AP Literature and Composition Syllabus
Instructor: Lesley Cooper, M.A. English
cooperle@pcsb.org
Website: www.classjump.com
Brief Course Description:
AP English Literature and Composition is a rigorous course with the ultimate goal of
comprehensively preparing students for the AP English Literature and Composition exam. Along
the way, students will read a broad range of demanding texts from classical and contemporary
canonical literature. Students will gain strategies to help them navigate, comprehend, annotate,
interpret, and analyze literature. They will become familiar with works from major literary
movements and learn how to recognize both the historical and philosophical contexts of a piece
as well as the enduring themes present in literature which continue to speak to readers today.
They will be encouraged to question, discover, and explore as they are immersed in novels,
poetry, short fiction, and drama.
In addition to developing an impressive reading repertoire, students will also write about
literature. Lessons will focus on strengthening college-level writing skills. Students will learn to
assert themselves as confident writers who can articulate innovative ideas about a text, formulate
a logical argument, support a thematic statement and thesis with exhaustive textual evidence, and
define their own original voices. Formal and informal writing assignments will provide
opportunities for students to experiment and grow as they pursue the goal of becoming superior
writers. Good student writing should achieve sound grammar, structure, and clarity, but must
also breathe life into insightful ideas. Students will be encouraged to view writing as a living
process and will be encouraged to participate in writing conferences, engage in revision, and
examine their own writing processes and products throughout the course. During some units,
writing tasks will be timed in order to accustom students to thinking and composing gracefully
under pressure
Course Outcomes:






Students will acquire knowledge and skills they need to score a 3 or higher on the AP
English Literature and Composition Exam
Students will evaluate the effect of literary works on our society, both past and present
Students will apply historical and philosophical contexts to their interpretation of
literature
Students will analyze literature both for author craft/literary elements as well as broader
thematic significance
Students will develop an effective use of rhetoric, showing command of logical
organization, a variety of sentence structures, and an impressive vocabulary
Students will use illustrative detail and carefully selected textual evidence to support their
written arguments
1


Students will consistently display nuanced, insightful, creative critical thinking
Students will acquire new vocabulary in the context of the literature and through weekly
vocabulary lists
Resources/Texts:
Primary texts:
Literature&Composition, Reading, Writing, Thinking by Carol Jago et.al (Bedford/St.Martin’s:
Boston, 2011)
Perrine’s Literature, Structure, Sound and Sense Tenth Edition (Wadsworth: Boston, 2009)
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between
the Lines by Thomas C. Foster (Harper Collins: New York, 2003)
Secondary texts:
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
Oedipus,Sophocles
Death of a Salesman,Arthur Miller
Hedda Gabbler, Henrik Ibsen
Enemy of the People, Henrik Ibsen
Othello, Shakespeare
Medea, Euripedes
Street Car Named Desire/Tennessee Williams
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Edward Albee
Selected short fiction and poetry
Method of Instruction:
Classroom discussion, mini lessons/lectures, interactive classroom activities, small group
workshops, online/multimedia resources, supplementary reading, writing conferences, practice
tests -- in short, a wide variety of assignments to keep students engaged, challenged, and
prepared to tackle the course material
Assessment:
 Formal, analytical essays tied to course readings, scored with AP rubric
 Opportunities to revise/rework formal writings
 Close readings/poem analysis exercises
 Timed free response writing
 Informal, reflective writing
 Verbal participation in academic discussion
2








Quizzes (weekly vocabulary, literary term quizzes)
Quizzes (poetry, prose, drama)
Practice AP tests
Major Works Data Sheets
Literary 3x3’s
Semester One exam (AP Practice Exam)
AP Exam (May 4th at 8:00 a.m.)
Post AP Project
Required Materials







Binder with at least five dividers
Pens
Paper
Colored pencils
Post-It notes
Dictionary
Flash drive
Attendance
Because of the course rigor and pacing of AP Literature, student success depends on regular
attendance. Students are expected to check www.classjump calendar if absent and to have
assignments ready to turn in on day of return to class.
AP Exam
The AP Literature and Composition Exam will be administered Wednesday, May 4 at 8 a.m. The
test consists of two sections:
 Multiple choice = one hour
 Three Essays ( poetry, prose, open) = two hours
 Multiple choice = 45% of total grade
 Essays = 55% of total grade
The scores from the two sections are combined, and the final AP score is reported as follows:
5
4
3
2
1
Extremely well-qualified
Well qualified
Qualified
Possibly qualified
No recommendation
3
Course Outline
Semester One
Check www.classjump.com for specific weekly assignments
Week I: “Why Literature?”





