English 11 AP English Language and Composition Summer Project 2012

English 11 AP English Language and Composition Summer Project 2012 Dear Student, Welcome to 11th Grade AP English Language and Composition! This is a...
Author: Oswin Carr
0 downloads 0 Views 236KB Size
English 11 AP English Language and Composition Summer Project 2012

Dear Student, Welcome to 11th Grade AP English Language and Composition! This is a demanding course whose primary goal is to improve writing skills through analyzing a variety of writing techniques and writing styles. The course is organized into thematic units which integrate classic and contemporary non-fiction with traditional American Literature. The basic text is a college-level rhetoric (composition) text. Throughout the course, students read three novels and a play, complete a 10-12 page research project, and compose a minimum of 15 shorter writing assignments. Most students who take this course take the AP exam in May; a designated score on the exam generally exempts students from a college freshman composition or English class. Writing assignments for this course are based on prompts and styles to match what will be expected of students on the exam. The course also provides weekly practice tests and opportunities for students to better understand the expectations of the AP Exam. This class does require summer work that is due on the first day of school, whether you are in the fall or spring class. First semester students may turn in their project during the first class meeting; second semester students should drop off their projects in Room 349. Your summer assignment involves reading a full length work of nonfiction as well as a variety of shorter pieces and researching the AP exam. You are also required to write one paper. Complete details for your summer assignment, including rubrics are available in the main office during summer office hours (Monday-Thursday 8-4) or by going to http://utschnaz.wikispaces.com and clicking on “AP Class Notes.” Summer work is worth 10% of your first marking period grade. Also in the office, you will find copies of several of the novels we will be reading throughout the course of the semester. These are available for sign-out so you can get a head start on your semester reading if you wish. The English department utilizes turnitin.com for all major writing assignments, including summer work. Please, save your written assignments electronically in more than one location to be safe (i.e. hard drive, flash drive, emailed copy to yourself). If you don’t have an electronic copy saved someplace safe, you will end up having to re-type! Instructions on uploading the assignment will be provided once school starts. I look forward to working with you over the course of the 2012-2013 school year! I have one last request and that is for you to please email me early in the summer and introduce yourself. I can be reached at [email protected]. I would like to create an email list so I can get in touch if necessary. When I get your introductory email, I will add you to this list! Otherwise, keep an eye on the wiki for occasional checkins and greetings! Have a wonderful summer!

Mrs. Sandra Jameson

AP English Language (11AP) Summer Assignment This is to be completed during the summer and turned in on the first day of school to room 349. The summer work will be your first grade in the course. It serves two functions: to keep you reading during the summer, and to keep you thinking by writing about what you have read. All responses should be typed using MLA format for the heading and Works Cited where indicated. Assignment #1 – Synthesis – Due: First Day of School!! – 72 points Purpose: This course requires you to be able to quickly read non-fiction prose analytically. We will practice closereading strategies such as annotation. You must be able to identify an author’s purpose and analyze how he or she uses language effectively through structure, content, and style to achieve that purpose. While most of your English classes previously focused on fictional prose and poetry, this assignment will serve to bridge you into the non-fiction world. This assignment will also give you practice in the skill of synthesizing outside information to create work which is grounded in your own complex thinking about a subject. You will need to select and read either The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids (2006) by Alexandra Robbins or Outliers: The Story of Success (2008) by Malcolm Gladwell You will also need to read the following short pieces from Springboard: English Textual Power Level 6 1. “Moral Perfection” by Benjamin Franklin (nonfiction, p. 21) 2. “Self Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson (nonfiction, p. 25) 3. “They Live the Dream” by Dan Rather (nonfiction, p. 41) 4. “Lifelong Dreamer” by Mary-Beth McLaughlin (article, p. 46) 5. “Roberto Acuna Talks About Farm Workers” by Studs Terkel (nonfiction, p. 69) 6. “Nickel and Dimed (exerpt)” by Barbara Ehrenreich (nonfiction, p. 73) 7. “Keynote Address” by Barack Obama (speech, p. 84) 8. “The Right to Fail” by William Zinsser (nonfiction, p. 87) Most paperback books can be acquired cheaply by purchasing a used copy on Amazon.com; of course, copies can also be obtained for free at any public library. A .pdf version of the Springboard pages is accessible at http://springboard. collegeboard.com. See the attached memo for access information. Please don’t print all of the pages! If you anticipate difficulties accessing the electronic documents, please email me and I will arrange to get you a hard copy of the pages. Please note: By its nature, nonfiction work is commentary on real life. Since real life is complex, so are the issues presented in nonfiction, including issues that are controversial in nature. We read nonfiction to promote discussion about a topic, not simply digest and agree with everything an author says. After you have read the book and the shorter selections listed above, write an essay that responds to this prompt: Success is a vital ingredient of the American Dream. Use the listed sources and your own observations to inform your personal definition of the American Dream. Choose an issue related to success and each person’s potential to achieve it. Then use that issue to write an essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the statement that America still provides access to the American Dream to all. Write a 4-5 page essay that discusses the issue, addressing the complexities of it. You should definitely have a thesis, but you are not to take a one-sided stance on the issue! Simply show that it is a complex issue with multiple layers and factors involved. Within your paper, you should synthesize information from the sources you read. Synthesis means that you should be using information from the sources to inform your opinion. Don’t just drop in quotes for the sake of dropping in quotes; respond to them, comment on them, disagree with them, but always use them meaningfully! Citations: Use 4-5 sources within your paper (one should definitely be the book, the others from the essays you read in Springboard). Use MLA parenthetical citations (author #) within your paper and attach a Works Cited page. For help in properly formatting your works cited page, consult the Easy Writer handbook, which will give you MLA style guide instructions. Your synthesis essay will be assessed according to the attached rubric.

Assignment #2 – Getting Acquainted With the AP Exam – Due: First Day of School! – 15 points Purpose: Humans are scientifically proven to have greater understanding of information they have gathered themselves, rather than what has been “told” to them. In addition, this assignment will help you get familiar with the expectations regarding class discussions held in AP English. Come to class on the first day of school prepared for a student-led discussion of the AP English Language exam. A student-led discussion involves students taking the lead by raising assertions, asking thoughtful questions and providing answers to each other. Over the summer you must do some research on the exam, its content and expectations. Come to class on the first day prepared with your findings and thoughtful questions for this discussion. Ex.

Bad question: What is rhetoric? (You should have found an answer to this before coming to class!) Good question: I found this definition of rhetoric that attributes it to Aristotle, and it makes sense but I’m a little confused on what he’s referring to when he says “available means.” (It shows you’ve made the effort and have a general understanding, but need some clarification)

You should expect to discuss: rhetoric, rhetorical devices, the role of nonfiction, argument, rhetorical analysis, synthesis, exam setup, exam scoring, exam questions, exam goals… and anything else you find interesting or have questions about! You can find information on these topics from any source. Since this is a discussion, your sources do not need to be formally documented, but it’s good to know where the information came from in case it’s wrong! Always evaluate the reliability of the source first! The College Board’s AP Central website would be a good place to start. You can also find much valuable information by finding other websites on the subject, including those created by teachers nationwide. Your participation in the student-led discussion will be assessed by the attached rubric. Assignment #3 – Reflection – Completed during the first week of school – 13 points Purpose: One of the goals of this course is to help you become reflective thinkers who make conscious decisions while writing. The act of writing is a process, not a “once-and-done” draft. In order to hone the craft, one must become an active, thoughtful participant in it. You will be given a brief writing assignment during the first week of school in order to reflect on your summer work. You will be writing about your preparation, your process, and your final product. Reflection will be assessed holistically, based on content that is thoughtful and thorough.

Name_______________________ AP English Language Summer Assignment Rubric Synthesis Response Effective (12)

Adequate (10)

Inadequate (8)

Little Success (6)

Sharp, distinct, controlling point made about a single topic with evident awareness of task

Apparent point made about a single topic with sufficient awareness of task. May contain minimal lapses in focus.

No apparent point addressed but evidence of a particular and cohesive topic.

Minimal evidence of a topic.

Substantial, specific and illustrative content; shows strong development and sophisticated ideas. Presents topic as a complex issue. Student thoughts are central to essay.

Sufficiently developed content with adequate elaboration and explanation. Not as thoroughly developed. Presents various components of the issue, but makes less sophisticated connections.

Limited content with inadequate elaboration or explanation.

Superficial and/or minimal content.

Works Cited page is included, is formatted according to MLA guidelines; within the text, all quotations/paraphrases include proper punctuation and parenthetical references.

Adequate effort is made to include Works Cited page and in-text citations. The formatting may contain some lapses of MLA guidelines, but overall shows fair attempt and documentation.

Minimal effort is made to include in-text references. Works Cited page may be incomplete or shows disregard for MLA conventions.

No effort is made to include in-text references. No Works Cited page attached.

The order developed and sustained within and across paragraphs using transitional devices and including introduction and conclusion

Sophisticated arrangement of content with evident and/or subtle transitions

Functional arrangement of content that sustains a logical order with some evidence of transitions

Confused or inconsistent arrangement of content with or without attempts at transitions

Style

Precise, illustrative use of a variety of words and sentence structures to create consistent writer’s voice and tone

Generic use of a variety of words and sentence structures that may or may not create writer’s voice and tone appropriate to audience

Limited word choice and control of sentence structures that inhibit voice and tone

Minimal variety in word choice and minimal control of sentence structures

Evident control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage and sentence formation (one or fewer errors)

Sufficient control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage and sentence formation (two to four errors)

Limited control of grammar, mechanics, usage and sentence formation (five to six errors)

Minimal control of grammar, mechanics, usage and sentence formation (seven or more errors)

Focus The single, controlling point made with an awareness of task about a specific topic

Content The presence of ideas developed through facts, examples, anecdotes, details, opinions, statistics, reasons, and/or explanations

Citations The presence of correctly formatted intext citations and a Works Cited page according to MLA guidelines

Organization

The choice, use, and arrangement of words and sentence structures that create tone and voice

Conventions Grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage and sentence formation

Minimal control of content arrangement

Name_______________________ AP English Language Summer Assignment Rubric Evaluated Class Discussion Effective (3)

Adequate (2.5)

Inadequate (2)

Little Success (1)

Frequency of participation

frequently contributes meaningfully to the discussion

occasionally contributes to the discussion

rarely contributes to the discussion

makes little or no contribution to the discussion

Content of participation

Initiates new ideas, explains ideas clearly, uses specific references to the assigned topic, asks thought provoking questions

May initiate a new idea, attempts to explain ideas, refers to the topic in general ways, may ask questions that are low-level or have already been discussed

Makes tangential remarks, presents unexplained ideas, shows little evidence of knowledge of topic

Speaks off-topic, shows no evidence of knowledge regarding the topic

Conversational participation

Makes direct references to points made by other students, includes others through verbal exchange or initiation into conversation, goes beyond merely reiterating what others have said

Occasionally refers to another’s point, but may do little more than simply restate points already made.

Becomes involved sporadically, participating as an individual rather than as a member of a conversation

Interrupts when others speak, dominates the conversation, makes personal criticisms of the ideas of others

Attitude and Behavior

Pays attention when others speak, shows respect through facial expressions and other nonverbal communication. Visually shows interest in the conversation (such as by note taking)

Sometimes pays attention when others speak, may “drift off” occasionally; does not visually show interest in conversation.

Rarely pays attention when others speak, may spend the conversation doodling, putting head down or rolling eyes

Does not pay attention to others, visually shows uninvolved attitude, shows disrespect; attempts to obstruct the discussion process.

Preparedness

Student is visibly well prepared for discussion with the text** open in front of them and thorough, hand-written notes. Student actively adds to notes during discussion

Student has brought the required text** and some notes from home, but they may be minimal in nature. Student does not add to notes over the course of discussion

Student brings only the text** required. Student may have a printout of information from the internet, but has too much information in front of them to be adequately helpful, showing minimal preparation.

Student is completely unprepared, brings nothing to class and/or refuses to engage with required text** during discussion. Student does not take notes during discussion.

**Some discussions, such as the summer assignment one, do not require a student to have a specific text. This is an example of something that would be required for a typical class discussion about a piece of writing.

Suggest Documents