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Ratti | AP Language | 2017-2018

AP Language and Composition 2017-2018Jillian [email protected]

I. General Information/PoliciesCourse DescriptionThe following information is taken from the AP Language and Composition course description:

An AP course in English Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way genre conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing (7).

While the AP English Language and Composition course assumes that students already understand and use standard English grammar, it also reflects the practice of reinforcing writing conventions at every level. Therefore, occasionally the exam may contain multiple-choice questions on usage to reflect the link between grammar and style. The intense concentration on language use in the course enhances students’ ability to use grammatical conventions appropriately and to develop stylistic maturity in their prose. Stylistic development is nurtured by emphasizing the following:

a wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively; a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of sub ordination and coordination; logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as repetition, transitions

and emphasis; a balance of generalization and specific illustrative detail; and an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving

appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure (9).

Upon completing the AP English Language and Composition course, then, students should be able to: analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical

strategies and techniques; apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing; create and sustain arguments based on readings, research and/or personal experience; write for a variety of purposes; produce expository, analytical and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and

develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/or secondary sources, cogent explanations and clear transitions;

demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writings;

demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources; move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and research,

drafting, revising, editing and review; write thoughtfully about their own process of composition; revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience; analyze image as text; and evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers (10).

--AP English Language & Composition Course Description (2010) pages 7-10

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TextbooksStudents are expected to procure copies of the following texts (buying them is an option). Please let me know if there is any difficulty.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Dover Thrift, 1994. (Fall) Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. Introduction by Bill McKibben, Beacon Press,

2004. (Winter) Dillard, Annie. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Harper Collins, 1998 or 2007 or 2013.

(Spring)

Summer WorkAll AP Language students must complete the full packet of summer work that was assigned at the end of last school year. All work will be assessed and count as major grades. Failure to complete this work may result in removal from the course.

Supplies Sturdy Composition notebook

(100 pages, not spiral) 1 ream white or colored copy

paper (500 sheets) 3-ring binder (approx. 2”) with

dividers Loose leaf paper (college or

wide ruled)

Highlighters Blue or black ink pens (no other

colors allowed) Pencils Scissors Tape Skinny Markers Index Cards

Grading SystemI use a standards-based grading system that is different from the way many teachers grade. Instead of calculating the percentage of correct answers on an assignment, I will evaluate the assignment for how close it comes to meeting the standards that it addresses. Each nine weeks we will evaluate your progress toward all the standards we have studied and translate these grades into letter/number grades in the normal format.

The grading scale is as follows:

Simple

Rubric

Score

Descriptor

Checkmark Scale

Approximate Grade

AP Rubric Score

Descriptor Equivalent Grade

4 Advanced + A 9 Effective 998 94

3 Proficient B 7

Adequate88

C 6 80D 5 73

2 Basic -F

4Inadequate

693 65

1 Below Basic 2 60

1 60

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Assignment Types and GradingExamples

Major Assignments-

Counts double.Graded on the 9-point AP scale.

Compositions—Many essays are written in class and graded as rough drafts. Other compositions require rough draft, self-editing, and peer editing before the final draft is turned in. All work leading up to the final draft falls under the “daily work” category and must be turned in with the final draft. All returned essays are to be kept in the student notebook for future reference.Projects—Several projects will be completed this year, including the researched persuasive speech, the political rhetoric project, the junior theme, and the junior portfolio.Tests—Tests will be given over course content/notes and major readings. Practice AP tests will also count as major grades.Vocabulary Notebook—Each week you will be responsible for selecting vocabulary words from your reading and recording them in a notebook. Notebooks will be collected periodically for a major grade. More information is included in this packet.

Minor Assignments-

Count once.Graded on the 4-point simple scale.

Quizzes—Quizzes are mainly used to check for basic understanding of assigned readings. In addition to reading quizzes, quizzes over rhetorical terms and concepts will be given periodically. Not all quizzes will be announced.Reading Responses—For certain readings, a response journal or log will be assigned and collected.Reader’s Journals—Each week you will be responsible for finding, reading, annotating, analyzing, and responding to a current article from a major publication. More information is included in this packet.Occasional Papers—Each week you will be asked to write a brief, informal paper on an occasion that caught your attention. More information is included in this packet.

Daily Work-

Graded on the 4-point simple scale.

Daily work includes any brief, informal, preparatory, or exploratory work that is not suitable to be considered a major or minor grade. Daily work includes the following: Quick writes, Group work, Grammar exercises, Imitation exercises, Other.

Note: As in a college class, not all daily work will be graded.

Expectations for Use of TechnologyWe will use various technology in this class regularly. Let your instructor know if you have any difficulties accessing or using the required technology. Class materials will be posted to the Class Notebook in OneNote Assignments will be submitted through Schoology Students should maintain electronic copies of all typed work submitted. Create a

folder called AP Language in your OneDrive. Students will be required to participate in online discussions with classmates,

post their work to the web, or use the Internet to complete or post assignments. Students are expected to type essays if at all possible. More details will follow.

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Absences In the event of an excused absence, students will have one week from the date of

return to make up missed work, with the exception of previously-assigned work or projects which are due on the students return. It is the student’s responsibility to check with me to make up missed work.

