1 AP Language and Composition Syllabus Mr. Brian Whitney Loogootee High School Course Description​: As a student in AP Language and Composition, you will be challenged to think, react, and respond at higher than the level of a typical high school English student. This class is designed to not only prepare you for the AP Exam in the spring and your college courses next fall but also for your life in the future. Having a strong foundation in the area of Language Arts will enable you to make sense of and appreciate the society in which you live. While this class will contain a tremendous amount of reading and writing, even more significantly it will contain a lot of questioning (both by you and me). Together, we will look for the answers to our questions as we learn the power and value of communicative expression. Equity Statement​: Participation in the AP course is open to any student who feels that he/ she is up to the challenge! The College Board’s open admission policy is detailed in the passage below. ​
The College Board believes that all students should be prepared for and have an opportunity to participate successfully in college, and that equitable access to higher education must be a guiding principle for teachers, counselors, and administrators, and policymakers. As part of this, all students shall be given appropriate guidance about college admissions, and provided the full support necessary to ensure college admission and success. All students should be encouraged to accept the challenge of a rigorous academic curriculum through enrollment in college preparatory programs and AP courses. Schools should make every effort to ensure that AP and other college­level classes reflect the diversity of the student population. The College Board encourages the elimination of barriers that limit access to demanding courses for all students, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups. Course Outcomes​: ​In accord with the College Board, students will be able to do the following on completion of AP Language and Composition: ● analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques; ● apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing; ● create and sustain arguments based on readings, research, and/ or personal experience; ● demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writings; ● write for a variety of purposes; ● produce expository, analytical, and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/ or secondary source material, cogent explanations, and clear transitions; ● demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary source material; ● move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and research, drafting, revising, editing, and review ● write thoughtfully about their own process of composition; ● revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience; ● analyze image as text; ● evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers. AP English Language and Composition: 2005­2006 Professional Development Workshop Materials. New York: College Board, 2005. Major Texts​: Capote, Truman. ​In Cold Blood. New York: Vintage International, 1994. Print Gaines, Ernest
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​. A Lesson Before Dying. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1994. Print. Nadell, Judith, John Langan, and Eliza A. Comodromos. ​
​The Longman Reader. New York: Longman Publishers, 2003. Print. 2 ​
Shea, Renee H., Lawrence Scanlon, Robin Dissin Aufses. ​The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. Print. Shostak, Jerome. ​Vocabulary Workshop. New York: Sadlier­Oxford, 2002. Print. Swovelin, Barbara V. ​
​Cliffs AP English Language and Composition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006. Print 3 Course Policies​: Attendance o The school’s attendance/ tardy policy will be enforced. o Your presence is expected for every class session. Since much of our work will be done as a result of our interaction with one another, your time in our classroom cannot be replicated. o It is your responsibility to find out what work you have missed, but please do not do this during our 50 minute class meetings. See me before class, after class, or during Advisory. o Every assignment is valuable. You will need to monitor our progress on the Unit Schedules. It will be your responsibility to know what you need to do, when it needs to be done, and whether or not you need to ask any questions about the assignment. o If you know you are going to be absent when we have an assignment due, prepare to turn it in before you leave. Also, if you are absent the day that an assignment is due, be prepared to turn it in upon your return. o Readings are considered homework whether or not you directly earn points for completing them. Being a close, active reader is an ability you will have to develop, so now is the time to start practicing! Late Work o Late work will not be accepted but with consequences the course of the entire school year. Essays will be accepted one period late but at a 20% reduction in score. o If you experience technical difficulties when working on an assignment, handwrite your paper (double­spaced and formatted according to MLA style) and turn it in at the designated time. Plagiarism o Taking the work of another and calling it your own is unacceptable, even if done unknowingly. Therefore, you must document all of your sources all of the time. o If you do not understand what is and what is not plagiarism, please