English IV AP: Literature and Composition
Mrs. Beard
1st Nine Weeks Syllabus/Unit Plan
Primary Objective and Course Description: To provide students with the critical thinking skills required to understand the
themes and the relevance of major works of literature, including selections from the major literary genres of long
and short fiction, poetry and drama. The AP course introduction states that the “AP English Literature and
Composition course engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through
the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to
provide both meaning and pleasure for readers. As they read, students consider the work’s structure, style, and
themes as well as such smaller-scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone.”
(Taken from AP Central) The course includes an intensive study of representative works such as those by
authors cited in the AP English Course Description. (Note: The College Board does not mandate any particular
authors or reading list.) The choice of works for the AP course is made by the school in relation to the school's
overall English curriculum sequence, so that by the time the student completes AP English Literature and
Composition she or he will have studied during high school literature from both British and American writers,
as well as works written in several genres from the sixteenth century to contemporary times. The works
selected for the course should require careful, deliberative reading that yields multiple meanings.
1. 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: o Structure, style, and themes o The
social and historical values it reflects and embodies o Such elements as the use of figurative
language, imagery, symbolism, and tone
2. The course includes frequent opportunities for students to write and rewrite formal, extended
analyses and timed, in-class responses. The course requires: o Writing to understand: Informal,
exploratory writing activities that enable students to discover what they think in the process of
writing about their reading (such assignments could include annotation, free-writing, keeping a
reading journal, and response / reaction papers) o Writing to explain: Expository, analytical
essays in which students draw upon textual details to develop an extended explanation /
interpretation of the meanings of a literary text o Writing to evaluate: Analytical, argumentative
essays in which students draw upon textual details to make and explain judgments about a work's
artistry and quality, and its social and cultural values
3. The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students' writing assignments, both before
and after the students revise their work, that help the students develop: o A wide-ranging
vocabulary used appropriately and effectively o A variety of sentence structures, including
appropriate use of subordination and coordination o Logical organization, enhanced by specific
techniques to increase coherence, such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis o A balance of
generalization and specific, illustrative detail o An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling
tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and
sentence structure
Writing Objectives: (Taken from APcentral.collegeboard.com)
Writing is an integral part of the AP English Literature and Composition course and exam. Writing
assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and include expository, analytical, and argumentative
essays.
The goal. . .of writing assignments is to increase students’ ability to explain clearly, cogently, even elegantly,
what they understand about literary works and why they interpret them as they do.
To that end, writing instruction includes attention to developing and organizing ideas in clear, coherent and
persuasive language. It includes study of the elements of style. And it attends to matters of precision and
correctness as necessary. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on helping students develop stylistic
maturity, which, for AP English, is characterized by the following:
A. a wide-ranging vocabulary used with denotative accuracy and connotative resourcefulness;
B. a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordinate and coordinate
constructions;
C. a logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques of coherence such as
repetition, transitions, and emphasis;
D. a balance of generalization with specific illustrative detail; and
E.
an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, maintaining a consistent voice, and achieving
emphasis through parallelism and antithesis.
The writing required in an AP English Literature and Composition course is thus more than a mere adjunct to
the study of literature. The writing that students produce in the course reinforces their reading. Since reading
and writing stimulate and support one another, they are taught together in order to underscore both their
common and their distinctive elements.
Essential Questions: What rules human life: fate or free will? What is the motive behind Oedipus’ quest for
justice and truth? How does Oedipus embody the characteristics of the tragic/Sophoclean hero? Is Oedipus
heroic? How does literature deal with the issue of moral ambiguity? How do authors force us to interact with
our own humanity in a way that is not entirely comfortable? How does literature address the moral and
ethical issues of the time? Is literature an effective medium to spawn social change?
Textbooks: The Theban Trilogy, Medea, The Bedford Introduction to Literature, and teacher-selected pieces.
Textbooks are required in class EVERY day—this is a non-negotiable.
August 25-29
Class meetings. Consider reading Jocasta and discussing in class on the first block day.
