Advanced Placement Language & Composition
Mrs. Springer
262-789-6354 (please leave a message)
kristine.springer@nbexcellence.org (preferred)
Course Description:
AP Language and Composition (APLAC) is a yearlong course that engages you in becoming a skilled
reader of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and in becoming a
skilled writer who composes for a variety of purposes. Both your writing and reading should make
you aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well
as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing.
 Course Description: English, The College Board
Learning Targets: Upon completing the AP English Language and Composition course, students
should be able to:
 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;
 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
sources, cogent explanations and clear transitions;
 Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic
maturity in their own writings;
 Demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources;
 Move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and
research, drafting, revising, editing and review;
 Revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience;
 Analyze image as text; and
 Evaluate and incorporate reference documents into research papers.
Course Outline: Through the year, there are three major areas of focus: rhetorical analysis,
analyzing and writing argument, and synthesis. Each of these units will involve significant reading of
full-length texts and selections from the Patterns text. Each unit will also involve multiple in-class
essay experiences as well as process writing of longer pieces. Throughout the year, students will
develop their tone, reading, and writing vocabulary as well as their knowledge and application of
English grammar. Regular test practice and preparation in the form of sample Advanced Placement
Language and Composition multiple-choice tests and essay prompts will happen throughout the year.
The following outline provides the broadest sketch of the larger works we will read and the process
writing we will do within each unit. Additionally, students will complete three personal
growth/journal reflections (one per unit). Two will be written, and one will be completed in a one-onone conference with Mrs. Springer.
*Two to three journals will be completed weekly in addition to the work below. Only
approximately one-third of them are assessed, but they will be checked and used for the
reflections. Some of students’ greatest growth comes from their journal writing.
Unit 1: Rhetorical Analysis




Readings from Patterns text
o Narrative essay
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass
o Frederick Douglass rhetorical analysis
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
o On-demand rhetorical analysis
o Film study of Baz Luhrmann version of Gatsby
Close reading of historical documents
o On-demand rhetorical analysis
Unit 2: Argument
 Readings from Patterns text
o Two choice argument essays (satire, definition, cause and effect, exemplification,
process analysis, compare/contrast, classification and division
 Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer
o On-demand argument essay
 Subject Comparison Study
o Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich
o Scratch Beginnings, Adam Shepard
 On-demand argument essay
Unit Three: Synthesis
 I-search research paper
 “Voice and Choice” Book Groups (Choose 1):
o Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser
o Salt Sugar Fat, Michael Moss
o In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan
 On-demand synthesis: Locavores
AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION TEST ~ WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016
Post-Test: Fiction
 The Crucible, Arthur Miller
o Small group project: rhetorical analysis, argument, synthesis
 The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne (possible)
Textbook/Resource materials:
You will be issued a copy of Patterns for College Writing, 10th ed.
The various novels and novel-length texts are also available for use through school; however, you may
also purchase these texts for your own use. Annotating is easier if you purchase your own books.
Materials
 Paper, notebook for class notes, folder, black or blue pens, a binder, a flash drive
 A notebook/binder exclusively for reading journals
 Internet access either through home or school for Google Apps including Google Docs and
Haiku Learning and for Turnitin.com
 Post-it notes and/or highlighters for annotating texts
 According to Board policy, all students enrolled in AP courses must take the College Board
exam in May. The fee associated with this is approximately $80.00
Expectations
 All work is expected on time, and your life will be much easier if you keep a planner and
meet your deadlines. However, everybody lives a life, and sometimes work must come in after
deadlines. Please see to make individual arrangements when needed.
 I expect all papers to be submitted to me both in print and electronically through turnitin.com
 Push yourselves. Undertaking a challenge is always worth the effort required!
 Be kind to yourself and support one another. This is a huge undertaking, and we will be
studying some things that are new to you. Always remember that you will make mistakes as
you learn new material. That’s OK. You will learn and grow from those mistakes.
I am always available to help you, to conference with you, and to answer questions. I’m
available either in room 242 before or after school, during Flex time, or during my prep periods (see
schedule below). Please make an appointment prior to coming to see me in case I have a meeting or
there are other students who need assistance.
Grading
You will be evaluated throughout the year on your progress towards mastering the learning targets
identified for this course. You will have many opportunities to practice skills as you work towards
mastery. You will receive regular, meaningful feedback on the assignments you do, feedback that
should help you grow as a student.
All assignments you do will reflect your learning towards the targets and will fall under the three
major categories of APLAC – rhetorical analysis, argument, and synthesis.
Quarter grading categories:
Reading 40%
Writing 55%
Vocabulary Quizzes 5%
Practice Tests (Recorded in Infinite Campus, but do not affect grade)
Each quarter is worth 50% of the semester grade.
There is no final exam in this class.
Students and parents should check Infinite Campus regularly for grade updates and contact me with
any questions or concerns.
Grading Scale:
100-97 A+ 96-93 A
79-77 C+
76-73 C
90-92 A70-72 C-
89-87 B+
69-67 D+
86-83 B
66-63 D
80-82 B60-62 D-
It is expected that students make up any late or missing work; additional help and time will be
provided for all students in order to successfully complete work. All assignments will receive full
credit once they are turned in and evaluated.
Essays may be rewritten with additional conferencing and revision. The new & improved grade will
replace the original grade.
Steps for Completing a Redo for a Written Assignment:
1. Make changes to your assignment using the suggestions provided by Mrs. Springer on your assignment.
2. Have an adult aside from Mrs. Springer revise your updated assignment.
*You must get a signature on your assignment from whomever looks it over.
3. Make additional suggested changes.
4. Print out a new final copy of your assignment, and highlight all changes you made (from both edits).
5. Turn in the original assignment with the rubric, all of your drafts, and your final (highlighted) copy.
*A redo written assignment will not be accepted unless ALL of the above steps are completed by the redo
due date.
Academic achievement is reported separately from behavior. As a general rule, extra credit is not
available in this course.
Group work: Due to the nature of this class, students will be asked to participate in a variety of
small group discussions and activities. Most of the time, group work will not be assigned a grade. If
group work will be graded, students will be allowed to select their own work partners and there will be
individual points assigned to elements of the group work. In other words, students will be responsible
for their own performance within the group activity and will receive an individual grade.
Absences: Students are responsible for seeing Mrs. Springer as soon as possible before or after an
absence in order to make arrangements to make up any missing work or catch up on class content you
missed while you were away.
Plagiarism:
Please review the school handbook for the definition, examples, and consequences for plagiarism.
Mrs. Springer’s Schedule
7:30-8:30 – A
8:34-9:34 – B
9:38-10:38- C
10:38 – 11:52
11:52-12:52 – D
12:56-1:56 – E
2:00-3:00 - F
Dropped
Classes
Red
English 11 (rotating)
APLAC - B
English 9H - C
FLEX/LUNCH
Prep (rotating)
English 9H– E
APLAC – F
APLAC – A
Prep
Orange
APLAC – A
English 11 (rotating)
English 9H - C
FLEX/LUNCH
Prep
Prep (rotating)
APLAC – F
APLAC – B
English 9H - E
Yellow
APLAC – A
APLAC – B
English 11 (rotating)
FLEX/LUNCH
Prep
English 9H– E
Prep (rotating)
English 9 H – C
APLAC – F
Green
APLAC - A
APLAC - B
English 9H - C
FLEX/LUNCH
Prep
English 9H– E
APLAC – F
English 11 – A
Prep