Tentative Syllabus: English IV-AP 2013-2014

Mrs. Liza Lopez-Cantu, Rm 138

Mrs. Estela Salinas, Rm 141

Objectives:

  • To become acquainted with history, the literature, and the major writers of the English literary periods and paying special attention to literature from the 16th century to present day.
  • To read and analyze selected plays and novels outside the classroom setting.*
  • To improve writing skills by developing a broader vocabulary, utilizing various organizational techniques and sentence structures as well as mastering effective use of rhetoric by writing various types of compositions, with special emphasis on the AP© essay.**
  • To help students improve grammar skills such as sentence structure, organization as well as help students develop a balance between generalizations and details in their writing.
  • To compare and contrast the works and styles of selected poets and short story writers.
  • To participate in independent and group projects including peer editing and reviews.
  • To participate in oral presentations.
  • To demonstrate skill in research writing through short research projects.
  • To review literary terms and become acquainted with new ones.
  • To compare the Greek tragedy with the Shakespearean tragedy.
  • To become acquainted with critical strategies for reading.
  • To read selections from British, American and World literature paying special attention to literature from the 16th century to present day.
  • To practice AP strategies through released AP© tests and other AP© materials inclusive timed AP© practice exams and in-class timed AP© essays.
  • To prepare for the college application process and SAT examinations by writing college application essays and introducing SAT vocabulary.
  • To bond better with students.

Resources:

* The Bedford Introduction to Literature 8th ed.

* Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style

* Critical analyses on various authors and works

* An Image of Africa: “Racism in Heart of Darkness” by Chinua Achebe

* “Critical Debate” (critiques on various aspects of Heart of Darkness)

Pre-Course Reading:

  • The Awakening by Kate Chopin
  • The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka,
  • Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Other Required Outside Reading:

  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
  • Hamlet by William Shakespeare
  • Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
  • Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
  • Selections from Bedford and other sources
  • Student choice of novel from assigned reading list: Lord of the Flies, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Animal Farm, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Bless Me Ultima, The Joy Luck Club, The Kite Runner, Frankenstein, Grendel, and Dracula

Grade distribution:

*Major Assignments: 60%

Exams, Essays, Research Projects, etc.

*Minor Assignments: 40%

Daily work, journals, rough drafts, some presentations, etc

** No late work is accepted in AP.

*Reading Assignments:

One of the most important requirements of this class is the reading assignment, therefore, read with care and read on time. If you are not used to reading, you need to plan time around your schedule to do so because even though most of the reading assignments are not entirely lengthy, they are rich in meaning and require time to understand the reading. The class will include the four genres: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Drama, and Poetry, and it will include a careful observation of the work’s style, structure, themes, as well as its social and historical values. Poetry should always be read at least twice.

**Written Assignments: Writing assignments will be submitted to an authentication program.

Analytical essays will be graded on the basis of overall organization, textual evidence, and understanding of the task such as but not limited to: personal, comprehension, expository, interpretation, persuasive, and timed AP© writing assignments. Students are expected to produce creative writing as well.

Mini-lessons on complex grammar and usage issues will be addressed as needed.

All Major Writing Assignments will include a specific AP© grading rubric. The rubric will be reviewed before each writing assignment is due.

*All written assignments must be written in a neat and legible manner.

**Students with excessive or repetitive mistakes in grammar/mechanics are expected to conference with the

teacher or attend tutoring.

