I. Classroom Expectations and Rules

    A. Be on time and in your seat when the bell rings.

    B. Be prepared with all materials and ready to learn.

    C. Pay attention.

    D. Be respectful of yourself, your classmates, your teacher, and

        Your classroom.

    E. No food or beverages permitted in the classroom, except water

        Or on special occasions presented by the teacher.

    G. Take responsibility for your actions.

    H. Have a positive attitude.

II. Materials needed for this class:

    C. Notebook for notes and journals

    D. Folder or 3-ring binder for organization

    E. Loose leaf paper for assignments

    F. Blue or black pen

    G. Pencil

III. During English, students will:

1. Read, listen and evaluate oral, visual, written and electronic texts to gather information, analyze technique and formulate opinions.
2. Cover many aspects of the language arts including literature, grammar, composition, vocabulary, and oral speaking.
3. Explore several genres of literature, such as short stories, poetry, plays, and novels.
4. Complete a research paper, compositions, speeches, and group projects as well as many other different types of assignments.
5. Practice using the John Collins Writing Methods:
1. Practice the theory that writing and thinking are closely intertwined.
2. Write on a wide range of topics in order to achieve the goals of becoming fluent and confident writers.

IV. Course Content

    A. Many aspects of the language arts will be covered, such as:

        1. Literature

            a) Short Stories

            b) Poetry

            c) Plays (Romeo and Juliet)

            e) Novel (To Kill A Mockingbird)

        2. Grammar

        3. Composition and Journal Writing

        4. Vocabulary

        5. Research Paper (I-Search and Cities Project)

        6. Oral Presentations

V. Attendance and Tardy Policy

    A. Refer the Whitmore Lake High School Procedures.

    B. Make-up Work Policy:

        1. Assignments for the week are posted on the agenda board

            Every Monday, so if you are absent you should still be able

            To complete your work on time.

        2. Tests and quizzes must be made up within one week or will

            result in a zero.

        3. If you are absent on the day a major assignment is due, the

            assignment is still due that day. You must make arrange-

            ments with a parent, sibling, or friend for it to be delivered

            to me before the end of the day.

        4. It is your responsibility to find out what work you missed.

    C. Tardy Policy:

        1. If you are not in your seat and ready to begin class when

            the bell rings, you are tardy.

        2. You will receive a warning for your first tardy, but the second

            through the fourth tardy will result in a ½ hour Saturday

VI. Assignments and Late Work

    A. All homework should be finished by the time you enter class.

    B. Late homework will receive a 10% deduction for each day late.

        No work will be accepted after one week late.

    C. Again, if you are absent on the day of a major assignment is due,

        You are still expected to turn in the project.

    D. If you are absent on the day of a test or quiz, you should be

        Prepared to take the test or quiz the next day.

VII. Grading Policy

    A. Your grade will be calculated from your achievement in the

        Following areas:

            1. tests

            2. quizzes

            3. journals

            4. writing assignments

            5. oral presentations

            6. homework

            7. class work and participation

            8. special projects

    B. The scale is as follows:

    A+ 100            C 76-73

    A 99-93           C- 72-70

    A- 92-90         D+ 69-67

    B+ 89-87         D 66-63

    B 86-83            D- 62-60

    B- 82-80         F 59 and below

    C+ 79-77

Email: carrie.betz@wlps.net

I. Classroom Expectations and Rules

    A. Be on time and in your seat when the bell rings or when class

Is scheduled to begin.

    B. Be prepared with all materials and ready to learn.

    C. Pay attention.

    D. Be respectful of yourself, your classmates, your teacher, and

        Your classroom.

    E. No food or beverages permitted in the classroom, except water

        Or on special occasions presented by the teacher.

    F. No electronic devices in the classroom.

    G. All passes will be written in your agenda. No agenda = No pass!

    H. Take responsibility for your actions.

    I. Have a positive attitude.

II. Materials

    A. Texts, handouts, or other reading materials

    B. Agenda

    C. Notebook

    D. Folder or 3-ring binder

    E. Looseleaf paper

    F. Blue or black pen

    G. Pencil

III. Course Content

IV. Attendance and Tardy Policy

    A. Refer the Whitmore Lake High School Procedures.    

    B. Tardy Policy:

School detention for each tardy. Your fifth tardy is counted

as an unexcused absence.

       C. Assignments and Late Work:

VI. Grading Policy

    A. Points awarded will vary depending on the assignment.

    B. Most final drafts will be worth 50-100 points, while rough drafts

        will generally be worth 10-50 points.

    C. Daily "working in class" points may be awarded as well.

    D. Degree of participation in class discussions or presentations

        may also be taken into account when figuring grades.

    E. Your grade will be calculated from your achievements in the

        following areas:

                1. tests

2. writing assignments

                3. journals

                4. oral presentations

                5. homework

                6. class work and participation

                7. special projects

    F. The scale is as follows:

                A+ 100         C 76-73

                A 99-93        C- 72-70

                A- 92-90      D+ 69-67

                B+ 89-87      D 66-63

                B 86-83         D- 62-60

                B- 82-80       F 59 and below

                C+ 79-77

This course is designed to comply with the curricular requirements described in the AP English Course Description. Through extensive close reading and literary analysis, supplemented by various types of writing assignments, students will take their previous knowledge gained in their pre-AP courses (Accelerated American Literature and British Literature) to the beginning college level. During each trimester, students should expect to read a wide variety of texts chosen to reflect both historical and contemporary issues that challenge students’ thinking and reading skills. Multiple choice quizzes, taken from past AP tests, will be given periodically as practice for the AP test. Additionally, there will be a lot of writing assigned, ranging from one-page reflective reading logs, to five-to-seven page out-of-class essays. Frequent in-class writing, including timed and untimed writing on questions taken from past AP tests, "quickie quizzes", and quick writing, will also be assigned. All writing assignments will be assessed on the basis of pre-assigned rubrics, and peer editing will be an integral part of the writing process. It is expected that the student will submit a rough draft with the final draft for all out-of-class writing. Students will be given the opportunity to rewrite out-of-class writing assignments in the hope that in doing so, they will continue to grow as a proficient writers and critical thinkers

After the AP tests in the spring, students will work on their final Senior Projects, to be presented in front of faculty, family, and friends at a time to be announced. These projects will be student-designed demonstrations of skills and knowledge gained during high school, with a thesis based on an essential reading and resources pulled from a wide variety of sources. Specific requirements will be reviewed during the first and second trimesters. The teacher will serve as a "mentor/advisor" on these projects.

Grading will be based on total points, with grades being assigned as follows:

The materials and texts listed in this syllabus are subject to change, in an attempt to keep the reading and discussions relevant and challenging.

Trimester 1

Prose Unit 1: Satire as Social Criticism (approx. 4 weeks)

Texts/Materials: Animal Farm, Brave New World, Slaughterhouse Five (assigned summer reading); "A Modest Proposal"; excerpts from Shrek

Essential Questions:

• What are some common "targets" of satire?
• How do various authors achieve their satirical purpose?
• What other forms of satire are prevalent in our society today?
• How is satire a useful tool of criticism?

• Reflective reading logs, done over the summer while reading the texts (20 points each)
• In-class quick writes in response to discussion-generating questions (5 points each)
• In-class essay (untimed) on the "thoughtful laughter" AP question (50 points)

Texts/Materials: Perrine, Laurence, Arp, Thomas R. Sound and Sense. Eighth Ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. 1992.—selected poems

• What is poetry? Where is it found in our world?
• How does attention to denotation and connotation make a poem more powerful?
• How does the structure of the poem support the sense of the poem?
• In what ways does poetry reflect the human condition?

• Quick writes (5 points each)
• Vocabulary logs (10 points)
• TP-CASTT notes on each poem (10 points)
• Student-written poetry with special attention paid to connotative meanings of words (20 points)
• Student presentation of original poetry (10 points)
• Out-of-class poetry essay, using the AP question on Eberhart’s "The Groundhog", with peer editing and rewrites (100 points)

Texts/Materials: Heart of Darkness; "Discovery of the New World" (poem); "Green Patches" and "Zero Hour" (short stories)

• What social statements is Conrad making in this novel?
• How does Conrad deliver his message in this novel?
• How does colonialism impact the human condition?
• How are women viewed in this novel? What cultural biases are revealed?
• How/why does Conrad manipulate the "traditional" symbols found in this novel?
• What makes reading Conrad so difficult?
• How would it feel to be "invaded" by another force?

• Quick writes (5 points each)
• Reflective reading logs on each assignment (10 points each)
• Out-of-class essay on a selected question with peer editing and rewrites (100 points)

Texts/Materials: Internet; student-selected readings

• What element found in one of our readings warrants further study?
• What might a preliminary thesis look like?
• How would another selected curricular area interface with this preliminary thesis?
• What other resources might be needed?
• How will this project demonstrate a grasp of essential concepts beyond what was taught in various classes and the student’s ability to think critically and independently?

