Kell High School
AP Literature and Composition Syllabus
Hilary Minich, Instructor / hilary.minich@cobbk12.org / www.cobblearning.net/hminich
2013-2014
Course Overview
The Advanced Placement Program, which the College Board has sponsored since 1955, offers able and ambitious
high school students an opportunity to study on a college level and then, depending on examination results and
requirements of particular universities, to receive advanced placement credit when they enter college. It exists for students
capable of doing college-level work in English while they are in secondary school. These students should be willing to
devote the energy necessary to complete a course more rigorous and demanding than other high school English courses
designed for college-bound students. The aims of the AP English Course are both ambitious and general. The course
attempts to teach students to write well on important, substantive topics and to develop the skills of a mature reader. In the
AP Course, students are involved in both the study and practice of writing about literature, as well as the close reading of
it. The content is not a finite set of facts; it is an infinite set of possibilities.
Specific objectives for the course include:
 To aid students in preparation to succeed at a high level on the AP Literature/Composition exam
 To help students cultivate a deep awareness, understanding, and appreciation of advanced classical and
contemporary literary texts
 To facilitate students in advanced writing, study, and interpretation of literature in preparation for other
college-level English courses
According to the course guide created by College Board,
An AP Course in English Literature and Composition engages students in 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 their readers.
As they read, students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes as well as such smaller-scale
elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone.
By the end of the AP English Literature and Composition course, students should be able to approach a
poem, a prose work, and a play and – proceeding beyond visceral and emotional reactions – respond to it
analytically and critically, both orally and in writing. These well-developed responses will, at their best,
use literary terms and key concepts to illuminate insights rather than simply show students’ familiarity
with them.
(taken from the College Board’s Advance Placement Course Description: English)
The AP Literature/Composition Exam:
The AP test is an exercise in verbal problem-solving. Requiring a broad base of literary knowledge, the
test asks students to respond at the highest levels of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The
test is composed of a multiple choice section and an essay section. The multiple choice section accounts
for 45% of the total score and includes between 45-60 questions. The essay section accounts for 55% of
the score and includes three essays (poetry response, prose response, and open question).
Texts (provided for the Student)
Meyer, Michael, ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 8th Edition. Bedford/ St.
Martin’s. 2008.
Hodges, John C. et. al Hodges’ Harbrace Handbook. 15th edition. Thomson Wadsworth.
2004.
Rozakis, Laurie, PhD. Master the AP English Literature and Composition Test. 6th
Edition. Thomas Arco. 2003
Suggested Texts
O’Connor, Patricia T. Woe is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English. Riverhead Trade, 1998.
Petersen’s AP English and Composition
http://www1.nsd131.org/classpages/astout/Lists/A%20DAY/Attachments/64/Peterson's%20AP%20English.pdf
Class novels/ plays – students are encouraged to purchase a personal copy to write in, but most of these books can be
checked out in the media center or are found in the Bedford textbook:
Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky
How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
Hamlet, William Shakespeare
The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde
A Doll House, Henrik Ibsen
Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
Required Supplies
Binder with multiple dividers
A few reams of loose-leaf notebook paper
Blue and black pens
Post-it Notes
Highlighters (pink, green, yellow, blue)
Much Appreciated Classroom Supplies (I keep my room clean for your benefit and mine )
Last name A-G: 1 box of tissues
Last name H-O: 1 container of disinfectant wipes
Last name P-Z: 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
Class Policies
The following policies are important to respect because 1) they’re just good manners and 2) you may need a college
recommendation from me this year!
Tutoring/ Help Sessions/ Conferences: Tuesday afternoons and Thursday afternoons from 3:30 -4:10
Protocol:
 First come, first served: When you arrive, start a list and put your name on the board (in order of
arrival). I may not be able to meet with all students each session (depending on volume), but will meet
with as many as I can until 4:10. I reserve the right to cancel help sessions if other obligations interfere.
Emailing Assignments: All assignments completed outside of class will be submitted to www.turnitin.com.
Only assignments submitted to this site by the due date and time will be graded for full credit. Emailed
assignments will not be graded.
