2017-2018 AP Literature and Composition
Teacher: Mr. John Driscoll Room: 214
Email: [email protected] Phone: 412-793-5884
Course description
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition emphasizes the development of skills in critical reading of imaginative and discursive literature and in writing about literature and related ideas. It is for students who are capable of doing college-level work while they are in secondary school. They must be willing to devote the energy necessary to complete a course more rigorous and demanding than other high school Literature courses.
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition seeks to fulfill our school’s mission by developing productive students who can comprehend and communicate the written and spoken word. In addition, students can mature in their Christian world view through their study of literature.
Students will be required to learn at a rate commensurate with their ability; to deal with material that intellectually mature students find engaging; to refine reading and writing skills important for success, not only in college but also in the business and professional world; to cultivate habits of reading, writing and thinking that characterize lifelong learning and enjoyment
This is an advanced, college level class designed to meet the educational need of students with above average ability in English Literature. Students must have a recommendation from their former English teacher and approval given from both administration and parent/guardian.
Course Content
In the end, this is a course that teaches you how to think and write more effectively. This course is designed to introduce you to a world of critical analysis. Reading and responding to that reading will be a daily activity.
Texts include (but not limited to):
Required materials
The following materials are required for class every day:
This course involves four different components working together, and we will be spending the year exploring them in great detail: 1) Reading, 2) Writing, 3) Analysis and 4) Experience. Through these four parts, we will arrive at a clearer understanding of literature and writing as well as their importance to the human experience.
Reading involves not just understanding the words on a page but also understanding the author’s use of structure, style, language, and theme. By pushing beyond the basics of plot, we begin to understand the craft of writing and transfer that understanding to our own work. The readings for this class will be challenging, multi-layered, and, in some cases, an extension of the readings you have done in other classes. Be mindful that although some of the selections may be short, they have been selected because they offer many layers of meaning and should be read at least twice. Plan your time accordingly! Our readings will come from time periods and countries stretching from Ancient Greece to contemporary American pieces and will cover a range of genres: poetry, short stories, drama, and non-fiction. You will be expected to read carefully and critically, so your contributions to our class discussions can be rewarding for us all. Reading assignments will, for the most part, be done outside of class, although we will also be reading passages in class for discussion.
Writing is a tremendous component of our class, and you will be expected to use proper grammar, mechanics, and organization. On-line, you will find some excellent grammar sites if you need to check on a rule. Little class time will be devoted to grammar and mechanics since you have been exposed to these topics over the years; however, I am always available to answer questions and help you if you cannot find the answer on your own. Because writing is not a static enterprise, we will have periodic individual and peer conferences to discuss your papers; rewriting papers (with the exception of reader-response) is not only allowed, it is encouraged because we learn more about our style and voice with each revision. You do not have to wait for your conference time, however, since I am available to read over parts of your work at most any time. Short “mini-lessons” on such topics as sentence structure and type, transitions, organization, and other topics will be included in our writing sessions. If you have any questions, please feel free to see me.
There are several different types of writing we will be undertaking. First is the reader response paper; no revisions are necessary on these papers because they are your thoughts and reactions to what you have read. Basically, we will be having a “conversation” on paper about questions, insights, thoughts, worries, angers, etc. you have about the readings. These are due a minimum of once a week and will be returned to you in an orderly fashion. You are expected to keep these papers in your portfolio as they may become the basis for an extended paper later on. Second is the critical analysis paper where you examine how writers use characterization, symbolism, language, and other devices to enhance theme. These papers will be assigned at least every two weeks and should be formal discussions with concrete details supporting a well-developed thesis. Third are the argumentative papers and research projects. The argumentative papers ask you to connect a piece of literature to an aspect of human behavior; for example, you might explore the connection between family structure and character development in a play. Research projects will be two-fold; you will research literary topics in depth then present your findings to the class, and such projects may involve literary time periods or the criticisms and works of a particular author. As part of our writing program, we will be developing stronger vocabulary skills based on the language of analysis and the individual works we read.
There will be, too, ample opportunities for you to flex your creative muscles and create your own literary masterpieces. One of the best ways to understand the structure and tools of literature is to write it yourself; poetry, short plays, and short stories are parts of the writing process that will help you appreciate the work, thought, and dedication authors use to communicate their ideas to us. Word choices, sentence structures, voice, and style all combine under the writer’s watchful eye to share the author’s unique point of view, and becoming a writer yourself is the best way to learn firsthand how involved and rewarding writing can be.
