Advanced Placement Literature and Composition
Course Description:
The Advanced Placement (AP) Literature and Composition course is designed to reflect the
potential content of first year college/university English courses. Students take the course to
prepare for subsequent college courses in English, as well as for the opportunity to earn
college credit through the Advanced Placement Exam. Our emphasis on novels, plays, and
poetry, in addition to some shorter prose fiction and non-fiction, engages students in the
careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature (College Board, May 2007),
[C1] The course provides a rigorous, college-level experience.
C1: The teacher has read the
most recent AP English
Course Description
Many of the works we study are British, as students come to their senior year having studied
major works of American literature in both 10th and 11th grade. Units are arranged to build on
previously acquired skills, and structured to focus on essential questions. In this class, we
read extensively in all genres, focusing on works of recognized literary merit from the 16th
century to the present. [C1, C2] We go beyond the story to analyze style, focusing on
elements such as structure, diction, syntax, detail, tone, and the impact of literary devices.
[C3]
Course Objectives
In this course, we think critically and communicate effectively. We have multiple
opportunities to develop and demonstrate these abilities. We read every day. We write
every day. And we take what we have learned in previous years to new and exciting
levels, as we strive to:
C2: The course includes an
intensive study of
representative works such as
those by authors cited in the
AP English Course
Description.
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the
work’s:
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical
values it reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone
read deliberately and thoroughly to critically analyze complex literary texts
ask questions about our reading, evaluating underlying assumptions and ideas
study rich texts representative of different literary forms and historical periods
examine the "what’s" and "how’s" of literature
understand and apply various critical approaches to literature (e.g., feminist, cultural, etc.)
improve writing to create clear, logical essays
increase our on-demand writing speed, while organizing and fully developing ideas
develop stylistic maturity, using precise syntax and diction suited to audience and purpose
master a wide-ranging, collegiate vocabulary
gain appreciation for literary artistry
[C3]
[C3b]
[C2, C3b]
C4: The course includes
frequent opportunities for
students to write and rewrite
formal, extended analyses
and timed, in-class
responses. The course
requires:
[C3]
[C4, C5]
[C4, C5]
[C5a-e]
[C5a]
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
[C3, C4c]
EVIDENCE OF LEARNING (GRADING):
In this class, students have the opportunity to:
improve the depth and complexity of their writing through both formal and informal
writing assignments [C4]
engage in analysis of literary works from the 16
th
century to the present (both
collaboratively and independently) [C3]
participate actively in lively discussion of literature
demonstrate their learning through exams and other assessments
show their development as writers and thinkers through a cumulative portfolio
[C3]
[C4, C5]
demonstrating growth over the course of the year [C4, C5]
Points for these learning opportunities will be weighted as follows:
50% = ASSESSMENTS (formal essays, novel assessments, exams, portfolio, etc.)
25% = WRITING (timed writing, participation in discussion & writing groups, etc.)
25% = LITERARY ANALYSIS (including discussion, panels, and literature circles)
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
students' writing assignments,
both before and after the students
revise their work, that help
students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure
Grades reflect not only mastery, but growth over the year. Students are encouraged to revise their work until they are
satisfied with their final product. Any graded writing assessment may be revised and resubmitted (provided it was turned
in on time initially). Assessments are scored as Exemplary (A, 90-100); Accomplished (C+/B, 78-89); Promising (C, 7077); and Developing (D, 60-69). In an AP course, I consider anything below “Accomplished” inadequate; students are
required to revise. [C5]
COURSE MATERIALS
C2: The course includes an intensive study of representative works such as those by authors cited in the AP English Course Description.
STUDENT TEXTS
Primary Textbook:
Arp, Thomas R., and Greg Johnson. Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense. 8th ed. Boston: Heinle, 2001.
Secondary / Supplementary Texts (novels, essays, literary criticism):
These works may change.
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Doubleday, 1959.
Brantlinger, Patrick. “Heart of Darkness: Anti-Imperialism, Racism, or Impressoinism." Heart of Darkness. 2nd ed. Ed.
Ross C. Murfin. Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. Boston: Bedford, 1996. 277-298.
Byron, George Gordon Lord. “Lara.” <http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/lbyron/bl-lbyron-lara.htm.>
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Bartleby. 19 Apr 2007
<http://www.bartleby.com/101/549.html>.
Conrad, Josef. Heart of Darkness and Secret Sharer.
Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
Rabinowitz, Peter J. “Reader Response, Reader Responsibility: Heart of Darkness and the Politics of Displacement."
Heart of Darkness. 2nd ed. Ed. Ross C. Murfin. Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. Boston: Bedford,
1996. 131-147.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein. New York: Penguin, 1983.
