SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
1818 Advanced College Credit Program
http://www.slu.edu/colleges/AS/1818acc
ENG x190 Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research
ENG x202 Introduction to Literary Studies
Hazelwood West High School
AP Senior English
Course Syllabus
Fall 2009 / Spring 2010
Instructor: Mr. Doug Jameson
Contact Information:
Voicemail: 314.953.5203 ext. 38248
Homework Hotline: 314.953.5201 ext. 138248
Email: djameson@hazelwoodschools.org (Primary)
djameson@slu.edu (Emergency)
djameson76@gmail.com (Google Docs!)
Web:
http://mrjsenglish.ning.com
http://www.hazelwoodschools.org (High Schools -> West -> Mr. Jameson)
Course Description:
This year-long, honors course is a thematic, cross-cultural approach to world literature. It is designed to
be a college/university-level course and will provide you with the intellectual rigor consistent with
typical undergraduate English literature and composition courses. Emphasis is on the development of
the skills of analytical reading, critical thinking, and research methodology.
This course fosters the experience of reading, analyzing, and enjoying literary texts. It will introduce
you to methods of analyzing literature and to the basic concepts and terminology of literary criticism. It
also offers you the opportunity to improve your speaking, writing, and research skills. We will study the
more complex structures of language with respect to their logical and persuasive possibilities and work
to help you integrate your own reasoned opinions with the fruits of reading and research in order to
produce coherent, persuasive essays.
Reading and writing emphasis will be analytical and critical in nature. Reading materials will come
from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. Writing
assignments will focus on the process of composing written discourse, both formal and informal, for
academic, professional, and public audiences. Significant attention will be given to generating, shaping,
and editing the written word in its preliminary stages. We will focus on methods of research, invention,
organization, audience analysis, and style as you integrate your personal experiences with the academic
knowledge gained throughout a college curriculum. The use of MLA formatting is emphasized.
Over the course of the semester, you should become increasingly aware of the decisions you must make
in order to communicate effectively in specific rhetorical situations, and of the complex nature of the
writing process. Effective writing emerges out of consistent practice, multiple drafts, and careful
editing. Without developing these intellectual habits, you cannot expect to communicate effectively in
writing.
There are two options for earning college credit via this course:
1) Six hours of 1818 credit from Saint Louis University may be available (three each semester)
pending the successful completion of both semesters and tuition payment (Course
information can be found at the top of the syllabus).
2) At least three hours may be earned by scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP English Literature and
Composition exam in May.
No matter which option you choose, you MUST contact your potential colleges/universities and verify
what types of credit they will accept.
Course Expectations:
All rules and procedures found in the school behavior guide should be followed, of course. In addition, I
expect that you attend class every day on time, complete assignments on time, and are always prepared,
attentive, and willing to participate.
In order for this class to function smoothly and for you to benefit the most, you will need to be an active
participant in discussions, complete reading assignments carefully and on time, and actively work to
critique and revise your writing.
Major writing assignments can be turned in by hand during class or via email or Google Docs by
midnight on the due date. However, I am not responsible for “lost” emails. If you have any doubts, it
would behoove you to bring a copy to our next class meeting.
I want you to leave this course having grown as a writer, reader, and thinker. I also expect that if you are
having difficulties on any level, you seek my assistance either through a conference, email, or chat after
class.
Course Content:
The thematic organization of this course allows for the addition and subtraction of texts as the year
progresses. Our year consists of 9-week quarters; you should expect to never be without a reading
assignment or an essay due date.
Reading Assignments:
The reading materials covered in this course will build upon reading done in previous courses. You will
read works from around the world written between the sixteenth and twenty-first centuries. While
covering a wide range of genres and periods, you will most importantly focus on becoming intimately
familiar with a few works. In addition, you will read a variety of non-fiction essays as well as peer
writing samples. While these will cover a wide range of topics, you will most importantly focus on
becoming intimately familiar with compositional style and purpose.
If you are unaccustomed to literature and composition courses you will need to make sure you
plan carefully for the amount of reading and writing required in this course. The works you will
read and create require careful, deliberate attention.
Please consider obtaining a personal copy of the various novels, plays, epics, poems, and short fiction
used in the course so that you may actively make notes as you read. You may purchase new or used
copies from a local bookstore or an online retailer. Please review the syllabus and take into
consideration the dates these books will be needed in class to avoid ordering / shipping delays. Books
may also be checked out from the English Department or from the school/local library. Some works
may even be available online.
Text Information:
Supplementary Texts:
Faigley, Lester. Writing: A Guide for College and Beyond. New York: Longman, 2007.
Munger, David. 80 Readings for Composition. 2nd Ed. New York: Longman, 2006.
Shea, Renée H., Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin Aufses. The Language of
Composition. Boston: Bedford, 2007.
Preliminary list of novels, plays and anthologized material:





