AP English Literature & Composition
Juniors
Embedded Files
S U M M E R - T I M E !
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 10/5
AP Multiple Choice practice #2
reflection
vocab sentences (participation)
Tuesday 10/6
AP vocabulary
Wednesday 10/7
Elements of fiction
key question: what drives the plot?
setting, characterization
Thursday 10/8
"A Very Short Story"
looking at three aspects of a character: physical, emotional, psychological
Friday 10/9
continued from Thursday
paragraph analysis: how setting influences character development, conflict, theme
"Dulce et Decorum Est"
reading strategy: if/ then statements
how setting influences character development, conflict, theme
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 9/28
DPHS Counseling presentation
CCI website (californiacolleges.edu)
FAFSA information
Career
Tuesday 9/29
Timed Write #1
Wednesday 9/30
Goal setting
multiple choice
free response
vocabulary list 1 quiz
Thursday 10/1
AP concepts/ key vocabulary and terminology
Literary theory - archetypal
Friday 10/2
Literary theory - archetypal
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 9/21
AP Multiple Choice Practice #1
Tuesday 9/22
"The Second Coming" (instructions posted on Canvas)
hard copy of the poem
Wednesday 9/23
Review of "The Second Coming" assignment
"The Winter Sundays"
Thursday 9/24
"Those Winter Sundays"
Friday 9/25
Begin wrapping up The Metamorphosis
Overview of the key concepts (learned through comparison of each poem and novella)
"Acquainted with the Night" (sonnet) - circular structure/use of repetition/ narrative pacing --> to convey isolation as something that is self-imposed and socially constructed
"Mirror" (lyric) - use of strategies, such as 'imagery' to convey shifting perceptions/ identity instability
"The Unknown Citizen" (elegy, satire) - tone/ narrative style --> convey dehumanizing effect
"The Second Coming" (lyric)- use of apocalyptic/ chaos imagery --> to reveal underlying/deeper truths
"Those Winter Sundays" (lyric) - tone/point of view --> convey the limits of gratitude & familial obligation/duty
Possible writing prompts:
Option 1 - Choose one theme and analyze how Kafka and one poet develop that theme through literary elements. Explain how the author constructs meaning.
Option 2 - Analyze how genre (novella vs. lyric poem) shapes each author’s portrayal of alienation, identity, or existential dread. Evaluate how form intensifies or complicates the theme.
Option 3 - Compare one symbol from The Metamorphosis (doors, the apple, Gregor’s body) with one symbol from a paired poem. Explain how each symbol critiques societal expectations or existential anxieties.
Option 4 - Analyze how narrative voice (Kafka’s third‑person limited vs. poetic speaker) shapes each protagonist’s sense of agency. Argue how voice contributes to the text’s overall meaning.
Option 5 - Both Kafka and one poet pose questions about meaning, purpose, and identity. Analyze how each text constructs an existential dilemma—and how each resolves or refuses to resolve it.
Sat/Sun
coming up...
Monday - counseling will be here
Tuesday - timed write
Wednesday - Socratic seminar
Thursday - goal setting [multiple choice/ free response section of AP exam]
key vocabulary list 1
Friday - literary theory, AP terminology
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 9/14
"Mirror" - Part I (initial reading notes)
Closing Activity: Analyze how Plath’s speaker and Gregor confront the “truth” of their altered selves—and how each text suggests that identity is inherently unstable. Comparison paragraph
The Metamorphosis - Review
Tuesday 9/15
Reading Test - The Metamorphosis
Wednesday 9/16
Dehumanization & Loss of Agency ["The Unknown Citizen"] - instructions are posted on Canvas
Class Discussion -
Closing activity: analyze how the use of key diction leads to dehumanization
Thursday 9/17
Blog Post #2: Dehumanization & Loss of Agency
Write a personal response/reaction to the novella The Metamorphosis
Argue which text (Kafka's novella and Auden's poem) presents a more chilling portrait of a human reduced to function—and why
Friday 9/18
Blog Post #2: Dehumanization & Loss of Agency
Write a personal response/reaction to the novella The Metamorphosis
Argue which text (Kafka's novella and Auden's poem) presents a more chilling portrait of a human reduced to function—and why
AP Multiple Choice Practice #1
Sat/Sun
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 9/7
NWEA
Continue reading section II of The Metamorphosis
Tuesday 9/8
NWEA
Continue reading section II of The Metamorphosis
Wednesday 9/9
NWEA
Continue reading section II of The Metamorphosis
Thursday 9/10
"Mirror" - Part I (initial reading notes)
Friday 9/11
"Mirror" - Part I (initial reading notes)
Part II - Partner Activity (see instructions on Canvas)
Sat/Sun
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 8/31
Creative Writing activity - transitions
tell me a story about the painting (see image on the right)
Continue reading section I of The Metamorphosis
read pages 7-13
pose 3 questions about today's reading
share out your responses to the assigned questions from Friday
Tuesday 9/1
Continue reading section I of The Metamorphosis
read pages 13-20 (stop with the paragraph that ends in "the start of the staircase going down"
Respond to the questions for this section (view them on Canvas - see tab 'The Metamorphosis: Key Reading Questions')
Homework - finish reading section I - prepare for a reading quiz
Wednesday 9/2
Review key questions from Tuesday
Initial responses to Frost/Kafka comparison
Section I Reading Quiz
Thursday 9/3
ELA NWEA Assessment
Friday 9/4
ELA NWEA Assessment
Section II: The Metamorphosis
Sat/Sun
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 8/17
Summer Reading - novel discussion
Setting up your class blog [edublogs.org]
period 3 - I may not be back in time for period 3. If I am not back please hold off on this till I guide you in setting up the blog
If I'm not back in time, discuss your thoughts on the articles you read over the summer
What did you learn about the topics the articles covered?
