Course Syllabus

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Course Description

 

The AP English Language course provides students with the opportunity to engage with high level texts from a variety of cultural groups, identities and time periods. Students will analyze texts for rhetorical features and situations. In addition, students will create their own writing pieces to both analyze the works of other authors and to create their own rhetorically powerful writing.

 

Note: this syllabus is being developed with uncertainty around the format school will take in regard to the COVID19 situation, due to this uncertainty, student activities are specific in the skills but vague in nature (ex. group project vs individual work). Final decisions as to the form of student activities will be made once there is a better understanding of the format that will exist.

 

The course is structured both thematically and chronologically (Course Requirement 1 [CR1]). The overarching essential questions are: “How do authors successfully use technique to convey ideas?” and “How does history and society influence ideas?” For this purpose, units are set around themes exploring how different groups have understood and worked to protect their identities in the landscape of the United States.

 

The principle textbook for the course is “Readings for Writers” 15th ed. published by Cengage Learning with additional nonfiction texts curated by the teacher to increase student understanding of the group and time period under consideration.

 

Course Objectives and Big Ideas

 

Big Ideas

  • Rhetorical Situation: Individuals write within a particular situation and make strategic writing choices based on that situation.
  • Claims and Evidence: Writers make claims about subjects, rely on evidence that supports the reasoning that justifies the claim, and often acknowledge or respond to other, possibly opposing, arguments.
  • Reasoning and Organization: Writers guide understanding of a text’s lines of reasoning and claims through that text’s organization and integration of evidence.
  • Style: The rhetorical situation informs the strategic stylistic choices that writers make.

 

Student Practice

Activities in each unit-

  • Weekly reader response to text
  • Vocabulary development
  • Vocabulary in context
  • Rhetorical strategies o Diction
    • Appeals
    • Purpose
    • Audience
    • Attitude
    • Syntax
  • Personal Progress Checks and conferring at the end of each unit.

 

Components of each unit-

  • History
  • Reading arguments
  • Write argument with only internal sources
  • Write argument with outside sources
  • Analyze an argument (identifying assumptions and worldview)
  • Mentor texts
  • Image analysis

 

Skills-

  • Close reading
  • Annotation
  • Thesis Creation
  • Evidence
  • Explanation
  • Rereading

 

Course Social Emotional Goals:

  • Students have confidence in the ability to efficiently and positively accomplish a task using discipline-specific skills.
  • Students can set academic goals that are grounded in content-area standards and track their progress toward achieving those goals.
  • Students can identify the triggers from outside extremities that impact their academic success. They have the tools in their toolkit to remain positive and develop alternatives to turn the negative into a positive emotion.
  • Students can successfully advocate for themselves and others by demonstrating perspective and empathy and developing strong arguments.
  • Students are able to work in teams with peers, making sure to set collaboration norms, assign tasks equitably, and negotiate conflict effectively.
  • Students can successfully communicate, apply disciplinary concepts and objectives while engaging with others of diverse viewpoints. They apply appropriate body language, effective advocacy, listening, writing and speaking skills to contribute positively to the learning community.
  • Students can successfully identify problems, analyze situations and solve problems while considering personal behaviors, social interactions and norms, ethical standards, and safety concerns.
  • Students are able to self-reflect and realistically evaluate consequences, taking into consideration ethical responsibilities, such as the well-being of others and oneself.

 

Course Materials

With a focus on environmental stewardship aspect of Global Digital Citizenship, we will do our best to conserve paper. You will be using your school provided laptop to type notes and complete classwork assignments; additionally, you will keep an online notebook through your Highline provided Microsoft Office account. The only materials required for this course are:

 

 

  • RAHS Laptop
  • Pens (black and blue)
  • Google Drive Account
  • Microsoft Account
  • Post it Notes 3x3

You will complete most of your classwork on Canvas. You will receive information on how to access Microsoft 365 and GoogleDrive via Canvas.

 

Major Units of Study

Unit

1:

Intro to AP Lang: Where are we going and how will we get there?

2:

Who’s History? Indigenous Peoples in the Americas [CR1]

3:

Enslaved Americans- History of Resistance

4&5: Colonialism & Imperialism- racism, immigration, attitudes, resource extraction & their reverberations

6:

Properness and Society (Norms explorations- gender)

7&8:

Modern Identity

9:

Media

Topic

Understanding the course and its objectives

Indigenous Perspectives

Black America / African American fight for freedom and Recognition

racism, immigration, attitudes, resource extraction & their reverberations.

Gender

Norms explorations- gender, (dis)ability, ethnicity, sexuality, white supremacy

The role of media in society

Big Idea

Rhetorical Situation, Claims and Evidence

Rhetorical Situation; Claims and Evidence

Claims and Evidence; Reasoning and Organization

Rhetorical Situation; Claims and Evidence; Reasoning and Organization

Reasoning and Organization; Style

Rhetorical Situation; Claims and Evidence; Style

Claims and Evidence

Skills

In Unit one, students will establish an understanding of the goals, skills and objectives of the course and a basic understanding of the tasks they will be asked to perform.

In unit two, students take a deep look at contrasting perspectives, especially in terms of beliefs, values and needs. Students will consider a variety of texts by indigenous authors from the 1800s to present day. The unit begins with a historical view of indigenous culture, developments and technology, including the Iroquois Federation’s influence on the constitutional framers. Students then move chronologically through a set of texts mediating between indigenous voices and the now dominant western culture.

In this unit, students will do a cursory exploration of the worldwide history of slavery (ancient to modern day) and contrast it to post contact slavery in the Americas and consider positions (segregationist, assimilationist and antiracist) as established in the text, “Stamped from the Beginning.” Students will also consider the aftermath of enslavement from a systemic point of view- access to generational wealth, education and disparities in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. They will then proceed to evaluate texts illuminating the experiences of enslaved and those living in the immediate aftermath of slavery.

In this unit, students will connect colonialism and imperialism to modern attitudes and economies. Students will delve deeper into constructing arguments including addressing counterclaims through their personal exploration of a topic relating to themselves. Post-colonialism critical theory will guide this unit.

In this unit, students will explore the craft of writing in further detail, especially understanding and practicing effective syntax, word choice, transitions, comparisons, organization, tone and style in the work of woman writers.

In this unit, students will be introduced to gender and postcolonial feminist theory, especially the concept of intersectionality as they explore texts pertaining to modern identity, especially in terms of an audience’s beliefs, values and needs and how writers utilize the craft of writing to convey their ideas.

 

Activities

Students will read chapters 1 & 2 (to page 23) in “Readings for Writers” which explains the skills of the course as well as the foundations of rhetorical analysis and create a delivery project to communicate their learning. Teacher will provide additional content to develop the concepts of assumptions & worldview as well as components of the rhetorical situation: exigence, audience, writer, purpose, context, message, and SOAPSTONE (Skill 1.A). Students will read “The Danger of a Single Story” using close reading and annotation skills and identify the assumptions, worldview, and rhetorical situation of the piece [CR3].

 

Students will read “Road Map to Thesis” and evaluate a series of thesis statements to identify what makes a strong thesis statement (claim) (3A). Students will then evaluate separate excerpts of the text to create a claim and evaluate the author’s evidence in support of her claim (Skill 4.A) [CR5].

 

Students will examine and analyze a series of indigenous writing addressing white audiences identifying values, beliefs and needs of both audience and writer by creating a graphic organizer for their concepts [CR3]. Students will complete a peer’s organizer (Skills 1.B, 2.B, 3.A).

 

Students will create an argument addressing an authority figure such as teacher, parent or government official using one chosen text as a model [CR4, CR6]. Students will then evaluate a peer’s argument and line of reasoning including use of appeals and provide peer feedback to the author [CR5, CR13] (Skills 3.B, 4.A, 4.B).

 

Students will compare and contrast “The Struggle for an Education” and “Learning to Read and Write” identifying in each: claims, evidence and line of reasoning with commentary [CR5, CR7] (Skills 3.A, 5.A, 5.C). They will then construct an essay presenting their conclusions about the differences and similarities with claims, evidence, and commentary [CR 6, CR8].

 

Students will choose one US policy topic (ex. criminal justice system, voter enfranchisement, education) and conduct research on the intended and unintended impacts of the body of policy on Black and African Americans. Students must find a minimum of four sources; one must be an interview and one must be a visual source.