ask me. Participation o Being an active member of our class community will be required. o Listening, thinking, and then speaking constitute participation. Respect o I will show you respect. o You will show me respect. o You will show one another respect. Recurring Assignments​: Vocabulary Development o Vocabulary workbook assignments will augment subject matter vocabulary. Grammar Practice o We will practice mechanical skills through the year as needed. o For the most part the need will be determined by your levels of proficiency. Reading Assignments o Readings will be found mostly in your textbooks or on handouts. Occasionally you will be required to access on­line sources. o For each of our readings (or sets of readings), be prepared to complete activities that focus on your deeper understanding of the texts and the rhetorical strategies used in the texts. Such activities will include dialectical journals, annotation of texts, graphic organizers and at times study questions. o Class discussions and Socratic seminars willed be based on the readings and will be assessed. Close Reading Multiple Choice Practice Exercises o We will do many exercises to develop and assess your skill in close readings. o Expect an exam multiple choice test at least once a month. Writing Advancement 4 o
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You will complete both in­class writing assessments and longer out­of­class writing assignments. You will be taught that writing is a process, not a single activity. Revision is critical to the success of most pieces. Please consider the option to revise a paper whenever it is given to you. o
Units​: The following is a basic guideline of the work we will accomplish throughout the course of this year. The order and the length of time in which the units are completed may vary. Introduction (3 Weeks) ● Explanation of AP Test ● Diagnostic Practice and Assessment/ Reading and Writing—Rhetorical Analysis ● Revision of Diagnostic Writing ● Gordon Parks. “Flavio’s Home” ​LR. 98­105; Questions for Close Reading and about Writer’s Craft ● Introduction to Socratic seminar ● Introduction and practice of imitation for the refinement of style. ● Chapter 1: “An Introduction to Rhetoric: Using the Available Means.” ​Lof C.1­28. Unit 1: Close Reading of Descriptive and Narrative Texts (5 weeks) Readings ● Chapter 2­­“Close Reading: The Art and Craft of Analysis.“ ​LofC. 35. ● Joan Didion “The Santa Ana”​ LR. 688. ● Judith Ortiz Cofer. “A Partial…Childhood.” ​LR.134. ● Brad Manning. “Arm Wrestling with My Father.” H. ● Sarah Vowell “Shooting Dad” H. ● Virginia Woolf “The Death of the Moth” ​LR. 662. ● George Orwell “Shooting an Elephant” ​LR. 167. ● Annie Dillard. “The Chase”​ LR 176. ● Langston Hughes “Salvation.” ​LR 183. ● Selections from Princeton Review. ​College Essays that Made a Difference. H. Activities ● Rhetorical Framework (Aristotelian Rectangle) ​LofC. 3­4. ● Imitation for Refinement of Style ● Annotation of Text. ​LofC. 40. ● Dialectical Journals. ​LofC 42. ● Graphic Organizer. ​LofC 43. ● The Vocabulary of Rhetorical Devises. H. ● Multiple Choose Strategies for narrative and descriptive texts. H. Assessments ● Multiple Choice Reading Assessments of narrative and descriptive texts. ● Write a two to three page rhetorical analysis of a selected essay from this unit. (Revision available) ● Write a personal essay for a college application based on a topic suggested by the Common Application or by an application of your choice that allows you to use descriptive and/or narrative techniques. (However, prior approval for any topic other than those suggested by the Common Application is required.) Note the required length of the essay you choose. Include a copy of the application’s instructions with your essay. 5 Unit 2: Close Reading of Visual Text (3 weeks) Readings ● Chapter 2­­“Close Reading: The Art and Craft of Analysis.“ ​Lof C. 49­51. ● Joyce Carol Oates “Edward Hopper’s ​Nighthawks.” H. ● Jeremiah Moss. “Nighthawks State of Mind.” ​New York Times. H. ● Alexander Eliot. “Night Thoughts.” ​Wilson Review. H. Visuals ● Selected prints by Edward Hopper. ​http://www.artchive.com/artchive/H/hopper.html ● Selected parodies of Hopper’s paintings. ● Selected ​New Yorker covers by Art Spiegelman Activities ● Practice judging books by their cover art and cover text. ● Socratic Seminar ● Annotation of Text ● Graphic Organizer ● Vocabulary of Art Interpretation ● Multiple Choice Reading Strategies Assessment ● Write a two page essay analyzing the effect created or message relayed by one or more of Hopper’s paintings. While you may refer to ​Nighthawks do not make that the only focus of your paper. or ● Write a two page essay analyzing and evaluating how Spiegelman’s graphics contribute to or detract from the effect or message of his biography/autobiography. (Revision available) ● Multiple Choice Reading Test Unit 3: The Argument (6 Weeks) Reading ● Chapter 11: Argument­Persuasion. ​LR. 537 ● 2012 AP Language and Composition Exam, Question 3.H. ● AP English Language and Composition Scoring Guide. H. ● Example Student Essays. H. ● Chapter 4: To what extent do our schools serve the goal of true education? ​Lof C. 87. o Francine Pose: ”I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read” ​LofC. 89. o Ralph Waldo Emerson “From ​Education”​ LofC. 102. o Sherman Alexie. “Superman and Me.” ​LofC. 110. o Margaret Talbot “Best in Class” ​LofC. 113. o National Endowment for the Arts, from ​Reading at Risk. (table). ​LofC. 147. ● Selections from Robert J. Marzano. ​Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research on What Works in Schools. ● Ernest Gaines. ​A Lesson Before Dying. Practice ● Diagnostic Writing­Argument ● Rhetorical Framework. ● Annotation of Text. ● Dialectical Journals. ● Socratic Seminar ● Cornell Notes 6 ●
