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Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
This is an advanced placement course that high school students
can take in place of the Freshman Composition courses offered at most
colleges. The course focuses on rhetoric and argument, most
clearly evinced in nonfiction.
SPRING SEMESTER 2007-2008
Here is the schedule for Spring Semester: AP English Language Spring Schedule 2007-2008
Mr. Thornton intends to critically assess student-written essays
based on the AP 0-9 scale. In many cases, students may find that their
grades for these essays are adversely affecting their grades for the
class. However, during the course of the semester, students will have
plenty of opportunities, including the revision of essays, to raise
these grades.
Here is a list of literary terms that students should become familiar
with by the end of the year: AP Literary Terms List
Students with Fs were given hard copies of their progress reports the week of April 21. All late work must be turned in by May 1.
Week of May 5, 2008:
Students are watching a movie in class and must write a review. Here is the assignment for Block B3, watching Rivers and Tides: Movie Review Rivers and Tides 2007
Block W2 is watching a Spike Lee film: Review of Bamboozled
In class we reviewed the following handouts on terms and strategies, listed together here in one document: Review of Rhetorical Terms and Strategies for Test
Week of April 28, 2008:
Students are finishing their papers on Native Son, and preparing for the AP test. Here is a list of pointers to keep in mind while taking the test: Tips on Taking the AP English Language Test
Week of April 21, 2008:
Students must plan an essay based on Steele's Being Black and Middle Class in 50 Essays, the Barack Obama speech, and The Atlantic article on Bill Cosby - these last two available online in the previous week's notes: Race Prompt Planning
Students can use this edit to improve their draft of the Native Son paper: Native Son Edit 2007
Week of April 14, 2008:
Students are reading an article by Shelby Steele in 50 Essays, "On Being Black and Middle Class"; they will compare this essay to Barack Obama's race speech, Barak Obama's Race Speech, and an article in The Atlantic about Bill Cosby, available via this link: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200805/cosby
The draft of their papers on Native Son is due at the start of next week.
Week of April 7, 2008:
The literary terms assignment is due this week; as well as the outline of a paper on Native Son. Students will take an AP released multiple choice test this week.
Week of March 31, 2008:
A prompt and overview, along with three research articles on Native Son, are due this week.
In class students read Is America Falling Apart? by Anthony Burgess, and spent thirty minutes organizing an essay in which they would compare this Burgess article to one by de Crevecoeur that they previously read. They were told to list... (1) what they would emphasize in their essay - the tone or purpose, or the essay writing technique that defined the articles; (2) the key words that they would employ to define the emphasis - the buzz words or jargon that they have become familiar with, like definition, deduction, logos, etc.; (3) the less obvious gems in the essays that would demonstrate their close reading of the articles; and (4) the textual references that they would employ to show their thinking.
Week of March 17, 2008:
Here is the assignment on Native Son, along with the schedule for the various pieces: Native Son Assignment 2007
Here are a series of articles and definitions that students can use for their Native Son papers:
Here is the introduction that Richard Wright wrote for the first edition of Native Son: How Bigger Was Born 2007 This can also be used as one of the research articles.
Week of March 10, 2008:
During conferences last week, a few students expressed the desire to work on splicing quotes from research into their essays. This list of transitional words might help in mastering this skill: Transitions List and Examples
They should have read the first book of Native Son by Richard Wright. We will be discussing this in class this week. It is imperative that students have read Book 1, Fear, by Monday, March 17, in order to brainstorm ideas for essays and for the sake of discussion.
Here is the introduction that Richard Wright wrote for the first edition of Native Son: How Bigger Was Born 2007
Week of March 3, 2008:
Here are a few lists of words that might help students in their analyses: Tone Words New List Diction Words Ways To Say Says
Here is the revision sheet for the American Identity essay: Style Revision Sheet 2007
Week of February 25, 2008:
Students are continuing to investigate American Identity, through reading and discussions. They read the Liu and Silko essays in 50 Essays, and reviewed essay writing techniques.
Here is a summary of sentence structures: Sentence Structures
Week of February 20, 2008:
Students have an essay based on either the Ericsson or Cofer essays, described in the previous week's posting, due this week. They also have a new essay that requires various resources due March 3: American Identity Assignment The research for this essay requires that they read chapters 14 and 22 of Everything's an Argument.
Students should get a copy of Native Son by Richard Wright by March 3.
Week of February 11, 2008:
For next week, students should revise their American Idealism essays; and read the essays by Ericsson and Cofer in 50 Essays.
After reading the Ericsson and Cofer essays, students should write an essay modeled after one or the other: the essay can break down a practice like lying into its multiple facets and examine the repercussions of each, ala Ericsson; or can examine the ways a person is stereotyped, and what that can mean in his development, like Cofer's essay. In either case, the essay should include division and classification; and at least six facets or categories. This should only run two pages typed maximum.
Week of February 4, 2008:
Students are reading two essays from the 50 Essays book: Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell, and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift. They will be writing multiple choice questions about these essays.
For next week, students should read pages 491-513, Chapter 17 on Fallacies of Argument, in Everything's an Argument.
Since students are currently looking at America in terms of its idealism and the responsibilities of its citizens, it seems like a good time to discuss how America is identified through song lyrics. For next week, students should bring in a recording that speaks about how America is viewed. They should email me the lyrics so that I can project them while we listen to the song: Michael_Thornton@dpsk12.org
We talked of Plato's forms, and viewed this website of Komar and Melamid's research on the paintings preferred by various cultures: http://www.diacenter.org/km/
Week of January 28, 2008:
Students are discussing essays from the last chapter of Everything's an Argument, in preparation for writing prompts and an essay on American Idealism: American Idealism Essay
Here is an assignment which includes a long list of literary terms, which differs from the list provided at the top of this page. This list focuses more on writing than on literature: Literary Terms Assignment 2007
Week of January 22, 2008:
Students finished a literary term quiz, and then discussed rhetorical strategies, and multiple choice questions. These two downloads summarize what was discussed: Strategies and Devices in Rhetoric and Multiple Choice Question Types
For next Monday, students should read Chapter 28 of Everything's an Argument, pages 979-1084.
Week of January 14, 2008:
Students read the Sedaris essay in 50 Essays, and Chapter 27 in Everything's an Argument. They have an essay on education due next week: Education Essay 2007
Week of January 8, 2008:
By Thursday, January 10, students should examine the This I Believe website - http://www.thisibelieve.org - to prepare to write an essay in the style of Henry Thoreau.
In class, students read Thoreau's Where I Lived, and What I Lived For; summarized each paragraph in one sentence; and were assigned the task of writing an essay modeled on Thoreau and the This I Believe template. This essay is due on Monday, January 14.
FALL SEMESTER 2007-2008
Here is the syllabus for the class: AP English Language Syllabus 2007-2008
Mr. Thornton intends to critically assess student-written essays based on the AP 0-9 scale. In many cases, students may find that their grades for these essays are adversely affecting their grades for the class. However, during the course of the semester, students will have plenty of opportunities, including the revision of essays, to raise these grades.
Here is a list of literary terms that students should become familiar
with by the end of the year: AP Literary Terms List
Week of December 17, 2007:
Students should write an essay based on the photo of a celebrity as outlined in question 3 on pages 76 and 77 of Everything's An Argument, for Wednesday and Thursday.
Week of December 9, 2007:
Students will be taking their final exam - a multiple choice and essay test along the lines of a typical AP exam - on Thursday and Friday of this week, to accommodate the Orchestra students who will be gone next week. In preparation for the test, students need to read Letter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in their 50 Essays book. Here is an electronic copy: Letter from Birmingham Jail by King
Week of December 3, 2007:
Students must write an essay on ownership using one of the prompts on page 2 of the following assignment: Ownership Essay 2007 This is due Tuesday, December 11.
Students should read pages 45-101 in Everything's an Argument by Monday, December 10.
Week of November 26, 2007:
Students continue working on their research papers on their novels. A draft of their paper is due this week. They are also continuing a unit on intellectual property and ownership, for which they will have to write an essay due next week.
Here is the edit which I will be using for student papers; looking at it as you write the rough draft might help: Independent Novel Edit
Week of November 13, 2007:
As students learn more about argument and rhetoric, it's helpful to revisit how a writer's style influences his attempts to persuade: Rhetoric and Style Explanations
Students will be discussing intellectual property this week, and should think about how this idea of ownership pertains to the arts. They will also be visiting the computer lab to research their books.
Week of November 5, 2007:
Here's a website that includes MLA guidelines which students should use in their research paper: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
Novel Paper Outlines are due this week.
Students should read Chapters 18, 19, and 20 of Everything's an Argument by November 13.
Week of October 29, 2007:
In addition to analyzing the argument of the October 28 lead editorial of the Washington Post, students should also look at the glossary on their i-claim CD, and read the following definitions: claim, data, evidence, warrant, syllogism, and enthymeme.
By November 1, students should read the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson in 50 Essays.
For next week, students should read pages 367-410 in Everything's an Argument - these are two chapters that focus on linguistic style in argument.
Week of October 22, 2007:
For next week, students should submit a prompt that they intend to write about in their research paper on their independent novel. Here is the assignment and schedule for this project: Independent Novel Assignment and Schedule They should by now have read about one-quarter of their individual books.
By October 29, students should have read the editorial from Sunday's Washington Post, and analyzed its argument in terms of audience, purpose, and persona. Here's a link for the website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/opinions/index.html
Week of October 15, 2007:
For Monday, October 22, students should read chapter 1 of Everything's an Argument, pages 1-44. Also, students have an essay to write on friendship, described at the bottom of this exercise: Friendship Essay 2007
By Wednesday, October 17, they should read the Sullivan essay in 50 Essays.
Here are examples of logical fallacies: Logical Fallacies
Week of October 8, 2007:
Here are the types of definitions, which might help in your language essay: Types of Definitions 2007
For essays that emphasize description, consider using these guidelines: Description Guidelines 2007
For next week, students should write an essay in which they describe a place that represents a significant memory of theirs. This should focus on a real place, like the lake in E.B.White's essay or Rainy Mountain. Focus on sensory details, and try to derive some universal meaning from this memoir.
Week of October 1, 2007:
Students should read Gloria Anzaldua's How To Tame a Wild Tongue in their 50 Essays. Students took a short test on this essay.
For next week, students should write an essay in which they discuss the various languages that they use in their lives, focusing on three different languages. Use the essays by Amy Tan, Richard Rodriquez, and Gloria Anzaldua as models. Include definition, analysis, and examples of the languages.
They should also read by October 9 Once More to the Lake by E. B. White in 50 Essays.
Week of September 24, 2007:
Students should read the Mukherjee and Rodriquez essays in 50 Essays by Thursday.
Students have a worksheet and essay utilizing comparison and contrast due next week: Compare and Contrast Worksheet 2007
Week of September 17, 2007:
Students were assigned literary terms to present to the class in an unforgettable manner.
They read Joan Didion's On Keeping a Notebook in 50 Essays, and were asked to write short answers to the first two questions listed at the conclusion of the essay. In class they read William Stafford's On Writing, and were asked to write an essay analyzing a process that they are familiar with, but something outside of their majors. They should spend at most an hour on this essay. It is due next week.
A few weeks ago, alternative essay types were discussed in class. Here's the overhead from that discussion: Alternative Essay Types 2007
Week of September 10, 2007:
Students met with the instructor on writing goals; and took a test based on an essay in their 50 Essays, Death of a Moth by Virginia Woolf, and an essay distributed in class, The Spider and the Wasp by Petrunkevitch.
They signed up for authors to research on the following list: Representative Authors Assignment 2007
If a student was not in class to sign up, he should see the instructor about available authors.
Week of September 4, 2007:
Ms. Penley talked to students about college admission essays. They are to submit an essay by next week that reflects their identity. The guidelines were distributed by Ms. Penley in class. The essay should be 1-2 typed pages long.
Students should read by Monday "The Death of a Moth" by Virginia Woolf in their 50 Essays book.
Week of August 27, 2007:
Students are taking a full scale AP English Language test this week.
Students should consider setting up a reading journal, making use of the following guidelines: Reading Journal
The text books are in. Students can purchase these from the treasurer for $75. They should recieve Everything's An Argument, 50 Essays, and a disc titled i-claim.
Students should examine the attached sheet to determine what writing
goals they want to work on in this class: Writing Survey
They will be meeting individually with the instructor next week to talk about this.
Week of August 20, 2007:
First assignment due next week: Literacy Autobiography 2007
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