You are responsible for notifying me of any scheduled absence from my class as soon as possible, including qualified absences.

Late WorkAll work is due at the beginning of class unless otherwise noted. It may not be submitted later in the day and considered on time. Late work by may be submitted up to one week later accompanied by a parent note. A pattern of turning in work late will have adverse effects on your learning, your stress levels, and your final grade in the course.

AP ExamThe Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition will be given on the morning of Wednesday May 16, 2018. The exam consists of a one-hour multiple-choice section, a 15-minute reading period, and a 2-hour writing section in which three essays will be written. The exam is scored on a 5-point scale, with a score of 3 or higher typically earning college credit. The exam costs approximately $90. Students on a fee waiver will pay a significantly reduced price. Any student earning a 3 or higher on the exam will be reimbursed the full cost of the test. It is expected that every student enrolled in the course will take the exam.

Semester Exams The semester exam will last for approximately ninety minutes and will be a shorter

version of the AP exam. The exam will consist of answering multiple-choice questions on previously unknown passages and writing an essay. It will count for 20% of the semester grade.

Students who meet the requirements of the district exemption policy will be exempt from the semester exam.

Plagiarism and CheatingPlagiarism is defined as the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Unless specifically told otherwise, students should complete all work independently. It is considered cheating or plagiarism to do any of the following:

Work with a classmate on an assignment (unless told otherwise) Copy a classmate’s assignment Give or receive information about quiz or test questions or answers Do research on an assignment that asks only for independent thinking Copy anyone else’s words without giving proper credit Rephrase someone else’s words inappropriately, even if you give proper credit Use someone else’s ideas without giving proper credit for the ideas

Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses both because they interfere with your learning and because they (often) display dishonesty. Assignments that show cheating or plagiarism will not receive credit. All instances of cheating or plagiarism will result in a parent conference.

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Ongoing Assignments 1. Junior Theme—Ideas that Matter

SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGYWEALTH and POVERTY

RACEGENDER

EARTH and the ENVIRONMENTGOVERNANCE

Early in the year you will choose one of the above topics to investigate to investigate throughout this year. This topic will guide your self-selected reading for the course. You will read multiple books, articles, and scholarly works related to this topic. Your work will culminate in the spring with a research paper and a TED-style talk.

We will work together to develop your specific area of focus, your research question, and eventually your position on the topic.

Throughout the year, you will meet twice a month in book clubs with other students who are researching in the same broad topic area to share resources, reflections, and insights.

The junior theme has multiple purposes. One purpose is to allow you to broaden your understanding of complex contemporary issues. You are also exploring America’s literary heritage through the books you choose from the reading list. Finally, the project develops your skills in research synthesis and argumentation.

Consider purchasing copies of your three primary sources as you will need to refer to them throughout the year and it may be helpful for you to annotate as you read.

Quarter Tasks1 Gather information about topics and books

Choose your theme topic categoryChoose your first book (from the list); complete weekly reading reflectionsMeet in your book club twice a month to discuss your readingPost reviews of each book you read to the class siteComplete four Reader’s Journals relating to your topic category

2 Continue reading, reflecting, participating in Book Club meetings, and posting book reviewsComplete four Reader’s Journals relating to your topic categoryCompose the question your Junior Theme will answer

3 Continue reading, reflecting, participating in Book Club meetings, and posting book reviewsDevelop a research plan to answer your Junior Theme questionComplete four Reader’s Journals relating to your topic categoryGather sufficient, appropriate sources into an Annotated BibliographyWrite a Literature Review

4 Develop the thesis for your TED talk; prepare to conference with me about itDevelop a broad outline for your TED talk; participate in peer and teacher conferencesDevelop a detailed outline for your TED talk; participate in peer and teacher conferencesPrepare a complete bibliography for your TED talk in MLA formatPrepare the rough draft of the TED talk; participate in rehearsal, conferencing, and revisingPrepare the second draft of the TED talk for instructor reviewPresent the final draft of the TED talk

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2. Reader’s Journal Assignment

Find an article in one of the following publications: Harper’s, the Atlantic, the New Yorker, the National Review, US News & World Report, or the New York Times Magazine. (You may not use articles from the New York Times newspaper.)

I have numerous copies of The New York Times Magazine available in the classroom for you to borrow. You will also be able to access most of these publications online or at local libraries.

1. Copy or print the article*2. Read and annotate the article*

Each week, find an article and read it carefully, focusing on the writer’s rhetorical (persuasive) strategies within the article. These may include, but not be limited to, diction (word choice), selection of detail, tone, emotional appeals, rhetorical questions, repetition, etc. While reading, mark and label these features. Also make comments on the content. Important: When you identify a strategy, also identify the purpose or function of that strategy within the written piece. In other words, do not simply list the strategies in play without also discussing why these strategies were chosen and what effects they have.

3. Compose an essay made up of the following parts: Title = Full bibliographic Citation in MLA format One paragraph Rhetorical Precis. See "Rhetorical Precis Starters." Two or three paragraphs Rhetorical Analysis: Divide the article into 2 or 3

sections. For each section, discuss the author’s most significant choices and the effects of those choices.

One paragraph Personal Response. Answer some or all of these in a paragraph: What did you learn about writing or the world from reading this article? What surprised you, moved you, bored you? In what ways does this article connect to your Junior Theme Topic? Explain.

Write the Word Count in bottom right corner (between 400-750 words)4. Place your annotated copy of the article behind your analysis/response and

staple the left corner. 5. When the journal entry is returned to you, place it in your notebook.6. You will periodically be asked to share interesting articles with the class. 7. Because the purpose of keeping this journal is to expand your reading

experiences and to encourage thoughtful responses to those experiences, I will not grade the journals merely for the way your responses are written. Instead, I am looking for your efforts to grow as a reader and writer.

8. Your journal entries should be complete, turned in on time, and reflect a reasonable amount of effort. Proofreading pays off. Do not submit error-filled, inferior work. I will reward writing that reflects superior effort and extraordinary insight.

9. Your responses should be honest and thoughtful. I will respect and enjoy your opinion, whether or not I share it.

* * These tasks could be done digitally if you know how. The important thing is that you are able to write directly on or beside the text you are analyzing. I need to see exactly how your annotations relate to the content.

Citation: Article in a MagazineCite by listing the article's author, putting the title of the article in quotations marks, and italicizing the periodical title. Follow with the date of publication. Remember to abbreviate the month. Use a hanging indent and always double space. The basic format is as follows:

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PrintAuthor(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages. Medium of publication.Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time 20 Nov. 2000: 70-71. Print.OnlineAuthor(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year. Website title. Medium of publication.

Date of access.ExampleGreen, Elizabeth. “Why Do Americans Stink at Math?” The New York Times 23 July 2014. NYTimes.com.

Web. 6 Aug. 2014.

3. Occasional PapersOccasional Papers are due on alternating Tuesdays. Occasional Papers are written on the occasion of some occurrence that has made you think. It describes the occasion and then reflects on the possible significance of the occasion. The point of an OP is to reflect on what happens in your life, developing your curiosity, your powers of observation, and your writer’s disposition. Instructions:

1. Watch for anything worthy of personal reflection: Something you do that makes you think. A reaction that puzzles Something other people do that is disturbing or pleasing An idea that might lead to something more A comment that means more than its simple meaning. An insight that is worth expanding and recording

OPs can be about anything, even trivial (seeming) things. One does not have to botch a brain surgery or win a scholarship before one can write an OP.

2. Take time to describe the event as accurately as you can –there may be inconsistencies and lack of resolution.

3. Consider it. Reflect on it. Take it seriously. Be personally interested in what it might reveal. What is going on? Is there anything to reveal by reflection that is not immediately obvious?

4. Do not expect closure. Struggle for truth. Go beyond what everyone always thinks about this. Open the topic up rather than finishing it off. Do not fake anything.

If there is no attempt to consider the topic psychologically, then it is not an Occasional Paper. If you end up with simply a story of what happened that includes no reflection, you can receive only half credit.

OP Requirements Occasional Papers are due on alternating Tuesdays OPs must be at between 300 and 350 with the word count typed in the lower

right hand corner. OPs should not be used to voice anger at specific people. No ranting. Politics

are acceptable if empirical logic is used. No personal pronouns or contractions are allowed.

4. Junior Portfolio & PresentationAt the end of the year you will assemble a portfolio of several of your works. The goal of the junior portfolio is to present a detailed portrait of yourself as a person and a writer. Some entries will be written specifically for the portfolio, but others should be collected from your coursework throughout this year. You will include the following:

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Self-portrait Personal or narrative essay Creative writing or literary

response Junior theme paper One in-class essay

College application essay Resume Audio or video recording of you

reading a work Notes from family and friends Other pieces at your discretion

You will present your portfolio to the class during the last week of school.

5. Vocabulary NotebookThroughout the year, you will collect useful vocabulary words you encounter in your reading. Useful words are those words which you do not currently know and which have general utility. That is, look for words that are not tied specifically to one discipline or field of study. Choose words such as utilitarian, imprudence, melancholy, juxtaposition, verisimilitude, etc. Avoid words like furylfuramide, embouchure, and Gauss-Jordan elimination, which are highly specialized and less likely to recur in your reading.

*Note: In order to understand what you are reading, you may need to consult a dictionary for highly specialized words such as those listed above. You should! You just can’t use them for your notebook.

Procedure: You will record these words in a spiral notebook (of any size) in your own

handwriting. For each word include the following elements: Pronunciation Part of speech Clear, complete, accurate, simple definition (i.e., look it up in the

dictionary but then translate the definition into your own words) Notes (include some or all of the following): etymology, origin, root,

etc.; synonyms and antonyms; other forms of the word Page number and source

Number the words as you work. In the front of the notebook place the table of contents handout you will be given. Include each word and its number in the table of contents.

Neatness/appearance of the project will not be part of the grade unless your work is illegible.