Late Work Policy
All major assignments are assigned multiple days in advance and are never due the next class period. Therefore,
all major assignments will only receive full credit if turned in on the actual due date and time. Late assignments
will receive a 20% deduction (no more, no less) any day turned in for 3 subsequent school days (for example, if
an assignment is due on a Monday, a student has until Thursday of that week to turn in for a 20% flat deduction,
no accumulation). After the third day, a score of zero will be assigned.
Cell Phones
For the 50 or so minutes students are in AP Lit class, they will not be permitted to use a cell phone or i-pod for any reason.
Texting and gaming during class is rude. Trust me; you don’t have time for it in AP Lit anyway.
Methods, Activities, and Evaluations
Each unit may incorporate any or all of the following methods of study:
Close reading and active note-taking
Critical Annolighting of text (annotating and highlighting)
Formal and informal research
Formal and informal student presentations
Post-reading synthesis activities
Oral and written quizzes
Objective and essay tests
Creative writing
Literary analysis
Socratic Seminars
Literature Circles
Dialectical Journals
Informal written responses to readings
In class as well as process essays
Collaborative assignments
Major Works Data Sheets
Poetry response essays
Group and whole class discussions (graded and informal)
Peer/ Self editing and evaluation of writing
Students are encouraged to correct all mistakes made in their graded essays. Students are also encouraged to
attend pre and post conferences for feedback on specific pieces of writing. See below for more detail on essay
revision.
In-Class Essays will be graded using the holistic AP rubric with the following percentages assigned:
See attached rubric.
Grading Percentages for Class Work
20% Process Essays
15% Final Exam
30% In-Class Essays and Reading Responses
15% Minor Grades (quizzes, graded discussion, and other assessments of daily reading)
20% Tests and Major Projects
0% AP Success Skills
Essay Rewrites
Students are always encouraged to schedule a teacher conference and revise essays, but will be allowed to rewrite one
essay per semester for a new score. No averaging; I’ll simply take the higher grade. Qualifiers: 1) A teacher conference
is a mandatory prior to turning in the rewritten essay 2) It must be rewritten after school on a tutoring day in my classroom
(same time restrictions apply) 3) The original essay and rubric must be stapled to the new essay when turning in.
Students may not rewrite reading responses and may not retake tests.
Study Island
Throughout the year, we will be using Study Island, a web-based program, to practice for the poetry and prose multiple choice
sections on the AP exam. See the attached guidelines for details.
Plagiarism/ Cheating
True academic success is not possible without academic integrity. Your academic reputation is extremely important this
year as you prepare to enter college and will need letters of recommendation from your teachers. Cheating and plagiarism
includes everything from copying one answer on a homework assignment to plagiarizing a sentence from Wikipedia to
directly copying or purchasing a paper and submitting it as your own or working collaboratively on an assignment when
you were asked to complete it independently.
Plagiarism: any person who uses a writer’s ideas without giving due credit through documentation is guilty of
plagiarism. This includes copying words verbatim and paraphrasing someone else’s ideas without giving him or
her credit. A student who is caught plagiarizing will receive a zero on the paper or work, a “U” in conduct for the
semester, possibly probation/suspension from any academic honors societies, and his or her parents will be
contacted.
Cheating: During the course of the semester, students will have take-home tests and other work that I will ask for no
collaboration on. If a student is discovered to have worked with other students on one of these assignments, a score of
zero will be assigned, and a “U” in conduct will be given for the semester. In addition, if a student attempts to ascertain
answers on any in-class quizzes, tests, or other assessments in a dishonorable way, a score of zero will be assigned, and a
U in conduct will be given for the semester.
Make this your mantra this year in all of your classes:
“On my honor, I pledge that I have neither given nor received unpermitted aid on this assignment.”
(See the last page of this syllabus for the pledge of academic integrity and signature sheet)
* Vocabulary Enrichment: Students will be given a story with accompanying word set bi-weekly. We will read and discuss
these words in class, challenge each other to use them in conversation and in writing, and finally take a quiz at the end of
the week.
