PAP/AP English Handbook

Grades 9-12

Broken BowHigh School

PAP/AP English Program

2010-2011

Board of Education Approved 08/02/10

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Signature Page

The purpose of this handbook is to outline the course descriptions of PAP/AP English courses at BrokenBowHigh School and to compile information used throughout the program so as to minimize the need for duplication. This handbook is also designed to enable the PAP/AP English teachers to vertically align the curriculum and effectively team.

I, ______, PAP/AP English student at BBHS, acknowledge receipt of this handbook and have read and understand the course descriptions included herein. I understand that this handbook is intended for use only in the PAP/AP English program and will be used grades 9-12. In the event that this book is misplaced, damaged, or defaced, I understand that it will cost $5 to replace the book.

Student Signature ______

Date ______

I, ______, parent of PAP/AP English student at BBHS, acknowledge receipt of this handbook and have read and understand the course descriptions included herein. I understand that this handbook is intended for use only in the PAP/AP English program and will be used grades 9-12. In the event that this book is misplaced, damaged, or defaced, I understand that it will cost $5 to replace the book.

Parent Signature ______

Date ______

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Table of Contents

Benefits of the AP Program...... 2

Overview of BBHS PAP/AP English Program...... 3

How Does the PAP/AP English Class Differ from the Traditional Class?...... 7

Why Literature Matters...... 8

BBHS PAP/AP Literature Selections...... 9

PAP/AP Works for Outside Reading...... 10

Reading Card Assignment...... 17

AP Terminology...... 18

AP Essay Ingredients...... 33

Suggestions and Tips for AP Essay Questions and Timed Writings...... 34

R.E.A.F.I...... 35

Using Quotes in Essays...... 36

Modern Language Association (MLA) In-Text Citations...... 37

Integrating Quotations...... 38

Synonyms for Said...... 39

Transitions and Paragraph Hooks...... 40

Avoiding Common Writing Errors...... 41

Revision Involves Change...... 42

MLA Works Cited and Documentation Formats...... 43

Generic Scoring Guide for AP Essay Questions...... 45

Tone Vocabulary...... 46

DIDLS...... 48

TPCASTT...... 49

SOAPS...... 50

The Reading Log...... 51

Annotating Texts...... 53

Rules for Literary Analysis...... 55

Theme Statements...... 56

Point of View...... 57

The Various “-Isms” of Fiction...... 58

Teaching Archetypes...... 59

Guided Graded Discussion...... 63

Tips for Oral Presentations...... 64

Recommended Resources for PAP/AP English Students...... 65

Resources for this Handbook...... 66

Benefits of the Advanced Placement (AP) Program

For Colleges and Universities:

It identifies and attracts highly motivated students who have succeeded in rigorous, college-level courses and demonstrated their ability through demanding national examinations.

It provides admissions officers with an excellent predictor of student success in college.

It enables students to diversify and deepen their college curriculum by placing them out of introductory level college courses to which they have demonstrated competence.

It improves the articulation of college and high school curricula.

For High Schools:

It enhances the quality of the curriculum.

It encourages focused efforts in curriculum alignment.

It challenges the academically capable students.

It provides opportunities for the faculty to teach capable, motivated students in demanding courses.

It affords rewarding in-service opportunities for motivated faculty members.

It gives the college-preparatory program a reputation for high quality and standards.

For Students:

It provides college credit for courses taken in high school.

It develops the analytical and study skills required to succeed in college courses.

It motivates students to undertake more challenging work in both high school and college.

It provides direction in selecting college majors.

It sets students on a more likely path to college graduation, double majors, and graduate school.


Overview of BBHS PAP/AP English

PAP/AP English Course Description:

At the high school level, Pre-Advanced Placement (PAP) and Advanced Placement (AP) classes serve two purposes: (1) to prepare high school students for college level work and (2) to allow students to receive college credit based upon successful performance on the College Board AP Exams following AP English III and AP English IV.

Pre-Advanced Placement (Pre-AP) classes give the students the opportunity to practice (at the appropriate level) skills that will enable them to be successful in the AP classes taken their 11th and 12th grade years. Pre-AP classes will expose students to the type of expectations and activities required by the AP program. Pre-AP classes lay the foundation for success not only in the upper level English classes, but also ultimately in college course work itself. Even though it is not required that a student be enrolled in PAP classes before their AP classes, it is highly recommended since the AP teachers have aligned the curriculum. Students enrolling in AP classes will be expected to perform the skills learned in the previous classes and no remediation or special allowances will be made for those who did not take the PAP classes. (Students who are willing to do voluntary assignments to "catch up" may talk to the appropriate instructor for advice on what they should study.)

