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AP English Literature and Composition Syllabus 2011-2012

General Course Information Grade level offered: 12 Credits 1.0 English Credits Prerequisites: Background in British & American Literature is highly recommended Teacher: Ryan K. Buchanan E-mail: ryan.buchanan@smyrna.k12.de.us Website: http://teacherweb.com/DE/SmyrnaHighSchool/MrBuchanan/index.html Course Description AP English Literature and Composition is designed to give students a learning experience equivalent to a typical undergraduate introduction to literature class. As a class, we will constantly explore both reading and writing. Through close reading of literary texts, students will come to understand how writers use style and structure (diction, syntax, figurative language, selection of detail, imagery etc.) to provide meaning to the reader and explore the answers to the big questions in life. Writing well about literature is a key component of the class. Vital elements of writing will be discussed, and students will be asked write to understand, write to explain, and write to evaluate. In addition to writing a variety of essays, students will keep both a reading log and writing log over the course of the year to document their progress and to engage them in thinking about what they have done. The goal of this course is not the same as the goals of your typical high school classes. This is not a curriculum designed to make sure that all the students arrive at the same concluding result. If this class is to be successful, students must realize that they will be given the skills to read material and analyze the material using their own background, experience and bias. Through this process it is possible for an entire class of 20 students to read a piece of literature and have 20 unique opinions, and they all may be correct. It is important that this course be viewed as a workshop or discussion group that works collectively to help the individuals to develop and evolve as academic evaluators. My foremost expectation for this class is commitment and dedication from each student. Students must stay up to date on their assignments, and they should be devoted to revising and reworking their ideas to improve and hone their skills. As stated previously, each individuals involvement will add to the overall improvement of the group. By considering each individuals unique opinion, whether one agrees with or rejects the opinion, the members of the group will gain insight into their own interpretation and evaluation of literature. A discussion is only effective if all involved have read, understood, evaluated and have an opinion on the work. For this reason, an indefatigable commitment to the class is a requisite for all students.

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2012-13

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Course Outcomes In this course students will improve close reading and analytical strategies identify literary elements and devices found in literature stretch their imaginative abilities in reaction to literature improve their ability to find and explain (through discussion and writing) what is of value in literature revisit the purposes and strategies of rhetoric in order to o develop an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure o improve organization in writing through techniques to improve coherence, such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis o effectively state, support and explain their claims in their arguments advance vocabulary skills to cope with unfamiliar language Methods of Instruction Discussion is the primary way in which students come to understand a particular text. Students are to come to class with ideas prepared for discussion; these should be written in their reading logs. Each piece of reading should be documented and explored in his/her own words. Discussion is both large group and small group. Discussions are sometimes student led. Many of the bigger writing assignments will be done outside of the class. Projects/assignments will be done individually as well. Some assigned texts are to be read independently, in addition to other course texts. Reading Assignments The most important consideration for students attempting to succeed in this class is this: Can/Will I keep up with the reading requirements? It cannot be overstated that keeping up with the reading is the minimum requirement for success in this class. For students that struggle with the complexity of the material, it may be necessary to read certain selections several times. Students that are not used to this workload will need to plan time in their schedule for reading. Poetry selections, though usually short, are dense and complicated and should always be read at least twice. Class and Independent novels require particular planning. This is a warning that needs to be considered before embarking upon this academic endeavor.

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2012-13

Buchanan - 3 Writing about Literature Students will write a variety of AP style essays over the course of the year, most timed and in class. Students will be writing to understand, writing to explain, and writing to evaluate. Quality of interpretation comes from depth of insightful understanding. Students are required to revise all essays. (All revisions are due one week after originals are returned). In addition to writing a variety of essays, students will keep a writing log over the course of the year to document their progress and to engage themselves in thinking about their writing. Students will also write reflective, more personal responses to literature throughout the year in study guides, etc. In-Class Writing In-class writings will primarily be AP-based examinations, though there will also be quick-response, in-class writings as a basis for discussion. I will not announce quizzes ahead of time, and we will have a number of them, both straightforward reading ones and ones that ask you to engage an idea. Reading quizzes will always be given the first five minutes of class; if you come in late, you may not take the quiz. Questions on reading quizzes will be straightforward and simple as long as youve done the required reading. We will on occasion have an essay examination that asks you to synthesize your understanding of our work. These exams are to help students respond to literary questions in a way much less restrictive than the AP-based exams that form the inclass writings on literature. Students will be asked to free-write their responses to the reading on a regular basis in their reading logs. Students should bring their reading log to each class so they are prepared for this informal writing exercise, which is designed to explore what they learn as they read. Critical Writing Each student will write several short critical papers, explicating poetry and drama, and performing a close reading of novels, including one that is research-based. I will be more specific on what I expect from these critical assignments later on, but in general each paper will use specific and well-chosen evidence to articulate an argument about poems, drama, and fiction. Specifically, these critical essays are based on close textual analysis of structure, style (figurative language, imagery, symbolism, tone), and social/historical values. These critical papers must be typed, doublespaced, and proofread (especially spell-checked) and will be approximately two-tothree double-spaced pages, with the research-based paper around five-to-six pages. These essays will be graded based on the adapted AP scoring rubric. (Found on the Website)

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2012-13

Buchanan - 4 Creative Writing Students will be asked to write creative assignments poems, drama, and short stories that take on the rhetorical forms and styles of the literature were studying. I will not grade these assignments on aesthetic criteria; rather, I will be looking for the students knowledge and application of appropriate structures and styles as outlined within the assignments parameters; that is, the students capacity to understand, then apply the techniques of art used in the literature were studying. These techniques include structure, theme, and style (diction, syntax, figurative language, symbolism, and tone). Although we may begin these assignments in class, I will expect them to be typed and proofread (especially spell-checked) before being handed in to me. Resources/Texts (Texts listed below are generally included in course, but will vary from year to year). Primary text: Arp, Thomas R., and Johnson. Greg. 10th Edition. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. Secondary texts: Hamlet, Shakespeare The Awakening, Chopin Heart of Darkness, Conrad The Metamorphosis, Kafka Oedipus Rex, Sophocles Antigone, Sophocles Ethan Frome, Wharton A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Joyce Wuthering Heights, Bronte Invisible Man, Ellison Assessment: Participation in discussions will be monitored Completion and understanding of reading assignments will be assessed through reading logs Assessment of understanding of literary elements is primarily assessed through essays. Some quizzes are given (Vocabulary, Literary Terms, & Reading Check quizzes). Students are expected to be active participants in discussions. Essays will be assessed using the AP rubric as well as item-specific rubrics Practice Tests will be used for practice and assessment An exam is given at the end of the first semester. Students who take the AP test in May are not required to take the Final AP exam. Students will maintain a writing log to help with self-assessment of writing. AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2012-13

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Grading: Grades are calculated using the following weighted categories. Assignments Assessments 35% 65%
- Reading, Class work, Questions, Note-Taking, Class Discussion, Logs - Essays, Tests, Reading Quizzes, Vocabulary Quizzes

Adapted AP Rubric is used for scoring formal essays (Available on the Website) Standard English Department Scale o A: 100-93 o B: 92-85 o C: 84-76 o D: 75-70 o F: 69-0

AP English Literature and Composition Exam: The AP Examinations are administered each year in May and represent the culmination of college-level work in a given discipline in a secondary school setting. Rigorously developed by committees of college and AP high school faculty, the AP Exams test students' ability to perform at a college level. The AP English Literature and Composition Exam is three hours long and consists of two sections. In Section I, students are given one hour to answer 55 multiple-choice questions. The multiple-choice questions test students' ability to read analytically prose and poetry from several periods. In Section II, they must answer three free-response questions within two hours. The free-response questions require students to write critical essays on literary texts. Pre-coursework Assignment is due by August 1st. Read How to Read Literature Like a Professor Thomas C. Foster Complete questions assigned with book.

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 6 Marking Period One (9 weeks)

Focus: Analyzing Fiction

Syllabus & Course Guidelines Notebooks o Reading Logs o Writing Assignments o Literary Terms Appendix Class Readings

Writing Elements Sentence Structures, Organization, Rhetorical Structures, Repetition, Transitions, Emphasis, Tone, Voice, Detail, etc. Reading the Story The Most Dangerous Game Richard Cornell Hunters in the Snow - Tobias Wolff Plot & Structure The Destructors Graham Green How I Met My Husband Alice Munro Interpreters of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri Characterization Everyday Use Alice Walker Miss Brill Katherine Mansfield The Man Who Was Almost a Man Richard Wright Theme Welding With Children Tim Gautreaux The Darling Anton Chekhov A Worn Path Eudora Welty Once upon a Time - Nadine Gordimer Point of View Pauls Case Willa Cather The Lottery Shirley Jackson The Jilting of Granny Witherall Katherine Anne Porter Hills Like White Elephants Ernest Hemingway Symbol, Allegory, and Fantasy The Rocking-Horse Winner D. H. Lawrence Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthorn The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Usula K. Le Guin A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Gabriel Garcia Marquez AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 7 Humor and Irony The Drunkard Frank OConnor Rape Fantasies Margaret Atwood The Guest Albert Camus Evaluating Fiction Roman Fever Edith Wharton A New Leaf F. Scott Fitzgerald

