Dejla Todoric
Wheeler High School
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
Fall 2015
Room 2074
Email address: dejla.todoric@cobbk12.org (preferred method of contact)
Course Overview
The AP Language and Composition course is an advanced and rigorous class that exposes students to a
wide range of readings in order to broaden their understanding of rhetorical ideas and awareness of the
power of language. The course is designed to meet the demanding requirements of a college level
writing and includes various texts from a variety of, mostly American, authors and historical contexts.
This course provides students with the information necessary to read analytically, formulate theories
and arguments based on the readings, and respond by composing articulate essays that utilize advanced
elements of sentence structure, syntax, style, purpose, and tone. The course is intended to also help
students develop sophistication and stylistic maturity in their own writing. Using rhetorical principles,
students work on becoming critical thinkers. Participants are encouraged to apply that knowledge to
their writing by revising and improving their essays, as well as editing peer essays and providing
feedback for their class mates. In addition, students are required to thoroughly research relevant topics,
synthesize information from a variety of sources, and document their knowledge in well-written papers
using correct MLA Format.
Grading
Cobb County Grading Scale
A = 100-90
B = 89-80
C = 79-74
D = 73-70
F = 69 and below
In accordance with Common Core Standards students will be evaluated on the following:
Reading
25%
CC Standards:
 Key Ideas and Details
 Craft and Structure
 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
 Range of Reading/Text Complexity
Writing
25%
CC Standards:
 Text Types and Purposes
 Production/Distribution
 Research/Present Knowledge
 Range of Writing
Speaking/Listening
15%
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CC Standards:
 Comprehension and Collaboration
 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Language
15%
CC Standards:
 Conventions of Standard English
 Knowledge of Language
 Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
End-of-Course Assessment (EOC)
20%
This is a test that is given by the state to ensure you have learned the required material for American
Literature and Composition course.
Texts and Readings
Class Texts: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: The American Experience, The Language of Composition,
Rhetorical Devices Handbook, and the AP Language study guides are provided by the instructor for
classroom use.
You must also have a copy of The Language of Composition for your use at home. You may either
purchase a copy or rent it. If you’d like, you may purchase the e-Book or hard copy. The book is available
on bcs.bedfordstmartins.com (the publisher website), amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, alibris.com,
or any other textbook website. You must get the book by August 17.
The Language of Composition
Reading, Writing, Rhetoric
Renee H. Shea; Lawrence Scanlon; Robin
Dissin Aufses
©2013 | Second Edition
ISBN-10: 0312676506
ISBN-13: 9780312676506
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop (use Quizlet and we will keep a class set in the classroom)
Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: The American Experience
This is Cobb County American Literature textbook. We will have a class set available for use in the
classroom. The textbook is available on line for students to use at home.
The Language of Composition
The Language of Composition is the first textbook built from the ground up to help students succeed in
the AP English Language course. Written by a team of experts with experience in both high school and
college, this text focuses on teaching students the skills they need to read, write, and think at the college
level. With practical advice and an extensive selection of readings — including essays, poetry, fiction,
and visual texts — The Language of Composition helps students develop the key skills they must master
to pass the course, to succeed on the AP Exam, and to prepare for a successful college career. Please
purchase your own copy by August 17.
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Rhetorical Devices: A Handbook and Activities for Student Writers
This is an excellent workbook for practicing rhetorical devices. You may purchase one and we will have a
class set to use in the classroom.
The Princeton Review: Cracking the AP: English Language & Composition Exam.
The workbook is a written simulation of what you can expect on the AP Language exam. This text
includes both comprehensive questions as well as practice essays.
We will be reading a few other texts this semester. I will be able to provide some copies for you, and
some you will have to procure on your own. I always also encourage my students to, whenever possible,
get their own copies they could annotate.
The AP Language and Composition Course will be presented in chronologic format following the
American Literature periods; however, we will also follow the chapters of The Language of
Composition to prepare students for the College Board AP exam. Each student will receive a copy of
the calendar for the current month with all of the activities, assignments and expectations listed.
Unit 1: Meeting of Cultures: Early America
Unit 2: The Human Spirit and Natural World: American Renaissance
Unit 3: Division, Reconciliation, and Expansion: The Civil War and Frontier
Unit 4: Disillusion, Defiance, and Discontent: The Modern Age
Unit 5: Prosperity and Protest: Postwar Era
Unit 6: New Voices, New Frontiers: Contemporary Era
In accordance with the College Board expectations, the course includes lessons, activities, and projects
which meet the AP Language and Composition Curricular Requirements:
Curricular Requirements for AP English Language and Composition. We will be using our The Language
of Composition textbook to meet all the AP requirements.
