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AP Parent Night
Welcome!
Why Take AP Courses?
Lessen College Class Load Rigor Align College/Career Goals Deeper Learning Utilize talents/interests
What Makes A Successful AP
Student?Research says: Persistence
Key Things to Consider
Are you qualified? Pay attention to suggested preparation requirements
Be sure! (average of 200 AP courses are dropped). There may be a possibility that you cannot drop the class due to confines of master schedule.
Difficult to tell within two/three weeks if this class is what you want. Be sure prior to enrolling in the course.
Consequences for dropping after drop date – “W” + current grade in class, may not be able to drop, messy schedule
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – How many AP classes should I take to get into a good college?
A – To be a competitive applicant for selective colleges, students should design course schedules that are academically challenging and, simultaneously, not overwhelming. Students are encouraged to take the most challenging courses available while keeping in mind the academic rigor and time required to learn the content. Consulting with students currently enrolled in Honors and AP courses and the teachers of those courses can reveal valuable information in making course selections. Also keep in mind the time and effort required by co-curricular involvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Don’t colleges require a certain number of AP courses?
A – The number of AP and Honors courses offered by high schools throughout the nation differs tremendously. College Admission Officers evaluate a student’s course selection within the context of the educational opportunities available at the high school s/he attends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Do colleges care whether I take the AP exam for the course?
A – Yes, the colleges consider this to be the completion of the course, and would rather see a student attempt the exam than not take the exam.
Q – Do all colleges give course credit for passing the exam?
A- The credit given by colleges and universities for completion of AP coursework/exam varies by college. The link for information on college credit for completed AP coursework is: http://collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp
AP Language & Composition
Overview
Curriculum
Summer Assignment
Gaining Perspective
AP English Language & Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes.
Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way genre conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing.
Goals
Upon completing the AP English Language and Composition course, then, students should be able to:
analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques;
apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing; create and sustain arguments based on readings, research
and/or personal experience; write for a variety of purposes; produce expository, analytical and argumentative compositions
that introduce a complex central idea and develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/or secondary sources, cogent explanations and clear transitions;
demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writings;
Goals Cont.
demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources;
move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and research, drafting, revising, editing and review;
write thoughtfully about their own process of composition; revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience; analyze image as text; and evaluate and incorporate
reference documents into researched papers.
Daily Assignments
The daily work in and out of class in AP English Language & Comp. can be extensive at times. Expect more than one hour per day of reading, writing, and/or other activities that pertain to the class.
There is an expectation that student work is completed on time and with a level of sophistication and maturity that reflect the rigor of the class.
Summer Assignment
In years past, the assignment has focused on the bridge between fiction and non-fiction. Memoirs, poetry, fiction, have all been utilized in the past.
Students should also read the course text (Chapters 1-3) with attention to the foundations of rhetoric.
In years past, students did not have to produce any work during the summer. However, the first week of class the teachers assessed the students through quizzes, tests, and timed essays.
AP Literature and Composition Syllabus
Course Description and Goals
Welcome! Looking forward to reading, analyzing, discussing, and writing about some challenging and imaginative literature? Then you’re in the right place.
Much of our course work involves in-depth style analysis in the literary genres of poetry, novels, drama, and short stories.
Our historical journey will begin in the Classical Era and continue through the 21st century. We’ll consider how the historical and social context influences the literature, as well as study the universality of the many themes and issues contained therein. We shall absorb the wonderful richness of meaning as we delve into a work’s complexity.
We will learn to recognize and write effectively about a variety of literary techniques, and our studies will be focused on helping you become effective writers, critical thinkers, in-depth analyzers, attentive readers, and engaging presenters.
AP English is a skills-based class, so you will be developing your skills with timed, in-class essays and ongoing literary device analyses. Much of this analysis focuses on components such as tone, diction, syntax, structure, the use of detail, language, imagery, figurative language, and narrative perspective. There are various and sundry writing assignments (expository, personal, persuasive, creative, imitative), close reading/passage analysis activities, and—finally—several creative/interactive projects (1 per quarter).
Summer Assignment
A Greek tragedy Dialectical Journals from a novel of literary merit (you’ll pick from
a list of classic and contemporary literature that often shows up on the AP test and in survey courses of literature in college)
Annotations of often-anthologized poems from all the major literary eras: Renaissance to 21st Century.
The journals and poetry annotations will be due on the first day of school.
During the first week, there will be an AP style test on the Greek tragedy, as well as an in-class essay on the novel
A Snapshot of the WorkloadOct. 18
Final Personal Essay DUE
Go over AP poetry multiple choice practice
19
In-class essay on Beowulf or Sir Gawain
20
Introduction to Victorian Era, Dickens, and A Tale of Two Cities (ATOTC)
21 22
Due: ATOTC, books I, II chapters 1-6
(about 100 pp.)
Reading Quiz*
25 26
Due: Book II, chapters 7-12
(44 pp.)
Reading Quiz
Lit. Device also due today (mini analysis)
27 28 29
Due: Book II
Chapters 13-24
(90 pp.)
Reading Quiz
*expect a quiz whenever reading is due, but there may not always be one
Advanced Placement Social Science Courses European History – 10th grade only. A history of
Western Civilization-1350s-1990s United States History – 11th grade only. 1490s-
1990s Government/Economics – One Semester Each
– Study of operation of US, state, and local governments and macroeconomics.
Psychology – 11th and 12th grade. Elective Psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology
Commonalities of AP Social Science classes Rigor - College level introductory courses like
those taken in the first or second year. Outside of Class Preparation – 1 to 2 hours per
day per class daily, including weekends. Summer Assignments – Required only for AP
Government and Economics. Teaching Methods – Lecture/Discussion
seminar style courses that demand student engagement and active participation.
AP Music TheoryTheory
Rhythm and PitchHarmonic AnalysisCompositional Techniques
MusicianshipRhythmic AccuracyEar TrainingSight Singing
AP Music TheoryHomework Level Moderate
Practical application of conceptsWritten Practice
Summer AssignmentChapters 1-4 of Tonal HarmonyCovers the basic music concepts needed
Course Description: Course taught completely in Spanish. Students must
also use the target language. Students are expected to: Engage in and understand conversations, lectures,
oral presentations. Express themselves orally by convincing, discussing,
inquiring, apologizing, describing and even using humor.
Understand radio & video interviews, news, documentaries, TV series, songs, commercials.
Read magazine and newspaper articles, letters and emails, fiction, short stories.
Improvise in different situations, dialogues and scenarios.
Participation(homework, projects & presentations)
HOMEWORK: Students will have homework every day. The load of homework will go from moderate to Heavy. A good amount of homework includes: Writing a short essay; doing 3 or 4 grammar exercises and memorizing a list of vocabulary.
PARTICIPATION IN CLASS: (class work): Includes: Oral Practice; Oral Presentations: Listening Comprehension exercises; Grammar Drills; Reading or Correction of Essays; Reading Comprehension questions; Debates or Discussions & Vocabulary Practice. Extra Participation points will be given for Tutoring students from lower levels.
Literature
1 Spanish novel of their choice from a list given.
“Mi pais Inventado” by Isabel Allende. Journal/log where to record answers and
comments in every chapter.
STUDENTS will be tested on:
Vocabulary: 10 different & frequent scenarios Grammar Listening Comprehension skills Reading Comprehension skills. Read and
discuss literature. Speaking skills Writing skills Ability to read and listen to different sources
based on the same topic and synthesize information.
Summer Assignment
In the summer students will write a Journal in Spanish about their vacation. There will be three entries per week for two months. Students will earn 20 points of Participation
Assessment Guidelines:
Per quarter: 4 quizzes on vocabulary (oral or written) 4 oral tests 3 grammar tests 1-2 Graded Essays & 4 Essays corrected in classWeighted Grading Scale: Final Tests (1st & 2nd semester) 20% Written Tests: 15% Oral Tests: 25% Quizzes, Class work & compositions: 20% Participation 20%
Textbooks
Spanish Three Years by Stephen Levy & Robert Nassi. 1988 Amsco School Publications Inc.
Workbook and Textbook.
A.P. Spanish. A guide for the Language Course. José Diaz, Margarita Leicher-Prieto, Glenn J. Nadelbach. 1989. Longman
Triángulo. Manual para Estudiantes. Barbara Gatski & John McMullan. 1994 Wayside Publishing.
Conversación y Repaso. John G. Copeland, Ralph Kite & Lynn A. Sandstedt. 2001. Thomson & Heinle
The Best Preparation for the A.P. Spanish. By Christina Bedoya, George Wayne Braun, Lana R. Craig, Candy Rodo & Diane Senereth. 1996 Research and Education Association.