Smith, Johanna M. “‘Too Beautiful Altogether’: Ideologies of Gender and Empire in Heart of Darkness." Heart of
Darkness. 2nd ed. Ed. Ross C. Murfin. Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. Boston: Bedford, 1996. 169184.
Thomas, Brook. “Preserving Order by Killing Time in Heart of Darkness." Heart of Darkness. 2nd ed. Ed. Ross C.
Murfin. Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. Boston: Bedford, 1996. 239-257.
Depending on time and resources, students may study alternate texts by other 19th century writers, including:
Jane Austen (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice); Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre); Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights);
Charles Dickens (Great Expectations, Hard Times, Bleak House); Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter); George
Bernard Shaw (Pygmalion); Mark Twain (The Adventures of Huck Finn, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court);
Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest);
Other 20th century authors and works:
Edward Albee (The Zoo Story, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?); Albert Camus (The Stranger); William Faulkner (As I
Lay Dying, The Bear); Zora Neale Hurston (Their Eyes Were Watching God); James Joyce (A Portrait of the Artist as a
Young Man, Dubliners); Maxine Hoang Kingston (Woman Warrior: Memoir of a Girlhood Among Ghosts); David Mamet (
); Eugene O’Neill (A Long Day’s Journey Into Night); Tom Stoppard (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead); Luis
Valdez (Los Vendidos, Zoot Suit);
TEACHER RESOURCES (Print)
Atwell, Nancy. In the Middle. Portsmouth (NH): Boynton/Cook, 1998.
Dean, Nancy. Voice Lessons: Classroom Activities to Teach Diction, Detail, Imagery, Syntax, and Tone. Gainesville (FL):
Maupin, 2000.
Gere, Anne Ruggles, Leila Christenbury, and Kelli Sassi. Writing On Demand. Portsmouth (NH): Heinemann, 2005.
Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary
Imagination. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984.
Jago, Carol. Cohesive Writing: Why Concept Is Not Enough. Portsmouth (NH): Heinemann, 2002.
O’Brien, Peggy, Jeanne Addison Roberts, Michael Tolaydo, and Nancy Goodwin, eds. Shakespeare Set Free. New York:
Washington Square Press, 1993.
Romano, Tom. Crafting Authentic Voice. Portsmouth (NH): Heinemann, 2004.
TEACHER RESOURCES (Online)
AP Central. <http://www.apcentral.collegeboard.com>
British Poetry 1780-1910: a Hypertext Archive of Scholarly Editions. <http://etext.virginia.edu/britpo.html>
Penguin Classics. <http://us.penguinclassics.com>
Poem Hunter. <http://www.poemhunter.com>
Victorian Web. <http://www.victorianweb.org/>
Voice of the Shuttle. <vos.ucsb.edu/>
OVERVIEW OF ONGOING ASSIGNMENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS:
1) READING AND RESEARCH:
Literary Criticism [C3]: Students read multiple critical essays on a single work
and evaluate the validity of each perspective. This begins as group work, with each
group focusing on a single school of criticism (ex. feminism). Members from each
group form new groups to engage in a “jigsaw” activity to discuss the multiple
viewpoints. Students then apply the perspective they find most interesting to serve
as their own critical “lens” for reading a subsequent text.
Literature Circles [C2, C3, C4a]: In the interest of providing the wide and deep
reading advocated by the College Board, we read one additional novel one
additional play per semester from the list of representative authors [C1, C2]. At
least three times per quarter, literature circles meet in class. They are also required
to meet outside of class, in person or via the Internet (chat room, discussion board,
etc.). The lit circles initially follow the standard format: discussion director
(questioner), connector, illuminator, illustrator, etc., but as the year progresses, the
discussions evolve organically, and we adapt the structure to suit our needs. Groups
keep track of discussion and share ideas with the rest of the class.
Reader’s Notebook and Double Entry Journal (DEJ): We maintain a reader’s
notebook, with a double entry journal containing entries for works studied during
the course, including outside reading assignments. The first 10-15 pages of the
notebook will be devoted to reading strategies (like TP-CASTT, DIDLS, SOAPS,
etc.) and notes on literary terms; the rest are for the DEJ. Double-entry journals are
a record of a reader’s interaction with and analysis of a text. Most entries focus on
elements like diction, syntax, tone, imagery, detail, figurative language, and theme,
but may also include summaries, reactions, reflections, connections, and confusion.
This type of writing allows students to work through their problems with a difficult
text (writing to understand) and try their hands at writing to explain and evaluate.
