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AP Literature and Composition

“If a story is not about the hearer he will

not listen. And here I make a rule- a great

and interesting story is about everyone or it

will not last.” – Steinbeck’s East of Eden

Mrs. Garcia 2015-2016

WELCOME The purpose of this course according to the College Board is

to allow students to demonstrate critical reading and

analytical writing skills equivalent to those gained by

students who have successfully completed a college-level

introduction to literature course. You will all be working

towards taking and passing the AP Literature Exam.

Our goal is certainly to pass the exam but you will take so

much more away from the course. You have the rare

opportunity to understand more about yourself and the

world through reading and discussing great literature. This

is truly a class that is designed by you, the student. Needless

to say, the more you put into this course, the more you will

get out of it. We will work together toward preparing for the

AP exam, being part of a vigorous learning community and

preparing for your passage into a greater learning

community next year.

Important Date

5/4/16 8:00 am

AP Literature

and

Composition

Exam

pg. 3

Contact me:

Heather Garcia

Phone: (941) 575-5450

ext.1212

email:

heather.garcia@yourcharlot

teschools.net

Website:

www.aplitandlang.wordpre

ss.com

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Qualities for Success: Instructors in the AP learning community have observed that the

students who demonstrate most of these qualities are the most

successful on the AP exam, earning scores of 4’s and 5’s.

• The ability to read actively, to question while reading an author’s purpose, intentions, biases, to

read with the larger picture in mind; always making connections to the outer world.

• The ability to discuss intelligently and logically, while recognizing that listening is as important to

talking in holding an intellectual conversation.

• The motivation to go beyond the assignment, beyond the superficial.

• A sense of responsibility regarding reading and writing assignments (no Spark notes, no late

papers, no avoidance, no excuses).

• The ability to ask “how could I have improved upon this assignment” rather than “why is this

wrong”.

• The willingness to wrestle with questions that may have no definitive answer rather than

constantly requiring closure.

• The desire to develop a writing style that defines your search for knowledge rather than

demonstrates knowledge of formula, syntax, organization, diction and mechanics.

• The ability to focus on mastering the material and preparing for the test rather than merely the

grade.

The textbook we will use to help reach these goals is:

• “Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing” by Edgar Roberts and Robert Zweig

• ISBN: 978-0-13-267787-5

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Literature Objectives

• To study poetry, plays, novels, short stories, and essays by major authors

• To study a variety of works representing a balance between older and contemporary works

written by both genders and from a variety of cultures.

• To sharpen analytical skills such as inference, learn to recognize independent key passages, and

understand their contribution to overall meaning.

• To read critically, evaluating ideas as they relate to other works and to personal experience.

• To understand the uses of literal and figurative language, i.e., knowing the difference between

cliché and striking metaphor, recognizing the subtleties of language and style, visualizing

imagery, and understanding symbolism.

• To understand how form relates to content, how an author’s style contributes to meaning.

• To draw conclusions about character and theme based on close reading of a text, examination of

related works, and through independent thinking.

• To appreciate aesthetically the ‘value’ of a work, both for the truth or reality it depicts and for its

originality of expression.

• To connect personally to the issues, themes, and characters an author presents, which is why

readers love to read. After all the analysis and thought and discussion, if we remain untouched,

we’ve gained little.

Writing Objectives

• To view writing as both craft and art requiring the ability to collect and synthesize information

from a variety of sources, arrive at insightful conclusions, as well as attend to a logical flow of

sentences and paragraphs, focus theses and paragraphs, and revise as necessary (and revision is

always necessary).

• To learn that writing is thinking, a path to the discovery and clarification of ideas.

• To produce valid responses to in-class essay questions, organizing and focusing within a given

time frame on the major points which the question demands.

• To produce writing with a clear and appropriate purpose, i.e. interpretation, exposition,

argument, and persuasion.

• To demonstrate control of tone through precise diction, appropriate syntax, and logical

sequencing of paragraphs.

• To use authors as models of excellence for one’s own writing.

• To develop a confident personal ‘voice’ and style in one’s writing.

• To use standard written English with minimal error.

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Materials:

• One composition book

for dialectical journals

• One LARGE binder (I

recommend a 2 inch

binder or larger. Trust

me, we will fill it.)

• 11 dividers

• Blue or black pens

(a LOT of them)

• A LOT of college ruled

paper

• A copy of each of the

novels we will be

reading so that you

can annotate on your

books. I recommend

that you start looking

for books NOW to

ensure you can find

them in yard sales,

used book stores, or

online at discount

websites.

The books will read this

year include:

• 1984

• The Poisonwood Bible

• Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde

• Wuthering Heights

• Frankenstein

• King Lear

• Life of Pi

• Beloved

Divider Labels for your

notebook (This is

mandatory):

1. Important Handouts

2. Do Nows

3. Multiple Choice

Practice Test and

Score Sheets

4. Poetry Analysis Essay

5. Prose Analysis Essay

6. Open Response Essay

7. Class Notes and

Assignments

8. Poetry

9. Literature

10. College Essays

11. Vocabulary and

Grammar

Materials Requirements

If you have difficulty acquiring any of the

following materials, please let me know as

soon as possible.

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Course Outline

Quarter 1: Writing Focus

on Prose Analysis Essay

and College Essays

• Syllabus/ expectations

• Close reading exercises

• Reviewing, Discussion

and Testing: 1984; The

Poisonwood Bible

• Literary Movements and

Historical Timeline

• College Entrance Essays

Unit 1- Setting

• 7 functions of setting

lecture and handouts

• Close reading of novel

and short story excerpts

for functions of setting.

• Multiple choice prose

practice with setting

• Free response Q3

focusing on setting (and

must use 1984 or The

Poisonwood Bible.

Unit 2- Writing With Purpose

• Literary Movements and

Timeline Review (and

how to work it into an

essay effectively)

• Handouts and lectures

on writing purposefully

(the “So What?” factor!)

• “The Strange Case of Dr.

Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”

analysis and fishbowl

discussion- analyze for

setting, imagery and

diction

• Voice lessons focusing

on the effects of various

literary devices

• Multiple choice practice

with poetry and prose

• Q2 Prose essay

including anchor paper

analysis

• Q3 Free Response essay

using Dr Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde

Breakdown of Units by Quarter:

This outline is a general overview of where we’ll be going, what we’ll be studying and the approximate

time frames. While major assignments are listed here, we will most likely deviate from this outline.

*Summer reading assignments are due by August 10th,

*Multiple Choice AP Test Preparation and Practice Essays will be conducted regularly leading

up to the exam.

*Our weekly schedule for class-time will look like this:

• Monday= Introduction to grammar, SAT vocabulary and literary device of the week. Then,

multiple-choice practice for the AP test, SAT or ACT.

• Tuesday= Literature (quizzes, discussion, close readings, etc.)

• Wednesday= Writing Instruction or Essay Writing (or peer scoring once a month)

• Thursday= Textbook and other AP Language assignments OR, we will be going over the Wed

pm extravaganza homework and using it as the basis of our discussions and rhetorical analyses.

• Friday= Test on grammar and SAT words of the week (cumulative). Literary Devices tested at

the end of the quarter (cumulative)

* Our Weekly schedule for homework and due dates will look like this:

• Due Monday= Nothing

• Due Tuesday= Novels/Literature (keep up with the pages assigned)

• Due Wednesday= Literary Device Assignment

• Due Thursday= Wednesday Night Extravaganza Homework

• Due Friday= SAT Words/ Grammar Packet- Test

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Continued

Quarter 2: Writing Focus on Prose Analysis

Unit 3 - Diction, Attitude, Tone, Style and Close Reading

• Diction handouts and lectures

• Frankenstein analysis and fishbowl discussions

• Multiple choice practice for poetry and prose that focus closely

on diction

• Q2 Prose essay focusing on diction and including anchor paper

analysis

• Close reading exercises from novel and short story excerpts

• Poisonwood Bible key scene analysis of diction and its effects

• “Everyday Use” analysis and discussion

Unit 4 -Point of View and Voice

• Handouts and lectures on POV and its functions as well as its

limitations for writers and readers and how POV and Voice are

connected (and how they can be separate entities in a text)

• Gothic Literature Introduction

• Wuthering Heights Introduction, analysis and discussion

• Q2 prose prompt writing and anchor paper analysis

• Q3 essay prompt practice where POV is essential

• “Barn Burning” analysis and discussion

Quarter 3: Writing Focus on Poetry Analysis

Unit 5- Poetry

• Handouts and lectures on devices and elements

• Multiple choice poetry practice

• Q1 poetry practice including analysis of anchor papers

• Over 20 different poems will be closely read and analyzed

using a variety of teaching and learning styles

• King Lear analysis and discussion

• Q3 Practice utilizing the text King Lear as the subject of the

essay

Unit 6- Symbol and Allegory

• Handouts and lectures

• Review all previous novels for symbolic analysis (in groups

with research based presentations)

• “Young Goodman Brown” analysis and discussion

• Multiple Choice poetry practice (“The Mirror” certainly, plus

others)

• Life of Pi analysis and fishbowl focusing on voice, POV, setting,

symbol, tone, style and diction (this will carry over into quarter

4)

• Q3 Essay Writing Practice using the text “Wide Sargasso Sea”

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Quarter 4: Writing Focus on Open Response

Unit 8 - Characterization

• Handouts and lectures/discussions

• Excerpt practices with actions and dialogue from popular

characters in literature

• Multiple choice practice with poetry and prose that centralizes on

characterization- close readings included

• Q1 poetry practice with anchor papers (The Odyssey excerpt and

The Sirens)

• Q2 prose practice with anchor papers (2014 prompt)

• Q3 Instruction and practice with any novel we have read so far.