Advanced Placement Language and Composition is typically taken the 11th grade year. There is an emphasis on expository, analytical, and argumentative writing. In May of each year, students may pay to take the AP Language and Composition Exam given by College Board. If students score high enough, they may earn college credit. The needed score and the amount of credit earned are determined by each university. It is recommended that students research the universities that they wish to attend to see what is required to receive credit. Since this class is preparing the student to possibly earn college credit, it is treated as a mini-college class on a high school campus. According to the information on the College Board website:

Upon completing the AP English Language and Composition course . . .

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.

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition is typically taken the 12th grade year. There is an emphasis on expository, analytical, and argumentative writing. In May of each year, students may pay to take the AP Language and Composition Exam given by College Board. If students score high enough, they may earn college credit. The needed score and the amount of credit earned are determined by each university. It is recommended that students research the universities that they wish to attend to see what is required to receive credit. Since this class is preparing the student to possibly earn college credit, it is treated as a mini-college class on a high school campus. According to the information on the College Board website:

[S]tudents in an AP English Literature and Composition course read

actively. The works taught in the course require careful, deliberative

reading. Andthe approach to analyzing and interpreting the material

involves students in learninghow to make careful observations of textual

detail, establish connections among theirobservations, and draw from

those connections a series of inferences leading to aninterpretive

conclusion about a piece of writing’s meaning and value . . . . Writing is an

integral part of the AP English Literature and Composition course

and exam. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature

and includeexpository, analytical, and argumentative essays . . . . The

writing that studentsproduce in the course reinforces their reading. Since

reading and writing stimulateand support one another, they are taught

together in order to underscore both theircommon and their distinctive

elements. [Two different types of questions are typically included on the

exam:] (1) ananalysis of a passage or poem in which students are

required to discuss how particularliterary elements or features contribute

to meaning; and (2) an “open’’ question inwhich students are asked to

select a literary work and discuss its relevant features inrelation to the

question provided.

Successful PAP/AP students are typically task oriented, proficient readers who are able to set priorities with regard to time and responsibilities. Parent support of the program also plays a key role in the success of these students.

Research has proven that reading comprehension is the best indicator of future success in upper-level studies and college courses. The only way for that skill to develop is through consistent practice; therefore, PAP/AP English courses require students to read many works of literature each year.

PAP/AP ENGLISH COURSE CRITERION
Entrance Requirements: Students who intend to enroll in the Pre AP/AP English program must meet or exceed all of the following requirements:
  • Students must test at or exceed grade level requirements on the 8th grade CRTtest upon entering high school (score of satisfactory or advanced)AND
  • Students must demonstrate appropriate grade- level proficiency in reading, writing, and grammarAND
  • Students must have received an “A” in previous English course OR meet with a committee which may approve entry based on circumstances, test scores, and ability. This committee will consist of English teachers, administrator, and a counselor.
Summer Assignments: All students desiring to enter a PAP/AP English course must successfully complete the summer reading assignment. The student must receive a passing score on both the written test given at the beginning of the school year and the summer project(s) as assigned by the instructor for any material assigned as summer reading. (Students on probation may have additional requirements to stay in the program. This could include exercises in grammar, writing, or literature based on the student’s need.)
Grade Criteria: Students who intend to enroll in the PAP/AP English course should enroll with the desire to excel and be successful, and they should be well-aware of the expectations that they must meet. To remain a part of the Advanced Placement Program, students must maintain at least a C average for each nine weeks term. If a student receives a D for the nine weeks, they will be placed on probation for the following nine weeks. If they do not bring the D up to a C, they will be dismissed from the program. If a student receives an F for the nine weeks, they will be dismissed from the program and returned to a traditional English class. Failures based on absences are not exempt from this policy. All decisions can be appealed to the AP committee consisting of the high school principal, the student's guidance counselor, the current English teacher, and the English Department Chair. (If the current English teacher and the Chair is the same person, another teacher from the AP English department may be asked to serve on the committee.)
The PAP/AP English Course Expectations are as follows:
Late work: PAP/AP courses do not allow credit for late work. If students do not turn in assignments by the due date and time, they will receive a zero for that assignment.
Retesting: PAP/AP courses do not allow for retesting. Students must be prepared for every test.
Reading: Students enrolled in PAP/AP courses must complete the summer reading assignments for that grade level. If a student fails to successfully complete the assignments before the first day of class, they will automatically be enrolled in a traditional English class instead of the PAP or AP class. In addition, students and parents should know that reading assignments for the school year are both strenuous and strict.
Academic Dishonesty: The following are types of academic dishonesty that will not be tolerated. Students are asked to submit their own original work for every assignment.
A. Plagiarism: This occurs when an individual uses another person's ideas,
expressions, or writing as if they were his/her own.
I. Copying Verbatim: This is the most common form and happens when
an individual copies words, expressions, or ideas directly from
another source (ex. book, article, Internet, lab report, friend, etc.)
without giving proper credit to the author.
II. Paraphrasing: An individual borrows written ideas from a source and
rewrites them in his/her own words but does not give credit to the
original author. This can also be done by replacing just a few
words of the original source.
III. Use of an idea: An individual adapts an idea from another source
without giving proper credit. (ex. When a student is asked to write
an original piece such as a short story, they may borrow ideas
from a TV program, video, article, or classmate.)
B. Sharing Ideas During Test Situations: This can be sharing answers on a
take-home exam or a classroom test. It can also be asking/telling other
students what is on a test/quiz.
  1. Cheating on Tests, Quizzes, and Homework: This can be bringing answers
into the test room, copying from another student, or using notes or
technology which includes, but is not limited to, Cliffs Notes (or any other
company's notes), Internet, etc.
D. Copying Homework: Getting help on homework often leads to some form
of academic dishonesty. If a student has a question about an assignment,
he or she is encouraged to consult with the teacher.
Academic Dishonesty will result in the following:
First Offense: The student will receive a zero on the assignment with no
opportunity to make up the assignment.
Second Offense: The student will be removed from the Advanced
Placement Program and placed in traditional English classes.
This policy encompasses all four years of high school; therefore, they offenses
will accrue. For example, if a student is caught in some form of academic
dishonesty in their freshman year, it is a first offense. If they are caught again in
their junior year, it is considered a second offense and they will be placed in a
traditional English class.

How does the PAP/AP English Class Differ from the Traditional Class?

Class Content:

  • Less or no use of the chronological and historical approach to English, World, and American Literature
  • More use of thematic and skill approaches to literature study
  • Longer, more challenging research projects, with emphasis on literary analysis
  • Focus on skill areas which directly relate to the kind of thinking and writing demanded by the national AP exams, such as critical reading, timed writings, style analysis, and independent novel and drama study
  • A summer reading requirement

To succeed, AP students must:

  • Be able to read very well
  • Be confident in class discussion and oral expression
  • Be able to listen and participate in the thoughtful exchange of ideas
  • Take responsibility for reading and writing assignments without relying on Cliff's Notes, Internet summaries, and other available resources
  • Be able to accept and to offer constructive criticism
  • Be able to accept and to offer questions for which there are no clear answers
  • Possess writing abilities which demonstrate control of mechanics, grammar and usage, organization, diction, and syntax
  • Seek out challenges and new concepts
  • Possess a respect and regard for literature, composition, and learning in general
  • Be willing to go beyond the minimum requirements of any assignment

Why Literature Matters

By Donald G. Smith, ApolloHigh School, Glendale, AZ

Taken from Excerpts from an article in English Journal, November 1999

Reading literature matters because it makes life livelier, deeper, and occasionally comprehensible…

  1. The escape angle: …literature can remind us that ours is not the only awareness out there; our isolation is an illusion.
  1. The empathy angle: …we often read to find out what happens to people whom we care…this act of caring exercises the soul and may immunize it against an increasingly uncaring world.
  1. The mirror angle: …reading is a cooperative effort of creation between the writer and the reader…and what we create can open up heretofore hidden or forgotten recesses, moving us in new and powerful ways. It can reintroduce us to ourselves.
  1. The time machine angle: …reading allows us to converse with the greatest minds in history…we can take part in the Great Conversation of humanity.
  1. The cultural heritage angle: …we are our past and books are the lasting record of the past. They are a form of immortality wherein past consciousness is resurrected within our minds; we become the vehicles for its afterlife.
  1. The language angle: …we think in words, and our understanding of images is accomplished through the tools of language. Reading helps us hone our own linguistic edge, improves the power of our thinking, and delights us with becoming better craftpersons of thought. Reading makes us potent thinkers.
  1. The art angle: …great art endures because it is true and as such contains all the depth, details, texture, and wholeness that truth entails…Art connects humanity through archetypes that we all recognize on some level.
  1. The lifesaver angle: … literature can warm, motivate, inspire, and instruct.
  1. The reading of life angle: … reading teaches us to construct contexts, temporarily suspend understanding, make and check hypotheses, and closely read the details for significance.
  1. The fear of change angle: …perhaps by consulting with our elders, heeding their advice, and following their examples we can reestablish some sense of well-being and equilibrium in something permanent. Our times are in need of their wisdom.

LITERATURE MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS WHO WE ARE. EVERY HUMAN DREAM, FEAR, HOPE, AND BELIEF IS THERE!