The DEJ’s are used to guide discussion. [C3a-c; C4a-c]
2) STYLE ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION:
Using the writer’s notebooks, excerpts from literary works, and the activities in
Dean’s Voice Lessons, students will examine passages and answer questions that
teach them to analyze diction, syntax, imagery, detail, and tone [C3a, c]. Students
will also try new constructions in their own writing, including using appositives,
semi-colons, dashes, and conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating) to create
compound, complex, compound-complex, and periodic sentences. [C5] When a
new concept is introduced, students will take notes in their writer’s notebook
(learning section). On alternating days, students will be given a passage (either on
the overhead or on strips of paper to paste into their notebooks) and two to three
questions. They will respond to the questions first independently, and then share
their ideas with a partner or small group. Partners and/or groups will share their
ideas with the class. As homework, students will be given a prompt that helps them
apply the concept in their own writing [C4, C5]. Students will also receive
instruction on grammar and writing (using appositives, participles, subordinating
clauses, etc.) This is typically done 2-3 times per week throughout the year.
3) INFORMAL WRITING OPPORTUNITIES:
Writer’s Notebook: Students keep a writer’s notebook that is divided into three
sections: Learning, Writing, and Vocabulary (primarily academic terms and new
vocabulary). The “learning” section is used to record notes on writing, including
writing strategies, grammar [C5b], and the writing process [C5c-e]; the writing
section is used to generate ideas for writing (both analytical and imaginative) and to
practice new strategies and techniques [C4]; the vocabulary section is a log in
which students record new words encountered in our reading in an effort to create a
wide ranging vocabulary [C5a]. Students use the notebook daily and interactively.
For example, they may take class notes on the effects of syntax (recorded in the
“learning” section), followed by a homework assignment in which they apply the
concept in their writing, maybe experimenting with word order, or using
punctuation to create a deliberate effect [C4a, C5a-e].
Thought Pieces: Beginning the third week of school, students submit weekly
writing based on our assigned readings. Using “pointing” (or another applicable
heuristic), students choose a textual point of departure in the reading and respond
(question, reaction, analysis, opinion, etc.) in a single page of informal writing.
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the work’s:
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical values it
reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone
C2: The course includes an
intensive study of representative
works such as those by authors
cited in the AP English Course
Description.
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
students' writing assignments,
both before and after the students
revise their work, that help
students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure
(sometimes even artwork). These are typically completed for each assigned
reading, due the day the reading is discussed in class. They are used (in conjunction
with the double-entry journals) to guide small group and whole class discussions.
On weeks when more than one thought-piece was completed, the student selects
his/her “best” work to submit for credit. Thought pieces are sometimes used to help
to generate ideas for longer, more formal pieces of writing. [C3, C4a-c]
4) FORMAL WRITING OPPORTUNITIES:
Formal Literary Analysis: Students write one to two longer processed literary
analysis essays each quarter. These essays are typically three to five pages in
length, focusing on interpretation of a work and analysis of literary devices. [C3]
Whenever possible, we engage in modified Writers’ Workshop.
Specific times are established each week for Writers’ Workshop.
Possible uses of time include:
• Writing time: Inventing / Drafting / Revising / Editing
• Writing groups (share writing; give/get feedback)
• Teacher Conferences (also at lunch and via email)
• Author’s Chair (sharing w/ class)
Students complete multiple drafts before their final draft. [C4]
1)
2)
Final drafts that show evidence of participation in workshop and
were submitted on time may be revised and re-submitted during the
grading period for a higher grade. [C5]
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the work’s:
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical values it
reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
Literary Element Essays: During the two literary element units (Elements of Fiction
and Elements of Poetry), students write a total of seven essays [C4].
In the Elements of Fiction unit, each essay focuses on a short story and the student
analyzes the effect(s) of the literary element we are studying (plot/structure,
characterization, point of view, symbolism/allegory, and theme). For example, a
student may choose to write an essay analyzing the impact of the third person plural
point of view in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” or analyzing the effect(s) of setting
in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” [C3a, c]
In the Elements of Poetry unit, students write two process essays analyzing two
different poems, one essay dealing primarily with content (literary devices, imagery,
symbolism, etc.) and the other focusing on form.
These essays require students to do extensive close reading and analysis. While the
writing does go through the writing process, and the papers are expected to be
technically sound, they are primarily formative assessments used to gauge student
progress. Feedback focuses first integrating textual evidence and
creating/maintaining effective organizational structure, with an emphasis on using
transitions. [C5c, d] Students receive comments (both evaluative and constructive)
and have the opportunity to use teacher and peer feedback to revise and re-submit
graded essays, provided the work was turned in on time. [C4, C5] Based on the
results of these assessments, and the diagnostic timed writings, I plan my writing
instruction for the subsequent units.
