AP English Language & Composition

In this unit, students will be introduced to the principles of rhetorical analysis through a thematic lens of exploring America’s story.  Students will also be introduced to the AP exam format and the three different modes of writing (argument, synthesis, and rhetorical analysis) that they will be asked to complete on the AP exam. Texts include famous American rhetoric such as the “Declaration of Independence,” “The Gettysburg Address,” and “Ain’t I a Woman?” as well as more modern American texts such as selections from the musical Hamilton and George W. Bush’s “Speech to the Nation on September 11, 2001.” Students will learn to identify elements of the rhetorical situation and authors’ strategies for influencing readers. Summative assessments include a Rhetorical Analysis assessment and an argument essay.

In this unit, students will read and interpret texts from a critical stance and apply their reading and writing skills to tasks of advancing difficulty. Through research and collaboration, students will intensify and broaden their understanding of ideas, learn how to cite thorough and strong textual evidence to support the analysis of what the text says, and draw inferences from their readings and discussions in order to create new meaning. Students will enter into a conversation with a variety of sources and develop a thesis and argument by synthesizing these conversations into their own writing. Texts in this unit will be thematically linked around the topic of education, and assessments will prepare students to write a timed synthesis essay.

In this unit, students will spiral the skills in synthesis and argument that students began to develop in earlier units. Texts are thematically linked to nature and humans’ relationship with nature, including Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild and excerpts from Walden, Silent Spring, and other related nonfiction. Students will practice identifying implied claims, analyzing tone and word choice, and revising a thesis based on new information. 

In this unit, students will return to a focus on rhetorical analysis, with students building more sophisticated skills in this area through the study of thematically linked texts. Students will review the rhetorical situation and learn to identify and use the rhetorical situation in producing their own writing. They will learn to identify, analyze, and use counterarguments in argumentative writing. This unit will also include a review of sentence structure, including how to use subordinating and coordinating clauses, modifiers, and interrupters to achieve more sophisticated thought in their written work.

In this unit, students will explore the essential question, “Is the American Dream more likely to inspire or destroy?” through a study of The Great Gatsby and ancillary texts, including Harlem Renaissance poetry and critical responses to the novel. Students will have many opportunities to demonstrate mastery of class discussion and presentation skills. Assignments include a historical background project, various modes of class discussion, and writing and presenting a eulogy for Gatsby. This unit is also intended to serve as a reintroduction to literary analysis and a bridge to AP English Literature and Composition for students who will follow that course progression.