Advanced Placement English Language and Composition

Mr. Matthew Hazel

Room 545

Phone: (407) 816-5600 ext. 6082353

E-mail: matthew.hazel@ocps.net

Course Description:
The AP English Language and Composition course aligns to an introductory college-level rhetoric and writing
curriculum, which requires students to develop evidence-based analytic and argumentative essays that proceed
through several stages or drafts. Students evaluate, synthesize, and cite research to support their arguments.
Throughout the course, students develop a personal style by making appropriate grammatical choices. Additionally,
students read and analyze the rhetorical elements and their effects in non-fiction texts, including graphic images as
forms of text, from many disciplines and historical periods. Students must be prepared to identify and discuss the
following for non-fiction and/or fiction reading assignments:
Mode of discourse and type of composition
Point of view
Authors purpose
Exposition (setting)
Authors style (including rhetorical devices,
Characters (type, motivation, role,
syntax, diction, etc.)
description)
Intended audience and occasion
Conflicts
Thesis or claim
Complications/Development of Plot
Evidence or support
Turning Point/Climax
Appeals (Ethos, Logos, Pathos)
Resolution
Assumptions or warrants
Tone/Atmosphere
Theme
Literary Elements (symbols, motifs, etc.)

AP Language and Composition Common Grading Policy:

Grades are calculated by an accumulation of points earned throughout the grading period. Although some grades
may be derived from reading assignments, assessments, journals, classwork, homework, presentations, and
participation, multiple-choice practice and essay writing are the basis for most grades. Very few extra-credit
assignments are given so do not rely on extra credit to save your grade. On occasion, a student may be given
extra points for doing work that exceeds the expectations of the teacher. Grades are divided into four
categories: AP Practice; Homework; In-Class Activities; and Projects. Each of these categories will change weight
throughout the year as students become more prepared for the AP Exam.

1st Quarter

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

AP Practice

30%

35%

40%

45%

Classwork

15%

15%

15%

15%

Homework

25%

25%

20%

15%

Projects

30%

25%

25%

25%

At the end of each grading period, students total points will be converted to a percentage of points possible to
arrive at their grade. The grading scale is as follows:
A = 90100
B = 8089
C = 7079
D = 6069
F = 059

Student Goals:

To prepare for the AP Exam by reading, analyzing, interpreting, and practicing the major modes of writing
To become active, discerning readers
To read from various periods of American literature and from diverse cultures
To write expository, analytical, and argumentative essays focusing on critical analyses of written and visual
texts
To speak and write appropriately for a particular audience and purpose
To relate ideas derived from literature to trends in society, religion, politics, and the arts
To identify rhetorical strategies (e.g., diction, syntax, and selection of details) in works
To analyze how graphics and visual images both relate to written texts and serve as alternative forms of text
themselves.

Expectations of Students:

Students are expected to know and to follow the school policies, especially related to attendance, tardies,
dress, and make-up work.
Since a high correlation exists between attendance, grades, and preparation for the AP Exam, students are
expected to be in class every day, except in cases of illness or other extraordinary circumstances. No student
should ever miss this class in order to work on other school activities.
Participate in class. Being involved means youre awake, alert, and learning. Dont be afraid to
ask questions or to give answers. Nobody cares if youre wrong.
Class begins and ends with the bell; students should not pack up belongings until the bell rings.
All work must be completed by the student submitting the work. Cheating is a very serious offense; many
colleges will expel students found guilty or suspected of cheating after the first offense. Cheating is defined
as one or more of the following: 1) Talking or giving answers to another student with or without his/her
knowledge; talking, no matter the topic, during a quiz or test; an abundance of identical incorrect answers
between two students on a test; using another student's notes as your own; and plagiarizing from another
source without correct documentation, including copying any text without citing it from the Internet as well
as copying the work of any student. Any evidence of academic dishonesty will result in a zero and parent
contact or worse. This zero may not be made up or changed for any reason.
Parents are encouraged to help students generate ideas and proofread work, but corrections must
be made only by the student. Students are expected to practice their own thinking and writing out of class as
preparation for the many in-class, timed writings as well as the AP Exam.
All writing assignments are to be accompanied by prewriting, all earlier drafts, and peer editing or teacher
notes. Papers that do not show parts of the writing process may not be accepted.
Papers are to be written neatly in blue or black ink (NOT PENCIL!) and in the student's own handwriting.
Do not type papers unless asked to do so.
Emailed assignments will not be accepted.
Do not speak to me about late or missing work or about grades during, before, or after class. I am busy.
Come in before or after school if you have a problem, or contact me via email.
All coursework must have a proper heading.

