Advanced Placement English Literature & Composition

It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who
recognizes the challenge and does something about it.
Vince Lombardi
Welcome Class of 2011!
General Course Information:
Advanced Placement English is a literature course for high-achieving seniors. They will have the option of taking the
AP English Literature exam in May. Their successful performance on this test may earn them college credit, depending
on the college they choose. LSSU, for example, awards students who receive a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the test six college
credits and allows them to skip freshman composition and speech.
For more information on the class and the exam, follow this link:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_englit.html?englit
To find the AP credit policy at any college or university, look here:
http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp
For a list of AP suggested titles:
http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/AP/APtitles.html
For a list of the AP open questions:
http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/AP/APOpenQuestions.html
Advanced Placement English Syllabus
Textbook
The Norton Introduction to Literature, tenth edition, copyright 2010.
Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays
Literary Period Units
Each marking period we will read a variety of genre within literary periods. You will be
required to take a multiple choice test upon the completion of each novel and play, and
discuss and write about the literature we read in class.
Writing Assignments: Instruction and Feedback
Writing assignments will be given in various forms. Instruction and feedback will focus
on the six traits of writing: ideas, voice, organization, sentence structure, word choice,
and conventions.
Reader Response Journal:
You will be assigned two pages a week for response to the literature we are reading in
class. On the day the reading is due, you will be expected to come to class with the
assigned questions answered. Questions will require you to develop your ideas about
theme, tone, and characterization. I will provide feedback in the form of written
comments.
Summary Sheets: Every time a drama or novel is assigned, you will be required to
produce a summary sheet which lists: author, genre, characters, major theme(s), year of
publication, setting, and three quotes. Also write a summary in your own words of the
piece, highlighting significant events using the model on handout (chart form).
Timed Essays:
As one goal of this course is to prepare you for the AP English Literature exam, you will
do several practice multiple choice tests and three timed essays (40 minutes) each
marking period, using former AP exams. Instruction prior to the timed essays will include
similar questions from former AP tests and sample student responses, and showing how
the six traits of writing ultimately produce a successful piece of writing. You will be
taught how to evaluate these sample essays and one another’s writing using the AP rubric
(scale 1-9). Confidentiality will be required in the peer editing process. By the end of
each practice test, you will learn what your score would be on the real exam by using the
AP scoring worksheet. I will evaluate each of your timed essays using the AP rubric,
scoring them on a scale of 1-9. My feedback will focus on the six traits. We will choose a
different trait to focus on for different writings. We will begin with appropriate choice of
an idea, or theme, in response to a prompt. Next we will work on organization and a
natural flow between the general idea and specific details in the body paragraphs, and
making transitions between paragraphs. Third, we will work on sentence structure, or
syntax, looking at specific authors for examples. Fourth, we will cover word choice, or
diction, to show how effective word choice can make a big difference in your writing.
Finally, we will cover the difficult but important task of voice, or style or tone, and how
to successfully include it in your writing, again using the work of specific authors for
examples. Throughout the year I will cover conventions wherever I see problems. You
have had years of grammar instruction by now, but I expect some review may be
necessary on occasion. By the end of the year, all six traits of writing can be incorporated
into your essays.
Presentations:
One formal piece of writing with an oral presentation will be assigned each marking
period. These projects will include a research paper (MLA style), a poetry anthology,
major works summaries, and quote memorizations and explanations. You will turn in a
rough draft of each of these pieces of writing on which you will receive feedback, and
then you will have time to work on revision before the final draft is due.
Vocabulary
For the first semester, there will be weekly vocabulary quizzes. Each week will contain
ten new words and five literary terms. They will consist of vocabulary from a piece of
literature that is being covered, literary terms, and other words that have been used on AP
tests in the past. Then during the second semester, you will be assigned 10-15 words from
the AP Vocabulary sheet (handout). Every week ten new words will be introduced and
explained by you and your classmates. When the class accumulates 25 words, there will
be a vocabulary quiz (sentence form with some context clues).
Grading
I expect everyone to receive an A or B in this class. An A represents consistently superior
and conscientious work that reflects your commitment to assignments and performance in
class. Regular class discussions as well as exceptional written work support this grade.
Your reading response journal must be carefully maintained and developed. A grade of B
represents your general competence in the class. Grades earned below a B show that you
are not doing your assigned reading and/or writing. Late work is unacceptable. A quiz or
test missed because of an absence must be made up the next day. As this is the equivalent
of a college course, behavior problems will not be tolerated. Any repeated discipline
issues, attendance issues, or failing grades will require removal from the class.
I believe this course will offer you a solid college-level experience in literary
study that will serve you well on the exam in May, and through your years in college.
Hopefully, it will also instill a love of literature and the ability to intelligently critique
authors, which will make you a lifelong lover of reading.