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The course teaches and requires students to write in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository,
analytical, and argumentative essays) about a variety of subjects (e.g., public policies, popular
culture, personal experiences).
The course requires students to write essays that proceed through several stages or drafts, with
revision aided by teacher and peers.
The course requires students to write in informal contexts (e.g., imitation exercises, journal
keeping, collaborative writing, and in-class responses) designed to help them become
increasingly aware of themselves as writers and of the techniques employed by the writers they
read.
The course requires expository, analytical, and argumentative writing assignments that are
based on readings representing a wide variety of prose styles and genres.
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The course requires nonfiction readings (e.g., essays, journalism, political writing, science
writing, nature writing, autobiographies/biographies, diaries, history, criticism) that are selected
to give students opportunities to identify and explain an author's use of rhetorical strategies and
techniques. If fiction and poetry are also assigned, their main purpose should be to help
students understand how various effects are achieved by writers' linguistic and rhetorical
choices. (Note: The College Board does not mandate any particular authors or reading list, but
representative authors are cited in the AP English Course Description.)
The course teaches students to analyze how graphics and visual images both relate to written
texts and serve as alternative forms of text themselves.
The course teaches research skills, and in particular, the ability to evaluate, use, and cite primary
and secondary sources. The course assigns projects such as the researched argument paper,
which goes beyond the parameters of a traditional research paper by asking students to present
an argument of their own that includes the analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of
sources.
The course teaches students how to cite sources using a recognized editorial style (e.g., Modern
Language Association, The Chicago Manual of Style, etc.).
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students' writing assignments, both before
and after the students revise their work, that help the students develop these skills:
o A wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively
o A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and
coordination
o Logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as
repetition, transitions, and emphasis
o A balance of generalization and specific, illustrative detail
o An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining
voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51049.html
Additional Information
 It is your responsibility to see me regarding make-up work. If work is not made up within three
days after your absence, your grade will become a zero. If you miss an in-class essay or a
test/quiz, you must schedule an appointment to come early in the morning to complete it.
 Major assignments will be due on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
 Out-of-class papers must be typed and turned in to turnitin.com. Papers are due by class time
on the due date. Students who turn in a paper to their teacher after the designated due date
will receive a grade no higher than a C, with ten additional points taken off for each successive
day the paper is late. Students who are absent the entire day a paper is due must turn in the
paper during class time the day they return to school.
 I will be available for extra help before school in my room on Monday through Thursday by
appointment. This is also a good time for making up tests and essays.
 Please be familiar with the rhetorical terms and devices as well as any grammar discussed in
class. These materials will be invaluable as you are learning and practicing writing in this class.
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 Students are allowed to rewrite an essay for a higher grade if they have scheduled an
appointment with me to review their initial essay. It is up to my discretion as to how many
points will be added to the original essay grade depending on the quality of the rewrite.
 Students are neither to give nor receive help on written work. Students may use ideas shared in
classroom discussions or writing conferences with the teacher, but otherwise, all ideas
presented in the student’s paper should be his or her own or documented appropriately. I
expect you to show integrity and pride in developing your own ideas. Plagiarism is the
unacknowledged borrowing of another’s words or ideas. It will not be tolerated in this class.
Plagiarism includes the undocumented use of Internet sources for research of “just ideas.” You
must document any outside sources that you use. The minimum penalty for plagiarism on a
paper is a zero on the assignment and a loss of trust in you by teachers, parents, and friends.
Students are encouraged to express their ideas to others both in class and outside of the
classroom. However, all written work should be a result of an individual’s personal
understanding of the material.
 Participation is important, especially in an AP class. If you do not feel comfortable asking
questions or sharing your ideas in class, come and talk to me. You could also write me journal
entries or e mail me messages. Communication is essential.
The following is important to remember:
 Major assignments will be due on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.
 It is your responsibility to turn in the completed work to the designated place in the room.
 Late work will not be accepted without penalty.
 No work will be accepted after the assignment is four days past due.
 Assignments turned in that do not follow the appropriate format will not be accepted.
 Always write neatly in black or blue ink and complete sentences.
Important Dates
August 25 – Open House
September 18, November 18, February 26, and April 15 – progress report cards
May 2-4 – EOC
June – semester report card
Grade Conferences
If you do not agree with a grade you have earned, you may schedule a grade conference to appeal your
grade. The grade conferences may only be scheduled a day after a student has received his/her grade.
You may set up an appointment with me before school. Please remember our department policy states
that no grades should be “bumped.”
Grading
Please do know I am doing my best to grade your paper in a timely fashion; therefore, please not ask me
if I have finished grading them the day or two after you have turned them in. Graded work will be
returned to students one week from the due date; written assignments will usually take two weeks to
be graded.
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Summer Reading
Please turn in your The Influencing Machine chapter notes, questions, and critical reading answers for
“Media Effects” by Sunday, August 9 by 11:59 P.M. on turnitin.com.
Class ID: AP Lang 3rd A 10287013
AP Lang 3rd B 10287021
AP Lang 4th A 10287041
AP Lang 4th B 10287042
Enrolment password is interesting.
AP ALTERNATE FINAL EXAM POLICY
If students register and pay for the AP exam before the teachers may administer an “alternative” final
exam to those students.
This alternative final exam should be turned in on the day of the final exam.
The max grade on this alternative final exam must be no greater than the student’s current grade.
Students must have a minimum grade of 80 to qualify for the alternative final exam. Students may
choose to take the traditional final exam if they are trying to raise their final average in the course.
Caveats
 Students who register for AP Exams for classes taken in the fall semester will not be eligible for
refunds for those exams after December 1.
 If a student registers for an AP Exam from a Fall AP course, and then does not take the AP Exam,
that student loses the opportunity to take advantage of the AP Alternative Final Exam policy
moving forward.
 This is not an exemption policy. Students are still taking a final exam, but the alternative final
exam is different than the traditional exam. Students who take advantage of the AP Alternative
Final Exam option would still be eligible to exempt one final in a non-AP course.
 Students may take the alternative final exam in every AP course they are taking, assuming they
register and take all of the corresponding AP Exams.
☺There are so many things that you need to remember. Relax. Do not worry. You will keep this syllabus
in front of your notebook and refer to it whenever necessary. I expect excellence from my students and
have set high standards for them. I do this only because I have learned that they always rise to the
occasion when they truly try. My advice to you is to keep up with your assignments and attend school
regularly. Also, try to get involved with a sport or a club. Getting involved will make school more fun.
Please keep this syllabus and following information saved somewhere for your personal records
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Mailing:
Phone:
Ms. D. Todoric
375 Holt Rd.
Marietta, GA 30068
770-578-3266 ext. 774
E-mail:
Dejla.Todoric@cobbk12.org
Blog URL: http://cobblearning.net/todoric/
STUDENT NAME (Please print): ________________________________________________________
Please return last two pages to the teacher signed by both the parent/guardian and the student by
August 8.
To the parent/guardian:
Dear Parent/ Guardian,
We are so excited about our new beautiful building. We would like to keep it beautiful and new for as
long as possible, and I am asking you to please help me with this task. Urge your kids to be mindful,
respectful, and, most of all, proud of their new school. WHS Open House will be on August 25.
Each student will receive a copy of the calendar for the current month with all of the activities,
assignments and expectations listed.
Students might be asked to purchase or procure one or two texts during this course. Please expect
further information on this.
Is there anything I should know that will help your child be successful in my class?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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The students will receive their progress report cards on September 18, November 18, February 26, and
April 15. Students’ grades are also posted online. Please inquire about Synergy program at the front
office. I will be updating the grades biweekly. Please talk to your child about his/ her grade first if you
have any questions. Your child should be able to explain the low grade. If you still have questions after,
please do not hesitate to email me.
Any student that is in danger of failing this course will be notified by the end of the 15th week of the
semester. The parents/guardians will also be notified.
I like to keep my students and parents informed, and the Internet is a great place to accomplish this. I
have created a blog page available through Edublogs. Parents and students can access it either
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through the URL, http://cobblearning.net/todoric/, or through wheelerhigh.com (my name is the link
for the page).
Time may not allow me to post every homework assignment for every one of my classes separately, but
all major assignments will be announced there, and the monthly calendars will be uploaded at the
beginning of every month. Any big project/assignment will be due on either Tuesday or Thursday. There
is also my email information on the blog that will allow you to email me any questions or comments you
might have. I hope the site will not only help us communicate more efficiently but also provide extra
support to students that either miss school or forget to write down the required work.
I have read this syllabus, and I understand the rules and procedures it outlines.
Parent/Guardian Signature
Daytime phone: __________________ Cell phone: __________________
E-mail: ________________________ (Please send me an email when you get a chance, and I’ll put you
in my address book.)
To the Student:
Goals are important; what grade do you plan to have in this class? ______________________
I have read this syllabus, and I understand the rules and procedures it outlines.
_______________________________
Student signature
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