Advanced Placement English:  Literature and Composition

Course Objectives

Students will 1) read and understand literary works; 2) analyze selected authors' themes, philosophies, and styles; 3) understand the universality of human characteristics as presented through literature; and 4) write both analytical and expressive papers on the texts read.  This course spans two semesters (presumably with the same teacher) and so this syllabus covers the full year of AP English.

Writing will also include literary analyses, impromptus, reflective essays, response papers, and the option of creative writing such as short stories, poetry and/or plays.

Students will use their journals as a place to respond to reading, work on writing, as a form of self-discovery and as a learning tool.  Students will also work to improve their vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and word usage.  Some assignments will involve research using both the library and the Internet.  Multimedia presentations will be options for some projects.

Literature  to be Studied (subject to change)

Major Works - Novels & Drama

Heart of Darkness (Conrad), Catch-22 (Heller), Oedipus Trilogy (Sophocles), Antigone (Anouilh), Hamlet (Shakespeare), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Stoppard)

Short Stories

"I Stand Here Ironing" (Olsen)
"Sonny's Blues"
"

Poetry

"My Last Duchess" (Browning)

Selections from

Plus, choice book(s) from pre-approved list

Grades:  Grades will be averaged based on

1. Tests (objective and essay) (%) and quizzes (=1/3 of test grade)

2. Major papers & projects (graded according to rubrics) and 1-page position papers due bi-weekly

3. Daily homework assignments, class participation, and journal (checked bi-weekly for quantity of pages written; 12 = max,10=A, 8=B, 6=C, etc.)

A final exam will be given at the end of the first semester covering all class learning.

A full research paper will be required as a final project for the final exam grade second semester

Some additional study guides are provided on the web starting at https://teenlit.com/webguides/default.htm