The grading scale is as follows:
93% - 100% A
73% - 76%
C
90% - 92%
A70% - 72%
C87% - 89%
B+
67% - 69%
D+
83% - 86%
B
63% - 66%
D
80% - 82%
B60% - 62%
D77% - 79%
C+
59% E
I do not round up and there is no extra credit. All AP classes have weighted grades,
which means a 4.0 (A) automatically becomes a 4.3 when the guidance office figures
grade point averages at semester end. In my mind, this takes the place of extra credit.
Check PowerSchool regularly for grade updates.
First Marking Period
Theme:
Ghosts in the Heart and All that Jazz
“No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly
heart. ---F. Scott Fitzgerald in the The Great Gatsby
Characters in literature are often haunted by ghosts from their pasts that had a significant
effect on their lives. In this collection of literature from the modern period (including the
Jazz Age), characters are figuratively haunted, for example: Jay Gatbsy by the dream of
the woman he loved, Willy Loman by imagined visits from his dead brother, and Blanche
DuBois by the memory of a husband. Each author has a similar message for us—it is
pathetic and dangerous to allow a ghost to take possession of your heart.
Literature will include:
Novel: The Great Gatsby (Paperback) (Sept. 7) The Scarlet Letter (Oct. 25)
Short Story: “Babylon Revisited” (Norton, p. 651) (Sept. 16)
Drama-: A Streetcar Named Desire (Norton, p. 1804) (Sept. 20)
Death of a Salesman (Norton, p. 2128) (Oct. 15)
Poetry: Edna St. Vincent Millay, Langston Hughes, Richard Wilbur, W.H.
Auden, ee cummings, W.B. Yeats, Claude McKay, Wilfred Owen, Robert
Frost
Short Stories: “A Good Man is Hard to Find” (Norton, p. 495). “A Rose for
Emily” (Norton p. 679). “Rocking Horse Winner” (Norton p. 750)
( Oct. 4)
Writing Project:
The format will be an MLA research paper on an individually assigned literary period
focusing on its most influential novelists, playwrights, or poets and their works. The
prewriting will be completed note cards of your proposed paper with works cited due
Wednesday, September 30th. The rough draft will be a minimum of five typed, double
spaced pages and will be your completed research paper, due Monday, October 18th. It
will be shared with three classmates for peer editing. You will also receive my feedback
and instruction before your revisions. The final draft will include five to ten typed,
double spaced pages due Monday, Nov. 1st.
Handout: AP English research paper topics
Author study:
Each student will be assigned an author for the marking period. When your assigned
poem is the Friday Poem of the Week, or when the class is reading your assigned author’s
work, you will be responsible for its explication to the class through a PowerPoint
presentation. Describe at least three literary devices that the author used. Also, include
some biographical information on the author that may help explain his or her subject,
tone, and/or style of writing. In addition to leading the class discussion on your assigned
day, a printing of your PowerPoint slides will be due.
Handout: Author study form
Poetry Writing:
After reading Auden's "Musee des Beaux Arts", (Norton, p. 1317) choose a piece of art
that inspires you and write a poem (at least 8 lines). Print the artwork and turn it in with
your poem.
Second Marking Period
Theme:
Men Bow, but do Women still Curtsy?
As we have studied, literature reflects the culture of the time. The Romantic period
(1800-1832) was characterized by social commentary on love and marriage, and finally
some respect for female writers. The Victorian period of literature (1837-1900) was
characterized by social commentary through satire, which will be evident in the drama
selections for this marking period.
Literature will include:
Drama-The Importance of Being Earnest (Norton, p. 1597) (Dec. 15), (Pygmalion
(British Lit. Book) (Nov. 30)
Novels- Heart of Darkness (Jan. 3).
Short stories- "The Lady with the Pet Dog" (Norton, p. 770) (Nov.
29),"Counterparts"(Norton, p.596) (Jan. 5), "The Story of an Hour" (Norton, p. 607)
(Jan. 3),"The Yellow Wallpaper" (Norton, p. 608) (Jan. 10)
Link to "Counterparts":
http://www.readprint.com/work-878/James-Joyce
Link to "The Story of an Hour":
http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/storyofhour.html
Essay- "A Modest Proposal" (Jan. 17)
Link to "A Modest Proposal":
http://www.online-literature.com/swift/947/
Poetry- Paul Laurence Dunbar, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Thomas Hardy, Emily
Dickinson, Matthew Arnold, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Percy Shelley, John
Keats, William Wordsworth, William Blake
Writing Project:
You will be the editor of a poetry anthology. For Prewriting, select a poet of
literary merit (one that might be chosen for an AP exam) and write a preface including
that poet’s relevant biography and his/her influence on the genre (one to two pages) and
list the titles of ten of his/her most significant poems. Due December 7th for 30
points. The Rough draft will be the text of each of the ten poems and an analysis of each
including a summary, analysis of a poetic element, a quote, and a discussion of theme or
tone (at least one paragraph per poem) due by Dec. 15th for 100 points total. Final draft
will be your completed anthology: title page with photo, table of contents, preface, the
full text of ten poems, each with an analysis, and an original poem imitating that poet’s
style. Due Dec. 21st for 70 points.