Classroom Behavior Expectations:

I believe in common respect. I will always try to treat you with the respect you deserve as students. I expect you to
treat me with the respect due a teacher. This includes:

Arriving to class on time, with a willing attitude and all necessary materials.
Referring to me and your classmates by name.
Completing each assignment/project by the due date.
Being courteous and respectful to everyone even when you disagree with them.
Accepting the consequences for your choices.

Every day we make numerous choices and all of our choices have consequences some wonderful, some
unpleasant. It is our individual responsibility to choose carefully. If students choose to break a
class rule they should also expect one of the following consequences to follow, though not necessarily in this order:
reminder of rules; warning; seat change; detention; writing assignment; parent notification; student/teacher
conference; parent/teacher conference; and/or referral.

FHS English Department Vision Statement:

The English department will support digital implementation at FHS by providing students with technological
opportunities to improve their ability to write, speak, and analyze text while becoming college and career ready. We
will clearly and consistently use technology to revitalize lessons that have been successful in the past that will allow
students to collaborate and provide feedback, creating more efficient 21st century learners.

Technology Standards Information:

College Board AP English Standards incorporating technology usage:
W5.3 Student edits for accuracy of citation and proper use of publishing guidelines.
W5.4 Student prepares text for presentation/publication.
S3.1 Student analyzes purpose, audience, and context when planning a presentation or performance.
S3.2 Student gathers and organizes content to achieve purposes for a presentation or performance.
M1.1 Student understands the nature of media communication.
M2.1 Student understands, interprets, analyzes, and evaluates media communication.
M3.1 Student analyzes purpose, audience, and media channel when planning for a media communication.
M3.2 Student develops and produces an informational or creative media communication.
M3.3 Student evaluates and revises a media communication.
Language Arts Florida Standards incorporating technology usage:
LAFS.1112.SL.1.2: Students will be able to integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats
and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating
the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
LAFS.1112.SL.2.5: Students will be able to make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio,
visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence
and to add interest.
LAFS.1112.W.2.6: Students will be able to use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
LAFS.1112.W.3.7: Students will be able to conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
LAFS.1112.W.3.8: Students will be able to gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of
the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding
plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

Online Components
This course will be utilizing several online tools, including Progressbook, Edmodo, Google Drive, Diigo,
and Remind. Grades will be posted to the Parent/Student access portal on Progressbook. Course content,
assignments, and due dates will be communicated to students through Google Calendar and Google Drive.
Edmodo may also be used for some announcements, reminders, and communications. You are responsible for
checking all of these webpages regularly and completing all assignments. I didnt check the webpage is not an
acceptable excuse for not being prepared for class.

Tardy Policy
Students are expected to be in the classroom when the bell rings. The Freedom High School discipline policy
regarding tardies will be enforced in my classroom.

Practice Exams:
The AP English classes have been designed to prepare and equip a student with everything necessary to perform to
his/her best ability on the national AP exam. As a means to attain this goal, we will provide simulations of the AP
English Language and Composition exam. It is mandatory that all students enrolled in an AP English course be
present for the practice exams. Like so many of the responsibilities students have for AP, these practice exams will
require some time outside of class. Historically, the 3 hour simulated exam takes place on campus from 7:30 a.m.
to 12:00 p.m. In the past, the 1st practice exam occurred on a Saturday in early to mid-September, and the 2nd
practice exam took place on a Saturday in late February to mid-March. Make-up times are always scheduled in case a
student has a valid conflict. Teacher observation and student feedback have shown the
practice examinations to be a vital part of AP Test Preparation; they are to be taken very seriously.

Outside Reading:
Each quarter, students will be required to read ONE novel from the selections listed on the syllabus (from the
sections labeled Outside Reading for each quarter). This novel will be used in a variety of assignments both in
and out of class. These are major assignments, and it is imperative that students read their outside reading books
and complete each assignment in a timely manner.

Late Work Policy:

For excused absences, students have the number of days excused plus one to make up work, per school policy.
Unexcused late work is not expected nor tolerated. This late work will only be accepted after serving an academic
detention, and will not be awarded full credit. Late work should not be submitted through the normal Google Drive
procedure; it will not be scored.

Restroom Policy:
You should be able to take care of restroom needs between classes. Should you have an emergency, however,
utilize the digital pass at a quiet moment and I will approve it. Do not take advantage of my good nature.

Food and Drink Policy:

Food and drink (other than water in a closed, clear container) are not to be brought into my classroom. If gum or
candy becomes a classroom distraction, they will be prohibited.

Classroom Library Policy:

There are many books in the classroom that have been provided by the school as well as many from my own
personal collection which you may borrow. You must check them out and back in. If you lose the book, then you
will need to replace it with another.

Contraband:
Per Freedom High School Administration, if any member of the faculty sees any hats, visors, media players (CD
players, MP3 players, iPods, PSPs, etc.), and/or cell phones at any time, we are to confiscate them. Confiscated
item(s) will be promptly turned over to the Deans Office, where they will only be released to a parent.

Extra Help:
If you feel that you are struggling, come see me as soon as possible. Please do not wait until the day an assignment
is due or the day before report cards because then it is too late to help.

Student Expectations:

Students are expected to know and to follow the school policies, especially related to attendance, tardies,
dress, and make-up work.
Since a high correlation exists between attendance, grades, and preparation for the AP Exam, students are
expected to be in class every day, except in cases of illness or other extraordinary circumstances. No

student should ever miss this class in order to work on other activities (such as Student Government, sports,
music, or clubs).
Since the teacher makes frequent use of groups, students should be able to work cooperatively with others.
During every class period, students should have a notebook or folder, college-ruled loose-leaf paper, pens
with blue or black ink, post-it notes, and three colors of highlighters.
AP students are expected to keep up with what is going on in class. All coursework will be available on the
course Moodle or course Edmodo page. You are responsible for keeping track of your own work, even if
you are absent.
Students are encouraged to use the restroom before class starts. During class you may use the restroom if
you must however, there should be no expectation that the teacher will repeat everything you missed while
out of the room.
All work should be done by the student submitting the work. Parents are encouraged to help students
generate ideas and proofread work, but corrections must be made only by the student and in the students
handwriting. Students are expected to practice their own thinking and writing out of class as preparation for
the many timed writings they will do in class.
All writing assignments are to be accompanied by prewriting, all earlier drafts, and peer editing or teacher
notes. Papers that do not show the parts of the writing process may not be accepted for a grade.
Papers are to be written in blue or black ink in the student's own handwriting. Do not type papers unless
asked to do so.

Required Materials:

A 3-ring binder, folder, or other place to keep coursework

A supply of notebook paper
Pens (black or blue ink for everyday use and at least one other color for editing)
3 Highlighters (differing colors)
Post-It Notes (various colors and sizes are preferable; bring them daily)
Outside reading novel

Format for paper student work:

All paper work handed in to me will adhere to the following guidelines:
All work will use the following heading in the upper right corner:
Name
Example:
John Doe
Period
Period 4
Date
5/14/2012
Title
Practice Argument 2
Unless directed otherwise, all work will be completed in black or blue pen.
Handwritten work will use white, college-ruled 8x11 notebook paper.
Typed work will be double-spaced with 1 margins using 12-point Times New Roman font.
Work will be printed and ready to turn in. I will not print your work for you, nor will I
accept emailed work without prior permission.
Work which does not meet these guidelines or which otherwise does not follow directions
WILL NOT be accepted. If it is redone properly, it is LATE.

Format for digital student work:

All digital assignments will be submitted through Google Drive using the following file name format:
Student: John Smith
Assignment: Rhetorical Analysis 2
Teacher: Hazel
Course: APLANG
Period: 3
Filename: P3_RhetoricalAnalysis2_Smith_John_APLANG

These filenames must be observed exactly. Files that are named incorrectly will not be found by the teacher
and thus cannot be graded.

Controversial Textual Content (from the College Boards course description):

Issues that might, from particular social, historical, or cultural viewpoints, be considered controversial, including
references to ethnicities, nationalities, religions, races, dialects, gender, or class, may be addressed in texts that are
appropriate for the AP English Language and Composition course. Fair representation of issues and peoples may
occasionally include controversial material. Since AP students have chosen a program that directly involves them in
college-level work, participation in this course depends on a level of maturity consistent with the age of high school
students who have engaged in thoughtful analyses of a variety of texts. The best response to controversial language
or ideas in a text might well be a question about the larger meaning, purpose, or overall effect of the language or
idea in context. AP students should have the maturity, skill, and will to seek the larger meaning of a text or issue
through thoughtful research.

