AP Lit

Click here for a printable course syllabus. 

Course Description: 

According to the College Board, an AP English Literature and Composition course engages students in careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through close readings of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As they read, students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as smaller-scale elements, such as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. Writing is an integral part of this course and the exam. It will focus primarily on the critical analysis of literature and include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. The goal of all writing assignments is to increase students’ ability to explain clearly, cogently, even elegantly, what they understand about literary works and why they interpret them as they do. 

This course will provide students with the intellectual challenges and workload consistent with a typical undergraduate university English literature/Humanities course. As a culmination of the course, students will take the AP English Literature and Composition Exam given in May. A grade of a 4 or 5 on this exam is considered equivalent to a 3.3-4.0 for comparable courses at the college or university level. A student who earns a grade of 3 or above on the exam will be granted college credit at most colleges and universities throughout the United States. 

Course Goals: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Carefully and critically analyze imaginative literature.

2. Understand the way writers use language to provide meaning and pleasure.

3. Consider a work’s structure, style, and themes as well as such smaller scale elements such as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. 

4. Study representative works from various genres and periods (from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century) but to know a few works extremely well. 

5. To understand a work’s complexity, to absorb richness of meaning, and to analyze how meaning is embodied in literary form.

6. Consider the social and historical values a work reflects and embodies. 

7. Write focusing on critical analysis of literature, including expository, analytical, and argumentative essays as well as creative writing to sharpen understanding of writers’ accomplishments and deepen appreciation of literary artistry. 

8. Become aware of, through speaking, listening, reading, and chiefly writing, the resources of language: connotation, metaphor, irony, syntax, and tone. 

Essential Questions:

• How does literature help us understand ourselves and others?

• How has writing become a communication tool across the ages?

• How does literature reflect the human condition? 

• How does literature express universal themes? 

* Adapted from Advanced Placement English Course Description. The College Board (2019).

Texts:

• Primary Texts: The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 8th Edition. 2008. Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, AP Edition. 13th Edition. 2016. 

• Supplemental Texts: Various instructor provided texts such as short stories, memoirs, poems, guided essays, journals, and a variety of photographs and paintings. 

• Novels and Plays: (Please Note: This is an all-encompassing list with links to summaries on Amazon and is subject to change. Not all of these works will be covered and no additions will be made).  All the Light We Cannot See  (Anthony Doerr), Life of Pi (Yann Martel), from Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte),  King Lear (William Shakespeare), A Streetcar Named Desire (Tennessee Williams), Ethan Frome (Edith Wharton), The Awakening (Kate Chopin)

*Text selections are suggested by the College Board. All are works considered to be of recognized literary merit. 

*The primary text is provided and will be utilized for most short story and poetry coverage, as well as some reading and composition instruction. Novels and plays that are not included in the primary text may be student owned/purchased or checked out. Selections from all genres include a variety of American, British, and world authors from several centuries. 

Required Materials:

    -A composition or spiral notebook

-One 3” or 5” three-ring binder 

-College-ruled notebook paper

-Pens (blue or black ink only)

-(Recommended) highlighters, sticky notes (various sizes)

Academic Requirements:

Given the level of complexity required for this course, students will be expected to assume a great deal of personal responsibility, keeping up with all assigned readings, participating meaningfully in class discussions and activities, and meeting all deadlines for written assignments. Students should expect to consistently receive a variety of extended reading and writing assignments. Throughout the course of the year, students will be asked to exhibit a high level of independent thinking, which will require engagement in inquiry-based learning. Using the texts under study as a springboard for idea development, students will formulate their own questions, and seek to answer those questions using research and engaging in an array of collaborative and written activities. Additionally, students will be given several quizzes throughout each grading period, including vocabulary quizzes, pop quizzes, and other various quizzes throughout each literary unit. Writing, whether formal or informal, will always be in progress in this course. Finally, students will be tested on a regular basis on literary and writing units under study, as well as through practice AP examinations. Students will receive a numerical average for this course.

Class Activities and Assignments:

Readings each quarter will generally include a number of poems, several short stories, one to three novels, and one or two plays. The literature will usually be grouped thematically, but a chronological unit will be incorporated into the second quarter to brush up on movements and approaches by period. Students will also learn to explore literature through various critical lenses throughout the year. While class discussion will often focus on close-reading and critical responses to current reading, instructional time will also be devoted to refining close reading skills, composition, vocabulary, and relevant study of historical, biographical, and cultural information, as well as an ongoing emphasis on literary structure, style, use of figurative language, and elements of the author’s craft. 

Composition: According to the College Board, “students must demonstrate an ability to produce essays and written compositions that are clear with revision, in their intention, well organized, and supported by evidence.” This year, students will engage in the following activities in order to help facilitate that process: 

• Informal Writings, such as free-writes, reactionary/reflective responses, and journal entries will provide regular and frequent opportunities to engage in informal exploratory writing. They also allow for reflective writing that connects literature to personal experiences and enables students to examine the process of their own writing.

