A. P. English
Syllabus of Materials and Concepts
SUMMER READING: George Orwell’s 1984 (Signet Edition) and Thomas C.
Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor (2014 Edition). For the purpose of
understanding the many allusions in literature, read the King James version of
Genesis and Matthew and research mythological characters and stories (no written
work will be required for these).
Sources:
Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense
Write for College
Prestwick House Downloadable AP Novel Units and Applied Practice Novel
Units (Includes AP style study guide questions and AP style practice tests and
example written responses)
How to Read Literature Like a Professional
MLA Handbook
Summer Reading: 1984 and How to Read Literature Like a Professional
Year: King Lear, The Counte of Monte Cristo, Angela’s Ashes, Their Eyes Were
Watching God, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights
Course Description:
Advanced Placement English is a college-level course designed for students who
have previously demonstrated strong writing and analytical skills. Students read
and carefully analyze a broad and challenging range of literary selections.
Through close reading of both fiction and non-fiction and through frequent
writing, students develop their ability to work with text with a greater awareness
of purpose and strategy while strengthening their own composing abilities in
different modes and with varied purposes. Writing assignments will enable
students to write in order to analyze and evaluate literary work. A major goal and
expectation for this class is that students will score a 3 or above on the National
Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature and Composition and English
Language offered by the College Board each May.
This class requires outside-of-class preparation for daily assignments.
Goals:
1.
Analyze a particular passage and divide it into its component parts according to
structure, purpose, and style. (CA 2, 3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.9, 2.4, 3.5)
2.
Identify and write according to the four modes of discourse: exposition, narration,
description, and argumentation. (CA 4, 1.8, 1.1, 2.6, 4.8)
3.
Recognize and utilize the rhetorical strategies of writing: example, contrast and
comparison, definition, cause and effect, process, analysis/division, and
classification. (CA 2, 3, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3.1, 3.5, 3.6 , 3.7, 3.8)
4.
Recognize and utilize literary techniques (imagery, use of detail). (CA 4, 2.1)
5.
Increase vocabulary used to analyze literature (CA 2, 3, 1.5, 1.6)
6.
Evaluate effectiveness of responses to literary prompts. (CA 1, CA 4, 1.8, 2.1,
2.2)
7.
Increase exposure to reading recognized pieces of literature. (CA 2, 3, 1.5, 1.6,
2.4, 3.1, 3.5, 3.6 , 3.7, 3.8)
8.
Review usage and effective sentence structure for revision of personal writing.
(CA 1, 4, 2.1. 2.2)
Methods:
1.
Read literary passages for analysis (both written and oral analysis in discussion).
2.
Write unrehearsed response from literary prompts.
3.
4.
5.
Utilize peer evaluation to improve written work.
Parody literary style of writers.
Write prepared assignments using the different modes of writing.
The nature of the class is based on simulating a college English course and will be
treated as such, which means no late work will be accepted. No going to the copy
machine to print a copy of an assignment and no e-mails unless there is a serious
medical or family issue keeping you from class. Colleges want hard copies. Since
much of the work of this class is based on discussion, group work, and peer
evaluation, attendance is very important. Much of the work of each day is simply a
lost opportunity if you are not here.
Attendance:
You are expected to attend and participate in every class session. The daily
written exercises cannot be made up if you miss class, and you will receive a zero for any
written assignment exercise you miss. Therefore, you will benefit from attending class. I
will take roll each day. If you arrive late to class, please see me after so I can remove
your absence from the record. (I may forget if you do not remind me, so it is your
responsibility; otherwise, your absence will stand.) Extreme extenuating circumstances
may alter the above attendance policy, but only extreme cases. If you must be absent,
YOU MUST CONTACT ME IN ADVANCE (call 582-5901 or e-mail
susanholland@ga.ozark.k12.mo.us ). In this technological age, there are few if any
reasonable explanations for not turning in work on time. Compositions/Essays are due
regardless of whether a student attends school the day they are due. Printer
problems are not an acceptable excuse, and you must be on time, in class with
paper, when papers are due; otherwise, they will not be accepted.
All work in this class is subject to the plagiarism policy as adopted by the
board of education, as presented in the student handbook. Students are expected to
do original work and give credit where other authors’ works are used for reference.
The cost of AP exams will be announced. AP English requires the student to
take either the English Language or the English Literature AP exams. Money for
the exam will be collected early in the second semester so that the exams can be
ordered.
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Student Signature
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Parent/Guardian Signature