AP Literature and Composition Overview: The College Board describes the AP Literature and Composition course as a course [that] engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As they read, students consider a work s structure, style, and themes as well as such smaller-scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. (57) As you experienced such authors as Twain, Hawthorn, Chopin, Fitzgerald, Frost, and Hughes in your previous course (AP Language and Composition), we will strive to accomplish these goals through the exploration of British Literature from 1600 to the present, through short works of modern fiction both American and British, and through the careful examination of poetry. Throughout the year we will deal with some essential questions that will give us pause, and hopefully open doors into the complex maze that is literature. Some of the questions we will wrestle with include: How does literature shape the idea of identity--both on the individual level and on the cultural level? What biases do we as readers bring to the text? What biases do the authors bring? How do symbols and allegory contribute both to our reading lives and our everyday interpretation of the world? The College Board administers an exam in May that all students are required to take in order to receive AP credit and the weighted grade on their transcripts. A qualifying score of a 3, 4, or 5 on the exam may also earn you college credit. 1 If you do not take the exam, you will receive credit for English 12 and there will be no weight added into your GPA. Course Goals: By the end of the course the student will be able to: Carefully read and critically analyze a variety of imaginative literature. Understand the use of language, both as a means of conveyance and for pleasure. Analyze a pieces structure, style, and theme. Focus on the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. Understand and use various forms of critical literary approaches including historical, psychological, feminist, biographical, post-colonial, structural, and post-modern thought. Identify major periods in writing and provide sample works and authors from each. Write effectively and coherently about the methods used by the author to create, convey, and express the ideas found within a piece. Write focusing on critical analysis of literature including expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. 1 Check with the college or university to see if they take AP credit and what they consider a qualifying score. Note
Materials and Texts Please note that the teacher reserves the right to utilize some or all of the following texts when creating the course. In addition, the instructor reserves the right to substitute acceptable texts in accordance with availability and relevance to the course content. Arp, Thomas and Greg Johnson. Perrine s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense (9th edition) Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness Eliot, T.S. The Wasteland Shakespeare, William. Hamlet and King Lear Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein Sophocles. Oedipus Rex Wilson, August Fences Selected essays and short fiction (classic and modern) A variety of poetry (classic and modern) Writing Students will participate in a variety of writing exercises, some of which will be timed. These exercises include free response journals, reading logs, timed writing responses to past AP questions, timed responses to readings, literary research, response to criticism, formal and informal essays. Students can expect to write an average of three formal papers (3-6 pages) and 3 timed writings per nine weeks. This does not include the on the spot responses and journals that may be in addition to scheduled writing. All writing that is scheduled will be accompanied by a rubric which will be discussed prior to the completion of the task. Sometimes writing assignments will be geared to specific tasks such as a focus on diction or syntax, and will often only be graded on that aspect of the product. There will then be small lessons geared to bolstering these skills. Your instructor will inform you of the specifics prior to the completion of the task. Students will be asked to participate in various peer conferences, as well as teacher conferences when writing and revising work. Grading: Grades will be generated on a cumulative point scale. Students earn points on assignments, quizzes, and tests. Those points are then totaled and divided by the total number of possible points to arrive at percent average. Timed writings and AP multiple choice practice will be weighted to offset their difficulty. The grading scale for AP courses is: A 100-90 B 89-80 C 79-70 D 69-60 F 59-0 First Nine Weeks:
The first nine weeks is focused on the structural aspects of interpretation of literature. For this time period the focus of our reading will be on shorter passages and short stories. Pulling from the classroom text and other passages, students will look at the author s methods of creating character, the use of dialogue in establishing character, the use of setting and the inclusion of symbol within a given text. Students will practice four prompts from the released exam, as well as beginning their own exploration of their own identity through the writing of essays suitable for use in the college admissions process. Students will focus on the use of appropriate evidence, the development of sufficient analysis, and the emergence of a unique writing voice in these early days of the class. In addition to the reading, students will also practice multiple choice questions from AP released exams. The students will have the opportunity to annotate the passage in detail before attempting the multiple choice questions. As the year progresses, the time given to annotate will decrease significantly. Towards the end of the nine weeks, students will read Mary Shelley s Frankenstein, utilizing the analysis skills garnered from the work with shorter passages. Prompts used: 1. 2010b Question 2: Cherry Bomb 2. 2009b Q2: Seraph on the Suwanee 3. 2009 Q2: The Street 4. 2010 Q2: Belinda Other writings (leaning toward college entrance essays)[500-750 words] 1. This I believe 2. Describe a moment from childhood that impacted you, either positively or negatively. Reflect on how that moment has shaped you today. 3. Mahatma Gandhi said, Be the change you wish to see in the world. What change would you like to see in the world and how would you personally work to see that change accomplished. Second Nine Weeks: The second nine weeks will focus on the art and interpretation of poetry. Using selections from the classroom text, as well as other poems, students will study the use of poetic devices, symbols, and allusion in the creation of meaning for both poet and reader. Students will continue to write responses to released items from the AP exam, and will take up the task of reflective writing based upon the reading of poems. In addition, students will read Hamlet using the interpretation of poetry in conjunction with literary analysis to understand and analyze the piece. Students will continue to practice released multiple choice items and participating in writing workshops. Writing workshop topics: Organization, rhetorical structures, and transitions
(writing workshops will occur throughout the nine weeks and will address issues prior to and after student writing. Students will have the opportunity to edit and rewrite.) There will also be an in-depth study of a poet, chosen by the student, which will result in a research paper of significant length. Within that paper, students will be asked to read a large chunk of poetry from their chosen poet and to then trace a common image or theme that runs throughout the poets work. Students will be required to include outside criticism and support for their findings within their paper. In addition, the students will be required to analyze and argue the merit of their poet and his/her body of work, the quality and artistry of that work, in terms of both their contemporaries and the poetic tradition as a whole. Prompts Used 1. 2011 A Story 2. 2010b To Sir John Lade, on His Coming of Age 3. 11b Echo Sonnet 4. 10 The Century Quilt Other writings: Short response papers, poetry research paper, timed writings Third Nine Weeks The third nine weeks will focus on the study two important longer pieces: Heart of Darkness and King Lear. These nine weeks will feature the open style question from released AP exams. Exploration of major structures of the novel (character, setting, tone, etc) and the ability to write about those structures will be the main focus for the work of the student. Essays will also explore the revelation of the condition man and the identity crisis faced in both the texts. Students will evaluate and argue for which text, through its quality and artistry, they believe to be the most accurate at depicting the nature of man. Students will use textual citations and evidence to support their position. In addition, students will continue to practice multiple choice and the other two styles of questions in preparation for the AP exam. By this point in the year, the instructor will also begin to make adjustments to address specific areas of deficiency within the students work and abilities. Students will continue to workshop their papers with peers and teachers. Writing prompts: 1. 2009 Q3 Symbol 2. 2011 Q3 Search for Justice 3. 2010 Q3 Home/Exile 4. 2011b Q3 Illuminating incident
5. 2009b Q3 Political Issue Fourth Nine Weeks The fourth nine weeks is devoted to final preparation for the exam, The Importance of Being Earnest, and then a post-exam final project that will serve as a summary of their high school English experience. This nine weeks is a bit less structured to allow for catch up, remediation, and preparation as necessary. The instructor reserves the right to make alterations to this and any 9 weeks plan.