Timed Writing: Students have numerous timed writing opportunities throughout the
year. Most timed writing prompts are based on (or are at least modeled after) released
AP prompts from previous years. Early in the year, students have the entire class
period (53 minutes) for the timed writing. I gradually reduce the time allotted to 3540 minutes as a way to help students improve their speed and efficiency. [C4]
We begin with timed writing scheduled two to three times during a unit. These
writing opportunities become more frequent as the year progresses, eventually
becoming a weekly occurrence we call “Timed Writing Tuesdays.” Every Tuesday,
beginning in 2nd quarter, we write to a prompt. We don’t always complete a full
essay. Sometimes, students complete a “thumbnail sketch” of their thesis and planned
support; sometimes students just write a thesis and share it with the class. All timed
writing is evaluated by the students, their peers, and me (though not all grades are
recorded). Students receive individual feedback on grammar, development, structure,
and style. Group results guide writing instruction. [C5]
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
students' writing assignments,
both before and after the students
revise their work, that help
students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure
The thematic focus of the first part of the year is the Individual and his/her place in Society. The first semester begins
with Defining the Self, looking at themes of self-discovery across multiple genres, and then shifting focus to largerthan-life individuals, the tragic and Byronic heroes of the English Renaissance and Romantic periods (and their modern
counterparts). Within this broad context, we examine literary texts to answer essential questions concerning the nature
of individuality and the forces that shape who we are.
Defining the Self
Unit 1: Elements of Fiction
Essential Questions:
THEME [C3a-b]:
How do outside forces shape who we become? How do we achieve balance between
conformity & individuality? To what extent does the desire to obtain, retain, or escape
C3: The course teaches
power shape the decisions we make, both individually and as a society?
students to write an
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the
work’s:
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical
values it reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone
Strategies/Skills:
Reading and Writing:
How do we read literary texts vs. commercial texts? How does an understanding of literary
devices affect our interpretation? How do authors use elements of fiction (plot, structure,
theme, characterization, point of view, symbolism / allegory, etc.) to enhance their writing?
[C3a, c]
What are the essential traits of effective writing? What are the components of an effective
thesis? How is a thesis developed and sustained throughout an essay? [C4, C5]
Cornell Notes, Levels of Questioning, Close reading/annotating
text, DIDLS, Pointing strategy (Thought Pieces), Literature
Circle (roles), “Unpacking” Prompts, Freewriting and Looping
(Thesis development and focus) [C5d]; Writers’ Workshop
(responding to writing, revision/editing, integrating textual
support) [C4]; Syntax Surgery (thesis revision) [C5b]; Analyzing
style and voice – diction and detail [C3, C4]
Writing & Assessments: - Thought pieces (5-6) [C4]
- Timed Writing 1 (diagnostic; summer novel):
- Timed Writing 2 : Theme
- Short Essays on 1) Plot/Structure, 2) Characterization,
3)
Point of View, 4) Symbol/Allegory [C4]
- Two short process essays on poetic technique
- Timed Writing 3: final assessment of summer text
Materials:
C2: The course
includes an intensive
study of representative
works such as those by
authors cited in the AP
English Course
Description.
- Summer Reading Texts [C2]
- 9 Point Rubric (modeled on released AP rubrics)
- Perrine’s Structure, Sound and Sense, Fiction Ch. 1-6,
with selected short stories by Faulkner, Hemingway, Joyce,
Walker, and other representative authors. [C2]
- Student Writing (Syntax Surgery)
- Exemplar Personal Statements
- Literature Circle novel or play (fitting with theme)
- Activities from Voice Lessons (Dean)
The first few days are spent reviewing procedures/expectations established at our class
meeting in June, and going over the summer reading:
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
students' writing assignments,
both before and after the students
revise their work, that help
students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure
SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT:
Students read How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster (2003). The book offers a readerfriendly, critical overview of literary elements and devices that students will need to understand in order to
succeed in the course. For those without a strong literature background, is provides ideas on how to approach a
literary text. [C3] Gradually, as our program “grows,” and students will come to AP with a stronger foundation,
I will replace Foster’s text with a novel or some more challenging literary criticism. In addition to Foster’s text,
students select one of the following novels:
The Awakening (Chopin)
The Sun Also Rises (Hemingway)
The Bell Jar (Plath)
Tracks (Erdrich)
All these novels share common themes and are of comparable complexity. [C2] After (or while) they read, students
maintain a double-entry journal focusing on some of the ideas Foster introduces, especially narrative point of view,
setting(s), characters, themes, style (including literary devices, tone, diction, and syntax), and symbolism. I also
maintain an online discussion board, and students are expected to post at least twice for their novel.
