Course Disclosure: AP Language and Composition, 2013-2014
Teacher: Mrs. Holly Leake
Email: holeake@wsd.net
Planning periods: 4 & 6 (fall) 4 & 5 (spring)
Blog site: http://blog.wsd.net/holeake
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. --Mark Twain
Course Description
What’s the difference between being a student who is savvy and creative verses one who is cunning and conniving? Nothing, really,
but which would you rather be? How do writers manipulate readers? How do insightful readers glean meaning that seems to come
from between the lines? This is a college-level course designed to explore these questions through reading, writing, speaking, and
studying vocabulary, writing style, and a variety of texts.
Course Syllabus
We will read, discuss, and evaluate a variety of texts—from novels to clips from satirical TV programs.We will study language
concepts, logic, argument, and style. Students will plan and draft on AP exam prompts; with critical evaluation increasing as the
year progresses. Students will complete a short research report over the second and third quarter. And all year long, students will
study 30 vocabulary words every two weeks and complete ongoing grammar and punctuation exercises. Students will view films and
non-print texts and engage in discussions and creative presentations. The goal of all work is to enhance critical thinking skills,
vocabulary, writing skills, and reading skills in order for students to be prepared to take (and pass) the AP exam on Friday, May 9,
2014.
Course Overview by Quarter
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Q1: How to read, how to write, and the WORDS to know to do so. Texts: Holts Elements of Literature, Fifth Course;
essays, short stories & poetry from textbook; excerpts from works in the public domain as well as current publications;
independent reading (2+books); grammar (described here later); vocabulary work.
Q2: How to write fabulous essays; AP exam practice begins; Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton; film study, Ethan Frome;
Close readings on “The Yellow Wallpaper,” by Charlotte Perkins Gillman, “The Story of an Hour,” by Kate Chopin, and
“Roman Fever,” by Edith Wharton; continuing excerpt analyses, grammar, independent reading (2+ books), and vocabulary
work.
Q3: AP essay test and objective test practice; Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser; research paper—the state of our fast
food nation; “A Modest Proposal,” by Jonathan Swift; continuing excerpt analyses, grammar, independent reading (2+
books), and vocabulary work.
Q4: Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer; final test practice and AP exam; continuing excerpt analyses, grammar, independent
reading (2+ books), and vocabulary work; final, creative project assignment.
Daily Course Content
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First 15 minutes—Writing activity—5 minutes to write; 10 minutes to talk.
o Mondays: poetry analysis—read the poem and explain what it means and what you find in it that is interesting
o Tuesdays: editorial response—read an editorial or letter to the editor and agree, disagree, or qualify a stance with
the main idea of the argument.
o Wednesdays: quotation reaction—read a given quotation and specifically connect it to your life or the world
o Thursdays: sentence challenge—write to address a specific grammar-like challenge
o Fridays: current events—write about something you’ve read about or heard on radio, TV, or Internet.
35-50 minutes—lesson, reading, evaluations, or other activities.
Last 5-10 minutes—wrap up, re-cap, homework reminders, etc.
Required Texts (students must have personal copies)
Fiske Word Power by Fiske, Mallison, and Mandell. Students must have a copy of their own for constant study.
Optional Texts (copies available to loan to students)
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, and Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. Copies are available for
check out, but it is recommended that students who wish to practice text annotation acquire their own copies.
Reading Requirement
This is detailed in a separate handout and available for review anytime on the main page of the AP Lang blog site.
Class Website/email
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Every class, I update the website. VISIT IT DAILY! Be sure to read due dates & deadlines for your section as
It is your responsibility to be informed about assignments. If I give it in class, I also put it on the blog site. If I have a
reminder that was not given in class, I will email you through the portal. Please check your school email daily when you
check the blog. If you keep up with this, it won’t take but a few minutes each day.
If you have questions about an assignment, please email me. I will read emails before school each day. Note: this will not
allow me to reply to you before class if you email me the night before. Try to email me with a day to spare before you
need to resolve an issue for class. I ALWAYS respond to ALL emails; if you don’t hear from me within one school day, your
email did not reach me and you should see me in person. I do NOT have easy access to a phone; please try email
communication.
Homework and Makeup Work Policy
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It is your responsibility to complete work on time. No late work will be accepted. However, if you have an emergency,
please email me and explain your situation and what you need. Under no circumstances will late work be accepted without
communication prior to arrival in class.
If you anticipate a conflict with a major assignment due date, come talk to me. This
FACT: Students who miss a
could happen because of a field trip, competition, or other major assignment in another
lot of class tend to struggle
class due at exactly the same time. Again, communicate with me ahead of time, and we
to succeed in the course.
can resolve the issue.
If you miss a class and need to complete makeup work, that work is due the very next
class. Ideally, you will check the blog site and return from an absence with the missed work, so you don’t get behind.
Students who miss class for a “green-slipped” school activity are expected to have work completed ahead of the absence
wherever possible, as per school policy.
Students who miss more than one consecutive class must contract with me for makeup work due date.
If you know in advance that you will miss class, you are expected to get your assignment ahead of time and return to class
with makeup work already completed.
If you miss a class where there has been an assessment (e.g., test or quiz), you will be given that assessment or an
alternative assessment upon your return to class. Do not plan to have an extra week to make up an assessment.
If an assignment was given while you were in class, you are responsible for turning it in on time even if you have an
intervening absence.
Supplies
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Blue or black ink pens, notebook paper, folder or binder. It is important to stay organized. You may also want to buy some
film flags or sticky notes for marking vocabulary while you read—much easier than stopping or trying to find something
later.
I ask that all work be completed in blue or black ink. Work is not to be completed in pencil or ink in colors other than blue
or black. Please understand that the use of blue or black ink is most visible to read and allows for evaluation comments in a
color that stands apart from the original writing. Beginning in October, students will incur a 10% grade penalty for failing
to use appropriate materials. FYI: The College Board requires students to complete the essay portion of the AP exam in
black ink.
Manuscript Format
Guidelines are posted on the blog site. In English, we follow MLA guidelines.
Assessment
You will be assessed through a variety of methods and styles. Grades will be given based on the completion and quality of work.
Work will be weighted according to its complexity, time required, and difficulty. For example, a paragraph summary of a short
story may be worth ten points while a revised essay is worth 50 points or more. I will make every effort to post grades online
within one week of assignments being turned in to me; make-up work takes longer to see in the grade.
Grade Values
A+
A
A-
100.01+
100-93.50
93.49-89.50
B+
B
B-
89.49-87.50
87.49-82.50
82.49-79.50
C+
C
C-
79.49-77.50
77.49-72.50
72.49-69.50
D+
D
D-
69.49-67.50
67.49-62.50
62.49-59.50
F
59.49-0
Special Assessment, Quarter Four
Students are expected to take the AP Language and Composition Exam in May. All students who take the test will earn a 100-point,
100% test score in their fourth-quarter grade. Anyone who does NOT take the AP exam must complete a full AP practice exam to
earn a grade for this requirement.
Participation
Effective class participation is so important in maximizing learning for everyone. Occasionally you will be given a grade for
participation during a class assignment—this will be announced to you. Understand that if I observe you being disruptive or offtask, I will lower your participation grade for that assignment. In addition, group assignments may have a participation factor
which allows your group members to provide information to me for my participation grade determination. If you “skate” through a
group assignment, allowing others to do all the work for you, you will receive an appropriate participation grade. Students will
provide evaluation feedback on other students’ work.
Audio/Video Enrichment
Where possible, I try to enrich study with the use of relevant film/TV selections. Often, the most relevant selections for high
school students are rated PG or occasionally PG-13. I never simply “throw in a movie.” Any film we see will have strong connection
to what we are studying. By signing that you have read and understood this course disclosure document, you indicate your approval
of these materials.
Extra Credit
Yes, there is extra credit! Extra credit may be completed all quarter up to the last two weeks of the quarter during which no extra
credit will be awarded. You must complete extra credit preemptively—not in panic mode at the end of the term. See the Reading
Requirement handout for details (posted on blog). Extra credit requires reading & vocabulary study, so start TODAY!
Citizenship
Students will be graded down in citizenship for breaking school rules or chronically breaking class rules, exhibiting rudeness or
disrespect, or preventing themselves or others from working effectively in class. Plagiarism, vandalism, cursing, violence, and other
serious infractions will automatically lower the citizenship grade to N or U at the discretion of the instructor. Lesser infractions
such as chronic lack of preparation, unchecked chattiness, disrespect, etc. will result in a verbal warning and notation in the
discipline tracker. If a student fails to improve poor behavior after having been warned, the citizenship grade may be affected.
NOTE: Any act of plagiarism or cheating will also result in the offending assignment grade being reduced to zero. To view
the school Citizenship Rubric, go to http://bit.ly/PfY4Pq.
Fun Stuff—Classroom Library
How do you become a better reader? Read, read, read! To help my students, I have built a classroom lending library of a wide
variety of texts to appeal to a variety of readers. I am always adding to it and welcome donations. The point of the classroom
library is to provide students with an easily accessible source for reading selections. The only “due date” for books borrowed is
before the end of school, so students who need more time to finish a text don’t have to stress out over potential fines. Students
are responsible for informing parents of the books they choose to read.
Fun Stuff—Pet Rocks
That’s right: pet rocks, the ultimate status symbol! Students who demonstrate amazing progress and growth or who delight me
and/or others with exceptional behavior during a work session will have an opportunity to adopt a little pebble from a jar of waiting
pets. It isn’t much, but it is meant to be a physical reminder of the good work they have done and the lives they enrich through
good work.
About Technology…
It can be so wonderful, huh? I have a Flip camera, and I like to have you use it. I would love to know about features you discover
on YouTube that supplement what we study in class (be sure they are appropriate for high school students). I sometimes assign
projects that can be filmed or that involve music or sound effects, etc., that you can integrate. I use the document camera a lot.
You will spend time on the computers in the library. All this said, there is still value in print media—good, old-fashioned books,
magazines, newspapers. Develop an aptitude for technology, but stay open to all sources of information—listen to the radio; watch
TV; read billboards, leaflets, cereal boxes. Use databases and look for scholarship, authority, and validity in all sources of
information you access. This course is your introduction to responsible, effective use of all information sources—do not limit
yourself to Google searches and summaries. Get out there are read, explore, and connect!