AP English Literature and Composition
EN 71W
Mrs. Klett
Phone: 472-3112
E-mail: klklett@mpsaz.org
Web page: www.mpsaz.org/dobson/staff/klklett/
“I always did well on essay questions. Just put everything you
know there, maybe you’ll hit it. And you’ll always get it back from the
teacher, and she’s just written one word across the entire page, ‘vague.’ I
thought ‘vague’ was kind of a vague thing to say. I’d write underneath it,
‘unclear,’ send it back. She’d return it to me, ‘ambiguous.’ I’d send it back
to her, ‘cloudy.’ We’re still corresponding to this day. Hazy, muddy . . .”
-Jerry Seinfeld
COURSE CONTENT
A.P. English is a college-level course
designed to prepare you for the A.P.
Literature and Composition test, and
to improve your skills in literary
analysis. You will read several novels,
plays, short stories, nonfiction works,
and poems to learn the subtleties of
theme and style.
TEXTS
*The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara
Kingsolver (summer read)
*Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor
Dostoevsky
Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller
A Dollhouse, by Henrik Ibsen
*Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad
*The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
*Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
*A River Runs Through It, by Norman
Maclean
*Books students provide
CLASSROOM
MATERIALS
3-ring binder or folder to hold handouts
and extra loose-leaf paper
PEN—blue or black only. Work in pencil
is NOT accepted.
CLASSROOM
BEHAVIOR/RULES
In this class the student will:
1. Follow directions the first time given.
2. Bring materials every day.
3. Be in seat BEFORE the bell rings
and remain seated until teacher
dismissal.
4. Keep hands, feet, objects, and
unkind words to yourself.
5. Know that all district, school, and
class policies are enforced.
6. The following are not allowed to be
out during class time: hats, food,
drink (except water), makeup, hair
products, sunglasses, cell phones, or
electronics of any kind. They will be
taken to the office by the teacher if
they are out during class.
7. No hall passes, except for
emergencies.
CONSEQUENCES
1st offense: Warning
2nd: Conference between teacher &
student
3rd: Classroom cleanup
4th: Parental contact
5th: Administrator referral
Severe clause: Immediately removed from
class to appropriate administrator.
Note: The above consequences are
cumulative.
GRADING POLICY
Quizzes are worth 10 points. Tests and
most essays are worth 100 points. This
is treated as a college course, so there
will be fewer assignments than you may
be accustomed to.
For those who are consistent
participants in class discussion, two
percent will be added to your quarter/
semester grades. This is at the teacher’s
discretion.
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
outstanding, insightful work
good, promising work
adequate work that meets
expectations
work that is below par and
lacking in substance or effort
F=59-0
unacceptable work
The semester grade is a cumulative point
count of the two quarters.
Gradeworks will be used. Students and
parents are encouraged to check grades
often; however, please understand it takes
up to two weeks to grade essays. Please
e-mail me with questions about grades
only after viewing the assignment with my
comments.
STUDENT
RESPONSIBILITIES
Be prepared to read and/or write every
day.
Participate in class and group activities.
All assignments will be completed in pen
on full-size, loose-leaf notebook paper
or computer-processes.
Daily assignments cannot be made up if
the student is physically present in class.
MAKEUP WORK
It is the student’s responsibility to request
makeup assignments promptly as follows:
before, if the absence is prearranged or a field trip.
after, if the absence is excused.
never, if the absence is unexcused.
The student has the same number of days
as the absence to make up and submit
work. When a student is absent, s/he
must turn in any assignment that was due
the day upon return. Tests must be made
up within a week, by appointment.
Swept students will turn in any assignment due that day to the sweep monitor—
it will not be accepted later in the day.
PLAGIARISM
The use and/or duplication of another
person’s work is not acceptable. Place
any copied material in quotation marks
and identify the source. Paraphrasing
also requires documentation. Using
papers or parts of papers found on the
internet is plagiarism.
Writing is taught as an integral process at
Dobson. Thus, handwritten draft work
and hard copies of revisions must be
available at teacher request.
No credit will be given to an assignment
containing plagiarism.
ESSAYS
All formal essays must be typed.
Essays must be turned in the day they
are due, whether the student is in class or
not. If you are absent, have a parent drop
off the paper in the front office, send it
with a responsible friend, or e-mail it to
me. If none of these options work, call me
by 3 p.m. and I will pick it up.
LATE WORK/
EXTRA CREDIT
Daily homework assignments may not be
turned in late.
Essays may be turned in late, with a
deduction of 10% per day, up to five
days (50%). After five days, essays are
not accepted.
There is NO extra credit. This is an
English Department policy.
TEACHER
AVAILABILITY
I am available most mornings, during 1st
period and/or conference, lunch, and after
school. I encourage you to come in for
extra help, as needed. Students in 3rd
hour, expect to use conference time as
a study hall/tutoring time. Please contact
me by e-mail or phone (e-mail gets a
quicker response). I will return messages
within 24 hours.
WRITING CONTESTS
Each student is required to submit an
entry to one writing contest per semester.
These can be from writing contests on
display in the room or, with my approval,
other contests you find. Not turning in
your entry will result in a loss of 5% of
your semester grade.