Notebooks will be due twice each nine weeks according to the following schedule:

Due Dates Total Number of Words

9/11 409/29 8011/8 120

12/13 1401/30 1803/2 2204/13 2605/15 300

II. Course SyllabusAll elements of the syllabus are subject to change at any time at instructor’s discretion.

Course OrganizationThe course is organized thematically, with each unit having a writing focus and a reading theme. Throughout the course, there is a constant focus on rhetoric in both

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reading and writing, i.e., when reading, determining the author’s purpose and the strategies the author uses to achieve this purpose; when writing, deliberately choosing and applying strategies to achieve a specified purpose.

Units of StudyIntroductory Unit— Introduction to AP: Close Reading and Clear Writing

Topics of Study: Syllabus review, including rules,

responsibilities, grading system, calendar

Everything’s an argument premise

Rhetorical terms SOAPSTONE for rhetorical

analysis

Reading theme: The American Dream Moral Perfection—Benjamin

Franklin The Stranger in the Photo is Me

—Donald Murray I Hear America Singing—Walt

Whitman The Gift Outright—Robert Frost Let America be America Again—

Langston Hughes Letters from an American

Farmer (excerpt)-- Michel-Guillaume Crevocouer

Assessments Ongoing/recurring assessments:

o Reader’s Journals—due alternating Tuesdayso Occasional Papers—due alternating Tuesdayso Vocabulary collection—due twice per quartero Junior theme independent reading reflections—due every Fridayo Daily work as assigned

Project: Proust Questions Project: Advertisement as Argument

o Students will analyze advertisements for the arguments they present, using SOAPSTONE and OPTIC as tools.

Composition: Narrative/Memoiro After reading Murray’s essay, compose a personal narrative/memoir.

Students will select a personal photo (or series of photos) as a point of departure and include the visual with the essay. Students will integrate imagery, details, memories, and reflections into a coherent, purposeful whole.

Project: Rhetoric Out on the Towno See assignment sheet

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First Quarter—Introduction to Rhetoric

Writing Focus: Argument

Topics of Study: Definition of rhetoric

o Inventiono Arrangemento Style

The rhetorical triangle Argumentation

o Toulmin modelo Quick debateo Structure of basic

argumentative essayo Developing a logical

appealo Writing/reviewing

argumentative essayso Rehearsal

Grammar, usage, mechanics topics as needed

Reading theme: What is America?

What is an American—Michel-Guillaume Crevocouer

Democracy in America –Alexis de Tocqueville

Indian Education—Sherman Alexie

Body Ritual of the Nacirema—Harold Miner

Ten Rules for Good Speeches—William Safire

Speech to the Virginia Convention—Patrick Henry

The Gettysburg Address—Abraham Lincoln

The Declaration of Independence—Thomas Jefferson

I Have a Dream—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Assessments Ongoing/recurring assessments (see introductory unit) In-class essays and timed writings using AP prompts Composition: Researched Argument

o Choose a current social issue you feel strongly about. Prepare a researched, persuasive speech that argues your stance on the issue. Document your sources using MLA style. Participate in a peer review session. Deliver the speech on the due date AND turn it in in essay format.

Composition: Rebuttalo Write a rebuttal to Patrick Henry’s speech

Composition: Argumentationo In a well-written essay, argue the opposite side of the topic in your

speech Project: The Language of Politics

o In groups of 3-4 students (or individually as desired), students will choose one state or national political contest to follow. Each group will collect documents, articles, and transcriptions from a variety of sources and maintain a folder of these. A critique sheet will be completed for each item: critique sheets include a summary of the argument, analysis of rhetorical strategies, identification of the slant/bias of the material, and a response to the content. The team will present their findings to the class, including the major events of the race, how language was used by each side, and the presence of bias in the collected sources. Presentations must include a typed summary of all documents collected. All students must participate fully; audiovisual aids are required.

Original visualo Draw your own political cartoon using appropriate strategies. Consider

shading, dialogue, positioning, physical attributes, etc.

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Special Reader’s Journalo Write your reader’s journal on a visual one week

Composition: Synthesiso What makes a good politician? Answer in a well-developed argument

using at least four of the sources we have read in this unit to support or develop your thesis.

Project: Quick Debateo Given a topic, prepare to debate either the affirmative or negative

position. Composition: Argumentation

o Write a well-developed argument addressing the affirmative or negative position on the quick debate topic.

Composition: Expository essayo After reading “What is an American?,” consider your own thoughts on

what constitutes an American and answer Crevecouer’s question in a well-developed essay. Provide your own definition with examples.

Project: Original visualo Create a collage to accompany your essay above

Composition: Analytical essayo Find a political cartoon. Write an essay in which you analyze the

cartoonist’s strategies in parlaying his or her message. Consider shading, dialogue, positioning, physical attributes, etc.

