AP Language and Composition/Kearney
The Writer’s Notebook
I
t is partly the unpolished quality of the notebooks I find so beautiful. One finds in them
the record of a struggle, full of rough edges.
Laurie Sheck
Overview
A Writer’s Notebook will demonstrate diligence and effort in recording the student’s life as a
reader and writer, both in and out of class. The Notebook will continue the writer’s thoughtful
collection and reflection on rhetoric—written and spoken—started as part of summer reading.
Additionally it will include weekly vocabulary lessons and Review and Preview (RAP) activities
completed daily at the beginning of class. The Writer’s Notebook will be collected and graded
once each nine-week grading period. The three components are each worth 100 points for a total
of 300 points per grading period. The rubrics are attached.
Components of the Writer’s Notebook
Writer’s Choice
It will include reflections on a variety of written material: required reading,
novels, short stories, essays, editorials and editorial cartoons, blogs magazine
articles, newspaper articles or reflections on media: advertising, music, television,
movies, the Internet, social network media, and graphic elements such as charts,
cartoons, maps, and graphs as well.
Review and Preview Activities
Each day will begin with a RAP (Review and Preview) Activity. These activities
have two purposes: to focus students on the content of AP English Language and
Composition at the beginning of class and to provide daily practice in critical
writing and analysis of style including diction, syntax, and grammar. These
practices may include Critical Writing Journals, Voice Lessons, or Grammar Dog
activities.
Vocabulary
Students in AP English Language and Composition are expected to learn new,
challenging vocabulary from both the direct study of language and the acquisition
of new words from reading. The Vocabulary section of the Writer’s Notebook
will be the collection of both the lessons assigned and your individual collections
of words that you have encountered in reading that are new, interesting, or
puzzling.
AP Language and Composition/Kearney
The Writer’s Notebook
F
or me, there has to be an absolute flexibility in maintaining a notebook. My notebooks are
really scrapbooks--pieced together with fragments, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, long and
short passages, magazine and newspaper clippings, postcards & these items seem to dictate their
own coherence. Some are like jumpstarts for the imagination; others function more like
jumpcuts--little bridges that spring up between ideas and feelings. Connectors. Accidental
linkages. Surprises.
Yusef Komunyakaa
What should be included in the Writer’s Choice section?
The notebook should include a minimum of 27 Writer’s Choice entries per 9-week grading
period. An entry is a note, quotation, passage, idea with a full reflection in your own voice.
Document the source of any excerpts, passages, or ideas directly from another writer or creator
using MLA 7th format.
Entries will consider:
• What makes this piece good or bad?
• What was the purpose of the piece?
• What drew your attention to the piece?
• What was the big idea you learned from reading this piece?
• What techniques are used by the author, artist, or creator in the work?
• How can you incorporate the techniques used in the piece in your own work?
The student may consider a variety of elements that make up rhetoric: style, message, audience,
syntax, diction, vocabulary, tone, appeals (logos, pathos, and ethos), genre, and humor. Entries
will include outstanding examples you have encountered and reflect on the effect the writer or
speaker achieves in the passage. The notebook will show the student’s enthusiasm and reflection
for language and meaning through regular entries and reflection on the content of the notebook
prior to its submission.
What should be included in the RAP Section?
Upon entering class each day students should begin the Review and Preview (RAP) activity.
These assignments should take about five minutes to complete; however, students not able to
complete the activity during the time period should finish each assignment for homework.
All work should be completed in blue or black ink with corrections and notes from discussions
clearly marked in red ink.
Activities will include:
• Critical Writing Journals: short writing practices on the skills of rhetoric and argument
• Voice Lessons: analysis of brief passages for style and voice, including diction, syntax
and tone
• Grammar Dog: multiple choice exercises in grammar and style using passages from
American literature
AP Language and Composition/Kearney
The Writer’s Notebook
What should be included in the Vocabulary section?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vocabulary lists printed or copied (nine lessons for each notebook grade)
Memory tips printed or copied
Yes/No/Why answers completed in blue or black pen or typed and additional notes
from discussion added in red pen
Analogies answered in blue or black pen or typed and corrected in red pen
Matching answered in blue or black pen or typed and corrected in red pen
Words in context answered in blue or black pen or typed and corrected in red pen
Reading in context article annotated, questions answered, and writing assignment
completed
At least 20 additional memory tips or words encountered in reading (follow the
format attached.)