Beowulf. Seamus Heaney translation.
Don Quixote. Miguel De Cervantes.
Fast Food Nation. Eric Schlosser.
Haroun and the Sea of Stories. Salman Rushdie.
Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 8th edition. New York:
Longman, 2002.
 Love Medicine. Louise Erdrich.
 Macbeth. Shakespeare.
 A Modest Proposal. Jonathan Swift.
 Oedipus Rex. Sophocles [available in Literature]
 One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
 Things Fall Apart. Chinua Achebe.
 Short fiction and essays—as selected.
 Poetry—as selected.
 Modern novels—as selected.
 = Books which it would behoove you to own.
Performance Assignments
Further instructions and expectations for writing assignments will be given as the course progresses, but
the assignments will focus on the critical analysis of literature and include expository, analytical, and
argumentative essays. The goal of this course is to help you develop stylistic maturity and to increase
your ability to explain clearly, convincingly, and even elegantly, what you understand about literary
works and the world around you. In writing, you will also work to use well-chosen, specific textual
references to support your specific interpretations and arguments.
In writing critically about a work of literature, you will be asked to analyze and interpret aspects of
language, structure and style, explain judgments of the work’s artistry and explore its social/historical
context. Writing assignments will focus on organization, audience, purpose, and style. They will also
involve careful attention to editing and revision, so that you may become conscious of your diction,
syntax, organization, attention to detail and effective use of rhetoric. Expect the writing you produce in
this course to reinforce your reading as the two are closely interconnected.
Your out-of-class writing will need to be typed using appropriate MLA formatting. This will make
proofreading, peer editing, and revisions of your paper easier to accomplish. You may get some class
time in the Writing Lab, however, time in the Writing Lab during scheduled class hours is not
guaranteed and, therefore, you should be prepared to type before or after school, or at home.
Assignments:

Reflective reader-response journal—writing you complete here will most often be self-guided,
informal and exploratory. Typically you will respond in the journal after each reading
assignment. Consider the journal a place to discover your thoughts and feelings about the
literature; a place where you may analyze and evaluate elements of language and style, but
might also talk through character actions, personal experiences and connections to other
literature you’ve read. Many of the strongest ideas and conclusions used in your essays may
come from the observations and inferences you make in this journal.
This year we will be using a class ‘NING’ for our journaling and extended discussions. You
will want to sign up on http://mrjsenglish.ning.com ASAP! Students who prefer the tried-andtrue method of journaling by hand in a notebook certainly may choose that option instead.

In-class writing—this will include responses to “cuttings”(passages from a novel or poem)
covering literary elements (syntax, diction, imagery, tone…), responses to essays or articles,
free-writing, quick reflections in preparation for discussion, and timed essays based on various
prompts in order to provide you with the experience needed to learn how to write effectively
under time constraints. You should be prepared to share some of these pieces with the class.

Major essays—typically 750-1500 words (3-5 pages) in length, but one of these papers must be
a formal research paper. Here you will be asked to either write to explain or write to evaluate.
We will discuss a variety of critical approaches used when analyzing literature. In these essays
you will develop a thesis or an argument to present an interpretation or analysis in response to
the literature using clear, coherent, and persuasive language. Some of these essays will involve
research beyond the primary works.

Exams—exams on literature may consist of passage-identification questions, multiple-choice
questions, short-answer questions, and essay questions similar to what students would see on
the AP exam.

Oral presentations—you will be asked to present your observations, inferences, analyses and
criticisms in both formal and informal situations. You will be expected to participate in Socratic
Seminar discussions of the literature, and you may be asked to facilitate said discussions on
occasion. Being able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing is crucial.