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Toulmin Template. Refutation and Concession Organizers. Multiple Choice Strategies. Writing: ● Write an argument essay taking a stand for or against a key point from one of the non­fictions readings for this unit. (Revision available) ● In­class essay taking a stand on Grant’s success or failure as a teacher in ​A Lesson Before Dying. ● Multiple Choice Reading Tests Unit 3.5: Arguing for the Inarguable/ Defending the Indefensible—Satire Mini­Lesson (One week) Reading ● Jonathan Swift. “A Modest Proposal.” ​LofC. 914 ● Anna Quindlen. “Danke Schoen, Mr. Las Vegas.” ​Newsweek. H. Practice ● Rhetorical Framework. ● Annotation of Text. ● Dialectical Journals. ● Toulmin Template ● Writing in Boxes ● Imitation for Refinement of Style Assessment ● Group Presentation: Prepare and present a PowerPoint in which you argue for the inarguable or defend the indefensible in an attempt to solve a problem of your choice. Include your claim (solution), at least three points of supporting evidence and the warrant for that evidence, and a refutation of at least one arguable or defensible solution. Unit 4: Close Reading of Formal, Essays, Speeches, Letters and Documents of Historical Importance (3 weeks) Readings. ● Chapter 2: “Close Reading: The Art and Craft of Analysis.“ ​LofC. 51 ● Thomas Jefferson “The Declaration of Independence” H. ● John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address. ​LofC. 52. ● Martin Luther King Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” ​LofC. 260. ● Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream.” H. ● Abraham Lincoln. “The Gettysburg Address” H. ● Abraham Lincoln. “Second Inaugural Address H. ● John F. Kennedy’s opening remarks at April 11, 1962 news conference. 2012 AP Language and Composition Exam, Question 2 (released).H. ● AP English Language and Composition Scoring Guide. H. ● Example Student Essays. H. ● Truman Capote. ​In Cold Blood. Practice: ● Rhetorical Framework. ● Deduction/ Induction Graphic Organizer ● Annotation of Text ● Dialectical Journals ● Imitation for Refinement of Style ● Graphic Organizer 7 Assessment: ● In­class Essay analyzing the rhetorical craft of John F. Kennedy’s opening remarks at April 11, 1962 news conference . ● Multiple choose reading tests. Unit 5: Synthesizing Sources (six weeks) Readings ● Chapter 3: “Synthesizing Sources: Entering a Conversation.” ​LofC 61. ● 2010 AP Language and Composition Exam :Question 3 ● 2010 AP English Language and Composition Scoring Guide. H> ● Chapter 6: “Community: What is the Relationship of the Individual and Community” ​LofC. 259. o Jane Howard. “All Happy Clans are Alike: In Search of the Good Family” ​LofC. 283. o Amitae, Etzioni, “The New Community” ​LofC. 289 o Anna Quindlin “Commencement Speech at Mount Holyoke.” ​LofC. 296. o Lori Alvisard. “Walking the Path Between Worlds.” ​LofC. 300​. o Edwidge Danicat. “New York Day Women.” ​LofC. 307​. ● Happy. Dir​. Rokok Belic (selected scenes) Practice: ● Diagnostic Writing—Synthesis essay ● Rhetorical Framework. H. ● Annotation of Text ● Dialectical Journals. ● Socratic Seminar ● Cornell Notes ● Toulmin Template Assessment: ● Synthesis Essay: How do we form family, community or even tribe in a world that increasing separates us? Make reference to at least three of the readings from this unit while also drawing on personal experience. (Revision available) ● In­class essay analyzing the craft of Anna Quindlin’s speech. ● Multiple choose reading tests. Unit 6: Close Reading, Argument, and Synthesis of Sources (six weeks) Readings ● Chapter 10: Science and Technology: How are the advances of Science and Technology Affecting the Way We Define Humanity. o Loren Eiseley. “The Bird and the Machine “ 601 o T.H Huxley. “The Scientific Method” 609 o Jacob Bronowski, “The Reach of the Imagination” 616 o Edgar Allen Poe, “Sonnet—to Science” 663 o Walt Whitman, “When I heard the Learned Astronomer” 664 and other selected poems o Steven Pinker. “The Blank Slate” 630 o Elizabeth Royle “ Transsexual Frogs” 655 o Graham Wilson “ Food Fight” (Cartoon) o Conversation: Focus on Ethic of Genetic Technology ▪ Lewis, Thomas “On Cloning A Human Being” ▪ Philip, Boffey. “Fearing the Worst: Should Anyone Produce a Cloned Baby” ▪ David Ewing Duncan, “DNA as Destiny” ▪ Rick Weiss, “Pet Clones Spur Call for Limits” 8 ▪ Marilyn Marchionee and Lindsey Tanner “More Couples Screening Embryoes for Gender” Practice ● Rhetorical Framework. H. ● Annotation of Text. ​LofC. 40­42 ● Dialectical Journals. ​LofC 42­43 ● Socratic Seminar ● Cornell Notes ● Toulmin Template ​LR 557­559 ● Imitation for Style Assessment ● In­class Rhetorical Analysis. ● Argument/ Synthesis essay: Imagination in the sciences and the arts: a true or a false dichotomy? Write a two to three page paper using at least three sources from this unit. ● Argument/Synthesis essay: Is the scientist the hero or the villain (or in some ways both) in today’s society? Write a three to five page essay on the ethics of modern science using at least three sources from this unit. (Revision available.) ● Multiple choose reading tests.