Ms. Kinzer
Sarah.Kinzer@lcps.org
AP Language and Composition
John Champe High School
Room 2610
Course Description:
The A.P. Language & Composition course provides rigorous instruction in reading, writing, and
rhetoric. Students are exposed to a variety of texts from a wide range of authors and historical
contexts and will be expected to provide written and/or oral analysis. We will explore various
genres, including speeches, essays, letters, and imaginative literature. Some content is for mature
audiences and may be about sensitive issues (war, violence, language etc.) Students will learn to
identify how context, audience, and speaker interact, and how speakers and writers use various
rhetorical appeals and devices to achieve their purposes. We will examine how authors craft
arguments and what techniques make for particularly effective rhetoric. Thus students will be
prepared for the A.P. exam in May, and, if successful, may receive college credit.
This is a college-level course; therefore, students must be prepared for a rigorous and quickpaced environment. Summer work is required for all participants in the A.P. program. All of
your work must be your best effort and must be of the highest quality. Course readings will also
help strengthen students’ communication abilities. Students will be expected to craft eloquent,
error-free texts on various topics. Ample opportunities will be given for research-based writing,
as well as for creative writing. Due to the subjective nature of the work, the evaluation of the
work will be subjective, but based as scientifically as possible on universally accepted criteria for
written work. Criteria for evaluation will include but not be limited to such aspects as the quality
of the writing as it relates to the analysis of the passage, the specificity, strength, logic, and
relevance of the support, as well as the grammar, mechanics, sentence structure, organization and
coherence of the work.
Course Goals:
• Build critical reading and analytical skills
• Develop a college-level vocabulary.
• Produce writing that is clear, insightful, organized, and mechanically correct.
• Develop a thorough understanding of the research process.
• Thoroughly prepare students to pass the A.P. Language exam.
Required Texts:
Cohen, Samuel. 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. Boston:Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005.
Possible Texts:
The Things They Carried
The Glass Castle
The Great Gatsby
Into The Wild
In Cold Blood
Practice AP Questions
During the year, you will be given sections of former AP tests and/or model AP test questions
that you will answer for a quiz grade. You will have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with
the types of questions asked on AP tests, as well as practice test taking skills. Each practice set
will count as a quiz grade.
Timed Writings
You will be given 3 timed writings per quarter, as outlined by LCPS curriculum guide for 11th
grade.
Formal Essays
In this class, we will approach writing as a recursive process, consisting of prewriting, drafting,
editing, revising, proofing, and publishing. Formal papers should be revised until they are
polished pieces; therefore, multiple drafts will be required—students are never to discard any
drafts. Students will be trained in effective peer-response in class to ensure thorough and tactful
feedback.
Students will be given frequent feedback on their writing progress through the use of written
comments and scoring guides. Students will, at times, receive feedback through one-on-one
conferencing in order to fine-tune students’ content, grammar, organization, tone, and other
rhetorical strategies.
In process writing, rough drafts are required or the final draft will not be accepted.
**Note: All process papers will be typed. Students will not be given extended time on
homework because of technical difficulties. Students may also be asked to submit work through
turnitin.com.
Required Materials:
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3 ring binder (1-2 inches)
Loose leaf notebook paper
5 dividers ( Literature notes, Vocabulary, Grammar, Rhetorical Devices, Writing,)
1 folder
2 different color highlighters
Blue/black pens and at least one additional color
Post-it notes for notes while reading (no writing in school books)
Flash Drive (recommended)-can be shared with other subjects
1 Composition Note Book (marble notebook)
Technology Requirement
From Web-based assignments to e-mail, Edmodo, and Phoenix, this course requires consistent
access to the Internet, word processing, and a printer. Not having access to a computer will not
Ms. Kinzer
Sarah.Kinzer@lcps.org
AP Language and Composition
John Champe High School
Room 2610
be an acceptable excuse for not having completed assignments by the due date. Make plans
ahead of time to access a computer and printer. A flash drive is handy for saving documents at
home and then printing them in to the library at school. Do NOT ask me to go to the computer
lab “to print your paper” on the day that an assignment is due. Think ahead.
