AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Extension Assignment: 1st Trimester
Become an expert on an event in American history, or on an American author by
researching, reading, and writing. Choose one of the following categories of
study: A OR B
A: Learn about an Event in American History
Example Topics: Civil War, WWI, or WWII, The Dust Bowl, The Great Depression,
The Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (or ANY other President), The
Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (or Lincoln, Kennedy, etc.), The Creation of
NASA, The Establishment of Peace Corps, The Terrorist Attacks of 9-11…
(Or choose your own topic and clear it with Mrs. Leatham… really there are so
many options…)
Read the Following:
1) A historical fiction novel, which accurately depicts the event or time period (at
least 200 pages long)
2) A non-fiction, in-depth writing on the event (history book, journal, etc. at least
1,000 words long)
3) Two other works related to the event (letter, speech, essay, documentary film,
etc.)
Write the Following (for corresponding source listed above):
1) Literary Analysis Argument Essay analyzing specific chosen attributes of the
fiction work
2) Dialectical Journal with 15 entries and 15 new vocabulary words from the nonfiction work
3) Explanatory Synthesis Essay bringing together information from all sources
studied, to convey information about your chosen topic
(See attached information for specific instructions)
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
OR
B. Author Study:
Author choices: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Arthur Miller, Maya Angelou,
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Kate
Chopin, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Nikki
Giovanni, Robert Frost, Ernest Hemingway, Amy Tan, etc.
(Or choose your own author and clear with Mrs. Leatham… again, there are so
many options)
Read the Following:
1) A fiction work written BY the chosen author (at least 200 pages),
2) Autobiography or Biography of the chosen author (at least 1,000 words long)
3) Two other works by the same author or about the work of this author (letter,
speech, essay, documentary film, etc.)
Write the Following:
1) Literary Analysis Argument Essay analyzing specific attributes of the first text
2) Dialectical Journal with 15 entries and 15 new vocabulary words from the
autobiography or biography
3) Explanatory Synthesis Essay bringing together information from all sources
studied, to convey information about your chosen topic.
(See attached information for specific instructions)
*Note: Please do NOT read something you’ve read before. Choose new, unfamiliar
material to see the most growth in your learning. If you cannot find material to exactly
fit the above criteria, talk with me about possible modifications.
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Extension Assignment DUE DATES:
Each assignment is due BEFORE or ON the last day of each month during 1st
trimester (Assignments may be turned into the “In-Bin” at school or emailed to
leathama@msd321.com)
September
*Gather sources
*Read book #1
*Write and turn in Argument Essay
October
*Read book or source #2
*Write and turn in Dialectical Journal
including:
15 entries and 15 vocabulary words
November
*Read supplemental material: two
other works
*Write and turn in Synthesis Essay to
culminate entire project
*Extension late work will be accepted for a 10% grade cut per school day, for only up to
five school days. NO EXCEPTIONS.
*If you don’t hand in each extension assignment, and if your 3rd extension assignment
is not finished before five days into 2nd trimester, you will need to find another class to
take.
*The first three grades in Trimester 2 will be the extension assignment grades.
Please review the entire extension packet with your parents and/or guardians, and sign
below that you have read and agree to follow established procedures:
_______________________________
____________________________________
Student Signature
Parent/Guardian Signature
*Bring this signed paper back to Mrs. Leatham by the last school day in August to be
photocopied and put on file. If you don’t bring it back, I will assume you are dropping
the class.
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Writing Information and Assignments
Paper #1: (Due before or on September 30) Literary Analysis as an Argument Essay:
*Read: Learning Lab Tips on Critical Analysis @
http://www.mgcc.edu/learning_lab/writing/fiction.html
*Focus on a specific attribute or multiple attributes of the text, to write a literary
analysis as an Argument Essay.
*When discussing these attribute(s), make sure you make a specific, arguable
point (thesis) about these attributes.
*Defend this point with reasons and evidence drawn from the text by using direct
quotations, summaries of scenes within the work, and paraphrasing material.
*Use the following link for an in-depth tutorial on writing a literary analysis
presentation:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/697/1/ (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
*Use the following link for an in-depth tutorial on writing a thesis and making an
argument:
http://clas.uiowa.edu/history/teaching-and-writing-center/guides/argumentation
(The University of Iowa, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences)
*Use the attached rubric for grading guidelines.
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
AP Language and Composition
Mrs. Leatham
Scoring Guidelines for Argument Essays:
9
Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for a score of 8 and, in addition,
are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development,
or impressive in their control of language.
8 Effective
Essays earning a score of 8 effectively develop an arguable position. They
develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate
and convincing, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The prose
demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of
effective writing but is not necessarily flawless.
7
Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for a score of 6 but provide more
complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose
style.
6 Adequate
Essays earning a score of 6 adequately develop an arguable position. They
develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate
and sufficient, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The writing may
contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear.
5
Essays earning a score of 5 develop an arguable position. The evidence or
explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may
contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas.