 

After completing their research and analyzing the source information, students write an argument that develops a position on the role that state and local governments should play in eliminating negative economic factors for U.S. teenagers [CR11]. The essay includes a clear thesis and the development of a line of reasoning and commentary to support the reasoning (Skill 6.A). Students choose an appropriate method of development in which to present their argument, depending on the information gathered (Skills 4.A, 6.C). The argument must also synthesize at least three of the sources, including the visual.

After a familiarization with colonialism, imperialism and post-colonial theory, students will view the James Baldwin and William Buckley debates, map each argument, identify effective and ineffective techniques and evidence from each position (Skills 1.A, 3.B, 5.A, 5.B, 5.C, 7.A).

 

Student will select a topic among the ramifications of colonialism and imperialism and create an informational essay on their chosen topic and/or select a text to critique through a post-colonial lens with special attention to transitions, diction, syntax, and comparisons in a cycle of peer and teacher feedback and revision conferring [CR11, CR12, CR13] (Skills 2.A, 4.B, 6.A, 6.B, 6.C, 8.A).

 

Students will begin with an exploration of women’s history including suffrage and women’s liberation. They will then consider texts written by women and analyze how they use the craft of writing to convey the ideas and ideals of these writers related to the ideas within the historical movements. Students will analyze a text specifically for syntax, organization, tone and style [CR9] (Skills 3.A, 3.B, 4.A, 4.B, 7.A, 8.A). Students will then present findings to the group.

 

Students will evaluate the “Aspects and Assumptions of White Culture” infographic and the controversy around it. They will then create an argument including qualification about the appropriateness of publishing the infographic [CR11] (Skills 1.A, 2.A, 3.C, 4.C, 8.A).

 

Students will read and analyze the arguments of several writers using an intersectional lens to evaluate which identities inform the author and the author’s intent for each piece of writing including selection and explanation of evidence and how the author lays out their argument, especially in regards to use of independent and dependent clauses as well as grammar and mechanics [CR 12] (Skills 1.A, 1.B, 3.C, 7.A, 7.B, 7.C).

 

Students will construct their own argument about an identity or intersection of identities they possess and strategically use words, syntax, and comparisons to convey their ideas to a particular audience. After writing, student will explain their choices and the rationale behind them in an explanatory essay [CR10] (Skills 2.A, 2.B, 3.C, 8.A, 8.B, 8.C).

 

Students will complete a background exploration of media, particularly in the West and the various roles it has played in society. They will then consider how social media and ‘fake news’ has impacted cultures and nation states in positive and negative ways. Finally students will explore the mechanics of fake news using https://www.fakeittomakeitgame.com/ and identify the techniques used when crafting and distributing misleading information (Skill 3.C).

 

Students will evaluate a position piece discussing Twitter, Facebook and White House positions on removing, labeling or allowing false or misleading user content for claims and use of modifiers, counter arguments and multiple perspectives (Skill 3.C).

 

Students will take a position on social media’s regulation of false or misleading stories and create an argument including qualifying multiple claims using modifiers, counterarguments and/or alternative perspectives and represent their positions in a structured class debate (Skill 4.C).

 

AP classroom

Personal Progress Check 1- MC & FR

 

Personal Progress Check 2- MC & FR

 

Personal Progress Check 3- MC & FR

 

Personal Progress Check 4 & 5- MC & FR

 

Personal Progress Check 6 - MC & FR

 

Personal Progress Checks 7 & 8 - MC & FR

 

Personal Progress Check 9 - MC & FR

 

Assessment

Reader response

 

Student self-assessment and learning goals

 

Paragraph analyzing “The Danger of a Single Story”

 

5 Reader Responses

 

 

Student created argument

 

 

3 Reader Responses

 

 

2 Student created arguments

 

2 Reader Responses

 

 

Student created informational essay

 

2 Reader Responses

 

 

Student created analytical essay

 

6 Reader Responses

 

 

Student created argument essay

 

 

Student self-analysis essay

 

 

6 Reader Responses

 

 

Student created argument essay

 

 

Class debate

 

 

Texts

“The Danger of a Single Story” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

 

 

 

“Readings for Writers” Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthony C. Winkler eds.

Tribal Perspectives Video

 

 

 

Letter to President Pierce – Chief Sealth

 

 

 

Alcatraz Proclamation - American Indian Movement

 

 

 

Superman and Me – Sherman Alexi

 

 

 

We Talk, You Listen – Vine Deloria

 

 

 

Words of the True Peoples – Carlos Montemayor

 

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave- Frederick Douglass

 

 

 

Up From Slavery- Booker T. Washington

 

 

 

‘My Name is Margert’ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings- Maya Angelou

 

 

 

New Jim Crow- Michelle Alexander

 

 

 

Stamped From the Beginning- Ibram X. Kendi

 

 

Why the Wealth of Africa does not make Africans Wealthy- Kieron Monks

 

 

 

         Colonialism, Explained- Jamila Osman

 

 

 

         People’s History of the United States- Howard Zinn

 

 

 

         US Imperialism and Revolution in the Philippines- E. San Juan Jr

 

 

 

         Claims of the Negro- Fredrick Douglass

 

 

 

         Working Towards Whiteness: How America’s Immigrants Became White- David R. Roediger

 

 

 

         James Baldwin “I am not Your Negro”, “A Talk to Teachers”

 

 

 

         Dusk of Dawn WEB DuBois 2007 AP multiple choice

 

 

 

Introducing Postcolonialism in International Relations Theory – Sheila Nair

Ain’t I a Woman- Sojourner Truth

 

 

 

A Vindication of the Rights of Women- Mary Wollstonecraft

 

 

 

Mother Tongue – Amy Tan

 

 

 

Well Read Lives – Barbara Sicherman

 

 

 

Feminist Theory: from margin to center- bell hooks

 

 

 

Stamped from the Beginning – Ibram X. Kendi

 

 

 

 

 

I Want a Wife- Joan Didion

 

I Just Met a Girl Named Maria- Judith Ortiz Cofer

 

Black Men in Public Spaces- Brent Staples

 

My Strangled Speech- Dan Slater

 

A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun- Linda M Hasselstrom

 

Once Upon a Quinceañera- Julia Alvarez

 

The Deconstruction of Gender- another visual diary

 

The Argument Against the use of the Term Latinx- Gilberto Guerra and Gilbert Orbea

 

The Case for Latinx: Why Intersectionality is not a Choice- Maria Scharron-del Rio and Alan A. Aja

 

Aspects and Assumptions of White Culture in the United States – Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

 

African American Museum site removes ‘whiteness’ chart after criticism from Trump Jr. and conservative media- Peggy McGlone

The Evolution of Media- University of Minnesota

 

 

 

“Why Establish This Paper?” Provincial Freeman- Mary Ann Shadd Cary

 

 

 

“The Truth is Paywalled but the Lies are Free” Nathan J. Robinson

 

 

 

The Globalization of Eating Disorders- Susan Bordo

 

 

 

White House Executive Order Preventing Online Censorship

 

 

 

The very real consequences of fake news stories and why your brain can’t ignore them- Nsikan Akpan

 

 

 

A Letter on Justice and Open Debate- Harper’s Magazine

 

 

 

https://www.fakeittomakeitgame.com/

Class Expectations

You should observe the rules of Raisbeck Aviation as outlined in the student handbook. Specifically, you should:

  • Come to class on time and prepared with the proper materials.
  • Participate responsibly in class.
  • Listen politely, speak professionally, and stay on topic.
  • Ask for help when needed.
  • Challenge yourself to find meaning and learning in all activities.
  • Use your 1:1 device responsibly, as outlined in the student handbook and directed by your teacher.
  • Avoid carrying on private conversations during class time.
  • Avoid chewing gum, eating, or drinking in this class. Bottled water is an exception.
  • Respect your own and others’ beliefs, ideas, and individual property.

 

Punctuality:

You should be seated by the bell. You should arrive on time and ready to work.  If you are tardy, please get a pass from a dean/admin/main office.  As soon as you enter the room, take out your supplies as required. Avoid needless conversations and be ready to raise your hand for questions. 

 

Class Dismal:

Remember the bell does not dismiss the class; the teacher dismisses the class. The class will not be dismissed until every student is seated in their assigned seat. Avoid congregating near the front door at the end of the period. Do not pack without the teacher’s dismissal.

 

Electronics:

Computers are a necessary device for class. All other electronics (phones, smart watches, and other devices) are a required tool for class. If the teacher directs, phones may at times, be permitted for use. Otherwise, phones and other devices must be on silent and away at all times.  

 

Note: Do not access your email, Google Drive, the Internet, or any social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) during instruction. Also, make sure that your computer is charged daily.

 

 

Attendance Policy

Attendance is taken at the beginning of class. If you are not present at the beginning of class, you will be marked as either absent or tardy. Repeated tardiness or absences will result in parent contact and/or other appropriate actions.

 

  • The student must have a written excuse from their parent or the office to be excused as tardy or absent.

Assignments and Homework Policy

Assignments and Deadlines:

Submit your assignment on time. Work completed at home is due at the beginning of class. Assignments not ready to be handed in at the beginning of class may be counted as late. You should:

  • Be proactive. Well before the due date, take the opportunity to clarify questions and deadlines.
  • Stick to the deadlines. All assignments should be turned in at the beginning of the class period on the dates specified—including hard copy, an electronic copy on Canvas, email, and other links to be specified. All written homework must be finished, printed out (if applicable), stapled, and turned in at the beginning of the class/period when it is due.
  • Avoid arriving to class late because “you have been printing your assignment” before class.

 

Late Work Policy:

If you are present when assignments are given and when assignments are due, it is up to the teacher’s discretion to give you credit or not.

 

Makeup Work:

If you are absent, e-mail the teacher or make an arrangement during the teacher’s office hours to secure the missed materials (classwork, homework, notification of tests & quizzes missed). You can make up quizzes or tests you have missed. 

 

It is YOUR responsibility to get and complete the makeup classwork, tests, and quizzes promptly.

Grading Scale and Breakdown

This course follows the Highline grading scale. Percent of Total Points available will be used to determine the class grade as follows:

Letter

Percentage

Letter

Percentage

Letter

Percentage

Letter

Percentage

A

93- 100

B+

87- 89

C+

77- 79

D+

67- 69

A-

90- 92

B

83- 86

C

73- 76

D

64- 66

 

 

B-

80- 82

C-

70- 72

F

63- 0

 

Scores are posted on Synergy. All work will be scored using point values, and grades will follow the grading scale below.

The final grade for each advisory will be determined by the following categories:

 Participation: 5%

 

Listening, Speaking & Effort—includes, but not limited to, attentiveness, class discussions, warm-ups and use of appropriate terminology

Homework 5%

 

Homework—when assigned, is expected to be completed before the next class or when otherwise designated.

Practice & Application: 50%

 

Work & Assignments—

Includes, but not limited to, classwork, performance-based assignments, and related and assignments

Assessments:40%

 

Formative/Summative Assessments—

Includes, but not limited to, quizzes, unit tests, projects, and cumulative tasks

 

 

Note: The Midterm Exam (January) and Final Exam (June) will be averaged and account for up to 20% of the overall course grade. **No single project, assignment, task or assessment may account for more than 10% of a student’s advisory or total grade.

 

Writing Assignments

Writing assignments using the Topic Sentence, Main Idea, Evidence, Analysis, Link (T/MEAL) and/or Claim, evidence, Reasoning) CER template will be graded on the scale shown below.

 

/Revise/Resubmit

100%-83%

80%-70%

67%-63%

 

Note: Mistakes are learning opportunities; therefore, you will have the option to rewrite, revise, and resubmit an assignment to acquire the skills to avoid the same mistake in future assignments.  Your teacher will specify which assignments have a re-write option (minimum of 2 assignments per semester). Any paper with a “√-/RR” should be revised and resubmitted the next period class to make sure the student masters the skills.

 

Grade Dispute Policy

To dispute a grade, the student and their guardian must schedule a meeting with the principal within three weeks of the posted grade. The principal has the final authority to discuss next steps with grade disputes.  Grades may be disputed for the following reasons only:

  • Teacher calculation error
  • Failure to receive notification of failing grade during the advisory

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty                      

Cheating is a direct infraction of Raisbeck Aviation High School policy, and will be treated to the full extent of the student’s responsibility and accountability

 

Academic Dishonesty and all other forms of cheating are not tolerated at RAHS. Students who violate the policy will receive the following consequences:

  • 1st offense: The student will receive a zero on the assignment with the potential of a retake with a grade earned but no higher than a 63. The student will not be eligible for honor society for the current academic year.
  • 2nd offense: The student will receive a grade of zero and will receive a detention. The student will not be eligible for honor society for the current academic year.
  • 3rd offense: The student will receive a grade of zero for the assignment. The student will not be eligible for honor society for the remainder of their high school time

Course Summary:

Date Details Due