COURSE CONTENT/ GOALS applicable to this marking period-

Students enrolled in this class should expect to:

Write in several forms (narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essays about a variety of subjects that are based on readings that represent a wide variety of prose styles and genres (types of writing).

These assignments include, but are not limited to public policies, popular culture, and personal experiences.

 Examples of assignments include:

      Letters to the editor of our school and local newspaper\

      Journalistic Reviews of plays and non fiction with textual evidence to advance your position

       “High Stakes” writing to specific audiences(college admission essays, scholarship essays, major research assignment requiring formal presentation with power point to list a few.

      Letters to your parents asking for something about which you are sure they will say no and learning how to write to anticipate and pre-empt the opposition by presenting an argument that includes analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of sources. This assignment is appropriately called, “If you can convince our parents, you can convince anyone!”

      Analytical arguments that both inform, explain, and convince

      Recording unfamiliar vocabulary and literary terms in a personal lexicon  as a writing resource

      Learning to effectively create and present power point presentations to augment and visually illustrate your researched projects

      Frequent ( and sometimes unannounced) timed writings based on SAT and released essay prompts from the AP Language and Composition test

      A myriad of daily, weekly and project-based writing assignments designed to help you develop as a

The standards and practices below are set as daily objectives

and apply to all units of study:

      Essays that require you to write to specific audience expectations: college scholarship essays, personal statement, Opinion Editorials and especially essays that require you to experience the full range of styles of writing.

• Use rhetoric effectively. We will study how and why powerful writing controls tone, establishes and maintains voice, and achieves appropriate emphasis through diction (word choice) and sentence structure.
• Read a variety of nonfiction pieces that include but are not limited to essays, journalism, political writing, science writing, autobiographies and biographies, diaries, history and literary criticism.
• apply critical standards independently, orally and in writing to specific literary works.
• To read some fiction to help you understand the writer’s use of linguistic and rhetorical choices, but to primarily read nonfiction works
• Hone your of critical listening, reading, and speaking and primarily writing skills with daily reading and writing assignments
• To write daily to become skillful writers who understand the techniques employed by the authors we study
• To write in a variety of informal contexts
• Examples of these assignments include: Daily journal keeping, collaborative write, daily in-class responses to reading
• Developing organizational skills for coherence, use of repetition, transitions, and emphasis
• Three major projects that require you to research information, conduct interviews, synthesize your information in an organized manner, and use MLA editorial style for editorial formatting.
• To engage in active research that goes beyond the parameters of a traditional research paper by requiring you to present an argument of your own that included the analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of sources.
• To develop the ability to evaluate, use, and cite primary and secondary sources in your researched projects.

On line link for free additional support with MLA Style formatting:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/

• To analyze how graphics and visual images relate to written texts and serve as alternative forms of texts in their own right (auditory/visual/tactile media)
• Weekly extensive vocabulary building so that you use words correctly and powerfully in your writing,
• Ongoing Academic Language Development skill
• Learn, understand, identify, use, and apply literary techniques in your writing.
• Examples of this include: Assignments that promote effective use of diction, tone voice, style, varied sentence structure (including appropriate use of subordination and coordination), balancing generalizations and specific illustrative details in your writing
• Timed writing using AP released essay prompts
• Practice to prepare for the multiple choice portion of the AP Language and Composition Exam

Primary Types of Writing Required:

·        Writing to understand: We will practice and write informal, exploratory writing activities that enable you to discover what you think in the process of writing about your reading assignments.

·        Writing to explain: Expository, analytical essays which require you to draw upon textual details to make and explain judgments about a work’s artistry and quality, as well as its social and cultural values

·        Writing to evaluate: You will draft, revise, and produce final drafts of analytical/ Argumentative essays in which you draw upon textual details to make and explain judgments about a work’s artistry and quality, as well as its social and cultural values.

·        In-class timed writing based on SAT II essay prompts (25 minute timed writing) and the AP released essay prompts (45 minutes)

·        Narrative Writing: You will read biographies, autobiographies, diaries, history and literary criticism. to build vocabulary, learn strategic ways to craft language in your own writing that provides balanced and thoughtful

·        Daily writing in variety of informal contexts. Some of these will be used in study/peer group writing sessions to help you draft more extensive writing. Others will be collected by me with comments and returned. Some of these are stand-alone assignments and will receive a letter grade.

·        Establishing and maintaining a Writing Portfolio to archive your work as a writer. Although I do not require that specific number of assignments be included in the Portfolio due to multiple revisions of a single piece of writing, presentation of your writing portfolio is a major requirement in this class. You are expected to be a prolific and

·        You are required to write down and accurately define words and literary terms which are unfamiliar to you in an ongoing Personal Vocabulary Lexicon. Use a hard bound journal or binder for this purpose during in-class or solitary close reading. This is the only resource you will be allowed to use during practice initial practice timed writings and in-class essays and will serve as a personal Writer’s Resource.

 Don’t be afraid to take chances in your writing!

Your Writing journals and Portfolio should reflect personal growth and a writer. This is an opportunity to become more aware of your development as a writer. The process of revision takes our writing beyond the ordinary to mastery of the writer’s craft.

 Just Good Practice:

·        Completing reading assignments on time. Discussions on unread texts are meaningless.

·        Participation in class discussions. (You are required to actively listen, contribute your understanding and insight,

·        Keep a copy of all major typed assignments and bring all required materials to class each day.

·        Coming to class prepared to learn and work: Keep up with daily reading, reflections and writing assignments if you miss a day, review the class policy on absences and missed assignments.

·        Don’t dismiss Free writing and double-entry reading journals (they count)

·        Actively work on Academic Language Development, vocabulary, and learning unfamiliar literary terminology (Personal Lexicon)

·        Complete the major writing assignments (approximately every two weeks)

·        Read and critique the required “book of choice” each marking period on time

You will receive direct instruction and plenty of time to practice and hone your writing skills.

Expect daily in-class writing assignments, a formal paper assigned approximately every two weeks , timed in-class essays, In-class Writer’s Workshop Seminars on Academic Language Development, the Writer’s Craft, Vocabulary Building, Organizing Writing, and more. There will be lots of opportunities to receive guided practice, peer review, and individual conferencing for multiple revisions. In short, you will receive assistance for any aspect of advancing your proficiency as a critical reader and writer.

You will produce final drafts worthy of publication and present you best work in “Author’s Chair”.

·        IMPORTANT: Required supplementary reading and Critiques: (I will remind you of this requirement at the beginning of each marking period, but it

You are required to select one “book of choice”  each marking period                   (approximately every six weeks) from the provided reading list or best seller’s list to critique using an AP essay prompt and self-scoring rubric. These readings and essays are required in addition to those listed below.

Sample Essay prompt for book of choice:

Read your book of choice carefully. Considering such literary elements as style, tone, rhyme, and diction, write a well organized essay that examines the author’s use of these literary devices in developing the characters in the book or play. Do not write a plot summary. You must select a work of literary merit.