AP English Language and Composition 2018-2019 Stephanie B. Walters Room 202 – RJ Reynolds High School
[email protected] Current trends in the American college and university system require that freshmen students take two general English courses - composition and literature. The composition segment serves as an introduction to various modes of writing that students will have to utilize in later courses, and students typically read selections from non-fiction prose such as autobiography, biography, essays, articles, letters, diaries, and historical documents. In this course, students can also expect to read some imaginative works of literature, though they will not be the primary focus. AP English Language and Composition will also be taught as a survey in American literature. American pieces of writing will be taught in conjunction with the various modes of rhetorical discourse. These works will be examined primarily for their stylistic devices and rhetorical purposes rather than just their pretty story lines. Because Advanced Placement courses could provide college credit, they tend to be more rigorous than their honors level counterparts. Students can anticipate more time spent on studying and completing regular homework assignments. Most reading assignments must also be completed outside of class; good time management is imperative in order to be successful in the course. The AP Language and Composition course assumes that students already understand and use Standard English grammar. The intense concentration on language used in this course should enhance their ability to use grammatical conventions both appropriately and with sophistication as well as to develop stylistic maturity in their prose. When students read, they should become aware of how stylistic effects are achieved by writers' linguistic choices. Since imaginative literature often highlights such stylistic decisions, fiction and poetry clearly have a place in the AP Language and Composition course. The main purpose of including such literature is to aid students in understanding rhetorical and linguistic choices, rather than to study literary conventions.
To read the complete and official CollegeBoard Course Description, please visit https://tinyurl.com/APEngCB
The AP Exam: Wednesday, May 15, 2019 Section I (45%): Multiple Choice (52-55 questions), 60 minutes, generally 4-5 prose passages Section II (55%): Three essays, 2 hours 15 minutes; one stylistic analysis of non-fiction prose; two argumentative pieces - one position, one synthesis; each is scored on 1-9 holistic score rubric Students are required to take the AP exam. Failure to take the AP exam will result in the student’s final grade being dropped one whole letter. Visit https://professionals.collegeboard.org/testing/ap/about/dates for complete AP testing dates. Primary student texts: Provided textbook: Peterson, Linda H. and John C. Brereton, eds. The Norton Reader. Shorter 12th Edition. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2007. ISBN: 0393931730 Summer Reading: Summer reading is a requirement with WSFCS. Information about this past summer’s assignment can be found at https://tinyurl.com/waltsummer18 We will also read several supplemental texts. It is encouraged (not required) to purchase personal copies of the following texts when they are announced in class (We may not read all of these texts): The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Grade Distribution Writing (AP Prompts Primarily) – 30% Tests – 30% Quizzes – 20% Homework/Classwork – 20% Materials Necessary for Class blue or black ink pens and pencils loose-leaf, college-ruled notebook paper one three-ring, loose-leaf binder
Standard Grading Scale A: 90-100 B: 80-89 C: 70-79 D: 60-69 F: 59 and below
at least 3 different colored highlighters Post-it notes
Conferences & Tutoring You can sign up for make-ups or tutoring by completing this form: https://tinyurl.com/walterstutor. Please see my availability on the form. Parent-teacher conferences can be arranged by calling Student Services at (336) 703-4146. If I am unavailable at your preferred sign-up time, I will contact you to reschedule. Academic Integrity Students are required to sign the preserving academic integrity contract in which they agree not to cheat in any way, shape, or form. Any time a student is caught cheating/plagiarizing, the following will happen: Receive a 0 on the assignment, no matter the weight Will not be allowed to make up the assignment Referred to the office, frequently resulting in a suspension depending on severity and frequency Discipline & Rules I expect students to be prompt, prepared, polite, productive, and positive. Failing to follow these P’s will result in disciplinary action. Minor incidents will progress through the following stages: warning, removal from classroom, after school detention and parent contact, office referral. All minor incidents will be documented. Major incidents like cheating, fighting, stealing, bullying, aggressive outbursts, etc., will jump directly to office referral. I follow any and all school policies. Here are a few emphasized policies: Restroom breaks: Students may leave the room as necessary to use the restroom, drink water, or use tissue as long as it is during