Class+Info

 =** Course Syllabus **=

//The following is taken from the Course Syllabus which you can download in its entirety off of the Handouts page://

Page Contents:
 * 1) Course Description
 * 2) Texts
 * 3) Skills & Content Objectives
 * 4) Personal & Social Objectives
 * 5) Grading & Grading Scale
 * 6) Writing
 * 7) Reading
 * 8) Exams & Projects
 * 9) Homework, Classwork, Quizzes & Participation
 * 10) Make-up and Late Work
 * 11) Materials

 Course Description: Welcome to AP Language and Composition! One of the many goals of this year-long course is to prepare you for the rigors of college writing and to hone your skills in rhetorical analysis. Due to the increased emphasis on rhetoric for the AP English Language and Composition examination, we will primarily analyze non-fiction pieces, such as speeches and essays. We will use fictional pieces to augment our understanding of language and craft, examining how this literature is constructed, and for what purpose. Most of what we read will come from American authors, thus, this course also seeks to develop your understanding of historical events in America, past and present, through multiple perspectives, including your own. We will also explore what it means to be a global citizen, and examine the concept of humanity.

Our primary concerns will be to write on demand with confidence, to articulate and defend an argument, to identify, analyze and evaluate the rhetorical strategies of selected authors, and to support a claim by synthesizing a variety of sources. Your voice matters in your writing, so we will work on strategies that enhance your unique perspective, word choice and organization.

Obviously, there will be plenty of reading and writing in this class, and the demands are high for this course. Our best advice is to keep up, and have confidence in your abilities!

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 Texts : • //Elements of Literature//, 5th Course • //The Great Gatsby//, F. Scott Fitzgerald • //The Crucible//, Arthur Miller • //Huckleberry Finn//, Mark Twain • //1984//, George Orwell • //The Scarlett Letter//, Nathaniel Hawthorne • //Catcher in the Rye//, J. D. Salinger • //Their Eyes Were Watching God//, Zora Neale Hurston • //The Prose Reader//, Flauchmann • //The Bedford Reader//, Kennedy, Kennedy, and Aaron • //The Writer’s Craft//, Purple Level


 * Plus: Additional essays, editorials, short stories, poems, and other materials provided by instructors.

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 Skills Objectives To develop skills in: • Rhetorical Analysis • Argumentation • Synthesis • Reflective Writing • Editing and Revising • Research Techniques • MLA Documentation • Oral Presentations • Performance Techniques • Vocabulary Building

Content Objectives To develop a clear understanding of the rhetorical strategies used by selected authors, and to examine a combination of American history and culture, as well as global humanity through: • The Individual Lens • Perspectives on Nature and Self • Folk-tales and Elements of the Supernatural • Perspectives on Society and Self • Concepts of Freedom and Equality • Modern Culture and Media • Literary Movements

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 Personal/Social Objectives: EXPECTED SCHOOL-WIDE LEARNING RESULTS. Desired outcomes: • To become a Responsible and respectful citizen, an Academic achiever, and a Manager • To exhibit personal integrity, self-discipline and ethical behavior • To become an academic achiever who embraces lifelong learning • To become a manager who makes informed choices, establishes achievable goals, and makes a positive social difference

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 Grading: All the grading done for this class will be based on points accrued in the following CATEGORIES: 30% Essays/Writing 20% Tests 20% Quizzes 20% Classwork/Homework 10% Participation

It is very important to turn in ALL the assigned work for this class, to PARTICIPATE in daily activities, and to turn in QUALITY work. If a percentage mark is over “.5%” the grade will be rounded up, but if it is under “.5%” it will be rounded down. For example if a grade is 89.5%, the grade will be rounded up to 90% so that the grade goes from a B+ to an A-, but if the grade is 89.4%, the grade will round down to 89% and remain a B+.

Grading Scale:

A 94-100% A- 90-93% B+ 87-89% B 84-86% B- 80-83% C+ 77-79% C 74-76% C- 70-73% D+ 67-69% D 64-66% D- 60-63% F 59% and below

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 Writing:

Essays: We will study and practice several forms of essay writing, concentrating on perfecting each one. You will have weekly timed writings, as well as process essay assignments. We will work to improve each essay’s organization, development, and support, as well as your personal voice and conversational style. Essay assignments will be varied. All parts of the typed essay process need to be stapled together. This includes: brainstorming pages, first drafts, peer and self-editing sheets, and final drafts. Essays will be kept in a student portfolio, which will remain in the classroom, so that students can easily access them.

Media Mondays: Mondays will start out with timed responses to various prompts, which will include audio, visual and print sources.

Dialectical Journals: You will keep dialectical journals, which is also known as double-entry journals. These will correspond to your reading assignments. Most of the DJ entries will be done at home and discussed in class the following day, but you may be asked to work on them in class as well. The journal is designed to promote class discussion, and improve critical thinking skills.

Creative Craft: You will periodically engage in creative writing assignments, which challenge you to model an author’s style or to engage in writing from perspectives other than your own.

Vocabulary Building: Expect to be quizzed on 10-15 vocabulary words a week.

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 Reading:

Assigned Reading: You will be reading from a variety of sources throughout the year. They are too numerous to name, but expect to read multiple articles, speeches, and essays, as well as classic literature.

Continued Reading: In addition to the assigned reading, students will have the opportunity to read novels of their own choosing or to engage in a literary circle, in which students read the same novel in small groups. Parents concerned about the contents of their student’s reading material should peruse student-selected books, as well as the required reading. Students will be asked to collect vocabulary words from their reading, as well as share their insights regarding a particular author or genre. Continued reading will also help students meet the goal outlined in the California Language ARts Standards of reading “two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information” (http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/enggrades11-12.asp)

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 Exams: Exams will be given on a variety of materials, including, but not limited to: essays, speeches, letters, novels, short stories, poems, plays and literary terms. Exams will test both content, and skills, and will be comprised of objective, essay, and short response sections. These modes of assessment are important in determining authentic learning.

Projects: Projects include group and individual assignments and each project will have its own criteria to fulfill. Most projects include an oral presentation and research component.

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 Homework/Class Work: Work assigned for home completion needs to be turned in at the beginning of the class, unless otherwise specified. Class work needs to be completed and turned in on time as well.

Quizzes:Quizzes will be given on a variety of materials, including, but not limited to: vocabulary from the text, recall and critical thinking as applied to assigned reading, and classroom discussion.

Participation: Every student is expected to be prepared for class daily and to participate in class discussions. Students will be graded on their preparation. Students earn participation points by being prepared, focused and on task, raising their hands to discuss, read aloud, or aid in class activities. Students who do all their work quietly, without investing in discourse, or quality participation, will not be able to earn a grade higher than a B+.

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 Make-up Work: • If a due date has been established for an assignment prior to the student’s absence, the work is due upon the student’s return to class. If the student does not have the work upon his/her first day back, the late work will not be accepted. • Missed tests and quizzes need to be made up promptly by appointment during the lunch hour one or two days upon the student’s return to class. Missed appointments always result in a zero. • It is the student’s responsibility to pick up make-up work before class, after class, at lunch or after school. You may phone us in the classroom at lunch or after school. You may phone us in the classroom at lunch or after school until 4:00 most days. • Student’s with special needs will be given additional time and support. • Students will not be allowed to turn in make-up work for uncleared absences.


 * LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

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 Materials: Each student is required to bring the following to class every day: • 3-ring binder designated for AP English • Lined paper (please do not use spiral notebooks) • Pens and Pencils • Highlighters • Dialectical Journals • Outside Reading book

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