Ms. Haynes
San Fernando High School
Math / Science / Technology Magnet
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND SYLLABUS:
ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to AP English Language! This year-long advanced course is designed to make you ―skilled readers of prose
written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts,‖ and ―skilled writers who compose for a variety of
purposes‖ (The College Board, AP English Course Description, May 2007, May 2008, p. 12). A majority of the course is
devoted to the study of argument and persuasion, or what is known as rhetoric. Our goal throughout the year will be to
understand how messages are conveyed and how arguments are structured. Because most media is at some level
rhetorical, it is important to recognize how our view of the world is being shaped by what we read, view, or hear. It is
also important that as writers we understand how best to communicate our own point of view in a way that others will
find reasonable, even if they do not agree. Our journey will take us through nonfiction and fictional works alike, but rest
assured that no matter what the text, you will be challenged to examine language in a new and exciting way!
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course will focus on two main areas of scholastic development: writing and reading.
I.
WRITING
As this is an upper-level, college preparatory course, the purpose of the required writing assignments is to enable you to
―write prose of sufficient richness and complexity to communicate effectively with mature readers‖ (The College Board,
AP English Course Description, May 2007, May 2008, p.12). We will be moving past the traditional five-paragraph
essay and three-part thesis in order to encourage your individual writing style. Through the study of rhetorical modes,
organizational patterns, tropes, literary devices, and fallacies, you will explore the various ways to communicate an idea
effectively and elegantly. To this effect, the course will stress the use of the following in successful composition:
 a wide-ranging vocabulary used with denotative accuracy and connotative resourcefulness;
 a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordinate and
coordinate constructions;
 a logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as repetition, transitions,
and emphasis;
 thorough written interpretations of a literary work, including longer essays and short, focused explications;
 an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving
appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure;
 successful use of prewriting and revision techniques; and,
 proper use of the Modern Language Association (MLA) parenthetical documentation.
II. READING
This course carries with it a heavy reading load and you will be expected to devote a considerable amount of time to each
text. This course will teach you how to closely read a text to disseminate not only what the author is trying to convey,
but the techniques employed by the author to reach that purpose. In addition, you will be learning visual literacy; by
closely examining graphics and visual images in texts, you will be able to analyze how such images both relate to written
texts, and serve as alternate forms of text themselves. At first this analytical process may seem difficult, but as we
progress you will become more adept – like anything in life, reading literature in this manner takes patience and
dedication. To this end, this course will emphasize the following techniques for successful reading and analysis:
 analysis of an author’s use of language, in direct relation to tone and established mood;
 close reading and dissemination of a variety of texts, in hopes of formulating clear opinions concerning the
author’s argument or central thematic idea;
 examination of rhetorical tropes and modes;
 analysis of structure, including organization of expository and persuasive pieces;
 identification and explication of an argument using the fallacies of discourse as a guide; and
 careful examination and synthesis of primary and secondary sources
ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Assignments in this class are varied, and include, but are not limited to, the following:
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weekly in-class AP timed writings
creation of a writing portfolio
in-class recitations and discussions
creative projects
close readings and explications
Socratic seminars
World Café discussions
practice AP objective tests
journal responses to literature
S.A.T. and Rhetorical vocabulary
major essays
M.Y.O.M.C. (make your own
multiple choice)
The AP English Language Examination will take place in early May,
and it is a requirement for successful completion of the course.
GRADING
Minor assignments, such as note-cards and notes and quotes, are graded using a check system, where:
√+ = 35 / 35
√ = 25 / 35
√- = 15 / 35
Major essays and assignments are graded according to the attached rubric, where:
A+ 100% - 98%
A 97% - 95%
A- 94% - 90%
B+
B
B-
89% - 87%
86% - 84%
83% - 80%
F
C+ 79% - 77%
C
76% - 74%
C- 73% - 70%
59% and below
D+
D
D-
69% - 67%
66% - 64%
63% - 60%
Timed, in-class AP writings are scored according to the attached 9-point rubric adapted
from the Advanced Placement testing service.
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Grade Breakdown
35% - Major Essays (5 to 7 pages each)
25% - Writing Portfolio
20% - Term Paper
15% - Short Essays, including Quote Analyses and Explications
5% - Quizzes: Vocabulary and Literary Devices, Timed Writings and
Practice A.P multiple choice tests
REQUIRED TEXTS
The following will be our core texts.
Gaetz, Lynne, and Suneeti Phadke. The Writer's World: Paragraphs and Essays. Upper Saddle River:
Pearson, 2006.
Lunsford, Andrea, John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything's an Argument with Readings.
Fourth ed. New York: Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2007.
Nadler, Burton Jay, et al. Words You Should Know in High School. Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2005.
Oates, Joyce Carol, and Robert Atwan, eds. The Best American Essays of the Century. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
Rosa, Alfred, and Paul Eschholz. Models for Writers: Short Essays for Composition. Tenth ed. New York: Bedford / St.
Martin’s Press, 2010.