Paper Archival Policies
You must keep all of your work, including any teacher commentary of your work, until you have
received your final grade for the course. If you have questions regarding the grade for this class,
you will be asked to produce all the written work completed during the year.
Class Rules and Classroom Procedures
Appropriate behavior and respect for others is key to student success and learning. Students who
are tardy, disruptive, disrespectful to others, or in any way impeding the learning process in my
classroom will experience one or more of these consequences:
1. Re-teaching session
2. Phone call home
3. Lunch detention
4. Referral to Assistant Principal and parent teacher conference.
Students are expected to follow all district and school policies as stated in their student handbook
and posted in the classroom.
Ms. Kinzer and her students are expected to follow the Respect Code at all times:
1. Show respect for ourselves in the way we think, dress, speak, and act.
2. Show respect for others with our words and actions.
3. Show respect for knowledge by applying ourselves academically at all times.
This means:
1. No talking when someone else is talking.
2. No getting out of your seat without permission.
3. No violent words or actions against another person/group -- even those not in the room.
Class Procedures:
 Students should be in their seats by the time the tardy bell rings. Failure to comply will
result in student being sent to get a tardy pass.
 Students should begin work on their warm up activity or reading as directed.
 All classwork and homework should be turned into the wire basket located in the back of
the room, unless otherwise instructed.
Path to success:
1. COME TO CLASS. (You can’t pass a class you don’t attend.)
2. PAY ATTENTION.
a. Listen.
b. Take notes.
3. DO THE WORK.
a. Classwork
b. Homework
Academic Honesty
Cheating on any activity, assignment, or test will result in a grade of ZERO for all parties
involved. Plagiarism will also result in a ZERO. During a test, talking = cheating. NO
TALKING!
It is not an excuse to claim ignorance of plagiarism. It is the students’ responsibility to be aware
of what plagiarism is and not to commit it in the course of their studies. You are responsible for
ensuring that anything you borrow is properly cited. In addition to direct quotes, plagiarism also
includes the paraphrasing of ideas or passages from a text without documentation, the inclusion
from a text of information not known to the general public without documentation, and the
following of the structure or style of a secondary source without documentation. If you are at all
confused, you may wish to consult resources on plagiarism available in the MLA handbook or
visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/.
Punishment for any form of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will range from failure
(0) on the assignment(s) in question to dismissal from the course.
If a written assignment exhibits signs of plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty, I will
contact the author for a formal face-to-face meeting. Further steps may follow depending on the
circumstances.
A Note on Plagiarism: By definition, it is using, stealing, or passing-off the ideas or words of
another as one’s own. When using someone’s ideas, one must credit the source. We will review
and use proper MLA citations in our writing and will discuss ways to avoid plagiarizing.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a 0 on the assignment, as well as a discipline
referral. If a student is ever confused about plagiarizing, see me immediately. When in doubt,
use citations
Phoenix/Grading:
Only assignments that count towards the final grade will be listed in Phoenix. Teachers have the
option to “hide” non-weighted assignments; however, all teachers will track (either on paper or
electronically) student progress on all learning activities. Please keep in mind that the department
honors the LCPS "50 floor."
Ms. Kinzer
Sarah.Kinzer@lcps.org
AP Language and Composition
John Champe High School
Room 2610
Weighted assignments will be posted in Phoenix when assigned, not when graded.
Total points will be used for grading assignments. The following categories will be used in
Phoenix: Applied Practice, Quizzes and Tests, Writing, Projects and Presentations.
Grades will be given a point value and will be based on the Loudoun County grading scale:
A+ = 98% - 100%
C+ = 77% - 79%
F = 59% and lower
A = 93% - 97%
C = 73% - 76%
A- = 90% - 92%
C- = 70% - 72%
B+ = 87% - 89%
D+ = 67% - 69%
B = 83% - 86%
D = 63% - 66%
Note* This course will provide students with the intellectual challenges and workload consistent
with a typical undergraduate university English literature/humanities course. A one-point GPA
increase is granted to students who takes this course and assumes students will enter the course
with a high expectation for succeeding.
AP Late Work Policy:
The expectations of AP teachers are that JCHS students will be exposed not only to college-level
content but also to college-level skills that will help them to excel in college and beyond. One
very important skill that we value is meeting deadlines in the classroom, so we communicate
with our students that turning in work on time is the expectation that we hold. If there are
extenuating circumstances that occur which would cause a student to miss a deadline, parents
and students need to communicate this to the teacher ahead of time. The teacher can then work
with the student to establish a new deadline. If an emergency occurs that could not be
communicated to the teacher prior to the class period, the parent and student need to contact the
teacher as soon as possible. If there are repeated incidents of deadlines not being met, the teacher
will set up a conference with the parent to discuss the situation and consider possible outcomes.
All district grading policies will be followed in regards to late work.
Homework 1st Semester: One day late (one class period): deduction of 30 percent. Two days
(two class periods) late: 50 floor.
Rationale: Homework is an integral part of daily work in AP classes. Without having read or
annotated, a student cannot maximize individual and group learning.
Homework 2nd Semester: No late work will be accepted.
Rationale: This course is geared to prepare students for the academic rigor and academic
expectations of college courses. Most colleges and universities do not accept late work of any
kind.
Long term assignments (essays and projects) are due on the assigned due date, regardless of your
attendance. Your assignment must be here even if you are not; it can be emailed.
 If a student is in school but not in class on a day that an assignment is due, he/she is still
expected to turn in the assignment.
 If a student is attending a school function, he/she is expected to turn in all work before
leaving.
 If a student is absent on the day that a major assignment is due, he/she is expected to
make contact with the teacher to make arrangements for turning in the assignment (phone
or email).
You are responsible to:
 Ask a classmate if you can copy notes any Ms.Kinzer wrote on the board during class
discussion.
 Check the WHAT DID I MISS files for any notes/handouts and assignments you missed.
 Ask Ms.Kinzer
AP Retake Policy:
Students can meet with the teacher to discuss retakes/multiple effort opportunities for process
activities (applied practice activities, quizzes etc.). The purpose of this is for students to
demonstrate an understanding of these skills and activities prior to a larger/extended assignment.
The only larger/extended assignment that students will have an opportunity to rework is a formal
writing assignment. In order for the opportunity to be made available, students must have met all
process deadlines for the assignment, must complete a self-reflection form, and must conference
with the teacher prior to submitting a rewritten paper. It is the students’ responsibility to initiate
this process. The grade on the rewrite will replace the initial grade. In most cases, students will
be required to sign up for SHIELD time.
1st Semester: The student must initiate this process by speaking with the teacher within ONE
WEEK of a returned grade that scored a 65% or below. A student will then be asked to fill out a
reflection sheet. The grade on the retake will replace the initial grade.
2nd Semester: No retakes on major assessments (tests or quizzes) will be given unless there
are extenuating circumstances
Ms. Kinzer
Sarah.Kinzer@lcps.org
AP Language and Composition
John Champe High School
Room 2610
SHIELD Expectations
Students may only flex out during our English SHIELD periods if all assignments and work has
been completed for this class, and the student has an overall average of a 75% or higher. During
SHIELD, we will have an Arrival Ticket which all students must complete before flexing out.
(Again, bring your English binder and composition book!) Attendance will be taken during
SHIELD and if eligible, you are allowed to leave after five minutes/completion of the Arrival
Ticket. You MUST sign out on the SHIELD Sign-Out sheet located on the clipboard at the door.
When you flex IN to this class from another teacher, you must use the same sheet and Sign-IN.
There will be a 15 minute Silent Sustained Reading time during all SHIELD periods for English.
Always come prepared with your independent reading book.
What is effectiveness?
It is writing that is informative, clear, coherent, interesting, graceful, concise, and that reflects an
advanced ability to express one’s self intelligently. Thus, wordiness (padded, redundant, or
recycled writing and related sins), sloppiness, and inaccuracy (overly general; off topic) and
other infelicities of written expression should be enthusiastically avoided.