independent work time and not during instruction or testing. Only one student may leave the room at a time and the hall pass must be filled out before exiting the room. If one habitually uses the restroom, stays gone for excessive amounts of time, or travels to a location other than what’s specified on the pass, restroom privileges will be revoked from that individual. This is handled on a case by case basis. Electronic Devices: When students are retrieving a Chromebook, there is no need for students to access phones during class time. As long as a Chromebook cart is in place, students will be required to turn in their phones in exchange for a Chromebook. This phone may be retrieved at the end of class when the computer is returned. Failure to follow this policy will result in disciplinary action. If students are not retrieving a Chromebook, the following rules apply: Unless otherwise specified on a given day, no electronic devices are allowed in the classroom. If one is caught using his or her device, it will be confiscated and returned at the end of the period. Phones will be placed in the “holding cell” behind the teacher desk. Repeat offenders will go to the office. Food or Drink: With the exception of water, no food or drink is allowed in the classroom. Due Dates and Makeup Work This is a college-level course, and assignments will be treated as though you are a college student. Check Power School Learning for missing assignments. I will not take class time to review assignments; you need to arrange a time to meet with me outside of class. 1. Assignments and due dates will be listed on PowerSchool learning and on your provided calendar. I may not verbally remind you of dates, though I will make use of the remind app from time to time. The excuse “I didn’t know…” will never be accepted. 2. Makeup quizzes, tests, and free responses must be made up within a two-week period. Failure to make-up an assignment during that period will result in a zero for the assignment. You can sign up for make-ups or tutoring by completing this form: https://tinyurl.com/walterstutor 3. Late work will be accepted, but the highest grade you can make is a 60%. No excuse apart from bereavement, hospitalization, or major illness will be accepted. Late work must be turned in by the Page 2
specified cut-off date or you will forfeit the right to earn points for that assignment. Because most assignments will be submitted digitally, absences from school will not guarantee you an extension. 4. Preannounced major projects and outside writing assignments are due on the assigned date whether you are in school or not. If you are absent, find a way to get your assignment to me. Most assignments will be submitted electronically through PowerSchool Learning. Late point deductions will apply in these situations. 5. Not having internet access at home isn’t an excuse to not turn in work. See me at the beginning of the school year to make other arrangements if internet access will be a problem for you. 6. Make-up work must be retrieved by you in the event of an absence. For each day a student is absent from school, he or she is allowed one day to make-up classwork and homework assignments. Since this is an A/B day course, you will have until the next time your class meets to turn in the assignment. This maxes out at 10 absences. Late points will apply to any days extending beyond the one allotted day. Routine Extra Credit Opportunities Vocabulary: Use vocabulary words correctly in any assignment and underline/highlight/bold them. You can earn 1 point for each, maxing out at 3 points per assignment. Points: Extra credit points will be added to writing grades at the end of each quarter. I will keep track of your extra credit in my grade book. Extra credit points will not roll over into the next quarter. o Earn 10 points at the beginning of each quarter when you bring in classroom supplies. New, unopened packages only. Check the board in the class for a list of needed supplies. After the first two weeks of the quarter, supply points are applied to the next quarter. Any essay can be rewritten for a new grade if a student signs up for and attends an essay conference. Students then have up to one week to resubmit the essay for credit. Routine Assignments Multi-Draft Essays Multi-draft essays are essays that are assigned over at least a two-week period and will go through the paper writing process including drafting, editing, and revising. Major essays are expected to be typed, MLA format, and submitted to PowerSchool Learning. Mrs. Walters may also submit essays to Turnitin.com if plagiarism is suspected. Major essays will be reflective of the models of writing we will be studying in class. These could count as a test grade or as a writing grade. Forum Discussions Students will be responsible for informal forum discussion posts in which they respond to notable speeches, political debates, visual rhetoric, current events, etc. Students will have a choice of topic, then they must write an initial response that addresses that topic’s question. All INITIAL responses must be 200-400 words in length. Students must then thoughtfully respond to their classmates’ posts. Initial posts will always be due on a Wednesday at 11:59 PM, and