Tentative Timeline: WA= writing assignment

RA= Reading assignment

Week: / Topic / Resource / Skill / Assessment
1 / Orientation/College Entrance Essay / Sample Essays
SAT Voc List- 1 every week, except during semester exams / Creating Voice
Active/Passive Voice
Details
Anecdote / -WA College Entrance
Essay/Personal Essay
rough Draft due
AP diagnostic test
Week: / Topic / Resource / Skill / Assessment
2 / Introduction of AP Literature and Composition Exam
Pre-Course Reading / Princeton Review
power point
Released Exams
AP Essays
The Awakening, The Metamorphosis,
Cry, The Beloved Country, “Story of an Hour”
Literary Terms Handouts: theme, character, setting, etc. / Share with students various types of sample AP essays
AP essay callibration
Close Reading
Characterization
Setting
Plot
Theme
Style
Diction
Imagery
Details
Figurative
Language / Pre-Course Reading Exam
WA- dialectical journals on Pre-Course due
WA- FINAL DRAFT on
PERSONAL ESSAY DUE
3-4 / Pre-Course Reading and Critical Reading Strategies / The Awakening, The Metamorphosis,
Cry, The Beloved Country, and Bedford / Analysis: Critical Reading Strategies using Bedford’s Intro to Literature / -RA Bedford Ch 51
-quiz on Ch 51
-quiz on literary terms
Pre-Course Reading -discussions/group work
WA: Diagnostic Essays
on Pre-Course Readings
-Begin thinking of literary
criticism based research
topics over the Pre-Course
Readings. . .use the Bedford reader for sample literary analysis research papers
5-9 / Introduction to Fiction and the Short Story / Bedford
Handouts on DIDLS,
Tone, Theme
Word lists / Analysis of:
Characterization
Setting
Plot
Theme
Point of View
Symbolism
Style
Tone
Irony / -RA Close reading of selected short stories from the Bedford and Perrine
WA- Dialectical journals,
Introductions, using quotes effectively (LTF) handouts
-ongoing quizzes
-WA Practice Timed Writings
10-12 / Research Process: Literary Criticism / A Guide to MLA Documentation
Bedford’s Intro to Literature Ch 53
Pre-Course Readings or Short Stories
Critical Essays on Pre-Course Readings or Short Stories / Thesis Statements
Summaries, Paraphrasing, & Direct Quotes
Citations
Proofreading for Grammar
Evaluating Sources, / -WA-Rough Drafts on
Research Process
-WA Final Research Paper
Week: / Topic / Resource / Skill / Assessment
13-17 / Introduction to Poetry
16th Century – The Contemporary Periods / Bedford
Handouts / Poetic Techniques and forms:
Sonnets, Villanelles, Sestinas, Ballads, Odes
Tone
Speaker
Diction-Connotation
Imagery
Fig. Language
Carpe Diem
Conceit
Paradox / RA-a variety of poems from the 16th century to the contemporary period
-ongoing quizzes; unit exam on poetry
-discussion of thematic meanings
WA- creative writing: write a poem following one of the poetic formats discussed in class
WA- analytical essay- write a compare/contrast essay and/or a literary analysis essay on poetry
18 / Semester Exams / Semester Exam
19-26 / Drama Unit
Greek Tragedy (2.5 wks)
Renaissance Tragedy( 2.5 wks)
Modern Drama (2.5 wks)
expository essay: Can the American Dream be attained and if so at what cost?
Comedy(2-3 days) / Bedford: Oedipus Rex,
Hamlet, Death of a Salesman and The Importance of Being Earnest or Much Ado About Nothing / Greek Tragedy: Aristotle’s Poetics
Stage craft
Elements of drama
Characterization—
Tragic Hero
Dramatic Irony
Verbal Irony
Fig of Speech
Imagery
Plot
Tone / -RA background information on the development and history of drama
-RA author background
-Discussion of tragedy and
the tragic hero according to Aristotle
-on going quizzes/exam on unit
WA- dialectical journals; AP style essays on: character analysis and/or comparative essay and/or
argumentative essay
27-28 / Satire / Selections from Holt/MacDougal, Bedford and Political Cartoons / Tone
Rhetorical Devices
Diction
Occasion
Author’s purpose
Irony / -RA various examples of satire to discover the author’s intent
RA historical/social context
-close reading questions
-analysis of persuasive writing
-creative writing: create a “modest proposal”
WA-analytical essay
29-30 / The Novel / Heart of Darkness
Various critical essays / Character
Setting
Plot
Theme
Symbolism
Suspense
Point of view
style / -RA- author background, historical and social context
-Explain/respond to “What is Evil?”
WA- argumentative essay on character, symbol and/or setting
Create a media presentation representing various elements of the novel and explain how the theme of the novel is relevant to modern day events
-ongoing quizzes; exam
Week: / Topic / Resource / Skill / Assessment
32 / State testing / Outside reading / Character
Setting
Theme / RA-read author background, historical and social context
WA-dialectical journal on character, symbol, theme
33 / AP TEST / Princeton Review
AP released exams / Time management / AP practice on readings
34 / Introduction to the Anglo Saxon Period
“Songs of Ancient Heroes” / Holt/MacDougal-Beowulf, “The Seafarer”
Outside reading: Grendel / Analysis of:
Character-Epic Hero
Poetic Devices
Style
Imagery
Kenning
alliteration
Allusions-Archetypes
Anti-hero
Tone
Theme
Setting
Resumes
Cover Letters / -Close reading Questions
-discussion on the
characterization of a
hero/novel
-Comprehension exam on
Anglo-Saxon Period
including M/C, short answer
that elicit writing short
paragraphs on details,
literary techniques, etc.
WA-create/update Resume
WA-write a Cover Letter
35 / Introduction to The Middle Ages/Romance / Holt/MacDougal-Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, “The Pardoner’s Tale”, “The Wife’s of Bathe Tale”, excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, “Federigo’s Falcon”, “Le Morte de Arthur”
-additional tales researched by students / Frame Story
Characterization-Physiognomy
Style
Imagery
Irony
Satire
Romance
Symbolism
Tone / --Creating Body Maps of
Pilgrims using
Characterization
Research additional tales
Presentations on additional tales
-comprehension exam on The Middle Ages/The Canterbury Tales
--WA on Romance Heroes
35-36 / Semester Exams / Semester Exam-Short answer exam based explanation or understanding of the readings for the semester and/or an AP essay

***Students will have an opportunity to create an interpretative video based on any of the plays they have read. They can select any genre/theme and take either an act or scenes from an act and recreate them on video. They are responsible for keeping the integrity of the plot and are welcome to incorporate ALMOST any genre/theme in their videos as long as it is produced within school guidelines. Students are required to submit a signed contract outlining the project guidelines and the students are given 3 weeks to get their groups together and film. No late projects will be accepted!

Tentative Syllabus: English IV-AP 2013-2014

Mrs. Liza Lopez-Cantu, Rm 138

Mrs. Estela Salinas, Rm 141

I have read the syllabus and retesting policy for English IV-AP, and I am aware of all tentative assignments required for this class. I also understand that if I do not meet the criteria for this AP class within the first 6 weeks of school, I will have the option to be placed in an English IV-Pre-AP class or otherwise wait until the end of first semester. I also understand that if I transfer to a Pre-AP class my current average in the English IV-AP class will transfer with me.

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