How to succeed in AP (advice from former students):

Procrastination results in lower grades and huge amounts of stress so stop it! Break big assignments down
in to workable units and do part of them every day. Keep a wall calendar so you can see a month at a time.
If its on the wall, it cant be buried under books, papers, or your bed.
Dont take criticism personally. That attitude gets in the way of learning.
Missing class hurts. Be there.
Participate in class. Being involved means youre awake, alert, and learning. Dont be afraid to ask
questions or to give answers. Nobody cares if youre wrong.
Relax. Theres something for everyone here. Learning can be fun!

AP English Language and Composition Curriculum

Textbooks and Other Source Materials

The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric -- Rene H. Shea, Lawrence Scanlon, and
Robin Dissin Aufses -- ISBN: 0-312-45094-X
50 Essays -- Samuel Cohen, ed. -- ISBN: 0-312-41205-3
Selected Novels, Writing Excerpts, Speeches, and Essays
Visual Rhetoric: Various photos, relevant fine art, political cartoons, timelines, graphs and charts from textbooks,
newspapers, magazine, and other print media as well as film clips, frame captures, and advertisements are some of the
means through which visual rhetoric is analyzed throughout the course. Such examples are incorporated into the
curriculum to aid the student in understanding and evaluating sources of visual rhetoric.

SUMMER READING

Students are asked to create a Dialectical Response Journal, where they record reactions to the text as they read. They
are required to have at least four quotes and reactions from each chapter for each of the following three books:
Ella Minnow Pea -- Mark Dunn
Into the Wild -- Jon Krakauer
Of Mice and Men -- John Steinbeck
As a means of assessment, the teacher assigns open-ended question(s) at the beginning of the school year for
students to answer in essay form which require use of specific incidents in the books to support a thesis.

FIRST QUARTER -- The Work Before Us: Language, Learning, and Values
AP Focus: Rhetorical Analysis, Purpose, and Close Reading of Text

I. Introduction to AP Language and Composition: What are qualities of a good reader, writer?
1. AP Course Description
2. Rhetorical Strategies, Modes of Rhetoric, Elements of Style, and Style Analysis
3. Essay assessment
II. Values and Ethics: How do values and ethics affect the social sphere?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on the rhetorical modes of
Division/Classification and Causal Analysis.
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from Barbara Lazear Ascher, William F. Buckley, Jr.,
George Orwell, Jonathan Edwards, Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King, Jr., among others. Specific
reading selections will be provided at a later date.
3. Outside Readings*: (Choose at least one from the following selections)
A Farewell to Arms -- Ernest Hemingway
The Crucible -- Arthur Miller
III. Education: What is an education?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on the rhetorical modes of Definition
and Comparison/Contrast.
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from Maya Angelou, Joan Didion, Frederick Douglass,
Mike Rose, David Sedaris, Francine Prose, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Sherman Alexie, James Baldwin, Kyoko Mori,
Sandra Cisneros, and/or Horace Mann, among others. Specific reading selections will be provided at a later date.
3. Outside Readings*: (Choose at least one from the following selections)
The Catcher in the Rye -- J.D. Salinger
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -- Mark Twain

SECOND QUARTER -- The Power Within Us: Culture and Wars Encased in Language
AP Focus: Rhetorical Purpose and Argumentation
I. Politics and War: What is the connection between rhetoric, politics, and war?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on the rhetorical modes of Expository
Writing, Narration, and Description.
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas

Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Garrison Keillor, George W. Bush, Plato, Winston Churchill, Richard M.
Nixon, Elizabeth I, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, and Jamaica Kincaid among others. Specific reading selections
will be provided at a later date.
3. In-Class Readings*:
The Things They Carried -- Tim OBrien
II. Language and Culture: How does writing reveal our cultures?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on the rhetorical modes of
Argumentation and Persuasion.
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from Amy Tan, Eric Liu, Gloria Anzaldua, James
Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and/or Richard Rodriguez, among others. Specific reading selections will be
provided at a later date.
3. Outside Readings*: (Choose at least one from the following selections)
On Writing -- Stephen King
Zen in the Art of Writing -- Ray Bradbury
A Room of Ones Own -- Virginia Woolf