Vogel, Richard, and Charles F. Winans. Multiple Choice Questions in Preparation for the AP English
Language and Composition Examination. Fourth ed. New York: D&S Marketing Systems, Inc., 1997.
- - - . Multiple-Choice & Free Response Questions in Preparation for the AP English Language and
Composition Examination. Fifth ed. New York: D&S Marketing Systems, Inc. , 2001.
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WRITING!
Essay Formats: R.D. #1 may be neatly hand-written. R.D. #2 and the Final Draft must be typed using Times New Roman font, 11
or 12-pt. You must have a title page for the final draft with an original title, your name, my name, the course, and the date.
Assessment:
 In-class and at-home prewriting activities (including clusters, bubble-maps, and outlines) are worth 15 points each. You are
required to complete at least one prewriting activity for each essay.
 R.D. #1 is scored out of 50 points. If you have a completed R.D. #1, you will receive 50 points and get the opportunity to
peer edit in class.
 You must peer edit two essays; each essay you read is worth 20 points, for a total of 40 points. Be sure to sign your name at
the bottom of your peer editing rubric for proper credit.
 R.D. #2 is scored out of 100 points. This draft is due to day after R.D. #1. You will be handing in R.D.#1, your rubrics,
your Second Draft Evaluation, and R.D. #2. I will grade and provide feedback on R.D. #2 using the essay standards rubric,
and you will receive a letter grade in the roll book for this draft.
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The Final Draft is due one week after R.D. #2 is returned to you. This is also out of 100 points. You will be handing
in all prewriting activities, all drafts, all rubrics, and the typed final draft on the due date.
TEMPLATE: R.D. #2 EVALUATION
* Note: You will complete this form on a sheet of your own paper*
Name of Student : _______________________________________________________________
Assignment: ___________________________________________________________________
1.
Before handing in the paper:
A.
Number your paragraphs.
B.
Underline your thesis
2.
My intent of this paper is to (convince, illustrate, analyze, etc.):
3.
A particular problem I am having in this paper is: (it can be a grammar problem, a problem with a paragraph, a
problem expressing an idea. Refer to your numbered paragraph)
4.
The following are things I still need to work on:
5.
Areas in the paper which are strong and can be used as a point of comparison:
6.
List 3 questions in particular you’d like me to address when I review your essay:
MAJOR UNITS OF STUDY
I.
A PICTURE IS WORTH . . .
In this unit, you will be introduced to the basic concepts of rhetoric that we will be using throughout the year, and you
will apply these concepts to the visual images which surround us. We will be examining everything from popular
advertisements to photographs to art to graffiti, all with a critical eye. Ultimately, we will strive to answer the
following questions: How do visual artists employ rhetorical strategies and for what purpose? Why are visuals such
an important part of our culture? What do these images convey about our American values?
Excerpts from No Caption Needed, John Louis Lucaites and Robert Hariman
Excerpts from Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud
The Heroism of Vision, Susan Sontag
Various visuals
Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Essay Prompt: Choose one powerful piece of visual rhetoric (you can choose an advertisement, a website, a
photograph, a cartoon, a cover of a magazine -- the sky’s the limit!) and compose a 3-5 page essay that analyzes the
rhetorical strategies and appeals used to create persuasive meaning. Be sure to attach a copy of your visual (please
follow the guidelines given in class for this) to your essay.
Rhetorical Redux: Create your own piece of visual rhetoric
II. ANALYZING GENDER
Why I Want a Wife, Judy (Brady) Syfers
Mind Over Muscle, David Brooks
The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria, Judith Ortiz Cofer
About Men, Gretel Ehrlich
X: A Fabulous Child's Story, Lois Gould
Women’s Brains, Stephen J. Gould
Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code, Michael Kimmel
Size 6: The Western Women’s Harem, Fatema Mernissi
Barbie Doll, Marge Piercy
Our Barbies, Ourselves, Emily Prager
Between the Sexes, a Great Divide, Anna Quindlen
Motherhood: Who Needs It?, Betty Rollin
Looking at Women, Scott Russell Sanders
Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
The War Against Boys, Christine Hoff Sommers
Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
The “He” Hormone, Andrew Sullivan
Being a Man, Paul Theroux
Professions for Women, and Shakespeare’s Sister, Virginia Woolf
Documentary: Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes
Essay Prompt: (5-7 pages) Many people believe that the physical differences in size and strength between men and
women affect their intellectual capabilities and social status. Brain research suggests that men and women process
information in different ways. A few questions which are raised when examining gender include, Are men and women
created equal? Or do their differences suggest an inherent inequality between the sexes? Do these physical differences
imply that one gender is superior to another? With these questions in mind, as well as the issues raised within our
readings, write an essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that "Human creatures …are never entirely
male or entirely female; there are no men, there are no women….‖ In your essay synthesize at least five of the sources
for support, and follow proper format.
Rhetorical Redux: Gender Journal
III. RHETORIC AND POLITICS
The Empire Strikes Back, Chinua Achebe
In Which the Ancient History I Learn is Not My Own, Eavan Boland
Chapters from Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, Barbara Ehrenreich
Who Runs America? Allen Ginsberg
Inaugural Address, John F. Kennedy
Letter to Martin Luther King, Jr. from Alabama Clergymen
Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr.
All I Know is What I Read in the Papers, Chuck Klosterman
Every Man a King, Huey Long
Introduction to the Ethics of Illegality, Jose Jorge Mendoza
Inaugural Address, Barack Obama
Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell
Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau
Excerpts from Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville
Selected television commercials
Selected scenes from the Republican debates
Selected cartoons and editorials from The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The New Yorker
Essay Prompt: (3-4 pages) In Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville asserted that ―Nothing is more wonderful
than the art of being free, but nothing is harder to learn how to use than freedom.‖ Using the readings from this unit as
support, compose an essay which either defends, qualifies, or challenges de Tocqueville’s statement. In addition to the
readings, you may wish to include your observations or experiences to bolster your claim. Be sure to follow proper
essay format!
Rhetorical Redux: Elections! Cast your vote for AP President! We will conduct elections, complete with candidate
debates, campaign managers, ―attack ads,‖ and speeches. May the best nerd win!
IV. POP GOES THE CULTURE!
High-School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies, David Denby
TV Turnoff Week, Anthony DiVivo
Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie, Nikki Giovanni
Stalking Celebrities, Heather Havrilesky
Everything Bad Is Good for You: Games, Steven Johnson
This Is Emo, Chuck Klosterman
The Pernicious “Moving Picture” Abomination, David Nasaw
Emily Dickinson and Elvis Presley in Heaven, Hans Ostrom
Profiles Encouraged, Katie Roiphe
Bootleg Cutlure, Pete Rojas
Face of an Angel, David Sterritt
Corn-Pone Opinions, Mark Twain
Hip Hop Life, DeSean Robinson Walker
Essay Prompt: In his book, Life the Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality, author Neal Gabler wrote the
following:
One does not necessarily have to cluck in disapproval to admit that entertainment is all the things its
detractors say it is: fun, effortless, sensational, mindless, formulaic, predicable and subversive. In fact, one
might argue that those are the very reasons so many people love it.
At the same time, it is not hard to see why cultural aristocrats in the nineteenth century and intellectuals in
the twentieth hated entertainment and why they predicted, as one typical nineteenth century critic railed, that
its eventual effect would be ―to overturn all morality, to poison the springs of domestic happiness, to dissolve
the ties of social order, and to involve our country in ruin.‖
Write a well-organized essay of no fewer than five complete pages in which you defend, challenge, or qualify the
assertion that entertainment and popular culture has the capacity to ruin our society.
Rhetorical Redux: Pop Culture Portfolio
IV. EDUCATING AMERICA
Superman and Me, Sherman Alexie
A Talk to Teachers, James Baldwin
Let Teenagers Try Adulthood, Leon Botstein
A Model for High Schools, David S. Broder
The History Teacher, Billy Collins
from Education, Ralph Waldo Emerson
excerpts from Why Johnny Can’t Read, Rudolf Flesch
Against School: How Public Education Cripples Our Kids, and Why, John Taylor Gatto
School is Bad for Children, John Holt
The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society, Jonathan Kozol
Why Johnny Can’t Read: Redux, Steve Nelson
The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School, Neil Postman
I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read, Francine Prose
Best in Class, Margaret Talbot
Documentary: Waiting for Superman
Essay Prompt: Mass public schooling has traditionally proclaimed among its goals the following: (1) to help each
student gain personal fulfillment and (2) to help create good citizens. These two goals—one aimed at the betterment of
individuals and the other aimed at the betterment of society—might seem at odds with one another. At the very least,
these two goals are a cause of much tension within schools at every level: schools want students to be allowed or
encouraged to think for themselves and pursue their own interests, but schools also believe that it is right in some
circumstances to encourage conformity in order to socialize students. With these ideas in mind, write an essay in
which you argue the extent to which schools should support individuality or conformity and to what ultimate goal.
Synthesize at least five of the sources for support, and follow proper essay format!
Rhetorical Redux: Research project and proposal
V. THE LIGHTER SIDE OF IT ALL . . . SATIRE!
A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift
Advice to Youth, Mark Twain
The Coquette’s Heart, Joseph Addison
The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope
Episodes of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, and The Simpsons
2006 White House Correspondence Dinner speech by Stephen Colbert
Various articles from The Onion
Essay Prompt: Although satire is usually witty, and often funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily to elicit
laughter, but to criticize; the author may choose to target a particular event, a person or group of people, an idea or
attitude, or common social practice. First, what (or who) are the targets of the authors’ satire? Why did these authors
choose to isolate their subject? What key elements of human nature and society are these authors illuminating through
their works? How effective are their attempts to expose these elements through satire?
Rhetorical Redux: A Contemporary Proposal; Satire Projects!