Welcome to AP English Language and Composition Course

Welcome to… AP English Language and Composition

Course Description: The goal of AP Language and Composition is to teach the student to become a skilled reader and writer in a variety of genres and an effective communicator of the language. The intense concentration on language use in this course will teach writing and speech through the analysis of professional literature and essay. The objectives in this course should enhance students’ ability to use grammatical conventions both appropriately and with sophistication, as well as develop stylistic maturity in prose. Pre-requisite: Students must have a 3. 65 grade point average. Students also must have satisfactorily completed all their summer work assignment by the

Fancy Words Ms. A, but what does that mean for me? • • Multi-Disciplinary Thinking and Creativity Effective Communication Successful Collaboration Research Methods

…but most importantly, all of these skills should help you stop waiting…

Okay---but how? ? ? George Whetstone, in Heptameron of Civil Discourses, 1582, wrote: "The dashe of a Pen, is more greevous than the counterbuse of a Launce. " In Hamlet, 1602, Shakespeare gave Rosencrantz the line: ". . . many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose-quills and dare scarce come thither. " Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy, 1621 includes: "From this it is clear how much more cruel the pen may be than the sword. " Thomas Jefferson sent a letter to Thomas Paine in 1796, in which he wrote:

…and one English author has been credited with the form we use today… This famous phrase was coined by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in for his play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy, 1839: True, This! - Beneath the rule of men entirely great, The pen is mightier than the sword. Behold The arch-enchanters wand! - itself a nothing! - But taking sorcery from the master-hand To paralyse the Caesars, and to strike The loud earth breathless! - Take away the sword - States can be saved without it!

“The pen is mightier than the sword. ” What does this mean?

Don’t be too literal! Dig in and consider the potential metaphor in everything in this class! It will push our conversations further and enhance the depth of your writing.

The Nitty-Gritty What do I need to know about classroom policy and procedure so I can make the most out of this adventure?

Our Textbooks/Novels • Summer Reading Texts: AP English Language and Composition Crash Course/Thank You For Arguing • Anthologies: Readings for Writers/ 50 Essays • Novels May Include: The Scarlet Letter/Of Mice and Men/The Great Gatsby/The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn/Brave New World/Into the Wild/Inherit the Wind/In Cold Blood • Quack! Vocabulary • ALBERT (online test prep program)

Supplies to Collect • 3 ring binder (handouts will be hole-punched and ALL must be kept until the end of the semester/year). • Pencils, erasers, and pens (one black and one colored) • Highlighters • 100+ ruled white index cards (3 x 5 or 4 x 6)

Grading Criteria Methods and Evaluations used in this classroom to improve our writing and interpretation and speech will include: • Tests, Essays, Projects (60 -100 points) • AP Practice Exams • Synthesis, Lit Analysis and Persuasive Writing Assignments (timed and revision) • Individual and Group Projects and Presentations • Scheduled Quizzes and Classwork (30 -50 points) • Homework and Pop Quizzes (10 -20 points)

RULES AND PROCEDURE “show up, be kind, work hard!” – Dr. Vitale (Superintendent of Schools) Ms. Armor’s Rules: • Be Prepared! • Be Productive! • Be Courteous! • Be Honest!

Classroom Tour!!!—A Seated Field Trip. • The Board • The Door • Board notes • Homework board • Lead-to-Learn • Front Desk • Submitting Work/ Late Work • Absence bins • Makeup Work • Missing Papers • Tardiness/ Traveller’s Grace Period • Hall Pass Procedure (pass out) • Fire Drill Procedure • Lost and Found • Supplies and Books • Art supplies • Extra “freebees” • Books (sign up) • Journals (pass out) • Paper

Important Items to Remember • • Student Number Seat/Group Number Your Name (Student #) Armor 3 MLA Heading Ms. Armor MLA Header AP English Language and Comp. - Pd. 3 30 August 2018

I hope that you will use this class as your springboard to create awesome!