AP English Language and Composition
Instructor – Vickie Schrage
[email protected]
573-842-2400; ext. 3150; 5th Hour Conference
Materials:
1” binder with divider tabs / College-ruled loose-leaf notebook paper
Pencil and a blue or black pen / Colored pen for editing / Highlighter / Flash drive
Textbooks: The Language of Composition (Shea, Scalon, and Aufses) 2nd edition
Rhetorical Devices: A Handbook and Activities for Student Writers (Moliken, ed)
The Elements of Style (Strunk and White) 4th edition
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 8th edition
Course Description
As stated by the College Board, this course is designed to engage “students in becoming skilled readers
of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a
variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions
among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way genre conventions
and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing.” More precisely, students need to
read complex texts with understanding and to write prose of sufficient richness and complexity to
communicate effectively with mature readers. Students will study the rhetorical elements that all
writers must address in order to write effectively. They will use these elements to analyze a variety of
nonfiction texts. Students will discover their own process of composing expository, analytical, and
argumentative essays. Although some emphasis will be placed on grammatical conventions, the course
expects students to demonstrate understanding and mastery of the standard written English as well as
stylistic maturity in their writing.
This college preparatory class is an advanced reading and writing class designed to prepare students for
state assessments, ACT exams, and the AP exam in English Language and Composition. The course
objectives will also fulfill curriculum standards set by WHS and the course-level expectations of the
state. Students are highly encouraged to take the AP Language test in May that could earn them three
hours of college credit. Summer reading will be required.
AP Preparation
Because this is an accelerated course that culminates with the Advanced Placement exam in English
Language and Composition, students will be learning and applying new AP literary terminology when
composing their own essays and analyzing nonfiction texts. Literary analysis will also require textual
support to illustrate the effectiveness of style and technique. Students will continue to take AP practice
tests that include multiple-choice questions and timed writings.
The AP language exam will include one essay question that will require synthesis skill; therefore,
students will practice these skills by reading a number of related sources and responding to a prompt
that requires them to cite a certain number of the sources in support of an argument or analysis. Some
questions in the multiple-choice section will also refer to documentation and citation of sources.
Writing Disclosure
All formal writings will require an overall revision. This means that we will be learning about and
partaking in the revision process of writing. This is a vital piece to any good writing and will help to
sharpen your skills as a writer, reviewer, and reviser. I will be guiding you in this process, so you are
not alone—you have your classmates and me to help you because considering your audience is very
important to the writing process. The feedback you will be receiving from the instructor will occur both
before and after you have revised your work. Feedback, when applied, during the writing process will
help your writing to improve throughout the course of the assignment and throughout the year.
The revision process is an integral component of this course, so with each writing that we do
throughout the course there will be chances for revision and rewriting. Our smaller writings at the
beginning of the year will be a great place to begin learning our revision process, the vocabulary
associated with AP Language and the writing process, and how to understand and incorporate
feedback. By the time we arrive at our researched argument paper, you will have a thorough
understanding of how the revision process will be beneficial to your writing growth.
To help you as writers to develop a stronger aptitude in sentence structure variety, grammatical
conventions, parts of a sentence, clauses and phrases, diction, logical organization, rhetoric, details
and generalizations, and wide-ranging vocabulary, the revision process of all formal writings will
focus on all of these listed items.
Classroom Guidelines:
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Be prepared.
Be positive, supportive, and respectful.
Be mindful of your time and work wisely.
Be sure to ask questions and take charge of your learning.
Be sure to leave all food, drink, and bad attitudes outside the classroom.
Be sure to leave your phone put away on silent.
Academic Dishonesty
This can occur numerous ways and will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is using someone else’s is the
copying of words/ideas without crediting the source. Students involved in academic dishonesty will be
disciplined and graded according to the guidelines and policy set forth by Waynesville High School,
guidelines and policy are located in the student planner.
Grading Scale:
A
B
C
100 – 90
89 – 80
79 – 70
D
F
69 – 60
59 – 0
Category Weights:
Skill Building
Major Assessments (papers, projects, quizzes, tests, etc.)
20%
80%
Extra credit (if offered) will be a part of a curricular unit and at the discretion of the teacher.
All extra credit must show evidence of additional learning or mastery.
WHS Attendance Policy
Attendance is vital for this course, especially on paper and project due dates and test days. The WHS
Student Handbook states, “A student shall be allowed no more than five absences per semester…on the
sixth absence in any class, credit will be denied pending conclusion of the appeals process….The
student will be allowed to remain in the class to establish continuity for the next semester, providing
the student does not become disruptive.”
Late Work
All major papers and projects are due on the assigned day, as this is an AP course this differs slightly
from the WHS policy. Due to the length of time that will be given for major papers and projects, there
should be no excuses or “printing problems” that occur on due day. If you cannot be at school that day
due to an illness or school function, please make sure that someone else delivers your work to me. If
this is not done, late penalties will apply, and in some cases, the assignment may not be accepted at all.
Procrastination only leads to ruin. However, if a life emergency or a tragedy, and you let me know
about it, accommodations will be made.
