PPAATTEERRSSOONN PPUUBBLLIICC SSCCHHOOOOLLSS

2007 – 2008

CCOOUURRSSEE GGUUIIDDEE

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

ENGLISH LANGUAGE and

COMPOSITION

Curriculum Committee Members

Curriculum Writers

Shamika Cope English Teacher, Garrett Morgan Academy

Maureen Cuschieri English Teacher, International High School

Richard Goffman English Teacher, Paterson Pre-Collegiate Teaching Academy

Judy Hall English Teacher, Eastside High School

Lester Mossler English Teacher, John F. Kennedy High School

Yvonne Nambe English Teacher/School Facilitator, Rosa Parks High School

Zacha Quiroga English Teacher, Panther Academy

Curriculum Committee Facilitator

Alexandra Gina Language Arts Supervisor

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T A B L E o f C O N T E N T S AP LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION

NARRATIVE COURSE OVERVIEW: The Goals, Objectives, Strategies………………... 5 CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS………………………………………………………….. 8 STUDENT TOOLS…………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Journal Notebooks COURSE ASSESSMENTS……………………………………………………………………. 11 Grading System Compositions STRATEGIES OVERVIEW…………………………………………………………………. 12 Close Reading SOAPStone Syntax Analysis Chart OPTIC They Say/I Say Writing Templates Toulmin Model Graff Template Interrupted Reading TP-CASTT FALL SEMESTER: Introduction……………………………………………………………. 16

COURSE FOUNDATION UNIT - ARGUMENTATION………………………… 17

Argumentation Overview Essential Questions Readings Media Literacy Assignments

COURSE FOUNDATION UNIT - LANGUAGE………………………………….. 20 Essential Questions

Readings Media Literacy Skills-Based Tasks Assignments Grammar Texts/Quizzes

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FALL SEMESTER Continued THEMATIC UNIT - GENDER…………………………………………………….. 25

Essential Questions Readings Media Literacy Assignments Grammar Tests/Quizzes SPRING SEMESTER: Introduction…………………………………………………………. 31

THEMATIC UNIT - UNIT POLITICS…………………………………………….. 32 Readings Grammar Media Literacy Assignments Grammar Tests/ Quizzes

THEMATIC UNIT - POPULAR CULTURE……………………………………………….. 37 Essential Questions Readings Media Literacy Assignments Grammar Tests/Quizzes REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………… 41

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Narrative Course Overview: The Goals, Objectives, Strategies

This course has been developed using the requirements and guidelines of the current Advanced Placement English Language and Composition course description.

The AP Language and Composition course is organized by thematic units with each marking period devoted to close reading of non-fiction and fiction selections which students will analyze with a focus on drawing conclusions about and reacting to author’s purpose, intended audience, word choice and tone, author’s syntax and overall style. They will explore and respond in writing, both formally and informally, to issues pertaining to gender, pop culture, language, and politics. Each theme is supplemented by inclusion of American literature selections – a novel and poetry. All thematic units come under the umbrella of an overarching essential question about the idea of the American Dream. This central unifying idea will drive a year-long research process as students periodically refer to relevant selections from each theme as well as supplemental visual and print sources to take notes and use research skills in preparation for addressing culminating questions: What have you learned about the American Dream? What are/were the obstacles and challenges to achievement of the American Dream? What are its triumphs?

Whereas the thematic approach provides the basic framework, the primary goal of the course is to equip students with the academic skills for critical reading and successful college writing. The course will provide students with a firm foundation to succeed in college level courses, and it will foster an understanding of and appreciation for the power of language, abilities that promise to extend beyond their academic careers.

Toward this end, patterns of development for different modes of rhetoric (narration, description, exemplification, comparison/contrast) will be taught and practiced, with the main emphasis being on helping students develop skill in closely reading, analyzing, and producing effective argumentation. Through ongoing opportunities for guided and independent practice, students will be expected to internalize the guidelines for “asking the right questions” and, thereby, develop the academic discipline and ability to think rhetorically. This will enable students to critically analyze and respond to print and visual arguments pertaining to a range of topics and issues presented in a variety of formats (essays, speeches, editorials, novels, poems, charts, graphs, political cartoons, photographs, films, and other). As a result of emphasis on the rhetorical analysis process evidenced through students’ journal activities, structured analyses, class discussions, formal and informal writing, and ongoing teacher feedback, students will learn to recognize, respond to, and evaluate multiple aspects of an argument – its purpose, its audience, its claims, its evidence and opposing viewpoints, its appeals to emotion, logic, or ethics, its arrangement, and its language and style. Thus, they will be expected to become able college-level readers and informed critics of what they read and view.

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The goal also is that, as a result of the routine application of rhetorical analysis tools, students will develop the technical writing abilities and the critical lens that is expected of the college level writer. Emphasis of instruction and student activities will be on ensuring understanding and providing opportunities to effectively develop the structure of an argument (as supported, for example, by use of strategies such as the Toulmin Model and Graff Template). Emphasis also will be on having students effectively frame their own arguments by defending, challenging, substantiating, and qualifying their assertions. They will learn to use a reasoned voice to develop well-qualified arguments that present both sides. Thus, the ultimate goal and the related focus of instruction and feedback will be to move students beyond the ability to merely persuade toward the capacity to develop the rhetorical finesse required to argue.

Students will also be expected to develop a fine-tuned ability to make stylistic choices as writers. Because of enhanced critical awareness about authors’ uses of language elements and the effects of rhetorical choices, students will be expected to make rhetorical choices about use and placement of individual words as well as about the arrangement of sentences and their parts. To ensure that students have the tools to make these rhetorical and stylistic choices, an emphasis on sentence construction patterns will be a dominant focus. Instruction – both explicit and embedded – as well as ongoing teacher and peer feedback will ensure that students recognize, use, imitate, revise, and evaluate the effectiveness of various sentence patterns. The expectation is that they will become able college-level writers who make decisions not only about what they write, but about how they write.

To further ensure that the course meets its objective of helping students achieve college success, students will routinely interact with and respond to texts using a number of formal and informal note taking strategies –– double-entry notes, marginal annotations, MLA formatted note cards, and other methods. They will examine and synthesize noted information from multiple print and visual sources and will routinely apply research conventions, especially as they pertain to appropriate application of in-text and parenthetical citation and documentation.

To help students achieve college-level proficiency, special attention will also routinely be devoted to helping students develop fluency in the use of academic language in their writing. Through the use of routine in-class feedback and analytical rubrics, the teacher will direct focus on building students’ abilities to use appropriate verbs and phrases to introduce and explicate quoted language, paraphrases, summaries, descriptions of visual elements, or other evidence. Toward this end, students will maintain notebooks and use other available sources to routinely access and refer to sentence level and paragraph level templates that will help them structure and frame their writing.

