Advanced Placement English Language and Composition -- Course #10014201,2
Mrs. Wegner wegnerm@pcsb.org
Pinellas County Course Description: This course focuses on an extensive study of literature and language.
Emphasis is placed on the semantic, structural, and rhetorical resources of the English language as they relate to
the principles of effective writing. Students are required to take the Advanced Placement examination. This course
substitutes for the English III requirement.
Advanced Placement courses involve higher levels of complexity, greater depth, and a faster pace. The reading
level is higher and more reading will be required. Students will be required to use a higher level of vocabulary, do
more writing, do more homework, and meet the standards of more challenging tests. Advanced Placement
courses are recommended for students with either an average English grade of at least a C or enrollment in AVID.
Prerequisite: English II Honors.
AP Accreditation Course Description
In accordance with the guidelines in the English AP Course Description [C1], students in this critical reading and
writing course read, analyze, and imitate the style of many writers from different periods [C5]. The course
emphasizes rhetoric and the writing process, focusing on works of nonfiction prose [C6], but also including study of
selected works of fiction and drama, primarily American, since this course supplants the usual junior English study
of American literature. Students practice critical reading and response both through textual notes and dialectical
journals [C4] as well as critical-reading questions. Students also practice analyzing visual images such as
photographs, paintings, graphs and tables in relation to written texts [C7].
Students write numerous essays, both in and out of class, in a variety of rhetorical modes [C2], and practice the
skills of research [C8] and citation of sources in MLA form [C9], including the evaluation and synthesis of material
from a variety of sources. Students are given guidelines to assist them in self-evaluation and peer evaluation of
their writing [C3], in addition to written and oral feedback from the teacher, with revision and resubmission
encouraged and often required [C10].
Course Elements
Grammar Review and Instruction and Stylistic Development: This occurs in several ways. 1) As part of their
summer assignment, students complete online grammar and style exercises. 2) Using Burnette's Daily Grammar
Practice, many weeks students do a brief daily exercise analyzing one sentence per week according to parts of
speech, parts of sentence and phrases, clauses and sentence type, punctuation and capitalization, and
diagramming sentence structure. 3) Exercises at the end of each thematic unit in The Language of Composition
focus on recognizing the rhetorical effect of these structures, and essay revision encourages their application in
students' own writing. 4) Practice with sentence combining, as exercise and in students' writing.
Vocabulary Building: Most weeks, students complete one lesson in Power Plus: Vocabulary for the New
SAT. which includes roots, prefixes, and suffixes, as well as exercises in sentence and paragraph correction or
improvement, and critical reading of short passages. Students also study rhetorical and literary terms, with
practice in both recognizing and using various techniques.
Patterns of Paragraph and Essay Development: During the first term, students study one method of development
every week or two, and write most weeks an essay developed by that method. Essays are drawn from several
rhetorical readers, as well as nonfiction selections from their American literature text and current newspaper
articles and editorials.
Rhetorical Analysis: Throughout the year, students will get frequent practice in identifying and evaluating the
effect of isolated rhetorical elements, as presented in Dean's Voice Lessons. During the second term, students
review the elements of rhetoric, close reading, and synthesis of sources, and analyze more challenging texts,
arranged thematically, from The Language of Composition. Thematic units will include several of the following:
Education, Work, Community, Gender, Sports and Fitness, Language, Science and Technology, Popular Culture,
Nature, and Politics.
Research and Synthesis:
The first research assignment is one of argumentation on a current controversial issue. I use the expanded
editorial section of the Sunday issue of our excellent local newpaper, the St. Petersburg Times, throughout the year
for analysis of rhetorical and argumentative strategies. At the same time, students are browsing articles to choose
an issue of current import; for their paper they supplement newspaper articles and editorials with additional
sources, including at least one visual source. This assignment also provides instruction in research process and
form, practice in the skills of paraphrasing, summarizing, synthesizing and citing material from various sources.
Students write AP-style essays requiring synthesis of several sources.