Unit 9- Theme

• Handouts and lectures/discussions

• Excerpt practices with actions and dialogue from popular

characters in literature

• Multiple choice practice with poetry and prose that centralizes on

characterization- close readings included

• Q1 poetry practice with anchor papers

• Q2 prose practice with anchor papers

• “Beloved” analysis and fishbowl discussions

• Q3 open response practice using 2014 sacrifice prompt and using

“Beloved” as the text

Unit 10- Syntax and Structure

• Handouts and lectures/discussions

• Excerpt practices with actions and dialogue from popular

characters in literature

• Multiple choice practice with poetry and prose that centralizes on

characterization- close readings included

• Q1 poetry practice with anchor papers

• Q2 prose practice with anchor papers

• “1984” analysis and fishbowl discussion

• Q3 open response essay practice using “1984” as the text

Unit 11 - AP Exam Review

• Testing Skills boot-camp

• Writing for purpose review

• Free Response Essay Preparation for two novels and one play

Unit 12 - Post-Exam

• Sonnet Writing

o Read

Continued

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How grades are roughly distributed:

1) Literary Analysis/Dialectical Journal/ Annotations: approx 20-35%

2) Writing: approx 20-40%

Major writing assignments are listed in the course calendar. As models, we’ll be reading many nonfiction essays, and

discussing effective style-moving out of the box, so to speak, and learning how to write more interesting and appealing styles.

You will learn several methods for improving writing- both technical and creative-and help you develop a writing style unique

to you. In this class, we will focus on the depth of your writing, not the breath. Most essays will be approximately 500 words,

although we will write some formal researched essays of greater length. I expect your writing to evolve and improve as the

year progresses. Improving your writing is up to you; I can only make suggestions and teach strategies.

Generally, the more difficult and lengthy the essay, the more point value. We will write a variety of essays, including

argument, personal, definition, expository and analytical writing.

3) Classwork/ Homework/Vocabulary: approx 30-40%

These will be assignments, sometimes pass/fail, which will encompass such things as prewriting, topic selections, research,

grammar and vocabulary exercises, etc. Major players in this category include:

• Presentations/ Speeches & presentations

• Small homework and practice assignments

• In-class assignments and activities

• Rhetorical devices and Vocabulary:

Vocabulary: Vocabulary is due weekly through the semester.

All Vocabulary is taken from the SAT, the GRE, and AP Lang & Comp terms. You are required to study all words for the

entire year since they are tested cumulatively.

There simply is no getting around that actively studying and increasing your vocabulary will result in improving your

SAT and AP scores. Students who complete vocabulary work weekly almost always pass the AP exam.

5) Semester Exams (finals): All students registered for AP Language and Composition are required to take the fall

semester exam. If you take the AP exam in May, you will automatically be exempt from the writing portion of the spring exam

entirely. These tests will evaluate the skills we have covered during the term. Expect a reading passage with comprehension

and analytical questions for the fall exam, and a timed writing in the spring. Both semester exams will be patterned after and

actual AP exam.

Extra Credit: Given purely by my discretion, but you should not expect an exorbitant amount of extra credit in this course.

Your evaluation is based on performance in class, not extra credit. If you have a habit of not turning in work or missing

extensive school, do not expect me to offer you ample extra credit.

Cheating and Plagiarism (see Code of Student Conduct for a complete explanation)

We will discuss cheating the first week of class. I will define it for you clearly, but suffice it to say that it

will not be tolerated in any form, particularly plagiarism.

Turning in work if you are absent

See Student Code of Conduct for Make-up work involving a documented excused absence.

• No cell phones or other

electronic devices in class

unless I explicitly ask you

to take them out.

• Get to class on time.

• Attend class every day!

• Be prepared for class

daily.

• Do not pack up early. We

use ALL of our class time

every day.

• Treat classmates with

respect.

• Don’t talk when I am

talking. It makes me

grumpy.

12-point font

Times New Roman

Double Spaced

Numbered pages

Stapled in left hand corner

ALWAYS!

Can I turn this in late? See Student Code of Conduct for Make-up work

involving a documented excused absence.

Half-credit: Assignments are due when they are due.

A long-range assignment is due on the due date

whether you are in class or not. If your assignment is

late, for any reason, I will still accept it for another

week, however, the most it will be worth is half-

credit, and after the week has passed, I will not

accept the assignment AT ALL! I will not accept

electronic assignments other than as proof that the

assignment is complete. It is your responsibility to

provide me with a hard copy of the assignment upon

your return to class. If you are absent and email me

the assignment, it must be in my inbox by the

beginning of class the day the assignment is due.

Procrastination results in “the excuse”, i.e., “my

printer is out of ink”. Please do not expect me to print

out your papers. EVER!

Classroom Management/ Basic Rules

How do I format a paper? ow do I format a paper?