• Completion of "Preliminary Senior Project Outline"
• Approval of preliminary project by teacher/mentor/advisor

Texts/Materials: Sound and Sense—selected poems

• How do poets incorporate imagery, simile, metaphor, personification, apostrophe, metonymy, symbol, and allegory into their poetry? Why might poets choose to use these types of figurative language?
• What/how do these devices add to the effect of the poem?
• How does the structure of the poem support the sense of the poem?

• How do the elements of meaning found in these poems interface with the other materials we’ve read so far?

• TP-CASTT notes on poems (10 points)
• Quick writes on selected poems (5 points each)
• Student presentation of a selected poem (20 points)
• In-class essay using an AP poetry question (timed) (50 points)

Texts/Materials: A Doll’s House; A Streetcar Named Desire

• What social institutions are the primary elements of social commentary in these two plays?
• What elements (themes, motifs, etc.) do these plays have in common with each other? With other literature read?
• What is the difference between social commentary and social satire? How are these elements combined in these plays?
• How could each playwright’s style be characterized? How do the different styles reflect the historical time periods in which they were writing?
• How is symbolism used in each play?
• How do the stage directions and use of music add to the play’s effectiveness?
• What is the importance of the setting in each play?

• Quick writes on discussion-generating questions (5 points each)
• Out-of-class essay on the AP question about how the values of a culture or society are highlighted through the use of an alienated character.(100 points)

Texts/Materials: Sound and Sense—selected poems

• How do the elements of paradox, overstatement, understatement, irony, allusion, and tone, combined with the previously-studied elements, contribute to the meaning and idea of a poem?
• Why do poets choose to incorporate these elements in their poetry?
• What are the common issues that are emerging from the poetry being read? How are they relevant in today’s world and each student’s life?

• TP-CASTT notes on poems (10 points)
• Quick writes on selected poems (5 points each)
• Student presentation of a selected poem (20 points)
• In-class essay using an AP poetry question (timed) (50 points)

Texts/Materials: Internet; student-selected readings

• What materials will effectively support the student-generated thesis?
• How credible are the chosen sources?
• What is the most effective way to organize this project?
• How will technology be incorporated into this project?

Texts/Materials: Snow Falling on Cedars; The Stranger; "The Myth of Sisyphus"

• How do cultural/social biases impact society as a whole as well as the human condition?
• How does Camus’ "The Myth of Sisyphus" relate to both readings?
• How do the styles of each author compare and contrast? What stylistic elements does each author employ? How does each author’s style support the essential meanings contained in the novels?
• How does the use of first person point-of-view add to the power of a piece of literature? How does it detract?

• Daily discussion-generating quick writes (5 points)
• Reflective reading logs on each assignment (10 points)
• Memoir written from the point of view of one of the characters other than the main character (100 points)

Texts/Materials: packets, tips, sample essays taken from AP conferences and the AP site

• What can students expect when taking the AP test in English Literature and Composition in terms of testing format and content expectations?
• What are some test-taking "tips" that students can employ to help insure success on the test?

• Successful completion of the AP test

Texts/Materials: Internet; student-selected readings

• How does the project reflect the students’ ability to think and write critically and analytically?
• How does the project demonstrate the students’ ability to effectively organize and synthesize materials to support a thesis?
• How can technology be used to enhance presentation skills?
• How has the student illustrated knowledge gained in other curricular areas?

• Pre-assigned rubric covering planning and organizational skills, critical higher-level thinking skills, use of technology, and presentation skills.
• Will serve as students’ final exam for Trimester 3—worth 20% of final grade

George Orwell—Animal Farm

Aldous Huxley—Brave New World

Kurt Vonnegut—Slaughterhouse Five

Joseph Conrad—Heart of Darkness

Sylvia Z. Brodkin and Elizabeth J Pearson, Eds.—Science Fiction (short stories)

Henrik Ibsen—A Doll’s House

Tennessee Williams—A Streetcar Named Desire

David Guterson—Snow Falling on Cedars

Albert Camus—The Stranger, "The Myth of Sisyphus"

Laurence Perrine and Thomas R. Arp—Sound and Sense

Shrek (video)

AP Central Website: www.apcentral.collegeboard.com

NCTE—English Journal