Assessments for Marking Period 1

Reading Quizzes - Based on Stories Read in Class Literary Elements Quizzes Assess Understanding of Literary Terms Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes Novel Tests Practice Exams Used to Prepare for AP Exam Essays Each Format is Discussed in Previous Section of Syllabus o Rewrites/Revisions are required and due 1 week after papers are returned. Feedback for revision will focus on developing logical organization, rhetorical structures, transitions, tone, voice, sentence structures, and illustrative detail. o Informal (In-Class / Timed) The Most Dangerous Game Richard Cornell Analytical Essay Extended Interpretation The Destructors Graham Green Interpretation of Literature Social, cultural, and historical values Everyday Use Alice Walker Analysis /Argument Artistry & Quality The Lottery Shirley Jackson Analysis / Argument Social, cultural, and historical values o Critical Essays (Outside of Class) How I Met My Husband Alice Munro Argumentative Essay Analysis of authors craft (Rhetorical Structure) A New Leaf F. Scott Fitzgerald Extended Analysis Using textual details to support expository analysis o Creative Essay The Drunkard Frank OConnor Stylistic Imitation Humor and Irony

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 8 Marking Period Two (9 weeks)

Focus: Analyzing Poetry

Notebooks o Reading Logs o Writing Assignments o Literary Terms Appendix Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes Independent Readings

Lecture/Discussion Topics and Accompanying Readings Writing Elements Sentence Structures, Organization, Rhetorical Structures, Repetition, Transitions, Emphasis, Tone, Voice, Detail, etc. What is Poetry? The Eagle Alfred, Lord Tennyson Winter William Shakespeare Dulce et Decorum Est Wilfred Owen Reading the Poem The Man He Killed Thomas Hardy A Study of Reading Habits Philip Larkin Is my team plowing A. E. Housman Denotation and Conotation There is no Frigate like a Book Emily Dickinson When my love swears she is made of truth William Shakespeare Pathedy of Manners Ellen Kay Imagery Meeting at Night - Robert Browning Parting at Morning Robert Browning Figurative Language I: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Apostrophe, Metonymy Harlem Langston Hughes Bereft Robert Frost It sifts from Leaden Sieves Emily Dickinson The Author to Her Book Anne Bradstreet The Telephone Maya Angelou Bright Star John Keats

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 9 Figurative Language II: Symbol, Allegory The Road Not Taken Robert Frost A Noiseless Patient Spider Walt Whitman The Sick Rose William Blake Digging Seamus Heaney To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time Robert Herrick Peace George Herbert Figurative Language III: Paradox, Overstatement, Understatement, Irony Much Madness is divinest Sense Emily Dickinson The Sun Rising John Donne Incident Countee Cullen Barbie Doll Marge Piercy The Chimney Sweeper William Blake Ozymandias Percy Bysshe Shelly Allusion Out, Out - Robert Frost She should have died hereafter William Shakespeare Meaning and Idea Little Jack Horner Anonymous Loveliest of Trees A. E. Housman Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Robert Frost Tone

For a Lamb Richard Eberhart Apparently with no surprise Emily Dickinson Since theres no help Michael Drayton Picnic, Lightning Billy Collins

Musical Devices The Turtle Ogden Nash That night when joy began W. H. Auden The Waking Theodore Roethke Gods Grandeur Gerard Manley Hopkins Rhythm and Meter Virtue George Herbert

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 10 Sound and Meaning Eight OClock A. E. Housman Sound and Sense Alexander Pope I heard a Fly buzz when I died Emily Dickinson Pattern The Pulley George Herbert On First Looking into Chapmans Homer John Keats Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night Dylan Thomas Evaluating Poetry I: Sentimental, Rhetorical, Didactic Verse When I have fears that I may cease to be John Keats Solitude! John Keats Evaluating Poetry II: Poetic Excellence Ode on a Grecian Urn John Keats The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock T.S. Elliot