Which article captivated you? Why?
Tuesday 8/18
Summer Reading - novel discussion (finalize if needed)
Period 3 only: briefly discuss the novel you read over the summer. On a sticky, state whether you recommend the novel (explain why)
Analysis (art project - in-class)
Bring a small old towel
Wednesday 8/19
Share your Analysis (art project)
Thursday 8/20
Continue... abstract watercolor painting and tone/theme analysis. Assignment instructions are posted on Canvas.
moved to Monday 8/24 .....Blogging [edublogs.org] - period 3 need to create account first
set up your account ... time in class to finalize if needed
link account to the class blog
Blog #1 - What is Poetry? --
Misconceptions about poetry
Friday 8/21
Finish your tone/theme watercolor analysis assignment posted on Canvas. Remember to take a picture of your watercolor painting and upload it along with your essay.
Sat/Sun
Semester I
Weekly Agenda
Monday 8/10
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Tuesday 8/11 - First Day of School!
Welcome Back!
Logistics
Summer Assignment
Wednesday 8/12
Submitting your summer assignment
Tone card (related to the trilogy essays)
Thursday 8/13
Class Resources
Friday 8/14
Course Syllabus
AP Classroom Registration
What is AP English Literature all about & Intro to Unit 1
Sat/Sun
YOU WILL TURN IN YOUR SUMMER ASSIGNMENT ON THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL VIA CANVAS. PLEASE DO NOT SHARE YOUR WORK WITH ME TILL YOU RECIEVE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SUBMIT.
Summer Reading 2026
Summer Reading 2026
Welcome to AP English Literature! This summer, you will complete three distinct tasks designed to sharpen your narrative voice, analytical summary skills, and cultural critique.
📝 Task 1: The Summer Trilogy Essays
Write three brief, distinct essays. Each essay must be 150 to 300 words (max), typed, double-spaced, and written in MLA format. Focus on vivid sensory details and strong voice.
Essay 1: The Zenith – Describe the single best day of your summer.
Essay 2: The Nadir – Describe the absolute worst day of your summer.
Essay 3: The Comic Relief – Narrate a genuinely funny incident that happened to you or around you.
📰 Task 2: Current Events & Critical Voice
Stay connected to the world around you by tracking contemporary journalism.
1. Select: Find three high-quality news articles dated between June 2026 and August 2026.(from the approved list of sources below)
The New York Times
The BBC
The Wall Street Journal
The Atlantic
The Economist
2. Print: Print a physical copy of each article to turn in.
3. Respond: On a separate sheet of paper attached to each article, write a precise three-sentence response:
o Sentence 1: Briefly summarize the central point or argument of the article.
o Sentence 2: State your personal opinion, position, or reaction to the piece.
o Sentence 3: Explain why you hold this opinion, using evidence from the text.
📝 Task 3: Le Roman
You will read one text before entering into AP Literature and Composition in August. The purpose of the summer assignment is to stay mentally active, so enjoy your reading - I will be reading along with you. Please select a book from the list below (you can choose an alternate book just let me know in advance/ have it approved).
If you have any questions over the summer, email ghinojosa@dpol.net. I am looking forward to a great year with you.
The book you will be reading:
The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. If you can't get a physical copy you can read the PDF version - Link: https://www.adobe.com/be_en/active-use/pdf/Alice_in_Wonderland.pdf
The Long Walk by Stephen King. Here is a link to a PDF version; however it doesn't show the page numbers: https://ia902903.us.archive.org/12/items/FantasyFictionebookcollection/Stephen%20King/Bachman%20Novels/The%20Long%20Walk.pdf
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Here is a link to a PDF version of this novel: https://www.ssgopalganj.in/online/E-Books/CLASS%20VIII/Life%20of%20Pi%20by%20Yann%20Martel.pdf
Here is a great video (not an article, but can be used to search up articles on the topic) about a fly farm in London
Here are two articles on AI you might find interesting
Article on cute animal called Pangolin
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