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Instruction will include best practice strategies that pertain to reading and writing processes. The teacher will establish expectations, monitor, and provide feedback as students analyze print and visual media using a repertoire of text-analysis/response strategies. Among others, strategies include use of Dialectical Journals, SOAPStone, Interrupted Reading, and other strategies noted throughout the syllabus.

Implementation of the writing process with emphasis on targeted revision will likewise remain a centerpiece of the course. The teacher’s task will be to provide detailed coverage, guided assignments, and literary and teacher-generated models in order to support students through each step. Students will practice and receive feedback in response to discrete skill sets as they complete step-by-step writing and revision tasks such as, for example, narrowing and refining a thesis, revising to clarify purpose and establish an appropriate tone, revising word choices and refining the voice, enhancing, reducing, combining, or restructuring sentences, and other tasks.

Another process goal is to have students learn how and when to correctly use paraphrasing and summarizing and, as part of focused process writing activities, compose paraphrases and summaries and incorporate them into researched essays. To avoid plagiarism, students will apply the rules of research by using both explicit and implicit citations for all support – quoted, paraphrased, and summarized. Also, as part of focused process writing, students will develop proficiency in integrating quotations for use as evidence, with the ultimate goal of being able to do so seamlessly within the grammatical context of their own sentences. Finally, students will edit their writing with a focus on subordinating, reducing, varying, and restructuring sentences and paragraphs, and they will proofread for conventions to avoid common errors in grammar, usage and mechanics. Attention to a variety of writing process goals will be reinforced through established use of analytical rubrics that delineate specific targeted criteria.

Thus, through a combination of exposure to and close examination of a wide range of readings, step-by-step practice in using and evaluating different modes of writing, development of rhetorical analysis and research skills, and ongoing application of best practice strategies and processes, the course will meet its goal of preparing students for college-level reading and writing tasks. It will equip students with the ability to read and write critically, analytically, and effectively. And, it remains the goal that, in the process, the course will also equip students with an enduring appreciation of the power of words - not only as a vehicle for effective communication, but also as a creative and stylistic tool. In short, when students take the AP Language and Composition course, they will understand why it is that language is, in essence and in practice, an art.

Curricular Requirements*

The following curricular requirements are represented in the Scope, Sequence, and Timeline plan outlined in the English Language and Composition course syllabus.

Variety of Writing Forms - Students write in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository,

analytical, persuasive and argumentative, compare/contrast, descriptive)

Variety of Subjects – Students write about a variety of subjects: Effects of Language, Gender,

Politics, Pop Culture, other.

Multiple Drafts - Students write essays that proceed through several stages or drafts with

revision aided by teacher and peers. Students use teacher’s feedback and skill specific

rubrics to do targeted revision with a focus on syntax and diction.

Revision/Teacher Feedback - The AP teacher provides explicit instruction and modeling of

specific components of the writing process that help students use:

Sentence Structures - A variety of sentence structures, including subordination and coordination

Logical Organization - Logical organization enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence through purposeful repetition, use of transitions, structures that support emphasis

Balanced Detail - A balance of generalization and specific, illustrative detail Rhetoric - An effective use of rhetoric including controlling tone, establishing voice, and

achieving appropriate emphasis through word choices and sentence structure. Vocabulary – A wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively Academic Language – Use of conventions (e.g., third person, present tense, active voice,

etc.) and use of signal phrases that apply academic language to introduce what the author said and to explain researched information.

Formal Writing in Response to Text - Students write expository, analytical (literary and

rhetorical analysis), and argumentative writing assignments based on readings

representing a wide variety of prose styles and genres. Continued

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Informal Writing - Students write in informal contexts such as, in particular, use of Dialectical

Journals designed to have them practice quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing as well as

composing personal responses to text and frequent Imitation Exercises designed to help

them become increasingly aware of the techniques employed by the writers they read by

emulating their syntax,

Rhetorical and Literary Analysis - Students read nonfiction readings (e.g., essays, political

writing, science writing, nature writing, autobiographies/biographies, history, criticism)

selected to give students opportunities to identify and explain an author’s use of

rhetorical strategies and techniques. Students read fiction and poetry selections to

understand how various effects are achieved by writers’ linguistic and rhetorical choices.

Visual Media - Students analyze how graphics and visual images are used to address specific

audiences, make arguments, relate to written texts, and serve as alternative forms of text

themselves.

Research Conventions – Students learn and practice citing sources using the Modern Language

Association (MLA) style.

Research Skills – Students learn and use research skills, in particular, how to evaluate and use

primary and secondary sources and properly introduce, incorporate, explain, and cite

quoted, paraphrased, and summarized information.

Synthesis Essay - Students analyze and synthesize ideas from an array of sources (print and

visual) to present a researched argument paper of their own which includes appropriate

documentation of sources.

* Source - adapted from: “English Language and Composition.” AP Course Audit Manual. The College Board, 2006. 36 -7.

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Student Tools The following tools will be used throughout the school year to effectively teach the modes of rhetoric, reading with a purpose, and writing in specific styles.

Journal: Students will keep a daily Dialectical Journal. This journal provides a note-taking format for questioning the text, providing reflections about the text, and interpreting and clarifying the text. The content of this journal will be pulled directly from students’ own reading of the material that they have been assigned. It will also include teacher provided quotes from authors whose works are being read during the year to demonstrate a particular use of language. Students will use the Dialectical Journal in conjunction with their Close Reading of chunks of text or entire selections with the express purpose of being able to pull words, phrases, sentences, or excerpts and draw conclusions about a character’s motives, author’s purpose, author’s use of diction, or another identified focus. Students will use the left column of the Dialectical Journal to:

• Cite select words, phrases, sentences or passages directly from the text; document (include page references)

• Paraphrase select passages; document (include page references) • Summarize as appropriate

Students will use the right column of the Dialectical Journal to write their own emotional reactions, questions, clarifications, and/or reflections. During the first marking period the teacher will evaluate the journal on a weekly basis. For the remainder of the year, the teacher will evaluate the journals every other week. Notebooks: AP students will maintain loose-leaf binder notebooks, divided into sections as follows:

• Class notes • Analysis Strategies – Graphic organizers, K-L-W, SOAPStones, Syntax Anaysis Charts, ,

TP-CASTT, OPTICs, • Grammar/Writing Templates - They Say/I Say Writing Templates, Toulmin Model, Graff

Template, Variety of Sentence Constructions, MLA formatted documentation and citations

