AP Literature and Composition
David Fulton
Appoquinimink High School
D218
david.fulton@appo.k12.de.us
302-499-3820 ext 4218
Vision Statement:
Appoquinimink High School is a school committed to fostering personal growth through positive
character development and the use of state of the art tools and practices to enable students to make a
positive impact on today’s global society.
Mission Statement:
Achievement


Promote an engaging learning environment everyday in the classroom.
Honor students’ unique strengths and needs.
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
Model positive character attributes.
Recognize acts of integrity and leadership.

Increase students’ awareness of the global society. Emphasize the individual’s
role in the community.
Honor
Service
Course Description
AP English Literature and Composition is a rigorous college-level course that will give students
a learning experience equivalent to a typical undergrad introduction to literature class. The
reading and writing is frequent and challenging; the course requires independent thinking.
Through close reading of literary texts, students will come to understand how writers use
language to provide meaning and to answer the big questions in life. We will “measure”
literature against the history of philosophy to understand how literature fits into its own time as
well as in all time. Our literary analysis will look through the lenses of style and structure,
diction, figurative language, imagery, selection of detail, language, and syntax. Vocabulary study
is important. Students will also master literary terms. Writing well about literature is a key
component of the class. In addition to writing a variety of essays, students will keep a writing log
over the course of the year to document their writing. It is expected that students will take the AP
English exam in May. Students should check with various colleges to see what credits they offer
for the test.
Methods of Instruction
The class will focus on class discussion, some lecture, group and individual presentations, style
and literary analysis of various works and writing/vocabulary/analytical skills. You should take
notes each day, for tests and quizzes will cover notes and reading assignments. Also, thoughtful
and detailed notes provide valuable ideas and support for essays. Do not merely take notes on
what I say; take notes on what your peers say as well. Student leadership roles and participation
in class discussions are vital to the quality of learning for which we are all responsible.
Primary Resources/Texts
The Bedford Introduction to Literature 8th ed. Michael Meyer
How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster
1984 – George Orwell
Oedipus Rex, Sophocles
Beowulf, Seamus Heaney translation
Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Slaughter-house Five, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Catch-22, Joseph Heller
Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett
Class Expectations
-Various compositions every two weeks
-Reading anywhere from 20 to 35 pages per class night
-Homework of some sort every night
-Tests at the end of each unit; unannounced quizzes throughout the year
-Participating in class discussion every day as well as leading class discussion a few times during
the year
-A timed writing every two weeks to practice for the AP Exam
-Taking the AP Exam in May
Assessment
-Daily homework assignments
-Class discussion/participation
-Compositions
-Timed essays
-Presentations/Speeches
-Tests
-Vocabulary quizzes
Grading
-Grades are calculated using total points. AP scoring rubrics are used for most essays. The
following grading scale will be used for this class:
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
59
F
*Sometimes there is a question about a grade that has been earned. I ask that you wait until
before or after school to discuss it with me. Only then will I be able to give you my full attention.
Rules and Procedures
-Quizzes and tests should be made up promptly. The only time you may make up a test or a quiz
is before or after school. It is your responsibility to approach me with a time in mind. You will
complete numerous timed writings in class, so these also will need to be made up if you are
absent.
-Since this is a college-level course, late work is extremely unfavorable and will therefore not be
accepted.
-You may do make-up work for poor performances on compositions. This means if you are not
happy with your grade on a composition, you may opt to do the assignment over within 48 hours
after the graded work is returned. The grade for a make-up assignment may be an average of the
two grades or added points, depending on the assignment.
2013-2014 Tentative Course Outline
Introductory Unit/Frankenstein (Two
Weeks)
-Course Introduction
-Summer Assignment Evaluation
--Analytical focus on society, human nature,
progress of science
-Overview of Literary Terms
-Independent Reading- How to Read
Literature Like a Professor
-AP Free Response Essay (Frankenstein)
End of Semester Unit (One Week)
-Midterm Exam (covers all literature
studied, 180 vocabulary words, literary
terms, lectures, etc.)
Catch-22 Unit (Three Weeks)
-Analytical focus on irony, humor, imagery
Short Fiction Unit (Three Weeks)
-Analyze Various Literary Elements
-Annotation Assignment
-Comparative Essay
-AP Essay (text excerpt)
1984 Unit (Two Weeks)
-Analytical focus on society, manipulation,
political corruption, and form.
-Free Response AP Essay
Oedipus Rex (Two Weeks)
-Analytical focus on irony, classic tragedy,
Greek drama
-Dramatic Irony Essay
-AP Essay (free response)
Beowulf Unit (Two Weeks)***
-Analytical focus on theme, epic heroes,
setting
-Heroism Essay
Hamlet/Shakespeare Unit (Three Weeks)***
-Focus on Shakespearean structure, qualities
of a tragedy, figurative language
-Analysis Essay
Slaughter-house Five (Three Weeks)
-Special focus on psychology, reliability of
narrator
-Psychological Evaluation Essay
Beloved Unit (ThreeWeeks)
-Focus on gender roles, symbolism
-Analysis Essay
Waiting for Godot (Two Weeks)
-Focus on characterization, theme, satire
-Informative/Analysis Speech
Open Unit (two weeks)***
Poetry Unit (Three Weeks)
-Analytical and thematic focus varies with
each poem
-Poetry Exam
-Presentations
AP Test Prep (Two Weeks)
-Focus on analysis strategies, literary
terminology, multiple-choice selections
-Review answering strategies, thinking
processes, pitfalls
-Practice tests, student free response
selections
End of Semester Unit (Two Weeks)
-Final Exam preparation
-Final projects- Windows Movie Maker
assignment
-Film critiques and comparisons