Vocabulary Notebook
Requirements
Notebook should be a section
of the Writer’s Notebook
All work in the notebook
should be clearly labeled by
lesson # and activity.
All work in the vocabulary
notebook should be typed or
written in blue or black pen, no
pencil.
All corrections and additional
notes made in class should be
made in red pen.
Lessons within the notebooks
must be complete by each
Friday in order to participate in
class discussion, but the
notebooks will only be graded
once per nine week grading
period.
AP Language and Composition/Kearney
The Writer’s Notebook
I
nto my notebook goes anything that is interesting enough to stop me in my tracks—
the slump of a pair of shoulders in a crowd, a newspaper entry, a recipe, "chewy"
words like ragamuffin or Maurice . . . For me, it all begins with a notebook: it is the
well I dip into for that first clear, cool drink.
Rita Dove
Vocabulary Lesson Due Dates
Lesson
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
First Semester
13 August 2010
20 August 2010
27 August 2010
3 September 2010
10 September 2010
17 September 2010
24 September 2010
1 October 2010
8 October 2010
22 October 2010
29 October 2010
5 November 2010
12 November 2010
19 November 2010
3 December 2010
10 December 2010
Lesson
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Second Semester
7 January 2011
14 January 2011
21 January 2011
28 January 2011
4 February 2011
11 February 2011
18 February 2011
28 February 2011
4 March 2011
11 March 2011
18 March 2011
25 March 2011
1 April 2011
15 April 2011
22 April 2011
29 April 2011
6 May 2011
13 May 2011
20 May 2011
Reminder: Vocabulary Lessons are due each Friday for discussion and/or corrections. The
section of the notebook will only be graded once each nine-week period. Be sure to complete
missing assignments before turning in the notebook.
AP Language and Composition/Kearney
The Writer’s Notebook
First Semester Due Dates
st
1 Nine Weeks
8 October 2010
2
nd
Second Semester Due Dates
Nine Weeks
10 December 2010
3
rd
Nine Weeks
11 March 2011
4th Nine Weeks
17 May 2011
Writer’s Choice
(100 possible points)
Criteria
Superior (95%)
Skillful (85%)
Competent (75%)
Ineffective (65%)
Volume
(20)
Most entries are a one 8.5”x11”
page or more long (2 or more if
journal is smaller).
Writer collects a variety of
written material and media for
reflections and covers a variety
of topics and issues.
Entries are thoughtful and a
reflective, revealing new
insight into the writer’s
thinking through consideration
of the elements of rhetoric or
the ideas themselves. Entries
demonstrate the writer’s
passion for language.
At least 90 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 24)
Documentation is complete for
all entries and follows MLA 7th
edition with no errors.
Most entries are a ½ 8.5”x11”
page to one 8.5”x11” page long
(1-2 pages if journal is smaller).
Writer collects less varied
written material and media and
focuses on a limited number of
topics and issues.
Entries are mostly thoughtful
and reflective and may reveal
new insights into the writer’s
thinking but do not clearly
demonstrate the writer’s
enthusiasm and passion for
language.
Most entries are about a ½
8.5”x11” page long (1 page if
journal is smaller.)
Writer collects similar written
material or limits the types to
either written material or media
and focuses on repeated issues.
Entries resemble a list,
scrapbook, or diary with some
attempt at reflection but
focuses primarily on summary.
Reflection may primarily focus on
“what” rather than “why” or
how” the writing makes meaning.
Entries are undeveloped
At least 80 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 22)
Documentation is complete for
all entries and follows MLA 7th
edition with 1-10 errors in
punctuation and capitalization.
At least 75 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 20)
Documentation is complete for
all entries and follows MLA 7th
with more than 10 errors in
punctuation or capitalization.
Variety
(20)
Reflections
(40)
Frequency
(10)
MLA
Documentation
(10)
Entries demonstrate no variety
in types or topics.
Entries are hard to read
because of sloppy handwriting
or lack of organization. They
demonstrate little to no
reflective thought.
At least 70 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 19)
Documentation is incomplete,
missing information, or does
not follow MLA 7th edition.
N.B.: Distinctive Writer’s Choice sections will receive a 100. Notebooks which fail to meet even the minimum requirements noted on the rubric will be returned
to the writer with the grade of 0. The reflective nature of the notebook over time requires writers to do the assignment throughout the semester, and it may not be
made up or revised.
