Mary,
I know you are a busy person, but I have a favor to ask of you. I just finished my revised syllabus for the College Board. Would you have a look at it and tell me your opinion? If you are too swamped, that is OK. Let me know either way. I do appreciate your being there for my questions. Thanks again and again,
Victoria
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Syllabus
Introduction
AP English Literature and Composition is a weighted class offered to students who have an advanced ability in reading and comprehending high school and post­high school literature. The course is comparable to a college freshman literature and composition class. It includes instruction in grammar, vocabulary, research methods­to include an in­depth research paper­, various genres of literature, and writing. The AP English Literature and Composition class is designed to engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students can deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their reader. As they read, students should consider a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as such smaller­scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. This course is designed to comply with the curricular requirements described in the AP English Course Description. Course Outline/Quarters One and Two
Topic/ Unit: APA Research Proposal
Approximate # of weeks: 9
Objectives:
Each student will understand and explain briefly the fundamental concepts (e.g. hypothesis, sampling, replication, external validity) of the research process, understand and be able to explain specific procedures (e.g. formulating a research problem, selecting a sample, designing a research instrument) involved in conducting research, be able to explain how to perform each of the following procedures ( and, if asked, actually perform them): formulate a research question, state a research hypothesis related to the research problem, identify variables in a hypothesis, write a justification for the hypothesis, define the terms of a hypothesis constitutively and operationally, conduct a review of the research literature on a given topic, locate or develop an instrument to test a hypothesis, perform a reliability and validity check on a research instrument, identify and seek to control threats to internal and external validity of a research investigation, collect, summarize, and analyze research data using the appropriate instruments and tests, write up the findings of a research investigation, read a research report with understanding.
Students will compose three sections­introduction, literature review, and methodology. Each part must be submitted for teacher editing and student revision before proceeding to the next.
Literature
Topic/Unit: The Emergent Period
Approximate # of weeks: 2
Introduction to the Anglo­Saxon Era, Elements, pages 2­16 {Multiple­choice quiz}
• Beowulf {Multiple­choice quiz}
o Sources:
Beowulf. Trans. Burton Raffel. Elements of Literature: Sixth Course,
Literature of Britain with World Classics. Ed. Richard Sime. Austin:
Holt, 2003. 21­46.
Abrams, M.H. Gen. Ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Fifth Edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1987. 25­72.
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Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. New York: Farrar,
Straus, and Giroux, 2000.
Comparative Novel: Gardener, John. Grendel. New York: Vintage, 1989. I use the “One Book, One Class” approach to teaching this literature. The poem is divided into three parts: “The Monster Grendel,” “Grendel’s Dam,” and “The Final Battle.” After students read each section, I utilize the literature circle method of discussion. With this, students, along with me the teacher, are able to give a brief plot summary while orally analyzing the literature for literary elements such as caesura, epic conventions, form, inference, character traits, etc. Writing:
Students write a multi­paragraph essay to cover one or more of the following elements: point of view, figurative language, conflict, atmosphere, character development, epic style, etc. Students submit a rough draft for peer evaluation before turning in a final copy.
Topic/Unit: Feudalism and Knighthood
Approximate # of weeks: 4
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Introduction to the Medieval Era, Elements, pages 74­88 {Multiple­choice quiz}
• Selections from Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales—student independent reading and extra­credit testing
o Source:
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Trans. R.M. Limiansky. New York: Pocket Books, 1971.
{I do not necessarily read and study the same tales each year, but these are exemplary tales that most know and study.}
In­depth class discussion of “The Pardoner’s Tale” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”
{Multiple­choice quizzes}
o Source:
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Pardoner’s Tale” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale.”
From The Canterbury Tales. Elements of Literature: Sixth Course,
Literature of Britain with World Classics. Ed. Richard Sime. Austin:
Holt, 2003. 19­46.
Once again I use the “One Book, One Class” teaching approach here. The literature circle activity for this literature. {See above.} The elements to address in this selection include but are not limited to character development, inferences about characters and their actions, mock­heroic style, anecdote {exemplum}, and language change. Writing: 40­minute timed write
Write an essay analyzing “The Pardoner’s Tale.” An analysis is not a plot summary; it is an explanation of how the various elements in a literary work fit together. In analyzing
Chaucer’s tale, consider at least three of these elements: characters, plot, dialogue, moral, rhyme scheme, similes, symbolism.
Students submit a rough draft for peer response.
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight {Multiple­choice quiz}
o Source:
From Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Elements of Literature: Sixth
Course, Literature of Britain with World Classics. Ed. Richard Sime. Austin: Holt, 2003. 159­165.
Using the “One Book, One Class” approach, the class and I discuss medieval romance, inference about chivalry, and using abstract words. Writing: In­class directed­outside assignment
After a discussion of Miguel de Cervantes’ satire of medieval romance, Don Quixote, I
pose the question: What aspects of the medieval romance do you think Cervantes may have felt deserved satire? We pre­write the information together. Students arrange their
responses in logical order for development in an essay. They then write the essay. Students submit a rough draft for peer response.
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“The Death of Arthur” from Le Morte D’Arthur {Multiple­choice quiz}
o Source:
Malory, Thomas. “The Death of Arthur” from Le Morte D’Arthur. Elements of Literature: Sixth Course, Literature of Britain with World Classics. Ed. Richard Sime. Austin: Holt, 2003. 171­75.
As with other pieces in this unit, I use the “One Book, One Class” method of discussion. We focus on interpreting the literature, analyzing the qualities and actions of a romantic hero, and using context clues to determine word meaning. Writing: Point of View
Imagine that you are Sir Bedivere and that you are writing a letter to a far­off friend to describe the death of your liege­lord, King Arthur. Select one of the scenes from Malory’s account and narrate it from Sir Bedivere’s point of view. Let Sir Bedivere describe his private thoughts about what he witnessed.
Students submit a rough draft for peer response.
•
Excalibur the film
o Source:
Excalibur. Dir. John Boorman. With Nigel Terry, Hellen Mirren, Nicholas Clay. Warner Bros., 1981.
When we have completed these pieces of literature, and I have assessed the four writing assignments, I offer the students this rewrite opportunity. I choose one of the samples for rewrite, and the students choose one for rewrite. {This changes from year to year.} Students have an chance to alter their grade for the better in these instances. Topic/Unit
: Ruthless ambition creates a tragic hero.
Approximate # of weeks: 3
Introduction to the Renaissance Era, Elements pages 193­212
• William Shakespeare’s dramas
o Sources:
The Tragedy of Macbeth. Dir. Roman Polanski. Hughes, 1971. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. Elements of Literature: Sixth
Course, Literature of Britain with World Classics. Ed. Richard Sime. Austin: Holt, 2003. 300­82. As a class, we read the first act of this play aloud to familiarize ourselves with the Elizabethan language, Shakespeare’s blank verse and prose, and archaic language. We discuss as necessary. For Acts II­V, the students read independently. We continue with the literature circle methodology of discussion, addressing elements such as understanding blank verse, atmosphere, irony, plot development, theme, and motif. Writing: 40­minute timed write {Essay topics change from year to year.}
Act I—Write an essay comparing and contrasting the character of Macbeth with that of Lady Macbeth. Find at least two passages spoken by each character that illustrate and support the points you intend to make. Include these in your first draft, making certain the quoted passages fit logically into what you write. Act II—Contrast is one of the most effective devices a writer can use to add vividness to the depiction of characters. Write an essay in which you explain how the
characterization of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are enhances by contrast in the scenes that precede and follow the murder of King Duncan.
Act III—Shakespeare never reveals the identity of the third murderer. Who do you think the third murderer might be? Write an essay supporting your theory of his or her identity. Build a logical case using facts and lines from the play to maintain your theory. Act IV—Macbeth is the tragic hero, a person of high rank who is brought to eventual ruin by a flaw in his character. Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his ambition, which leads him into a series of bloody and increasingly indefensible acts. Write an essay in which you relate Macbeth’s character to the plot development of the play. Think about Macbeth’s personality and motivations and how his major character points tie to the plot. Act V—Early in the act, Lady Macbeth’s doctor says, “Unnatural deeds / Do breed unnatural troubles.” Write an essay in which you explain how this remark may be applied to Lady Macbeth’s condition at this point and to the general situation in Macbeth’s realm.
After writing each act’s essay, students have a day of peer assessment. They then type a final draft for teacher assessment. Once all five essays are finished, students have the opportunity to choose three essays that they want to revise for a better grade. All drafts are kept in students’ writing portfolios. Topic/Unit: Novel Elements:
Approximate # of weeks: 7 to be completed simultaneously with other literature during this semester
Novel trilogy: Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Dover, 1990. Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Austin: Holt, 1958.
Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible. New York: HarperTorch, 2003. Writing: 40­minute timed write: The topic comes from the previous years’ AP exams to include emphasis on but not limited to conflict, character—appearing in the novel or not—function in the work, endings of novels and how they apply to the work as a whole, specific scenes and how they reveal values of characters and the society in which they live, tragic figures functioning as an instrument of suffering of others, and character conformity. The students choose one of the novels on which to base their response. Once students turn in their essay, they review College Board examples of the essays. As a class, we discuss the good and bad points of the writings. A peer assessment period will follow
Topic/Unit: Multiple­choice tests
Periodically throughout the semester, we take the time to practice the multiple­choice portion of the AP Exam. I use a method that I learned in a summer institute. I start with just one section of the test. I ask a student to read the prompt from which the questions are based. Another student reads the stem; another student reads choice A, another choice B, and so on. Each time a choice is read, we decide if we keep that choice or toss it, referring to the text for support. In the end students generally can narrow the choices to two and quite adeptly pick the best response. We address diction, ambiguities, the process of elimination, denotation and connotation, irony, tone, and the like. The next step I take is to have the students actually take a single portion of the multiple­choice in a timed setting. They have as many minutes as number of questions, usually 11­12. They have to answer all questions at this point. At the end of the allotted time, I put a grid on the overhead and ask who put A, B, C, D, or E as their response to each respective number. Students respond with a show of hands. When finished with this part, we go back and further investigate the reasons why each answer is thus. Each time I give this assignment, I add a section, eventually having a multiple­choice exam in its entirety. Students will take three tests from published AP exams. Once the tests are scored, students will work in groups to discuss and take notes over the correct answers and the learning concept involved, i.e. vocabulary development, inference, main idea, author’s purpose, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, fact/opinion, etc
Course Outline/Quarters Three and Four Topic/Unit: Elizabethan revenge play and comedic star­crossed lovers
Approximate # of weeks: 4
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. New York: Pocket, 1992.
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. With Richard Attenborough, Brian Blessed, and Kenneth Branagh. Columbia and Castle Rock, 1996.
Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Dover, Writing: 40­minute timed write: Students pick up a colored paper, which denotes essay topic. The topics come from previous years’ AP Exams and include but are not limited to tone, conflict, atmosphere, character development, suspense, climax usually associated with external action, and the genre of mystery. {Must apply to the play not the film} Students view College Board examples of essays from previous years’ tests. Class discussion ensues to involve diction, sentence structure, basic grammar, and mechanics. A student and teacher peer evaluation of their paper follows. Students then produce a more pristine copy.
Topic/Unit: Poetry
Approximate # of weeks: 5
For poetry, I allow the students to read the poem silently for the first reading. I give them five­ plus minutes—depending on the length of the poem—to annotate their observations using the TP­CASTT method of analyzing poetry. Once finished the students partner­up (I prefer only two in a group, but sometimes have three.) and share their findings. I give five­plus minutes for this as well. After that, I have one student read the poem aloud to hear the meter, rhyme scheme, and fluency in the piece. I then put a copy of the poem on the overhead projector and write down—
for all to view—the class’ assessment. If students miss a particular aspect, I guide them in that direction. Once we have completed the poem’s analysis, I have a different student read the poem aloud or have a professional recording of the poem played. †
Sources:
Elements of Literature: Sixth Course, Literature of Britain with World Classics. Ed. Richard Sime. Austin: Holt, 2003.
McDonnell, Helen, et al. ENGLAND in Literature. Medallion Edition. Dallas: Scott, Foresman and Co., 1982.
Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 8th ed. New York: Bedford, 2008.
