AP Literature and Composition Syllabus and Course Outline Approved by the College Board #1249303V1
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2015-2016 HISD SYLLABUS AP English Literature and Composition AP Literature and Composition Syllabus and Course Outline Approved by The College Board #1249303v1 Introduction (from The College Board’s Course Description) An AP English Literature and Composition course engages students in careful reading and critical analysis of 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. Course Summary The AP English Literature and Composition course includes intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. The majority of texts and reading material are based on the representative authors’ list found within the AP® English Literature and Composition Course Description published by The College Board. One of the goals of the course is to teach students to derive meaning from a text’s structure and style, in addition to analyzing figurative language, theme, diction, and other literary devices. This course engages students in a thorough, intensive study of several genres and literary criticism such as psychoanalytic theory, feminist theory, formalism, and reader-response theory. Class Expectations AP English Literature students are expected to be mature and have the motivation level equivalent to those in collegiate classrooms. Students are expected to work hard, and the hope is that the reward received in preparing for future coursework will make the expended effort well worth the prize. • Preparedness: Students are expected to read and complete all assignments before coming to class. There will be interaction, discussion, and/or group work every day. • In-class writing, discussions, and workshops: AP English Literature is not a lecture course. Students are expected to be prepared for discussion, group activities, and writing each day. In-class group work cannot be recovered if it is missed. Because of the workshop atmosphere of the AP English Literature classroom, student interaction is required. Talking that disrupts or hampers the learning of the class will not be tolerated. • Class Participation: Student participation is required. Students are expected to bring individual thoughts, considerations, and opinions to a discussion. There is no wrong answer or thought. Diversity of thought offers perspectives that can inform conversation, offer insightful dialogue, and present potentially new avenues of discourse. • Format for Papers: All papers must be formatted using 12-point Times New Roman font only and must be double-spaced with 1” margins on all sides. Always follow the style guidelines of the Modern Language Association (MLA), particularly with regard to parenthetical and reference citations. • Late Work: Present all work in class, in person, and on time. Assignments are due at the beginning of class. • Absences: It is the student’s responsibility to request make-up work. If students attend school at any time during the day an assignment is due, students are required to submit their assignments. • Fieldtrips: School sports, events, activities, and/or excursions are not valid reasons for not submitting work on time. • Make-up Exams: Any student that is absent on the day of a test is expected to make up the test during tutorials upon their return to campus. If the student does not report to make up the exam within the stated time frame, no credit (0%, zero) will be given for that exam. Tests may not be made up during class or another class period. Be advised that make-up exams are more rigorous as students have more time to prepare. It is in the student’s best interest to be present on all exam days. © Houston ISD Curriculum 2015 – 2016 Page 1 of 9 Last Updated: August 13, 2015 2015-2016 HISD SYLLABUS AP English Literature and Composition Course Goals and Objectives This course provides students with the intellectual challenges and workload consistent with a typical undergraduate college English literature/humanities course, at the completion of which, the student should be able to: • critically read and analyze both American and British literatures in several genres from the 16th century to contemporary times (SC1) • write, revise, and edit an interpretation of a piece of literature that is based on a careful observation of textual details, considering the work’s structure, style, and themes; the social and historical values it reflects and embodies; and such elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone (SC2, SC3, SC4) • write, revise, and edit formal, extended analyses and timed, in-class responses (SC5) • write, revise, and edit formal, extended analyses outside of class (SC6) • write to understand through informal, exploratory writing activities that enable the student to reflect upon their reading and their thinking, within the process of writing (SC7) • write to explain through expository or analytical essays in which the student draws upon textual details to develop an extended explanation/interpretation of the meanings of a literary text (SC8) • write to evaluate through analytical or argumentative essays in which the student draws upon textual details to make and explain judgments about a work’s artistry and quality and its social and cultural values (SC9, SC10) • draft, revise, and edit essays reflecting a wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively (SC11) • draft, revise, and edit essays employing a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and coordination (SC12) • draft, revise, and edit essays using a logical organization scheme, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis (SC13) • draft, revise, and edit essays which balance between generalization and specific, illustrative detail (SC14) • draft, revise, and edit essays that effectively utilize rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure in essay construction (SC15) The Exam The exam takes three and one-half hours to complete and is divided into two sections: multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. The multiple-choice section consists of four to five short literary passages and approximately 50 multiple-choice questions assessing student analysis of those passages. Points are not deducted for incorrect or unanswered multiple-choice questions; credit is earned solely for correct answers. This section accounts for 45% of the complete score. The free-response section consists of three prompts: prose, poetry, and an open question. Each prompt requires the student understand and analyze the techniques and devices the author uses to achieve his or her purpose. This section accounts for 55% of the complete score. Plagiarism, Collusion, and Cheating Plagiarized papers or projects will receive a grade of “0” (zero)–no exceptions. Cheating or collusion— defined as unauthorized collaboration—will also result in a grade of “0” (zero) on that paper, project or test. Plagiarism or collusion on a second major assignment will result in a zero for the course. This includes assigned, in-class or discussion questions. The instructor will utilize plagiarism software and internet sources to check student work for potential plagiarism. This will be discussed in more detail during class the class introduction. © Houston ISD Curriculum 2015 – 2016 Page 2 of 9 Last Updated: August 13, 2015 2015-2016 HISD SYLLABUS AP English Literature and Composition Course Grading Scale Essays/Tests/Projects 50% Quizzes/Classwork 30% Homework/Participation 20% Course Outline Skills introduced in each cycle should be reinforced throughout the school year with AP practice. Reading and writing are integral parts of every lesson. Continuous Class Writing and On-Going Activities: • Multiple-choice practice based upon readings (SC1) • Poetry explication and analysis (SC2) • Timed writings from released AP Literature free-response questions (SC5, SC8) • Independent-reading book projects (SC6) • Socratic seminars with reflective writing (SC7) • Literary criticism (using rhetorical précis) (SC9), (SC10) • Individual conferences with students to identify areas needing improvement (SC11) • Vocabulary practice (SC11) • Grammar, syntax, mechanics (SC12) 1st Cycle: Impact of the Hero’s Journey Students delve into the archetypal journey and the hero through this unit. Through an examination of their own journeys thus far in life, students reflect upon the knowledge they have gained from the experience and how that new knowledge impacts the choices and decisions they make in the future. Guiding Questions: • Why do characters complete journeys? • How does the journey affect the characters and the setting? • What valuable lesson does the protagonist garner through the journey and how does he apply his new found knowledge in his life? • How can students develop as individuals and be an integral part of society? • What is the relationship between author and place? • What are the implicit problems associated with colonialism? • What role has power historically played in shaping identity and culture? • How does the journey shape the characters? • How do political and spiritual beliefs affect a journey?