AP Language and Composition/Kearney
The Writer’s Notebook
RAP Activities
(100 possible points)
Criteria
Participation
(45)
Frequency
(45)
Completeness
and Accuracy
(10)
Superior (95%)
Student begins work on RAP
activity immediately upon
entering the classroom and
works only on AP English
Language and Composition
during the first five minutes of
class. Student is focused and
does not disrupt others during
the RAP activity.
All the required entries (100
percent) are completed.
Skillful (85%)
Student begins work on RAP
activity immediately upon
entering the classroom but may
sometimes be observed working
on other assignments or be
focused on other activities.
Competent (75%)
Student generally begins work on
RAP activity upon entering class
but may have to be reminded to
focus on the activity, put away
other assignments or stop
disrupting the other students.
However, once reminded student
re-focuses on RAP activity.
At least 90 percent of the
required entries are completed.
At least 80 percent of the
required entries are completed.
Ineffective (65%)
Student often fails to pick up
RAP activity upon entering
class, routinely works on
assignments for other classes
at the beginning of class
and/or may disrupt other
students even after repeated
warning to focus on the RAP
activity.
At least 70 percent of the
required entries are completed.
RAP activities are completed
thoroughly and accurately with
few mistakes. Mistakes are
corrected. Additional notes are
added during discussion or
demonstrate independent
reflection.
RAP activities are completed
and accurately with few
mistakes. Mistakes are
corrected. Some entries show
additional reflection.
RAP activities are completed,
mistakes are corrected. Little
attention is given to additional
notes or reflection after the
activity is completed.
RAP activities are partially
completed and demonstrate
little attention to accuracy
through corrections or
reflection.
Distinctive RAP sections will receive a 100. Notebooks which fail to meet even the minimum requirements noted on the rubric will be returned to the writer with
the grade of 0. The reflective nature of the notebook over time requires writers to do the assignment throughout the semester, and it may not be made up or
revised.
AP Language and Composition/Kearney
The Writer’s Notebook
Vocabulary
(100 possible points)
Criteria
Superior (95%)
Skillful (85%)
Competent (75%)
Ineffective (65%)
Completeness
(20)
All lessons are printed or
copied in the notebook—word
lists, memory tips,
Yes/No/Why, analogies,
matching, words in context,
reading in context (5)
The analogies, matching, and
words in context are 100
percent correct or corrected.
Essays are annotated and
questions or writing
assignments are completed
fully with thought and
reflection. They reveal new
insight through the
consideration of rhetoric or
the ideas themselves.
Responses demonstrate the
writer’s enthusiasm and passion
for language.
At least 90 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 19)
All lessons are printed or
copied in the notebook as for a
superior grade, but one or two
of the activities may be
incomplete or missing.
All lessons are printed or copied
in the notebook as for a superior
grade, but three to five of the
activities may be incomplete or
missing.
One of the lessons may be
missing in its entirety or six to
ten of the activities may be
incomplete or missing.
Most of the analogies,
matching, and words in context
are correct or corrected.
Essay are mostly annotated and
questions or writing
assignments are mostly
thoughtful
and reflective and may reveal
new insights into the writer’s
thinking but do not clearly
demonstrate the writer’s
enthusiasm and passion for
language.
Some of the analogies, matching,
and words in context are correct
or corrected.
Essays may be not be annotated
thoroughly and questions or
writing assignments resemble a
list with some attempt at
reflection but may be rushed and
less thorough. Answers may show
minimal insight.
Few of the analogies, matching,
and words in context are
correct or corrected.
Essays are not annotated
completely and questions or
writing assignments are hard to
read because of sloppy
handwriting or lack of
organization. They
demonstrate little to no
reflective thought.
At least 80 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 17)
At least 75 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 15)
At least 70 percent of the
required entries are completed.
(min. 14)
Correctness/
Corrections
(10)
Reading in
Context
Activities
(50)
Additional
words &
memory tips
(20)
Extra Credit: To receive up to a ten-point bonus on your vocabulary section, include evidence that you have used the interactive
vocabulary cards from Quizlet <http://quizlet.com/group/60700/> to prepare for your vocabulary tests. To earn the bonus points, print
the tests you have taken or the flashcards you have used and include them in your notebook. One point per lesson.