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Handouts to students:
“Reading Poetry,” “Writing about Poetry,” “Word Choice, Word Order, and Tone,” “Images,” “Figures of Speech,” “Symbols, Allegory, and Irony,” “Sounds,” “Patterns of Rhythm,” “Poetic Forms,” “Open Forms,” and “Combining the Elements of Poetry: A Writing Process”—all from the Bedford text—“Early English And Scottish Ballads,” “The Sonnet” from the Adventure text, and TP—CASTT: A Method of Poetry Analysis
Poems to read and discuss:
Sir Thomas Wyatt’s “Whoso List to Hunt”
Edmund Spenser’s sonnets: #30 and #75, The Faerie Queene
William Shakespeare’s sonnets: #18, #29, #30, #55, #71, #73, #116, #130
Christopher Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”
Sir Walter Raleigh’s “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” Sir Philip Sydney’s Sonnet 31 from Astrophel and Stella
Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”
John Donne’s “Song,” “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” “Death Be Not Proud,” “The Bait,” from Holy Sonnets #7, #10, and #14
Alexander Pope’s “Heroic Couplets,” An Essay on Man, The Rape of the Lock {if time allows}
Robert Burn’s “To a Mouse”
William Blake’s “The Tyger,” “The Lamb,” “The Chimney Sweeper” from The Songs of Innocence and The Songs of Experience
Percy Bysshe Shelly’s “Ozymandias” and “Ode to the West Wind” John Keats’ “La Belle Dame sans Merci” and “Ode to a Nightingale” or “Ode to a Grecian Urn” Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess”
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43
Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach”
A.E .Housman’s “To an Athlete Dying Young”
T.S. Elliot’s “The Hollow Men” {If time allows}
Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”
William Carlos William’s “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus”
Edward Field’s “Icarus”
Nancy Callahan’s “Daddy D”
Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy”
Marge Piercy’s “The Secretary Chant”
Carl Sandburg’s “Window”
Tim Taylor’s “I shake the delicate apparatus”
After we have annotated at least three poems in each form as a class, I assign a new poem for the students to annotate on their own. This may be an assignment on annotating, writing about poetry, or creating multiple­choice questions. The students do not know which it will be, so they must be prepared for all with their annotations.
Writing: Some take home essays, some 40­minute timed writes—Students review College Board examples of essays after they complete their assignment and before they peer assess. Class discussion takes place to focus on the aspects of the essays Some assignments may be just a peer assessment; others may have teacher assessment as well. Topic/Unit: Style analysis reading and writing
Approximate # of weeks: 4 I do not maintain the same pieces of literature from year to year. I take samples from various sources such as Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver, The New Yorker, The English Journal, and Reader’s Digest. When students write for question #2, I pull from previous years’ AP exams so that we will have samples of the College Board essays to discuss. We follow the same format as before: students write, review and discuss samples, and peer assess. I do not assess every essay, as they do not get that on the AP exam and often in college courses. Topic/Unit: Novel Assignment
Approximate # of weeks: 6
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Titles {They change from year to year.}
Wuthering Heights
The Ox­Bow Incident
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Memoirs of a Geisha
Life of Pi
The Kite Runner
A Prayer for Owen Meany
A Handmaid’s Tale
Plus others of literary merit
Activity:
I employ the fish­bowl methodology to teach the many novels. Students are grouped into 6­9 people. They choose the novel they wish to read. At the end of the allotted time to read, the groups get into the center of the room and discuss the novel. I am but a spectator, which is difficult, and do not interfere unless the idea is way off target. {seldom happens} The other students not in that group have a “special chair” to join the designated reading group. They may enter in the discussion only when sitting in the “special chair.”
Writing: 40­minute timed
All topics come from previous years’ AP Exams. Student can write only on the books that they read. We review the sample essays from the College Board to get a clear idea of what the board wants. We discuss fluency, diction, sentence structure, did the author answer the question, how the question applies to the work as a whole, etc. Peer and teacher assessment follow. Sometimes the essays are graded as if they were in the actual AP Exam setting. Topic/Unit: Grammar and Mechanics
Approximate # of weeks: all year
I utilize a number of sources for students’ benefit. I prefer A Writer’s Resource: A Handbook for Writing and Research. When students write and I see an error continually being made—such as comma splices,—I address the issue with class lecture, discussion, and worksheet that I have accumulated through the years. I also tackle any questions that the students have at any time. In May, students take the AP exam.
After the AP English Literature and Composition Exam:
Short Story Readings:
Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”
D.H. Lawrence’s “The Rocking­Horse Winner”
Katherine Mansfield’s “Miss Brill”
Elizabeth Bowen’s “The Demon Lover” Doris Lessing’s “A Woman on a Roof”
Kate Chopin’s “Desiree’s Baby”
Irwin Shaw’s “The Girl’s in Their Summer Dresses”
To include selections chosen by the students
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Writing: Essays for short stories cover the elements of short stories, i.e. plot, character development, conflict, etc. I assess these essays for correction.
Films {if time allows}
o Monty Python’s The Quest for the Holy Grail
o Camelot
o Lady Hawke
o To include appropriate selections chosen by the students
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I reserve the right to add or delete items as situations arise.