Portfolio—during the course of the semester you will need to maintain a portfolio of your
writing. This artifact will be collected and reviewed as an exam grade for your mid-term and
final with the key focus being on your self-awareness of strengths, weaknesses, and growth as a
writer.
Major Essays and Assessments:
Upon completing each of the following assignments, you will be asked to write a process essay in which
you reflect upon the steps involved in completing the assignment. You will need to trace the process you
used from start to finish, discuss any problems you encountered and how/if you solved them, and
determine what worked well and what you might do differently. These essays will help you focus on
your writing process and help you strategize methods for success on future assignments.
Assignment One – Due September 8th (Essay) / September 8th-11th (Presentation)
For this assignment, you will write a 500-750 word reflection on the mythologies that are a part
of your life. You will want to examine your personal experiences, but you may also want to
research the mythologies that guided your cultural ancestors. The successful reflection will
engage readers and allow them to see these mythologies through your eyes, but more important,
by thinking about your reflections, readers often find out something about themselves (Faigley
52). The information contained in your reflection may come from different sources—your own
experiences, interviews, recognized authorities, surveys, experiments—and may take on
different forms—visuals and written texts. You may choose to use visual information to help
convey information so long as those visuals do not overwhelm the essay, and they make sense
in relation to your topic and the context of your report.
You will also make a 2-3 minute oral presentation to the class in which you share your findings.
Your presentation must make use of visuals—these may be incorporated into a PowerPoint,
pamphlet, advertisement, or other type of display as long as they convey additional meaning to
the presentation and do not distract from your purpose. If you do not create your own original
images for the presentation, stock photos are available at sites such as
 http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/frontdoor/DefaultRfLanding.aspx
 www.everystockphoto.com
*Please note the terms of use for these stock images.
Assignment Two – Due September 28th
For this assignment, you will write a 500-750 word analysis in which you argue the accuracy of
the claim: Heroes are a reflection of the mores (values) of their cultures. In your essay you will
want to focus on proving your point by drawing support from the traits and actions of a variety
of mythological heroes. You will also want to discuss what a reader can learn about a culture
from an examination of those traits and actions, and what history tells us the culture’s mores
were. You may make comparisons to heroes from works studied during this unit, but will find it
helpful to research additional sources as well.
Assignment Three – October 22nd
For this assignment, you will write a 500-1000 word literary analysis of Salman Rushdie’s
Haroun and the Sea of Stories in which you will need to write an arguable thesis that connects
one or more elements—characters, setting, language, metaphors, and so on—to the overall
theme. In preparation for this essay, you will want to examine the characterization (including
major and minor characters), consider the point of view, language, style, and tone of the story,
and identify the central theme (the particular message Rushdie conveys). Do the elements
Rushdie uses help him achieve his goal? Additional research is not necessary, but you may find
it beneficial. Make sure to provide specific evidence from the novel and any other sources.
Assignment Four – Due November 16th-20th
For this assignment, you will choose a poet from the Literature text and choose one of his/her
poems (it does not have to be in the text) to profile in a visual lesson. Your goal with this
assignment will be to guide the audience to an understanding of the poem without blatantly
telling them what it means.
As you research information on both the poem and poet to include in the presentation, consider
what will likely be most interesting about your subject to the audience. You will want to ensure
that you engage your audience and challenge them to think about your subject in new ways.
Your research must include at least three critical essays about the poet (not necessarily about
your selected poem). At the time of your presentation, you will turn in an annotated
bibliography detailing your sources.
As this is a visual profile, it must make use of visuals—these may be incorporated into a
PowerPoint, video, interpretive dance, pamphlet, advertisement, or other type of display as long
as they convey additional meaning to the presentation and do not distract from your purpose.
Simply standing in front of the class reading the poem from the text will not suffice.
If you do not create your own original images for the presentation, free stock photos/previews
(Getty’s have watermarks) are available at sites such as
 http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/frontdoor/DefaultRfLanding.asp
x
 www.everystockphoto.com
Please note the terms of use for these stock images.
Assignment Five – Due January 21st
For this assignment, you will observe people in a public setting you frequent and write a
detailed field observation (500-750 words) that includes concrete details and quotations from
people at your site. You will need to plan to spend at least three hours a week for two weeks at
your site and gather at least ten pages of notes per week. Listen and observe carefully so you
can gather direct quotations and specific details. Your observation should include analysis of
what constitutes normal and abnormal behavior for that setting, and discuss what happens when
the norm is violated. You will need to make your paper interesting to readers by showing them
something about the setting they didn’t already know, or had never noticed. As you plan and
write this essay, keep in mind Solzhenitsyn’s techniques and purposes for writing One Day in
the Life of Ivan Denisovich. What types of observations about the work camp provided depth to
the novel.
Assignment Six – Due March 11th (Essay) / March 9th – 10th (Trial)
For this assignment you will chose either a position argument (750-1000 words) in response to
Macbeth (or another character from the play) being put on trial for his crimes.
For this position argument (i.e. Macbeth is guilty or Lady Macbeth is NOT guilty), you will
need to think about what’s at stake, identify key definitions integral to this position, analyze
your audience and how they may respond, and then write an essay that takes a stand supported
by developed reasons.
As a wrap-up, we will divide the class into prosecution, defense, and witness teams and hold
our own trial. Assignments will not necessarily be based on your choice of position or rebuttal
argument above. You will be responsible for knowing the play and will receive a presentation
grade for demonstrating said knowledge in a court of law so help you Shakespeare.
Assignment Seven – Due April 26th
Research Project:
You will choose a work that you believe is a highly influential work of its time. You will then
research its historical reception, the evolution of thought about said work, and its impact on
both the societal and literary worlds. While your mission is initially that of research, the
overarching point is to create a persuasive work that asserts why your selection is highly
influential.
Possible structure:
Section I—Background. In this section, you will examine the target audience for your work.
Be sure to include any important historical events that may have shaped the work.
Section II—Reception History. Trace the critical responses to the work from its inception
onward. Explore any divergent thought and posit why those differences may have occurred, be
they as a result of opposing schools of thought or as a result of the natural progression of
history.
Section III—The Influence. This is your persuasive argument. Be sure to draw upon the
information you gathered in the first two sections. In addition, you should employ rhetorical
argument, devices, etc.
This essay must quote extensively from additional resources for support. You may choose to
use visual information to help convey your solution so long as those visuals do not overwhelm
the essay and they make sense in relation to the context of your topic.
Assignment Eight – Due May 12th
With two to four peers, select EITHER Love Medicine OR another work from the AP Book
List. You will then work collaboratively on several in-class activities focused around your
chosen novel. In addition, groups will create a webpage that demonstrates understanding of the
novel on a variety of levels. Things to consider: characters, setting, themes, symbolism, irony,
cultural/historical influences, etc. Mediums could vary from MySpace to Facebook to a
traditional webpage, but the page must reflect the culmination of the work done by the Lit
Circle. Text passages must be referenced, abstract issues examined, etc.
Mid-Term and Final: Portfolio – Due October 8th, December 14th, February 26th, May 17th
You will need to maintain a portfolio of your work in the course. It is mandatory that you
include rough and final drafts of the major assignments, but you should include your response
journal and many of the shorter in-class writings as well. For the final portfolios each semester,
you will choose one piece of writing from the semester to revise.
The purpose of the portfolio is to compile a representation of your ability and growth as a
writer. You may find that you’ve made great strides in composing the written word, or you may
struggle to find areas of growth. The key is to closely examine and reflect upon where you were
and where you are. Thus, when you submit your portfolio for review, you will need to include a
short (500 words or less) process essay/cover letter that calls the readers’ attention to what you
believe are the strengths of the portfolio, provides reflections on yourself as a writer, and
discusses the learning that is demonstrated by the whole collection. If you feel it would benefit
the portfolio, you may also choose to include pieces written prior to this semester.
Reading and Writing Schedule – All dates are subject to revision due to unforeseen circumstances or course needs.
Major writing assignments are listed within each unit; however, there will be various opportunities for
writing, editing, and revising that are not specifically referenced here.
First Semester:
Week 1.5: Introductions
Introductions, course syllabus, and expectations. Discuss general information about
13-Aug
composition and the writing process. Make portfolios. Select independent reading.
14-Aug
AP Common Assessment #1
17-Aug
Essential Questions: What are the origins of literature? What is the definition of
“mythology,” what are its origins and what impact has it had/does it have on human life?
This discussion will also likely include focus on archetypes, Joseph Campbell, the hero cycle,
mythology and religion, modern mythologies and pop culture, and research of myths from
around the world. Discuss myth vs. fable / fairy tale / folk tale / legend.
18-Aug
19-Aug
20-Aug
21-Aug
Read and discuss selected works including origin myths, “Nothing Gold Can Stay” (Frost),
“Bavarian Gentians” (Lawrence), “The World Is Too Much with Us” (Wordsworth); In-class
reader-response analysis of poems.
Continue mythology discussion.
Discuss Assignment One, “Ch. 7: Reflecting” (Faigley). Examine sample reflections; ‘This I
Believe’
Week 2: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes / Reflections
24-Aug
IMC: Independent Novels. Continue mythology/Assignment One discussion.
Discuss APCA#1 and initial reactions to the process of responding to a timed essay prompt.
25-Aug
Begin an ongoing discussion of techniques needed to clearly convey analysis and
demonstrate stylistic maturity through a response.
26-Aug
27-Aug
28-Aug
Continue Assignment One discussion if time allows.
Discuss AP Handouts and Terms; “Writing with Chunks”
Discuss “An Introduction to Rhetoric” (Shea), “Become a critical reader” (13), “Read
actively” (16), “Respond as a reader” (20), “Ch 5: Writing in College,” and “Ch 6: Writing
Effectively” (Faigley)Discuss interview and email etiquette, “Ch. 19: Exploring in the Field”
(Faigley),
Week 3: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes / Reflections
31-Aug
Continue previous day’s discussion and “Ch 4: Returning and Revising” (Faigley)
1-Sep
Assignment One rough draft due for review.
2-Sep
Discuss, Metamorphoses (Ovid); In-class expository writing in response to study of
3-Sep
myths/mythology.
4-Sep
Discuss presentation techniques and guidelines.
Week 4: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes / Reflections
7-Sep
No School – Labor Day
8-Sep
Assignment One Due: Presentations begin.
9-Sep
10-Sep
Presentations
11-Sep
Presentations
Week 5: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes / Analysis
Discuss essential questions: What are the origins of the hero? To what extent do heroes
14-Sep
reflect the culture’s mores? Discuss Assignment Two
15-Sep
Discuss selected passages from The Epic of Gilgamesh.
16-Sep
Continue The Epic of Gilgamesh. Begin reading Beowulf.
17-Sep
18-Sep
Discuss Beowulf and the oral tradition of literature.
Week 6: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes / Analysis
21-Sep
Discuss “Ch 3: Planning a Journey” (Faigley); Discuss Beowulf.
22-Sep
Assignment Two rough draft due for peer review activities. Discuss “The Perfect Paragraph”
(Safire), “How to Write with Style” (Vonnegut).
23-Sep
24-Sep
Discuss Beowulf.
25-Sep
Discuss Beowulf; Begin reading Haroun
Week 7: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes / Analysis
Assignment Two: Hero Essay Due.
28-Sep
Discuss Haroun and the Sea of Stories (Rushdie) Ch. 1-4
Discuss citing sources using MLA formatting. Briefly discuss other formatting styles.
29-Sep
Discuss portfolios and “Appendix B: Creating Portfolios” (Faigley). Discuss sample process
30-Sep
essays/cover letters.
1-Oct
Discuss Assignment Three and “Ch 10 Analyzing Texts” (Faigley).
2-Oct
Discuss Haroun (Rushdie) Ch. 5-6
Week 8: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes / Analysis
5-Oct
Portfolio work day.
Essential Questions: How does Rushdie treat the classical elements of storytelling,
6-Oct
mythology and the hero story in his contemporary novel? What allusions to classical stories
does he include? How does this novel work on multiple levels to convey/criticize mores of
7-Oct
the culture in which it was created?
Portfolio work if time allows.
AP Common Assessment #2.
8-Oct
Mid-term Portfolio due.
9-Oct (½ Day) Discuss APCA#2
Week 9: Portfolios and Poetry / Analysis
12-Oct
Discuss Haroun (Rushdie) Ch 7-8.
13-Oct
Assignment Three rough outline due.
14-Oct
15-Oct
Discuss Haroun (Rushdie) Ch 9-10
16-Oct
Final Haroun (Rushdie) discussion.
Week 10: Poetry / Analysis
19-Oct
Open date for flexibility.
20-Oct
Assignment Three rough draft due. In-class peer review and editing activities.
21-Oct
22-Oct
Assignment Three due.
23-Oct
No School – Parent/Teacher Conferences
Week 11: Poetry / Profile
Discuss “Ch 9: Informing” (Faigley). Discuss Assignment Four / poetry project: Students
26-Oct
will be required to select a poem from the text and lead class discussion of said poem.
Essential Questions: What makes a poem? What are the common features of poetry? What
27-Oct
literary techniques do poets use in writing poetry? How does one go about writing about
poetry? How will an understanding of poetry help in analyzing other works of literature,
28-Oct
specifically drama?
Discuss Ch. 12 (Literature 741-756), “Ozymandias,” “Ulysses,” & “On the Vanity of Earthly
29-Oct
Greatness.”
In-class writing: Write an e-mail or letter to a potential source asking for information or an
30-Oct
interview.
Week 12: Tragic Downfalls
2-Nov
Selected readings from 16th – 21st Century poetry (Titles TBA).
3-Nov
In-class writing activities to explore the process of explicating and analyzing poetry. Analysis
of a poem based on its textual details and intrinsic elements.
4-Nov
5-Nov
Selected readings from 16th – 21st Century poetry (Titles TBA).
6-Nov
No School – State Teacher Meetings
Week 13: Poetry / Profile
9-Nov
Selected readings from 16th – 21st Century poetry (Titles TBA).
10-Nov
Assignment Four storyboard/rough layout/rough draft due for peer review. Discuss annotated
bibliographies.
11-Nov
12-Nov
In-class writing: AP Essay
13-Nov
Discuss AP Essay
Week 14: Tragic Downfalls
16-Nov
Poetry Presentations
17-Nov
Poetry Presentations
18-Nov
19-Nov
Poetry Presentations
20-Nov
Poetry Presentations
Week 15: Tragic Downfalls
23-Nov
24-Nov
25-Nov
26-Nov
27-Nov
AP Common Assessment #3
Review APCA#3: Writing workshop / essay scoring activity to determine what makes a
strong literary analysis essay. We will examine several past prompts and corresponding
sample student responses, point out well-constructed thesis statements, support, transitions
and details, and determine ways of improving weaker sample essays.
No School – Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 16: Tragic Downfalls
30-Nov
Discuss Sophocles (Literature 1375). Discuss Oedipus Rex (Literature 1383).
1-Dec
Discuss Oedipus Rex (Literature 1383).
2-Dec
Discuss final portfolio, revisions, and “Appendix B: Creating Portfolios” (Faigley).
Finish Oedipus Rex.
3-Dec
4-Dec
Oedipus exam.
Week 17: Tragic Downfalls / Portfolio
7-Dec
Revision work.
8-Dec
Peer review of revisions, cover letters, etc.
9-Dec
10-Dec
Revision work.
11-Dec
Revision work.
Week 18: Portfolio & Wrap-up
14-Dec
Final Portfolio due.
15-Dec
Review for exam. Discuss “Ch 8: Observing” (Faigley) and Assignment Five.
16-Dec
Exams – AP Common Assessment #4. Course evaluation.
Exams – Course evaluation.
17-Dec
18-Dec
Exams – Course evaluation.
Second Semester:
Over winter break, students will read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (Solzhenitsyn)
and write reactions to the novel in their reader-response journal. Students should also
begin making observations for Assignment Five. Upon returning to class, students will
participate / lead a discussion of the elements, themes, and morals of the novel and begin
work on the observation essay.
Week 1: The Individual and Society / Observing
4-Jan
No School – Professional Development
Essential Questions: How does the individual shape society? How is the individual shaped by
5-Jan
society? Discuss Solzhenitsyn & One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (ODITLOID).
6-Jan
Discuss ODITLOID.
7-Jan
Discuss ODITLOID.
8-Jan
Discuss ODITLOID.
Week 2: The Individual and Society / Observing
ODITLOID exam
11-Jan
12-Jan
Discuss satire and “A Modest Proposal” (Swift).
13-Jan
Continue “A Modest Proposal”
14-Jan
Open date for flexibility.
15-Jan
Week 3: The Individual and Society / Observing
18-Jan
No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
19-Jan
Writing Lab – Assignment Five draft due. Peer review and revision.
20-Jan
21-Jan
Writing Lab – Assignment Five Due (IN CLASS).
22-Jan
Writing Lab – Assignment Five Exploration Day.
Week 4: The Individual and Society / Arguing
25-Jan
Discuss “The Second Coming” (Yeats).
26-Jan
Essential Questions: In what ways do authors use fiction as a means of commenting on
society and history? Discuss TFA Part I
27-Jan
28-Jan
Discuss TFA Part II
29-Jan
In-class writing: Literary analysis of TFA cutting.
Week 5: The Individual and Society / Arguing
Essential Questions: Is Achebe successful in communicating an alternative to the dominant
1-Feb
Western account of missionaries in Africa? Is Okonkwo a tragic hero? Is Things Fall Apart a
tragedy of both the individual and society?
2-Feb
Discuss TFA Part III.
3-Feb
4-Feb
Open date for flexibility.
5-Feb
Final TFA discussion.
Week 6: The Individual and Society / Arguing for Change
8-Feb
TFA Exam
Essential Questions: What is the definition of a tragedy? What makes a hero a tragic hero?
9-Feb
Discuss Macbeth Act I. Discuss Assignment Five and “Ch 13: Arguing for a Position”
10-Feb
(Faigley).
11-Feb
Discuss Macbeth Act II.
12-Feb
AP Common Assessment #5
Week 7: Arguing for Change
15-Feb
No School – Presidents’ Day
16-Feb
Review APCA#5. Discuss Macbeth Act III.
17-Feb
18-Feb
Continue Macbeth discussion.
19-Feb
Discuss Macbeth Act IV.
Week 8: Decisions
22-Feb
Discuss Macbeth Act V. Trial overview and role selections.
Essential Questions: How is Macbeth a tragic hero? How does the play act as a tragedy on
23-Feb
multiple levels (moral, familial, social, military, political)? How does Shakespeare’s play fit
24-Feb
Aristotle’s definition of tragedy? Discuss sample position arguments.
25-Feb
Mid-term Portfolio work.
26-Feb
Mid-term Portfolio due. Macbeth trial prep.
Week 9: Portfolios / Decisions
1-Mar
2-Mar
3-Mar
4-Mar
5-Mar (½ Day)
Writers Week!
Week 10: Decisions
8-Mar
Macbeth Trial final preparations. Briefly discuss Assignment 7.
9-Mar
Macbeth Trial
10-Mar
11-Mar
Assignment Six Due. Macbeth Trial (if needed).
12-Mar
No School – Parent/Teacher Conferences
Week 11: Research / Literary Analysis
AP Common Assessment #6
22-Mar
23-Mar
Discuss Assignment Seven. Select novels.
24-Mar
Review APCA#6
25-Mar
MLA Research Paper Review. Discuss credible sources.
26-Mar
Week 12: Research / Literary Analysis
Discuss “Recognize fallacies” (18-19).
29-Mar
Discuss fallacies, bias, research strategies, etc. In-class writing: Examine writing that
30-Mar
expresses opinions: blogs, discussion boards, editorials, advocacy Web sites, letters to the
31-Mar
editor, etc. Analyze opinion writing and explain the cause of the fallacy.
Assignment Seven work day.
1-Apr
No School – Spring Weekend
2-Apr
Week 13: Research / Literary Analysis
5-Apr
No School – Spring Weekend
6-Apr
IMC Research
7-Apr
8-Apr
IMC Research
9-Apr
IMC Research
Week 14: Research / Literary Analysis / The Search for Truth
Essential Questions: Why is the inner conflict of making decisions such an important theme
in literature? What are some of the different types of decisions man makes and what impact
12-Apr
do they have on individual, societal, and global levels? How do the pressures of relationships
impact decisions? How and why is the search for truth an essential pattern in literature? What
elements of society act against an individual’s search for and understanding of self?
13-Apr
Assignment Seven Rough Outline due. Peer editing and discussion.
14-Apr
15-Apr
Writing Lab – Assignment Seven work.
16-Apr
Writing Lab – Assignment Seven work.
Week 15: Research / Literary Analysis / The Search for Truth / Decisions
19-Apr
Writing Lab – Assignment Seven work.
20-Apr
21-Apr
22-Apr
23-Apr
Assignment Seven Rough Draft due. Peer editing and discussion.
AP Common Assessment #7 (Full Practice Exam)
AP Common Assessment #7 (Full Practice Exam)
Week 16: The Search for Truth / Decisions
26-Apr
Assignment Seven Due. AP Common Assessment #7 (Full Practice Exam)
27-Apr
Begin Lit Circles. Discuss Assignment Eight.
28-Apr
29-Apr
Lit Circles.
30-Apr
Lit Circles.
Week 17: The Search for Truth / Decisions
3-May
Review Practice AP Exam: Section I.
4-May
Review Practice AP Exam: Section II.
5-May
6-May
Lit Circles.
7-May