Late Penalties: Late assignments (not major papers or projects) must be turned in during the sixweek grading period that they are assigned. Once a new six-week grading period
has begun, the late assignments from the previous six-week grading period may no
longer be accepted.
Deadlines for submission of late work for the last six week grading period will be five school days
before the end of each semester.
Make-up Work
It will be your responsibility to come see me before or after school or during Tiger Time to see what
you missed in class. If you know about an absence ahead of time (e.g., school trip, games,
appointment, etc.), please let me know ahead of time as well and we will get you all squared away.
Any assignments due on the day of any school activity or known absence will need to be turned in
before you leave, or delivered on the due date. If this is not done correctly, late penalties will apply. If
you have an unplanned absence, any work will be due the day you return. Be sure to email me for your
assignments and to schedule any time that may be needed to catch you up on concepts.
Hopes
I truly hope this course will expand your thinking about the texts we read and the world around you.
That being said, you will need to learn how to learn to help improve your study stills, vocabulary, and
background knowledge of literary time periods, historical periods, and philosophical movements. But
do not worry—I am here to help you along the way and to show you how to discover things on your
own.
Another thing I truly hope this course will do for you is to open you up to new people and new ideas.
This course involves much discussion, and no matter how awkward we feel sharing, rest assured that
everyone goes through this. We are on this journey together, so we will be accepting of all insights,
research, and questions of everyone. We may not always sound “smart” and we will make mistakes,
but keep in mind that we must learn to walk before we can dance.
Lastly I truly hope to keep our lines of communication open. Feel free to email me anytime. I am here
for YOU! I wish for nothing other than your success, especially in my AP course. Be it a homework
question, a paper to review, or to tell me you are home sick on a test day, no event or question is too
small. Please do not be afraid to talk to me during the school day or to email me. This will help both of
us to better meet your needs.
AP English Language and Composition
Course Overview
Summer Reading
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World
(when applicable)
Writing
Grammatical Conventions
and Terminology to aid in Revision
Parts of a Sentence / Phrases and Clauses
Subject-Verb Agreement / Sentence Structures
Editing Exercises with Grammar Quizzes
AP Vocabulary / Content Specific (Writing Process) Vocabulary
Rhetoric and Close Reading
The Language of Composition
Chapter 1 – “An Introduction to Rhetoric”
Visual Rhetoric Project – Students will be selecting
advertisements from magazines that help to demonstrate how these
visual images serve as alternate forms of rhetorical texts and
structures. This assignment will also be helping to enhance the
students’ understanding of the AP Language and content specific
vocabulary. This project will also serve as your first semester final.
Chapter 2 – “Close Reading: The Art and Craft of Analysis”
SOAPSTone: A Strategy for Reading and Writing
Dialectical Journals: Responding to Reading
Chapter 3 – “Synthesizing Sources”
Theory Articles
“What Happens When People Write?” by Maxine Hairston
“Writing for an Audience” by Linda Flower
“Five Principles for Getting Good Ideas” by Jack Rawlins
“How to Say Nothing in 500 Words” by Paul Roberts
Note: Theory articles are subject to change/add.
Analytical Essay
Writing about Close Reading
In this analytical essay, students will compose a numerous drafts on a
close read of an assigned fiction selection from the list below. This essay
must carefully analyze the author’s writing style, attention to audience,
and diction. This close reading skill will be viable for both AP Language
and your post-secondary pursuits. Many non-fiction close reads will be assigned.
Expository Essays
“Making Connections”
To personal experiences: Bissinger essay (narrative elements)
In this expository essay, students will compose multiple drafts and
complete the revision process as it applies to each stage of the writing
process. To write this, students will use excerpts from Friday Night
Lights as inspiration and guide for their original essay. By taking a nonfiction piece of text, it will help students in their own development by
looking at options they have for writing style and narrative elements.
To popular culture / our society: Huxley essay (theme analysis)
Laclede Electric Essay: LEC historical essay
Argumentative Essay
Researched Argument (2nd Semester)
In this argumentative writing, students will be researching a topic of their
choice from the given list in our textbook. Students must be able to
support their own argument, as well as show the argument of their
opposition. The students will gain the ability to evaluate, use, and cite
primary and secondary sources. Much research (databases, books, etc.)
and revision will be a requirement of this paper. This paper will not just
be reporting, but a way to demonstrate that you have learned how to
synthesize assorted sources and ideas.
*MLA Lessons will be essential to this stage of the writing process.
Additional AP Language Essays
To be completed before the Argumentative Research Essay
Writing Argumentatively / Persuasively- short practice essay
Synthesizing Sources – short practice essay
Reading
Fiction
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
Note: Enrichment articles will be included with each of the different novels.
Nonfiction
Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood
John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me
Elie Wiesel’s Dawn
H.G. Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights
John Hersey’s Hiroshima
HH Dali Lama and Cutler’s The Art of Happiness
Note: Enrichment articles will be included with each of the different novels.
Further
These titles are all of the possible choices that may be read in addition to those selected.
Timothy Eagen’s The Worst Hard Times
Robert Lee and Jerome Lawrence’s The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail
AP Practice Tests
In order to be as prepared as possible for the AP English Language and
Composition Exam in May, we will attempt to take as many AP Practice
Exams as possible during second semester.