers that average a 7-9 generally earn A’s, 5-6 papers generally earn B’s, 4 papers often earn C’s, and 0-3 papers earn D’s and F’s.

9 Exceptional7-8 Excellent6 Good5 Adequate3-4 Unsatisfactory1-2 Seriously Deficient

IDEAS AND CONTENT Clear Thesis that Addresses the Prompt Valid Assertions Quantity of Evidence Quality of Evidence Insightful and Sufficient Commentary Overall Depth of Analysis

ORGANIZATION Engaging Introduction Organization/Topic Sentences/Transitions Thoughtful Conclusion

VOICE (Overall Flair) SENTENCE FLUENCY (Syntax and Variety) WORD CHOICE (Diction) CONVENTIONS (Grammar and Mechanics)

Grammar Exercises (Goals 2, 5, 6)

After completing a short period of direct grammar instruction, students are required to use and highlight examples of specified grammatical elements in their compositions.

Phrases Subordination and Coordination Transitions Sentence Structures

Vocabulary Enrichment (Goal 6)

In every unit, vocabulary instruction is facilitated through the Sadlier-Oxford, Level F series. On the first day of each school week, vocabulary tests of at least twenty words are given. It is primarily the student’s responsibility to prepare; however, on Thursdays one student will organize a 15-minute review activity. Each student is required to sign up for at least one Thursday during the year. The completed sign-up sheet will be available on the school’s shared drive for review, as are other handouts I provide. The Thursday presenter is graded according to preparedness and control. In addition, a maximum of ten extra credit points may be earned each quarter through correctly using the assigned vocabulary words from any unit in the vocabulary book in any assessment. In order to receive credit, the student must highlight, underline, or boldface the word.

Current Issues Update (Goals 1 and 3)

After vocabulary tests, one student will be assigned to present a recent news issue to the class through summary and explanation and then engage the class in a meaningful discussion about the issue. This activity prepares students to be critical thinkers, articulate speakers, and informed citizens—all necessary for the AP English Language exam. For the activity to be effective, the presenter must select an important topic and create several provocative questions that spark discussion. I grade the presenter according to the criteria listed above. The rest of the class is assessed

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according to meaningful participation. The activity should last at least fifteen minutes and will occur throughout the entire course.

UNIT TWO: “THE AMERICAN SPIRIT OF INDIVIDUALISM”

This unit will explore the spirit of individualism versus conformity in both the past and present American society.

Literature Selections (Goals 1, 11)

While reading students will pay close attention to tone, purpose, theme, irony, figurative language, symbolism, appeals, claims, and style.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Visual: The Scarlet Letter film The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson Visual: The Wanderer (1818) by Caspar David Friedrich, painter “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson Emily Dickinson poetry Visual: “Finished Knowing” experimental documentary about Dickinson “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin Visual: “The Story of an Hour” (2 versions are compared) “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner Visual: “A Rose for Emily” film

Composition Experiences (Goals 2-8, 10)

Essay (select one) Analysis: Using textual evidence, explain what strategies Chopin, Gilman, OR Faulkner uses to achieve

her/his purpose? Argumentative: Defend or challenge the assertion that women’s lives have gotten much better since the

days of Kate Chopin’s and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s characters. Synthesis Essay (select one)

Using a variety of the literature we read, define individualism. Using a variety of the literature we read, defend or challenge the assertion that “Much Madness is Divinest

Sense.” Creative Project

With a small group, articulate The Scarlet Letter’s themes and reflect on how they are present in our society. Then, write and perform a five-minute play that illustrates a theme from The Scarlet Letter, but set in present day.

Imitation Exercises Write a poem about any topic important to you that imitates the style of Emily Dickinson. Then, revise the work so that it would appeal to children. Then, revise the work again so that it could be submitted as a letter to the editor or short commentary.

Dialogue Journals

Before final drafts are due, students will bring their typed essays to class on a designated day for revising, editing, peer conferencing, and teacher conferencing. Final drafts are typically scored on a nine-point scale according to the rubric provided in unit one.

Grammar Exercises (Goals 2, 5, 6)

After completing a short period of direct grammar instruction, students are required to use and highlight examples of specified grammatical elements in their compositions.

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Mechanics Subordination and Coordination Transitions

Vocabulary Enrichment (Goal 6)

Continue as stated in unit one.

Current Issues Update (Goals 1 and 3)

Continue as stated in unit one.

UNIT THREE: “THE AMERICAN LOVE AFFAIR WITH NATURE”

This unit will explore nature’s role in shaping Americans’ fantasies and fears.

Literature Selections (Goals 1, 11)

While reading students will pay close attention to tone, purpose, theme, irony, satire, sarcasm, humor, figurative language, symbolism, appeals, claims, and style.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Visual: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn film Dakota: A Spiritual Geography by Kathleen Norris “A Wagner Matinee” by Willa Cather Emily Dickinson poetry Various essays from The Ecocriticism Reader. Eds. Cheryll Glotfelty and Harold Fromm. Athens, Georgia:

The University of Georgia Press, 1996.

Composition Experiences (Goals 2-8)

Synthesis Essay (select one) According to the texts and your own experiences, how does nature influence Americans? According to the texts and your own experiences, how does nature shape the American identity?

Imitation Exercises Write a reflective piece that imitates Kathleen Norris’s writing style.

Expository Essay Compare and contrast your spiritual landscape with Kathleen Norris’s. Compare and contrast two descriptions of birds, one by John James Audubon and one by Annie Dillard

(taken from question 3 of the 2003 exam).

Before final drafts are due, students will bring their typed essays to class on a designated day for revising, editing, peer conferencing, and teacher conferencing. Final drafts are typically scored on a nine-point scale according to the rubric provided in unit one.

Grammar Exercises (Goals 2, 5, 6)

Continue as needed.

Vocabulary Enrichment (Goal 6)

Continue as stated in unit one.

Current Issues Update (Goals 1 and 3)

Continue as stated in unit one.

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UNIT FOUR: CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES RESEARCH PAPER (Goals 1-9, 11-12)

Choose a contemporary controversial issue to study. Research the topic through as many varied and reliable sources as possible (magazines, journals,

newspapers, books, interviews, visuals, etc.). The librarian will spend one day showing students how to find sources and then determine if they are reliable.

Begin a working Works Cited page using MLA format. Take careful notes using direct quotation or paraphrase. Also, be sure to cite all notes. Develop an argument and establish a claim. Present this in the form of an outline. Develop a paper that effectively supports your claim through valuable and varied evidence. Include parenthetical citations with your evidence according to MLA format and complete an accurate Works

Cited page. Avoid plagiarism. Include at least one visual image to support your claim (graph, cartoon, picture, etc.). Be sure to cite the

source of your image both within the paper and on the Works Cited page. Bring rough drafts to class on designated days for revising, editing, and conferencing. Complete a one-page reflection about your writing experience.

Grammar Exercises (Goals 2, 5, 6)

Continue as needed.

Vocabulary Enrichment (Goal 6)

Continue as stated above in unit one.

Current Issues Update (Goals 1 and 3)

Continue as stated above in unit one.

TEST PREPARATION

Throughout the course various released AP exams are used as writing practice and test preparation. The essays are typically used as 40-minute timed essays; however, they are also occasionally assigned days in advance of their due date. Released student responses, as well as responses from our own classroom, are often examined. Multiple choice portions of released exams are also practiced and examined.

FINAL EXAMS

Final exams are administered at the end of each semester. As indicated by the superintendent’s office, semester tests for AP classes must reflect the rigor of the AP exam, but in a 90-minute testing period.

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AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION--LHS

“It is not true that we have only one life to live. If we can read, we can live as many more lives and kinds of lives as we wish.”

S.I. Hayakawa

“All words are pegs to hang ideas on.”Henry Ward Beecher

These quotations reflect the overall philosophy of this course. AP English Language and Composition is a survey course that includes the reading and analysis of American literature, the study and application of the process of writing, vocabulary development, and preparation for the AP exam.

My goals for you in this course are that

You increase your affection for stories, novels, poems, plays and essays, so that you are even more likely than before to read and enjoy the writing of others.

You feel more confident about yourself as a reader and writer.

You think more critically about literature.

Through reading and writing, you develop a deeper and fuller sense of what it is to be someone else—especially someone who differs from you in gender, race, age, religion, background and/or viewpoint.

You become so attached to certain pieces of literature and/or writing that they become a part of you, and you have them forever as a joy and a resource.

Through writing and reading, you discover and confront issues and questions that are genuinely important to you.

You understand how all of the elements of language function in any piece of writing.

You understand and apply elements of the writing process, from brainstorming to crafting to revising to polishing.

You become adept at writing for different purposes and different audiences.

You understand and apply correct research methods and conventions.

You demonstrate the ability to effectively use the resources of your own language and other sources to support your ideas.

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You increase your reading and usage vocabularies.

You feel prepared for the AP Language and Composition Exam.

The two major textbooks assigned to this course areThe Elements of Literature Orlando, Florida: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2007.Applebee, Arthur N. et al. Language Network. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell, 2001.Goshgarian, Gary. The Contemporary Reader. New York, New York: Pearson, 2008.We also use a vocabulary book:Jerome Shostak. Vocabulary Workshop. New York: Sadlier-Oxford, 2005.

Other books and writings are listed in their corresponding place in the syllabus.

Quarter OneThe first quarter has four main parts:Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler (the required summer reading)A short story unitThe narrative essayThe Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

We begin the year with an overview of the course. On the second day, students write a timed essay over Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant and two articles they have chosen over the summer that connect to the main topics in the novel. The next day, students take the multiple choice section of a past AP English Language and Composition Exam as a way for students to see the format and typical content of the exam and to provide a baseline score for future reference. We then spend the next few days discussing Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, focusing on the rhetorical strategies Tyler uses in the novel.

The short story unit consists of the following stories:“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson“Desiree’s Baby” and “The Locket” by Kate Chopin“Teenage Wasteland” by Anne Tyler“Paret” by Norman Mailer--nonfiction“Reunion” by John Updike“A Worm in the Apple” by John Cheever“The Kugelmass Episode” by Woody Allen“I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen“True Love” by Isaac Asimov

The students first predict the plots of the stories based on the titles. Then the students read each of the stories, write out responses to questions about rhetorical strategies used in the stories, and write journal responses for each story. We discuss each story in class, focusing on the various literary elements each author uses to accomplish various purposes. Students take a test over the stories that is part short answer, part multiple choice. Students then write a literary analysis essay on one of the short stories using their class notes for reference. We conclude the unit by watching the video version of the short story “Berneice Bobs Her Hair,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. After watching the video, we discuss how the same rhetorical strategies and literary elements that are present in the stories we read are also present in a visual version of a story.

The narrative essay assignment begins by having students freewrite in class about one of the topics from the short stories they have just read: family relationships; traditions; a sporting event; or an unexpected result. I give the students half the class to write and then I have some of the students read their writing to the class. Students then start writing a complete narrative essay based on their freewrite. Using samples of narrative essays from previous years, we discuss the elements of a good narrative essay. We specifically focus on introductions, figurative language, dialogue, and sentence variety. We study various sentence types, and students are required to correctly use a loose sentence, a periodic sentence, an instance of parallel structure, a semi-colon, and an intentional fragment in their essays. In small groups, students read the first drafts of their essays and choose a best one to read to the entire class. I’ve found that

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students put more effort into a first draft if they know that other students will hear what they’ve written. And reading each other’s writing out loud provides another audience for students, allows students to hear other examples of good writing, and helps students to pick up on the rhythm of good construction. Using a rubric, students then peer edit each other’s essays and write comments about the strengths and weaknesses of the essays. Students revise their essays, and then I read each essay and conference with each student before the final copy of the essay is due. The entire process takes a bit more than two weeks, with six days of class time and time in between for writing and revising.

The Scarlet Letter unit begins with a look at the history of the Puritan movement, tracing its development from Tudor England to Colonial America. We also discuss the characteristics and representative authors of Puritanism, Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Transcendentalism, since all four of these are present in various facets of The Scarlet Letter. I read the first two chapters of the novel aloud so students can get a sense of Hawthorne’s language, and I hand out a packet of information about Hawthorne and a list of vocabulary from the novel. We watch a video of the opening scene and compare that to the corresponding text in the novel. Students are put into groups and given the following assignment:

The Scarlet Letter Group Project

Character analysis

One of the major motifs of this novel is alienation and its causes and effects. The main characters (Hester Prynne, Pearl Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth) also represent various facets of Puritanism, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Transcendentalism. Note: not all of the characters will represent all four of the “isms,” but all of the characters will represent at least three. Your group will be assigned one of the main characters in the novel. As you read, write down (or use sticky notes to mark) examples that show the following:The nature of the alienationThe causes of the alienationThe character’s response (thoughts, words, and actions) to her/his alienationThe end result of the alienationPuritanism, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Transcendentalism

After you have read the Scarlet Letter, your group will write an essay that analyzes these elements and their effect in the novel.

Human NatureHawthorne’s writing often focuses on various aspects of human nature. Your group will be assigned one chapter of the novel; your group will then write a paragraph that explains what conclusions about human nature could be drawn from the events and characters’ thoughts/interactions in the chapter. You must have at least three conclusions about human nature drawn from your chapter. For example, in Chapter 2:

The fact that so many people have gathered to see Hester receive her public punishment reflects the idea that many people are drawn to the suffering of others, especially if they feel themselves superior to the sufferer or wrongdoer. The women in the crowd think Hester should have a more severe punishment than she received from the magistrates, which shows how people often judge others more severely than themselves. Hester embroiders the letter A very elaborately and beautifully even though the letter was supposed to be a badge of shame, showing how people sometimes mock authority by following the letter, but not the spirit, of the law. When Hester’s thoughts drift away from her present situation on the scaffold to her childhood, it shows how people have to mentally escape harsh reality by focusing on something else.

AllusionHawthorne uses many allusions for various effects in this novel. Your group will be assigned three allusions. For each allusion, use the following format to explain each allusion and to analyze the effect of each allusion.

Original Quotation: Write out the quotation in which the allusion appears in the work. Write out the entire sentence in which the allusion appears and any additional sentences necessary to complete the idea behind the allusion.

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Source Citation: List the author, title and source of the quote, using MLA format (refer to handbook).

Explanation: Research the allusion and explain or summarize the information about the allusion.

Source Cite: List the author, title and source of the information using MLA format.

Effect/Insight: Discuss the effect of the use of the allusion and the insight the reader gains. Explain how the quotation is effective and how knowing the source and context of the allusion increases your understanding.

ExampleOriginal Quote: The rose bush, by a strange chance, has been kept alive in history; but whether it had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness, so long after the gigantic pines and oaks that originally overshadowed it,--or whether, as there is fair authority for believing, it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Anne Hutchinson, as she entered the prison door—we shall not take upon us to determine.

Source Cite: Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Evanston: McDougal Little, 1998. 50.

Explanation: Anne Hutchinson dared to question Puritan beliefs and challenge Puritan authority by openly professing ideas that were different from Puritan views. For this, she was arrested, jailed and eventually exiled from the Puritan community. Anne is an example of “people who in the face of adversity refuse to betray their ethics and ideals, no matter what the cost.”

Source Cite: Anne Hutchinson. www.annehutchinson.com

Effect: By referring to Anne Hutchinson and the prison, the author establishes a connection between Anne Hutchinson and Hester Prynne, who is just about to emerge from the prison and who also challenged Puritan authority. The quote is effective because since the narrator refers to Anne as “sainted,” the reader infers that the author wants us to see Anne, and therefore, Hester, in a positive light even though they both technically broke the law. Through this allusion, the reader understands the harsh attitudes of the Puritans, the justifiably defiant nature of Hester, and the cost of going against society’s laws.

Another assignment students complete is to write in the style of Hawthorne (see below).

THE PRISON DOOR/ THE SCHOOL DOORIn Chapter 1 (pages 49-50) of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne focuses on the people gathered around the prison door, the characteristics of the prison door, and the history and symbolism of the rosebush by the prison door. As a group, write a chapter in the style of Hawthorne, substituting the main entrance or door of our high school for the prison door. Include a description of the people gathered by the school door, the purpose for the building, a description of the door, and a history and symbolism for an object that is nearby the door. Remember that your writing must mirror Hawthorne’s in style and structure, but your chapter can be serious or humorous. Students also examine two passages in detail, analyzing the rhetorical strategies Hawthorne uses for various effects. We watch two additional scenes from The Scarlet Letter video and compare them to the text. Students take a final objective test over the novel and write a timed essay over one of the following topics (modified from past AP essay prompts)

Through the study of the characters, symbols and plot of The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s own values are revealed. Choose TWO of Hawthorne’s values (ideals, beliefs or human traits) that are best represented in the novel. Write an essay in which you identify these values, providing examples from the novel to support your ideas. Your essay should have a thesis, topic sentences for each paragraph and examples from the characters, symbols and plot. You may use this paper to make notes or construct a brief outline.

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Setting, including time, place, and atmosphere, may be a motivating force in a character’s behavior, a reflection of his

or her state of mind, or representative of his or her values. Choose any TWO of the main characters (Hester, Pearl,

Arthur, Roger) and write an essay in which you explain how the setting shows each of the two characters’ behavior,

state of mind, and values. Your essay should have a thesis, topic sentences for each paragraph and examples from

the novel to support your ideas. You may use this paper to make notes or construct a brief outline.

To complete The Scarlet Letter unit, students work in small groups to write a parody of The Scarlet Letter.

Quarter Two

The second quarter has three main components: persuasive essays, synthesis essays, and a unit on war literature and essays.

The persuasive essay unit begins by having students write short responses to three released AP defend/challenge/qualify prompts. We discuss the elements of a good persuasive essay. Then students write an out-of-class essay on the Brave New World/1984 AP prompt (non-fiction). In groups students read those essays aloud and then peer edit each other’s essays, looking specifically for assertions, evidence, and connections. I evaluate their essays, and then they revise their essays for a final grade. Students also write a timed persuasive essay in class using the AP public versus private prompt. Students are then given the following assignment:

Persuasive Essay Assignment

Choose one of the topics below and write a 2-3 page, typed, double-spaced, persuasive essay.

Topics:High school represents the best of the American experience.

High school represents the worst of the American experience.

High school is the real world.

High school is not the real world.

Format:Introduction The introduction should open with an interesting image or anecdote that engages the reader. Then give some background on the topic, making sure that you define either the “American experience” or the “real world,” depending on your topic. End your introduction with your thesis statement, which will be a rewording of one of the topics listed above.

Concession/Refutation (answer to the concession) The concession/refutation paragraph is placed either at the beginning or at the end of the body of your essay. This paragraph will recognize an opposing viewpoint, but then provide a thorough refutation or answer to the concession.

Support/Confirmation For this assignment, you will write three paragraphs of support/confirmation. These paragraphs provide the arguments/assertions, the evidence/examples, and the commentary/connection. Each of these paragraphs will begin with a topic sentence or assertion that provides an argument in support of your thesis. Then provide evidence or examples from your own base of knowledge to support the topic sentence (this is not a research paper, so just use what you already know). Your evidence/examples should be a combination of logos and ethos so that you have both logical reasons and emotional appeals to support your thesis. Then write 1-2 sentences that provide commentary/connection between the evidence/examples and the topic sentence.

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Conclusion You can restate your claim, but do not simply repeat your arguments. Connect back to your opening image or anecdote.

Thesis PlanThe thesis plan shows the basic elements of your essay and helps you construct and organize your essay. The thesis plan includes the following:Complete introduction.Topic sentence for the concession/refutation paragraph. Refutation/answer to the concession (this is just one sentence in the thesis plan, but should be more developed in your essay).Topic sentences for each of the three support/confirmation paragraphs.

Synthesis EssayFor the synthesis essay, we look at the AP sample synthesis materials on the television/presidential elections topic. Students then choose their Brave New World/1984 essay, their public versus private essay, or their high school essay to expand into a synthesis essay. They find four articles about their topic and then use information from those articles to support their assertions.

War UnitAs an introduction to the war unit, the students read and respond to a number of quotes about war. The purpose is not only to look at various ideas, some of them shocking, about war, but to look at the language of war and how it is used for certain effects.

In class, we read and discuss excerpts from the non-fiction essay “How to Tell a War Story” by Tim O’Brien. We then read and discuss the novel In The Lake Of The Woods by Tim O’Brien, focusing on the purpose and effect of the three types of chapters in the novel: narration; evidence; and hypothesis. We pay special attention to what the footnotes add to the text. We discuss and analyze two past AP essays: Lincoln’s second inaugural speech and Alfred M Green’s speech. Students then complete the following assignment.

War Experience Assignment

One of the largest categories of American literature is war literature—essays, poems, stories, novels, and plays about the various aspects of war. This category is so large because there has been a war involving Americans in almost every generation since the beginning of our country, and because so many people have been affected by war in various ways. Oftentimes, the authors are war veterans themselves who are writing about their own experiences in war. Your assignment is to interview a war veteran and write an essay or story about that person’s war experience. Ideally, the war veteran should be someone in your extended family, but if that is not possible, you can interview a neighbor or family friend who has been involved in a war. You will create your own interview questions, but you should ask about their war experience, their attitude about war in general and about their own experience with war, and what we can learn about war from that person’s experience. You can write an essay that uses the veteran’s experiences to make a larger statement about war, or you can write a short story in either first or third person that describes the person’s war experiences and provides a theme that relates to what we can learn about war from the story. Your essay or story should be typed and at least 750 words.

We then read and analyze the following short stories and poems:

“A Horseman in the Sky” by Ambrose Bierce“The War Prayer” by Samuel Clemens“The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” by Randall Jarrell“Grass” by Carl Sandburg“Buttons” by Carl Sandburg“Ambush” by Tim O’Brien“Village” by Estala Portilo“A Different Drummer” by Donald Davis

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“In Response to Executive Order 9066” by Dwight OkitaAssorted postings from the PBS POV website for veterans—we look at 12-16 non-fiction essays and emails by Vietnam vets

First Semester Final ExamStudents take a semester test which covers the content of the war unit and has an essay on one of the following topics adapted from past AP essay prompts:

Part of In the Lake of the Woods involves the investigation of a mystery. However, the solution to the mystery is less important than the knowledge gained in the process of the investigation, which helps to reveal the meaning of the work. Write an essay in which you identify the meaning or theme of In the Lake of the Woods and explain how the investigation illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole, using specific examples from the novel to support your ideas. Be thorough and precise.

An effective literary work does not merely stop or cease; it concludes. In the view of some critics, a work that does not provide the pleasure of significant closure has ended with an artistic fault. However, a satisfactory ending is not always conclusive in every sense. In the Lake of the Woods is just such a novel. Write an essay in which you discuss how the ending appropriately or inappropriately concludes the novel. Then explain how the ending reflects a theme of the novel, using specific examples from the novel to support your ideas. Be thorough and precise.

Quarters Three and Four

The main components of the third and fourth quarters are comparison/contrast essays, a short story unit focusing on character, an annotated bibliography, a research paper, and an American Dream unit that includes four novels, two plays, and a major project.

We start the third quarter by writing comparison/contrast essays. In class, students discuss the similarities and differences between pairs of words from a past AP prompt: art/craft; smart/ intelligent; work/labor.

As a class, we analyze two (non-fiction) passages about the Galapagos Islands from a past AP exam. Students are then assigned to write an essay based on the two passages about the Okefenokee Swamp from a past AP exam. On the due date, students peer edit and score those essays using sample essays provided by the College Board for reference. Next, students write a timed comparison/contrast essay in class.