• Special writing assignments coordinated with composition workshops will enable students to practice rhetorical strategies, refine style and voice, and incorporate effective details. Many of these components will be reinforced through regular peer-revision activities. It is imperative that students engage in every step of the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, and editing.  

• Each quarter, students will write a minimum of three essays, most of which will be timed, in-class essays. Some essay assignments will require students to explain and interpret literary texts; others will prompt students to evaluate a work’s artistry and quality. Scores for nearly all essays will be based on the general AP rubric provided by the College Board. 

• Instruction on mechanics, grammar, and style will be ongoing through mini-lessons and several teacher-provided handouts. 

• Instruction on sentence structure and variety will also be ongoing and targeted through teacher-led and peer review activities.

• Students will be required to use MLA format for all formal essays and to integrate researched information. 

Vocabulary:

• Appropriate word choice and correct use of vocabulary is expected in written assignments. The use of wide-ranging denotative and richly connotative language is rewarded in formal writing assignments. 

• Vocabulary enrichment activities and assessments will also be assigned. 

Other Projects and Assessments:

• Homework will usually consist of reading and informal writing assignments, including journals, electronic discussion participation, and reactionary/reflective writing. 

• Students should expect regular reading checks that require a working knowledge of textual details from assigned readings. 

• Class discussion is extremely important in AP and participation will be assessed. Each student is expected to keep up with all assignments and contribute to class discussion as much as possible. Specific guidelines will be provided with rubrics for discussion. 

• Tests, administered in conjunction with the units, will be similar in format to the AP examination and will include multiple-choice passage analysis items and/or timed essay responses. 

• Students will occasionally prepare projects and presentations to enhance class experience and foster a greater appreciation of literary selections and their historical, social, and cultural significance. Students are encouraged to incorporate technology and art into projects when appropriate. 

• All students will take the national AP Exam on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. 

Grading Percentages:

-Major Assessments: Tests, Writing Assignments, and Projects:                           60%

- Minor Assessments: Quizzes, daily work, etc.                                         40%

Eastside’s Late Work Policy

-Late work is defined as work not completed/turned in on time, even though the student attended the class.

-Any assignment that is not turned in on time will have 10 points deducted from the original grade earned for each school day the assignment is late up to five school days. 

-After five school days, the student will be assigned a 0 for the assignment.

-Late work will not be accepted after the end of a grading period.

-Students are encouraged to utilize the before and after school tutoring programs to complete make-up and late work in a proactive manner.

-Students must complete a late/makeup Google Form posted on Google Classroom in order to submit late work for grading (even if it’s excused makeup work). If students do not submit the Form, the late work will not be graded. 

Academic Policies:

• Students will be held accountable for their reading assignments on the assigned dates and should always expect to be assessed, whether through quizzing, discussion, homework assignments, or written assignments. Any work turned in late will be subjected to the late policy (stated above). All makeup work must be turned in within 5 days of the absence. Students who miss class can access all assignments on Google Classroom. 

• Students will be expected to uphold an honor code, always submitting work that is both carefully and personally crafted and authentic. Plagiarism, in any form, as well as document sharing and use of Artificial Intelligence Technology for writing will not be tolerated and will result in an automatic zero on any given assignment, as well as a referral. 

• When completing writing assignments, students must submit the document where ALL drafting occurred. If the version history does not reflect the drafting and editing process, the work may not be accepted. 

• If a blank or incomplete document is turned in on Google Classroom, once the deadline passes, it will be graded as submitted, and students will not be allowed to resubmit for regrading.

• All formal essays should be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and formatted with 1” margins. A Works Cited should be included when appropriate. 

• Deadlines for major, long written assignments will always be made clear well in advance. If a student fails to meet a deadline, the late policy stated above will be applied. 

• In order to prepare students for the AP exam, timed writing will be frequently utilized as a form of assessment. Much like the AP exam, extra time (even outside of class) will not be given on timed writing assignments. 

• Students will have the opportunity to improve their writing by reflecting on their pieces and sometimes rewriting formal writing assignments.  These writing improvement assignments will be averaged with the original grade and will be turned in by the specified deadline. Rewrite assignments that are not submitted with the original draft or that are late will not be accepted.

• Extra credit opportunities will be occasionally offered in this course in addition to the opportunities offered to improve writing.

Student Responsibilities:

• Chromebooks must be charged.  If your Chromebook can’t be used, you are expected to notify me that you need a paper copy.  Work is still expected to be completed on time.

• Your ID tag must be visible at ALL TIMES, and you may not enter the classroom without it. If I don’t see that you have an ID until after the bell rings, you will have to get a tardy slip when you go get your ID.

• Cell phones should be silenced and stored in backpacks when entering the classroom. Headphones/earbuds/AirPods must be removed before entering the classroom. 

• Be ready to begin work when class begins. Participate in class at the appropriate time. No sleeping or head down/ eyes closed during class.

• Demonstrate respect for yourself, your classmates, your teachers, and our school property. 

• Clean up around your workspace each day.

• Smart Pass should be used to leave the classroom. Students should complete a SmartPass on their Chromebook before leaving the classroom. If you leave without making a Smartpass, that is treated as leaving class without permission.  

• Follow all rules as stated in the student handbook.

 Attendance and Tardy Policy:

All Greenville School District and Eastside High School attendance and tardy policies will be enforced, and daily attendance is strongly recommended given the nature of the course. Students who are absent have five days in which to complete work missed because of an excused absence. If a student has been absent, it is his/her responsibility to check Google Classroom for missed assignments. Students will be counted tardy if they are not in their seats when the bell rings. 

Classroom Rules and Expectations: 

(posted before all students each day)

1. No food and/or drinks 

2. Always come to class prepared 

3. Raise your hand to speak and wait for acknowledgment 

4. Be in your seat when the bell rings 

5. Do not leave your seat without permission and you must have a signed pass to leave the room 

6. Stay on task

7. Be courteous and respectful toward everyone.

8. Abide by all policies listed in the student handbook. 

Cell Phone/Headphone Policy

-Cell phones and headphones/earbuds must be kept secured in backpacks in the classroom. Students may not use cell phones or headphones/earbuds in the classroom and will be warned about this each day at the beginning of class. If students do not comply with this policy by securing their phones/headphones in backpacks each day when directed, they will be subject to the consequences below. 

Consequences for Failure to Comply with Cell Phone/Headphone Policy:

1. First Offense: Parent Notification and Administrative Referral

*For administrative consequences, see the cell phone policy in the Eastside Student Handbook.  

Consequences for Failure to Comply with all other Classroom Rules and Expectations:

1. First Offense:                Warning

2. Second Offense:               Phone Call or Written Notice to Parents/Guardians

3. Third Offense:              Office Referral

College Board Policy for Missing an AP Exam

-Fortunately, the state pays for students to take AP exams; however, students who miss an AP exam may be fined or forced to pay for the exam out of pocket, depending on the circumstances. Click here to read, in full, the College Board’s policy on missing AP exams.

Extra Assistance Policy: 

-Students are encouraged to seek extra help and may make an appointment to come by either before or after school, depending on availability. Students must also make appointments to make up missed assessments either before/after school. 

Communication With Parents

1. Teacher Phone: 864-355-2868

2. Teacher Email: tboyce@greenville.k12.sc.us  

3. Teacher Web Site: https://sites.google.com/a/greenvilleschools.us/lordemannweb/

4. Google Classroom

6. Report Cards

7. Periodic Emails and newsletters from Teacher

Course Breakdown by Weeks

Provided below is a list of major selections to be covered, with each segment presented thematically and in conjunction with several works of relevant short fiction and poetry. Please note that some selections listed may be excerpted or deleted according to student choice, pace, and time available. 

Weeks 1-9 

“Darkest Secrets”: Examining Human Nature and the Impact of Circumstance

Major Works: All the Light We Cannot See, Life of Pi

Units of Study: Reading Literature Like a Professor and All the Light We Cannot See (Summer Reading Review and Assessment), Exploring How We Read Fiction (various selections of short fiction and connections), The Impact of Circumstance (Life of Pi)

Poetry and Short Fiction: As selected in conjunction with the major works. 

*Vocabulary Units and AP Exam Workshops will be interwoven into the units of study. 

Weeks 10-18

“Family and Madness”: Examining Human Relationships and Emotional Responses

Major Works: King Lear/Ethan Frome/The Awakening (Choice TBD), A Streetcar Named Desire, 

Thematic Concepts: Mirrors of Madness and Family Betrayal, Appearance vs. Reality, Beginning With the End 

Poetry and Short Fiction: As selected in conjunction with the major works. 

*Vocabulary Units and AP Exam Workshops will be interwoven into the units of study. 

Movie Permission

Throughout the course, a few films will be shown in the classroom to accompany our literary units. We will watch these to enhance our readings and for the sake of comparison and contrast. As required by district policy, I am requesting permission for your child to watch these movies in my classroom.  Below is the list of films I may be showing, as well as their ratings. No nudity or sexual content will be shown. Please review these titles carefully and then, when you complete the syllabus acknowledgment form, you will be asked for your permission for your child to watch these films. Know that alternate assignments will be provided for students if permission is not granted to view any of these movies. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

-Life of Pi (2012)- PG

-King Lear (2018)- TV-14

-A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)- PG

• Click here to view the EHS Master Book List for all levels of English Language Arts.