THIRD QUARTER -- The World Around Us: Living and Learning

AP Focus: Synthesis Essay and Source Citation
I. Balancing Our Lives (Work, Sports, and Popular Culture): How do we find that balance?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on the Synthesis Essay and the process
of reading, evaluating, and citing primary and secondary source information (evaluating APA, MLA citations;
documenting in MLA style).
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from Barbara Ehrenreich, Booker T. Washington,
Richard Selzer, Thomas Carlyle, Claudia O'Keefe, Annie Dillard, Tillie Olsen, Buzz McClain, Gay Talese,
Theodore Roosevelt, John NcMurtry, Mark Twain, Brent Staples, and/or Vine Deloria, Jr., among others.
Specific reading selections will be provided at a later date.
.
3. Outside Readings*: (Choose at least one from the following selections)
The Bell Jar -- Sylvia Plath
In Cold Blood -- Truman Capote
II. Science and Nature: What does it mean to be green?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on the rhetorical modes of Process
Analysis and Illustration/Exemplification.
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from Henry David Thoreau, James O. Wilson, E. B.
White, Virginia Woolf, Thomas Henry Huxley, Lewis Thomas, Philip M. Boffey, Rachel Carson, Ralph Waldo
Emerson, Terry Tempest Williams, Chief Seattle, Wendell Berry, Wangari Muta Maathai, Joyce Carol Oates,
and/or Bill McKibben, among others. Specific reading selections will be provided at a later date.
3. Outside Readings*: (Choose at least one from the following selections)
A Walk in the Woods -- Bill Bryson
Never Let Me Go -- Kazuo Ishiguro

FOURTH QUARTER -- The Humans Beside Us: Gender, Individuality, and Community
AP Focus: Exam Review and Argumentative Research Project
I. The Individual, the Family, the Community: How does literature expose us to different people?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on the rhetorical modes of
Argumentation and Persuasion.
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from Nancy Mairs, N. Scott Momaday, Shelby Steele,
Henry David Thoreau, Jane Howard, Amitai Etzioni, Bertrand Russell, and/or Garrett Hardin, among others.
Specific reading selections will be provided at a later date.
3. Outside Readings*: (Choose at least one from the following selections)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings -- Maya Angelou
The Bluest Eye -- Toni Morrison
II. Man and Woman: How does language unite and divide us?
1. Writing: We will explore, construct, and revise essays with a particular focus on Combining the Rhetorical

Modes.
2. Reading: We will read, discuss, and/or respond to selections from Dave Barry, Stephen Jay Gould, Deborah
Tannen, Sojourner Truth, Alice Walker, Virginia Woolf, John and Abigail Adams, Paul Theroux, and /or David
Brooks, among others. Specific reading selections will be provided at a later date.

3. Outside Readings*: (Choose at least one from the following selections)

The Handmaids Tale Margaret Atwood

The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway

4. In-Class Reading*:

The Great Gatsby -- F. Scott Fitzgerald

III. Argumentative Research Project
This project will require students to evaluate and incorporate reference documents into a researched argument papers.
Students are directed to choose an appropriate topic of interest that they would like to investigate further. They must
then find five or six different sources from books, essays, graphs, cartoons, commentaries, stories, etc. dealing with
their topic. The works should not share the same opinion about the topic. The students will be required to take a stance
on this topic, using argumentation to demonstrate the validity of their position and should follow the classical
methodology outlined by the teacher. All papers must contain the following:
Five pages double-spaced with one-inch margins and 12-point font
Minimum of five sources cited throughout the paper
Documentation using MLA style
A strong ABCD introduction (Attention getter, Background information, Central thesis, Division
statement)
Established writer qualifications on the topic and common ground between writer and audience
Lines of argumentation used to support the central thesis in order of importance
Examination of alternative arguments and explanation why theirs is better
A conclusion with a call to action and strong ethical or emotional appeal
*THESE ASSIGNMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE! PLEASE CHECK WITH
YOUR INSTRUCTOR BEFORE BEGINNING ANY OUTSIDE READING BOOKS.

Final Notes
In order to best provide students for the AP English Language Exam, changes may be made regarding the specific reading
selections and the number required. Also, it is preferable, though not required, for students to acquire their own copies of the
Outside Reading novels. (This is encouraged so that they can mark their texts.) If this presents a financial hardship for any
student, that student or his/her parent should contact me and I will make every effort to alleviate this burden.

Parents: Please follow these directions to sign this PDF. Students should then turn in the signed PDF via
Google Drive.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Click Sign in the upper right hand corner (allow it to load)

In the right hand pane, click on the drop down menu for Place Signature and click on Change Saved Signature.
A new window will open up. At the top, click on the drop down menu to select draw my signature
Draw the signature using your mousepad
Then drag and drop the signature to the appropriate spot on the PDF
Next, in the right-hand pane, select Signed. Proceed to send.

Parent Signature Below: