AP English Language 2013-2014
Winter Term – Unit Four
Introduction to Synthesis; Close Reading
Reading: In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 1
1/7/2014 (Tues)
Do Now:
Provide a definition of the American Dream?
Homework:
(1) Write an MLA Biographical Entry for the book
(2) Read translation of Francois Villon’s “Ballad of the Hanged Man” –
write a short reaction (4-5 sentences) to the poem in which you predict
why Truman chose this piece to introduce the text
Materials:
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Writing Journals
Objectives:
Introduction to Capote’s In Cold Blood
MLA: Works Cited
Introduction to synthesis
Review:
Breakdown of AP exam format
New Materials:
American Dream
In partners, come up with common definition of AD
AD discussion, stats
In Cold Blood context: 1959 articles; Capote bio; summary
How to write an MLA citation
Summary:
Introduce reading journals.
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 2
1/9/2014 (Thurs)
Do Now:
Grammar quiz-let [gauge where students need improvement]
http://m.staples.ca/sbdca/en_CA/cre/programs/grammarquiz/
Homework:
Finish reading ICB 1-24
Materials:
In Cold Blood
Response journal
Objectives:
Introduce ICB – Vocabulary #1
Review close reading strategies
Review:
Review responses to “Ballad of the Hanged Man”
New Materials:
ICB Vocabulary list #1
SSR: give students 25 minutes to begin novel
Summary:
Initial reactions. How would you characterize Capote’s writing style?
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 3
1/10/2014 (Fri)
Do Now:
Respond to the following question re: setting: The first pages of the book
introduce key elements of the setting of Holcomb, essential to
understanding Capote’s focus on journalistic details in a fictional genre.
Using bullets or phrases, list 5-7 key descriptions that shed light on the
setting of the novel (cite the page # for each).
Homework:
Read through pg. 36
Materials:
In Cold Blood
“Shut Down Your Screen Week” Synthesis Prompt
Objectives:
Discuss 1-24.
Introduce synthesis prompt
Review:
How are we doing with the reading? How long did hw take?
Review types of free response questions
New Materials:
Discussion. Gauge students’ initial reactions. Focus on page 5.
Introduce synthesis prompt
As a class, read “Is Google Making us Stupid?”
Summary:
Students share initial thoughts on prompt
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 4
Do Now:
Re-read synthesis prompt
Homework:
In Cold Blood through p.55
Materials:
Synthesis Prompt
Vocab sheet
1/13/2014 (Mon)
Objectives:
In-Class writing (actively reading and outline)
Review:
Vocabulary quiz on Friday. Review words.
New Materials:
Brainstorm pros/cons [on board]
Students actively read sources
Outline using John Collins’s HELPS Focus sheet
Summary:
What are your initial ideas for claims? What do you have for a
counterargument?
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 5
Bertozzi
Do Now:
Vocabulary Review
Homework:
Draft of essay due Thurs
Materials:
Essay prompt
Objectives:
In-Class writing
Review:
In-Class writing
New Materials:
In-Class writing
Peer review
One-on-One conferencing with students
Summary:
Students share 2-3 sentences they are proud of
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 6
Bertozzi
1/14/2014 (Tues)
1/16/2014 (Thurs)
Do Now:
Read pg. 22-23. Students respond in journals: What can we infer about
Dick and Perry from this introduction?
Homework:
Vocabulary Quiz tomorrow
Materials:
ICB
Easel paper
Objectives:
Character analysis
Peer editing
Review:
Students share journal responses
New Materials:
Discussion of Clutter family
Students move around the classroom writing character traits and important
quotations on easel pads
Edit essays: project onto board
Summary:
Vocab Review
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 7
Bertozzi
1/17/2014 (Fri)
Do Now:
Peer editing
Homework:
Finish part one of In Cold Blood
Materials:
Vocabulary Quiz
Objectives:
Vocab Quiz
Silent Sustained Reading
New Materials:
Vocab Quiz
Students continue reading ICB; finish essays
Summary:
Students select passage to read aloud from part one
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 8
1/21/2014 (Tues)
Do Now:
Practice Multiple Choice questions [Read excerpts – answer first four
questions; set timer for 10 minutes]
Homework:
Actively read In Cold Blood through p. 94
Materials:
Multiple Choice Questions
David Jollife’s “Preparing for the Synthesis Question: Six Moves Toward
Success”
AP Synthesis Question 2009 (Form B): Individuality vs. Conformity in
schools
Review:
Midterm grades due Monday – list of missing assignments
Objectives:
Practice multiple choice
Discuss approach to synthesis question
Dissect synthesis question: identify claims
New Materials:
Review multiple choice answers: what techniques did you use?
Read Jolliffe article as introduction to synthesis question
Apply to 2009 AP Synthesis question: read introduction and assignment
Divide up sources: students identify claims for each source (use questions
from Jolliffe to guide students) and present to class
Summary:
So, now that we’ve read and analyzed the argument (Jolliffe steps one and
two), where do we go from here?
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 9
1/23/2014 (Thurs)
Do Now:
Choose a striking or key passage that demonstrates Capote’s deliberate
control of language. Quote the passage. Respond or react. What does this
passage reveal? How is this passage typical of the author’s style?
Homework:
Midterm grades due Monday  be sure to submit missing assignments
Catch up on reading
Objectives:
In Cold Blood discussion: Capote’s diction
Review AP synthesis prompt
Review:
Pass back vocab quizzes
New Material:
Students share passages. How does Capote’s use of language relate to our
earlier discussions of rhetoric?
Focus passage: Dissect Perry’s relationship with Willy-Jay (42-46). In
particular, identify Capote’s attitudes.
Pass out vocab lists #2
Continue discussion of AP prompt sources
Summary:
So, which source resonates most with your own claim.
Bertozzi
Do Now:
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 9
1/24/2014 (Fri)
Read aloud final segment of “The Last to See Them Alive.” Half the class
writes from Dick’s perspective, half from Perry’s. Using this scene as a
jumping off point, what might these characters be thinking/feeling (use
your knowledge of them so far to guide your writing)?
Homework:
In Cold Blood – p. 110
Review:
Check students’ active reading notes
Objectives:
Identify juxtaposition in ICB
New Material:
Students share responses to Dick/Perry prompt. Discuss as class. Do they
fit with how Capote has painted them?
Define juxtaposition. Why would a writer use this technique?
Focus passage: pg. 54 (“Dick waited…”) – pg. 57. What do we learn about
Perry? Note Capote’s diction. Does he seem surprisingly non-judgmental?
Read aloud following section from Nancy’s room. Note change in tone.
What is the effect of this juxtaposition?
Summary:
Students outline the series of events that take place at the Clutter house
(who’s found first?)
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 11
1/25/2014 (Sat)
Do Now:
Outside of class, what do you like to read? How will reading help you in
AP Language and Comp?
Activity:
DEAR Class [Drop Everything an Read]
Students can use this time to read ahead in In Cold Blood, read their own
books, or issues of NYT Upfront
No screens allowed
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 12
1/27/2014 (Mon)
Do Now:
Venn Diagram activity: Me (Jan 27, 2013) and Me (Jan 27, 2014)
Students complete individually (habits, places, people, beliefs, emotions)
Compile responses on board and discuss
Homework:
Section II (“Persons Unknown”) by Friday; [tonight: read through 123]
Review:
Pass back mid-year reflection papers from last year. Students reflect on
past writing. In what ways have you improved? Identify a line that still
resonates with you. Identify a line that you can no longer relate to.
Objectives:
Introduce Mid-Year Reflection Paper
New Material:
Walk through Mid-Year reflection objectives and expectations
Project example MYRP on the board
Who’s the audience?
Students begin working on “Who Am I?” section
Summary:
Veteran students share past experiences with mid-year reflection paper
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 13
1/28/2014 (Tues)
Do Now:
Rhetorical Analysis writing: show infomercial [HurryCane]
Who is the audience? What appeals are being used?
Images? Music? What messages are being conveyed.
Homework:
“Persons Unknown” due Friday. Continue work on MYRP
Review:
How to begin a rhetorical analysis [SOAPSTone]
Objectives:
In-Class Writing
Activity:
Students work on mid-year reflections
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 14
1/30/2014 (Thurs)
Review Bertozzi’s Tips for Effective In-Class Writing: (1) Location, (2)
Set a clear and achievable goal (# of words, topics, etc), (3) Let it flow!
(this is why we go back and edit), (4) Eliminate distraction (music, wifi),
(5) Conferencing
Do Now:
Students write out a goal for the class period
Homework:
Email and print hard copies of rough draft for classmates
Review:
What does a good title look like?
Objectives:
In-Class Writing
Activity:
In-Class Writing
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 15
Do Now:
Students swap copies of essays
Homework:
Head’s Holiday Weekend: RELAX.
1/31/2014 (Fri)
If you have not completed the rough draft of your MYRP, this is due on
Tuesday
Objectives:
Peer-Editing: Writing Workshop
Review:
What are we looking for? As I read, mark moments that jump out to you
as either effective or confusing.
What is your writing process?
Activity:
Workshop 2-3 essays
Summary:
What are you taking away from this? Does what we’ve workshopped
make you feel differently about your own writing? What is something
you’ve learned about someone else?
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 16
2/4/2014 (Tues)
Do Now:
Show Coke’s “America the Beautiful” ad [SuperBowl 2014]
Students write for 10 minutes: Rhetorical Analysis. What is the message?
What appeals are being used? Who is the audience? What is the Occasion?
Is it effective?
Homework:
Finish ICB Part II. Re-Read p. 107-113
Review:
What do I need to remember when writing a Rhetorical Analysis essay
Objective:
Practice rhetorical analysis
Close Reading [identifying irony]
Activity:
Discuss student responses
Read articles related to Coke ad. What was the response?
Identify Irony [New Yorker article]
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 17
2/6/2014 (Thurs)
Do Now:
Write a letter to Mr. Bertozzi. Where do you see yourself? What’s going
well? Where are you struggling?
Homework:
Complete close reading sheet for ICB essay
Review:
Vocab list #2
Objectives:
Close reading: “Mountains. Hawks wheeling in the sky””
Activity:
Read p. 107-113. Discuss differences between Dick and Perry
Emphasis on language
Capote’s attitude
Begin completing close reading sheet
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 18
Bertozzi
Do Now:
Review schedule of upcoming assignments
Activity:
Watch Capote
Homework:
1 page of ICB essay
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 19
Bertozzi
Activity:
Watch Capote
Homework:
Rough draft of In Cold Blood essay due Thurs
Vocab Quiz tomorrow
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 20
Bertozzi
2/7/2014 (Fri)
2/10/2014 (Mon)
2/11/2014 (Tues)
Do Now:
Vocab Quiz
Homework:
Rough draft due Thursday
Objectives:
Finish Capote: Focus on the Capote’s spiral into depression
Activity:
Finish Capote
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 21
Do Now:
Students print materials
Homework:
Complete final draft of ICB essay
Objectives:
In-Class writing; Writing workshop
New Material:
Begin peer editing
Writing workshop
2/12/2014 (Thurs)
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 22
2/17/2014 (Mon)
Do Now:
Tips for writing a synthesis essay
Objectives:
Introduce synthesis essay: Context, Assignment
Review:
Direct and indirect citations
New Material:
Work through Facebook/Bullying synthesis prompt (from AP conference)
Homework:
Write thesis and three most useful sources (write a paragraph describing
how you will use sources)
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 23
2/18/2014 (Tues)
Do Now:
Show clip from Frontline’s “Generation Like”
Review:
What makes a good thesis?
Discuss homework responses. Which sources were most relevant to your
argument?
Objectives:
In-class writing
New Material:
In-class writing
Homework
Students finish Facebook/Bullying synthesis essays [should not spend
more than 30 min]
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 24
2/20/2014 (Fri)
Do Now:
Show “V-J Day in Times Square”. Students write for 3 minutes. React.
What do you notice? What do you think is the story behind this?
Homework:
Annotate and choose 3 sources that you think are most relevant to your
argument
Materials:
Photojournalism Synthesis Prompt
Review:
Students share “Do Now” responses. Add in Lange’s “Migrant Mother”
New Material:
Discuss Photojournalism synthesis prompt. Read through, annotate and
dissect sources. [This will most likely be a new topic for students]
Bertozzi
Lesson Plan – AP English
LP: 18
2/21/2014 (Fri)
Do Now:
Review scoring guide (argument, evidence, quality/clarity of prose)
Activity:
In-class writing: Photojournalism prompt
Homework:
Complete all missing assignments in preparation for Review Week