peer response posts will always be due on the following Sunday at 11:59 PM. This will not occur every week. The purpose of this assignment is to not only allow students the chance to practice analysis, but to also give them the chance to learn from each other. Detailed information about this can be found on PowerSchool Learning under the “Technology” tab. Review rubric here: https://tinyurl.com/yc5kaqse In-Class Free Responses These are timed, in-class prompts taken from previously given exams. They are intended to give students realistic experience with pacing and question types. Students may only use a blue or black ink pen to complete these assignments. Each free response is graded holistically on a 1-9 scale, which will then be converted to the standard grading scale. These essays will be followed by self or peer evaluation for students Page 3
to gain a complete understanding of their scores. Essays may also occasionally be typed in class and submitted online as well. Occasionally, students will have 1-on-1 conferences about their essays. Vocabulary Three times a quarter, students will have twenty-five words to study and learn, four of which will be root words. Words will be selected according to the frequency they will be seen in readings and on the AP exam. Students will have online practices to ensure that they are using their time wisely for studying, and there will be a quiz to assess students’ knowledge of the vocabulary. Students will also have an inclass essay at the end of the quarter that will assess all words learned throughout the nine-week period. Words and practices are on PowerSchool Learning under the “Vocabulary” tab. Reading Assignments Almost every night will have some time of reading homework. Reading quizzes will periodically be given for assigned homework passages. Assignments can include the following: Thesis or Claim Evidence or Data Style Tone or Attitude Rhetorical Appeals Annotation activity Purpose Assumptions/Warrants Organizational patterns in text Audience and Occasion Modes of Writing Multiple Choice Questions Since a large portion of the exam is objective multiple choice format, students will have frequent multiple choice practices in class that will be assessed for a grade. Question stems will also be utilized. Grammar in Context Students will examine sentence structure utilized by celebrated writers, as well as examining their own passages. Students will also be expected to revise their own essays to reflect grammar issues we study in class. Students are encouraged to purchase a copy of the Hacker handbook so that they may review grammar rules as they pertain to their own writing (Hacker, Diana. A Pocket Style Manual. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. ISBN: 0-312-59324-4). Copies of the handbook are also available in the classroom. Since juniors will also be taking the ACT in the spring, we will work on ACT strategies. Technology Requirements Don’t allow lack of internet/computer access prevent you from doing your work. Please see me at the beginning of the year to make separate arrangements. Students will automatically be enrolled in their classes on PowerSchool Learning, the new district webpage replacement (https://wsfcs.haikulearning.com/do/account/login). Assignments will be viewed and submitted via this new technology tool. Participation is mandatory. Students are REQUIRED to enroll in Remind101. Parents can sign up too! Follow the sign-up instructions below. Then visit the remind website, login to the program, and click your name in the top left corner of the page. Go to account. Change your profile to "Parent". o If you have a smartphone, get push notifications. On your iPhone or Android phone, open your web browser and go to the following link: rmd.at/rjrapeng3Follow the instructions to sign up for Remind. You’ll be prompted to download the mobile app. o If you don’t have a smartphone, get text notifications. Text the message @rjrapeng3 to the number 81010. o Don’t have a mobile phone? Go to rmd.at/rjrapeng3 on a desktop computer to sign up for email notifications Page 4
Mrs. Walters Contract & Information Sheet
Child’s Name: _____________________________ Child’s English Period: ______ A or B (circle one) Child’s PowerSchool ID#: _____________________
Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s),
Since I wish to be able to fully communicate with you about your child’s progress in my class, please complete the online Google Form located at this link:
https://tinyurl.com/y8qtn9aa
Video Permission Sheet The English Department at R.J. Reynolds High School would like to have the option to use carefully selected excerpts from movies (or perhaps the movie in its entirety) this year to enhance and enrich the learning experience of your child. These movies can be used to appeal to the visual learner and to give students an opportunity to study another literary medium. They will always be connected to the present readings we are doing; moreover, critical viewing in an important component of our North Carolina Standard Course of Study. As a courtesy to you and to facilitate clear communication, we have included a list of films that may be studied this year. Please read and complete the permission form on the back.
Various YouTube clips (Commercials, speeches, etc.) Dead Poets’ Society (PG) Huckleberry Finn (Not Rated) The Great Gatsby (PG) – Redford Version The Great Gatsby (PG-13) – DiCaprio Version Monty Python and the Holy Grail Triumph of the Will (Not Rated)
Why We Fight by Frank Kappa (Not Rated) Fahrenheit 9/11 (R) (Clips only) Freakonomics Hot Coffee Good Night, and Good Luck (PG) The Princess Bride (PG)
Please help us provide this additional learning opportunity by signing below to ensure that your child has your permission to be present during the viewing of these films. Without your permission, your child will have to complete a separate assignment. (Check One) ______ Yes, my child has permission to watch all of the listed films in class. ______ No, my child may not watch any films in class. ______ My child may watch all of the films except the films indicated (circle/highlight unwanted clips) Parent’s or Guardian’s signature: _________________________________________ Date: ____________________
Academic Integrity Contract Academic integrity is essential to maintaining an environment that fosters excellence in teaching, research, and other educational and scholarly activities. Students are expected to complete all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. The following suggestions will help you preserve academic integrity by avoiding situations where you might be tempted to cheat or you might be perceived to be cheating. 1.
ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOURCES THAT YOU USE WHEN COMPLETING ASSIGNMENTS: If you do not acknowledge the work of others, you are implying that another person's work is your own, and such actions constitute plagiarism. Plagiarism is the theft of another's intellectual property, and plagiarism is a serious form of academic misconduct. If you are ever in doubt, err on the side of caution and acknowledge the source.
Page 5
2.
3. 4.
5.
6. 7. 8.
AVOID SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR: Check your surroundings carefully and make sure that all of your notes are put away and your books are closed. Keep your eyes on your own work. Unconscious habits, such as looking around the room aimlessly or talking with a classmate, could be misinterpreted as cheating. DO NOT FABRICATE INFORMATION: Never make-up data, literature citations, experimental results, or any other type of information that is used in an academic or scholarly assignment. DO NOT GIVE IN TO PEER PRESSURE: Before lending or giving any type of information to a friend or acquaintance, consider carefully what you are lending, what your friend might do with it, and what the consequences might be if your friend misuses it. DO NOT SUBMIT THE SAME WORK FOR CREDIT IN TWO COURSES: Submitting the work from one course to satisfy the requirements of a different course is not only violates the spirit of the assignment but is also putting other students in the course at a disadvantage. DO YOUR OWN WORK: When you turn in an assignment with only your name on it, then the work on that assignment should be yours and yours alone. MANAGE YOUR TIME: Do not put off your assignments until the last minute. Do not put yourself in a situation where your options are severely limited. Plan ahead! PROTECT YOUR WORK AND THE WORK OF OTHERS: Never give another student access to your work unless you are certain why the student wants it and what he/she will do with it.
I have read and understood the Eight Steps for preserving academic integrity, and I hereby agree to abide by them. I have also read and understood Mrs. Walters’s classroom policies and I agree to abide by them. Student’s Signature:______________________________________________________ Date: __________________ I have read and understood Mrs. Walters’s classroom policies and I have discussed them with my child. Parent Signature:_________________________________________________________ Date: _________________
Brief “Getting to Know You” Student Survey 1.
If you had to pick one book to recommend for a friend to read, what book would it be?
2.
Where was the last place you went on vacation, how old were you, and what did you think about it? If you haven’t been on vacation, that’s fine to say, too.
3.
Do you watch TV? What is your favorite series? If you can’t pick just one, give me a couple.
4.
Write down three things going on in America/world in which you take a particular interest. This could be a happy interest or concern interest. You don’t have to explain why, just list them.
5.
What are your extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, work, etc.)?
6.
What are your post-high school plans? And/or what do you think you want to do for a career?
Page 6