Unit One: Summer Reading (4-5 Weeks)
Required Assigned Books:
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Assignment: Annolight both books- Purchase your own copy of both books from either a used book store,
amazon.com, or a local book store. Your assignment is to annolight both books. Annolighting involves highlighting
significant passages and recording your own observations, insights and questions in the margins. See the online
document on “how to mark a book.” I want to see annolighting of significant passages in each chapter, not
necessarily every page, but multiple passages per chapter. Just simply highlighting will earn a 50/100 since it’s
only half the battle. Your ideas in the margins are key to your understanding.
What should I highlight, you ask? Look for “literary” stuff, such as symbols, motifs (recurring ideas), interesting
metaphors, major plot points, stylistically sophisticated writing, profound insight, etc. For a comprehensive of
literary terms and definitions for optional use, visit the following website:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18171536/AP-Lit-Terms-very-comprehensive-list-with-definitions
** If you cannot purchase your own copy, then borrow/ check out a copy and annolight the books using sticky notes
instead of actually writing/ highlighting the text. This will involve quoting the passages on your sticky notes, then
recording your observations, etc.
Optional Bonus Assignment: Fill out the online C&P reading guide as you work through the book. It contains
insight and some summaries as well as questions, so very worthwhile!
*The above are NOT collaborative assignments. Any duplications of wording, insight, answers, etc. will
be considered plagiarism, and the students involved will be given zeros for the assignments.
Now, before you read Crime and Punishment, as it’s an epic journey for any reader, I want you to look at some
websites to help you with the context and give you some perspective on 19th century Russia before you start reading.
At least skim through them:
Before Reading:
http://www.college.columbia.edu/core/node/1766
http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/The-art---life-of-Dostoevsky-1954
If you need access to an e-copy:
http://www.online-literature.com/dostoevsky/crimeandpunishment/
As you read:
http://www.shmoop.com/crime-and-punishment/
In addition,
1. Students will be given an objective/essay test on Crime and Punishment following class discussion and study.
2. Students will conduct a Socratic Seminar discussion of designated chapters in How to Read Literature Like a
Professor with an emphasis on the following:
a. Summary of key points
b. Explanation of one of the author’s examples
c. One student-determined example of the chapter’s main concept (may be drawn from film, music,
literature, art, etc.)
3. Students will turn in hand-written notes on chapter presentations to be assessed and returned to use for reference
purposes.
Unit Two: Critical Theory and Style Analysis (3 Weeks)
Style Analysis:
Major Terms of Study:
 tone, attitude (irony, understatement)
 diction, language (sound devices – alliteration, assonance, cacophony, etc.), figurative language (simile, metaphor, conceit,
personification, hyperbole), figures of speech (metonymy, synecdoche, pun, oxymoron, paradox, euphemism
 details, imagery
 point of view, perspective
 organization, narrative structure, form
Sources:
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html#36
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_a.htm
http://www.englishcompanion.com/pdfDocs/styleanalysis.pdf
Throughout the year students will study the usage of common terms found on the Style Analysis Questions on the AP Exam. They
will learn the definition of each word along with how to identify examples of each term in various pieces of writing. Students will
analyze short fiction and prose through close reading for Style Analysis, applying their knowledge of these common terms. Students
will use the following texts to practice style analysis and then engage in single paragraph and full essay analysis of each text. Students
will practice both guided and independent analysis of the texts. They will have practice identifying and writing essays and individual
paragraphs about all major terms. The teacher will read each of the style analysis paragraphs written by students and give them
feedback both written and oral. Students will then revise their paragraphs based on teacher and peer feedback and resubmit
them for further commentary by the teacher.
Students will use scaffolding organizers in the prewriting and drafting stage of their writing in order to incorporate topic and
concluding sentences that state the main idea of their paragraphs. Further, students will incorporate transitional words and
phrases within the paragraphs to show the logical connection of ideas. Jane Schaffer AP model paragraph writing will be used
to exemplify sophisticated writing for this unit.
