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“Read, read, read. Ready everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it.” --William Faulkner
AP Language and Composition
AP Language and Composition
AP Literature and Composition
AP Literature and Composition
Incoming AP Language Juniors:
Incoming AP Language Juniors:
Course Overview
Course Overview
According to the College Board’s course description, AP English Language and Composition “engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes.” Sounds like what you’ve done in English class the past few years, right? While we will go deeper and explore different areas than you have before, everything comes back to growing as critical readers and effective writers. In preparation for this rigorous course, you will complete summer reading and writing assignments. The summer reading and writing is an important feature of the AP Lang program as it serves three functions:
It keeps students active as readers
2. It keeps students active as writers, and
3. It helps students to prepare for academia after high school
I will check my email periodically over the summer. I also encourage you to consult your classmates; keep in mind that your peers are excellent brainstorming partners, peer editors, and supportive friends.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION: Summer Reading Assignment
Congratulations on accepting the challenge of taking an AP course! I’m looking forward to working with you and helping you achieve your potential as writers and thinkers.
The best way to prepare is to read voraciously. This summer I hope you will read more than the required assignments. Reading expands your vocabulary, your perceptions, and your understanding of rhetoric, the art of persuasion. Reading a variety of challenging texts is especially important since you are advancing to a college-level course which emphasizes complex ideas and sophisticated communication skills.
Step One: The New Notebook
Step One: The New Notebook
You will need to purchase a new composition or spiral notebook designated as your journal for the year. Please put your name, the course, and Mrs. Simons on the front cover neatly. Neatness in this journal is essential (AP exam readers must be able to read your ideas without difficulty). You will first do the two readings (Wallace's article AND Rowling's speech).
Step Two: Procedure
Step Two: Procedure
As you read, choose passages that stand out to you and record them (ALWAYS include page and/or paragraph numbers). Label these pages “commentary.” Write your response to the text (ideas/insights, questions, reflections, and comments on each passage).
Step Three: Choosing Passages from the Text
Step Three: Choosing Passages from the Text
Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thought-provoking or puzzling. For example, you might record (italicized bullets are tasks that carry the most importance in regard to scoring well on the AP exam):
Effective and/or creative use of stylistic or literary devices
Structural shifts
Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs
Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar vocabulary
Passages that illustrate a particular setting
Passages that remind you of your own life or something you’ve seen before
A passage that makes you realize something you hadn’t seen before
Events you find surprising or confusing
Step Four: Responding to the Text
Step Four: Responding to the Text
You can respond to the text in a variety of ways. The most important thing to remember is that your observations should be specific and detailed. As an “AP Langer,” your journal should be made up of 25% Basic Responses and 75% Higher Level Responses
Basic Responses (a starting point for understanding the text)
Raise questions about the beliefs and values implied in the text
Give your personal reactions to the passage
Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences
Write about what it makes you think or feel
Agree or disagree with a character or the author
Higher Level Responses (deeper thought leading to deeper understanding)
Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure, style, imagery, etc). and explain the effect; avoid merely naming the techniques.
Make connections between different characters or events in the text
Make connections to a different text (or film, song, …)
Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
Consider an event or description from the perspective of a different character
Analyze a passage and its relationship to the story as a whole.
lobsterarticle.pdfYour summer reading begins with an appropriate topic for summer indulgences, lobster eating. David Foster Wallace explores a Maine lobster festival and its focus on mass lobster consumption -- historically, ethically, and biologically -- in "Consider the Lobster."
This might sound boring, didactic (teacherly), even “animal rights activist”-preachy. But in his essay, Wallace doesn’t simply ask the question of whether it’s okay for us to eat sentient creatures. He asks whether it is “all right to boil a sentient creature alive just for our gustatory pleasure,” causing the creature a great deal of pain before it finally dies.
In other words, does our boiling of lobsters cause them pain, and if so, does their perception of that pain mean that we are essentially causing them undue (for lack of a better word) torture?
Wallace follows up his experience at the lobster festival with well-researched reasons suggesting that our treatment of lobsters may be unethical.
Don't waste your time looking for summaries of Foster's essay. There is no way Shmoop could ever capture the essence. Generally speaking, the crux of Wallace’s reasoning is that lobsters are able to feel and react to pain, and the fact that they struggle and try to escape while being boiled demonstrates that they have an interest in not experiencing that pain. In addition, because humans have the ability to form emotional associations with pain, we have evolved a certain amount of coping mechanisms to help deal with that pain. But lobsters have neither of those things.
The conclusion Wallace finally arrives at is that lobsters’ experience of pain might be so different from ours — and possibly so much worse than ours — that it might not be fair to even call it pain according to our definition.
Note, while you read, that throughout his essay, Wallace maintains a narrative discourse with readers through his remarks and footnotes, which is a clever writing skill that makes readers care about a topic they might not otherwise care about. We'll discuss the use of footnotes more in the fall.
Wallace doesn’t lecture to us, condemn us or ask us to change our behavior. Instead, he asks us to examine why we are uncomfortable with questioning this behavior. Read the article [above] or click here.
JK Rowling - Harvard Commencement.pdfJ.K. Rowling -- her name has become a celebrity name. She received more than ten rejection letters from publishing companies but persevered where others would have given up. Rowling was the keynote speaker at the Harvard Commencement ceremonies, where her speech was titled, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination.” She noted the benefits of failure on an occasion commemorating graduate success, and noted the irony of sending graduates out into the “real world” while touting the virtues of human “imagination.”
Somehow Rowling is able to arouse emotion in her audience, even though the context of her text is cliche and she is the epitome of success. Shouldn't everyone be reminded, now and then, that not every challenge will result in success? But Rowling has an estimated worth of one billion dollars after selling hundreds of millions of copies of her seven-volume Harry Potter series over the last decade. She wrote the magical narrative of a generation, the same generation that was graduating from Harvard as she spoke. Rowling manages to transcend the ironies and cliches to offer honest wisdom to her enthralled audience.
Listen to it here (Optional)
*NOT required: Oprah and J.K. Rowling in Scotland
*NOT required: J.K. Rowling and the Lessons of Failure
Incoming AP Literature Seniors:
Incoming AP Literature Seniors:
Course Overview
Course Overview
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is a college course that engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As students read, they consider a work’s structure, style, and themes as well as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. This course, designed for students reading and writing two years above grade level, explores fiction and nonfiction that may contain sophisticated concepts, themes, and language. AP English Lit is recommended for students with a strong interest in reading, discussion, and analysis of literature.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION: Summer Reading Assignment
The AP English Lit summer reading program is an essential feature of the AP English class, and it serves two functions: (1) to keep students active as readers and thinkers, and (2) to ease the reading load during the class year. This assignment will ease the pressure and transition into the program for next year. Do not procrastinate. There will be an assessment over these works during the first week of school. Please obtain the books as soon as you can. If you wait until the summer to start finding the books, the books may be hard to find.
You will read two selections: Oedipus Rex, a Greek play by Sophocles and How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster.
These books may be purchased online or at local bookstores, or if that is prohibitive, students may check out a copy from Mrs. Simons, in Room 731 <OR SCROLL DOWN FOR ELECTRONIC COPIES>. We will begin the school year with these pieces, so it is imperative to do the work before school begins. Associated writings and tests will be given during the first and second weeks of school.
Read Oedipus Rex before you read How to Read Literature Like a Professor. You will need a working knowledge of the play in order to answer the questions as they pertain to both works. Read meaningfully, mark/annotate, and make notes. Then, using specific evidence from both works, answer the following questions in well-developed paragraphs. Work should be neat, well-written, and preferably typed. If you prefer to handwrite your paragraphs, please use blue or black ink.
This is an assignment for the individual student, not group work. Policies regarding collaboration, collusion and plagiarism will be enforced. Other Literature courses have assigned the same, or similar, content.
Due Date: The first day of class
After reading the play Oedipus Rex and the book, How To Read Literature Like a Professor, answer the following questions in well-developed paragraphs supported with evidence from Foster’s book and Sophocles’ play, Oedipus Rex. Your answers should be typed or neatly handwritten using blue or black ink.
