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WELCOME TO
AP English Language and Composition
Mrs. Hinton, MAEd, EdS
Montevallo High School
ehinton@yshelbyed.k12.al.us
Blog: http://podcasts.shelbyed.k12.al.us/ehinton/
Course Overview
This course prepares students for the AP English Language and Composition exam while exploring
literature from the 17th century until the present. In keeping with the College Board’s AP English course
description, our focus will be on rhetoric: the art of constructing and presenting arguments in speech or
writing. Readings will include essays, novels, speeches, poems, and personal narratives by a diverse group
of American and international authors who were writing for varied purposes and audiences. In reading
these texts, our emphasis will be on identifying both the what and the how: What arguments are the authors
making? and How do they use rhetorical strategies effectively to construct these arguments?
Expectations
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition is the equivalent of an introductory college
composition course. While these courses vary across institutions and instructors, the common goal is to
give students an opportunity to write about subjects from a variety of disciplines and demonstrate an
awareness of purpose and audience. The goal of this class is to help students feel confident in their writing
capabilities in any area of life. For achieving this goal, students will be exposed to expository, analytical,
argumentative, and reflective writing with the understanding that good writing stems from good reading.
Upon completing the AP Language and Composition course, students should be able to:
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Analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of
rhetorical strategies and techniques.
Apply effective strategies and techniques in one’s own writing.
Create and sustain arguments based on readings, research, and/or personal experience.
Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English, as well as, stylistic maturity.
Write for a variety of purposes.
Produce expository, analytical, and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central
idea and develop it with appropriate evidence (drawn from primary and/or secondary source
material), convincing explanations, and clear transitions.
Demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary source material.
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Move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and
research, drafting, revising, editing, and review.
Write thoughtfully about one’s own personal processes of composition.
Revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience.
Analyze a visual image as text.
Evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers.
Analyze the historical and cultural development of American literature with insight and clarity.
Write under time constraints.
Textbooks/Materials Used
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The Bedford Reader, 10 ed. Bedford/St. Martins. 2010.
5 Steps to a 5 AP English Language, 2012-2013 Edition. Murphy, Barbara and Estelle Rankin.
McGraw-Hill Companies.
The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. Renee Shea. Bedford/St. Martins.
2007.
50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. Samuel Cohen. Bedford/St. Martins. 2006.
Everything’s an Argument. Andrea A. Lunsford. Bedford/St. Martins. 2009.
Various other essays, stories, and novels
Materials
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2-3” 3-ring binder with dividers
composition book
loose leaf paper
literary terms dictionary
AP study prep book
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flash drive
note cards
sticky notes
writing utensils- pens, pencils
highlighters
Literary Terms Dictionary
Because most of our study will consist of terminology associated with the AP exam, expect weekly
vocabulary tests. It is very helpful that you purchase a literary terms dictionary. Bring a dictionary each
week in order to aide in vocabulary study. Some suggestions are as follows:
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The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (Oxford Paperback Reference) Chris Baldick.
2009. (Amazon)
Literary Terms: A Dictionary. Karl Beckson and Arthur Ganz. 1989. (Amazon)
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AP Study Prep Books
While much of the class is centered on mastering the national AP exam, it is also important to study while
at home. The following list contains some suggested study guides:
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Barron’s AP Language and Composition. George Ehrenheft. 2010.
Cracking the AP Language and Composition Exam: 2012. Princeton Review.
5 Steps to a 5 AP English Language. Murphy, Barbara and Estelle Rankin. McGraw-Hill
Companies.
Procedures
Independent Reading
Outside of class, spend at least 20 minutes a day reading an independent book. The best choices for AP
Language can be found on the GoodReads.com website http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/ap-language
Novel Project
GoodReads.com has an outstanding list from which to choose a book for independent reading. Each nine
weeks, choose one from the list. A project will be assigned to go along with that book.
It is your responsibility to research and decide which one is appropriate for your taste. Be forewarned:
Many of the books deal with mature issues, because AP is a college–level course. By the end of the year,
you should have read at least two fictional novels, two nonfiction novels, and one play on your own. Novel
projects are worth 100-200 points.
Remember: Great readers make great writers!
Vocabulary
Attached to the blog is the first list of vocabulary words. http://podcasts.shelbyed.k12.al.us/ehinton/
I will provide class time on Fridays and Mondays for vocabulary study and quizzes. Vocabulary study
should include a definition, a visual, and an example. Definition homework is due Wednesday / 20 points.
Vocabulary quizzes occur Fridays.
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Writing Assignments
Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition is a course with a focus on improving
student writing. Because of this, we will be responding to our readings through writing.
By the end of the course, students should have acquired skills to write a rhetorical analysis, a synthesis
essay, and an argument essay. Throughout the course, we will explore the entire writing process:
prewriting, learning to formulate an outline, developing an argument, understanding the drafting process,
evaluating, revising, sharing work with other students, and publishing.
Timed writings will be given periodically to ensure that students are able to see their growth as writers. In
this process, an entire class period is devoted to responding to a particular prompt. The teacher will then
provide feedback and an AP score. The students will then conference with the teacher with a one-week
option provided for rewriting the essay in order to receive a higher score.
Homework
Typed assignments are due at the beginning of the period.
Before school begins, print in my classroom for free or pay to use the printer in the library -- as long as I
receive the paper before class begins. Interrupting an entire AP class so that one can print a personal paper
will warrant my displeasure plus a reduced grade for late work. Good practice to remember: Type it, save
it, then print it. Homework will count 30% of the final grade.
Make-Up Work
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It is your responsibility to get make-up assignments when returning from an absence.
The appropriate time to discuss make-up work is during 7th period study hall – not class time.
Assignments should be made up within three days of an excused absence.
Absences and Tardies
It is extremely important for your success to be present each day. Take careful consideration when
accepting travel on extra-curricular field trips.
Missing one day from an AP course is equal to missing two days of another course.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is taking someone else’s thoughts or ideas. Even if you change the words, it is still someone
else’s idea. Plagiarism will not be tolerated, resulting in a zero for the assignment. Cheating is a serious
offense that will result in a zero for the assignment or assessment.
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Behavior Policy
AP English is a college-level course. Students are expected to behave with college level maturity.
Listed below are some behaviors that are NOT tolerated in this environment.
NP-Not Prepared, HD/S-Head Down, Sleeping, PP- Poor Participation (inappropriate feedback, not in the
moment), T- Tardy, TO- Talking out/Blurting out, RF- Referral, sent out of class, FDG- Food, Drink,
Gum, NFD- Not following directions, HC- Any misbehavior needing a hall conference.
AP Exam
The Advanced Placement English Language and Composition course is designed to prepare students to
score well on the AP Examination given each May. This exam is prepared and administered by the
College Board. In order to receive college credit, students must score at level three or higher.
Students will take this exam at the University of Montevallo. There is a required fee. Our school counselor,
Ms. Allen, handles all costs involved with AP testing. The National AP Exam will count as the Final Exam
for this course.
My Promise
It is my goal as a teacher to be as available as possible to my students. I want you to have a great year and
grow as writers, students, and young adults. I want to prepare you for a bright future, feeling comfortable
with transitioning into senior year and college. Please do not hesitate to
come to me with any concerns because I am always here to help. E-mail
me or come see me in my classroom after school. I remain after school
nearly every day because I have not yet learned to go home!  While
this class can often seem challenging and full of learning, I promise we
will have a great time!
I am looking forward to being your teacher!
Advanced Placement English Language
Year-at-a-Glance
First Nine Weeks: Welcome to AP Style
Unit One: Summer Reading / Synthesis Essay
Reading Focus:
Students begin the year by exploring the rhetorical strategies and argumentative dimensions of one
fiction and one non-fiction selection read over the summer. Students will concentrate on annotation,
manipulation of point of view, selection of detail, diction, and narrative structure. In addition, this unit will
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center heavily on research as students will explore the historical context of the two works and the accuracy
of the authors’ depictions of the time period and events. The course will also interpret visual images of the
era as text.
(Note: The study guide for each summer reading is located on Mrs. Hinton’s blog.)
http://podcasts.shelbyed.k12.al.us/ehinton/
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Copper Sun (Sharon Draper)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave (Written by Himself)
Writing Focus:
After reading, annotating, and discussing a woman’s point of view in the novel Copper Sun,
students will conduct and present a research project. This project will proceed through several stages with
special instruction on citing sources (including visual sources), writing a works cited page, avoiding
plagiarism, revision, including appropriate visuals, and using MLA format.
Peer reviews include highlighting, comments, and offering suggestions to help one another fashion
writing that is personal, detailed and engaging. Finally, students will deliver their research project orally, as
this process helps students maintain an appreciation of audience and better understand tone, voice, and
emphasis on detail.
The goal of reading and annotating the memoir Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass is to give students the opportunity to explore the point of view of a
man who survived slavery. By reading the memoir and rereading certain passages
closely, combined with classroom discussion, students will explore the various beliefs
and points of view Douglass experienced as he became increasingly aware of the
unfairness of his life. Students will consider the emotional context of words and how
diction affects an author's message. Each student will compose a one-page essay
exploring the author’s diction.
In addition, students will conduct research on one of the points below. Locating primary and
secondary sources, students will write a documented argument to support or refute Douglass’s opinion.
Topic choices include
• Justice for slaves (and all men of color) is different from justice for whites
• No one can be enslaved if she or he has the ability to read, write, and think
• The way to enslave someone is to keep them from all learning
• Slaves were treated no better than, sometimes worse than, livestock
• By encouraging depravity men come to learn to hate freedom
• The Christianity of the slaveholders is hypocritical and used to justify their actions
Unit Two: Critical Reading and Annotation
 “Disability” (Nancy Mairs)
 The Rhetoric of Revolution
 “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention” (Patrick Henry)
 from Strive Toward Freedom (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
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“Neat People vs. Sloppy People” (Suzanne Britt)
“On the Death of Martin Luther King, Jr.” (Robert Kennedy)
“Is It a Crime for a Citizen of the United States to Vote?” (Susan B. Anthony)
The Big Picture: Thinking Critically About Images
Second Nine Weeks: The Nature of Argument and Satire
Unit Three: The Writing Process
 “Mental Illness on Television” (Rosie Anaya)
 To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
 “Too Much Pressure” (Colleen Wenke)
 “How They Chose These Words” (Time magazine)
 “A Modest Proposal” (Jonathan Swift)
 “But Enough About You” (Brian Williams)
Peer reviews include highlighting, comments, and offering suggestions to help one another fashion
writing that is personal, detailed and engaging. Students deliver their essays orally, as this process helps
students maintain an appreciation of audience and better understand tone, voice and emphasis on detail.
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What is the thesis statement?
Writing a thesis statement
Drafting
Editing
Effective transitions
Revision
Integrating source material: summary, paraphrase, quotation
Including evidence and commentary
Evaluating sources: author’s credentials and bias, evidence, purpose and audience
Synthesizing multiple sources
Avoiding Plagiarism and the Internet
Source citation using MLA style
Unit Four: The Harlem Renaissance / Rhetorical Analysis
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Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston)
“If We Must Die” (Claude McKay)
“The Tropics in New York” (Claude McKay)
Stanzas from a Black Epic (Robert Hughes – Time
magazine)
“I, Too” (Langston Hughes)
“The Negro Speaks of Rivers” (Langston Hughes)
“When the Negro Was in Vogue” (Langston Hughes)
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“Your World” (Georgia Douglas Johnson)
“A black man talks of reaping” (Arna Bontemps)
“Any Human to Another” (Countee Cullen)
“The Creation” (James Weldon Johnson)
Third Nine Weeks: Narration
Unit Five: Telling a Story
 The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
 “We Real Cool” (Gwendolyn Brooks)
 “Shooting an Elephant” (George Orwell)
 “I Have a Dream” (Dr. Martin Luther King)
 “The Lottery” (Shirley Jackson)
 “Fish Cheeks” (Amy Tan)
 “Champion of the World” (Maya Angelou)
Unit Six: U.S. and the World / Rhetorical Analysis
 The Greatest Generation (Tom Brokaw)
 “Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain” (Jessica Mitford)
 “Size 6: The Western Women’s Harem” (Fatema Mernissi)
 “Orange Crush” (Yiyun Li)
 current event news articles
Fourth Nine Weeks: Preparing for the AP Exam
Unit Seven: Ten Thousand Talkers Whose Tongues Were All Broken
 The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)
 “Inaugural Address” (John F. Kennedy)
 “The Torchbearer” (Rita Dove – Time magazine)
 “Ambush” (Tim O’Brien)
 “Proposal for the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial” (Maya Lin)
 Hiroshima (John Hersey)
AP Language and Composition Exam Preparation – Free Response and Multiple Choice:
In addition to the timed writing activities spread out over the course of the year, students participate
in final series of timed writings that allow students to:
 write under a pressured timeline
 peer evaluate, score, debrief and revise samples
 practice reading, annotating and composing
 provide self-evaluation
 receive teacher evaluation
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Advanced Placement Program --- Program
Agreement Shelby County Schools
A+ College Ready
AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP English Language,
AP English Literature
Dear Parents & Students,
So glad that you are enrolled in an A+ College Ready Advanced Placement (AP) class.
Your school was selected to be a part of the A+ College Ready Program for AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP
Chemistry, AP English Language, and AP English Literature.
The goal of the A+ College Ready Program is to provide schools & teachers with the tools, resources,
training, and support to achieve academic excellence. A+ College Ready works to increase the number of
students taking math, science, and English AP courses.
The Advanced Placement Program is an academic program of college-level courses and examinations for
high school students. Students enrolled in AP courses take the College Board AP Exam and have an
opportunity to earn college credit and/or advanced standing in college based on their scores on the AP
Exam.
The curriculum of an AP course is challenging and goes into greater depth with the academic material than
regular courses. AP courses require students to use analytical thinking, reading, writing, and problem
solving skills. AP courses are taught using college level materials and teaching strategies.
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Research shows that students who take AP classes are more successful in college classes.
Students in A+ College Ready math, science, and English AP courses have a number of opportunities
available to improve success in these AP courses, like: Saturday review sessions, before &/or after school
support as needed, and in-class support throughout the year.
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A student – may exit an A+ College Ready AP math, science, or English class only after
participating in that AP class for 4 ½ weeks (after 4 ½ weeks if the student still wants to exit he/she
must have a letter from the parent & signed permission of the principal)
For many AP classes, AP students will be expected to complete required summer reading or review before
the course begins.
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Program Agreement
Grading
For students enrolled in an AP course, the GPA is weighted:
A = 5 points
D = 2 points
B = 4 points
F = 0 points
C = 3 points
The grading policies for each AP course are given to the students the first week of school.
Homework
The daily homework will be required. Students are often assigned reading or long-term projects that require them to
plan their time so that they are not overwhelmed by deadlines. Developing self-discipline in the area of time
management is a goal of all AP classes.
Late Work
Students who elect to take AP courses are expected to do the work required on time; there should be no late work for
AP courses.
Honor Code
The nature of AP work often requires that students complete graded assignments outside of class. Students are
expected to complete their own work (assignments & homework included) without the assistance of others unless the
instructor specifically allows collaboration. Sharing work with another student or using another student’s work as
his/her own may result in removal from that AP course. Violation of the school Honor Code may also be grounds for
removal from any AP course as well as disciplinary action.
Parent/Teacher/Student Expectations
AP classes are college-level courses and the students are expected to be responsible for their behavior, assignments
and any conflict resolution. Parents are welcome to conference with AP teachers, but students are expected to use
this opportunity to develop the independence needed in the college setting they will shortly experience. The goal of
all AP classes is to give students the opportunity to develop the academic and personal skills needed for success in
high school and college.
- Parents need to encourage their children to plan their schedules wisely so that they do not take an over-load of AP
courses during any one year.
Absences
AP students will often be involved in academic & extra-curricular field trips & school business activities. However,
too many absences of any type are detrimental to successful performance in AP classes where the pace of the class is
faster in order to prepare students for the AP Exams in early May. Parents & students are asked to be selective in
their requests for absences and should consider the following:
 Any class work missed must be made up to the teacher’s specifications and timeline
 Field trips and school business activities can be separated into those required by the curriculum and nonessential activities
 Students must take responsibility for their choices
 Parents should encourage their children to be balanced in their activities & academics and not become overly
committed
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Program Agreement
Exam Policy for Advanced Placement Courses
 Students are required to take the AP Exam/ or complete the AP Portfolio in May for each AP course
for which they are enrolled or completed in the first semester
 The College Board’s AP Exam schedule will be made available at the beginning of the school year;
the AP Exam schedule is also on the School System web-site. It is the student’s responsibility to
plan his/her schedule to avoid conflicts.
 Consequences for failure to take an AP Exam:
 If the student does not take the College Board AP Exam in May, the student will not receive
weighted credit for the AP course and the student still needs to take a final exam for the
course. If the student does not take a final exam, the student will receive a test grade of “F”
to be averaged into the last nine weeks course grade.
 In the rare instance that the student’s reason for not taking the AP Exam is allowed by the
College Board, the student may take an alternate AP exam for AP credit. The exam must be
ordered the same week as the original exam and administered on the specific dates and times
set by the College Board for late testing.
4/08
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please tear this form on the dotted line & give the lower half of this form with the signatures to your school
counselor.
AGREEMENT
My child and I have read the agreement. We understand the level of work required and the policies
explained on the previous pages and are prepared to fulfill these requirements.
Student (PRINT) _________________________________________________
Student (SIGN) __________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian (SIGN) ____________________________________________
Date ______________ Grade Level _______ School Year ________________
Please list all the AP Courses registered for:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Students who plan to register for more than 3 AP courses in one year need the principal’s signature also Principal ________________________________________