Partial list of Texts used for Style Analysis:
Prose:
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Poems:
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Excerpt from Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (character details)
“Sure You Can Ask me a Personal Question” Diane Burns (tone, irony)
“Holy Sonnet 10” John Donne (tone, personification, allusions)
“she being Brand” e. e. cummings (metaphor, ambiguous language)
“Richard Cory” Edwin Arlington Robinson (irony, tone)
Critical Theory:
Students will work in groups of three to study an assigned Critical Theory from the Bedford Text, Chapter 51. Students will create a
Power Point Presentation (or other media: Animoto, etc.) to be presented to the class as a formal presentation for their assigned
Critical Theory. Students must also choose a piece of literature (something studied in the past few years in school) to be analyzed
using their assigned critical theory. The analysis will be presented during the Power Point Presentation. After all presentations are
concluded, students will choose one critical theory assigned to another group and write a personal response of 200-250 words about
the theory, relating this theory loosely to previously studied works of literature. Students are responsible for gaining an understanding
of each of the 10 theories presented and will be expected to apply that understanding to works throughout the school year and beyond.
Unit Three: Allusions and The Nineteenth Century Novel: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (4 Weeks)
Unit Goals: To guide students in an exploration of
 Common mythological and Biblical allusions:
o Activity/ Assignment: Mythology and Biblical allusions Jigsaw research assignment
o Activity/ Assignment: Class discussion of allusions commonly found in literature
o Activity/ Assignment: Revisit “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Coleridge, Paradise Lost, by Milton, and the myth
of Prometheus as fundamental and significant allusions in Frankenstein
Two basic sources from which writers, especially poets, draw allusions and metaphors are the Bible and Mythology.
Knowledge of these characters and stories aide in the enjoyment and understanding of great literature. Amazingly, you will
also recognize conflicts, images, symbols and language borrowed from these sources in your reading of other pieces of
literature and poetry.
I. Biblical
The Garden of Eden (Genesis chapters 1-3)
Cain and Abel (Genesis chapter 4)
Noah and the Flood (Genesis chapter 6-9)
The Birth of Christ (Luke 1-2)
Pilate and Jesus (Matt. 27)
The agony of Christ (Mark 14)
Rescue of the child Moses and the Burning Bush (Exodus 1-3)
The Passover and Passage Through the Red Sea (Exodus 12-14)
The Book of Job
The Book of Ruth
Samson and Delilah (Judges 15-16)
David and Goliath (1Samuel 17)
Jonah and the Whale (Jonah 1 and 2)
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18-19)
Jezebel
Elijah
Daniel in the Lion’s Den
Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors
Solomon
Tower of Babel
Jacob and Esau
Mythical
Prometheus and Epimetheus
Pandora’s Box
Paris and the Golden Apple
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse
Tantalus and Ixion and Sisyphus and Cerberus
Atlas and His Burden
Midas and the Golden Touch
The Twelve Labors of Hercules
Echo and Narcissus
Arachne and Athena
Cupid and Psyche
Demeter and Persephone
Orpheus and Eurydice
Pygmalion and Galatea
Daedalus and Icarus
Persephone and Demeter
Eurydice and Orpheus
Agamemnon
Achilles
Hector
Hercules
Jason
Perseus
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Elements of the Nineteenth Century Gothic Novel
o Close reading of Frankenstein
o Completion of double-entry journals with an emphasis on the following themes and symbols:
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The tension between individualism and social acceptance
The tension between technology and human aspiration/ the pursuit of knowledge
The complex relationship between the creator and the created
Slavery/ imprisonment
Innate human emotions: revenge/ prejudice
Romanticism and nature
Loss of innocence
Symbols: light, fire
Assessment of Mastery of Goals/ Feedback: At the conclusion of the unit, students will engage in a Socratic Seminar or 4-sided
debate related to major themes of the novel. Following the seminar, students will respond to a previous AP Open Question prompt in
a timed classroom setting. Students will receive specific teacher feedback for an opportunity to revise and improve writing. In
addition, students will take a test in which they will analyze important quotations from the novel.
Unit Four: Writing the College Essay (1 Week)
Students will study narrative techniques in preparation of and culminating in the composition of a college entrance essay of a
minimum of 500 words from a list of prompts commonly found in College Admission Essay Requirements. Essays will be self and
peer edited and a final evaluation will be provided by the instructor based on a four point scale rubric. Students will take part in
editing and revision workshops in order to analyze and evaluate their own, as well as their classmates’, writing with an
emphasis on improving the use of rhetorical devices such as tone, voice, diction, and sentence structure.