Chapter 1 – Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not)
List the five aspects of the QUEST and then apply them to Oedipus Rex, using the format located in How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Use Foster’s explanation of the setup in The Crying of Lot 49 as your guide – meaning yours should be as detailed and clear as his.
Chapter 21 – Marked for Greatness
Analyze Oedipus’ physical imperfection described in the introduction to the play and its implications for characterization. (hint: It is NOT blindness.)
Chapter 22 – He’s Blind for a Reason, You Know
Tiresias is the blind oracle in Oedipus Rex, yet he sees more and understands more than any other character in the play. Think of a blind character in a book or film other than Oedipus Rex. Discuss the character’s literal and figurative blindness and how it reveals the theme of the work.
Chapter 26 – Is He Serious? And Other Ironies
A central formal feature of the play is its use of dramatic irony. Point out speeches by Oedipus, especially in the Prologue and Scene I, that have a different or larger meaning for the audience than for Oedipus himself.
Chapter of Your Choice: Select one chapter other than one of the above and write a personal reflection that connects ideas presented to ideas in Oedipus Rex. An electronic copy can be accessed below.
ESSAY ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
ESSAY ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
*based on the standards reference scoring system for a weighted course. Points are totaled from each of the seven parameters and grades awarded per characteristics below:
Ideas
Original ideas well - supported with text evidence; Strong sense of the writer’s own voice.
Original ideas weakly supported with text evidence; Good sense of the writer’s own voice.
Original ideas unsupported with text evidence; Fair sense of the writer’s own voice.
Unoriginal ideas from other sources with some text support; Little sense of the writer’s own voice. Sounds mostly like someone else.
Unoriginal ideas from other sources with no text support; No sense of the writer’s voice. Sounds like someone else.
Word Choice
Diction strongly contributes to the reader enjoying reading the essay.
Diction contributes to the reader enjoying reading the essay.
Diction weakly contributes to the reader enjoying reading the paper.
Diction barely contributes to the reader enjoying reading the paper.
Diction does not contribute to reader enjoyment and/or is not appropriate.
Organization
Thesis clear with logical organization and supported commentary.
Thesis clear with some minor flaws in organization with supported commentary.
Thesis unclear with more than minor flaws in organization.
Poor organization, unclear thesis, and weakly supported commentary.
Murky thesis and illogical organization with underdeveloped commentary.
Sentence Fluency
Fluid (easy to read aloud) and all diverse sentence structures (short, long, simple, compound, complex, compound complex).
Fluid (easy to read aloud) and some diversity of sentence structures (short, long, simple, cmpd, cmplx, cmpd complex).
Fluid (easy to read aloud) and little diversity of sentence structures (short, long, simple, cmpd, cmplx, cmpd complex).
Little fluidity (hard to read aloud—jars the ear) and little or no diversity of sentence structures. A sameness of sentences run throughout the essay.
No fluidity or diversity of sentence structures. Reading the essay aloud offends the ear.
Conventions
Excellent editing resulting in an almost flawless essay as to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Good editing leaving some flaws as to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Poor editing leaving numerous flaws as to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Apparent absence of editing with serious flaws as to grammar, spelling, and punctuation, such as comma splices and fragments.
Essay greatly distracts the reader due to the copious numbers of flaws as to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Presentation
Almost flawless execution of the MLA style rules throughout the essay.
Only a few minor errors in following the MLA style rules within the essay.
Serious errors following MLA style rules such as missing citations and/or incorrect format of Works Cited sources.
Many, many serious errors following MLA style rules; at least an attempt was made to follow them.
Pervasive errors indicating MLA style rules were basically ignored.
How to Read Literature like a Professor 2nd.pdf
Want to Read More!? (Not Required, But Suggested)
Want to Read More!? (Not Required, But Suggested)
Expecting Something More? Something Else? Want to View a List of the Classics? CLICK HERE!
AP Lang 2018.docxAP Lit Summer ReadingsReport abuse