Writing Lab – Work on Assignment Eight.
Week 18: Revisions
No School – Six Flags Day
10-May
11-May
Writing Lab – Assignment Eight Due (5/12).
12-May
Work on final revisions and portfolio.
13-May
Work on final revisions and portfolio.
14-May
Week 19: Portfolio (Dependent on seniors’ last day and impact of snow days)
Final Portfolio due
17-May
Review for final exam
18-May
Final exam-AP Common Assessment #8. Course evaluation.
19-May
Final exam-AP Common Assessment #8. Course evaluation.
20-May
Final exam-AP Common Assessment #8. Course evaluation.
21-May
Grading:
Feedback:
Your essays will be returned in as timely a fashion as possible. At times you may be asked to
submit a rough draft for editing and comments before turning in a polished final draft, other
times you may submit only a final draft. Either way, your paper will be returned with reader
response comments about the strengths of your argument, organization, purpose, audience,
goals, diction, syntax and use of textual support (especially making sure not to simply dump
quotes for the sake of having quotes). Consistent, repetitive errors will form the basis for
writing instruction as the needs of the class dictate. Essays, especially particularly strong essays,
may be used (anonymously and with author permission) as sample papers for discussion.
Scoring Guides:
Major literary analysis essays will be returned with both a 9-point AP scale and 6-trait scoring
guide. Other major composition assignments, in-class writing and extended essays may be
returned with the 6-trait scoring guide and an additional analytic grid. The writing portfolio will
be the basis of your course grade and will be graded using the portfolio scoring guide and 6-trait
scoring guide. General examples of these scoring guides are included at the end of this syllabus.
Overall Grading:
Your course grade will be based on the following:
Learning activities: 30%
Pre-writing assignments
In-class writing (non-exam)
Response Journal (submitted with portfolio)
Quizzes
Participation
Oral Presentations
Performance activities: 70%
Literature Exams
Mid-term Portfolios
Final Portfolios
The grading scale is as follows:
A
B
C
D
F
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
0-59
Plagiarism:
If you turn in work that is not your own you will receive a zero.
A copy of the C.S. Department policy is available on my Hazelwood School District Website.
Saint Louis University policies are available online at
http://academicintegrity.slu.edu/
Literary Analysis Scoring Guide
9-8 With apt and specific references to the story, these well-organized and well-written essays clearly
analyze how _____ uses literary techniques to _____. The best of these essays will acknowledge
the complexity of this _____. While not without flaws, these papers will demonstrate an
understanding of the text as well as consistent control over the elements of effective composition.
These writers read with perception and express their ideas with clarity and skill.
7-6 These papers also analyze how ___ uses literary techniques to ___, but they are less incisive,
developed, or aptly supported than papers in the highest ranges. They deal accurately with
technique as the means by which a writer _____, but they are less effective or less thorough in their
analysis than are the 9-8 essays. These essays demonstrate the writer's ability to express ideas
clearly, but they do so with less maturity and precision than the best papers. Generally, 7 papers
present a more developed analysis and a more consistent command of the elements of effective
composition than do essays scored 6.
5 These essays are superficial. They respond to the assignment without important errors in
composition, but they may miss the complexity of _____'s use of literary techniques and offer a
perfunctory analysis of how those techniques are used to _____. Often, the analysis is vague,
mechanical, or overly generalized. While the writing is adequate to convey the writer's thoughts,
these essays are typically pedestrian, not as well conceived, organized, or developed as upper-half
papers. Usually, they reveal simplistic thinking and/or immature writing.
4-3 These lower-half papers reflect an incomplete understanding of the _____ (story, passage, essay,
poem, etc.) and fail to respond adequately to the question. The discussion of how _____ uses
literary techniques to _____ may be inaccurate or unclear, misguided or undeveloped; these
papers may paraphrase rather than analyze. The analysis of technique will likely be meager and
unconvincing. Generally, the writing demonstrates weak control of such elements as diction,
organization, syntax, or grammar. These essays typically contain recurrent stylistic flaws and/or
misreadings and lack of persuasive evidence from the text.
2-1 These essays compound the weaknesses of the papers in the 4-3 range. They seriously
misunderstand the _____ or fail to respond to the question. Frequently, they are unacceptably
brief. Often poorly written on several counts, they may contain many distracting errors in
grammar and mechanics. Although some attempt may have been made to answer the question, the
writer's views typically are presented with little clarity, organization, coherence, or supporting
evidence. Essays that are especially inexact, vacuous, and/or mechanically unsound should be
scored 1.
0 This is a response with no more than a reference to the task or no response at all.
Portfolio Scoring Guide
Upper-range portfolios demonstrate a degree of proficiency at organizing, developing, and conveying in standard written
English the writer's ideas to an appropriate audience; the portfolio provides evidence of a suitable degree of writing selfawareness.
A 6 portfolio demonstrates exceptional writing competence but may exhibit minor lapses in one of the items below. A
portfolio in this category:

shows clarity, depth, and complexity of thought

explains or illustrates key ideas clearly with a good deal of elaboration and specificity

shows syntactic variety and demonstrates a sophisticated command of language appropriate to the audience

is generally free from errors in mechanics, usage, and sentence structure
A 5 portfolio demonstrates strong writing competence but may have minor lapses which are not serious enough to confuse
the reader. A portfolio in this category:

shows clarity of thought, with some depth or complexity

is overall well organized and developed with a moderate amount of elaboration and specificity

shows some syntactic variety and displays a strong command of language appropriate to the audience

is generally free from errors in mechanics, usage, and sentence structure
A 4 portfolio demonstrates adequate writing competence but may contain more frequent lapses than the 5 or 6 portfolio. A
portfolio in this category:

shows clarity of thought but may show less evidence of depth or complexity

explains or illustrates key ideas with some elaboration and specificity

is generally unified, organized, and coherent, generally supporting ideas with reasons and examples

shows adequate command of language usually appropriate to the audience

may have some errors, but generally demonstrates control of mechanics, usage, and sentence structure
Lower-range--or developing--portfolios demonstrate a degree of difficulty at organizing, developing, or conveying in
standard written English the writer's ideas to an appropriate audience.
Category 2 or 3 portfolios that demonstrate STRONG writing self-awareness may be scored one point higher.
Thesis
Writing Assessment
The essay contains a claim, though it may
be difficult to pinpoint its location in the
The essay contains a clear, arguable claim that is
text and a particular passage may stray
sustained throughout the piece. The thesis has
from that stance. The thesis may be
enough substance to be developed throughout
simplistic or obvious enough that it cannot
the essay.
develop throughout the essay but proves
the same point repeatedly.
The essay lacks a single identifiable
claim (it may make none or several that
don’t cohere) or makes a claim that
does not become the focus of the piece.
Clear, logical
organization
The organization fully supports the reader’s
understanding of the argument’s logic—most essays
will typically move from introduction to support to
conclusion, although other strategies could work well
too. Transitions between paragraphs give readers cues
about the structure of the argument. Paragraphs each
focus on one central concept and are structured in a
way that is clear and compliments the content.
With some exceptions, the organization aids the
reader’s understanding of the argument’s logic.
Transitions between paragraphs cue readers into
the structure of the argument but may not
always do so consistently or clearly. A few
paragraphs may not always address one central
concept or may be structured in a way that does
not compliment the content or seems jumbled.
The organization does not aid the reader’s
understanding of the argument’s logic.
Transitions between paragraphs may be
missing or vague. Some paragraphs may
jump between central concepts or may not
contain a central concept.
Evidence that supports
the thesis
The essay presents persuasive evidence to support all
of the main points of the argument and makes clear to
the reader how the evidence supports the argument
rather than leaving the reader to draw conclusions.
The essay presents sufficient evidence to
support some of the main points of the
argument though may not always explain how
the evidence supports the argument.
The essay seldom presents evidence to
support its main points. When it does, it
leaves readers to draw conclusions about
the evidence.
Clear sentences that use
grammar and
punctuation correctly
The essay is easy to read; the reader can understand
sentences clearly when reading at normal pace and
does not have to reread any passages. There are no
problems or a few isolated problems with grammar
and punctuation.
The essay is easy to read in some places, but
some problems cause the reader to slow down
or reread in others. Recurring problems with
grammar and punctuation exist and may
occasionally impede the reader’s understanding.
The essay is difficult to read in many
places. Recurring problems with grammar
and punctuation interfere with the reader’s
ability to understand the argument.
Writing style and logic
designed to appeal to the
stated audience
Through its style and logical appeals, the essay
responds effectively to its audience’s interests and
rhetorical situation.
Through its style and logical appeals, the essay
responds effectively to its audience’s interests
and rhetorical situation in some places.
The style and logical appeals of the essay
seldom show an awareness of its audience.
The essay may use a more standard
academic style or a style more akin to
spoken language.
Comments: