Snell 2014
“A
TYPICAL
INTRODUCTORY
COLLEGE
COURSE”
–
College Board
 Read
and carefully analyze a broad and
challenging range of nonfiction prose
selections, deepening their awareness of
rhetoric and how language works.
 Through
close reading and frequent writing,
students develop their ability to work with
language and text with a greater awareness
of purpose, strategy, while strengthening
their composing abilities.
 Expository
 Analytical
 Personal
 Argumentative
….all from a variety of authors and historical
contexts. There will be an emphasis of
American Literature.
Essays
Letters
Speeches
Images
Imaginative
literature
I
WILL DRILL, POLISH, AND
PREPARE YOU TO GET A
PASSING SCORE ON THE AP
TEST.
-Ms. Katrina Ann
Snell September 4,
2014
What does
the test look
like?
On
average, 58% of
students, NATION
WIDE, pass.

 Score:
#
1
2
Students: 3
30
 109
3
50
4
5
19
7
Students took the test
 On average, 15 students attended the 12
study sessions offered (can you guess what
those 15 received? )
 Average: 3.131
 Part

1: Objective Test
60 Minutes
55 Multiple Choice
Questions
4-5 Reading Passages

No punishment for guessing

10
MINUTE
BREAK
 Part
2: Writing-FRQ’s (aka Free
Response Questions)
 First 15 minutes after break:
 Look at all 3 prompts:
read/annotate/make a plan
Then you have 2 HOURS to write 3
essays.
 1.
Argument with Sources
 You will be given a number of sources
(usually 6) that deal with a central
topic.
 Then it is your job to synthesize the
sources as you read them and write a
well developed response citing you
position on the topic while also citing
the sources you read.
2.
Rhetorical Analysis
Read a passage and
analyze the rhetorical
devices/author’s
purpose.
3.
Build Your Own
Argument
Take a stance on the
issue being posed, and
use both primary sources
and personal knowledge
to defend your answer.
0-9
5=PASSING
***See
scoring rubric
in your syllabus
1-5
3=passing
***See
last page in
Syllabus
 As
this is a college-level course, performance
expectations are appropriately high, and the
workload is challenging.
 Effective time management is
important…don’t let yourself fall behind.
 I expect everyone to read on their own, and
come to class READY to discuss. Your grade
will suffer if you aren’t prepared.
 Nothing’s a problem until it becomes a
problem…don’t let it become a problem,
make an appointment to see me as soon as
you become disgruntled or concerned.
I
WILL give you “MILLIONS” of samples tests
to practice with so that you are comfortable
with the format and expectations.
 I WILL score your work you do in this class,
with the same amount of difficulty that the
AP Readers/Scorers will in May. This means
that your grade in this class WILL/SHOULD
reflect your score on the AP Exam.
 I WILL teach to the test. I won’t waste your
time with “other” stuff.
 I WILL take your personal concerns to heart,
so be open and honest with me.
AND
WE’VE GOT
A LOT OF
PREPARING TO DO