4 Inadequate
Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately develop an arguable position. These
essays may misunderstand the characterization, misrepresent the author’s
intent, or may analyze the characters inaccurately. The evidence or
explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or less convincing. The
prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be less consistent in
controlling the element of effective writing.
3
Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for a score of 4 but demonstrate
less success in arguing a notable position. They are less perceptive in their
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
understanding of the passage of the strategies used, or the explanation or
examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less
maturity in control of writing.
2 Little Success Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in developing an
arguable position. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, misread the
passage, fail to analyze the strategies the author uses, or substitute a simpler
task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or
inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent
weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development
or organization, or a lack of control.
1
Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for a score of 2 but are
undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanat6ion, or weak in their
control of language.
0
Indicates an on-topic response that receives no credit such as one that merely
repeats the prompt, indicates a blank response or one that is completely off
topic.
Comments:
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Assignment #2: (Due before or on October 31) Dialectical Journal:
*Fill out the following templates (next 3 pages) with information you
learn as you read your second source.
*In the left column, write interesting, new, and important facts you find
within the text (refer to these facts by page number).
*In the right column, write complete sentences containing your
thoughts and understanding of the facts as you experience new
learning.
*Along the bottom of the chart, write unfamiliar vocabulary words you
find as you go. List them; then define them. Next, use each word in a
new sentence which conveys its meaning. If there are no unfamiliar
words, choose words that you may need to clarify for your own growth,
or find another source from which to choose unfamiliar words.
*You will need to fill out three charts to fill your 15-entry requirement.
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Dialectical Journal for: ___________________________________________
(Title of source and author)
Facts from the Text…
My Thoughts and Reactions to the Facts…
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Vocabulary Study
1. ____________________
New sentence:
2. ____________________
New sentence:
3. ____________________
New sentence:
4. ____________________
New sentence:
5. ____________________
New sentence:
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Facts from the Text…
My Thoughts and Reactions to the Facts…
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Vocabulary Study
1. ____________________
New sentence:
2. ____________________
New sentence:
3. ____________________
New sentence:
4. ____________________
New sentence:
5. ____________________
New sentence:
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Facts from the Text…
My Thoughts and Reactions to the Facts…
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Vocabulary Study
1. ____________________
New sentence:
2. ____________________
New sentence:
3. ____________________
New sentence:
4. ____________________
New sentence:
5. ____________________
New sentence:
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
Paper #3: (Due before or on November 30) Explanatory Synthesis Essay:
*In developing a premise for your explanatory synthesis essay, base your thesis on
an idea that is clearly supported in all of your sources. In the explanatory thesis,
you are not looking for controversy; rather, you are looking for clarity and
illumination.
*Focus on bringing together the major concepts you learned as you researched
your chosen area of study.
*Use MLA format
*Make sure to reference each of the four sources you’ve been instructed to
research in order to support your thesis.
*Use the attached rubric for grading guidelines.
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
AP Language and Composition
Mrs. Leatham
Scoring Guidelines for Synthesis Essay:
9
Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for a score of 8 and, in addition,
are especially sophisticated in their synthesis, thorough in their development,
or impressive in their control of language.
8 Effective
Essays earning a score of 8 effectively synthesize researched information to
identify key issues associated with the unit of study. They develop their
synthesis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and
convincing, referring to the resources explicitly or implicitly. The prose
demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of
effective writing but is not necessarily flawless.
7
Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for a score of 6 but provide more
complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose
style.
6 Adequate
Essays earning a score of 6 adequately synthesize researched information to
identify key issues associated with the unit of study. They develop their
synthesis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and sufficient,
referring to the resources explicitly or implicitly. The writing may contain
lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear.
5
Essays earning a score of 5 synthesize researched information to identify key
issues associated with the unit of study. The evidence or explanations used
may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in
diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas.
4 Inadequate
Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately synthesize researched information
to identify key issues associated with the unit of study. These essays may
misunderstand the resources, misrepresent the resources used, or may
analyze these resources inaccurately. The evidence or explanations used may
be inappropriate, insufficient, or less convincing. The prose generally conveys
the student’s ideas but may be less consistent in controlling the element of
effective writing.
AP Language and Composition:
Mrs. Amy Leatham, Madison High School
leathama@msd321.com
3
Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for a score of 4 but demonstrate
less success in synthesizing researched information to identify key issues
associated with the unit of study. They are less perceptive in their
understanding of the resources used, or the explanation or examples may be
particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in control
of writing.
2 Little Success Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in synthesizing
researched information to identify key issues associated with the unit of
study. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, misread the passage, fail
to synthesize the resources, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the
prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation.
The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as
grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of
control.
1
Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for a score of 2 but are
undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation, or weak in their
control of language.
0
Indicates an on-topic response that receives no credit such as one that merely
repeats the prompt, indicates a blank response or one that is completely off
topic.
Comments: