Welcome to English 12: AP English Literature and Composition!

Welcome to our class website! I will be posting class notes, homework assignments, and other information that I think may be useful to you here throughout the year - make sure you check the website at least once a day for updates! The syllabus for our course will live on this page of the website so you can refer to it throughout the year. My contact information will always be available in the "Contact Me" tab. Have fun exploring our site and I look forward to working with you in English 12 this year!

- Ms. Rees

COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Overview:

Welcome to English 12: AP English Literature and Composition! In this course, we will be reading many novels, plays, and short stories, doing many different writing assignments, and of course, preparing for the AP Exam the course will culminate with in May. Not only will my focus this year be preparing you for the AP Exam, but my goal is to engage you in many types of texts and get you thinking about what questions literature raises for us as readers and as human beings.

How can an individual endure and find meaning in the midst of incredible suffering?

Why is it so important, even vital, that we refrain from completely closing ourselves off from others?

Who can we trust, and how do we determine that we can trust them?

Not only are these questions essential to answer in regards to the novels we read, but they are essential to evaluate in terms of our own lives and existence.

AP Exam Information:

At the end of this course, you will sit for the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature and Composition Exam. This course will prepare you for the types of reading and writing you will be expected to complete on this exam and in your future college careers. The exam is structured in two parts multiple choice, which consists of 55 questions answered in 60 minutes, and essay, which consists of 3 essays written in 120 minutes. Most highly competitive colleges and universities will award college credit for successful completion of the Exam with a scale of 3, 4, or 5.

Summer Reading:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston.

Texts to Explore This Year (aside from summer reading):

The Awakening – Kate Chopin

Man’s Search for Meaning

Nine Stories – J.D. Salinger

Hamlet – William Shakespeare

The Stranger – Albert Camus

Beloved – Toni Morrison

The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway

Grading Rubric:

Writing Assignments and Exams - 60%

Class Discussion and Participation - 20%

Homework Assignments - 20%

Since this is a college level class, you will be expected to submit college level work. This means writing assignments should be completed carefully and thoughtfully, contain few spelling and grammatical errors, and be submitted on time. All take-home writing assignments may be revised for grade improvement after instructor feedback has been provided, given you follow the revision guidelines provided to you in our course materials. You might be surprised to see that class discussion and participation makes up a substantial portion of your grade for each quarter. In order to delve into the texts we read this year, we will be engaging in class discussion each day, so it is important that you participate. In some instances, you may be expected to lead the class in discussion and come prepared with guiding questions in order to do so; you will be notified in advance so you have time to prepare for this. All assignments are expected to be submitted on time, whether you are in class or not, so pay attention to your school email account and submit assignments via email when you are absent. Communication is key to ensuring your success in this class and I am always available via email for any question or concern you may encounter throughout the year!