Syllabus & Course Expectations
Handouts: Importance of Literary Study
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: “Memory. Symbol. Pattern”
Short Stories: “The Story of an Hour” – Kate Chopin; “The Cask of Amontillado” –
Edgar Allan Poe; “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” – Joyce Carol Oates
Essay: Creating a thesis/thematic statement
Week II: “What are Criteria for Success on the AP Literature Exam?”
 Five Essentials to Reach Goal of 5 on AP Literature and Composition Exam
 AP Diagnostic Exam
Weeks III-IV: “What Do We Need to Know About Poetry?”
 How to Read a Poem
 Practice in Reading Poems
 AP Poetry Passage
 AP Poetry Prompt
Weeks V-VI: “Unrest in Utopia”: Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
 Analytical Focus: Dystopian genre, diction, style, theme
 Suggested Thematic Focus to be determined during class discussion
 Writing Workshop: students will select feature of dystopian society and related feature of
American society
 AP Prompt: Timed Essay
Weeks VII – VIII: “What To Listen For In Poetry”
 Rhyme
 Rhyme Scheme
 Onomatopoeia
 Alliteration
 Assonance
 Consonance
 Meter and Rhyme
 Caesura and Enjambment
 Free Verse
4



Blank Verse
AP Poetry Prompt
AP Poetry Passage
Weeks IX –X: “Transgressing Boundaries”: Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
 Analytical Focus: Romantic Literature, Epistolary genre, setting, symbolism, tone,
narrative point of view
 Suggested thematic focus to be determined during reading and class discussion
 Writing Workshop: Focus on the scientific issues raised in the novel related to
contemporary issues
 AP Prompt: Timed Essay
Weeks XI-XII: “The Language of Poetry”
 Diction
 Metaphors and Similes
 Symbol
 Image
 Metonymy
 Synecdoche
 Allusion
 Understatement
 Allegory
 Oxymoron
 Paradox
 Litotes
 Hyperbole
 Tone
 Irony
 AP Poetry Prompt
 AP Poetry Passage
Weeks XIII –XV: “Constructing A Self: Finding A Soul” Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison
 Analytical Focus: Coming of Age, point of view, tone, structure
 Suggested Thematic Focus to be determined during reading and class discussion
 Writing Workshop: What parts of the novel are universal, and what parts are grounded in
the black experience?
 AP Prompt
Weeks XVI –XVII: AP Prompts and Semester Exam
5
SEMESTER II
Weeks XVIII – XXI: “The Nature of the Tragic Figure”
Oedipus-Sophocles: Death of a Salesman- Arthur Miller
 Analytic Focus: The Tragic Figure, Diction, Flashback
 Suggested Thematic Focus to be determined
 Writing Workshop: Free will vs. Fate
 AP Prompt: Timed Writing
Weeks XXII-XXIII: “The Sonnet”
 Sonnet Types
 Original Sonnet
Weeks XXIV –XXV: “Passions Unleashed”
Othello –Sophocles; Medea – Euripides
Analytic Focus: Dramatic Irony, figurative language, symbolism
Thematic Focus to be determined
Writing Workshop: Examining the rationale for the characters’ actions
AP Prompt
Weeks XXVI-XXVII: “Metaphysical Poetry”
 John Donne
Weeks XXVIII - XXIX: “Femme Fatales” Hedda Gabbler – Henrik Ibsen; Street Car Named
Desire –Tennessee Williams
 Analytic Focus: Levels of Language, Setting, Symbolism
 Thematic Focus to be determined
 Writing Workshop: Examining diction and its effect on character
 AP Prompt
Weeks XXX-XXXII: Poetry “The Belle of Amherst”
 Emily Dickinson
Weeks XXXIII-XXXIV: “Conformity and Individuality” Enemy of the People – Henrik
Ibsen; Rhinoceros – Eugene Ionesco
 Analytic Focus: Metaphor, Tone, Structure
 Thematic Focus to be determined
 Writing Workshop: Discuss individuality vs. conformity
 AP Prompt
Weeks XXXV-XXXVI: AP Review
Weeks XXXVII - XL: Public Speaking
 Overview of speaking skills and strategies
6


Students will further their speaking skills by writing and delivering speeches from the
following categories: impromptu, informational, and reflective
Final assignments will be a formal speech in front of an audience of classmates and
guests
Week XLI – Final Exams
Grading
AP Literature and Composition is a college level course; consequently, the grading reflects the
course’s rigor.
All grades will be figured on the point system. The grading scale is as follows:
A = 90-100 (Outstanding)
B = 80-89 (Above Average)
C=70-79 (Average)
D=60-69 (Lowest acceptable progress)
F =0-59 (Failure)
Grades determined by Reflective Notebook/class discussion, quizzes, essays, class activities
Essays – will be written using a 100 point scale along with an AP rubric (will be placed on
www.classjump.com) If a student receives an AP score of 5 or lower, the essay can be rewritten within
one day (not class period) for a higher score which is capped at 84 points regardless of the AP scored
earned on the subsequent attempt.
Personal Conferences: After school and lunch.
This syllabus provides an outline of the course, Please check www.classjump.com for handouts,
supplements, and assignment explanations.
7
AP English Literature and Composition
2015-2016
Instructor: Lesley Cooper M.A. English
cooperle@pcsb.org
Parents:
After reading the course syllabus and discussing it with your child, please sign and return.
I __________________________________________________(parent name), understand the
components and expectations of this class and expect my student,
_________________________________________ (Student Name), to adhere to the class rules and
requirements. I will support their academic achievement in Advanced Placement Literature and
Composition.
_______________________________________________Parent Signature
________________________________________________Student Signature
8