AP Language and Composition—2015-2016
Mrs. Schimmel
Tel: 703-957-4400
Email: mschimme@lcps.org
Planning periods: 4th and 5th
Course Overview
An AP course in English Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of
prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a
variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students 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.
(The College Board, AP English Course Description, 2010)
Course Objectives
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;
 write thoughtfully about their own process of composition;
 revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience;
 analyze image as text; and
 evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers.
(The College Board, AP English Course Description, 2010)
Stylistic Development
While it is assumed that you already have an understanding of grammar and mechanics, this course will
build upon that understanding in order to enhance your ability to use grammatical conventions
appropriately and develop stylistic maturity in their prose. In order to accomplish this, the following
activities will be implemented in the form of daily warm-up activities:
 Vocabulary lessons with quizzes after every five lessons
 Grammar and style lessons to focus on the following:
o sentence structure;
o use of subordination and coordination;
o logical organization;
o use of repetition, transitions, and emphasis;
o use of detail;
o effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, creating and maintaining voice, and
emphasis through diction
*Lessons are not limited to these topics and will be adjusted to cover/review material as needed
Assessments
You will be assessed in a variety of ways, including (but not limited to):
 Graded reading notes
 Quizzes—reading, grammar/style, vocabulary
 Timed writings
 Practice AP questions
 Formal multiple-draft essays
 Daily writing journals
 Double-entry journals
 Homework
Late work will be penalized. Any work missed that is not made up will result in a zero.
Plagiarism
In this class, plagiarism is considered the unauthorized use of the thoughts and words of another author
as your own. It is prohibited in this class, and if you plagiarize a work, either a published piece or one
that your classmate has written, you will receive a zero for the assignment.
Timed Writings
During the first two quarters, you will be given timed writings that correlate with the rhetorical modes
that we will be studying. These timed writings will be former AP test essays or prompts that model AP
test essays. During the third and fourth quarters, you will be completing a prompt every couple of classes
for assessment using the AP scoring rubric.
Daily Writing Journals
For the entire academic year, you will keep a writing journal that will be used daily in class. You will be
given various topics to respond to or imitate. This journal will assist you in acclimating yourself to
writing in a timed manner, as well as how to answer a prompt that you have not seen before. After
several entries, you will expand on one of your choice and create a two-page response which will be
graded as an essay.
Practice AP Questions
During the year, you will be given sections of former AP tests and/or model AP test questions that they
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.
Formal Essays
For each rhetorical mode that is studied in this course, you will write a formal essay utilizing your
knowledge of the respective mode. For each formal essay, you will be given the assignment and a model
essay which will be reviewed in class, as well as begin a pre-writing activity. You will be required to
write a rough draft at home that will be peer-edited in class with your writing groups. All papers must be
peer-edited before I will look at them. Once the papers have been edited, you will write a final draft that
will be turned in and graded for a cumulative grade (pre-write, rough draft, peer edit, and final draft).
I provide students with frequent feedback on their writing progress. Feedback will include the use of a
scoring guide and written comments. Comments may also be given through writing groups, one-on-one
conferencing with students and will target students’ content, grammar, organization, tone, and other
rhetorical strategies employed. Multiple revisions, process logs, and self-evaluation are required on all
formal essays. All researched essays require MLA citation.
Process Writing
In this class, we will approach writing as a recursive process, consisting of prewriting, drafting, editing,
revising, proofing, and publishing. 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.
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 must turn in a handwritten paper if they experience computer
connection/typing/printing problems. This handwritten paper must be turned in by the due date and
time.
Double Entry Journals
For each novel that you study, as well as some short pieces we study in class, you will be required to
complete a double entry journal assignment. As you read the novel, you will be given various rhetorical
devices, style choices, etc. to analyze. You will need to identify the literary element, give evidence of the
element, and analyze the effect of the element in the piece for the assignment. The journal assignment
will be given when the novel is assigned, and it will be due the day the novel should be finished. The
journals count as a test grade.
Teacher Expectations
This course is taught as a college-level course, and with that comes college-level responsibilities. In order to be
successful in this class, you will need to do the following:
 Be committed to the course—it will require some time-intensive work. You have to put forth the effort
in order to get the results!
 Maintain a high level of academic integrity—I do not accept excuses, begging, cheating, or bribes. If
you are in such a bind that you feel you have to cheat in order to get things done, talk to me!
 Make your absences minimal—if you are absent, make sure that you find out from me what you missed
(yes, class will continue even if you are not here). You have one day per day absent to make up work.
 Keep up with work on the class website and do all of the homework.
Supplies
Students will need to have the following each class:
 Pens and pencils
 Notebook paper
 A 3-ring binder and 5-6 dividers
 1 wire-bound notebooks
 Multi-colored highlighters
 Post-it notes
 A Flashdrive (if you already have one, or are using one for another class, that will do)
Grading Scale
A+: 98-100
A: 93-97
A-: 92-90
B+: 87-89
B: 86-83
B-: 82-80
C+: 79-77
C: 76-73
C-: 72-70
D+: 69-67
D: 66-63
D-: 62-60
F: 59-0
Test Preparation
In the weeks prior to the AP test, you will work on various assignments that will review the material learned
over the course of the academic year, as well as further hone your test taking skills. You will complete practice
tests and essays, you will create AP questions and essay prompts, synthesis questions, and you will review the
rhetorical modes.
Turning Assignments In
Each of you will need to create a turnitin.com account. For all major written essays, you will be submitting your
papers to this site. There will be times when I will also ask for paper copies of an assignment. We will spend
some time the first week of school discussing how to create an account and how to use the site correctly.
TurnItIn.com
We will be using turnitin.com this year for turning in all essay and major written assignments. We will discuss
how to create an account and how to use this program the first few weeks of school.
Remind.com
We will be using remind.com this year. Register for free to receive text messages and/or email messages with
announcements and reminders about class assignments. Remind will not share your phone number/email
address. We will review how to access your individual class on the first day.
AP Language Grading Scale for Essays
1st Quarter
2nd Quarter
3rd & 4th Quarter
9
100
9
99
9
99
8
95
8
94
8
93
7
90
7
89
7
87
6
85
6
84
6
80
5
80
5
79
5
73
4
75
4
74
4
67
3
70
3
69
3
60
2
65
2
64
2
53
1
60
1
60
1
50