AP Language and Composition

Syllabus
Ms. Curcuru
[email protected]

Course Overview
English Language and Composition is a class open to all students who wish to have the
opportunity to experience a college level course while in high school.

In order to accomplish this task, this AP course requires students to explore and write in several
forms, including narrative, expository, analytical and argumentative about a variety of subjects.
Readings in the course will serve to not only provide examples of such writings, but they will
also give students the chance to analyze different authors works and make note of their intent.

In student writing, it is important to understand that writing is a recursive process. Because of
this, all writing in the course will be subjected to frequent reviews by both peers and the teacher.
The purpose of these reviews will be to provide instruction and feedback to help the student
improve in both writing form, use of detail, general, specific, and illustrative, as well as build
upon grammar usage and vocabulary.

Upon completing the course, students will be able to:
analyze and interpret samples of exemplar writing, identifying and explaining an authors
use of rhetorical strategies and techniques;
apply effective strategies and techniques to their own writing;
create and sustain arguments based on readings, research and/or personal experience;
demonstrate an understanding of standard English, as well as stylistic maturity in their
own writings;
write in a variety of genres and contexts;
construct expository and argumentative pieces that introduce a complex, central idea and
develop it with appropriate evidence, explanations, and transitions;
move through the stages of the writing process effectively, paying careful attention to
research, drafting, revising, editing and reviewing.

At the end of the course, it is expected that all students will take the AP Language and
Composition Exam.

Course Planner
This course is divided into trimesters.

Trimester I
Trimester I will provide an introduction to the course. During this trimester, students will
respond critically to readings by noting rhetorical patterns and modes of expression. Writing will
go through many revisions, as peers and the teacher will provide feedback both before and after
the student has submitted his/her work. At the same time, the student will be:
Analyzing logic and evidence
Considering many possibilities, different ways of looking at an issue
Evaluating carefully, to reach a judgment, to take a stand
Reading challenging writings to foster critical thinking and writing
Studying issues of fact, policy and value in genre literature
Writing a dialectical journal and/or annotating text to respond to readings



Weekly class exercises will include:
Rhetorical Analysisincluding speaker, audience, purpose and style
Practice schemesanalyzing phrases or sentences that create a different effect
Writings that make the connection with means and effect
Test taking strategies for objective and essay questions
Analysis of selected short stories and poetry for speaker, voice and perspective

Readings include:
Narration:
Amy Tan, Fish Cheeks
Langston Hughes, Salvation

Description
Annie Dillard, The Stunt Pilot
Zora Neale Hurston, How It Feels to Be Colored Me
Virginia Woolf, The Death of a Moth

Process Analysis
Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook
Frederick Douglass, Learning to Read and Write
Lars Eighner, On Dumpster Diving

Classification
Mike Rose, I Just Wanna Be Average
Amy Tan, Mother Tongue
Deborah Tannen, There is no Unmarked Woman

Trimester II
Trimester II will continue with close and critical readings. Weekly exercises will remain the
same. Trimester II will also include a formal MLA research paper as described below.

Example
Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
Sojourner Truth, Arent I a Woman?

Comparison/Contrast
James Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son
Richard Rodriquez, Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood
Henry David Thoreau, Where I Lived and What I lived for

Cause/Effect
Niccolo Machiavelli, The Morals of the Prince
Marie Winn, Television: The Plug-In Drug
Brent Staples, Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space

Argument/Persuasion
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail
Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address
Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal
Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience

Documented Researched Essay using MLA style: Choose a topic from our discussions of the
above essays. Possible topics are listed as follows:
Nature and environment
Race and culture
History and politics
Work and class
Family
Identity

Using evidence from at least three outside sources (including library research, online sources,
and graphs or images), draft an essay with an argumentative purpose. Be sure to consider
audience, stance or position, support, and structure.

Prepare a formal fifteen minute expository presentation of your draft to present to the class,
including a completed outline or your claim and support. Have all secondary sources correctly
attributed and documented using MLA style.