Assessments for Marking Period 2

Reading Quizzes - Based on Poems Read in Class Literary Elements Quizzes Assess Understanding of Literary Terms Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes Independent Reading Tests Practice Exams Used to Prepare for AP Exam Essays Each Format is Discussed in Previous Section of Syllabus o Rewrites/Revisions are required and due 1 week after papers are returned. Feedback for revision will focus on developing logical organization, rhetorical structures, transitions, tone, voice, sentence structures, and illustrative detail. o Informal (In-Class / Timed) Bereft Robert Frost Analytical Essay Extended Interpretation The Sun Rising John Donne Interpretation of Literature Social, cultural, and historical values Apparently with no surprise Emily Dickinson Analysis /Argument Artistry & Quality On First Looking into Chapmans Homer John Keats Analysis / Argument Social, cultural, and historical values

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 11 o Critical Essays (Outside of Class) To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time Robert Herrick Argumentative Essay Analysis of authors craft (Allegory) Ode on a Grecian Urn John Keats The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock T.S. Elliot Extended Analysis Using textual details to support expository analysis When I have fears that I may cease to be John Keats Extended Interpretation Judgment of social, cultural, and historical values o Creative Essay Little Jack Horner Anonymous Stylistic Imitation Meaning and Idea SEMESTER EXAM A practice AP exam is given as the 1st semester exam Reading Log Is Due Writing Log is Due Marking Period Three (9 weeks)

Focus: Analyzing Drama

Notebooks o Reading Logs o Writing Assignments o Literary Terms Appendix Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes Independent Readings

Lecture/Discussion Topics and Accompanying Readings Writing Elements Sentence Structures, Organization, Rhetorical Structures, Repetition, Transitions, Emphasis, Tone, Voice, Detail, etc. The Nature of Drama Trifles Susan Glaspell Tape Jose Rivera Realistic and Nonrealistic Drama A Doll House Henrik Ibsen The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 12 Tragedy and Comedy Oedipus Rex Sophocles Othello William Shakespeare

Assessments for Marking Period 3

Reading Quizzes - Based on Individual Acts in Plays Literary Elements Quizzes Assess Understanding of Literary Terms Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes Independent Reading Tests Practice Exams Used to Prepare for AP Exam Essays Each Format is Discussed in Previous Section of Syllabus o Rewrites/Revisions are required and due 1 week after papers are returned. Feedback for revision will focus on developing logical organization, rhetorical structures, transitions, tone, voice, sentence structures, and illustrative detail. o Informal (In-Class / Timed) Trifles Susan Glaspell Analytical Essay Extended Interpretation Tape Jose Rivera Analysis /Argument Artistry & Quality The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams Analysis / Argument Social, cultural, and historical values o Critical Essays (Outside of Class) Oedipus Rex Sophocles Argumentative Essay Analysis of authors craft (Dramtic Irony) A Doll House Henrik Ibsen Extended Analysis Using textual details to support expository analysis Othello William Shakespeare Extended Interpretation Judgment of social, cultural, and historical values o Creative Essay Oedipus Rex Sophocles Thematic Imitation Dramatic Irony Marking Period Four (7 weeks)

Focus: Test Preparation & Application

Notebooks

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 13 o Reading Logs o Writing Assignments o Literary Terms Appendix Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes Independent Readings o Student Choice

Test Preparation (4 Weeks) Readings Review Literary Element Review Writing Review Practice Objective Tests Review answering strategies, thinking processes, etc. Writing Test Practice Going beyond: More test prep materials are available for independent study. AP EXAM (First part of May)

Assessments for Marking Period 4

Reading Review Quizzes - Based on All Readings Literary Elements Review Quizzes Based on All Elements Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes Independent Reading Test Based on Independent Reading Novel Practice Exams Used to Prepare for AP Exam Essays Each Format is Discussed in Previous Section of Syllabus o Rewrites/Revisions are required and due 1 week after papers are returned. Feedback for revision will focus on developing logical organization, rhetorical structures, transitions, tone, voice, sentence structures, and illustrative detail. o Informal (In-Class / Timed) Independent Novel Student Choice Analytical Essay Extended Interpretation Independent Novel Student Choice Interpretation of Literature Social, cultural, and historical values Independent Novel Student Choice Analysis /Argument Artistry & Quality o Critical Essays (Outside of Class)

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12

Buchanan - 14 Independent Novel Student Choice Argumentative Essay Analysis of authors craft (Rhetorical Structure) Independent Novel Student Choice Extended Analysis Using textual details to support expository analysis Independent Novel Student Choice Extended Interpretation Judgment of social, cultural, and historical values

Project o Based on Independent Novel

AP English Literature & Composition | Syllabus | 2011-12