• Literary Terms and Vocabulary • Supplemental Readings and Handouts • Error Analysis

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Course Assessments Grading System 50% - 4 major compositions in each marking period 20% - Quizzes and tests 15% - Journal/participation (the rationale is that the journal will lead the class discussion) 15% - Assignments (in-class or homework) Compositions All compositions will go through several drafts. After students complete a rough draft, they will complete a Syntax Analysis Chart on their own essays. After revising their essays, they will participate in peer reviews using the Syntax Analysis Chart. Students will refer to models and examine their writing to note need for revisions in repetitiveness, verb choices, lack of syntactical variety, and lapses in overall organization. Final drafts should be 3-4 pages long; should demonstrate a clear understanding of the assignment; employ effective uses of rhetorical devices; use varied and appropriate vocabulary; and demonstrate correct use of grammar and mechanics. Students will be expected to participate in a writing conference with the teacher in the middle of the first marking period. The focus of this one-on-one conference will be to inform the revision process as students use the Syntax Analysis Chart to examine their own compositions and use teacher’s feedback to develop their essay revision plans. A second conference will be held in the middle of the second marking period and will focus on the students’ synthesis essays. The focus of this conference will be to inform revision using criteria for evaluating a synthesis essay. Student and teacher will examine synthesis essays to determine if:

• the position is effectively stated and supported by defense, challenge, or qualification • the supporting quotations are smoothly integrated • references to quoted, paraphrased, and summarized information is properly attributed • evidence is clearly explained • rules of grammar and mechanics are followed.

If necessary, a third conference will be set up prior to the AP exam.

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Strategies Overview Close Reading Students will develop a much deeper level of understanding of text as they engage in: rereading very closely, searching and analyzing, quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing important words, phrases or excerpts, and reacting and responding to text. The purposes for using close reading include:

• searching for a main idea • identifying context clues for vocabulary • looking for signal words that are clues to text structure • gathering information about narrative elements • identifying persuasive techniques • finding examples of imagery or figurative language • finding evidence to support author’s purpose • analyzing author’s use of diction and syntax

SOAPSTone The use of this methodology will enable students to devise a more academic thesis. It is also the AP teacher’s responsibility to provide instruction and feedback on student writing both before and after students revise their work.

Speaker: The individual or collective voice of the text. Occasion: The event or catalyst causing the writing of the text to occur. Audience: The group of readers to whom the piece is directed. Purpose: The reason behind the text. Subject: The general topic and/or main idea. Tone: The attitude of the author.

Syntax Analysis Chart A Syntax Analysis Chart is a strategy for style analysis as well as an effective revising technique for a student’s own writing. The syntax analysis chart is a five-column table with these headings: Sentence Number, First Four Words, Special Features, Verbs, and Number of Words per Sentence. This tool will help students examine how style adds to meaning and purpose. It helps students identify various writing problems such as: repetitiveness, verb choices, lack of syntactical variety, and lapses in overall organization.

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OPTIC This strategy is highlighted in Walter Park’s book How to Study in College and presents students with key concepts to think about when approaching any kind of visual text, i.e., graphic and visual images as forms of text and the connection of these images to written texts. The following is a sample of an OPTIC lesson with its concurrent steps:

1. Provide student with a single visual text that shows a position or point of view on an issue. One example is Dorothea Lang’s 1936 photo of a migrant mother and her children (Current Issues and Enduring Questions, 156) which showed the American public the poverty of displaced workers during the Great Depression of the 1930s. 2. Instruct students on the OPTIC strategy, step by step.

• O is for overview – write down a few thoughts on what the visual appears to document.

• P is for parts – focus on the parts of the visual. Write down any elements or details that appear to be important.

• T is for title – highlight the words of the title of the visual (if one is available). • I is for interrelationships – use the title as the theory and the parts of the visual

as clues to detect and isolate the interrelationships in the graphic. • C is for conclusion – draw a conclusion regarding the visual in total. What does

the visual mean? Summarize the message of the visual in one or two sentences. 3. Assess the effectiveness of this strategy in analyzing visuals. Assessment can be a classroom discussion of the summaries students wrote regarding the message of the visual. 4. Compare and contrast the visual with an expository text dealing with the same subject matter but perhaps from a different position. (See alternate chapters of Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.)

They Say/I Say Writing Templates In the book They Say/I Say: the Moves that Matter in Academic Writing, there are several templates that help students develop effective techniques that are necessary in academic writing. These templates assist students in creating appropriate transitions and develop familiarity with signal phrases. These tools help students learn how to use text citations within their own papers to support their arguments. Students will use these templates until they have demonstrated mastery of these skills.

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Toulmin Model The Toulmin Model is an Argument Analysis Template which helps students analyze and critique argumentation. It provides a clear framework to help students outline and compose a logical thesis as the basis for planning and developing a convincing argument. This model divides arguments into three parts: the claim, the grounds and the warrant. The claim is the main point of the essay. The claim may be stated directly as the thesis or it can be implied. The grounds, which are used to support the claim, can be appeals to the emotions or values of the audience or objective evidence. The warrant is the inference that connects the claim to the grounds. It can be a belief that is taken for granted or an assumption that underlies the arguments (Kirszner, 566). Students will employ academic writing to frame the statement identifying the claim, grounds and warrant. Graff Templates The Graff Template is a template used for composing an argument. It helps students use the elements of an argument – claim, support, examples – to guide their reading and writing processes. It also provides a framework for students to analyze and critique argumentation. This is a useful structure for students to follow until they internalize the process and become fluent in using key signal phrases that are part of academic writing. Students will analyze and write about an argument by using a template with signal phrases that are used to:

• Introduce quotations • Explain quotations • Introduce something that is assumed or implied • Draw a conclusion about what the author did • Provide a reasoned personal response • Draw a conclusion in response to the argument

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Interrupted Reading Students analyze an entire reading selection by writing in response to each “chunk” of text. The strategy builds students’ facility to write in response to text while adhering to loosely timed conditions. This provides routine, curriculum-embedded preparation for the AP exam. In their written responses, students provide at least one or several comments which may include, but are not limited to:

• free association • noting techniques such as figures of speech • registering confusion, noting particular words, phrases, or sentences the author uses for a

specific purpose • underlining and drawing connecting lines between ideas or grammatical structures • other responses

TP-CASTT This is a poetry analysis strategy which provides students with a framework of routine questions for analyzing, discussing, critiquing, and writing about poetry.

• Title: Think about the title before reading the poem. What do you think the poem will be about?

• Paraphrase: Read the poem and translate it into your own words. • Connotation: Think about more than the dictionary meaning of the words. What are the

ideas and feelings associated with select words? • Attitude: What is the speaker’s attitude? Is it the same as the poet’s? How do you know? • Shifts: Are there any shifts in speakers? Or, does the attitude of the speaker change

anywhere in the poem? • Title: Think about the title again. Do you see a different meaning? Explain. • Theme: What is the poet’s overall message about human nature or about life in general?

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FALL SEMESTER: Introduction

The overall theme for the year is The American Dream. The first part of the fall semester is devoted to developing fluency in argumentation and rhetoric. This will include the development of critical thinking skills, rhetorical terminology and style while exploring thematic connections. The first unit addresses the specific skills involved in understanding and creating argumentative writing. The second unit asks the essential question, “How does the language we use reveal who we are?” The literary content of this unit includes readings that exemplify the range of ways in which language can be used to create meaning. The skills covered in these first two units provide the foundation and frameworks will inform the approach to all subsequent reading and writing tasks in the units that follow. Together these first two units provide a framework for the teacher’s approach and the students’ tasks throughout the course. The literary content of the third unit is organized around issues of gender.

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Unit on Argumentation

The first marking period includes a 2 week introduction to Argumentation- a backbone of the AP curriculum that must be fully understood before the course continues. Throughout the unit several different strategies will be used to enhance student’s understanding of argumentation. Argumentation Overview “Argumentation is a process of reasoning that asserts the soundness of a debatable position, belief, or conclusion. Argumentation takes a stand – supported by evidence – and urges people to share the writer’s perspective and insights” (Kirszner 555). Argumentation differs from persuasion because persuasion requires that the writer include a call to action. Argumentation serves to validate a reasonable conclusion. The author uses a collection of statements that together lead to a logical conclusion. Its purpose is to show that some ideas are valid and some are not. An argument must make points, supply evidence, create a logical chain of reasoning, refute the opposing argument and accommodate the audience’s view (Kirszner 556). An effective argument must take into consideration the audience it is addressing; the tone and the appeals must be appropriate and comprehensible. All of the following will be covered so that students can plan an argumentative essay:

• Choosing a topic • Taking a Stand • Analyzing your Audience • Gathering and documenting evidence • Acknowledging the opposition • Developing a counterargument

Essential Questions

• What is argumentation? • How does argumentation differ from persuasion? • How can visual images make an argument? • How are opposing arguments handled?

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Readings

“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King “A Unique Take on Beauty” by Donna Britt “Drugs, Sports, Body Image and G.I. Joe” by Natalie Angier

Media Literacy

“Untitled” cartoon by Edward Koren Sports Illustrated Cover Photo

Assignments Use close reading skills to examine the arguments in various readings. After reading “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” answer the following:

• How does Dr. King establish his authority? • Who is his audience? Consider age, beliefs, biases, fears, interests, education, economic

level, culture. • Is his argument effective? What appeals does he employ; emotional, logical, ethical?

Provide evidence. • What is his tone? What is the evidence – how do we know what his tone is? • Is his tone appropriate for the audience? Why or why not?

Assignment 1 - Awareness of Audience/Letter: Prompt: This letter had been addressed to a particular group of people. If the audience were

different, how might this letter have been written differently? Imagine that this letter were written to a group that does not believe in non-violent demonstrations. Examine how the letter would have changed. What examples might have been left out? Would the tone have changed?

Using King’s real letter as a model, write an opening paragraph of a letter addressing

this different audience.

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Assignment 2 - Analyzing Visual Text: “Untitled” cartoon by Edward Koren

• In what way is this cartoon an argument? • For what audience was this cartoon intended? Consider age, beliefs, biases, fears,

interests, education, economic level, culture. • If this cartoon had a title, what would it be? • Consider the cartoon, the artist, and the audience separately; then analyze the

relationships among those three elements. • Consider the context: the time and place of the work’s creation, and how and where it is

viewed. Prompt: Write 3 thesis statements that could be used for this cartoon. Students will decide

which thesis statements are most clearly illustrated by the cartoon. Assignment 3 - Media Literacy: Read “A Unique Take on Beauty” by Donna Britt

• For what audience was this piece intended? Consider age, beliefs, biases, fears, interests, education, economic level, culture.

• What is her argument? • How does she use the picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated to support her argument?

Prompt: Look at the Sports Illustrated cover photograph and write a caption designed to appeal to ethos, one designed to appeal to pathos and one designed to appeal to logos. Which caption has the most appeal? Write a paragraph explaining and justifying your decision.

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Unit on Language How does the language we use reveal who we are? Essential Questions

• How many different ways are there to say the same thing? • Is “the medium the message”? • What can we tell about a person by the way that he or she speaks? Writes? • How and why do we speak and write differently in different contexts? • How does an author’s choice of point of view affect the story? • How do syntactic choices, such as use of active vs. passive verbs, subordination, or other

choices affect meaning? • How do tone, voice, and diction affect the meaning of what we read? • How does our use of language change depending on context and audience? • How does the impact of language choices differ for adults and children? • How does language use have an impact on the American Dream?

Readings

“Writing is Easy!” satirical essay by Steve Martin, in Pure Drivel “Child of the Americas,” poem by Aurora Levin Morales in Many Voices “Reflections on My Own Death,” essay by Kurt Vonnegut in Wampeters, Foma and Granfaloons “Eight Diamonds,” first chapter from The Dain Curse, novel by Dashiell Hammett excerpt (first chapter) from The Man in My Basement, novel by Walter Mosely “You Are Here,” cartoon by Gary Larson excerpt Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature, by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o excerpt from Monkey Bridge, novel by Lan Cao

excerpt from Native Speaker, novel by Chang-Rae Lee

“Studying Islam, Strengthening the Nation,” essay by Peter Berkowitz and Michael McFaul

“My First Conk,” excerpt from The Autobiography of Malcolm X

excerpt (pp. 40-42) from The Accidental Tourist, novel by Anne Tyler Their Eyes Were Watching God, novel by Zora Neale Hurston Recording of Their Eyes Were Watching God, performed by Ruby Dee

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Media Literacy Rumor, Lies, Innuendo (cartoon) by Mike Twohy Census Data on Language Use in the United States (table) by James Crawford

Skills-Based Tasks Task 1: What’s wrong with this writer (or his persona)? How many examples of faulty reasoning

can you find in the essay? Write two refutations of “Writing Is Easy!” each in a different voice. Choose from suggested points of view (e.g., a serious writing teacher; an experienced, successful writer; a high school student; the author’s psychiatrist).

Task 2: Examine the poem and identify the words, phrases and figures of speech that establish

the tone of Morales’ poem, “Child of the Americas.” From these words, what is her tone? How would you describe the speaker?

Task 3: Compose your own personalized version of “Child of the Americas.” When you are

finished, circle or highlight the word choices that contributed to the tone of your piece. Verify that these words contribute directly to the tone.

Task 4: Construct an alternative version of “Eight Diamonds” which delivers the same

information, but which does so in a strictly informational tone. Identify the words and phrases that make the tone of your chapter different from Hammett’s. Explain the difference.

Task 5: Distinguish between the different roles of Gikuyu and English in colonial Kenya, as

discussed in the excerpt from Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s book on the subject. What did colonialists accomplish by imposing the use of English and criminalizing the use of Gikuyu? What does a language do besides transmit information?

Task 6: In the excerpt from Native Speaker, Henry Park, the first person narrator, describes his

early difficulties learning English. List all the words Chang-Rae Lee uses that describe his confusion, his struggle and his fear. Brainstorm a list of words you would use to describe a difficult struggle with learning something that is very important.

Task 7: After listening to selected chapters of TEWWG as read and peformed by Ruby Dee,

discuss the impact of hearing the characters and the narrator speak in the actress’ voice(s). What changes if any did you discover in your understanding of or feelings about the characters?

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Assignments Assignment 1 – Literary Analysis Essay: Prompt: Is Vonnegut’s tone ironic or sincere or both? Support your conclusions with specific references to the text. Assignment 2 - Comparison/Contrast Essay: Prompt: Contrast the style of the first chapters of The Man in My Basement and The Dain Curse.

Predict the ways in which you think the protagonist in each of these mysteries will differ.

Students will demonstrate understanding of the comparison and contrast essay by keeping the following questions in mind as they write:

• What basis for comparison exists between the two subjects you are comparing? • Does your essay have a clear thesis statement that identifies both the subjects you are

comparing and the points you are making about them? • Do you discuss the same or similar points for both subjects? • If you have written a subject-by-subject comparison, have you included a transition

paragraph that connects the two sections of the essay? • If you have written a point-by-point comparison, have you included appropriate

transitions and varied your sentence structure to indicate your shift from one point to another?

• Is the organizational strategy of your essay suited to your purpose? • Have you included transitional words and phrases that indicate whether you are

discussing similarities or differences?

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Assignment 4 – Exemplification Essay: Prompt: While dialect is used throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God, the author

nevertheless successfully creates a panoramic array of different characters, largely through variations of language. Pick six different characters; analyze and discuss the voice of each.

Students will demonstrate their understanding of the Exemplification Essay by keeping the following questions in mind as they write their essay:

• Does your essay have a clear thesis statement that identifies the point or concept you will illustrate?

• Do your examples explain and clarify your thesis statement? • Have you provided enough examples? • Have you used a range of examples? • Are your examples persuasive? • Do your examples add interest? • Have you used transitional words and phrases that reinforce the connection between your

examples and your thesis statement? Assignment 5 - Descriptive Essay: Prompt: Distinguish among Janey’s three husbands in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Use

objective and subjective criteria to describe them in physical, psychological, and social terms.

Students will demonstrate understanding of the descriptive essay by keeping the following questions in mind as they write:

• Does your descriptive essay clearly communicate its thesis or dominant impression? • Is your description primarily objective or subjective? • If your description is primarily objective, have you used precise, factual language?

Would your essay benefit from a diagram? • If your description is primarily subjective, have you used figures of speech as well as

words that convey your feelings and emotions? • Have you included enough specific details? • Have you arranged your details in a way that supports your thesis and communicates your

dominant impression? • Have you used the transitional words and phrases that readers need to follow your

description?

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Assignment 6 - Synthesis Essay: Prompt: In an essay that synthesizes and uses for support at least three of the readings and

includes a visual media piece from this unit, discuss how language use has an impact on the American Dream. This essay must be correctly cited using MLA style citations.

Consider the following questions when writing this essay:

• What do the selections read during the marking period reveal about the American Dream: its definitions, its goals, its reality, its dark side, obstacles one faces in trying to achieve it, and/or its glory and its achievement.

• What do the selections reveal about the American belief in the triumph of the individual? • What conflicts or obstacles did the character/individual face? • Did he/she overcome them? • Did he/she fulfill the ideal of the triumph of the individual? How? • Does language have an impact on the American Dream?

Grammar The focus during this marking period will be short simple sentences and fragments, parallel structures, and concise diction. Tests/Quizzes Test and quizzes will be given throughout each marking period. Tests will assess comprehension and responses to text, application of rhetorical analysis skills, sentence structures and grammar, vocabulary and literary terms, and use of discrete writing and research skills.

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Unit on Gender What is the impact of gender roles that society creates and enforces? Essential Questions

• What is the difference between sex and gender? • When do gender roles become stereotypical? • What forces define gender roles? • How do gender roles hinder individual choices? • Why are some professions gender-dominated? • How does use of language contribute to and reinforce society’s understanding of gender

roles? Cite evidence from reading selections. • How does society’s perception of gender affect the attainment of the American Dream?

Readings “Women’s Brains” by Stephen Jay Gould “Professions for Women” by Virginia Woolf “The Myth of the Latin Woman” by Judith Ortiz Cofer “The Men we Carry in our Minds” by Scott Russell Sanders “Why Johnny Won’t Read” by Bauerlein and Stotsky “ Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy (poem) “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” by Emily Dickinson (poem) “ I Died for Beauty but was Scarce” by Emily Dickinson (poem) “If You Were Coming in the Fall” by Emily Dickinson (poem) “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman (poem) “Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson (poem) “Boy Problems” by Ann Hulbert "Ain't I a Woman" Sojourner Truth

"Sweat" Zora Neale Hurston The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Media Literacy

“ Cathy” cartoon by Cathy Guisewite “My Fair Lady” excerpt from movie Table titled “How Long Do You Expect to Stay in School”

Theme related pictures, cartoons, graphs, maps, advertisements from current periodicals will be used. Some will be student generated. Students will interpret and use synthesis to analyze the impact of gender on American culture

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Assignments Assignment 1 - Media Literacy: How can visual media make an argument?

Watch an excerpt from the movie My Fair Lady

Because students live in a highly visual world, it becomes important to study the rhetoric of visual media which demonstrates the impact of gender on our culture. Professor Higgins, the main character in the movie, asks the question, “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?” Prompt: Write a paragraph describing the tone and irony of this question. Discuss how this

pertains to the theme of the unit. Assignment 2 – Narration: In the narrative essay, students will develop a clear thesis statement and use details from the story as support. Students will demonstrate understanding of the narrative essay by keeping the following questions in mind as they write:

• Does your essay’s thesis communicate the significance of the events you discuss? • Have you included enough specific detail? • Have you varied your sentence structure? • Is the order of events clear to readers? Consider least to most, chronological, order of

importance or others. • Have you varied sentence openings to avoid monotony? • Do your transitions link events in time?

Prompt: You and a male/female member of your family have been given specific roles that you

are expected to follow. You either refuse to play this role or you struggle against such roles. Write a personal narrative explaining the role, the origin and nature of the expectations and the reasons for refusal. Cite examples from class readings to support your stand.

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Assignment 4 – Persuasion: Prompt: Write an essay explaining whether you agree or disagree that the public school system

contributes to the gender disparity. Use the table entitled “How Long Do You Expect to Stay in School?” and the essay “Boy Problems” by Ann Hulbert to inform your opinion. Be sure to cite and properly document evidence from both sources.

Students will demonstrate understanding of the persuasive essay by keeping the following questions in mind as they write:

• Have you clearly stated your position? • Do you have two or more reasons to support the opinion? • Have you considered your audience? • Is the information organized in a logical way? • Which types of appeals did you use? • Have you used appropriate transition words and phrases to guide the reader through your

position? • Do you use rhetorical questioning? • Is your opinion a logical outcome of your evidence? • Do you employ sentence structures that make strong emphatic statements?

Assignment 5 – Argumentation: In paragraph 6 of Judith Ortiz Cofer’s essay, “The Myth of the Latin Woman,” Cofer makes the following statement:

Mixed cultural signals have perpetuated certain stereotypes – for example that of the Hispanic woman as the “Hot Tamale” or sexual firebrand. It is a one-dimensional view that the media have found easy to promote. In their special vocabulary, advertisers have designated “sizzling” and “smoldering” as the adjectives of choice for describing not only the foods but also the women of Latin America.

Prompt: Write an argumentation essay explaining whether you agree or disagree with this

assertion as it applies to the media today. You may work with Cofer’s example of Latin American women, or you may choose another group to consider in terms of stereotypes that the media promotes. Support your assertion with evidence from your readings, observations and/or experiences. Be sure to cite and properly document evidence.

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Students will demonstrate understanding of the argumentation essay by keeping the following questions in mind as they write:

• Have you chosen and narrowed down a topic you can argue about effectively? • Have you developed a proposition? • Have you considered the beliefs and opinions of your audience? • Is your evidence relevant, representative, and sufficient? • Have you documented evidence gathered from different sources? • Have you captured authorial action by using signal phrases that include appropriate

verbs? • Have you introduced and explained supporting quotations? • Have you made an effort to acknowledge the counterargument? • Did you use academic language to introduce what “they” say? • Have you made concessions to the opposing argument while standing your ground and

establishing that your claim matters? • Have you used inductive or deductive reasoning (or a combination of the two) to move

from your evidence to your conclusion? • Have you avoided logical fallacies? Consider circular reasoning, ad hominem, either/or,

non-sequitor, others. • Have you cited and properly documented your sources?

Assignment 6 – Persuasion/ Argumentation - Oral Presentation:

Prompt: The rights and privileges of women have been one of the questions facing Americans since the beginning of the 20th Century. Women have been systematically kept out of many so-called men dominated activities from the social to the political arenas. You have been invited to deliver a speech in which you present evidence of this disparity citing "Professions for Women" by Virginia Wolf and "Ain't I A Woman " by Sojourner Truth.

Students will demonstrate understanding of criteria pertaining to argumentation. They will also keep the following questions in mind as they deliver their oral presentations and as they evaluate the oral presentations of their peers:

• Have you/the speaker demonstrated an understanding of the social, political and/or gender issues involved in the speech?

• Have you/the speaker communicated in a clear. organized and understandable manner, presenting an easy listening path to follow?

• Have you/the speaker exemplified the highest standards of language usage, style and vocabulary, avoiding slang, poor grammar and mispronunciations?

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• Have you/the speaker used effective body language (poised stage presence, appropriate gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact)?

• Have you/the speaker used effective oral presentation skills (volume, diction, rate of delivery), and understandable and persuasive delivery?

Assignment 7 - Synthesis Essay: Prompt: Discuss how the attainment of the American Dream is shaped by society’s

reinforcement of gender roles. Write an essay that presents your conclusion based on analysis and synthesis of relevant supporting information from three or more print sources and a visual media source. As you support your assertions, be sure to incorporate quotations into the structure of your own sentences and to use in-text and parenthetical citations to document your sources. Avoid mere retelling through overuse of quoted, paraphrased, or summarized information. Be sure to develop an informed response that includes a clear explanation of your own thoughts and personal conclusions.

Consider the following questions:

• What do the selections read during the marking period reveal about the American Dream: its definitions, its goals, its reality, its dark side, the obstacles one faces in trying to achieve it, and/or its glory and its achievement.

• What do the selections reveal about the American belief in the triumph of the individual? • What conflicts or obstacles did the character/individual face? • Did he/she overcome them? • Did he/she fulfill the ideal of the triumph of the individual? How? • How does gender play a role in the American Dream? • Is the American Dream available equally to both genders?

Assignment 8 - Literary Analysis Essay: Prompt: After carefully reading chapter XIII from The Scarlet Letter, write a 3 page essay in

which you analyze how Hawthorne uses language to explore and denote Hester Prynne’s outlook on her own existence and that of women in general. Consider elements such as diction, tone, imagery and rhetorical strategies and devices. The essay must include a clear thesis statement and specific references to the text, demonstrate vigorous adherence to use of both direct and indirect citations and proper application of MLA format, use appropriate academic language to introduce and explain cited references, and demonstrate proper grammar and usage.

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Grammar The focus during this marking period will be on pronouns. Keeping consistent with the gender

theme, the focus will be on agreement functions of personal pronouns, relative pronouns, etc.

Focus will also be on proper use of personal pronouns when shifting from "I" to "we" as a

rhetorical strategy.

Other areas of concentration will be on sentence construction. Focus on use of appositives will

provide practice in combining, reducing, and enhancing sentences; focus on coordination and

subordination will provide experiences in constructing and deconstructing sentences to reveal

relationships between logically interrelated ideas.

Tests/Quizzes Test and quizzes will be given throughout each marking period. Tests will assess comprehension

and responses to text, application of rhetorical analysis skills, sentence structures and grammar,

vocabulary and literary terms, and use of discrete writing and research skills.

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SPRING SEMESTER: Introduction

During the spring semester, students will continue to develop fluency in key aspects of rhetoric

and argumentation and will focus on preparation for the AP exam. Practice tests and timed

essays will be given to prepare students for the exam. The themes covered in the Spring semester

will be Politics and Popular Culture. Throughout the semester, students will be expected to relate

these smaller themes back to the larger overall theme of The American Dream.

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Unit on Politics What is the relationship between the citizen and the state? This marking period will include numerous timed writing assignments from the AP test. Essential Questions

• What is the nature of patriotism in a democracy? • What is the relationship between patriotism and our country’s revolutionary origin? • What are the attitudes of America and Americans toward colonialism? • What are the plusses and minuses of colonialism? • What is the nature of patriotism in a colonized country?

Readings

“On Seeing England for the First Time” by Jamaica Kincaid “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift “A Modest Proposal” by Christopher Buckley, The New Yorker, April 15, 1996. From The Destruction of Culture by Chris Hedges “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau “Every Dictator’s Nightmare” by Wole Soyinka “On the Rainy River” by Tim O’Brien (fiction) “Conversation with an American Writer” by Yevgeny Yevtushenko (poetry) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Excerpts from The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Media Literacy

“Guernica” painting by Pablo Picasso Cover of the New Yorker, March 17, 2003 Cover of Harper’s, April 2003

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Assignments Assignment 1 -Descriptive Essay: The model for the first student essay in this unit is “On Seeing England for the First Time,” by Jamaica Kincaid.

• What is ironic about the title “On Seeing England for the First Time?” Why is the use of irony important as it relates to the author’s purpose?

• Jamaica Kincaid says, “I had long ago been conquered.” What does she mean by this? • What is the effect of the shirt shopping example Kincaid provides? What does this

suggest about her attitude toward England? Prompt: After reading Kincaid’s essay and considering the foregoing questions, write a 2-3 page

essay in which you describe the experience of seeing something important for the first time, or the experience of considering something important that you have seen many times.

Assignment 2 - Compare/Contrast Essay: The models for the second student essay in this unit are “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift, and the latter day “A Modest Proposal” by Christopher Buckley, published in The New Yorker in 1996.

• In “A Modest Proposal,” how does Swift reveal the speaker’s character through tone and style? What conclusions are we led to draw about the speaker?

• What is the difference between the content of the speaker’s words and the ultimate satiric

intent of the author?

• How are satire and hyperbole used effectively to make a point? Prompt: After reading the two essays and considering the foregoing questions, write a 2-3 page

essay in which you compare and contrast the two pieces, illustrating how each essayist makes his point.

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Assignment 3 - Argument Essay: The model for the third student essay in this unit is an excerpt from the book “The Destruction of Culture” by Chris Hedges.

• What is Chris Hedges’ purpose in the opening of his essay when he uses both exposition

and argument? • In your opinion, what is Hedges most provocative use of language?

Prompt: After reading the Hedges piece, and considering the foregoing questions as well as

everything you know from all available sources about the Iraq War, write a 2-3 page argument essay in which you describe the impact of the Iraq War on American culture.

Assignment 4 - Synthesis Essay:

• In paragraph 1, Thoreau makes a distinction between the government and the people; what meaning is he trying to convey to the reader by doing this? Why does he begin the essay this way?

• Why does Thoreau refer to civil disobedience as a right and a duty for a citizen? What purpose is he trying to convey by doing this?

• What are the two government policies Thoreau most objects to? How does he explain his meaning by doing this?

• Which of the three classic appeals; logos, ethos , or pathos, does Thoreau use in paragraph 21, where he gives the government a human face? What is Thoreau’s purpose for doing this? Defend your answer.

• Write an imitation of Thoreau’s paragraph 21 regarding today’s face of the government. • Explain how Thoreau’s essay speaks to us today. Is the essay dated? Is it still relevant?

Does Thoreau’s meaning carry over into the twenty-first century? Prompt: After reading “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau, research

what other writers, both his contemporaries as well as those from later eras, have said about his essay and about the subject of civil disobedience as they would apply it in their own day. Then, after considering all you have read as well as the foregoing questions, write a persuasive essay which addresses the following question: What is the modern citizen’s responsibility to society, and how (if at all) would civil disobedience play a part in that responsibility? In your essay, be sure to synthesize content from Thoreau as well as three other writers whose work on the subject you read.

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Assignment 4 - Analysis Essay – The Grapes of Wrath:

• How does Steinbeck make use of logos, pathos, and ethos in Chapters 1, 3, 5 and 7? • In Chapter 9, how does Steinbeck use language to convey his purpose? • In Chapter 11, Steinbeck establishes a sense of loss; how does he do this? • In Chapter 12, What rhetorical devices does Steinbeck use to establish the tone of this

chapter? • In Chapter 14, Steinbeck uses personal tragedy, “I am alone and I am bewildered…we

lost our land… We have a little food…the baby has a cold. Here, take the blanket…take it for the baby…This is the beginning – from ‘I’ to ‘we.’ How does the diction reinforce the central belief about mankind that Steinbeck conveys in Chapter 14?

• In Chapter 15, Steinbeck’s style changes slightly; he moves from the anonymous to being more personal – Minnie, Susy, or Moe; Joe, Carl or Al. Why does he do this?

• Later in the same chapter, Steinbeck writes, “The little boys raised their eyes to her face and they stopped breathing;…their half-naked bodies were rigid. ‘Oh – them. Well, no-them’s two for a penny’… ‘Them wasn’t two-for-a-cent candy,’… ‘What’s that to you?’” How does this stylistic change affect the meaning of this scene? Does the stylistic change add to or lessen the impact of the scene?

Prompt: Considering the foregoing questions, write an analytic essay in which you examine and

identify Steinbeck’s use of rhetorical modes such as logos, pathos and ethos. Consider all the ways in which the author makes use of the alternate chapters in which he steps out of the narrative and addresses the reader.

Researched Essay: In addition to the reading-based units listed above, completing the research-based essay will be a component of the third marking period. From the over-arching theme of The American Dream, students should have by now successfully narrowed their topic and completed preliminary research. A review of MLA style will include specific instruction on citation, documentation, paraphrasing, and quoting. Sources must include at least one of the readings from the unit, and at least seven sources over all. At least one source must be visual. The researched essay must be 8-10 typewritten pages (not counting end matter), fully annotated, and must use active voice.

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Grammar The focus during this marking period will be on subordination and on the use of rhetorical and

stylistic effects to improve writing. Included will be emphasis on achievement of parallel

construction and on effective use of cumulative, periodic, and inverted sentences.

Tests/Quizzes Test and quizzes will be given throughout each marking period. Tests will assess comprehension

and responses to text, application of rhetorical analysis skills, sentence structures and grammar,

vocabulary and literary terms, and use of discrete writing and research skills.

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Popular Culture To what extent does pop culture reflect our society’s values? Essential Questions

• How does something become part of popular culture? • What can we predict about our future by examining popular culture? • Does popular culture represent all segments of the population? • What is the right balance between pop culture and high culture? • Does each generation bring something new to a remake, or is something lost with time? • Does pop culture respect its roots? • What is the relationship between pop culture and commerce? • Do commercial interests control what is offered to the public, or does the public

ultimately have its own say? • Does word of mouth still tell us what’s hot and what’s not? • How is the American Dream symbolized in Popular Culture?

Readings

“High School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies” by David Denby “Corn-pone Opinions” by Mark Twain “Godzilla vs. The Giant Scissors: Cutting the Heart Out of a Classic” by Brent Staples “Popular Culture in the Aftermath of September 11 is a Chorus without a Hook, a Movie without an Ending” by Teresa Wiltz “Emily Dickinson and Elvis Presley in Heaven” by Hans Ostrom (poetry) “Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie” by Nikki Giovanni (poetry) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Media Literacy

“The Innocent Eye Test” by Mark Tansey (painting)

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Assignments: Since the test will take place during this marking period, the emphasis on the assignments will be the timed component of the test. These assignments will be completed in class in a timed setting so that students become comfortable with this aspect of the AP exam.

Assignment 1 - Rhetorical Analysis Essay

“Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie” by Nikki Giovanni (poetry)

• What effect is created by the physical layout of this poem? Does it add to or detract from the meaning?

• What is the text’s message about characters like Harry Potter? Tell what the author is discussing besides Harry Potter and why she does this. Describe the impact that this has on the reader?

• Examine the text’s unconventional syntax. How does it add nuance to the piece’s central argument?

“High School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies” by David Denby

• What is Denby’s central argument? • Denby makes the statement that “geeks rule” (Denby 713). Analyze the poem and tell

why Denby makes this sweeping statement? • Tell why Denby chose the word “geek” as opposed to “nerd” or “dork” or any of the

other expletives that are usually associated with this word. Explain how this statement makes or undermines Denby’s argument in this article?

Prompt: In order to create a carefully reasoned and fully elaborated rhetorical analysis essay, students will focus on the rhetorical purpose, audience, and style expressed in either “Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie,” or “High School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies.”

Assignment 2 - Argument Essay

“Corn-pone Opinions” by Mark Twain

• According to Twain, “it is our nature to conform: (paragraph 9); he also says that we do so for self-approval. The two statements seem contradictory. How does Twain connect conformity and self-approval? Cite evidence from the text.

• Twain claims that he got the idea of corn-pone opinions from a young slave with a talent for preaching. What does this anecdote add to his argument? Does it detract in any way?

• Identify and discuss examples of understatement and hyperbole. Discuss their effects.

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Brent Staples’ essay “Godzilla vs. the Giant Scissors: Cutting the Antiwar Heart out of a Classic” • Staples makes the assertion that popular culture has the capacity to create an important

political message to society. Students will tell whether they agree or disagree with this and provide examples from the text.

• Despite its serious subject, there is an undercurrent of humor in Staples’ essay. How does Staples create the mock serious tone? Cite specific passages. What effect does this have on his message?

Prompt: Students will choose one of the essays: “Corn-Pone Opinions” or “Godzilla vs. the

Giant Scissors: Cutting the Antiwar Heart out of a Classic,” to formulate an essay in which they will defend or challenge one of the ideas expressed. Support your assertion with evidence from your readings, observations and/or experiences. Be sure to cite and properly document evidence.

Assignment 3 – Literary Analysis Essay The Crucible by Arthur Miller

• Define charity as it is used in the context of this play. Consider the social, religious and philosophical ideals of charity.

• How does charity, thought of in this way, pertain to mercy and justice? • What are some instances in which “the breaking of charity” destroyed a community?

Prompt: In his autobiography, Arthur Miller writes that “the real story” of the Salem witch trials

is to be found in “the breaking of charity” within a human community. Write an essay explaining what this means. Support your opinion with evidence from the text. Conclude the essay with a reflection on whether “the breaking of charity” could destroy a community today. Defend your writing with events that support your assertion.

Assignment 4 - Analysis Essay

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

• Describe the popular culture of the early 1920’s. • What role does wealth play in this novel? Cite specific examples from the text that

illustrate the difference between the characters with money and those without. Does this disparity exist today?

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Prompt: How does The Great Gatsby represent popular culture in the early 1920’s? What does the novel have to say about the social issues in America in the early 1920’s? In what ways do the themes of dream, wealth, and time work together to provide information about popular culture during this time?

Assignment 5 - Analyzing a Painting

“The Innocent Eye Test” by Mark Tansey (painting)

• Who or what is being tested in this painting? What does the painting say about art criticism?

• Identify and analyze the visual and historical information in this painting. • Visual art can be analyzed through the rhetorical triangle. Consider the painting, the

artist, and the audience separately, and then analyze the relationship among these three elements.

Activity: Choose a contemporary painting to analyze using the OPTIC tool, found in the Strategies Overview section.

Assignment 6 - Synthesis Essay

Prompt: In an essay that synthesizes and uses for support at least three of the readings and includes a visual media piece from this unit, discuss how the American Dream is symbolized in popular culture. This essay must be correctly cited using MLA style citations.

Grammar

The focus during this marking period will be modifiers, coordination in the compound sentence, and use of precise, direct, and active verbs.

Tests/Quizzes Test and quizzes will be given throughout each marking period. Tests will assess comprehension and responses to text, application of rhetorical analysis skills, sentence structures and grammar, vocabulary and literary terms, and use of discrete writing and research skills.

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References

Atwan, Robert, ed. America Now. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. Barnet, Sylvan, and Hugo Bedau. Current Issues and Enduring Questions. 7th ed. Boston:

Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. ---. Contemporary & Classic Arguments. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Hacker, Diana. The Bedford Handbook. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. ---. A Writer’s Reference. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Amsco, 1970. Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Harper Collins, 1998. Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. Patterns for College Writing. 10th ed. Boston:

Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. Lunsford, Andrea S. Easy Writer. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. Lunsford, Andrea, John Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything’s an Argument. 4th ed.

Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. McWhorter, Kathleen. Seeing the Pattern. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell, 1980. Mims, Joan T., and Elizabeth M. Nollen. Mirror on America. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/St.

Martin’s, 2006. Shea, Renée H., Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin Aufses. The Language of Composition.

Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 1997.