Using the evaluation data and comments from peer editing and review, re-write your paper as a
second draft for review. The second draft for review will have feedback from the teacher. After
this review of the second draft, re-write your paper for final submission. Be sure that the
attributions and citations are correct.

Trimester III
Trimester III will focus on Advanced Placement Examination Preparation, arguments, evaluating
and writing effective arguments, logical fallacies, and position on extended definition.

Advanced Placement Examination Preparation
Knowledge of previous AP examinations: content of multiple choice and essay questions,
evaluation procedures, scores
Adaptation of AP question formulation into in-and-out-of-class essay questions, as well
as use of scoring guide
Practice questions
Timed writings with concentration on argument and evaluation based upon released AP
exams
Multiple speakers and claims in selected works for preparation of the synthesis essay

Argument: Argument starts with defining arguments and continues with the characteristics of
arguments, the analysis and evaluation of arguments and finally to making specific types of
arguments.
Characteristics of Argument
Toulmins, Aristotole, and Rogerian and conciliatory argument:
Identify and analyze from readings:
Syllogistic structures
Claims, reasons, warrants, and evidence
Visual arguments, including propaganda
Appeals
Common ground







Student Evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on major papers, in-class journals and writing, participation,
and multiple choice assessments similar to those presented on the AP Language and
Composition exam. At the beginning of the third trimester, students will also complete a midterm
exam to assess their weaknesses and strengths in preparation for the exam in May. Grades will
be broken down as follows:

Major papers 30 percent
Journal/In-class Writing 20 percent
Reading Comprehension 20 percent
Vocabulary 15 percent
Trimester Assessment 15 percent

Course Texts
Angelou, Maya. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. New York: Random House.

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Vintage Books.

Cohen, Samuel. 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. New York: Bedford/St. Martins.

Lundsford, Andrea, John Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everythings An Argument. 3
rd
ed.
New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2004.


Classroom Guidelines/Expectations:
It is expected that each student will:
Come to class with a willingness to learn and participate in all discussions, readings, and
activities.
Come to class prepared with writing utensil and paper. All assignments must be written
in blue or black ink or pencil. Assignments written in other colors will NOT earn credit.
Acquire a 3-ring binder that will be used for this class only.
Turn work in on time. LATE WORK IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Make proper use of technology. The computer lab is available before or after school.
Please take advantage of this opportunity.
Show respect to others. This includes not talking out of turn. Please raise your hand when
wanting to speak.
Refrain from food, pop, or grooming in class.

In addition,
No unauthorized electronic devices are permitted in class. Any use of an electronic
device will result in it being confiscated and turned over to the administration. If
electronic devices are visible during a quiz/test, the student will receive no credit,
regardless if the phone was being used.
Cheating results in a zero for all persons involved and administrative referral.
Passes to the restroom will be given only in emergencies. Only one student will be
allowed out at a time. The student must sign out on the log to leave.
Inappropriate language will not be tolerated and will result in an automatic detention
and/or administrative referral.
If a student is absent, he or she will have the number of days he or she missed to make up
work missed unless prearranged with me. It is the students responsibility to ascertain
what he or she has missed when absent.
Students are expected to turn in work that was due the day he or she was absent upon
return.
All rules located in the student handbook will be enforced.


Consequences:
In order to maintain a productive learning environment, all students will follow the classroom
guidelines and expectations. If a student chooses not to do so, he or she will be referred to the
assistant principal and/or principal.


Citizenship:
Citizenship is not only based on behavior but also, responsibility. If a student does not turn in
work consistently, has chronic unexcused absences, multiple zeroes, etc., his/her citizenship
grade will be marked down.


Communication

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Know that I am always available to help, and I can always be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] or phone at (586) 784-2454.




































Please sign and return the following:

Students name (print) ___________________________________________________

We have read and understand the course description and requirements for AP Language and
Composition.

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