In the first week of school, we review note-taking strategies (Cornell Notes) and tiered
questions (literal/clarifying, interpretive/extending, and universal/connecting). Students write
tiered questions based on their reading and meet in literature circles for discussion.
To introduce the theme (as well as the Thought Piece requirement and the “pointing” strategy)
we read Maya Angelou’s “Even the Stars Look Lonesome Sometimes,” a contemporary essay
about discovering personal identity.
The first timed writing (diagnostic) is based on a released AP prompt (2005 – Conformity/
Questioning) I read them and make three lists: What can they do? What are they on the
verge of doing? and Next Steps… The “Next Steps” list becomes the focus of writing
instruction for the rest of the unit. [C5]
Students analyze an AP-style, 9-point rubric to create their own list of “essential traits” of
good writing. They self-grade and peer grade their first timed writing, then reflect in their
writer’s notebooks on their own paper and the papers they read. They see the “real” score,
and reflect again, fine-tuning their list of traits.
After discussing the summer reading, and practicing “unpacking” and analyzing several
prompts, I give them a second timed writing (another AP prompt) to assess their new
understanding and look for improvement. Student progress throughout the unit will be
measured using their thought pieces [C4a] and Timed Writing as diagnostic, formative
assessments. [C4b]
THE ELEMENTS OF FICTION
After the discussion of the summer texts, students go through an intensive review of the
elements of fiction. This approach is adapted from the “fiction boot camp” unit discussed in
the AP English discussion group (through the College Board website).
Using Perrine’s Structure, Sound, and Sense, we review common elements like plot and
structure, characterization, point of view, symbolism, and theme using the summer text and
selected works of short fiction. Students read the introductions for each of the first six
chapters to prepare for lecture. Students take Cornell Notes, and then discuss each element.
New terms go in the reader’s notebook [C5a] and must be used correctly and effectively in
the essays demonstrating mastery of the elements [C4].
Students look first for the effects of the elements of fiction in their summer text, and then we
read several short stories that are thematically relevant and demonstrate the element (for
example, Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” are read and
analyzed in terms of point of view, but can also be used to look at the conflict between the
individual and society). Students use the DEJ to interact with each story and element; they
pull examples from the text and explain their meaning and impact. [C3c, C4a-c]
We focus on each element for about three class periods only, and then students write a short
essay (1 ½ - 2 pages in length) analyzing the element and its impact on one of the short
stories. Students start their writing by creating their own prompt-style question, for example:
How does Hemingway manipulate conventional plot elements and narrative structure
in “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber”? How do his choices affect the story
as a whole? Then, they write a thesis that answers the question, and develop that thesis into
a short essay with specific textual support. These short papers are taken through modified
Writers’ Workshop. Students receive instruction on invention strategies for developing
thesis statements (freewriting, looping) and revising for clarity and tone (syntax surgery).
At the end of the unit, students select a novel (18th century through present) from a list of
representative authors [C2] and work in literature circles of three to six members.
Personal Statements (College Application Essay)
Throughout the course of this quarter, students will be writing, sharing, revising, and editing
their college application essays (personal statements). Students will participate in Writers’
Workshop (see previous explanation). Much of this work will be done in writing groups,
both in and out of class, but students will also receive feedback from me [C5]. Most revision
will focus on using active verbs and concrete detail to enhance voice.
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
students' writing assignments,
both before and after the students
revise their work, that help
students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced
by specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone,
establishing and maintaining
voice, and achieving appropriate
emphasis through diction and
sentence structure
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the work’s:
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical values it
reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
students' writing assignments,
both before and after the students
revise their work, that help
students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
Unit Two: Elements of Poetry
Essential Questions:
THEME:
How do we define what it means to be an individual? How do
C3: The course teaches
personal experiences, both positive and negative, shape our
students to write an
perceptions?
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the
work’s:
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical
values it reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone
Strategies/Skills:
Reading and Writing:
How do we read poetry? How is poetry distinct from prose?
How do poets use the elements of poetry (connotation, imagery,
figurative language, irony, sound devices, pattern, etc.) to convey
meaning and enhance their writing? [C3a, c]
How do we create effective sentence variety? How does the use
of active verbs and concrete details enhance style and voice?
How does purpose influence tone? [C5]
TP-CASTT (poetry) [C3a, c]; Writers’ Workshop (sentence
combining, active voice) [C4, C5]; Analyzing style and voice –
syntax, imagery, and tone [C3, C4];
Writing & Assessments: - Thought pieces (4-5) [C4]
- Timed Writing 4: poetry (diagnostic)
- Poetry analysis (process)
- Timed Writing 5: poetry (summative)
- Personal Statements (Writers’ Workshop)
Materials [C2]:
C2: The course
includes an intensive
study of representative
works such as those by
authors cited in the AP
English Course
Description.
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
students' writing assignments,
both before and after the students
revise their work, that help
students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
- “Diving Into the Wreck” (Adrienne Rich)
- “Digging” (Seamus Heaney)
- Perrine’s Structure, Sound and Sense, the “Elements of Poetry” section,
Ch. 1-16, w/ poems by Auden, Bishop, Browning, Dickinson, Donne,
Eliot, Frost, Hardy, Heaney, Houseman, Hughes, Keats, Milton, Plath,
Rich, Robinson, Shelley, Tennyson, Whitman, and Yeats [C2]
- Student Writing (Syntax Surgery)
- Student drafts of Personal Statements
- Literature Circle novel or play (fitting with theme)
- Activities from Voice Lessons (Dean)
THE ELEMENTS OF POETRY:
We start with a diagnostic essay (possibly the 2003 prompt: Stevenson and Bridges “Eros” poems) to identify
areas in poetry analysis where students need instruction. The elements we cover each year will depend largely
on student needs, and the individual poems may change.
We start with TP-CASTT strategy (Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude, Shifts, Title, Theme) to help
students develop the close reading skills to attack poetry, and to reinforce the idea that poems must be read
more than once. Then, using Perrine’s Structure, Sound, and Sense as our primary resource, we review
elements of poetry and poetic technique. Poetry is a real weak point for my students: the way our curriculum
is structured, they get very little poetry in ninth through eleventh grade.
Students will read the introductions for the selected chapters in the Perrine text to prepare for
lecture, during which they take notes (Cornell strategy). Literary terms are recorded (with
examples) in the reader’s notebook [C5a] and must be used appropriately in writing.
Students read poems selected for each element (for example, Donne’s “A Valediction:
Forbidding Mourning” is read and analyzed in terms of connotation, while Browning’s “My
Last Duchess” is read for irony and tone). Students use the double entry journal in the
reader’s notebook as a way to record their analysis of the poem in terms of its literary
elements, pulling examples of literary and sound devices in the text and explaining their
meaning and impact. [C3c, C4a-c]
At key points throughout the unit, students will write two formal essays (1 ½ - 2 pages in
length) analyzing selected poems. As in the fiction unit, students start their writing process
by writing their own prompt-style question, for example: How does Atwood’s use of irony in
“Siren Song” help to convey her theme? Then, they write a thesis that answers the question
and develop the thesis into a short essay using specific textual support.
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback … that
help students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the work’s:
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical values it
reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
At the end of the unit, we complete another timed writing (2002 Form B, Auden’s “If I
Could Tell You”) to assess growth.
LITERATURE CIRCLES:
While we work on short stories and poetry in class, students are also reading a literature
circle novel at home (free choice work from the College Board’s list of representative
authors). [C2] Literature circles meet in class about every two weeks, and are also required
to meet on their own at least twice. I meet at varying times with students (individually and
with their literature circles) to check progress and discuss the texts.
C2: The course
includes an intensive
study of representative
works such as those by
authors cited in the AP
English Course
Description.
Unit 3: The Tragic Hero
Essential Questions:
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece
of literature that is based
on a careful observation
of textual details,
considering the work’s:
a)Structure, style, & themes
b)The social & historical
values it reflects & embodies
c)Such elements as the use
of figurative language,
imagery, symbolism, and
tone
Strategies/Skills:
THEME [C3a, b]:
How do we resolve the conflicts created when our convictions or desires go against the will
of society? How do we define madness? How does suffering affect the human spirit?
Reading and Writing:
How do we read drama? In what ways is drama distinct from fiction? What are the
philosophical and structural elements of tragedy? How does Yeats’ concept of “terrible beauty”
apply to our study of tragedy and the tragic figure? How does the tragic figure evolve from the
English Renaissance through to modern literature? [C3a, c]
How does a well-constructed thesis statement create a more unified piece of writing? How can
strategies and planning improve performance in timed writing situations? [C3, C4, C5]
- Writing on Demand: Close reading/annotating text; “Unpacking”
Prompts (revisit); ABCD strategy; thumbnail sketch essays
- Analysis on Demand: Strategies for objective tests: pacing,
process of elimination, etc.
Writing & Assessments: - Thought pieces (5) [C4]
- Timed Writing Tuesdays [C3, C4]
alt. passage/poetry analysis (past AP prompts)
- Timed Writing 10 (tragic figure prompt)
- Process piece comparing structure, theme, and style of 16th
century and modern tragedy [C3, C4, C5]
Materials [C2]:
C2: The course
includes an intensive
study of representative
works such as those by
authors cited in the AP
English Course
Description.
- Glaspell’s Trifles and “A Jury of Her Peers”
- Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Othello, or Macbeth
- Miller’s Death of a Salesman
- Perrine’s Structure, Sound and Sense
- Shakespearean sonnets
- Thematically related poetry and short fiction
- Continue with activities from Voice Lessons (Dean), as well as
additional short passage analysis from our reading
To ease the transition from fiction to drama (and to illustrate the distinctive features of each),
we read Susan Glaspell’s short story “A Jury of her Peers” and her dramatized version of the
story, called Trifles (both are in the Perrine text). The play also provides a good jumping off
point for our study of the tragic hero.
To study the tragic hero, we read a Shakespearean tragedy: most likely Hamlet, Othello, or
Macbeth. Time permitting, we take a performance approach adapted from Shakespeare Set
Free, in which students analyze, stage, and perform selected scenes to deepen their
understanding of the text. Students use their DEJ’s and thought pieces to explore the concept
and fate of the tragic hero, as well as his impact on those around him.
We examine the “modern” tragic figure in Miller’s Death of a Salesman.
During this quarter, writing in class becomes more frequent, with a focus on timed, on-demand
writing to specific prompts (mostly released AP questions). Writing instruction for this quarter
focuses on improving writing speed and thesis development.
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
writing assignments, both before
and after the students revise their
work, that help students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure
Unit 4: The Romantics and the Byronic Hero
This unit begins in first semester, but ends in second semester. The Byronic hero, as an
outsider, is a natural transition from “self” to “other.”
Essential Questions:
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece
of literature that is based
on a careful observation
of textual details,
considering the work’s:
a)Structure, style, & themes
b)The social & historical
values it reflects & embodies
c)Such elements as the use
of figurative language,
imagery, symbolism, and
tone
Strategies/Skills:
THEME [C3a, b]:
How do we see ourselves? How are we seen by society? How do we respond when these
two visions are in conflict? What common themes can we find in both Romantic and
Victorian literature? What does the change from the Romantic to the Victorian period
indicate about the values of the society?
Reading and Writing:
How do typical 19th century conventions (ex. frame story) influence narrative and shape
meaning? How does the Byronic hero differ from the tragic figure? To what extent does the
Byronic hero reflect the values of the Romantic period? How does the Byronic hero evolve in
modern literature? [C3]
How do we respond to a prompt quickly and effectively? How does
the wording of the thesis influence structure?
Continue Writers’ Workshop [C4, C5]; Style Analysis [C3, C4]
– diction, syntax, imagery, detail, and tone; the “Thumbnail
Sketch” – planning an essay on demand (other skills and
strategies introduced depending on emergent student needs)
Writing & Assessments: - Thought pieces (6)
- Compare/Contrast Romantic / Victorian poetry [C3b]
- Timed writing (4)
- Writers’ Workshop (Personal Statements, Process Essay)
Materials [C2]:
C2: The course
includes an intensive
study of representative
works such as those by
authors cited in the AP
English Course
Description.
- Perrine’s Structure, Sound and Sense: selection of work from
Romantic and Victorian poets, including Shelley, Keats, Blake,
Wordsworth, Byron, Hardy, and Browning.
- Byron’s Lara (introducing the Byronic Hero)
- Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner
- Selections from Milton’s Paradise Lost
- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and critical essays
- T.S. Eliot’s “Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
- Literature Circle novel (late 19th century)
- Instead of Frankenstein, we may alternate with other 19th century
novels, such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice,
etc., each of which feature a Byronic hero.
POETRY OF THE 19th CENTURY
We begin with a brief introduction to the Romantic and Victorian periods, and then we
revisit the poetry of the Romantic and Victorian periods from the previous units, examining
common and distinctive traits of each period. We do close readings and annotation for
representative poems of the period, culminating in a process essay comparing and
contrasting two Romantic and two Victorian poems, analyzing and evaluating them in terms
of theme, conventions, and underlying philosophies.