Mon: “Meet and Greet,” and discuss Tuesday’s assessment over The Theban Trilogy.
HW: prepare for assessment over the plays
Tues: Discuss class philosophy, use of Vocabulary books, unit syllabus.
Wed and Thurs: Grammar Diagnostic; Strategies for writing/reading critically: workshop developing close reading skills
(prose) ***3rd period students will have an abbreviated class due to senior class meetings. I suggest you attend
tutorials to make up this assignment ASAP. 1, 2, A, C,
HW: Review The Theban Trilogy
Fri: Notes: Greek Theatre/Classical Tragedy 1
HW: Read Bedford pp 1418-1426; Aristotle, pp 1506-1508; Freud, pp 1508-1509.
September 1-5
Mon: Labor Day: Student holiday 
HW: Review Oedipus the King; read “Jocasta” (handout/website)
Tues: Summer Reading Assessment (double formative); time permitting, we will continue our notes from Friday.
Wed/Thurs: Discussion of Oedipus and “Jocasta”; Senior Picture Day! 
1
Fri: continue discussion 1
HW: Begin reading Medea; vocabulary from Medea
September 8-12
Mon: Look at open-ended prompts and range finders: Discuss how one approaches this prompt. 1,2 A, E
Tues: Continue discussion of Oedipus HW: Finish Medea 1
Wed/Thurs: Timed Writing: Students will choose either Oedipus or Antigone to answer the question (summative)
Continue discussion of Oedipus 1,2 A, B, C, E
Fri: Medea Vocabulary quiz (formative); continue discussion HW: continue reading Medea A, 1,
September 15-19
Mon: Multiple Choice Practice #1; Begin writing on prompt (intros/topic sentences due on Monday, Sept 22rd—formative) 1
Compete literary report card on Oedipus and Antigone.
Tues: Reading Check over Medea--formative (entire play); Notes on Medea, begin discussion of the play Intensive study
Wed/Thurs: Continue discussion of Medea What is a thesis statement? Students will work on crafting their thesis
statements for the upcoming essay. 1, 2, C, E,
Fri: Vocab. Quiz—Unit 1 (formative); discussion of Medea Intensive study
UPDATED, Friday, September 26th
September 22-26
Mon: Writing Workshop: Students will submit their intros/topic sentences for class review. Students are required to label
their thesis statement and supporting details (topic sentences). Two typed copies required (formative) Complete
report card on Medea;
1,2,3
Tues: Continue to conference with Mrs. Beard regarding essays; Class project: significant moments in Oedipus, Medea, and
Antigone Intensive study
Wed/Thurs: Summative assessment—Oedipus, Medea, all notes; begin discussing short pieces if time permits Intensive
study
Fri: Unit 2 Vocbaulary Quiz (formative); work on essays. Intensive study
HW: continue revising essays
September 29-October 3
Mon: Writing Workshop: Bring ONE typed copy of the essay. The essay should be complete, including a works cited
page. Students will complete a self-edit and a peer edit.
Tues: Multiple Choice Practice #2; Literary Analysis due! ( 1 day-20, 2 days-40, 3-days-60, 4 days -80) On-time submission
is determined by uploading the essay to turnitin.com by 7am on the due date. Paper copies are to be submitted
in class on the due date or immediately upon your return to campus. If you will not be in class on the day your
essay is due, you are still required to upload to TII in order to avoid late penalties. There are no exceptions to this
policy. You are not required to submit a works cited page for this essay. 1,2,4 Read and annotate the
Shakespearean sonnets (packet given in class/posted on website; Notes on the sonnet form Intensive study
Wed/Thurs: Strategies for reading and writing critically: Poetry workshop 1,2,3
Fri: review Greek tragedy unit test; continue discussion of the sonnets. Intensive study
HW: continue reading and annotating the sonnets
October 6-10
Mon: Multiple choice Practice #3; discuss sonnets Intensive study
Tues: Unit 3 Vocabulary quiz (formative); Poetry workshop: breaking down the prompt Intensive study
Wed/Thurs: discussion of Tuesday’s work. Students will evaluate the writing samples using the AP rubric. They will also
grade and discuss the range finders; Assign comparative poetry essay. Students will select their poems and work on crafting
their introductions in class. 1,2,3, E
Fri: Multiple choice practice #4; wrap-up discussion of the sonnets. Intensive study
October 13-17
Mon: Student Holiday 
HW: Hamlet, Act 1, read notes on Hamlet (posted on website)
Tues: Writing workshop: Comparative poetry essays—formative 1,2,3, A, B. C. D. E.