Scope and Sequence Note - There will be grammar exercises and regular vocabulary exercises.
Vocabulary exercises will be taught in the context of the assigned readings and will also be given
to enhance student reading and writing abilities. Students will engage in Socratic seminars and
utilize dialectical journals in order to better grasp rhetorical strategies, critical thinking, and
analytical writing at the AP level. Students will also be required to complete independent reading
and research projects. Detailed information about writing assignments will be provided in class.
The following calendar is approximate.
What Now?
After reading this information, you will be required to:
• Give this Syllabus to your parent/guardian to read. Have them complete and sign the Syllabus
Signature Sheet so you can return it to me by the due date.
• Sign the Syllabus Signature Sheet, I will keep on file.
Disclaimer:
For the betterment of the learning experience, the instructor reserves the right to revise the
syllabus. Students will be notified of any changes with ample time to make adjustments.
Words to the Wise:
1. We will have lots of homework—mostly reading assignments. We will not use class time to
summarize and review homework assignments. Rather, you will use what you’ve read to
complete classroom assignments, papers, projects, and tests and to contribute to class
discussions. You might have random quizzes on homework reading, but typically I will know if
you’ve read your homework by your performance elsewhere. There’s too much to accomplish to
read during class. It’s easier to keep up than catch up. And if you don’t stay current, your
participation, performance, and, ultimately, your grade will suffer.
2. Be sure to “read to remember,” which means you should do whatever it takes to be able recall
what you’ve read. This might include any or all of the following: annotations, highlighting,
bookmarking, sticky notes, etc.
3. If it’s important enough for me to write it down on the White Board, it’s important enough for
you to write it down in your notes. Find a note-taking system that works for you. Outline?
Bullets? Shorthand? Color-coded? Cornell Notes? You won’t be able to write word-for-word, so
figure out a system…and use it.
4. If you’re absent, ask a reliable classmate for what you missed. Check WHAT DID I MISS
box, check online, check with a peer. Don’t fall behind. Take responsibility for your education.
It’s my job to teach. It is not my job to hunt you down if you’ve been absent.
1. You’re reading excerpts—pieces of a larger, richer, more complex puzzle. If something
intrigues you or catches your interest, find the whole text. Make a note to read it later. It
might make a good project piece later in the year.
Semester Content:
Please check the John Champe Webpage for updated Quarter Skill Sets as well as Unit Plans
Our class will be using Edmodo for student responses, handouts, quizzes, polls, etc. Place your
username and password in a safe place.
NEXT PAGE
Syllabus Signature Sheet ( RETURN TO CLASS)
Ms. Kinzer
Sarah.Kinzer@lcps.org
AP Language and Composition
John Champe High School
Room 2610
Student Name: _____________________________ _____________________________
First
Last
English Block: ____________
I acknowledge that I have read the syllabus for AP Language & Composition. I understand the
contents of this syllabus and acknowledge that I am responsible for adhering to class rules and
procedures. If I choose not to meet these expectations, I am willing to accept the consequences.
x _________________________________ _____________________
Student Signature
Date
I acknowledge that I have read the syllabus for AP Language & Composition I understand the
contents of this syllabus and acknowledge that my child is responsible for adhering to class rules
and procedures. If he/she chooses not to meet these expectations, I am willing to support the
teacher in her commitment to carry out the aforementioned/school policy consequences. I also
acknowledge that my child will be reading classic literature and discussing the topics covered
within the texts. Some of these topics may be mature themes and involve profanity, sexuality,
various forms of discrimination, and violence.
x _________________________________ _____________________
Parent Signature
Date
Parent Information (to be filled out by parent or legal guardian):
Last Name: _____________________ First Name: ______________________
Relationship to student: ___________________________________________
Home Phone: ________________________ Work Phone: _________________
Cell Phone: ________________________ Best time to reach you: ___________
Email address: ______________________ May I call you at work? YES
Other important information:
NO