English 11- AP
Mrs. Morris, Room 111
Course Description:
AP Language and Composition course is a college level course which focuses on critical
thinking, reading, and writing through the study and discussion of descriptive, narrative,
expository, analytical, persuasive, and creative writing. Students will be developing skills in
research, organization, written and oral discourse, close reading and vocabulary, and precise
language control. Students will write effectively and confidently and become skilled readers of
pieces written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts. Students will focus on
a variety of sources in literature and nonfiction works, theme related photos, artwork, video clips,
advertisements, and other media sources.
* Summer reading assignments are due on Monday, September 13, 2010
Class Objectives:
 Students will become familiar with the Rhetorical Triangle, the concepts of ethos,
pathos, and logos, visual rhetoric, rhetorical terms (definitions and examples), and
when rhetoric fails to persuade. Text from Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man Alive”
speech and FDR’s “Day of Infamy” speech will be analyzed.
 Students will review and practice the procedures for “How to Do a Close
Reading”, do close reading exercises (annotation, dialectical journal, graphic
organizer) and do a close reading of Joan Didion’s Santa Anna Winds: A
Mechanistic View of Nature by Jane Knobler
 Introduction of rhetorical modes: Narration, Description, Compare and Contrast,
Definition, Classification, Analyzing a Process, Analyzing Cause and Effect,
Satirical, Persuasive (argumentative)
 Students will read and analyze a number of fiction and nonfiction essays from The
Language of Composition, and The Well Crafted Argument which are grouped
according to rhetorical mode. The essays are examples of all types of fiction and
nonfiction reading: journalism, political writing, science and nature writing,
autobiographies/biographies, diaries, history, criticisms, etc. Students will identify
and explain an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques to achieve a
particular effect.
 Students will be assigned free writing journal entries on a variety of subjects
which will tie into the topics being studied.
 Students will complete and discuss the questions following each reading
 In each reading, students will identify and discuss the following: thesis, tone,
purpose, audience and occasion, evidence, appeals (ethos, logos, pathos)
assumptions, rhetorical modes, and rhetorical devices (irony, diction, syntax)
 Students will be shown a wide variety of graphic and visual images which will
serve as alternative text and will further reinforce the techniques and styles of
each particular rhetorical mode.
 Students will compose an essay (topic chosen by the teacher) modeled on the
nonfiction readings and images viewed.
• Essays will be assessed in two ways:
1. On specific concentrations in style, syntax, and usage, and citation. (100
pts)
2. Holistic score using the standard AP assessment rubric (1-9)
• The procedure for writing and revising will be standard for every essay:
first draft, peer edit, self edit and revise, teacher assessment, second
revision, second teacher assessment. A third revision may be necessary in
some instances.
Fall Semester (September 2010 to January 2011)
Introduction, classroom procedures, teacher expectations, daily journal requirements,
assessments. AP syllabus review, AP Language and Composition Standards, review of standard
AP Language Rubric to be used for essay assessment.
Descriptive Mode: Students will do close readings of:
• Kincaid, Jamaica, “On Seeing England For the First Time” (904)
• Cisneros, Sandra, “Eleven” (144)
• Olsen, Tillie, “I Stand Here Ironing” (224)
• Ehrenreich, Barbara, from “Serving in Florida’ (179)
• Denby, David, “High School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies” (709)
• Ostrom, Hans, “Emily Dickenson and Elvis Presley in Heaven” (759)
Review techniques for improving sentence style and word choice. Model effective use of active
voice for enhanced accuracy in language. Practice the use of imagery. Review modifiers and
appositives. Introduce direct and indirect characterization. There will be worksheets, exercises,
and quizzes relevant these subjects.
Assignment: Essay #1 to evaluate the model essays: Descriptive mode
Students will reread from “”Serving in Florida” and “High School Confidential: Notes on Teen
Movies” and note the way the authors use figurative language to describe. Explain which essay
does a better job of describing the subject. Cite specific examples from the works to support your
claim.
The grading of Essay #1 will focus on the varying of sentence style, the use of the passive voice,
and the utilization of appropriate details, the use of direct and indirect characterization, as well as
the AP Standard Rubric.
Assessments:
Quizzes: Students will be quizzed on most readings to check for understanding. They will also be
quizzed on vocabulary from the readings and from their vocabulary book.
Test: Identification of rhetorical devices and figurative language.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter
Students will do annotated reading of this novel. Students will identify and understand the
elements of setting, characterization, initial incidents, conflicts, climaxes, resolutions, and
conclusions.
Students will complete various activities which will illustrate their understanding of the novel.
Narrative Mode: Students will do close readings of:
• Alexie, Sherman, “Superman and Me”
• Woolf, Virginia, “Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid”
• National Park Service, “Christiansted: Official Map and Guide”
• Talese, Gay, “The Silent Season of a Hero”
Review techniques for using concise diction and appropriate wording. Review the use of direct
and active verbs. There will be worksheets, exercises, and quizzes relevant these reviews.
Assignment: Essay #2 to understand how to write in the Narrative Mode
Select a personal experience that was meaningful for you. Your assignment is to choose the most
important details and develop them into an essay that will leave your readers with a vivid
impression of your experience and an understanding of the significance of the event.
The grading of essay #2 will focus on the use of concise diction, appropriate wording and the use
of vivid, active verbs as well as the AP Standard Rubric.
Assessments:
Quizzes: Students will be quizzed on most readings to check for understanding. They will also be
quizzed on vocabulary from the readings and vocabulary book
Test: Identification of rhetorical devices and figurative language.
Definition Mode: Students will do close readings of:
• Theroux, Paul, “Being A Man” (378)
• Piercy, Marge, “Barbie Doll” (403)
• Tannen, Deborah, “There is No Unmarked Woman” (388)
• Howard, Jane, “In Search of the Good Family” (283)
Review and practice techniques for writing a strong thesis statement, using parallel structure, and
understanding connotation and denotation. There will be worksheets, exercises, and quizzes
relevant these topics.
Assignment: Essay #3 to evaluate model essays: Definition Mode
Paul Theroux and Deborah Tannen both write about gender definition. Which one makes more of
an impression on you and why? Discuss the language, and rhetorical devices used to support
your opinion. Cite quotes and examples from the text.
The grading of Essay #3 will focus on the thesis statement, the use of parallel structure, and the
degree to which coherence is exhibited, as well as the AP Standard Rubric.
Assessments:
Quizzes: Students will be quizzed on most reading to check for understanding. They will also be
quizzed on vocabulary from the readings and vocabulary book
Test: Rhetorical devices and Figurative language
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
Students will do annotated reading of this novel. Students will identify and understand the
elements of setting, characterization, initial incidents, conflicts, climaxes, resolutions, and
conclusions. Students will complete various activities which will show their understanding of the
novel.
Compare and Contrast Mode: Students will do close reading of:
• Brooks, David, “Mind Over Muscle” (410)
• Mori, Kyoko, “School” (130)
• Norris, Floyd, “U.S. Students Fare Badly in International Survey of Math Skills” (with
table) (160)
• Hulbert, Ann “Boy Problems” (with table) (414)
Review and practice patterns of organization, subject-verb agreement, and proper use of
punctuation. There will be worksheets, exercises, and quizzes relevant to these topics.
There will be group discussions on each of the readings using the specific methods for Compare
and Contrast:
 Discuss similarities and differences in the subject
 Explore the patterns of organization: block, point by point, or a combination of
the two
 Talk about the use of metaphors and analogies
 Consider the purpose and the persona to make the point
Assignment: Essay #4 to evaluate model essays: Compare/Contrast Mode
Both Mori Kyoko and Floyd Norris write about the educational system in the United States as
compared to other countries. How does each author express his/her values through his/her
writing? Identify both the pattern of organization and the use of rhetorical devices in each essay
and explain how both authors view the educational system in the United States.
The grading of Essay #4 will focus on pattern of organization, subject-verb agreement, and
proper punctuation, as well as the AP Standard Rubric.
Assessments:
Quizzes: Students will be quizzed on most reading to check for understanding. They will also be
quizzed on vocabulary from the readings and vocabulary book.
Cause and Effect Mode: Students will do close readings of:
• Tyagi, Amelia Warren, “Why Women Have to Work” (238)
• Wiltz, Teresa, “Popular Culture in the Aftermath of September 11 Is a Chorus Without a
Hook, a Movie Without an Ending” (751)
• Glick, Daniel, “ Geosigns: The Big Thaw” (881)
• Prose, Francinde, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read” (89)
• Zeid, Mohammed, “Why I Could Not Accept Your Invitation” (571)
There will be group discussions on each of the readings specifically related to the Cause and
Effect mode.
 Stating the topic as a question that asks why “X” happened
 Stating the topic as a question that asks what results from “X”
 Is the emphasis on cause or effect?
 What is the main point?
 What evidence supports the main point?
 What impression does the reader get?
 Are any terms unfamiliar?
Assignment: Essay #5 to evaluate model essays in the Cause and Effect Mode
The readings in this section address differing topics- terrorism, war, the economy, the
environment, and the educational system- yet all depend upon example, narration, and
description to investigate and explain their subjects. Of the five, who faces the most difficult
topic? How well does the writer deal with it? Use examples from the other readings for
comparison.
The grading of essay #5 will focus on a strong thesis statement, parallel structure, and coherent
development, as well as the AP Standard Rubric.
Assessments:
Quizzes: Students will be quizzed on most reading to check for understanding. They will also be
quizzed on vocabulary from the readings and vocabulary book.
Test: Students will be tested on the various grammar lessons that have been covered throughout
the semester as well as the various literary terms and devices that have been taught.
Vocabulary- Units 1-8 will be completed.
Regents Review: throughout the semester.
January 2010- Comprehensive English Regents Exam
WINTER SEMESTER (February- June 2011)
Satire: Students will:
• Become familiar with the definition and components of satire
• Learn how to recognize satire in essays, songs, and cartoons
• Read and listen to various works. In small groups, students will work on picking out
elements of satire.
On Using Argument (Persuasive Mode): Students will do close readings on:
• King, Martin Luther , “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
• Hayakawa, S.I., “Bilingualism in America: English Should Be the Official Language”
• Cofer, Judith Ortiz, “The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria”
• Hardin, Garrett, “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor”
• Swift, Jonathan, “A Modest Proposal”
• Roosevelt, Theodore, “The Proper Place for Sports”
• Newhouse, Dave, “Brawn and Brains: Student Athletes get a Bum Rap”
Viewing:
• “Persuasive Language”. Classroom Media. 1999. PowerMediaPlus.com. 5 June 2008.
• “Frontline: The Persuaders”. PBS. 2004. PowerMediaPlus.com. 5 June 2008.
• King, Martin Luther, video and hard copy of “I Have a Dream Speech”
• Kennedy, John F., video and hard copy of “Presidential Inaugural Address”
• Various political cartoons, editorials and advertisements
Useful terms for this topic include: ad hominem argument, pathos (appeal to emotion), ethos
(appeal to persona…credibility), logos (appeal to reason), argument, bandwagon, begging the
question, circular reasoning, deductive reasoning, either-or-reasoning, inductive reasoning, false
analogy, false authority, hasty generalization, logical fallacy, non sequitur, persona, post hoc
reasoning, purr words, shifting definition, satire, snob appeal, straw man, testimonial
Students will use The Elements of Style by Strunk and White for the purpose of reviewing and
discussing citation techniques according to MLA format.
Exploring the Topic:
o What position will you take toward the subject? Research is a must! Take a stand.
o Include background information and definitions wherever necessary.
o Provide examples to illustrate topic.
o Appeal to reason (use example, cause and effect, process, compare and contrast, analogy,
division and classification)
o Establish a tone that indicates credibility
Drafting a Persuasive Essay:
o Know your audience
o Know your purpose (to convince your reader to adopt your view and/or to act on it)
o Counter argue (acknowledge the opposing viewpoints, address them, and destroy them)
o Avoid logical pitfalls
o Be aware of your tone
o Place your point where it does the most good
Assignment: Essay # 6, Using Argument
Choose a topic from the following list and take a stand. Be sure to research your topic using
various mediums types including graphic and visual images and cite your sources according to
proper MLA format:
Reality television as a positive or negative cultural phenomenon
Hip-hop music lyrics
Illegal music downloading
Internet privacy issues
Celebrity gossip and the paparazzi
Alcohol sales at sporting events
Salary caps for professional athletes
Assignment: Essay #7
Choose either King’s “I Have a Dream” speech or Kennedy’s Inaugural Speech. Analyze the
rhetorical devices used in the speech which made it so powerful and influential for change.
Support your claims with specific references to the work.
Essays # 6 and 7 will be assessed for: proper format for persuasive essay structure, at least three
logical examples to support the writer’s position, recognition and discredit of the opposition, and
proper citation of sources.
Helpful websites for developing a persuasive essay:
http://encarta.msn.com/sidebar_701509747/Persuasive_Essay.html
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=268
http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/linkscommon.htm
http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/curriculum/writing/sec_writing/persuasivewritesites.htm
Throughout the semester, students will be doing practice AP tests: as well as completing
vocabulary units 9-15.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011- AP English Language and Composition Exam
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
Students will do annotated reading of this novel. They will answer discussion questions
regarding particular stories within the book. A project based on the novel will count as the final
exam.
Viewing:
• Video clips of Vietnam: Chronicle of a War, CBS News, 1981
• Written song lyrics and recording of Goodnight Saigon by Billy Joel
Helpful Website:
http://www.cas.buffalo.edu/classes/eng/willbern/BestSellers/Things/things.html