Direct Practice for the AP Exam: As the year progresses, students have increasingly more frequent practice of
close analysis of passages in timed writings as well as multiple-choice questions, using previous AP exams and
other materials. They also practice evaluating essays using the AP rubric, and applying it in peer and self
evaluation. Early in the course, they work with one passage at a time, including group and class discussions of the
passages and questions. Later they will work in longer sessions to build concentration and stamina.
Fiction and Drama: This course emphasizes nonfiction in a variety of forms, but since the standard junior English
course is built around American literature, and since my students need to continually read fiction in preparation
for AP English Literature their senior year, and since they need to see that fiction and nonfiction share many
literary and rhetorical techniques, they study as time permits several classic novels and plays, primarily American
(see list below). In addition to the works studied in class, students must read independently at least one American
novel or two plays selected from a list provided.
Students practice literary analysis using techniques such as SIFTS and SOAPSTone, and practice active reading
through the use of dialectical journals. In addition to the formal research paper described above, students write
informal essays focusing on character, theme, purpose, etc.
Primary Text:
Materials
Shea, Renee H., et. al. The Language of Composition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007.
Supplemental Texts:
Burnette, Dawn. Daily Grammar Practice, Grade 11. Peachtree City, GA: DGP Publishing, 2003.
Cohen, Samuel. 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004.
Cooley, Thomas. The Norton Sampler. Sixth Edition. New York: Norton, 2003.
Dean, Nancy. Voice Lessons: Classroom Activities to Teach Diction, Detail, Imagery, Syntax, and Tone.
Gainesville, FL: Maupin House, 2000.
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Fourth Edition. New York: Modern
Language Association of America, 1995.
Hacker, Diane. A Writer's Reference. Online review and exercises in writing and grammar. Bedford/
St. Martin's, n.d.. http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref5e/flash/wr_menu.asp
Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and
Guide, Seventh Edition. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.
Reed, Daniel A. Power Plus: Vocabulary for the New SAT. Clayton, DE: Prestwick House, 2004.
Sime, Richard, et.al., eds. Elements of Literature, Fifth Course: Literature of the United States. Austin:
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003.
St. Petersburg Times. Weekly "Perspective" section, current issues. St. Petersburg, FL.
Approximate timeline, subject to adjustment as needed.
First Six Weeks
Week 1 – Course overview, class expectations. Turn in money for supplementary books; check out textbook.
Review of grammar, usage, and style; check summer exercises; quiz. Evaluate need for remediation.
Begin study of rhetorical modes:
1. Introduction to the Writing Process
Annie Dillard, “The Death of the Moth” and
“How I Wrote the Moth Essay”
Students write an informal essay on
a significant personal experience.
th
th
(Norton 5 Ed. pp. 3-23; 6 Ed. pp. 3-20)
Weeks 2-3 – Check summer notes on chapters 1 and 2; discuss Chapter 1. Continue rhetorical modes:
th
2. First Person Narration (Norton 5 27-29)
Excerpt: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
(Am. lit text. 424-431)
Eighner, Lars, "On Dumpster Diving"
(50 Essays 107-119; Patterns for College Writing 609-624 )
th
3. Definition
(Norton 5 170-172)
th
Students write on the two
Cindy Schneider, “A Name Is Just a Name” (Norton 5 173-177)
th
Dave Berry, "Guys vs. Men" (Norton 6 246-253)
most important rights or on parenting
th
4. Classification and Division (Norton 5 69-71)
Isaac Asimov, “What Do You Call a Platypus?”
Essay on choice of topics from list in text.
th
th
(Norton 5 78-85; 6 146-153)
th
Russell Baker, "The Plot Against People" (Norton 6 246-253)
Weeks 4-6 – Discuss Chapter 2; review rhetorical terms, apply to Kennedy inaugural address; test.
Check summer annotations of American Dream essays and The Great Gatsby. Discuss essays (group and
whole-class work) and analyze according to rhetorical mode.