To introduce the idea of the Byronic hero, students read Byron’s Lara. [C3a-c, C4]
PROSE OF THE 19th CENTURY
While we read poetry in class (including Rime of the Ancient Mariner), students read Mary
Shelley’s Frankenstein at home and complete the double-entry journal. Students analyze the
Mariner and the Creature as Byronic heroes, comparing the Byronic hero with the tragic
figures of the previous unit. We complete a timed writing after the first 10 chapters
analyzing the character of Victor Frankenstein, and a second timed writing after completion
of the novel to examine the effects of point of view and selection of detail in creating
character. While we are discussing the novel and the literary criticism essays in class,
students read a later 19th century novel – either Victorian (Austen, Dickens, Bronte, Hardy)
or 19th century American (Twain, Melville, Hawthorne) – outside of class, meeting
periodically to discuss the text in literature circles.
Time permitting, we read Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man to explore the
modern Byronic hero.
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
writing assignments, both before
and after the students revise their
work, that help students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure
The thematic focus of the rest of the year is the “Other” in literature and life. While first semester caused us to look inward,
second semester will have us looking outward to examine the beliefs and influences that shape how we view those different
from ourselves. At the end of the year, after the exam, we work to synthesize our own definitions of what it means to be an
individual, a part of a society, and the other or outsider, roles we all fill at some point in our lives.
Defining Society and the “Other”
Unit 5: The “Other” in Literature
Essential Questions:
C3: The course teaches
students to write an
interpretation of a piece of
literature that is based on a
careful observation of textual
details, considering the
work’s:
THEME [C3a, b]:
How do we define the “other”? How does the way society
defines the “other” reflect its intrinsic values?
Reading and Writing:
What effect does narrative point of view have on our interpretation of
the “other”? How does the concept of the “other” function in text?
Strategies/Skills:
Students will continue to use previously acquired skills and
strategies. The specific skills taught during this unit will depend
on the students’ needs. We will continue with our testing
strategies and timed writing practice.
Writing & Assessments: - Thought pieces [C4] (approx. 8)
- Timed Writing Tuesdays ☺
- HOD essay (timed)
- Application of Critical Viewpoint (TFA) [C3]
- Writers’ Workshop (Process Essay)
Materials:
C2: The course
includes an intensive
study of representative
works such as those by
authors cited in the AP
English Course
Description.
a)Structure, style, and themes
b)The social and historical
values it reflects and embodies
c)Such elements as the use of
figurative language, imagery,
symbolism, and tone
C4: The course includes frequent
opportunities for students to write
and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class
responses. The course requires:
a) Writing to understand
b) Writing to explain
c) Writing to evaluate
- Perrine’s Structure, Sound and Sense, selected poetry including:
- “The Second Coming” (Yeats)
- “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “The Hollow Men” (Eliot)
- Josef Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
- Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and
“An Image of Africa” (Essay)
- Critical Essays on Heart of Darkness
- Excerpts from Huck Finn, Wuthering Heights, Tracks, Woman
Warrior, etc. examining portrayal of the “other”
- Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man
- Literature Circle novel or drama (20th century)
Heart of Darkness
Students read Conrad’s Heart of Darkness at home and in class, completing a double-entry
journal focusing on motifs, diction, syntax, and imagery. Students analyze the Marlowe,
Kurtz, and the Africans as “others.”
After completing the novel, students read Achebe's Essay "An Image of Africa" and
compose a 2-3 page essay in which they respond to Achebe's assertions. [C3] They support
or refute his contentions using specific textual evidence from Heart of Darkness.
Critical Viewpoints [C3]
After their brief introduction to literary criticism, students read representative articles from
four additional schools of critical thought – Feminist, Culturalist, New Historicist, and
Reader Response – and discuss them in groups. Each group discusses one article at length,
then students form new groups to complete a “jigsaw” to share all four critical lenses.
Students will choose the viewpoint they find most interesting and apply it to Achebe’s
Things Fall Apart.
We continue with our ongoing assignments, including thought pieces, essays (timed and
process), writers’ workshop, grammar and vocabulary instruction, style analysis, etc., adding
more test prep as we approach the exam.
AFTER THE EXAM:
The four weeks remaining after the exam in May will focus on honing writing skills through
Writers’ Workshop [C5], reflecting on the progress made through the year, and compiling a
showcase portfolio for presentation to the class. A few days will also focus on college
survival skills, including scheduling courses, managing time, and studying effectively.
C5: The AP teacher provides
instruction and feedback on
writing assignments, both before
and after the students revise their
work, that help students develop:
a) a wide-ranging vocabulary
used appropriately & effectively
b)a variety of sentence structures,
including appropriate use of
coordination and subordination
c) Logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase
coherence, such as repetition,
transitions, and emphasis
d) a balance of generalization and
specific, illustrative detail
e) An effective use of rhetoric,
including controlling tone, establishing
and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction
and sentence structure