(first 2 paragraphs are due. Must be typed and properly formatted—TWO copies!)
HW: Hamlet, Act II
Wed/Thurs: Summative Assessment: Sonnets; bring Hamlet as you may have time to read after the test. *** I will continue
to look at poetry essays and provide feedback during this time.
Fri: Review Medea essays, discuss strengths/weaknesses, common errors; complete writing reflection; discuss the essays
due on Tuesday; students may have time to work on their essays. 3
HW: Prepare for quiz over Acts I and II on Tuesday.
October 20-24
Mon: Hamlet reading check, Acts I and II (formative); Lecture—the history of Hamlet and the legacy of Shakespeare.
Intensive study
Tues: Comparative poetry essay due (summative) ( 1 day-20, 2 days-40, 3-days-60, 4 days -80) On-time submission is
determined by uploading the essay to turnitin.com by 7am on the due date. Paper copies are to be submitted in
class on the due date or immediately upon your return to campus. If you will not be in class on the day your
essay is due, you are still required to upload to TII in order to avoid late penalties. There are no exceptions to this
policy. You are not required to submit a works cited page for this essay. PLEASE NOTE: this essay will be the first
summative for the next grading period. 1-3, A-E
Continue discussion of Hamlet.
Wed/Thurs: Unit 4 Vocabulary Quiz (formative); Analyze Act I: Hamlet and the trouble with ghosts. Intensive study
Fri: continue discussion of Hamlet. Intensive study
Tutoring: room 2602: Tuesday 2:50-3:20; Thursday, 8:45-9:15 Other times by appointment only. No
appointments available on Wednesday.
Make-ups: If you need to make up a quiz or test, please see me and we will work out a time. Students have one week to
make up a test or quiz. However, if a student misses a reading check, the makeup must be taken the day the
student returns to class.
Absences: If a student is absent, it is his/her responsibility to make up the work within the allotted time. Failure to make up
a quiz or a test within the allotted time will result in a zero. Furthermore, absences do not postpone upcoming
assignments. You are required to keep up with the reading/writing expectations of the course regardless of
whether or not you attend the previous class.
Grades: 75% summative (tests and essays)
25% formative (quizzes, reading checks and other grades)
AP/Dual Credit courses do not allow for retesting on either formative or summative grades.
Summatives: (4)
Timed Writing (Summer reading)
Literary Analysis paper
Greek Tragedy Unit Test
Sonnets test
Formatives: (12)
Summer Reading check (double formative--2)
Vocab. Quizzes (5)
Medea reading check (1)
Writing workshops (3)
Multiple Choice Practice (highest grade will be recorded)
Grammar resources/Helpful websites: Grammar will be taught throughout the course in writing workshops, warm-ups,
etc.
http://wps.ablongman.com/long_fowler_ibh_10/
The Little, Brown Book is a reliable and relevant source of information regarding grammar and writing. The website
contains lessons and practice quizzes.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
This extremely thorough compilation of grammar topics is easy to navigate: choose grammar lessons from the
word/sentence or paragraph level, and practice your skills with interactive quizzes.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
The go-to resource for teachers and students, OWL at Purdue is a highly regarded grammar and writing website. Grammar
lessons are clear and concise, and the website offers many practice quizzes and worksheets.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/plague.htm
Grammar “plague” lists such as these are always an interesting read and provide invaluable information on how to write
more clearly.