Advanced Placement Literature and Composition Syllabus 2015-1016
Instructor: Ms. Faulkner
Office Hours: 3:30- 4:00, during 1st lunch, or by
appointment
Course website: Edmodo, Haiku
· Remind101
will be used to notify students of important class information.
Course Introduction
Why
study literature? Literature is the written history of the human experience; it
is the connecting link between humans across time and from all walks of life.
At times, we read for enjoyment; at other times we read for understanding; most
often, however, we read for connection. Literature is more than just
entertainment; literature can be philosophical, leading us to rich
understandings about ourselves and the world around us. Literature can also
teach us to look within ourselves and question the world around us. It is my
goal that through the close, deliberate study of literature in this course, that
you will study who you are, determine how you’ve arrived at this point in your
life, and determine where you go from here. By becoming critical, analytical,
and discerning readers, you will begin to better understand the human condition
and how your life fits into it. We will
be reading and studying literature in thematic units this semester. Each theme
has been chosen with specific philosophical implications. Each thematic unit
contains specific essential guiding questions, which we will attempt to answer
and connect back to the human condition. The ultimate goal is that by the end
of this course you will have become an excellent, close reader of literature
with refined analytical capabilities that you can successfully demonstrate
through polished, insightful, and concise writing. To reach this goal, we will
read constantly, write frequently and think relentlessly about the deeper
meanings of life and the human experience.
Course Description:
Designed
to be a college level introductory course in literature and writing, AP English
Literature and Composition is a rigorous course that will challenge, inspire,
and enrich the eager literature student. This course prepares students for the
AP Literature and Composition exam and follows the curricular requirements
described in the AP English Course Description. This course will engage
students in careful and critical reading of literary works of merit ranging
from the sixteenth through twenty- first century.
Such
study will sharpen student awareness of language as well as understanding of
writer’s craft. Analytical reading and writing skills are stressed. Frequent
writing assignments include formal essays as well as in-class timed writing.
Formal writing assignments include writing to explain, writing to understand,
and writing to evaluate. Essay assignments include an essay of extended
definition, several comparison/contrast essays, a senior research project, and
numerous essays of literary analysis and criticism. Students will develop critical standards for
independent appreciation and understanding of any literary work, in order to
conceptualize what literature can mean in the larger context of their lives.
While performance on the AP exam is a primary
goal for the course, the goals and objectives for the course go beyond test
performance and focus instead upon building the skills necessary for
college-level reading and writing. Students, therefore, should expect a
rigorous experience with intellectual challenges and a considerable workload
that culminates with the AP Literature and Composition Exam in May. All
students are encouraged to take the AP Literature exam.
Along
with classroom reading assignments, students will also read novels
independently and prepare an in-class timed writing based on a writing prompt
taken from previous AP exams. The various prompts chosen ask students to
analyze characterization, and textual details dealing with structure, style,
and themes.
Students
keep a reading journal in their Learning Logs for reaction and response to
in-class readings and independent reading. These responses allow students
opportunities to interpret literature.
Summer
reading and writing are required for this course.
Course Philosophy: This course is designed to inspire and maintain
students’ love for literature and composition. We will spend a significant
amount of time looking at authors’ deliberate stylistic choices, use of
figurative language techniques, and structural organization. We will
continually question: What is the writer trying to do? What means does he/she
utilize to accomplish this? Why is this a “great” piece of literature? The
answers to these questions, and the reasons to support those answers, will be
the primary focus of students’ analytical writing for this course. This is a
college-level course. The readings we cover are mature in content and theme and
it is essential that you respond in a mature manner. Understand that an
integral component of being a college student and well rounded and informed
reader is being exposed to variety of different texts and philosophies. You are
not expected to like, believe in, endorse, or agree with everything we read.
Part of becoming a mature, discerning adult is determining how others’ beliefs
and viewpoints compare to your own truth.
Most class sessions will focus in part on either small or large-group
discussion, meaning that you are REQUIRED to speak in class. To successfully
participate, you must keep up with and think critically about all readings. You
must respect the opinions and reactions of others. We will be learning
together, creating independent and collective “truths”, and challenging one
another to dig deeper into texts and our own psyches. It is my hope that in
this process you will have so much to say that we will run out of time in class
Socratic Seminars. This semester, we will read both traditional and
contemporary prose, drama, and poetry. Take charge of your learning, read
actively and closely, and attend class each session ready to discuss your
insights and revelations. If you engage deeply in your learning and fulfill
your responsibilities in the class, the grade you deserve will follow.
Course Objectives:
Make warranted and reasonable
assertions about an author’s arguments.
Recognize and use literary
terms.
Apply literary terminology to
fiction, drama, and poetry.
Annotate a literary text to
enhance analytical skills and vocabulary.
Analyze different genres of
literature, particularly novels, drama, and poetry.
Read literary texts closely.
Read, understand, and answer
timed analytical literary essays.
Recognize and assess the
elements of different literary genres.
Read, draft, edit, and format
analytic and research essays.
Answer multiple-choice
questions similar to those on the Literature and Composition exam.
Evaluation Criteria:
100-90
|
A
|
89-80
|
B
|
79-70
|
C
 |
69-60
|
D
|
0-59
|
F
|
Reading Expectations: The reading load in AP
Literature and Composition is at a rigorous level. Numerous literary works from
different genres and time periods will be used in the course. The reading done
in this course builds upon the reading done in previous English courses. Thorough
reading of the text is expected. Annotation and close reading of all texts is
required, and attention to both textual detail and historical context will help
bolster your understanding and interpretation of the given text. As noted in
the AP course description guide, close reading involves “the experience of
literature, the interpretation of literature, and the evaluation of
literature.” All three of these components will be part of our daily reading.
Poetry will be taught throughout each unit and woven in to each of the literary
works we examine. Likewise, there will be a separate poetry unit as well.
The
following major literary works may be used within the course of study:
Prose
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy,
No Country for Old Men by Cormac
McCarthy, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller,
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by
Mark Twain, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray
Bradbury
Supplemental Texts
Hamlet by William Shakespeare,
various
Dystopian novels
Booth, Alison and Kelly J. Mays,
eds. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 10th ed.
New York: Norton, 2010. Print.
New York: Norton, 2010. Print.
Various
other material will be utilized throughout the semester
Writing Expectations: Writing assignments
include formal essays (extended definition, comparison/contrast, persuasive
research, literary analysis and criticism) as well as frequent timed writings
of literary analysis associated with the literature studied in depth in class
and the required independent reading. These timed writings are based on past AP
prompts. Evaluation of these essays includes a rubric designed to assess how
well students perform close textual analysis of structure and style (including
analysis of such literary elements as figurative language, imagery, symbolism,
and tone). A reading journal is also used throughout the term for reaction and
response to the different structure, style, and themes presented in the
literary selections as well as reaction to the social and historical values
reflected in the assigned literature.
These journals will be kept in student Learning Logs and will also be useful
for the Writer’s Response to anchor texts (WR).
Writer’s Response to
anchor texts.
The
Writer’s Response (WR) is mandatory for each reading assignment associated with
an anchor text. The assignment will vary but will most likely be a
reader-response, a dialectical journal, creation of literary discussion
materials, including those for Socratic circles; or a response to an
interpretive or evaluative question. Make the WR assignment a productive part
of your homework routine. Get into the habit of having the text and your WR on
your desk when class begins. From time to time, I may let you use your WR on a
quiz or it may count as a quiz grade. All Writers’ Responses should help you to
review for tests and will help you contribute meaningfully to class
discussions.
Creative/Imitative
Responses.
You
will create these pieces to better understand the complexity of writer’s craft
and voice. Such pieces may include: the creation of an alternate ending,
rewriting a scene or dialogue with the inclusion or exclusion of a primary
character, creating original poetry, writing a parody, or creating a new scene
or dialogue, etc.
Thematic Essays /
Process Papers.
You
will write an argumentative/literary analysis essay for each thematic unit.
This will require you to develop an interpretive writing based on the text of a
single work or numerous related works, possibly considering social and
historical contexts, theme, figurative language, and other literary elements.
You will choose the form, topic, and text from the current unit that you wish
to address in each essay. Two of the process papers this semester will require
additional outside research and the application of a critical lens, which we
will learn about. A significant portion of the essay grade will consist of
prewriting, editing, and revision activities. A strong emphasis is placed on
the writing process, not only the final outcome. At the completion of each
writing process, before submitting the final draft, you will write a reflective
response in which you reflect upon what you have learned in the process, along
with your perceived areas of strength and weakness. You will receive peer
and/or teacher feedback before, during, and after these writing processes. Once
final essays are polished and turned in, you are encouraged to revise any essay
you would like to improve for a higher grade. (Any revisions are due no later
than one week after the graded essay is returned.)
In class timed essays.
To
adequately prepare for the AP Lit exam in May, you will write a variety of AP
style essays over the course of the year, most timed and in class. These essays
will be scored holistically using the AP 1-9 rubric. These essays will receive
teacher feedback and extensive class discussion to aid you in improving your
future timed essay-writing abilities. On average, you will write a timed essay
every three weeks; however, as we move into March and April, we will write more
frequent timed essays.
Performance Review.
Students will be required to write a 1.5-2
page performance review of one of the novels read in class. The instructor will
show video clips of works, writers, and other related material during the
course of the unit. This is an opportunity for a student to critically evaluate
an interpretation of works used in class.
Evaluation of Writing:
AP
English IV is a college level literature and composition class. The following
guidelines are used in evaluating all writing assignments for AP English IV.
1)
All writing assignments are evaluated for mastery of composition skills using
the 6 Traits of Writing which emphasizes ideas and content, sentence fluency,
paragraph structure, word choice, organization, and grammar, usage, and
mechanics.
2)
All assignments for formal papers include a specific rubric for
evaluation. These rubrics are used throughout the writing process as students
self-revise and peer revise in writing circles. They are also an integral part
of the individual conference held with each student prior to submission of a
formal writing assignment.
3)
Timed writing is scored using a scoring guide similar to that used in the
scoring of the AP Literature and Composition essay questions.
Grammar Instruction.
Grammar
instruction will focus on varied sentence structure, semi-colon and colon use,
integration of quotes in formal writing, and techniques for varying sentences
to affect mood and tone. Grammar will be taught in context, reviewed in written
assignments, and addressed in mini lessons. We will also focus specifically on
pronoun/antecedent agreement and how writers strategically use punctuation
stylistically and to convey meaning.
Methods of Evaluation:
·
Timed
in-class writings with AP style prompts
·
Socratic
Seminar participation
·
Writing
Circles participation
·
Literature
Circles participation and projects
·
Research
essays
·
Literary
analysis essays
·
Reading
comprehension quizzes
·
Writing
and reaction journals (electronic and in Learning Logs)
·
Individual
student conferencing
·
Formal
Examinations
Skills Development: Throughout the course,
students will continue to develop reading and writing skills. The following
methods will be used to enhance the development of such skills:
Vocabulary tied to course
literature
Word Master passages
Analogy practice
Reading Strategies: TPCASTT,
Close Reading
Major Works Data Sheet
Collaborative
Learning Teams. Students will work
in Writing Circles to provide
support to one another throughout the writing process. Because these
groups ask students to be
vulnerable as they share their writing, these are self-selected groups that
students will remain in for the entirety of the semester. In these circles, students will work together
in class and online to read each other’s drafts and provide feedback. Students will also work in Literature Circles to read a variety of
self-selected literature aligned with course themes. These groups will be fluid and will
potentially change with each reading selection.
Course of
Study:
The
class will be structured into eight units arranged thematically and by genre
and will contain the following types of texts and writings:
Anchor texts (primarily novels)
You
will read and analyze these texts through writing assignments that include but
are not limited to various forms of annotation, dialectical journals,
reader-responses, blogs, quick- writes, etc. The goal is to engage in a
“dialogue” with the text. You will write about what is striking, illuminating,
confusing, important, etc. Each anchor text will be followed by an AP-style
exam. Various reading quizzes may be given during the course of reading.
Students will also write a process paper for each anchor text and possibly a
creative/imitative piece to better understand author’s craft.
Context Texts (videos, short fiction,
poetry, film excerpts, non-fiction, etc.)
These
texts create prior knowledge that gives context to the complexity of further
reading. You will respond to these texts as we begin each unit.
Texture texts (plays, essays, short
stories, poetry)
These
texts will be read in accompaniment with our anchor texts. You will make
various connections between our anchor and texture texts as we delve into each
thematic unit.
Other
Assignments for the Course:
Author Study: As we begin each unit,
it is important to know and understand the authors of the novels we read. In
partners, students will create a 3-5 minute video presentation for an author
being studied. The video should incorporate the following: pertinent information
about the author’s life and works and pictures of the author. Students may be
creative. We will have a sign-up at the beginning of the semester. Video
presentations are due to the instructor at least three days before the
beginning of the unit of study.
Weekly Vocabulary: In preparation for the
AP Exam and college, we will be studying words that are commonly used in these
arenas. Expect a vocabulary quiz every week and test every two weeks.
Learning Logs: A journal is an
invaluable tool that will help you develop your ideas for future reading and
writing. You will need to have a composition notebook that can be used as a
medium for you to respond to questions that I pose about given reading
assignments as well as your own thoughts on reading and writing assignments and
as a place to annotate texts, reflect on readings and writings, etc.
Course
Policies:
Academic Integrity: Please refer to the
student handbook for the complete statement on academic integrity. In this
classroom, as in college, there is no acceptance for cheating or plagiarizing.
Any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a zero (0) for that
assignment, and depending on how severe the case, the student may fail the
course. That work will not be able to be made up and no extra credit assignment
will be given in order to replace the zero.
Absent Assignments: When you are absent it
is your responsibility to come and talk to me about what has been missed. If
you know you are going to be gone from school in advance, then the assignment
may be due before you leave. If you are ill, the assignment is due within two
days. Class time will not be used to make up tests or quizzes missed by the
student. These must be made up before or after school, or on your lunch.
Late Assignments: All assignments must be
turned in on time. Any assignment not turned in on time will automatically
receive 10 points deducted for each late day. After two (2) days, the
assignment will be considered incomplete and will receive a zero (0). For
example, if an essay is due Thursday and you did not submit it, the work would
be emailed to me by Saturday the latest. Do not take the weekend as a “free
ride.” Also note I will not accept broken/dead computers or empty printer
cartridges as excuses when work is due. It is your job to hand the assignment
in on time. Failure to do so will result in the aforementioned penalty. Those
excuses are not accepted in college and since this is a class where you can
receive college credit, those excuses are unacceptable here.
Required Materials and
Expectations:
You must bring pens (blue and black ink only), pencils, highlighters, post-its,
index cards, appropriate course books, a notebook/binder, laptop, your Learning
Log, and any other required readings to class each time we meet. You must
always be prepared when you enter this classroom. Assignments must be
completed. I will not excuse you to retrieve materials you forgot to bring
along to class.
The Role of the AP Teacher: Simply put, the role of
the Advanced Placement teacher is to help foster academic growth within each
student in the classroom. My most important function is to provide instruction
and feedback on your writing assignments both before and after you revise your
work to help in the following areas:
Vocabulary enhancement
Variation of sentence
structures
Logical organization with
specific emphasis on coherence
Incorporation of generalized,
specific, and illustrated detail
Use of rhetoric such as tone
and voice appropriate to your audience
I
will make myself as available as possible to you. Please feel free to come in
and speak with me before or after school, during my lunch, or planning period.
If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns, do not hesitate to get
in contact with me through Edmodo or in class. I am a resource for you in your
journey to AP success!
The Course:
Unit 1 –Seeing/ “Ways” to “See” Literature and Short Fiction
Genre Focus (2 weeks)
Essential
Questions. What are the various
critical lenses available to see into literature? How can these lenses be
applied to different works of literature? How do writers craft their art and
play with language to shape meaning? What questions do writers and readers
struggle to answer?
Unit Objectives:
· Identify the defining
characteristics of various critical approaches to literary analysis
· Apply close reading
strategies such as annotation
· Apply critical
approaches to various works of literature
· Review and apply the
writing process
· Write effective thesis
statements
· Analyze how writers
employ literary tools to shape meaning
Anchor
texts-- novels
from summer reading, including The Brief
Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz), Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain), The
Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath), Affliction
(Russell Banks), Never Let Me Go
(Kazuo Ishiguro), Turn of the Screw
(Henry James), Northanger Abbey (Jane
Austen), Othello (William
Shakespeare), Cane (John Toomer), Sophie’s Choice (William Styron), House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros),
The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar
Wilde), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
(Ken Kesey), “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Context
texts—“Why
I Wrote the Yellow Wallpaper,” essays on literary criticisms from the Norton
Introduction to Literature, How to Read Literature Like a Professor (summer reading)
Texture
texts—selected poetry, selected short stories (“The Yellow
Wallpaper,” “The Lottery,” “The Crysanthemums,” “A&P”, “A Rose for Emily,”
“The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” selected excerpts of other works, critical
analyses of short fiction
Required Writing: Using the short fiction selections and their summer reading
books, students will learn to analyze fiction for meaning and style. Students
will practice writing effective thesis statements in response to literature as
well as completing a timed essay, the Short Story critical lens analysis
project, and short learning log writings/reflections. Writer’s Responses (WR)
and Creative Responses (CR) will also be required. Students will participate in
a Socratic Seminar augmented by an online discussion board.
Unit 2: Thematic
Focus One--Dystopian Truths in
Modern Times/Society vs. the Individual (3 weeks)
Essential
Questions: What is a
dystopia? Who and what give us our identity?
How and in what ways does society
try to control the individual?
In what ways does society expect us to conform?
What
is the individual’s obligation to society?
What happens when an individual and
the society in which he/she live in collide?
How do authors create identity in texts? What are the defining
characteristics of Dystopian Literature? What elements of Dystopian Literature
extend across genre? How do themes,
characters and images reflect the questions and assumptions of an era? How do these works compare to our
contemporary vision of the world? How do
we provoke critical analysis through posing and responding to questions in
discussion?Unit Objectives:
·
Identify
the defining characteristics of Dystopian Literature
·
Determine
how themes, characters and images in literature reflect the questions and
assumptions of an era by applying various critical lenses to a work
(historical, biographical, feminist, philosophical/moral, etc.
·
Evaluate
how Orwell, Huxley, and other Dystopian authors’ visions compare to our contemporary
vision of the world.
·
Analyze
how different authors approach dystopian themes.
The
focus will be on understanding the social and historical context of the works,
as well as reading for major literary elements.
Anchor Texts – selections from
literature circles, including Brave New
World (Aldous Huxley), Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card), Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury), The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood), The Road (Cormac McCarthy), Anthem (Ayn Rand), Alas, Babylon (Pat Frank),
A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess), 1984
(George Orwell).
Context Texts—Dystopian handouts,
film excerpts
Texture Texts- “All Watched Over by
Machines of Loving Grace” –Richard Brodigan “Smart Appliances” –Dave Barry
“Harrison
Bergeron” –Kurt Vonnegut
“There Will Come Soft Rains” –Sara Teasdale
“There
Will Come Soft Rains” –Ray Bradbury
“Ode to Science” –Edgar Allan Poe
“The Ones
Who Walk Away From Omelas” –Ursula Se Grim, “Gulliver’s Travels”—Jonathon
Swift, various poetry and non-fiction
Required Writing: In literature circles, students will read their
chosen dystopian novels, keep an independent reading journal of at least four
entries, write a group report reflecting on collaboration and roles, write
individual analyses of the books, prepare a group presentation, and respond to
a variety of short writing prompts, including those on the discussion board in
preparation for Socratic Seminars. Writer’s Responses (WR) and Creative Responses (CR) will
also be required.
Unit 3: A Look Ahead
(2-3 Days)
Essential
Questions: What are the components
and characteristics of an effective résumé?
What are the expectations and requirements of various colleges and
universities? What is a personal
statement? How do you write an effective
personal statement? How do you write an
effective college application essay?
Unit Objectives:
·
Build
a résumé based on school, work, and other relevant activities.
·
Enhance
writing style to personalize the college application essay.
·
Critically
research colleges in order to understand expectations and requirements.
Required Reading:
Tips for Completing the
College Application handout, various handouts
Required Writing: Students will create a
résumé, college application essay, letter of recommendation, and
college
application letter. You may also opt to complete this by selecting a character
you have studied and creating a résumé, Facebook page (on paper not online),
and composing a college application letter in their voice.
Unit 4: Life During
Wartime (3 Weeks)
Essential
Questions: What is the relationship
between literature and the history of wars?
What is bias? How can we evaluate
bias in writing about wars and conflict?
How does genre altar the message of a literary work? How do we interpret war poetry? How do authors develop character? How is a 20th century novel
relevant today? What effect(s) do(es)
sensory details have on audience?
Theme? Characterization? Tone?
Mood?
Unit Objectives:
·
Recognize
the relationship between literature and the history of wars.
·
Evaluate
bias in writing about wars and conflict.
·
Analyze
the use of different literary genres dealing with similar subject matter.
·
Interpret
poetry that specifically deals with war.
·
Evaluate
the actions and statements of characters in the novel.
·
Apply
the ideas of a novel to contexts outside Catch-22.
·
Analyze
sensory details used by authors.
·
Rate
the effectiveness of duality within the literary experience.
Anchor Text:
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Context Texts: Discovery
Education
video clips, pictures, and more on World War II (http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/catch-22.cfm )
Texture Texts: Selections from The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien;
“The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” by Randall Jarrell, “Sadiq” by Brian
Turner, Brian Turner interview; Selected War Poetry
Required Writing:
· Students will write an
interpretation of several war poems. They will pay particular attention to
figurative language as well as the artistry and quality established throughout.
· Students will prepare an
in-class timed response to an AP style question that deals with Heller’s novel.
· For a research activity
related to Catch-22, students will
focus on Joseph Heller’s remark that
“the only freedom we really have is the
freedom to say no.” While Catch-22 dramatizes
a fictional instance of “saying no” to authority, the principle of resistance
exists in the real world too, of course. Build on Heller’s statement by quoting
literary critic Robert Brustein, who once said that the character Yossarian in Catch-22 “encouraged the rest of us
[those outside the novel] to say no.” In this activity, students will research
a historical or contemporary figure who said no to an oppressive system.
Individuals include but are not limited to Nelson Mandela, Susan B. Anthony,
Frederick Douglass, Cesar Chavez, Mahatma Gandhi, a conscientious objector
during the war in Vietnam, and those who participated in race-related sit-downs
in the 1960s (occurred nearby in Durham, Greensboro, etc.), among others. Students will present their research using
technology (glogster, Prezi, iMovie, Photo Story, etc.). MLA citations are required.
· Writer’s Responses (WR) and Creative Responses (CR) will
also be required.
· Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar augmented by
an online discussion board.
Unit 5: Suffering and
Evil (3 Weeks)
Essential Questions: How is writing in the 21st century
alike and different from writing from other eras? How do past authors/literary works influence
contemporary writers? What are the social, historical, and cultural values of
the Southwest, and how do those values shape No Country for Old Men? How
does the context in which a work is written influence that work? What special considerations must be made when
adapting a novel into a film? How do these genres (film and novel) work
similarly and differently?
Unit Objectives:
· Develop an understanding
of contemporary writing.
· Evaluate the influence
of past writers on contemporary authors.
· Consider the social,
historical, and cultural values of individuals in the Southwest.
· Examine the text against
the film adaptation.
Anchor Text: No Country for Old Men (Cormac McCarthy)
Context Text: clips from No Country for Old Men (2007)
Texture
Texts:
Sailing
to Byzantium by William Butler Yeats
No
Country for Old Men adapted screenplay by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
· Required Writing:
Students will complete a timed in-class analysis
that asks them to interpret the text of
McCarthy based on gender, ethics, and morality.
Writer’s Responses (WR) and Creative
Responses (CR) will also be required.
Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar augmented by an online
discussion board.
Unit 6:
Research Writing (3 Weeks)
Essential
Questions: What are the social,
historical, and cultural values of All
the Pretty Horses? How do these
values shape this work? What effect does
McCarthy achieve by employing imagery and symbolism
in All the Pretty Horses? What
is McCarthy’s style of writing? What
elements distinguish McCarthy’s voice as a writer? What is the tone of this piece? What is the research writing process? How does one choose a topic? How does one locate sources? How does one critically evaluate
sources? How does one prepare an
outline? How does one use an outline to
write a research paper? How does a
writer effectively use MLA in the research writing process? What are my (the student’s) strengths and
weaknesses as a writer?
Unit Objectives:
· Explore information
sources.
· Determine credibility of
sources.
· Create valid thesis.
· Analyze and synthesize
research material to create unique perspective.
· Utilize correct
documentation form.
· Analyze McCarthy’s novel
for style, details, imagery, symbolism, and tone to help critically
evaluate
writer’s own areas of strength and weakness.
Anchor Text:
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Context Text: selected clips from All the Pretty Horses (2000) film
adaptation
Texture Text: Purdue OWL Research writing resources, including
MLA citation information; various research writing handouts and student samples
· Required Writing: Students will submit a
7-9 page persuasive research paper with MLA documentation. The
process of
creating this paper will involve the teacher giving formative feedback to the
student as they progress through the unit. Students will complete a
timed, in-class writing paying close attention to the social, historical,
and
cultural values of Cormac McCarthy’s All
the Pretty Horses. Students will participate in a
Socratic Seminar augmented by an online discussion board.
Unit 7: A Taste of
Shakespeare (2 Weeks)
Essential Questions: How does Elizabethan
theater differ from Greek theater? How
is Elizabethan theater like Greek theater?
How do the structures of Greek and Shakespearean plays differ? How are the structures of Greek and
Shakespearean plays alike? How do
authors employ literary techniques such as puns, double entendres, soliloquies,
asides, and allusions in dramas and to what effect(s)?
Unit Objectives:
· Compare Elizabethan
theater to Greek theater.
· Compare and contrast the
structures of Greek and Shakespearean plays.
· Explore the literary
techniques of puns, double entendre, soliloquy, asides, and allusion.
· Explore the life and
times of Shakespeare.
· Analyze Elizabethan
poetry and Shakespearean sonnets for poetic devices.
· Appreciate and
understand Shakespeare’s language by paraphrasing selections.
Anchor Text:
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Context Text: selected readings on
Shakespeare and drama from the Norton
Anthology
Texture Texts: selected Elizabethan poetry
Required Writing:
· Students will write a
formal analysis of appearance versus reality in Hamlet.
· Students will rewrite
passages from Hamlet, paraphrasing
them and translating them
into modern English.
· Writer’s Responses (WR) and Creative Responses (CR) will
also be required.
· Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar augmented by
an online discussion board.
Unit 8: Poetry! (2
Weeks)
Unit Objectives:
· Develop an understanding
of the following terms associated with poetry: tone, speaker,
language,
imagery, symbolism, style, rhythm, sound, sonnet, epigram, ode, elegy,
allusion, theme, structure, irony, mood, metaphor, simile, personification,
connotation, denotation, rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, assonance, couplet,
ballad, free verse, foot, stanza, situation.
· Analyze poetry for
artistic quality.
· Utilize close reading
techniques for poetry to prepare for AP examination.
· Analyze poetry using the
TPCASTT model.
· Write original poetry.
Required Reading from the following:
Dover
Beach by Matthew Arnold, The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden, London by William
Blake, Homage to My Hips by Lucille Clifton, The Blues by Billy Collins, Heritage
by Countee Cullen, somewhere I have never travelled, gladly beyond by E.E.
Cummings, Identity Card by Mahmoud Darvish, Indian Movie, New Jersey by Chitra
Banerjee Divakaruni, Short Story on a Painting of Gustav Klimt by Lawrence
Ferlinghetti, Is About by Allen Ginsberg, Digging by Seamus Heaney, Let America
Be America Again by Langston Hughes, Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa, Immigrants
by Pat Mora, My ugly love by Pablo Neruda, Booker T. and W.E.B. by Dudley
Randall, My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke, Chicago by Carl Sandburg, Do not
go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas, A Bedtime Story by Mitsuye
Yamada
Required Writing: Students will complete several AP style
poetry writing prompts throughout the unit in addition to writing several
poems. Students will complete My
Favorite Poem project. Students will participate in a
Socratic Seminar augmented by an online discussion board.