The short story unit focuses on how an author uses language to create and develop the characters in a story and to influence us as readers. We read and discuss the following stories:“Louisa, Please Come Home” by Shirley Jackson“A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote“A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell“A Pair of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin“Roman Fever” by Edith Wharton“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman The test over the stories requires students to explain the significance of key quotes from each story, explaining how the language reveals the character.

The next assignment is an annotated bibliography. First, students free write for 20 minutes about a topic in education that is of interest to them. We share and discuss the topics and then students research the topic and prepare an annotated bibliography.

Format for Annotated Bibliography

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SummaryLook at your responses to the questions about education and the topics presented therein (memorable learning experiences, effective reading instruction, effective writing instruction, and suggested changes to the curriculum). Choose one of the topics that you would like to research further. Think of the topic in terms of a problem or issue about which educated people have varying viewpoints. Write a one-paragraph overview that briefly presents the various points of view on the topic or issue.

Investigative QuestionWrite a one-sentence question related to your topic. What do you want to research/explore about this topic/issue? Word the question so that it gets to the heart of this issue. (Not all people would take the same stance or answer it in the same way.)

Thesis StatementWrite a one-sentence thesis statement that clearly states your own stance or position before you begin your research. As always in writing a thesis, be sure to use third person. (No “I” statements.)

Supporting EvidenceUsing MLA format, provide the source information for three journal articles that support the position in the thesis you wrote.

Using the sample sheet as a reference, provide an annotation for each source that reviews the key points in each article. See the handout on Annotated Bibliographies for the kinds of questions to ask yourself about each article. Select those that are most relevant to your thesis; you are not expected to deal with every question.

Refuting EvidenceUsing MLA format, provide the source information for a journal article that refutes the position in the thesis you wrote.

Using the sample sheet as a reference, write an annotation that presents the information from the research that does not support the stance of your thesis.

ConclusionAfter reviewing the evidence you have found and evaluating the quality of that research, revisit your thesis. Do you feel the thesis still holds true, or do you need to revise it? After completing your research, write a paragraph or two that explores the position in the thesis or the revised thesis more completely and explains the conclusions you have drawn.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Next we begin the research paper. The students have a different topic each year; I’ve included the last two years’ topics as examples. Students write a rough draft that is then peer edited for content and for research conventions and format. I read the rough drafts and give feedback before students turn in a final draft.

EDUCATION RESEARCH PAPER 2005

No doubt, all of you are planning on going to college after high school. And at this time next year, you will likely be at least starting the college application process. But all along, you have been making decisions about your courses, grades, and activities that will have a profound influence on what college you attend. Many, if not all, of those decisions have been made to fulfill college entrance requirements, both stated and

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implied. Your research assignment is to explore the positive and negative aspects of college entrance requirements. To begin with, write down as many examples as you can for the categories below:

Stated Requirements (standard entrance requirements Implied Requirements (not listed as required, but for all colleges) known to be expected or at least recommended,

especially at top tier colleges)

As you look at these lists, think about the pros and cons of all these requirements. Why do college entrance requirements exist? Does fulfillment of these requirements make you more likely to be successful in college? If yes, how so? If not, why not, and why would colleges then have these requirements? Which of these requirements is most valid? Why? Which is least valid? Why? How have college entrance requirements and expectations impacted your own life? What changes would you like to see in college entrance requirements? These questions should form the starting point of your research. Begin by reading as much as you can about the history, the advantages, and the disadvantages of these requirements. After you have a general basis of knowledge about college entrance requirements,you can narrow your research and formulate a hypothesis. You final paper must incorporate these three components:

1. The positive and negative aspects of four college entrance requirements. Choose at least one stated and one implied requirement, and choose at least one requirement that you would like to see changed.

2. A discussion of how college entrance requirements and expectations have impacted your life.3. Your suggestions and justifications for changes to the current college entrance requirements.

Your final paper must be 2000-2500 words (8-10 pages at standard 12 point font, excluding the outline and Works Cited page—more info about those later). You must have a total of 10 sources, two of which must be interviews, and one of which must be a graph, chart, or cartoon. Your interviews should be with college students or someone else knowledgeable about the topic, such as a college admissions counselor. The remaining sources can be print or online sources. Make sure to use reliable online resources such as established magazines, newspapers, and reputable websites.

EDUCATION RESEARCH PAPER 2006

These days, everyone, from politicians to principals to parents, is talking about education. Now it’s your turn. The following quotes represent various ideas about education; each question is one of the topic choices for your research paper. Choose a question/topic from the three listed below and research information about the question/topic as it applies to schools in general and to our school specifically.

“Education is a great equalizer of the conditions of men—the balance wheel of the social machinery.”Horace Mann

“True education makes for inequality; the inequality of individuality, the inequality of success, the glorious inequality of talent, of genius; for inequality, not mediocrity, not standardization, is the measure of the progress of the world.”

Felix Schelling, 1929

1. Does education provide beneficial inequality, encouraging individuality, talent and genius?2. Does education provide detrimental equality, encouraging mediocrity and standardization?

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Albert Einstein

“The primary purpose of an education is to make one’s mind a pleasant place in which to spend one’s time.”Sydney Harris, 1957

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“An education is a taste for knowledge, a taste for philosophy, a capacity to explore, question and perceive relationships between fields of knowledge.” Yale curriculum guide, 1963

“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” Malcolm Forbes

“Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.” B.F. Skinner

3. Which is more valued in school, imagination or knowledge?Your final paper must be 2000-2500 words (8-10 pages at standard 12 point font, excluding the outline and Works Cited page—more info about those later). You must have a total of 10 sources, two of which must be interviews, and one of which must be a graph, chart, or cartoon.

AMERICAN DREAM UNIT

The American Dream unit requires students to read the following novels and plays:My Antonia by Willa CatherPigs in Heaven by Barbara KingsolverThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldThe Color of Water by James McBride (non-fiction autobiography/memoir)The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee WilliamsDeath of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

We discuss the elements of the American Dream present in each novel or play, and we analyze specific passages that show how an author uses language to achieve a desired effect. Listed below are the various assignments and tests that go along with this unit.

American Dream Project

For this project you will write an essay and create and present a multi-media production about the American Dream.

Essay

Write an essay in which you trace ideas about the American Dream through literature, current real life examples, and your own experience with the American Dream. Start by thinking about your definition of and your experience with the American Dream. What is the American Dream? Are you living the American Dream? If so, what impact has that had on your life, and what factors have enabled you to live the American Dream? If not, what obstacles have you faced and will those obstacles continue for you in the future? Then choose any four of the six major works of literature for this unit (My Antonia, Pigs in Heaven, The Great Gatsby, The Color of Water, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass Menagerie) that connect with your ideas about the American Dream. Next, find two articles or essays with current examples of the American Dream that represent your ideas as well. Your introduction should open with an interesting image or anecdote and then provide your definition of the American Dream. Your thesis should be a statement about the American Dream that encompasses all six pieces of writing that you use as sources as well as your own ideas about the American Dream. Your essay will then discuss ideas about the American Dream from the literature, the articles or essays, and your own life. Your essay should be typed and 750-1000 words long.

Multi-Media Production The required elements of the multi-media production are as follows:

Main Idea Using your thesis or key words from your thesis, present your main idea about the American Dream

Representative Authors Provide a short biography for two authors that represent ideas about the American Dream

Representative Literature Provide a short summary of two pieces of literature that represents ideas about the American Dream

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Poem Include two poems by published American authors that reflect your own ideas about the American Dream. At the end of each poem, cite the source of the poem using the MLA format you learned for the research paper. Then write a short explanation of how each poem represents your ideas about the American Dream.

Artwork Provide at least four paintings, drawings or photos that represent ideas about the American Dream. Do NOT use simplistic clipart or obvious icons such as a flag or a house with a white picket fence. For each piece of artwork, cite the source of the artwork and provide a short explanation of how the artwork represents an idea about the American Dream.

Song Lyrics Provide the music and lyrics from two songs that represents ideas about the American Dream. At the end of the lyrics, cite the source, and then write a short explanation of how the songs/lyrics reflect an idea about the American Dream.

Presentation Your production should be in a CD or flash drive format so that you can present your information to the class. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

My Antonia test

Willa Cather writes that “Antonia lent herself to immemorial attitudes which we recognize by instinct as universal and true.” Write an essay in which you discuss the universal and true attitudes that Antonia represents. Be thorough and use very specific examples from the novel to support your views.

Pigs in Heaven test

Barbara Kingsolver said in an interview that Pigs in Heaven has “to do with ideas of community and individualism, and how we can integrate those very different—sometimes even antagonistic—senses of value.” Write an essay in which you discuss how the ideas about community and individualism are presented in this novel through at least four different characters. Be thorough and specific.

Motif AnalysisA motif is a recurring image that has significance to the meaning of a piece of literature. One feature of The Great Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s use of motifs to point to the themes of the novel. You will be assigned one of the following motifs: colors; money; corruption; carelessness; and the American Dream. As you read the novel, use sticky notes to mark any passages that pertain to your motif. You should mark at least 10 passages and your passages should be from all parts of the novel, not just the first few chapters.

Then in groups, you will write a short essay in class that explains the connection between your motif and a theme for the novel, using the passages as support.

The Color of Water group essay

“The route through childhood is shaped by many forces, and it differs for each of us. Our biological inheritance, the temperament with which we are born, the care we receive, our family relationships, the place where we grow up, the schools we attend, the culture in which we participate, and the historical period in which we live—all these affect the paths we take through childhood and condition the remainder of our lives.”Robert Wozniak

Write an essay in which you apply this quote to Ruth McBride Jordan. Use specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

The Glass Menagerie

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In The Glass Menagerie, Mr. Wingfield does not appear at all, yet he is a significant presence in the play. Write an essay in which you discuss how Mr. Wingfield functions in the play, explaining how Mr. Wingfield affects the action, theme and development of other characters.

Second Semester Final Exam

Students take part of a released AP multiple choice exam and then write a synthesis essay.

AP EXAM PREPARATION

Throughout the year, the students do a variety of activities to prepare for the AP exam. Students practice with the essays by analyzing an essay as a class, analyzing rhetorical strategies in groups, evaluating sample essays from past exams, writing AP essays outside of class for peer editing, and writing timed essays in class. I also use or modify past exam questions for the essay test questions over the literature we read in class. Students practice with the multiple choice section of the exam by taking parts or all of a multiple choice exam individually or in pairs. We discuss the answers and strategies for determining the best answer. Students also write their own AP style questions and possible answers over literature that we read.

Non-Fiction essays used for analysis and AP practice/writing

Queen Elizabeth’s speech to her troops at TilburyAnna Quindlen’s 1999 commencement address at Mt. Holyoke CollegeVirginia Woolf’s description of two meals she was served at two colleges“Florence Nightingale” by Lytton Strachey“On Photography” by Susan Sontag“America and Americans” by John Steinbeck“Something’s Happening Out There” by Charles Kuralt“On Self-Respect” by Joan DidionExcerpt from Money and Class in America by Lewis Lapham

GRADING SCALE

92.5—100 A84.5—92.4 B75.5—84.4 C65—75.4 D0 –- 64 F

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AP English Language and Composition--WHS

IntroductionAP English Language and Composition (formerly known as AP American Literature and Composition) is a year long course that most students take during their junior year. Our state requires students to study 1/2 year of American literature and 1/2 year of composition; therefore the course requirements for AP English Language and Composition are embedded within the class. The literature is presented in a chronology of American literature which often allows for cross curriculum discussion with the AP US History since many of the same students are enrolled in both courses.

There are no prerequisites for the class nor is there a minimum GPA requirement. All students willing to accept the challenge of AP are encouraged to enroll. For most students, this class is their first taste of AP classes. Students are not mandated to take the test, but they are strongly encouraged to do so. Approximately 95 percent of the students enrolled do take the test.

Course OverviewThe literature used follows the district curriculum. Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are all used. Not only do the students read the literature for content, but also emphasis is placed on how the author achieves the various purposes of the genre by studying the authors' linguistic and rhetorical choices. The expectation is that by the end of the year, students will be able to analyze and interpret samples of good writing.

The writing component consists of formal and informal writing both in class and out of class. Informal writing is designed to help students become increasingly aware of their own writing and allow them to reflect on pieces they read and the techniques used by the authors. Analyzing visual images and synthesizing the meaning of these images is also emphasized.

The formal writing teaches and requires students to write in several forms (i.e. expository, argumentative, narrative) about a variety of subjects. A formal research paper is also required following MLA standards. All formal, out of class writings are submitted to www.Turnitin.com.

Vocabulary study is done on a regular basis using the Sadlier-Oxford series. Students are encouraged to incorporate the words into their own writings. Quizzes and tests are given on a regular basis over the words.

A summer reading component is required.

Throughout the school year leading up to the AP English Language test, time is taken (often a week at a time) to study, to analyze, and to practice writing AP essays and to take multiple choice question tests by using AP English Language Released Exams.

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Students receive report cards quarterly with a district mandate of the semester exam accounting for 15 percent of the semester grade.

The following syllabus contains major assignments in addition to examples of the formative and summative assessments used throughout the school year. Informal, nongraded assessments are not included. The syllabus is grouped according to the major components taught as opposed to a chronological timeline. Because all the components are interwoven throughout the school year, grouping by components seemed to be the clearest and most concise way to convey what is covered during the school year.

Literature Component

IntroductionBecause this is usually a student's first experience with AP, time is spent discussing the expectations and requirements of committing to an AP class. A discussion is held about the difference in the analysis and interpretation of the literature used. Not only do students need to understand what the author says, but also to understand and analyze how the author says his piece. Students need to be made aware of the interactions among a writer's purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing. A discussion is also held to define, explain, and practice the close reading of literature.

Assessments:The students write an informal letter to me analyzing the reasons for taking this particular course. Students will also assess their own level of writing ability, and their goals for success in the course.

Read Welcome Back Inmates by Ellen Goodman and write a defend, challenge, qualify response.

The test over their summer reading is an in class essay that asks for an in depth character analysis of a character from their book of choice. Their reading choices were to choose one of the following: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Pigs In Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver, or The Color of Water by James McBride. (These choices potentially change from year to year.)

Native American/ Colonial/ Puritan literatureReadings: The World on the Turtle's BackSong of the Sky LoomHunting SongCoyote and the BuffaloFox and Coyote and WhaleThe Man to Send Rain Cloudsfrom Of Plymouth Plantationfrom The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah EquianoTo My Dear and Loving HusbandUpon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Godfrom The Wonders of the Invisible Worldfrom The History of the Dividing Line

Focus: Acquaint students with regional Native American literature and identify the main ideas and underlying themes Recognize that oral Native American stories are our first pieces of American literature. Experience events in early American history by reading various sources and understanding the difference

between primary and secondary sources. Recognize distinctive characteristics of cultures that are reflected in the readings.

Assessments:

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Formative: Identification of such rhetorical strategies as repetition, inverted syntax, illusions, sensory details, and loaded language.

Examine primary sources for biases and opinions vs. factual information.

Summative: Essay exam that includes such analysis as: Compare and contrast the lives, writings, and attitudes of Jonathan Edwards, William Bradford, or Cotton Mather, representatives of the Puritan North, and William Byrd, representative of the Cavalier South.

Puritan literatureReadings:The Scarlet Letter

Focus: Analyze the influence of Puritan doctrine throughout the novel. Identify and explain Hawthorne's use of symbolism. Analyze and provide evidence from the novel relating to the character development of Hester, Dimmesdale,

Chillingworth, and Pearl.

Assessments:Formative: Discussion of penance vs. penitent.

Close analysis of Hawthorne's diction and syntax throughout the novel.

Analysis throughout the novel of Puritan influence on Hawthorne's writing.

Discussion of secret sin and the psychological implications of living with a lie.

Summative: Essay exam that includes such synthesis of characterization as the following: Analyze how Hester shows herself to be mentally stronger than Dimmesdale.

Readings:The Crucible

Focus: This piece is used as a contrast to the previous literature read. Students analyze the comparison/contrast of

the piece to the historical perspective. Continue the analysis of the Puritan influence throughout the piece and throughout the history of the US. Analyze the inner conflict of truth and the perception of truth. Select values that are continuing into the present time.

Assessments:Formative: Multiple choice quizzes are given after each act. The quizzes are written in a format that is similar to the AP multiple choice portion of the AP test.

Examination of the Risky Shift phenomenon and how it applies the The Crucible and the students' lives.

Students identify speakers of key quotations.

Summative: In class essay analyzing the conflict of a main character being torn between two equal forces and the inner struggle that is created because of those forces.

Revolutionary literatureReadings:Speech in the Virginia Convention The Declaration of Independence

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Letter to the Rev. Samson OccumLetter to John AdamsWhat is an American?from Poor Richard's Almanac

Focus: Recognize the use of persuasive rhetoric in a variety of speeches and writings not only in history but also in

contemporary times. Students will also begin to evaluate the credibility of information sources, including how a writer's motivation

may affect that credibility.

Assessments:Formative: Analyze the use of rhetorical strategies in persuasive rhetoric. Emphasis is placed on logos, ethos, and pathos within argumentation. Students work in groups to locate such rhetorical devices as repetition, rhetorical questioning, parallelism, inductive and deductive reasoning, and elevated language in the assigned pieces. Summative: Students bring in contemporary examples of persuasive rhetoric and analyze the rhetorical strategies used.

Romanticism, Transcendentalism, and IndividualismReadings:Thanatopsisfrom Self Reliancefrom Compensationfrom Friendshipfrom Naturefrom Waldenfrom Civil Disobedienceselected poems of Walt Whitmanselected poems of Emily DickensonThe Masque of the Red DeathA Rose for Emily

Focus: Explore how writers of this time period emphasized the examination of inner feelings and emotions over

reason, logic, and scientific observation. Show the underside of romanticism and the terror and torture of the soul. Show the development of the horror story and the fascination with evil and the supernatural.

Assessments:Formative: Students will work to summarize the main ideas of Emerson and Thoreau.

Identify aphorisms from both Emerson and Thoreau.

Analyze the rhetorical strategies used particularly by Thoreau in Civil Disobedience to convince his audience to practice this form of protest. The students will also make connections with contemporary forms of civil disobedience.

Reflect upon the dark side of individualism and understand the relationship between romanticism and Gothic literature.

Examine the diction used to create horror and terror in literature.

In A Rose for Emily the students trace the images of decay portrayed throughout the story.

Summative: Essay test at the end of the unit. An example of a question is as follows: Although Thoreau is now considered a major American writer; he received little recognition during his lifetime. Many of his contemporaries

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dismissed him as an eccentric who rejected the benefits of civilization. Write your assessment of Thoreau as a thinker and critic of society. Include specific references to the pieces read and discussed during class.

Realism, Regionalism, and NaturalismReadings:Ethan Frome

Focus: Analysis of Wharton's diction and syntax as it relates to the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Analyze how the belief in determinism affects the outcome of the novel.

Assessments:Formative: Reflect on the influences of heredity and environment as they pertain to the novel and to real life.

Find examples of foreshadowing within the novel.

Compare/contrast the novel from the romantic perspective rather than from the realistic perspective.

Summative: Essay test with such questions as: Compare and contrast the characters of Zeena and Mattie, and Ethan and Denis Eady.

The Yellow WallpaperA Wagner MatineeThe Story of an Hour

Focus: Recognize the role of women during this time period and the beginning of the women's movement. The use of irony. The pros and cons of 1st person narrative.

Assessments:Formative: Analyze the rhetorical strategies used to describe the wallpaper and the symbolism showing the narrator's fall into insanity.

Draw inferences as to what happened to the narrator from a realistic point of view vs. a romantic point of view.

Discuss if Aunt Clara would have felt the pressure to marry in today's society.

Multiple choice quiz over Story of an Hour.

A Mystery of HeroismAn Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeA Horseman in the Sky

Focus: Analysis of the influence of history such as the Civil War on literary works. Reflect on the rhetorical strategies that depict the genre. Study the use of different point of views in the different stories and the differing points of view within the

stories. Analyze the effectiveness of using surprise endings.

Assessments:Formative: Write a brief defend, challenge, qualify of the heroism of Fred Collins.

Discover context clues that foreshadow and allow the reader to anticipate the ending of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and A Horseman in the Sky.

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We Wear the MaskDouglassfrom Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Focus: Reflect on the plight of black people before, during, and after the Emancipation Proclamation. Identify the rhetorical strategies used in the poetry particularly the use of an extended metaphor.

Assessments:Formative: Analyze the rhetorical strategies used in the poetry.

Revisit primary sources.

Look for examples of logos, ethos, and pathos in the Douglass narrative.

The Sculptor's FuneralUnder the Lion's PawOutcasts of Poker FlatA Piece of Steak

Focus: Analyze the use of local color. Analyze the relevance of the setting and the time frame to the text's meaning. Recognize distinctive characteristics of the regions through the reading.

Assessments:Formative: Assess the differences of opinions of the Sand City residents and Stephens toward Harvey Merrick.

Defend, challenge, qualify the statement about John Oakhurst as "…. he who was at once the strongest and yet the weakest of the outcasts of Poker Flat."

Reflect on the hardships of homesteading.

Discuss the wisdom of age vs. the strength of youth.

Richard CoreyMiniver CheevyLuke Havergalselections from Spoon River Anthology

Focus: Appreciate narrative poems. Understand characterization in narrative poetry. Evaluate characters in narrative poetry. Identify the rhetorical strategies used by the authors in the narrative poems.

Assessments:Formative: Develop an image of each of the characters read in the narrative poems.

Analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the authors.

Formulate life lessons presented in the narrative poetry.

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Summative: Essay test over the entire unit. Questions would include: How people react when faced with danger or tremendous stress is a common theme in literature. Choose story or poem that we read in this unit in which a character changes when placed in a threatening or adverse circumstances. Explain how that character has changed and why you think this change occurred. Use details from the work to support.

Classic novelReadings:The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Focus: Appreciate the writing of one of America's most recognizable authors. Reflect on the use of dialect throughout the novel and how this makes the novel authentic. Analyze Twain's style of writing and the use of rhetorical strategies throughout the novel.

Assessments:Formative: Find examples of Twain's key stylistic devices by looking at specific excerpts from the novel.

Analyze the character development throughout the novel.

Synthesize the novel to discover the thematic response Mark Twain wished to convey to his reading audience.

Summative: In class essay over the novel with the choice of questions such as: "NOTICE," warns Mark Twain before the novel opens. "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot will be shot." Take the risk. Identify one theme you see in Huck Finn, and write an essay showing how events and/or characters in the novel reveal the theme. Use specific evidence from the novel to support the theme.

Readings:Classic novel of the student's choice

Focus: Appreciate a classic read. Reflect on the elements used by the author that supports the claim of the novel being a "classic".

Assessments:Formative: Identify the rhetorical strategies used by the author.

Analyze character development.

Identify a theme(s) from the novel and offer evidence from the novel to support the theme.

Summative: Write an in class essay using the form and focus of an AP essay. Topic choices for the essay are provided and the students are allowed to pick one of the choices to use for the prompt.

Modern dramaReadings:Our Town

Focus: Identify the rhetorical strategies used by Wilder throughout the drama. Analyze the importance of the stage manager throughout the play Synthesize the themes of daily life, love and marriage, and death used in Our Town.

Assessments:Formative: Analyze the significance of the title of the play.

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Compare and contrast the lives of the Gibbs and Webb families with contemporary families.

Reflect on Emily's assessment of living people as shown during the final scene.

Multiple choice questions fashioned after the AP model are used to help with the interpretation of the acts.

Summative: Essay test over the play with such essay questions as the following: In Act III Emily says, "Oh, Mama, just look at me one minute as though you really saw me…I didn't realize…So all that was going on and we never noticed." Discuss what she thought she would find on her trip back, what she did find, and what she learned.

The Writing Component

Students are asked to write in several forms about a variety of subjects. For each essay type, the students are given nonfiction pieces that model the genre of writing required. Time is spent analyzing and identifying the stylistic devices used by the various authors and how these devices are used to achieve the desired effects of the authors. Instruction and feedback is provided as the students move through the writing and editing process. One on one time is available for the students to get personal feedback from the teacher or from other teachers who are available to help before and after school and during the school lunch periods. Students are allowed at least a week to complete the assignment according to the assignment requirements. The final outcome is for the students to achieve the following:

A wide-ranging vocabulary that is used appropriately and effectively. A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and coordination. Logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence A balance of generalization and specific detail. An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving

appropriate emphasis through diction and syntax.

Formal, out of class essays:Example essayReadings:In and of Ourselves We Trust by Andy RooneyDysfunctional Nation by Mary KarrUnderground Dads by Wil Haywood

Comparison and Contrast essayReadings:The Men We Carry in Our Minds by Scott Russell SandersMethod and Madness: How Men and Women Think by Nicholas WadeLady of the Ring by Rene Denfield

Cause and Effect essayReadings:What's Your Best Time of Day? by Susan Perry and Jim DawsonA Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Pistol by Linda HasselstromMy Father the Geezer by Susan Roach

Definition essayReadings:The Hoax by John BerendtFather's Day by Michael Dorris"Guy" Envy by M.P. Dunleavy

Narrative essayReadings:Arms and the Man by Wayne Worcester38 Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police by Martin Gansberg

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Argumentation essayReadings:Four-Letter Words Can Hurt You by Barbara LawrenceSurviving Deer Season by Castle Freeman, Jr.How the Lawyers Stole Winter by Christopher B. Daly

Career PaperThe school district mandates that all juniors are required to research a possible career and write a paper analyzing the amount of education needed for that career, and/or possible colleges or universities the student could attend to get the proper training for this career. Other options for the paper include writing a comparison/contrast of two post secondary institutions the student is interested in attending, the potential cost of such an education, and/or the availability and growth of this career. This paper is done under the supervision of the counseling department with the final product being scored and recorded in the student's respective English class.

Informal, in class writingIn addition to formal, out of class essays, the students also do frequent in class, informal writing. These reflective pieces often ask the student to synthesize the readings with the class discussions to formulate insight into his/her own perspective on the topics. Other examples of in class writing also includes the use of the defend, challenge, or qualify model. Again this is used to allow the student to analyze a piece of writing and logically present his/her position and provide specific support from the piece to prove the student's position. These informal writings are used to help students to become more aware of themselves as writers and of the techniques employed by the writers they read.

The Research Component

Students are required to select a topic of current controversy in which they will investigate and they will analyze the argumentation used. Within the text of the paper, students are required to present both sides of the issue, present visual images that support each side of the issue, and ultimately the students will then present their own opinions formed on the issue. This requires the students to go beyond the parameters of the traditional researched paper by making students study both sides of an issue and requires them to analyze and synthesize the ideas to create their own views on the subject.

Focus: Analyze images as text. Incorporate these images within the presentation of the arguments. Analyze how the images and graphics can serve as alternative forms of text themselves. Evaluate and incorporate reference documents into their researched paper. Demonstrate the understanding of citing primary and secondary sources within in the context of the paper. Analyze the use of logos, ethos, and pathos in the arguments presented. Analyze the perceived and/or potential fallacies within each argument. Synthesize a personal opinion based on sound research. Present a fair and balanced assessment of both sides of a contemporary issue.

Assessments:Formative: Informal presentations on their chosen issues.

Periodic checks on the research process.

Peer reading and editing.

Rough copy check.

Summative: Final paper turned in using the Modern Language Association style.

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Test Preparation

Throughout the school year, practice essays and practice multiple choice exams are done in class. Examples of essays and the types of essays used on the test are analyzed. Examples of each type are read, analyzed, and scored by the students themselves with discussions on what was done well by the writers. Students also have the opportunity to score their own essays and their peers along with group work analyzing what makes a cohesive essay. Practice is done with opening paragraphs, possible means of support, and class discussions are about the use of rhetorical strategies and the purpose for their use in the pieces.

During the multiple choice practices, students often compare answers and discuss which is the best answer if they don't agree. Time is spent looking at the roots of the questions used, how to identify what the questions are asking, and how to apply this knowledge in determining the best answer for the questions. Close reading is practiced and images are viewed, discussed, and analyzed. Sample essay prompts and multiple choice exams are taken from prior AP exams that have been released by the Collegboard.

If time permits, the students are given a full practice AP exam prior to the test date. This is set up on a voluntary basis and done after school hours. This is to provide to the students who choose to do this the full experience of a three hour exam--something most of them have not experienced.

Textbook/ Resources List

Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999.

Hartzell, Richard. Cracking the AP English Language & Composition Exam. New York:

Random House, Inc., 2006.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam Dell, 2003.

The Language of Literature. Evanston: McDougall Littlel, 2000.

Literature: The American Experience. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1996.

Masters, Edgar Lee. Spoon River Anthology. New York: Touchstone, 2004.

Moran, Margaret C. & W. Frances Holder. AP Success: English Language & Composition.

Lawrenceville: Thomson Learning, Inc., 2000.

Murphy, Barbara & Estelle M. Rankin. 5 Steps to a 5. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004.

Murphy, Barbara & Estelle Rankin. 5 Steps to a 5: AP English Language. New York: McGraw Hill,

2002.

Rozakis, Ph.D. Laurie. Master the AP English Language & Composition Test, 2nd Ed.

Lawrenceville, Thomson Learning, Inc., 2001.

Schwegler, Robert A. Patterns of Exposition. New York: Longman, 2001.

Shostak, Jerome. Vocabulary Workshop: Level F. New York: Sadlier-Oxford., 2005.

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Swovelin, Barbara. Cliffs AP English Language & Composition. Foster City: IDG

Books., 2001.

Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Penguin Books, 1983.

Vogel, Dr. Richard. Multiple Choice & Free Response Questions in Preparation for the

AP English Language & Composition Examination (6th Ed.).Brooklyn: D&S

Marketing Systems, Inc., 2006.

Vogel, Dr. Richard and Charles F. Winans. Multiple Choice & Free Response Questions

in Preparation for the AP English Language & Composition Examination (5th

Ed.). Brooklyn: D&S Marketing Systems, Inc., 2001.

Vogel, Dr. Richard and Charles F. Winans. Multiple Choice Questions in Preparation for

the AP English Language & Composition Examination (4th Ed.). Brooklyn: D&S

Marketing Systems, Inc., 1997.

Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. New York: Penguin Group, 1987.

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AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION CURRICULUM

CONTENT STANDARD

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

ENDURING UNDER-

STANDING

IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND DO

WORTH BEING

FAMILIAR WITH VOCABULARY TEXTS

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

SIGNIFICANT TASKS

COMMON ASSESSMENT

11.W.1.1 Students can

write text using comparison /

contrast organizational

patterns

How does one compare and

contrast?

Write in a variety of

styles for a variety of purposes:

comparison / contrast,

persuasive / argumentative,

narrative / reflective, research paper,

expository, defend /

challenge / qualify, AP

analysis and synthesis

Write effectively

within a time constraint

Alliteration Holt Elements of Literature Fifth Course

Contemporary Reader Eighth

Edition

The Scarlet Letter skit

Research paper

The Scarlet Letter skit

rubric Research paper rubric

AP English Language

and Composition

national exam

11.W.1.2Students can

write a document

analyzing how a work of literature

mirrors the themes and issues of its

historical period

How does one analyze a

document?