Careful reading and writing are wonderful in themselves, but the greater reward in studying literature and composition is the link they give us to experience. It is understandable that most high school students believe they have not lived enough nor traveled enough to have experiences that matter; however, you must remember that experience is gained every day from birth to death, and it is these experiences as human beings that most authors want to share and discuss with us. All of us have been sons or daughters, parents or children, spouses or significant others, friends or foes over the course of our lives, and it is in these experiences that we connect to others. Literature asks us to examine our relationships with each other, nature, supreme beings, and ourselves. By reading, we can have other experiences and learn from them.
Teacher expectations
I will do my best each and every day to reach students and help them to be the best they can be. I am very passionate about the written language and I not only enjoy teaching it but I also infuse myself in it. I am constantly reading, and I am extremely confident in my ability to relate the text being studied to past and current issues. I will make connections daily between the text being studied and God’s Holy Word. I offer students many different opportunities for success, and if they are taking advantage of all them, they will most certainly succeed in my class.
I will grade homework, quizzes, and test promptly and any assignments will be posted on Teacherease in full detail. I am available for communication throughout the entire year via conferences, phone calls or email before or after school.
Grading
Your grade in this course is not necessarily the “be all, end all.” However, students will be graded on a combination of homework, reading responses/papers, and projects.
Students should expect to receive homework each day. As a rule of thumb, students will be reading everyday outside of class. Homework will usually be (but not limited to): written response to a given passage/article, analysis of a piece of work, research papers and projects to show understanding
I encourage all students to ask questions. We often will discuss the major issues the author presents. Again, I am not always looking for the “correct” answer. I want students to be able to think critically and defend their interpretation.
Students who fail to complete an assignment will receive a zero. They will have the opportunity to complete the assignment for half credit due the following day.
Tests
Cumulative tests are given at the end of units. Tests will include all content discussed during the unit, i.e., discussion, study guide questions, projects or lectures.
Projects
Students will have at least two projects per unit. Projects will include, but not limited to, presentations, drawings, modeling, recitation of lines, acting out scenes, research papers or creating videos. Students will be given ample time to complete projects and will be expected to work to the best of their ability. Students will never be graded on their artistic ability; however, they must be able to explain their understanding.
Writing Process
When writing, students are required to adhere to the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines.
Research Paper/Synthesis Writing
Students will write well documented research papers on contemporary issues that meet the following criteria:
Course outline
Unit Studies (novels subject to change)
Estimated dates
Unit 1: Elements of Fiction and Writing about Literature
Students will:
Unit 2: Othello
Students will:
Unit 3: Beowulf
Students will:
Unit 4: Night
Students will:
Unit 5: Great Expectations
Students will:
Unit 6: Poetry
Students will:
Unit 7: The Awakening
Students will:
February 29—March 25
Unit 8: Dracula
Students will:
Unit 9: And Then There Were None
Students will:
May 9-June 6
Note: each unit will also include elements of review for the AP Exam including: vocabulary development, test taking strategies, and timed writing samples.
Teacher: Mr. John Driscoll Room: 214
Email: [email protected] Phone: 412-793-5884
Course description
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition emphasizes the development of skills in critical reading of imaginative and discursive literature and in writing about literature and related ideas. It is for students who are capable of doing college-level work while they are in secondary school. They must be willing to devote the energy necessary to complete a course more rigorous and demanding than other high school Literature courses.
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition seeks to fulfill our school’s mission by developing productive students who can comprehend and communicate the written and spoken word. In addition, students can mature in their Christian world view through their study of literature.
Students will be required to learn at a rate commensurate with their ability; to deal with material that intellectually mature students find engaging; to refine reading and writing skills important for success, not only in college but also in the business and professional world; to cultivate habits of reading, writing and thinking that characterize lifelong learning and enjoyment
This is an advanced, college level class designed to meet the educational need of students with above average ability in English Literature. Students must have a recommendation from their former English teacher and approval given from both administration and parent/guardian.
Course Content
In the end, this is a course that teaches you how to think and write more effectively. This course is designed to introduce you to a world of critical analysis. Reading and responding to that reading will be a daily activity.
Texts include (but not limited to):
- How to Read Literature Like a Professor
- Sound and Sense
- Beowulf
- Othello
- Night
- Great Expectations
- Dracula
- The Awakening
- The Stranger
- Selected Short Stories
- Selected Poetry
Required materials
The following materials are required for class every day:
- Laptop/tablet
- Pens or pencils
- Notebook
- Text being used (either hard or electronic copy)
This course involves four different components working together, and we will be spending the year exploring them in great detail: 1) Reading, 2) Writing, 3) Analysis and 4) Experience. Through these four parts, we will arrive at a clearer understanding of literature and writing as well as their importance to the human experience.
Reading involves not just understanding the words on a page but also understanding the author’s use of structure, style, language, and theme. By pushing beyond the basics of plot, we begin to understand the craft of writing and transfer that understanding to our own work. The readings for this class will be challenging, multi-layered, and, in some cases, an extension of the readings you have done in other classes. Be mindful that although some of the selections may be short, they have been selected because they offer many layers of meaning and should be read at least twice. Plan your time accordingly! Our readings will come from time periods and countries stretching from Ancient Greece to contemporary American pieces and will cover a range of genres: poetry, short stories, drama, and non-fiction. You will be expected to read carefully and critically, so your contributions to our class discussions can be rewarding for us all. Reading assignments will, for the most part, be done outside of class, although we will also be reading passages in class for discussion.
Writing is a tremendous component of our class, and you will be expected to use proper grammar, mechanics, and organization. On-line, you will find some excellent grammar sites if you need to check on a rule. Little class time will be devoted to grammar and mechanics since you have been exposed to these topics over the years; however, I am always available to answer questions and help you if you cannot find the answer on your own. Because writing is not a static enterprise, we will have periodic individual and peer conferences to discuss your papers; rewriting papers (with the exception of reader-response) is not only allowed, it is encouraged because we learn more about our style and voice with each revision. You do not have to wait for your conference time, however, since I am available to read over parts of your work at most any time. Short “mini-lessons” on such topics as sentence structure and type, transitions, organization, and other topics will be included in our writing sessions. If you have any questions, please feel free to see me.
There are several different types of writing we will be undertaking. First is the reader response paper; no revisions are necessary on these papers because they are your thoughts and reactions to what you have read. Basically, we will be having a “conversation” on paper about questions, insights, thoughts, worries, angers, etc. you have about the readings. These are due a minimum of once a week and will be returned to you in an orderly fashion. You are expected to keep these papers in your portfolio as they may become the basis for an extended paper later on. Second is the critical analysis paper where you examine how writers use characterization, symbolism, language, and other devices to enhance theme. These papers will be assigned at least every two weeks and should be formal discussions with concrete details supporting a well-developed thesis. Third are the argumentative papers and research projects. The argumentative papers ask you to connect a piece of literature to an aspect of human behavior; for example, you might explore the connection between family structure and character development in a play. Research projects will be two-fold; you will research literary topics in depth then present your findings to the class, and such projects may involve literary time periods or the criticisms and works of a particular author. As part of our writing program, we will be developing stronger vocabulary skills based on the language of analysis and the individual works we read.
There will be, too, ample opportunities for you to flex your creative muscles and create your own literary masterpieces. One of the best ways to understand the structure and tools of literature is to write it yourself; poetry, short plays, and short stories are parts of the writing process that will help you appreciate the work, thought, and dedication authors use to communicate their ideas to us. Word choices, sentence structures, voice, and style all combine under the writer’s watchful eye to share the author’s unique point of view, and becoming a writer yourself is the best way to learn firsthand how involved and rewarding writing can be.
Careful reading and writing are wonderful in themselves, but the greater reward in studying literature and composition is the link they give us to experience. It is understandable that most high school students believe they have not lived enough nor traveled enough to have experiences that matter; however, you must remember that experience is gained every day from birth to death, and it is these experiences as human beings that most authors want to share and discuss with us. All of us have been sons or daughters, parents or children, spouses or significant others, friends or foes over the course of our lives, and it is in these experiences that we connect to others. Literature asks us to examine our relationships with each other, nature, supreme beings, and ourselves. By reading, we can have other experiences and learn from them.
Teacher expectations
I will do my best each and every day to reach students and help them to be the best they can be. I am very passionate about the written language and I not only enjoy teaching it but I also infuse myself in it. I am constantly reading, and I am extremely confident in my ability to relate the text being studied to past and current issues. I will make connections daily between the text being studied and God’s Holy Word. I offer students many different opportunities for success, and if they are taking advantage of all them, they will most certainly succeed in my class.
I will grade homework, quizzes, and test promptly and any assignments will be posted on Teacherease in full detail. I am available for communication throughout the entire year via conferences, phone calls or email before or after school.
Grading
Your grade in this course is not necessarily the “be all, end all.” However, students will be graded on a combination of homework, reading responses/papers, and projects.
- Homework—25%
- Reading responses/papers—50%
- Projects—25%
Students should expect to receive homework each day. As a rule of thumb, students will be reading everyday outside of class. Homework will usually be (but not limited to): written response to a given passage/article, analysis of a piece of work, research papers and projects to show understanding
I encourage all students to ask questions. We often will discuss the major issues the author presents. Again, I am not always looking for the “correct” answer. I want students to be able to think critically and defend their interpretation.
Students who fail to complete an assignment will receive a zero. They will have the opportunity to complete the assignment for half credit due the following day.
Tests
Cumulative tests are given at the end of units. Tests will include all content discussed during the unit, i.e., discussion, study guide questions, projects or lectures.
Projects
Students will have at least two projects per unit. Projects will include, but not limited to, presentations, drawings, modeling, recitation of lines, acting out scenes, research papers or creating videos. Students will be given ample time to complete projects and will be expected to work to the best of their ability. Students will never be graded on their artistic ability; however, they must be able to explain their understanding.
Writing Process
When writing, students are required to adhere to the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines.
Research Paper/Synthesis Writing
Students will write well documented research papers on contemporary issues that meet the following criteria:
- Research the topic thoroughly utilizing both primary and secondary sources, evaluating each source for credibility and relevance
- Utilize a consistent method of note taking and documenting sources
- Synthesize information from a variety of sources to make an assertion related to the topic with a debatable claim
- Integrate sources into a coherent, well documented essay that effectively supports the claim
- Cite all information properly in MLA format
- Create a Works Cited page in MLA format
Course outline
Unit Studies (novels subject to change)
Estimated dates
Unit 1: Elements of Fiction and Writing about Literature
Students will:
- review/learn the fundamentals of essay writing with a focus on form, clarity and purpose including developing a thesis statement
- demonstrate an approach to analyzing and discussing the writer’s craft evident in selected literary works including close reading, plot development, characterization, theme, symbolism, tone and point of view and stylistic elements such as diction, syntax and speaker
- analyze the elements of fiction found in both short and long works
- How to Read Literature Like a Professor
- Selected short stories and poems, including but not limited to: Poe, Dickinson, Frost, Elliot, Shakespeare
- Analytical Writing: Read and respond to selected short stories and poetry focusing on the thesis and literary elements
- Weekly timed AP practice essay/test
- Dialectical Journals
Unit 2: Othello
Students will:
- Demonstrate an understanding of exposition, Machiavellian characters, tragic hero, tragedy, foil, soliloquy, monologue, poetic device, irony, imagery, theme, foreshadowing, iambic pentameter and structuralism literary theory
- Othello (Shakespeare)
- Annotation of scenes
- Reading log questions, analysis of quotes, words and characters
- Character analysis essay focusing on static/dynamic characters
- Weekly timed AP practice essay/test
- Dialectical Journals
Unit 3: Beowulf
Students will:
- (while reading Beowulf) analyze the battle scenes through one of the literary lenses: archetypal, feminist, Marxist, new criticism, psychological/psychoanalytic, reader response
- Identify poetic terms prominent in Anglo-Saxon period: alliteration, caesura and kenning
- Analyze plot, characters, theme, cultural context, hero, heroic quest and epic
- Beowulf (Anonymous)
- Analysis: literary lens response (2-3 pages)
- Character Analysis: Beowulf and Grendel (2-3 pages each)
- Dialectical journals
- Weekly AP essay/test
Unit 4: Night
Students will:
- Discuss techniques Wiesel used to convey character and character relationships to his audience
- Analyze first person narrative, foreshadowing, suspense and rhetorical questions
- Understand the difference between Night as a memoir versus a piece of fiction
- Complete close reading and support all assertions and interpretations with direct evidence from the text
- Discuss central conflicts in the narrative and explain the nature of internal and external conflicts the characters encounter
- Night (Wiesel)
- Excerpts from “I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children’s Drawings and Poems from the Terezin Concentration Camp”—focusing primarily on “The Butterfly” (Pavel Friedmann)
- Excerpt from Number the Stars (Lowry)
- Quick Write Analyses (2-3 per week): Character development, symbolism, conflict, religion/faith, irony
- Dialectical Journals
- Weekly AP essay/test
Unit 5: Great Expectations
Students will:
- Analyze characters of Pip, Miss Havisham, Estella and Magwitch and their relationships to each other
- Investigate the various notions of the Victorian gentleman
- Explain the impact of first person protagonist narrator in the story
- Discuss the techniques Dickens used to convey character and character relationships to the reader
- Discuss Dicken’s use of humor, pathos and bathos
- Analyze important literary elements including irony, foreshadowing, conflict, apostrophe and development of plot
- Identify social themes expressed in the novel
- Identify and explain the novel as a bildungsroman
- Great Expectations (Dickens)
- Argumentative Essay: Identify the role of the female in Pip’s life. Who abused him most, Mrs. Joe, Miss Havisham or Estella
- Analysis of the concept of mystery used within Great Expectations
- Dialectical Journals
- Weekly AP practice essay/test
Unit 6: Poetry
Students will:
- Differentiate between the voice of the speaker and the author
- Identify the function of repetition in poetry
- Locate main conflict in the poem and how determining the conflict can help unlock its meaning
- Explain the purpose of denotation and connotation
- Identify the different forms of poetry and how their characteristics can be defined
- Describe the function of figurative language in poetry, primarily: simile, metaphor, personification, apostrophe, paradox, over/understatement, irony, allegory
- Identify musical devices in poetry: rhyme, alliteration, assonance, consonance
- Excerpts from “Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry”
- Selection of forty (40) to fifty (50) poems spanning various forms, cultures and literary eras
- Response to discussion questions for each poem
- Literary devices glossary
- In-class poetry explication
- Weekly AP practice essay/test
Unit 7: The Awakening
Students will:
- Apply feminist theory to literature
- Identify and analyze the types of women present in the novel
- Discuss the impact of figurative language, symbolism and imagery on the meaning of the book
- Analyze the significance of the specific settings on the meaning of the book: Grand Isle, New Orleans and Léonce’s house / the “pigeon house”
- The Awakening (Chopin)
- Excerpts from Critical Theory Today (Tyson)
- Analytical Character Essay (1-2 page)
- Imagery Essay (1-2 page)
- Symbolism Essay (1-2 page)
- Weekly AP practice essay/test
- Dialectical Journal
February 29—March 25
Unit 8: Dracula
Students will:
- Analyze the pattern of language
- Identify literary elements including: mystery, setting, mood, allegory, genre, tone, allusions
- Follow plot development
- Analyze the use of rhetoric to develop an argumentative essay about Stoker’s religious position.
- Dracula (Stoker)
- “Keeping the Faith: Catholicism in Dracula and its Adaptations” (Starrs)
- “The Catholic Aesthetic in Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (Donlon)
- Excerpt from “Cursed by a Bite—Vampires, Zombies and Werewolves” (Kaplan)
- Literary Response Journal to create a “Definitive Primer on the Recognition and Subsequent Eradication of Vampires”, i.e., create a “How to” guide to using Stokers information from the text
- Argumentative essay: considering symbols and references to religion in Dracula, write an essay in which you develop an argument about Stoker’s religions position
- Dialectical Journal: patterns of language
- Create an Epistolary conversation using at least three characters in dialogue
Unit 9: And Then There Were None
Students will:
- Analyze the following literary elements: character development, plot twist, mystery, motive, irony, symbolism
- And Then There Were None (Christie)
- Argumentative Journal Response following given prompts
- Informative Journal Response following given prompts
- Narrative Journal Response following given prompts
May 9-June 6
Note: each unit will also include elements of review for the AP Exam including: vocabulary development, test taking strategies, and timed writing samples.