UNIT III: SHORT FICTION AND LITERARY ANALYSIS
Content or Skills Taught: This unit will be organized around the elements of fiction introduced
in Perrine’s Literature Structure, Sound, and Sense
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Characterization: flat, round, static, stock, protagonist, antagonist, epiphany
Plot and Structure: conflict, suspense, dilemma, plot manipulation
Theme: guidelines for theme identification and statement
Point of View: omniscient, third-person, first person, objective
Symbol: including allegory and fantasy
Humor and Irony: verbal, dramatic and situational
Assignments and Assessments: See appendix for a selection of assignment guidelines.
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Response notebook (see guidelines attached)
2-3 short interpretive/analytical essays.
o analyzing characters in terms of direct or indirect presentation
o analyzing elements of convincing characterization
o analyzing a story’s commercial and/or literary elements
o discussing how theme is supported through characterization, point of view, and
setting
o relating stories to motifs such as the quest, the seasons, and coming of age.
Peer editing and revising workshops focusing on using textual evidence and support and
writing style in the above essay assignment.
AP prose analysis practice (in class and timed), edited and revised.
Discussion and scoring of AP model essays based on College Board rubric.
Class discussions to include: small groups, jigsaw, fish bowl, Socratic Seminar, and Spar
debate.
Objective tests, objective quizzes
Short story lesson/group presentation (one group per week). Students will
present/teach a short story to the class using all elements and literary terms learned.
Students will research author information and include a visual aid in their presentations
(see attached for assignment guidelines).
Response Journal/Notebook Guidelines
AP English Literature and Composition
Your notebook should be the place in which you collect and document your thinking about both the
reading and the writing you do this year in class. It may take many forms and may change and evolve
over time. It has many purposes and benefits which will sometimes seem unclear to you but at the very
least it should be both an assessment tool for me and a learning tool for you. Students in the past have
both loved and hated this assignment. Here are the basics (see “Homework and Class Participation
Rubric for grading”):
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Your notebook should take the form of a one subject spiral notebook that is only used for this
class. Please do not do calculus problems in your response journal.
You must fill the equivalent of one notebook page for every day we have class—exactly when
you write is up to you. It’s likely that you will get more out of this assignment if you don’t
complete it all the night before it is due.
You must date and title each entry.
When referring to a text, provide reference information (title, author and page number).
For a passing grade, you need to show evidence of insightful, original thought about the subject
matter of the class—this includes assigned reading, independent reading, class discussion, your
own writing and the writing of your peers.
Your response journal may contain a combination of any of the following:
o Notes on class discussion
o Informal in-class writing
o Responses to assigned reading
o Responses to significant words, sentences or passages from the reading or other sources
o Answers to discussion questions found after reading in text.
o Questions about the reading
o Comments on or responses to current issues related to class discussion or content
If you need more ideas or suggestions, just ask. This is your notebook—go where you want to with it—
what I’m looking for is serious thought and effort.
Short Story Lesson Group Presentation Guidelines
Objective: to lead your classmates to an insightful understanding of your selected short story.
Your lesson should focus on the following question: How does the author of (short story)_ use
_(short story elements) to convey the central theme of the work?
Please follow these guidelines for your lesson:
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All members of your group must participate
You are responsible for the entire class period
Your lesson should not be based solely on “teacher presentation” but should include some
activity which involves active class participation. You should use the “workshop model”
Your group must turn in the following typed written work:
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Lesson plan or outline
3-5 discussion questions (other than those found in the text)
5 rigorous multiple choice questions to be used on the short story test.
See calendar for preparation and due dates.
Sample Lesson Plan Template
Objectives:
Materials:
Activities:
Who:
What:
Opening:
Focus on:
Work on:
Closing:
Time:
Calendar for Unit 3 of AP English Literature
Monday
1- Outline for HtRLLP
15- In class timed practice
test
22- Group One Lesson
Plan Due
Review of timed practice
-Focus on using textual
evidence
Tuesday
2- Poster for HtRLLP
W
3- Overview of
Expectations
-Handout Perrine’s and
assignment sheet
-First journal
-Peer Review Due
-HW: Read Ch 1- p. 61-67
in Perrine’s
st
9- Review of 1 AP exam
10 – Quiz on Ch 2
practice test
- Analysis of “The
-How to write an intro
Destructors”
HW: Read Ch 2- p.103-111
HW: Read “Interpreter of
and “The Destructors” 111- Maladies” (141-159)
125
- Come up with two ss
questions on
plot/structure in the
story
1617- SS on “Miss Brill” 174HW: Read “Miss Brill” 174- 179
179
HW: Read “The Man Who
-Come up with two ss
was Almost a Man” 179questions on
190
characterization in the
story
2324- SS on “A Worn Path”
HW: Read “A Worn Path”
223-230
223-230
HW: Read “Once Upon a
-Come up with two ss
Time” 231-236
questions on Theme in the
story
Thursday
4- quiz on Ch 1
Friday
5-Model Lesson on “The
- Reading “The Most
Dangerous Game” 67-85
HW: finish reading the
story, take notes on the
story
Most Dangerous Game”
HW: read p5-12
11-SS on “Interpreter of
12- Quiz on Ch 3
Maladies”
HW: Read Ch 3 p.161-166
And “Everyday Use” p.
166-174
Analyzing “Everyday Use”
166-174
-Revised Intro due
18- Discussion of “The
19- Quiz on ch 4
Man Who was Almost a
Man” 179
HW: Read Ch 4 p.191-198
and “Welding with
Children” 198-211
-Analyzing “Welding with
Children” 198-211
Analysis of Character/
characterization due
25- Discussion of “Once
26- Quiz on ch 5
Upon a Time” 231
HW: read Ch 5 p.237-243
and “The Lottery” 261-269
Analyzing “The Lottery”
261-269
Analysis of Theme due
-Revised timed practice
due
29- Group One
Teaches…
30- Discussion of “Hills
31- SS on “Paul’s Case”
1- Discussion of “The
2- Quiz on Ch 6
Like White Elephants”
HW: Read: “Paul’s Case”
244-261
-Come up with two ss
questions on point of view
in the story
244-261
HW: read “The Jilting of
Granny Weatherall” 269278
Jilting of Granny
Weatherall” 269
HW: read ch 6 p.284-295
and “The Rocking Horse
Winner” 295-309
7- Group Two Lesson
Plan Due
8- Discussion of “A Very
Analyzing “The Rocking
Horse Winner”
Analysis of Point of View
due
1st Quarter Independent
Reading Essay Due
9- Quiz on Ch 7
Analyzing “The Drunkard”
5- In class timed practice
test
HW: Read “Young
Goodman Brown” 309-321
-Come up with two ss
questions on
Symbol/allegory in the
story
Old Man with Enormous
Wings” 327
-SS on “Young Goodman
HW: Read ch 7 p.334-338
Brown” 309-321
HW: Read “A Very Old Man and “The Drunkard” 339348
with Enormous Wings”
327-333
13- Group Two
Teaches…
14- Group Three
Lesson Plan Due
-Review of timed practice
-Focus on style elements
HW: Read “Rape
Fantasies” 348-356
-Come up with two ss
questions on Irony/Humor
in the story
19- NOTEBOOK DUE
-Analysis of Irony/Humor
Due
20--Revised timed practice 21- Group Three
due
Teaches..
Analysis of Symbol,
Allegory due
END of 1st Q
15- SS on “Rape Fantasies” 16- Discussion of “The
348-356
HW: Read “The Guest”
p356-368
Guest”