*Discounts are available. If cost is a deterrent to your family, please contact me.*

BIG IDEAS
This class follows the AP requirements set forth by College Board. To that end, there are four “Big Ideas” addressed:
–Rhetorical Situation
–Claims and Evidence
–Reasoning and Organization
–Style

CLASS ORGANIZATION
This is the second semester of the year-long class, which is divided into nine units, each spanning three weeks (per AP requirements). This semester contains Weeks 15-27.

Each unit addresses specific standards, taught in a “spiral” as designated by College Board. There are multiple readings assigned for each unit, one primary writing assignment, and smaller writing assignments, either in-class or as homework.

Students are expected to read all texts outside of class. In-class time is primarily spent on analysis and discussions, in-class writing, critiques of sample AP essays, assignment assistance, and grammar lessons addressing specific writing challenges. 

Each class will start with an activity from Nancy Dean’s “Voice Lessons”, and students will complete the activity either individually or as a group.

 Each week, students will read “The Story of the Week” from AllSides and complete a short response about media bias in general and the article’s content. Articles are released on Thursdays, and students are expected to complete their exercises by class on the following Thursday, which they will share with their peers.

Students complete practice tests as the end of the semester to help them prepare for the AP exam; these exams are compared to the baseline scores they took at the beginning of Semester 1.

READINGS AND TEXTS
Most readings are found in the primary textbook. Some handouts and/or links will be provided. There is one additional nonfiction text required during this semester. Please see “Supply List” for more information, and feel free to message me if you have any questions.

HOMEWORK
AP classes typically average five to six hours of homework each week. In each unit, students are expected to read all of the assigned texts independently. They will also complete the MCQ and FRQ for each unit in AP Classroom to help them further prepare.

Unit specific homework includes:
-Unit 1: Writing a synthesis essay either on language or on an argument based on the four memoirs read in the previous units. Additionally, students select two readings from the list and complete a short response that details the texts’ line of reasoning validity, organization, word choice, comparisons, and syntax. 
-Unit 2: Writing an argument essay on politics, which may or may not include information from the unit’s readings, with extra attention given to word choice and style. Also, students annotate at least one piece of writing to further close reading skills, giving special attention to word choice and syntax. Additionally, students select two readings from the list and complete a short response that details the texts’ claims and theses and how the theses contribute to the texts’ arguments’ structures, as well as how style is used in the texts. They will share these responses with their peers.
-Unit 3: Writing a rhetorical analysis essay of Nelson Mandela’s “I Am Prepared to Die” speech. This requires students to closely read and annotate Mandela’s speech. Furthermore, they annotate at least one other reading that they notice uses a modifier, counterargument or alternative perspective. They share this with their peers.
-Unit 4: Writing a synthesis essay on gender. Furthermore, students annotate at least one letter and one essay to examine sentence structure. Their thoughts on the effectiveness of sentence structure in these texts is discussed with their peers.
-Unit 5: Revising their previous essays to incorporate at least two modifiers, counterarguments, or alternative perspectives, which they research themselves. Students will also complete practice AP exams.

FURTHER INFORMATION
This class has been approved by College Board as an official AP class. Students will register for access to AP Classroom, and I can provide documentation of the class's official status.

Please note that 54% of students who take the AP Language and Composition exam score 3 or more, and taking an AP course can provide tools to maximize success. However, a passing score on any AP exam is not guaranteed, and students are responsible for putting forth effort into their work to help maximize the chances of a passing score.

This class will NOT meet the week of March 24 (spring break).