Ms. Patty Krisher, MA in Comparative Lit. & National Board certified patty.krisher@bremertonschools.org (360) 473-0882, Room 321 Office hours: Tues & Thurs. 2-3:30pm Otherwise by appointment.

AP Language and Composition

This college level class is the equivalent of an

introductory college composition class. The mission in this class is to prepare for the College Board Advanced Placement Language and Composition test that is scheduled in May. It cannot be guaranteed that you?ll earn college credit ?that?s up to you-but if you give your best, you can expect to be well-prepared for further AP and college classes. You can expect help to become a skilled reader, writer, and thinker, which will help you be a more informed citizen. You will be intellectually challenged and stimulated. The assumption is that you willingly accept the rigor our mission involves and will give nothing but your best effort.

COURSE OVERVIEW

2019- 2020

AP Language is a rhetoric class. Rhetoric is the ?art of crafting effective texts for specific audiences? (Jolliffe). In this class you will learn to:

* Read texts (usually prose from several different disciplines and time periods) critically to identify the author?s purpose, claim, audience and context in order to analyze the effectiveness of the structures and strategies.

* Write rhetorical analysis of texts explaining how a text?s meaning, purpose, and effect are manifest in the organization, structure, and style: write strong, cogent, persuasive arguments of your own and analyze how your arguments achieve meaning, purpose and effect.

* Develop research skills that allow you to evaluate sources, both primary and secondary, and synthesize key information and perspectives from them in order to support your researched argument, complete with citations, in MLA (Modern Language Association) format.Required

Text s

Non-f ict ion Text s:

* Cohen, Sam uel. 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. 4t h Ed. 2014.

* Mil ler , Rober t K. The Informed Argument. 7t h Ed. 2007.

* Roskelly, Hephibah, and David Joll i f fe. Everyday Use: Rhetoric at Work in Reading and Writing. AP

Ed. 2005.

Lit erary Text s:

* The Great Gatsby (1925) F. Scot t Fit zgerald

* The Taming of the Shrew (1590) Wil l iam Shakespeare

GRADINGThis class follows standard based grading practices that align to the Common Core State Standards. The standards based grading range is 0--4, with a score of 3 or higher meeting standard. You should be familiar with this practice from other classes. More information on Common Core Standards is available online at http://www. k12.wa.us/corestandards.

Student scores, both formative and summative, will be available for students and families to monitor online through Skyward Family Access.

It is highly encouraged for students to check their grades on a regular basis. There is a free Skyward app for smart phones to facilitate access. To empower students and encourage the development of academic independence, students will be expected to self-monitor.

Additionally, on your essays you will receive an AP score of 0-9 using the AP rubric scale. These scores will not be recorded online; they are simply to let you know how you are doing in reference to the AP scale.

I do not grade every piece of work you do. Peer and self-evaluation are valuable skills you will practice.

Email is the preferred way to communicate directly with your teacher.

Monitor the class webpage for many other types of information such as assignments, due dates, and links to helpful resources.

My google website can be found at :

sites.google.com/bremertonschools.org/kr ishersclasses

Communicating

with your

Teacher

HOMEWORK

Homework will pr imar ily consist of reading (NO class time will be allotted for reading assigned work in advance.), but may also consist of reviewing notes, reviewing texts and other assigned projects. Homework may also involve collaborating with your fellow classmates to process ideas about the readings and/or the creation of projects. The purpose of homework may be practice of a skill learned in class, preparation for an upcoming lesson, or extension of a concept or skill. I t is essential for students to complete ALL assignments, formative and summative ON TIME.

Them es of St udy

- Leadership (Polit ical & Com m unal)- Individual vs. Societ y- Gender Roles- Educat ion- The Am er ican Dream

While acknowledgement of the teacher 's wit and humor is greatly appreciated, it will have absolutely no effect on your grades. =]

LATE/MAKE-UP WORKLate work is not expected. If you foresee a difficulty in meeting a deadline, see me - or email ahead of time. If you run into an obstacle, do something that shows a good faith effort on your part. Do not make a habit of being late. This will be considered a work habit and will be reflected in your Skills for Success score. Absences must be cleared through the office. If you miss work, you will have the same amount of time to complete assignments as other students had. You should make up tests and timed writes after school. Late work will NOT be given the option of revision nor rebuttal.

NOTE: I will not wr ite a letter of recommendation for any student who continually turns work in late or not at all.

Mater ialsRequired

You MUST bring the following supplies daily in order to succeed in this class:

- Knight Skills Binder or similar planner book

- Pens (blue or black)

- Loose leaf paper (college rule)

- Flash drive (recommended)

- Highlighters and sticky notes (personal choice)

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONSPlease review the student conduct policies in the online BHS Parent and Student Handbook (also included in your student planner) for information on discipline and enforcement. This is particularly true for incidents of plagiarism. Overall, students must be active listeners and must show respect to themselves, all others in class, and school property.

Participation in class discussion is a powerful tool for memory and learning and some discussion activities, such as Socratic Seminar, will be assessed summatively based on the Common Core standards for Speaking and Listening. I expect thoughtful participation from all students.

By signing, the student acknowledges and agrees to the procedures and expectations outlined within the syllabus. Further, the student agrees to come to class prepared with the supplies listed as well as a willingness to participate in the learning process.

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Syllabus Acknowledgement

Student (Print and Sign):

Parent/Guardian (Print and Sign):

Parent Best Contact (Email and Phone Number):