Poem Analysis:
You will be expected to complete a weekly poem analysis, including an
interpretation of the assigned poem, vocabulary meaning, and examples of literary terms,
along with a minimum ½ page summary of the poem.
Poetry Writing:
After reading Keats' "On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer", (Norton, p. 4)
consider a cathartic experience you have had. Capture this feeling in a poem (minimum
eight lines) as Keats did.
Poetry/Author study:
You will be assigned an author for the marking period. When your assigned
author wrote the Poem of the Week or the completed novel or play, you will be
responsible for a PowerPoint presentation to the class. It must consist of at least ten slides
that include the information required on the handout provided. In addition to leading the
class discussion on your assigned day, a printout of your slides (six per page) is due.
Third Marking Period
Theme:
‘Twas the Night before…the Times that Try Men’s Souls
Ancient Greek and Renaissance literature created a foundation for literature so we must
focus on early works. And then we'll move on to the Romantic era.
Literature will include:
Drama- Oedipus the King (Norton, p. 1559) (Jan. 19), Midsummer Night's
Dream (Paperback) (Jan. 31) Antigone (Feb. 7)
Movie: Shakespearean Tragedy (Jan. 24)
Novel- Pride and Prejudice (Feb. 21)
Movie and Critical Response (Feb. 28)
Poetry- Robert Burns, Andrew Marvell, Robert Herrick, William Shakespeare,
Christopher Marlowe, Sir Walter Raleigh, John Donne, Elizabeth I,
Michael Drayton, Ben Jonson, John Milton, Lady Mary Wroth, Sir Robert
Ayton, Abraham Cowley
Writing Project:
In preparation for the AP exam you will be required to complete a critical
response for three prompts similar to those that would appear on the AP exam. The
prompts will be based on any of the pieces from the third marking period.
The responses will be graded using the AP rubric and will be a source of discussion for
improving skills and observing strengths and weaknesses of the responses.
Poetry Writing:
Choose a Renaissance poem from a notable poet and write a poem imitating, updating, or
satirizing it. Minimum of twelve lines (Due March 5th).
Author study:
Each student will be assigned an author. When your assigned author is due, you
will be responsible for a presentation to the class. Be sure to include all the required
information on the handout. In addition to making your presentation on the assigned day,
a hard copy of your report will be due.
Fourth Marking Period
Theme:
For Better or Worse—Divorce of the Minds and the Union of Souls
People are alienated from society for reasons such as gender, race, class, or physical
appearance. By reading about these characters in contemporary literature, we may learn
they are not so different from ourselves. Hopefully we can sympathize with their
treatment by society, making us a more tolerant generation.
Literature will include:
Novels-Night (March 14 ), Animal Farm, 1984 (March 25) Independent selection
(April 29)
Drama- Wit (Apr. 15), How I Learned to Drive (Apr. 19) The Cherry Orchard (Apr. 25)
Short stories- "Happy Endings" (Norton, p. 123) (Apr. 22), "Sonny's Blues" (Norton, p.
92) (Apr. 26), "A Pair of Tickets" ( Norton, p.251)(Apr. 29)
Poetry- Seamus Heaney, Thom Gunn, Gwendolyn Brooks, Rita Dove, Sharon Olds,
Marge Piercy, Robert Hayden, Bob Dylan, Maxine Kumin, Sylvia Plath
Writing Project:
As a review and preparation for the AP exam, you will memorize three quotes,
one each from novels or plays we have read in this class that you are most likely to write
about on the open essay. The quote must be at least thirty words in length and significant
to the theme. On the day of each quote quiz, you will turn in the quote and an explanation
of why this quote is important to the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not plagiarize
from Spark Notes!
1st quote quiz: Wednesday, April 14
2nd quote quiz: Wednesday, April 21
3rd quote quiz: Wednesday, April 28
Poetry Writing:
After reading Rita Dove's "Fifth Grade Autobiography" (Norton, p. 828), select a
photo from your childhood. Write a poem inspired by the photo. Focus on incorporating
imagery into your poem. Minimum length: 8 lines. (May 1)
Reading Project:
The novels and plays you have read this year have all been teacher-selected. In
order to give you some freedom to follow your own literary interests, you will choose a
novel from the Independent Reading List and write a three page critical essay when you
have completed it (but no later than May 9). Handout: Independent Reading List