Unit Test: Argumentation

Second Quarter—Rhetorical Analysis

Writing Focus: Rhetorical Analysis

Topics of Study: Introduction to rhetorical

analysis Review of classical concepts

and rhetorical triangleo Examples from film

Writing the rhetorical analysis essay

Working with the objective questions

Analyzing a logical appeal Analyzing an ethical appeal Working with AP samples Writing/reviewing student

samples Toulmin précis Syntax

o Types of sentenceso Syntactic varietyo Rhetorical effects

Reading Theme: Culture and Customs The Scarlet Letter—Nathaniel

Hawthorne Pride-- Live Free and Starve—Chitra

Divakaruni Behind the Formaldehyde

Curtain—Jessica Mitford Remembering My Childhood on

the Continent of Africa The Ways We Lie—Stephanie

Ericsson Civil Disobedience—Henry

David Thoreau The Lottery –Shirley Jackson No Name Woman—Maxine

Hong Kingston

Assessments Ongoing/recurring assessments (see introductory unit)

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In-class essays and timed writings using AP prompts Test: Rhetorical terms and appeals Project: Word Search

o For two weeks, in lieu of collecting new vocabulary words, look for additional examples of words you have already collected. Collect examples from movies, television shows, radio, advertising, political speech, independent reading, and/or assigned readings. Record in your notebook on a designated page. Include the date, source, and complete source sentence, with the word underlined.

Project: Objective questionso Using a given passage and the multiple-choice question stems,

compose 10 AP style objective questions. Make sure each question has two wrong answers, one correct answer, and one confusing distractor.

Composition: Argumento In The Scarlet Letter, an idea is presented that humans love more

readily than they hate. In a well-written essay that incorporates observations, experiences, or readings, defend, refute, or qualify this assumption.

Composition: Analytical Essayo Choose a passage of no more than one page from The Scarlet Letter. In

a well-written essay, analyze the strategies used by Hawthorne and their effects.

Project: Mock Trialo The class will conduct a mock trial to determine the guilt or innocence

of a chosen character. Each student will be assigned a role and be expected to prepare diligently for that role. A jury will be assembled to determine the outcome.

Composition: Argumentationo Find a professional review of The Scarlet Letter. Write a response in

which you defend, challenge, or qualify the reviewer’s claims about the essay.

Project: The Modes Project Part Io Study the characteristics of various modes of writing.o With a partner, choose one mode to become an expert on. You will

read descriptions and characteristics of the mode, study exemplar essays for the mode, and read two additional essays in the mode. Following this preparation, you will create a presentation on your mode with the following components:

Characteristics of the mode Explication of the exemplar essay for the unit and how it fits the

mode Tool or activity to check for the class’s understanding

Composition: The Modes Project Part IIo Demonstrate your understanding of the various modes of writing by

choosing a single topic and treating it in all of the modes we have studied.

Composition: Synthesiso Synthesize at least three of the unit texts to answer one of the

following questions. What do social customs reveal about a culture? What can we learn about ourselves by studying the customs of various cultures?

o Unit Test: Rhetorical Analysis

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Third Quarter—Synthesis

Writing Focus: Synthesis

Topics of Study: Introduction to synthesis Evaluating credibility Developing an independent

thesis Incorporation of sources Citing sources Creating a works cited page Creating a synthesis prompt Formatting a research paper

(MLA style)

Reading Theme: Identity

Walden—Henry David Thoreau But What do You Mean?—

Deborah Tannen Self-Reliance—Ralph Waldo

Emerson Neat People vs. Sloppy People—

Suzanne Britt Professions for Women—

Virginia Woolf Sinners in the Hands of an

Angry God—Jonathan Edwards How it Feels to be Colored Me—

Zora Neale Hurston Theme for English B—Langston

Hughes Thematic poetry—Dickinson,

etc.

Assessments Ongoing/recurring assessments (see introductory unit) In-class essays and timed writings using AP prompts Project: Observation Log

o Tannen outlines some key differences in men’s and women’s modes of communication. For the next week, record your own observations of the differences between men and women’s communication styles.

Composition: Argumentationo Based on your observations, defend, refute, or qualify Tannen’s claims

in her essay about the differences between men and women’s communication techniques.

Test: Comprehensive test over Walden. Composition: Synthesis

o In a well-developed essay, discuss Thoreau’s ideas about the individual especially giving attention to the role of the individual in society. In addition to your own ideas and experience, you must synthesize at least three sources from the unit, one of which must be Walden. Remember to attribute both direct and indirect quotes and to be sure your argument is central to the paper, using the sources as support.

Composition: Junior Theme Literature Reviewo Synthesize and share the ideas presented in the most useful sources

you have read throughout the year. Project: Literary Contest

o Find and enter a writing contest by the end of the third nine weeks. Turn in your submission and proof of entry.

Project: Walden responseo Choose one of the following after completing Walden.

Design a t-shirt that includes quotes from Walden and symbols to represent ideas from the book.

Write a letter to a business or agency in regards to safer, more conservative environmental practices.

Write an interview between Thoreau and Barbara Walters. Record Thoreau’s observations on trends and events today.

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Fourth Quarter—AP Exam Preparation

Writing Focus: All modes

Topics of Study: Review

o Argumentationo Rhetorical Analysiso Synthesis

Test-taking strategies

Reading Theme: What is this World?

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek—Annie Dillard

How to Poison the Earth—Saukko

River Driftwood—Sarah Orne Jewett

The Divine Soil—John Burroughs The Chase—Annie Dillard The Death of the Moth—Virginia

Woolf Death of a Moth—Annie Dillard Once More to the Lake—E. B.

White Homeless—Anna Quindlen Politics and the English

Language—George Orwell

Assessments Ongoing/recurring assessments (see introductory unit) In-class essays and timed writings using AP prompts Test: Full-length AP practice test Composition: Process Essay

o Write a how-to essay providing clear steps on how to complete a specific process. Choose an appropriate tone for your piece, such as Saukko’s sarcastic tone in “How to Poison the Earth.” Participate in a peer review.

Composition: Narrative Essayo Annie Dillard’s “The Chase” is an example of a narrative essay. Recall

a childhood event and write your own narrative essay. Be sure to use descriptive details like Dillard.

Test: Comprehensive test over Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Composition: Argumentation

o Write a review of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Use evidence from the text to defend your claims about the novel.

Composition: Reflective/Descriptive Essayo Write an Annie Dillard-style essay on an aspect of nature. Use

descriptive details and other appropriate strategies to craft your essay, including figurative language, imagery, and diction.

Composition: Compare and contrasto Both White and Woolf’s pieces deal with the idea of death. Write an

essay in which you compare and contrast the manner in which they approach the subject of death and the effects of these choices.

Project: Junior Theme TED Talko Based on your reading throughout the year and in response to your

research question, present your ideas in the format of an 18-minute talk.

Project: Junior Portfolio

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Ratti | AP Language | 2017-2018Category Junior Theme Reading List by Topic Category

Race Contemporary NonfictionAin’t I a Woman—bell hooksBetween the World and Me—Ta-Nehisi CoatesDreams from My Father—Barack ObamaMarch series –John Lewis (*graphic novels)Mississippi: An American Journey—Anthony WaltonOnly the Ball was White—Robert PetersonParting the Water: America in the King Years 1954-63—

Taylor BranchSister Outsider—Audre LordeSpeaking Treason Fluently: Anti-Racist Reflections from

an Angry White Male—Tim WiseThe History of White People—Nell Irvin PainterThe New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of

Colorblindness—Michelle AlexanderWhy Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the

Cafeteria—Beverly Daniel Tatum

Classic/Influential Nonfiction12 Years a Slave—Solomon Northup

Black Boy—Richard WrightNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass—Frederick

DouglassThe Fire Next Time—James BaldwinThe Souls of Black Folk—W.E.B. Du BoisThe Strange Career of Jim Crow—C. Vann Woodward

FictionEverything I Never Told You—Celeste NgHuckleberry Finn—Mark TwainInvisible Man—Ralph EllisonNative Son—Richard WrightTitus Andronicus or Othello—William ShakespeareThe Bluest Eye—Toni MorrisonThe Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven—

Sherman AlexieUncle Tom’s Cabin—Harriet Beecher StoweWelcome to Braggsville—T. Geronimo Johnson

Gender Contemporary NonfictionBeyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out—Susan

KuklinFeminism is for Everybody—bell hooksGender Failure –Ivan E. Coyote and Rae SpoonI am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and

Was Shot by the Taliban—Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead—Sheryl Sandberg

The Second Shift: Working Families and the Revolution at Home--by Arlie Hochschild and Anne Machung

Where the Girls Are: Growing Up Female with the Mass Media—Susan J. Douglas

Classic/Influential NonfictionA Room of One’s Own—Virginia WoolfThe Beauty Myth—Naomi Wolf

The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton—Lucille CliftonThe Feminine Mystique—Betty FriedanThe Second Sex—Simone de BeauvoirVindication of the Rights of Woman—Mary

WollstonecraftThe Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among

Ghosts—Maxine Hong Kingston

FictionFreakboy—Kristin Elizabeth ClarkJane Eyre—Charlotte BronteMiddlesex—Jeffrey EugenidesPersepolis—Marjane Satrapi (*graphic novel, series)The Awakening—Kate ChopinThe Bell Jar—Sylvia PlathThe Color Purple—Alice WalkerThe Doll’s House—Henrik IbsenThe Handmaid’s Tale—Margaret AtwoodThe Stepford Wives—Ira LevinA Thousand Splendid Suns—Khaled Hosseini

Class (Wealth and Poverty)

Contemporary NonfictionFrom Parents to Children: The Intergenerational

Transmission of Advantage—John Ermisch, Markus Jantti, and Timothy M. Smeeding?

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis—J. D. Vance

Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America—Barbara Ehrenreich

Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much—Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir

The American Way of Poverty: How the Other Half Still Lives—Sasha Abramsky

The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap—Matt Taibbi

The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality—Angus Deaton

The Haves and the Have-Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global Inequality—Branko Milanovic

White Trash: The 400-year Untold History of Class in America—Nancy Isenberg

Without a Net: Middle Class and Homeless (with kids) in America—Michelle Kennedy

Classic/Influential NonfictionHow the Other Half Lives—RiisLet Us Now Praise Famous Men—James Agee and Walker

EvansThe Jungle—Upton Sinclair (*fiction)The Other America: Poverty in the United States—Michael

HarringtonFiction

The Grapes of Wrath—John SteinbeckThe Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven—