Conduct Socratic Circles on The Great Gatsby. Essay on American Dream, using essays and Gatsby.
Begin SAT vocabulary and Daily Grammar Practice. Continue rhetorical modes:
th
5. Process Analysis
(Norton 5 106-108)
Alexander Petrunkevitch, “The Spider and the
th
th
Wasp” (Norton 5 109-116; 6 179-186)
Philip Weiss, “How to Get Out of a Locked Trunk”
6. Cause and Effect (Norton 140-143)
“The Johnstown Flood” (SAT Vocab p. 32-35)
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., “A Giant Step”
th
th
(Norton 5 161-166; 6 303-308)
th
7. Comparison and Contrast (Norton 5 199-201)
Bruce Catton, “Grant and Lee: A Study
in Contrasts”
Black Hawk, “For More than a Hundred Winters,”
Chief Joseph, “I Will Fight No More Forever”
Excerpts: Jefferson, “The Declaration of
Independence” and Paine, The Crisis
Essay on choice of topics from list in text.
th
th
(Norton 5 128-135; 6 192-199)
Essay on causes and effects of the postwar
baby boom, or of the high divorce rate, or
of a scientific or technological development.
Essay comparing/contrasting two descriptions
of Okefenokee Swamp: Model/guided practice:
rhetorical analysis and AP exam scoring.
(Am. lit 446-448)
(Am. lit 106-111; 114-124;
Patterns 507-511)
th
8. Description (Norton 5 269-271)
E. B. White, “Once More to the Lake”
th
th
(Norton 5 403-413; 6 400-407)
N. Scott Momaday, “The Way to Rainy Mountain”
Second Six Weeks
Descriptive essay modeled on selections
from Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage.
(Am. lit 1092-1099; 50 Essays 265-271)
Begin Voice Lessons; continue SAT Vocabulary and DGP
Weeks 7-9 – Instruction, modeling, guided practice with AP-style multiple choice using Practice Exam 1
Death of a Salesman—Read, discuss/Socratic circle, essay, practice AP-style multiple choice.
Chapter 3, Synthesis; essay on reconstruction of New Orleans
Weeks 10-12 – Final rhetorical mode, serving as background for research paper of argumentation:
9. Persuasion, Argumentation, and Debate (Patterns 485-506)
Test on argumentation terms
Patrick Henry, “Speech to the Virginia Convention”
Students analyze argumentation strategies.
(Am. lit 100-105)
Debate: (All in Patterns)
Students prepare arguments for both sides
Immigration (529-546)
of issue, then debate.
Multicultural Education (547-556)
Date Rape (557-568)
Media Violence (569-600)
Teach/review research procedure and form, appropriate use of sources. Students select current issue,
begin research, construct outline and thesis.
Third Six Weeks
Continue Voice Lessons, SAT Vocabulary, DGP
Continue research; draft, peer editing, revision, second peer editing, revision, submission to teacher;
further revision and resubmission if needed
The Scarlet Letter: annotation and discussion, AP multiple choice & rhetorical analysis essay test
Chapter 4, Education; Grammar as Rhetoric and Style (GRS)—appositives, verbs
Plastic Pink Flamingo essay; scoring practice; peer evaluation
Chapter 5, Work; GRS—short, simple sentences
Second Semester
Continue Voice Lessons, SAT Vocabulary, DGP
Continued instruction, modeling, and guided practice on AP multiple-choice and essay strategies, Practice
Exams 2 and 3; strategy review and independent practice, Exam 4
Synthesis essays: Invasive Species, Value of Presidential Debates, Rebuilding of New Orleans, etc.
Essays: Fault Lines, Coca-Cola, and others
Text thematic chapters 6, Community; 7, Gender; 9, Language; 12, Nature; 13, Politics. All include
practice in critical reading, rhetorical analysis, synthesis, and written assignments
American literature: Instruction will include discussion, Socratic circles, analysis, writing, group work and
presentations:
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter
Tim O'Brien, The Things They Carried (after the AP exam)