Write with a variety of effective

organizational methods to

show cohesiveness and focus of

thought

Annotated bibliography

11.W.2.1 Students can

edit text for the correct use of independent

and subordinate

clauses

What is the purpose of

editing?

Write with sophistication, precision, and grammatical correctness

Apply the process of

revision

Autobio-graphical narrative

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11.W.2.2 Students can

edit for the correct use of verbals and

verbal phrases

What is the purpose of editing?

Review for correct use of

language

Biographical narrative

11.W.2.3 Students can

edit for the correct use of semicolons and colons

What is the purpose of

editing?

Review for correct use of

language

Character-ization

11.W.2.4 Students can

edit for the correct use of parentheses,

dashes, hyphens, and

ellipses

What is the purpose of

editing?

Evaluate sample

Advanced Placement

essays

Clarity of purpose

11.R.4.1 Students can analyze a text within cultural, geographical, and historical

contexts

How does the context relate

to a text?

Understand the evolution of American literacy

movements and the

elements that are specific to

each movement and

time period

Study American

authors and major works

Coherence

11.R.2.1 Students can analyze how

diction affects the

interpretation of text

How does the context relate

to a text?

Connect literature to life

Identify and analyze the effects and purposes of

rhetorical strategies in

various pieces of writing

Analyze an author’s use of

literary / rhetorical devices to

accomplish a purpose

Context

11.R.2.2 Students can

read fluently to comprehend

grade-level text

How does the context relate

to a text?

Text comprehension

Diction

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11.R.3.1 Students can analyze and

explain literary devices within

text

How do literary devices enrich

a text?

Analyze and interpret

literary and visual

selections

Identify and apply literary /

rhetorical terms to

various texts

Apply knowledge of literary terms and rhetorical

devices

Emphasis

11.R.5.1 Students can

analyze factors that influence the credibility

of informational sources

What influences the credibility of

sources?

Synthesize multiple credible

sources to support an argument

Analyze the validity and credibility of informational

sources

Support views with concrete examples and sophisticated

writing

Irony

11.R.1.1 Students can apply cause-

and-effect clues to extend

vocabulary

How do cause and effect

clues extend vocabulary?

Know the meaning of words from

previous vocabulary programs

Understand / know spelling, pronunciation,

synonyms, antonyms, and

meaning in context

Recognize the meaning of new words

Literacy

11.LVS.1.1 Students can

evaluate strategies used in auditory and

visual communication

to inform, to persuade, and

to entertain

How does a speaker inform,

persuade or entertain?

Understand and analyze visual text

Interpret visual text

Literary criticism

11.LVS.1.2 Students can

evaluate logical and

critical thinking used in

communication

What are the characteristics of a persuasive

argument?

Support views in class

discussions and individual

oral presentations

MLA

1.LVS.1.3 Students can

implement rhetorical

devices in oral presentations

How do rhetorical devices improve

presentations?

Use rhetorical devices in an

oral presentation

Understand and explain

how rhetorical devices improve

presentations

Evaluate the use of

rhetorical devices in other oral

presentations

Repeats Rhetorical

device Text boundary

Text feature Text structure

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9-12.CT.2.3 Utilize online information resources

routinely and efficiently to

meet needs for collaboration,

research, publication, communi-cation, and productivity

How can technology enhance research,

collaboration, and commun-

ication?

Use organizational

patterns effectively for

presenting information

Use online sources for retrieving

background information

Use online sources for compiling research

Create an annotated

bibliography

Annotation Bibliography

Primary source

Secondary source

Bias Plagiarism

9-12.CP.2.1 Adapt delivery

of communication

based on available

information technologies

How do good presenters use technology to

effectively communicate?

Use organizational

patterns effectively for

presenting information

Teacher and student use of SMART-Board for classroom

presentations Teacher and

student online

discussions through

blogs, wikis, or online

discussion boards

Create a Web site, blog, or

wiki to present research findings

Criteria Visual text

Voice Primary

source Secondary

source

9-12.IL.2.1 Independently evaluate the

accuracy, relevance,

appropriate-ness,

comprehen-siveness, and

bias of electronic

information services

How do good researchers

evaluate bias in source?

Recognize rhetorical

devices and their

connection to overall

rhetorical purpose

Evaluate online sources for

rhetorical and literary devices that imply bias

Examine and evaluate a variety of

technological tools

Hyperbole Irony

Sarcasm Diction Logos Ethos Pathos

Modes of persuasion Satire

Author bias Ambiguity

Cultural bias

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AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITIONSIGNIFICANT TASKS

1ST SEMESTER

THE SCARLET LETTER SKITDESCRIPTION

After completing The Scarlet Letter, students will work in small groups to write a three- to five-minute skit that articulates how a significant theme from the novel is still present in today’s society. The skit may be serious or humorous in tone. The students will perform the skit for their classmates, live or through video.

PROCESS In small groups students will identify significant themes from The Scarlet Letter. Groups will identify how those themes continue to be relevant today. Groups will write a three- to five-minute skit set in contemporary times that portrays one

of the themes they identified. Groups will rehearse and prepare for their skits. Groups will perform their skits via live or taped performance for their classmates. The audience will identify the themes presented in each group's skit.

STANDARDS 11.R.4.1 Students can analyze a text within cultural, geographical, and historical contexts 11.LVS.1.1 Students can evaluate strategies used in auditory and visual communications

to inform, to persuade, and to entertain 11.LVS.1.3 Students can implement rhetorical devices in oral presentations 9-12.CP.2.1 Adapt delivery of communication based on available information

technologies

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2ND SEMESTER

RESEARCH PAPERDESCRIPTION

Students will write an argumentative research paper that explores a topic of their choosing.

PROCESS Students will explore a topic from a variety of perspectives. Students will evaluate and incorporate reference documents into their research paper. Students will support their arguments using effective persuasive strategies. Students will demonstrate an understanding of MLA format for research papers and use

correct format in their papers. Students will present their papers in a small-group setting.

STANDARDS 11.W.2.1 Students can edit text for the correct use of independent and subordinate

clauses 11.W.2.2 Students can edit for the correct use of verbals and verbal phrases 11.W.2.3 Students can edit for the correct use of semicolons and colons 11.W.2.4 Students can edit for correct use of parentheses, dashes, hyphens, and ellipses 11.R.5.1 Students can analyze factors that influence the credibility of informational

sources 12.R.5.1 Students can synthesize information from multiple sources to analyze issues

and to make decisions for research 9-12.CT.2.3 Utilize online information resources routinely and efficiently to meet needs

for collaboration, research, publication, communication, and productivity

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AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITIONCOMMON ASSESSMENTS

THE SCARLET LETTER SKIT RUBRIC1ST SEMESTER SIGNIFICANT TASK

Students will be evaluated according to the following objectives using a scale of 1 to 5.5 = Excellent4 = Good3 = Adequate2 = Below average1 = Deficient

___ The skit presents a significant theme from The Scarlet Letter.___ Students utilize effective communication strategies in their presentation such as inflection, expression, and gestures.___ The project actively involves all group members.___ Students effectively use computer and/or video technologies to complete and to perform their presentations.

RESEARCH PAPER RUBRIC2ND SEMESTER SIGNIFICANT TASK

Students will be evaluated according to the following objectives using a scale of 1 to 5.5 = Excellent4 = Good3 = Adequate2 = Below average1 = Deficient

___ The student synthesizes his or her sources effectively.___ The student effectively persuades the reader.___ The student explores the topic from a variety of perspectives.___ The student uses a variety of evidence and appeals.___ The student uses correct grammar and mechanics.___ The student correctly uses MLA format.___ The paper has voice and flair.___ The student uses valid sources effectively.

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