Unit Five: Archetypes and The Short Story (4 Weeks)
Common literary archetypes (character and situational)
o Resources:
 http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~mjoseph/c-guerin.html
 http://www.scribd.com/doc/18171537/Archetypes-to-help-with-literary-analysis
 See PDF File
 http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/dherring/ap/consider/frye/indexfryeov.htm
o Activity/ Assignment: Archetype Application (use previously studied literary works)
Texts for Study:
“Reunion” by John Cheever: Listen to it: http://downloads.newyorker.com/mp3/06122…
“Barn Burning” by William Faulkner
“Good Country People” by Flannery O’ Connor
“Eveline” by James Joyce
“Hills Like White Elephants” by Hemingway
“Where are you Going? Where have you Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates
“Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros
“Battle Royal” by Ralph Ellison
Students will study elements of the short story with an emphasis on theme, as well as tone, setting, diction, dialogue, exposition, rising
action, climax, falling action, resolution, point of view, and characterization.
Students will take part in various Socratic Seminars and class discussions involving selected stories.
Students will complete a compare and contrast process essay comparing ideas/ archetypes in a pair of essays (presentation of the South
in Faulkner, coming of age in “Eleven” and “Where are you going? Where have you Been?”, the unhealable wound in “Hills like
White Elephants” and “Reunion,” initiation in “Battle Royal” and “Good Country People” etc.) Students will take part in editing
and revision workshops in order to analyze and evaluate their own, as well as their classmates’, writing with an emphasis on
improving the use of rhetorical devices such as tone, voice, diction, and sentence structure.
Students will take part in formal and informal discussions of each of the pieces of literature in this study.
Spring Semester:
Unit Six: Drama through the Ages (8-9 Weeks)
Texts for study:
Hamlet by William Shakespeare (students are encouraged to begin reading Hamlet over Winter Break)
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (optional text)
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
Important Terms: stage directions, blank verse, couplets, dramatic monologue, tragedy, catastrophe, tragic flaw tragic
hero, recognition, comic hero, satire, romantic comedy, plot, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement,
staging, paradox, pun, epigram
Students will complete two Harkness Table discussions for this study. One table discussion will consist of Critical
Analysis questions about Hamlet. The second will be a Critical Analysis of A Doll’s House. Students will also be given an
Open Question Essay Prompt from previous AP exams and will write an in-class essay on one of the plays from the Unit.
For The Importance of Being Earnest students will engage in a close reading/ theatrical performance of the play and
compare it to the 2002 Oliver Parker film. In addition, students will analyze and respond to a Critical Essay about the
Play. The responses will consist of a 500 word response. Further, students will be assigned a Poem that has a related
theme to the play and will write a response that shows how the two pieces of literature are connected.
The poems included for analysis are:
“For Anne Gregory” by William Butler Yeats
“To L. L.” by Oscar Wilde
“The Naming of Cats” by T. S. Eliot
Unit Seven: The Poetic Perspective: Classical and Contemporary Poetry (3-4 Weeks)
Throughout this unit of study, students will learn strategies for analyzing and interpreting poetry. They will study
elements of poetry related to both structure and sound as well as overall meaning. They will practice identifying and
explaining various poetic techniques. Students will also be given practice AP Poetry Prompts that they will use to
complete In-Class essays and will have the opportunity to practice answering questions from the multiple choice section
of past exams related to various poems.
Terms for Study: Imagery, Pattern, types of Rhythm and Meter, Musical Devices, Sound and Meaning, Allusion,
Denotation and Connotation, Villanelle and other poetic types, Figurative Language (Simile, Metaphor, Personification),
Apostrophe, Metonymy, Symbol, Allegory, Paradox, Overstatement/ Hyperbole, Understatement, Irony, Tone.
Students will complete a formal poetry analysis essay where they are assigned a piece of classical poetry. Students
are required to analyze the specific poetic devices used in the poem such as tone, diction, structure, and imagery
and explain how the individual elements contribute to the overall effect of the poem on the reader.
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/poetry-explication.html
The following poems may be used in this unit of study –
Poems:
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The Traditions:
“Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” Dylan Thomas
“The Death of a Toad” Richard Wilbur
“The Author to Her Book” Anne Bradstreet
“Ode on a Grecian Urn” John Keats
“My Last Duchess” Robert Browning
“Chicago” Carl Sandburg
“Out, Out –“ Robert Frost
 “The Most of It” by Robert Frost
Poems:
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The Traditions Expanded:
“Introduction to Poetry” Billy Collins
“Digging” Seamus Heaney
“The Need for Poetry” Judith Ortiz Cofer
“Nick and the Candlestick” Sylvia Plath
“Women” Alice Walker
“l(a” e. e. Cummings
“One Art” Elizabeth Bishop
“Facing It” Yusef Komunyakaa
“My Papa’s Waltz” Theodore Roethke
“A Story about the Body” Robert Haas
Unit Seven: Discovering Layers of Meaning: The Novel (5 Weeks)
Text: Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
Essential Questions: How and why is the search for self an essential pattern in literature, and why is this search so critical
to the African American experience? What elements of society act against an individual’s search for an understanding of
self?
One of the observations students will make as they move from Shelley to Shakespeare, then from Ibsen to Ellison, will be
about writing style and which particular style they prefer. With Invisible Man, the cadences of jazz, religious revivalism,
and oratory all add to the total effect and provide a nice contrast to the other works we have read. Students will hopefully
recognize and be prepared to trace the steps of the journey from innocence to experience that fit the archetypal search-forself saga.
Through an analysis of varied criticisms, including but not limited to literary theory (formalist, biographical, historical,
psychological, Marxist, reader-response, postcolonial, structuralism, and deconstructuralism) as well as modern
interpretations and reactions, students will participate in presentations as well as dense class discussion through
questioning and exploration, and complete a process essay using past AP prompts.
Students will engage in close readings of selected passages. Writing topics will be selected from past Open Question
prompts.
Unit Nine: Existential Themes in Literature (3 Weeks)
Previous units culminate in a unit on existential literature in which students, in addition to studying Death of a Salesman in class, will
examine a selected work in light of five existential themes from A Very Short Introduction to Existentialism. Throughout this unit,
students are expected to obtain an understanding of existentialism as well as the sociological study of literature. Literary, thematic, and
rhetorical study will be examined for each selected work. The students will be expected to make connections between the film and
literature and apply literary theory, including philosophical and sociological perspective, in written and oral responses. In addition, the
students will extensively study symbolism and author’s style both in their chosen written work as well as in film.
As a concluding and collaborative examination of existential themes in literature, students will conduct a symposium in which
they assume the persona (voice) of a central character in the chosen work, speaking from his/her existential point of view
about thematic issues in the novel. Students will work in groups with other students based on novel selection.
Written Composition: Throughout the close reading of one of the novels below through an existential lens, students should takes
notes in the form of questions, building toward a “question paper.” In this reflective paper (which is not meant to be revised) every
sentence is a question; every paragraph is built with questions that should naturally lead to other questions. These questions may in
fact become speculation or hypotheses, but every sentence must be a question. This type of writing exercise is appropriate for works
that student tend to find vexing or overly complex.
(adapted from Jim Burke’s AP Audit and the College Board AP Literature and Composition Teacher’s Guide)
Texts:
 The Awakening by Kate Chopin
 The Stranger by Albert Camus
 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
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Poetry:
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The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young man by James Joyce
“Tobacco Kiosk” by Fernando Pessoa
“I Saw a Man” by Stephen Crane
“Desert Places” by Robert Frost
Independent Film Analysis Choices:
 Stranger than Fiction, Revolutionary Road, I Heart Huckabees, Groundhog Day, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,
Being John Malkovich, There Will be Blood, Waking Life, Crash, Little Miss Sunshine, 2001: A Space Odyssey
Unit Ten: Research (embedded)
Students will be given a choice of works of literary merit (plays and novels frequently cited on the AP Exam). Students
will be required to analyze fully the novel or play chosen in relationship to a previous AP open question from 1970present and make a connection to a work studied in this class. These papers will follow closely the updated 2009 MLA
format demonstrating formal usage of grammar and style with a minimum of two primary sources and two secondary
sources.
Students will take part in editing and revision workshops in order to analyze and evaluate their own, as well as their
classmates’, writing with an emphasis on improving the use of rhetorical devices such as tone, voice, diction, and sentence
structure.
Unit Eleven: AP Exam Prep (embedded throughout, but concentrated 2 weeks prior to the exam)
Throughout the year students will engage in formal activities designed to prepare them for taking the AP Exam. Students will work
both collaboratively and independently to complete practice AP multiple choice questions. Further, they will practice the three types
of AP essays through timed in-class essays. These essays will be evaluated by the teacher using the AP Rubric, and several of the
practice essays will also be evaluated and scored by peers.
Unit Twelve: A Study of Self through independent Reading: Modern Novel (Post-AP Exam)
Text: Choose One:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Native Speaker or A Gesture Life by Chang Rae Lee
Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Students will participate in Fish Bowl type discussions (based on respective novel choices) in which they will analyze, discuss, and
apply the use of historical relevance and social commentary. Further, they will analyze the use of Biblical (and other) allusions and
symbolism used in the texts.
Pledge of Academic Honesty
Please fill out this page and send back by the end of the first week
Student Name (please print) __________________________________ Date: ________________
“I have read and understand the policy on and consequences for cheating and plagiarism for AP Literature and
Composition. I understand that plagiarism or cheating in any form is strictly prohibited. I understand further that
academic honesty is required to maintain equity, to respect the work of others, and to fulfill the fundamental
developmental goals of education. I pledge academic honesty this semester in all of my work and agree not to take
part in any form of cheating or plagiarism.”
Student signature ______________________________________________
I have read the syllabus for AP Literature and Composition and understand that I will be held accountable to the policies
and procedures set by the teacher.
Student signature______________________________________________
Parent/ Guardian name (please print) ____________________________ Date: _______________
Parent Signature: I have read the syllabus AP Literature and Composition and understand that my child will be held
accountable to the policies and procedures set by the teacher, including the policy on academic honesty.
Parent signature ______________________________________________
Dear Parents,
In an effort to foster better parent-teacher communication, I am requesting an email address from at least one
parent/guardian for each of my students. I check my email several times a day and will be able to respond to/ contact
you with greater expediency than I am able to by phone, since our school lines are limited and usually busy. Please
include a preferred email address below:
The following email address belongs to: ___________________________
Parent/ Guardian email address: _____________________________________________
The following email address belongs to: ___________________________
Parent/ Guardian email address: _____________________________________________
*AP Final Exam Exemption Policy:
Students who take an AP Exam in any AP course will not need to take the final exam in that course. Students who elect not to
take the AP Exam in a course are required to take (and may not exempt) the final exam, which, in AP Literature and
Composition, will simulate portions of the College Board AP Exam. All students enrolled in AP Literature and Composition
will be required to take the mid-term exam in December.
How to be Successful in AP Lit/Comp (and all future college English courses)
 Take Copious Notes (any time the teacher is talking about a piece of literature, terms, writing
pointers, etc. – write it down. Many test questions come directly from class lecture/ discussion)
 Pay Attention (bring some coffee if you tend to fall asleep, and avoid working on other
assignments during class – doing that simply hurts your grade in Lit. An easy way to stay alert is
to involve yourself in class discussion – write down questions the night before to ask in class, etc.)
 Be In Class (try to schedule appointments during elective classes – remember that if you miss
class, you’re missing 90+ minutes of content that you are responsible for. If you are out, email
your teacher that night to get your assignments/ reading – although you’ll still need to consult a
classmate for notes)
 Be on Time for Class (valuable content is being covered even if you come to class late. Also, if
you have the class early in the morning, it doesn’t win you brownie points to consistently
oversleep)
 Determine a Study Group/ Study Partner (this will save you in college; you need someone
reliable who will take really good notes for you if you’re absent and vice versa)
 When Reading is Assigned, Read it! (anything from assigned reading is potential material for
exams)
 Don’t Just Read It, Annolight it (you’ll definitely learn this skill in college, but it’s virtually
impossible to remember everything you read. By annolighting you’re giving yourself place-marks
to refer back to when studying, AND you’re actively reading, which means you’re retaining much
more)
 Study for Tests (In a college literature course, you’re not memorizing/ studying facts, you’re
studying commentary on pieces given to you by your teacher/ professor, so…refer back to the first
point: “Take Copious Notes” )
 Complete All Assignments – Even the Little Ones (You never know when you’ll need a grade
cushion, so always complete those little 10-pointers, even though there aren’t many of them)
 Seek Help (stop by for a conference or help on designated days/ times)
 Attend Study/ Review Sessions (if these are offered before tests, etc. – make sure to come!)
 Take Advantage of All Bonus Opportunities (anytime something is optional, it’s wise to do it,
even if it might not be for bonus points)
AP Lit Essay Scoring Model - Minich
Top Scores
9-8
9=
8/9 =
8=
99-100
92-98
88-91
These are well-written papers which respond fully to the question asked. The best papers
show a full understanding of the issues and support their points with appropriate textual
evidence and examples. Writers of these essays demonstrate stylistic maturity by an effective
command of sentence structure, diction, and organization. The writing need not be without
flaws, but it should reveal the writer’s ability to choose from and control a wide range of
elements of effective writing.
9:
8/9:
8:
Upper Scores
7-6
7/8 =
7=
6/7 =
6=
82-87
78-81
75-77
72-75
These essays also respond correctly to the questions asked but do so less fully or less
effectively than the essays in the top range. Their discussion may be less thorough and less
specific. These essays are well-written in an appropriate style but reveal less maturity than
the top papers. They do make use of textual evidence to support their points. Some lapses
in diction or syntax may appear, but the writing demonstrates sufficient control over the
elements of composition to present the writer’s ideas clearly.
7/8:
7:
6/7:
6:
Middle Score
5
5=
70-71
Lower Scores
4-3
68-69
65-68
Lowest Scores
2-1
60-64
55-60
Standard high school writing
These essays attempt to deal with the question, but do so either inaccurately or without
support or specific evidence. They may show some misunderstanding or omit pertinent
analysis. The writing can convey the writer’s ideas, but it reveals weak control over diction,
syntax, organization. These essays may contain excessive and distracting spelling and
grammatical errors. Statements are seldom supported with specific or persuasive evidence,
or inappropriately lengthy quotations may replace discussion and analysis.
4:
2=
1=
Above average. Shows thought, but not even in development or maturity of style
Above average. Shows effort, originality in spots, but lacks depth and layers of
meaning in many areas.
Shows promise or capability of being interesting and developed, but not as developed
as the above papers.
A typical, good effort. Not bad, but not unique in a “stand out” way/ may include a
major plot error, etc.
These essays respond to the question, but the comments may be simplistic or imprecise; they
may be overly generalized, vague, or inadequately supported. These essays are adequately
written, but may demonstrate inconsistent control over the elements of composition.
Organization is attempted, but it may not be fully realized or particularly effective.
5:
4=
3=
Vastly beyond what the average AP English student will write/ profound connections
Something special, catches the reader’s attention as very mature, thoughtful writing
Above average. Shows care and thought. Originality evident
Lacks in some critical area, usually in development, but may also be style/ grammar.
Approaches hitting a few high spots and then uses lots of words that don’t “say” much.
3:
Reads as if simply doing enough to get by, but doesn’t quite “get by” even
These essays fail to respond adequately to the question. They may reveal misunderstanding
or may distort the interpretation. They compound the problems of the Lower Score papers.
Generally these essays are unacceptably brief or poorly written. Although some attempts to
answer the question may be indicated, the writer’s view has little clarity and only slight, if
any, evidence in its support.
2:
1:
We have a lot of work to do and a long way to go. Sub-par even for on level English classes
Complete lack of effort. No understanding of the text. No command of style/ organization
AP Lit Essay Score Card – Minich
Writer:
Class:
Essay Topic/Title:
Area Scored
Exemplary
Proficient
Emerging
Needs
Improvement
Ideas and Content
Organization
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Voice
Conventions
Presentation
Insight
Support
Intro / Conclusion
Grade:
Revision Suggestions: Teacher and Student
_________/___________
Revision Possible? Yes/No
Due Date:
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