Sherman AlexieThe Revolution of Every Day—Cari LunaStorming Heaven—Denise GiardinaThe Winter of Our Discontent—John SteinbeckWinter’s Bone—Daniel WoodrellWoman on the Edge of Time—Marge Piercy

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Earth and Environment

Contemporary NonfictionAn Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming—Al

GoreAnimal Vegetable Miracle—Barbara KingsolverCadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing

Water—Marc ReisnerClimate Changed: A Personal Journey Through Science—

Philippe Squarzoni (*graphic novel)Fast Food Nation—Eric SchlosserField Notes from a Catastrophe—Elizabeth KolbertH is for Hawk—Helen MacdonaldThe Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World—

Michael PollanThe End of Nature—Bill McKibbenThe Omnivore’s Dilemma—Michael Pollan

Classic/Influential NonfictionGorillas in the Mist—Dian FosseyMy First Summer in the Sierra—John MuirSilent Spring—Rachel CarsonThe Oregon Trail—Francis Parkman

FictionDune—Frank HerbertOryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood, and/or

MaddAddam—Margaret AtwoodProdigal Summer or Flight Behavior—Barbara

KingsolverThe Monkey Wrench Gang—Edward AbbeyThe Twig Stories Series—Jo Marshall (*graphic novels,

series, for children)

Science and Technology

Contemporary NonfictionEnough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age—Bill

McKibbenHidden Figures—Margot Lee ShetterlyHow We Got to Now—Steven JohnsonInnumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its

Consequences—John Allen PaulosSmarter Than You Think: How Technology Is Changing

Our Minds for the Better—Clive ThompsonThe Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer:

Siddhartha MukherjeeThe Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard

Observatory Took The Measure of the StarsThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks—Rebecca SklootThe Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining

Women—Kate MooreThe Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains—

Nicholas CarrThe Sixth Extinction—Elizabeth KolbertThe Wright Brothers—David McCullough

Classic/Influential NonfictionOn the Origin of Species—Charles DarwinThe Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of

the Structure of DNA—James D. WatsonThe Mysterious Universe—Sir James Jeans

Fiction

Brave New World—Aldous HuxleyFeed—M. T. AndersonGoing Postal—Terry PratchettI, Robot—Isaac AsimovIncandescence—Greg EganJurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, or Next—Michael

CrichtonNeuromancer—William GibsonReady Player One—Ernest ClineThe Circle—Dave EggersThe Dispossessed—Ursula Le GuinThe Unit—Ninni Holmqvist

Governance Contemporary NonfictionAmerican Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House—Jon

MeachamGuantanamo Diary--Mohamedou Ould SlahiSymphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich

and the Siege of Leningrad—M. T. AndersonTeam of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln—

Doris Kearns GoodwinThe Audacity of Hope—Barack ObamaThe Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court—

Jeffrey ToobinWashington: A Life—Ron Chernow

Classic/Influential NonfictionGuerilla Warfare—Ernesto Che GuevaraThe Art of War—Sun TzuThe Communist Manifesto—Karl MarxThe Origins of Totalitarianism—Hannah ArendtThe Prince—Niccolo MachiavelliThe Rights of Man or Common Sense—Thomas Paine

Fiction1984—George OrwellAll the King’s Men—Robert Penn WarrenAtlas Shrugged—Ayn RandCatch-22—Joseph HellerDarkness at Noon—Arthur KoestlerGods and Generals—Jeff ShaaraIt Can’t Happen Here—Sinclair LewisPrimary Colors—Anonymous (Joe Klein)The Handmaid’s Tale—Margaret AtwoodThe Killer Angels—Michael ShaaraThe Man in the High Castle—Philip K. DickWag the Dog (originally published as American Hero)—

Larry Beinhart

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Conventions of Academic WritingBasics

1. Proofread your work carefully, and don’t turn in a final copy until it looks exactly the way you want it to.

2. Remember that there are different expectations for spoken and written English. Make sure to use appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure in your writing.

3. Break up long chunks of text into paragraphs so your reader will have time to rest.

4. Combine short, choppy paragraphs into longer, more interesting ones.

5. Spell words correctly.

6. Use the right word. Avoid mixing up words that sound alike, using a word with the wrong shade of meaning, or using a word with a completely wrong meaning. Many wrong-word errors are due to the improper use of homonyms - words that are pronounced alike but spelled differently, such as here and hear. Some wrong-word errors are transposals like form/from, for/fro, eat/ate, causal/casual.

7. Capitalize the first word in a sentence, the first word of a quotation, proper nouns, and the word I.

8. Spell out numbers of fewer than three words: twenty-four, seven, 365.

9. Use apostrophes to show possession (Donna’s cat, the cats’ toys) or to show that letters have been left out (don’t, she’s).

10. Do not use an apostrophe to indicate a plural form of a word. Only use it to indicate possession: My cats are always eating, not My cat’s are always eating.

11. The verb seen is always used with a helping verb, never alone: (I had seen, I was seen, I have seen, never I seen).

Sentence Structure

12. Combine short, choppy sentences into longer, more interesting ones.

13. Avoid comma splices, because a comma isn’t strong enough to join two sentences. Use a period, semi-colon, or a comma with a conjunction instead.

14. Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined with and, but, or, nor, so, for, yet, or because.

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15. Do not connect more than two independent clauses in a sentence.

16. Avoid run-on sentences: read your pieces aloud to yourself and put periods where you hear your voice drop and stop.

17. Avoid sentence fragments: make sure the words between periods can stand alone.

18. Use a plural subject with a plural verb (we were, they are) and a singular verb with a singular subject (he was, she is).

19. Maintain a consistent verb tense, unless you have a good reason for switching.

20. Avoid Parallel Structure errors. Each item in a list must be phrased in the same way as the others. Revise to make the structures match. (Wrong- I like biking, to shop, and going to movies with friends. Correct- I like biking, shopping, and seeing movies with friends.)

Word Choice

21. Use the word Who to refer to people, that to refer to things or animals.

22. Avoid starting a sentence with well in writing.

23. Use really when you mean very or quite. Use real when you mean not fake.

24. There is a place, or the beginning of a sentence; their means belonging to them; there is a contraction of they are

25. Use its to mean belonging to it; use it's only when you mean it is or it has.

26. Your means belonging to you; you’re is a contraction of you are.

27. The past tense is usually formed with the verb “to have:” I give, I have given, I could have given, never could of given.

28. Avoid vague words like things and stuff. Use a specific word to name the things and stuff you mean.

29. Avoid inappropriate words for academic writing, including the dead words, slang, informal or juvenile phrasing. (Martin Luther King had lots of awesome ideas.)

30. In academic writing, use a literal and direct style. Avoid clichés and metaphors. (This will be the end of the road for healthcare reform.)

31. First/Second person pronouns are (generally) prohibited in academic writing. Avoid I/me/we/us/my/mine/our/ours/you/your/yours.

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Quotation Marks/Use of Source Information/Dialogue32. When writing dialogue or quoting, capitalize the first word of a quote; put quotation

marks around the exact words people say; use a tag to identify who said the quote; separate the quote from the tag with a comma, exclamation point or question mark; and make sure commas and periods are inside the quotation marks. (As Mrs. Ratti often says, “Authors make choices.”)

33. Avoid floating quotes. Quotes must be integrated into your sentences; you must either begin or end the quote with your words.

34. Quote verbatim. Quotations must be transcribed exactly as they appear in the original. Minor changes to format are permissible in some cases but must be indicated with brackets.

35. Paraphrase or plagiarism? If you choose to paraphrase your source rather than quoting, you must rewrite the source information in your own words. Paraphrases that are too close to the original phrasing are considered plagiarism.

36. Any information gathered from a source must be clearly attributed and correctly cited, even if you paraphrase rather than quoting the material. MLA format requires a parenthetical citation consisting of the author’s last name and the page number where the information is found (if available). All sources must appear on a list of Works Cited at the end of the paper.

37. When writing dialogue, start a new paragraph whenever the speaker changes.

Titles/Literature

38. When writing titles, capitalize the first word, the last word, and all important words in between. (A Tale of Two Cities)

39. When writing titles of long works (books, movies, TV series, music albums, etc.) use italics (or underline if italics is not available). When writing titles of short works (poems, short stories, TV episodes) use quotation marks. Do not use punctuation in the title of your paper.

40. Write about literature in the present tense, because it’s always happening. (Bella meets an adorable vampire.)

Commas

41. Do not use a comma between the two parts of a compound verb. (She loved her dog and hated her cat)

42. Put a comma between two adjectives only if the word and can replace the comma. (The charming, beautiful homecoming queen was also the class valedictorian.)

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43. When you address someone in writing set off the name with a comma. (Honey, how are you? Mom, I’m fine.)

44. Use a comma after a long phrase at the beginning of a sentence. (As I walked through the woods, I saw a monster approach.)

45. Use a comma to separate nonessential elements from the rest of the sentence. (My mother, the best cook in three states, made me a raspberry cheesecake for my birthday.)

46. Do not use a comma to separate essential elements from the rest of the sentence. (People who enjoy Jack Johnson’s music will also like Mason Jennings.)

47. Use a comma to separate items in a series, including before the conjunction. (I bought apples, pears, pumpkins, and lettuce at the farmer’s market.)

Pronouns

48. Use a singular pronoun with a singular indefinite pronoun. (Each of the puppies thrived in its new home. Every student must provide his or her own uniform.)

49. When including yourself in a compound subject, always list yourself last, and always use the pronoun I. (John and I love pizza. not Me and John love pizza.).

50. Avoid unclear pronoun antecedents. When using pronouns (it, them, this, he), it is essential to make sure the reader knows to what/to whom you are referring. (Unclear-This will cause serious problems. Should be-This decision will cause serious problems.)

Modifiers

51. Avoid misplaced modifiers-- place descriptive elements as close as possible to the words they describe. (Wrong-The hikers could see eagles swooping and diving with binoculars. Correct- With binoculars, the hikers could see eagles swooping and diving.)

52. Avoid dangling modifiers—make sure descriptive elements are describing words that are in your text. (Wrong-Looking down the sandy beach, people are tanning themselves. Should be- Looking down the sandy beach, we see that people are tanning themselves.)

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