AP English Language & Composition 

with Foster Payne 

 

   
 AP English Language & Composition 1

Table of Contents 
Introduction to the Course 3
Course Description 3
Course Philosophy 3
Student Learning Objectives 3

Curriculum Map 5
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO RHETORIC 5
UNIT 2: RHETORIC & HUMANITY: ANALYSIS OF RHETORICAL STRATEGIES 8
UNIT 3: THE LANGUAGE OF IDENTITY: UNDERSTANDING ARGUMENT 11
UNIT 4: CULTURE & SOCIETY: VISUAL ARGUMENTS 14
UNIT 5: DEFINITIONS OF GOOD & EVIL: DEVELOPING AN ARGUMENT 17
UNIT 6: THE HUMAN COST OF WAR: RESEARCHED ARGUMENTS 20
UNIT 7: THE ETHICS OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: SYNTHESIZING AN ARGUMENT 23
UNIT 8: FOCUSED AP REVIEW BOOT CAMP 26
UNIT 9: COLLEGE PREPARATION 29

Course Information and Policies 30

Communication 30
Tutoring 30
Attendance & Tardies 30
Make-up Work & Late Work 31

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 AP English Language & Composition 2

Technology in the Classroom 31

Required Texts 31
Optional Texts 32
Supplies 32
Evaluation and Grading 32
Assignments & Class Activities 33
Academic Honesty 34

Scope and Sequence Overview 36

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 AP English Language & Composition 3

Introduction to the Course 

Course Description
AP Language and Composition is a college-level course focusing on critical reading, rhetorical analysis, argumentation,
and composition. Throughout the year, students read a variety of college-level texts and develop writing skills. This
course aims to prepare students for life and college by exposing them to great writing and inspiring them to move beyond
rudimentary assumptions and expression into higher-level insight and writing. The pieces we read will be challenging.
The writing is frequent and rigorous and requires students to respond to readings that we have worked with in and out of
class. Expect this class to be both demanding and rewarding.

ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION ARE EXPECTED TO SIT FOR
THE AP EXAM IN MAY. THIS IS A COURSE REQUIREMENT.

Course Philosophy
According to College Board, students should leave the AP English Language and Composition course with an advanced
understanding of what it means to engage in an ongoing, public conversation through reading and writing. To this end,
this class will focus on critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity & innovation.

Student Learning Objectives

● Analyze and interpret samples of purposeful writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategies.
● Analyze images and other multimodal texts for rhetorical features.
● Use effective rhetorical strategies and techniques when composing.
● Write for a variety of purposes.
● Respond to different writing tasks according to their unique rhetorical and composition demands, and translate that rhetorical
assessment into a plan for writing.
● Create and sustain original arguments based on information synthesized from readings, research, and/or personal

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 AP English Language & Composition 4

observation and experience.

● Evaluate and incorporate sources into researched arguments.
● Demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources.
● Gain control over various reading and writing processes, with careful attention to inquiry (research), rhetorical analysis and
synthesis of sources, drafting, revising/rereading, editing, and review. This goal emphasizes the importance of the entire
process of writing, including teacher intervention in providing useful feedback, along with peer review and publication.
● Converse and write reflectively about personal processes of composition.
● Demonstrate understanding and control of Standard Written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writing.
● Revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience.

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 AP English Language & Composition 5

Curriculum Map 
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO RHETORIC 
(Duration: 4 Weeks) 
Enduring Understanding: Essential Question(s):
● Rhetoric acts as a universal and timeless tool to 1. How does Rhetoric influence our understanding of reality and truth
persuade and share arguments through various media. and our relationships with others?
● Rhetorical strategies and rhetorical devices effectively, 2. How can language be used to empower or to destroy?
but sometimes deceptively, strengthen the impact of an 3. Who controls the meaning of a text? The audience, the author, or the
argument on the intended audience. text itself?
● Critical readers engage in conversation with a text. 4. How can language be manipulated in support of a particular purpose
for a specific audience?
5. What does it mean to read critically?
6. How can a critical reader engage in conversation with a text?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 1 ★ Summer Reading

★ Socratic Seminar Unit 1 ★ IWA Unit 1 RA 2008 APC
★ TW U1A Diagnostic 2012 RA CA ★ PBL Expository Essay
★ TW U1B 2012 Arg CA
★ TW U1C 2012 Syn CA Diagnostic MC 2012 Practice Exam
★ PBL Personal Log Unit 1
★ Vocabulary Quiz Unit 1
★ Functional Rhetorical Terms Quiz

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

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 AP English Language & Composition 6

TEKS AP Writing Focus

(1, 2A, 2C, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 7, 8, 9A, 10A, ​13, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26​) Develop a wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately. [SC12]
Establish an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone and a voice
appropriate for audience. [SC16]

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 
Content Words Daily Spark 1-20
rhetorical triangle (reader, writer, text) evanescent
persona
negligible
rhetorical context (audience, occasion, purpose)
appeals (ethos, logos, pathos) capitulate
kairos incessant
fiddls (figurative language, imagery, details, language, syntax) utopia
imagery (auditory, gustatory, olfactory, tactile, visual) lethargy
diction (abstract vs. concrete, connotation, denotation, dialect, euphemism,
idiom) fluctuate
controlling tone capricious
voice venerate
close reading enigma
annotation
mechanics (capitalization, punctuation, spelling)
pompous
usage (direct vs. indirect objects, active vs. passive voice, predicate nominatives zenith
and predicate adjectives, pronoun/antecedent agreement, subject/verb clandestine
agreement, subjective and objective pronouns) fortuitous
declarative, exclamatory, imperative, interrogative sentences
propensity
vivid verbs
active/passive voice sporadic
avoiding expletives pragmatic
prewriting (audience, purpose, invention, organization) sycophant
drafting efface
revising
editing spurious

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 
SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL
RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS
TOPICS

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 AP English Language & Composition 7

Topic #1:
Introductory lecture and discussion of the
Rhetorical Triangle and ethos, logos, and
pathos
Topic #2:
Discovering the impact of Rhetorical
Context (audience, occasion, and
purpose) and Kairos on a text
Topic #3:
Close reading of an essay introducing
structure and FIDDLS (figurative
language, imagery, diction, details,
language, and syntax) for style
Topic #4:
Developing a strategy for annotating a text (88-101)
in order to engage in a conversation with
the author
“Why I Write” Excerpts
Understanding Rhetoric: Why Rhetoric (36-54)
Understanding Rhetoric: Strategic Reading
(66-87)
Understanding Rhetoric: Strategic Reading
Fiction: ​The Martian Chronicle​, by Ray Bradbury
Non-Fiction: John F. Kennedy’s Address at Rice
University on America’s Space Program (1962)
Founding Document: The Declaration of
Independence, Patrick Henry’s Speech at the
Virginia Convention
Poetry: “There Will Come Soft Rains,” by Sara
Teasdale
Other: ​Star Trek: The Next Generation​ Intro
Enrichment
Khan Academy
Language and Meaning
Pragmatics
Ted Ed
How to Use Rhetoric to Get What You Want
What Aristotle and Joshua Bell Can Teach Us
About Persuasion
Crash Course
Psychology ​Language
Philosophy ​Netflix and Chill

PBS Idea Channel

Is Language a Virus?
Can You Speak Emoji?

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 AP English Language & Composition 8

UNIT 2: RHETORIC & HUMANITY: ANALYSIS OF RHETORICAL STRATEGIES 

(Duration: 4 Weeks) 
Enduring Understanding:
● Global societies are diverse, creating varied
perspectives, contributions, and challenges.
● Determining the effectiveness of an argument involves
analyzing and synthesizing its rhetorical elements and
purposes.
Essential Question(s):
1. Are there universal characteristics of belief systems that are common
across people and time?
2. How are decisions made about who belongs to and who is excluded
from a community?
3. What does it mean to be human?
4. How can language be manipulated to advance an argument?
5. How is evidence used effectively to support an argument for a
particular audience?
6. How are original ideas fully developed in cohesive paragraphs?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 2 ★ IRA Podcast Unit 2

★ Socratic Seminar Unit 2 ★ IWA Unit 2: Rhetorical Analysis 2011 APC
★ TW U2A: Rhetorical Analysis 2013 CA ★ PBL Letter Home?
★ TW U2B Arg 2013 CA
★ PBL Personal Log Unit 2 Common Assessment (CBA 1) 2013 Practice Exam + Syn
★ Vocabulary Quiz Unit 2

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Focus

(2A, 2B, 2C, 6, 7, 8, 10A, ​13​, 15A, 15C, 17A, 17B, ​18, 19, 24, Establish an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone and a voice
25, 26​) appropriate for audience. [SC16]
Develop a variety of sentence structures. [SC13]

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 AP English Language & Composition 9

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 

Content Words Daily Spark 21-40

claim benevolent
3-part thesis acquiesce
appeals (ethos, logos, pathos) partisan
evidence candid
example parochial
attribution rhetoric
peel taciturn
elaboration irrefutable
link cajole
detail (specific vs. general) iconoclast
detail (concrete vs. abstract) disseminate
detail (singular vs. plural) aloof
sentence structure (antithetical, balanced, complex, compound, innate
compound-complex, loose/cumulative, periodic, simple) placate
clauses (independent, dependent/subordinate) fallacy
phrases (gerund, participial, infinitive, appositive, absolute, prepositional) magnanimous
introduction expedite
body salubrious
topic sentence elucidate
conclusion dulcet
active/passive voice
avoiding expletives

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 

SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS

Topic #1: Fiction: ​Selection of Creation Myths

Making a claim about the relationship Non-Fiction: “​What it Means to be Fully
between purpose and rhetorical strategies Human​,” from T ​ he Atlantic​, by Conor
using the 3-Part Thesis strategy Friedersdorf

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 AP English Language & Composition 10

Non-Fiction: “​What it Means to be Human: 300

Years of Definitions and Reflections​,” from
Topic #2: Brain Pickings
Using evidence from a text in support of a Founding Document: ​Excerpt from A History of
claim with attribution and analysis (AQuA) Women’s Suffrage, by Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Poetry: “​Culture and the Universe​,” by Simon
J. Ortiz
Topic #3: Other: ​Smithsonian National Museum of
Developing a paragraph with detail and Natural History Human Characteristics
cohesion based on the PEEL model Website
Other: “​What it means to be human​,” video by
Topic #4: Understanding Rhetoric: Rethinking Revision John Green
Revision (218-236)
Enrichment

Khan Academy
Culture and Society
Epistemology: Argument and Evidence

TED Ed
Does Grammar Matter?
This Video Will Make You Angry

Crash Course
Mythology ​Creation from the Void
Mythology ​Social Orders and Creation Stories

PBS Idea Channel

Is Doctor Who a Religion?
What’s the Difference Between History and the
Past?

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AP English Language & Composition 11

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 AP English Language & Composition 12

UNIT 3: THE LANGUAGE OF IDENTITY: UNDERSTANDING ARGUMENT 

(Duration: 3 Weeks)
Enduring Understanding: Essential Question(s):
● Language influences the way we think, act, and perceive 1. What factors define authentic individual identity?
ourselves. 2. How do external pressures shape individual identity?
● Effective arguments require a logical foundation and 3. How does an individual gain a sense of sense within a larger community
pattern of development. identity?
4. How can inductive and deductive reasoning be used to construct a
logical argument?
5. How can faulty logic enhance or invalidate an argument?
6. What patterns of development exist and how can they be used to shape
an argument?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 3 ★ IRA Podcast Unit 3: Identity

★ TW U3A Argument 2013 APC ★ IWA Unit 3: Rhetorical Analysis 2010 APC
★ TW U3B RA 2011 Form B APC ★ PBL Bio Poem
★ TW U3C RA 2010 Form B APC
★ PBL Personal Log Unit 3
★ Vocabulary Quiz Unit 3

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Focus
(2A, 3, 6, 8, 9A, 9B, 9C, 10A, 10B, ​13, ​15A, 15C, 17A, 17B,​ 18, Develop a variety of sentence structures. [SC13]
19, 24, 25, 26​) Develop logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase
coherence (may include traditional rhetorical structures, graphic organizers, and
work on repetition, transitions, and emphasis. [SC14]

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 AP English Language & Composition 13

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 
Content Words Daily Spark 41-55
logic augment
inductive reasoning
paltry
deductive reasoning
syllogism judicious
enthymeme perfunctory
fact vs. opinion winsome
logical fallacies homogenous
modes (expository, descriptive, persuasive, narrative)
patterns of development (analytic, cause/effect, classification/division, compare, omnivorous
contrast, definition, illustration, process, research-based) latent
unspoken assumption quixotic
sentence beginnings charlatan
sentence combining
antithesis
tangible
juxtaposition stagnant
omission (asyndeton, ellipsis) burgeon
parallelism deprecate
polysyndeton
morose
repetition (anadiplosis, anaphora, epanelepsis, epistrophe)
reversal (antimetabole, chiasmus, inversion)
rhetorical fragment (crot)
rhetorical question (erotema, hypophora)

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 
SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS

Topic #1: Fiction: “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt

Logic (Inductive & Deductive Reasoning), Vonnegut
Syllogisms & Enthymemes Non-Fiction: “​How Language Can Affect the
Way We Think​” TED Ideas
Founding Document: The Declaration of
Topic #2: https://www.buzzfeed.com/kevintang/charming-carto Independence (deductive example), “What to
The effect of Logical Fallacies and how to ons-that-debunk-your-bs-arguments?utm_term=.oa the Slave is the Fourth of July” (inductive)
avoid them 9Poz7LX#.inrogqA1w Poetry: ​15 Varieties of Gazelle​, by Naomi

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 AP English Language & Composition 14

Shahib Nye
Other: ​This is How the First Mars Colony Will
Topic #3: Look​, by HuffPo
Patterns of Development Other: ​To Boldy Go Toward New Frontier,
We Need to Learn from Our Colonial Past​, by
HuffPo

Enrichment

Khan Academy
Self Identity
Critical Thinking
Fallacies

TED Ed
How Can Fiction Change Reality​?
Who Am I?

Crash Course
Philosophy ​Batman and Identity
Philosophy ​Personal Identity
Philosophy ​Arguments Against Personal
Identity

PBS Idea Channel

Guide to Common Fallacies
Is Facebook Changing Our Identity

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 AP English Language & Composition 15

UNIT 4: CULTURE & SOCIETY: VISUAL ARGUMENTS 

(Duration: 2 Weeks)
Enduring Understanding:
● Our understanding of culture and society is constructed
through and by language
● Author’s use design principles to enhance an audience’s
engagement and understanding of a visual text
Essential Question(s):
1. How does media shape our view of our world and ourselves?
2. Is culture defined by inclusion or exclusion?
3. How does language create an “us vs. them” dichotomy?
4. How can designers rely on familiar imagery or symbols to create
meaning?
5. How are images manipulated to support political or social objectives?
6. How do popular interpretations of visual representations (like colors or
symbols) change over time?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 4 ★ CBR Unit 4: Cultural Studies

★ Socratic Seminar Unit 4 ★ IWA Unit 4: Rhetorical Analysis 2013 APC
★ TW U4B Syn 2014 CA ★ PBL Propaganda
★ PBL Personal Log Unit 4
★ Vocabulary Unit 4 Common Assessment (CBA 2 2014 Practice Exam +RA) (FINAL EXAM)

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Focus
(4, 6, 10A, 12A, 12B, 12D, ​13, ​16,​ 18, 19, 24, 25, 26​) Establish an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone and a voice
appropriate for audience. [SC16]
Develop a balance between generalization and specific, illustrative detail.
[SC15]

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 

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 AP English Language & Composition 16

Content Words Daily Spark 56-65

images arduous
elements
astute
typography
color superfluous
music/sound nonchalant
focus catharsis
access prodigious
placement/arrangement
space/white space nullify
media literacy zealot
agenda setting ostensible
propaganda hyperbole
review: logical fallacies

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 

SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS

Topic #1: Documentary

Elements of Visual Arguments WWII Propaganda
TED Ed
The Key to Media’s Hidden Codes
Topic #2: Forks Over Knives
Analysis of Visual Arguments Analysis of Forks Over Knives
Enrichment
Topic #3: TED Ed
Propaganda Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
What Orwellian Really Means
The Danger of the Single Story

Crash Course
Sociology ​Symbols, Values, and Norms
Sociology ​Cultures, Subcultures, and Counter

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 AP English Language & Composition 17

Cultures
Government & Politics ​Shaping Public Opinion

PBS Idea Channel

Are Bronies Changing the Definition of
Masculinity?
But Wait! How Does the Media Tell Us How to
Think?

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 AP English Language & Composition 18

UNIT 5: DEFINITIONS OF GOOD & EVIL: DEVELOPING AN ARGUMENT 

(Duration: 4 Weeks)
Enduring Understanding: Essential Question(s):
● Cultures define good and evil through their use of 1. Why is it important for people and cultures to construct narratives
language. about their experience?
● Structure and development influence effectiveness of an 2. How do different cultures shape the definitions of good and evil?
argument. 3. Have the forces of good and evil changed over time and if so, how?
4. How does arrangement play a key role in presenting an effective,
logical argument?
5. How do writers of arguments use examples and evidence effectively to
convince a reader of their claim?
6. Why is it important to consider opposing views when advancing an
argument?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 5 ★ IRA Podcast Unit 5

★ TW U5A: Arg 2014 CA ★ IWA Unit 5: Rhetorical Analysis 2014 APC
★ TW U5B Syn 2013 APC ★ PBL Satire
★ PBL Personal Log Unit 5
★ Vocabulary Unit 5 AP Simulation (2016 Practice Exam MC + ALL)

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Focus
(2A, 2C, 6, 8, 9A, 9B, 9C, 10B, 12C, 12D, ​13, ​16,​ 18, 19, 24, 25, Develop logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase
26​) coherence (may include traditional rhetorical structures, graphic organizers,
and work on repetition, transitions, and emphasis. [SC14]
Develop a balance between generalization and specific, illustrative detail.
[SC15]

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 AP English Language & Composition 19

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 
Content Words Daily Spark 66-85
classical arrangement (introduction, narration, confirmation, refutation, conclusion) requisite
call to action
genre
concession
counterargument convergence
rebuttal intrepid
patterns of organization (spatial, order of importance, chronological, sequential, ostentatious
compare/contrast, cause/effect, pros/cons, problem/solution) anomaly
transitions
satire endemic
review: detail vocabulary relegate
review: evidence vocabulary cursory
callous
antagonist
temerity
hackneyed
voluminous
lope
undulate
supercilious
infamy
esoteric
imminent

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 
SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS
TOPICS

Topic #1: Classical Arrangement
Topic #2: Use of Evidence
Understanding Rhetoric: Argument
Beyond Pro and Con (144-151)
Understanding Rhetoric: Argument
Beyond Pro and Con (152-170)
Fiction: ​A Modest Proposal
Song from​ Pocahontas
Video: ​Cannibalism at Jamestown
Non-Fiction: “​The Real Meaning of Good and Evil​” from

19

Topic #3: Opposing Views &
Counterarguments
Topic #4: Satire – Poe’s Theory
AP English Language & Composition 20
Psychology Today
Founding Document: ​Transcript of President Andrew
Jackson's Message to Congress 'On Indian Removal'
Alternative POV: ​Davy Crockett on the removal of the
Cherokees, 1834
Susan Haack? Website: ​Is Cannibalism Wrong?
Other: “​Cultural Relativism​” on Khan Academy and ​video
Good People Who Do Bad Things
Great Things Done by Horrible People
Enrichment
Khan Academy
?
TED Ed
The Moral Dangers of Non-Lethal Weapons
Our Buggy Moral Code
Crash Course
Psychology ​The Social Influence
Psychology ​Social Thinking
Philosophy ​Metaethics
PBS Idea Channel
Is Buying Call of Duty a Moral Choice​?
How Do You Design a Just Society?
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 AP English Language & Composition 21

UNIT 6: THE HUMAN COST OF WAR: RESEARCHED ARGUMENTS 

(Duration: 4 Weeks)
Enduring Understandings: Essential Question(s):
● The choices we make in response to conflict define who 1. What are the politics and consequences of war, and how do these
we are as individuals and as a culture. vary based on an individual or cultural perspective?
● The quality of information is dependent upon critical 2. How do competing notions of what a society should look like lead to
evaluation of sources. conflict?
3. How to reactions to conflict illustrate individual characteristics or
community traits?
4. How can you develop a plan to research a topic?
5. How do you know that a source is valid and reliable?
6. How can you recognize bias in an argument?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Other Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 6 ★ CBR Unit 6: War & Conflict

★ TW U6B Arg 2014 APC ★ IWA Unit 6: Argument 2015 APC
★ TW U6C RA 2010 Course Description ★ PBL Researched Infographic
★ PBL Personal Log Unit 6
★ Vocabulary Unit 6 Saturday Mock Exam (Mandatory)

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Focus
(2C, 6, 8, 9A, 9C, 9D, 10A, 11A, 11B, 12C, 12D, ​13, ​16,​ 18, 19, Develop a wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately. [SC12]
20, 21, 22, 23,​ 24, 25, 26​) Develop a balance between generalization and specific, illustrative detail.
[SC15]

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 

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 AP English Language & Composition 22

Content Words Daily Spark 86-105

topic clemency
research question
amicable
debatable claim
evaluation anachronism
current prodigal
relevant vindicate
credentials formidable
reliable
objective meander
validity dubious
authority prescient
link check debacle
bias
header
gesticulate
heading vestige
line spacing ogle
title relic
margins
arbiter
works cited
hanging indent stoic
font rescind
parenthetical citation maverick
long quote circumlocution
citation format
vapid

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 
SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS
TOPICS

Topic #1: Topics & Research
Questions
Topic #2: Finding & Evaluating
Sources
Understanding Rhetoric: Research More
than Detective Work (182-197)
Non-Fiction: “​The War Photo No One Would Publish​” from
The Atlantic (Warning: This Article Contains Disturbing
Images)
Letter: “​The Last Letter: A Message to George W. Bush and
Dick Cheney by a Dying Veteran​,” by Tomas Young
Founding Document: ​The Gettysburg Address​, Lincoln

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 AP English Language & Composition 23

Topic #3: MLA Citations Speech: “​Excerpt from Barack Obama’s Nobel Speech​”
Other: “​Just War Theory​”
Quote: John Stuart Mill on ​War

Slam Poetry:
“​The Colors We Ascribe​” Emi Mahmoud
“​My Gradnmother’s Farm​” Amal Kassir

TED Ed
A Syrian Refugee’s Story
How Photography Connects Us
A Digital Reimagining of Gettysburg

Crash Course
World History ​War and Human Nature
World History ​War and Civilization
Psychology ​Aggression vs. Altruism

PBS Idea Channel

Could Sports Ever Replace War?
If There Are No Pics, Did It Happen?

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 AP English Language & Composition 24

UNIT 7: THE ETHICS OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: SYNTHESIZING AN ARGUMENT 

(Duration: 4 Weeks)
Enduring Understandings:
● Humanity’s attempts to control the world through science
and technology raise moral and ethical dilemmas.
● Sources from a variety of media can be synthesized to
develop a position.
Essential Question(s):
1. How do advancements in science and technology contribute to
progress and conflict?
2. With regard to scientific progress, do the “ends” ever justify the
“means”?
3. Should scientists and innovators do things simply because they can?
4. How does a writer enter into a conversation with multiple sources?
5. What is the benefit of using language that is efficient and clear?
6. How can writers use opposing views as a way to strengthen their own
arguments?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 7 ★ CBR Unit 7: Innovations

★ Socratic Seminar Unit 7 ★ IWA Unit 7-1 Synthesis 2015 APC
★ TW U7A: Synthesis 2015 CA ★ IWA Unit 7-2 Rhetorical Analysis 2015 APC
★ TW U7B Arg 2015 CA ★ PBL: Synthesis Packet
★ PBL Personal Log Unit 7
★ Vocabulary Unit 7 ★ Tutorial Test (mandatory or optional)

Common Assessment (CBA 3 2015 Practice Exam MC + RA)

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Focus
(2A, 2B, 2C, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 8, 9A, 9C, 9D, 10A, 11A, 11B, 12C, Establish an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone and a voice
12D, ​13, ​16, 17A, 17B,​ 18, 19, ​20, 21, 22, 23,​ 24, 25, 26​) appropriate for audience. [SC16]
Develop a variety of sentence structures. [SC13]

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 AP English Language & Composition 25

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 
Content Words Daily Spark 106-125
s​ynthesis demagogue
embed admonish
6-word quote
placid
layered evidence
efficiency cumbersome
clarity unscathed
review: all prior tedious
skeptic
altruism
subtle
thrifty
antithesis
hindrance
brevity
plethora
nostalgic
conundrum
proselytize
erudite
accolade
bellicose

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 
SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS

Topic #1: Embedding Quotes
Topic #2: Efficiency & Clarity
Understanding Rhetoric: Research More than
Detective Work (198-206)
Excerpts from ​Johnny Got His Gun
Narratives from Hiroshima
Interview: “​Just Because We Can Do
Something, Should We​?”
Non-fiction: ​Remarks by President Barack
Obama and Prime Minister Abe at Hiroshimi

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 AP English Language & Composition 26

Topic #3: Refining Counterargument TEDTalk:

Dawn of DeExtinction. Are you ready?
It’s Time to Question Bio-Engineering
Activity: 25 Moral Dilemmas

Crash Course
Psychology ​Monkeys and Morality
Philosophy ​Assisted Death and the Value of
Life
Philosophy ​The Controversy of Intelligence

PBS Idea Channel

Is Developing AI Ethical
Is Rick from Rick and Morty the Ideal Scientist?

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 AP English Language & Composition 27

UNIT 8: FOCUSED AP REVIEW BOOT CAMP 

(Duration: 5 Weeks)
Enduring Understanding: Essential Question(s):
● Reading, writing, and comprehension skills lead to 1. What can I do to improve my performance on the AP exam?
success on standardized tests 2. What are strategies I can use to quickly and correctly answer multiple
choice questions?
3. How can writing be made more sophisticated without sacrificing
efficiency and clarity?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Mastery (Summative):

★ DN Unit 8 ★ Revised Mock Essays (2 of 3)

★ Boot Camp Participation ★ PBL Showcase
★ TW U8A RA 2016 APC
★ TW U8B Arg 2016 APC AP Exam + PORTFOLIO for semester 2 (FINAL)
★ TW U8C Syn 2016 APC
★ Multiple Choice Mondays
★ Writing Wednesdays
★ Vocabulary Unit 8

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Skills
Review ALL Review ALL

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY 

Daily Spark 126-150

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 AP English Language & Composition 28

duplicity
unkempt
premonition
construe
delve
pariah
contort
tantalize
phobia
antipathy
extol
resolute
proximity
inconsequential
cogent
desultory
platitude
static
flagrant
accouterments
stymie
luminous
hiatus
remuneration
grovel
compendium
redoubtable
incantation
embellish
obstreperous

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 

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 AP English Language & Composition 29

SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS

TOPICS

Topic #1
Strategies for Multiple Choice

Topic #2
Strategies for Timed Writing

Topic #3
Revision for Sophistication

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 AP English Language & Composition 30

UNIT 9: COLLEGE PREPARATION 

(Duration: 2 Weeks)
Enduring Understanding: Essential Question(s):
● Individuals are responsible for their attitudes and actions. 1. How can students write effective college admissions essays?
2. What do I need to do in order to prepare to apply for college during my
senior year?

EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING 

Evidence of Learning (Formative): Evidence of Learning (Summative):

★ College Plan ★ College App Essay

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

TEKS AP Writing Skills
15B

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 
SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS RESOURCES UNIT TEXTS

Topic #1 TED Ed ​You’ve Graduated Now What​? Playlist

Writing the College Application Essay Khan Academy ​Applying to College​ Playlist

Crash Course
Topic #2 Philosophy ​What Makes a Good Life
College Plan of Attack

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 AP English Language & Composition 31

Course Information and Policies 

Communication
This class will use Google Classroom for the assignment and distribution of work. Most work will be submitted through
Google Classroom. Students should check Google Classroom for announcements and look at the Google Calendar for
the class on a daily basis.

Tutoring
Tutoring is required for IWAs that do not pass before a revision can be turned in. I am available for tutoring before and
after school. (I encourage students to come to tutoring in the classroom. However, this year I will be attempting “virtual”
tutoring using Google Hangouts. More information on that to come.)

Tuesday 8:15 to 9:00

Wednesday 4:15 to 5:15
Friday 8:15 to 9:00

Attendance & Tardies

According to state law and RISD policy, “Failure to attend a class 90% of the days a class is offered during a semester will
result in loss of credit.” Attendance is important to the understanding of course content. We will be working every day.
Poor attendance will result in lower grades. Students must find out what was missed, copy notes from a peer, and
complete assignments. See the Make-up Work policy below.

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 AP English Language & Composition 32

This class follows the BHS tardy policy. Students that are more than 10 minutes late will be marked absent. If you know
you will be absent or tardy, please let me know in advance.

Make-up Work & Late Work

It is the student’s responsibility to find out what was missed, copy notes from a peer, and complete assignments.
Appointments must be made to take a missed test, quiz, or Timed Writing within three days of an absence. If you do not
make an appointment or if you miss your appointment, the assignment becomes a zero in the gradebook. This course
follow the RISD late work policy.

Technology in the Classroom

Google Apps for Education: This class makes extensive use of G-Suite education apps, as well as other online
applications. It is the student’s responsibility to bring their CHARGED laptop and charger to class daily and to remember
the Google email address provided by the school. Failure to do so will impact grades on assignments.

Chrome Extensions from ​Chrome Store

Tab Glue
Tab Scissors
Screencastify
Easy Bib

Google Doc Add-Ons

SAS Writing Reviser

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 AP English Language & Composition 33

Gradeproof: Proofreading with AI

Easy Bib Bibliography Creator

Required Texts
The Language of Composition – Renee Shea, Lawrence Scanlon, Robin Aufses (provided)
Non-Fiction Book – Student will choose from a list to be provided. Buy or borrow.
3 Fiction Books – Student will choose from a list to be provided. Buy or borrow.

Optional Texts
The texts will be used in class. Students are encouraged to buy their own copies.

Understanding Rhetoric
Barron’s AP English Language & Composition
The Martian Chronicles
A Modest Proposal
Johnny Got His Gun
19 Varieties of Gazelle

Supplies
Notebook Paper (college-ruled)
Blue or Black Pens
Ream of Copy Paper
Agenda/Planner -- Paper or Electronic
Additional Supply (these supplies will be shared by all STEM Juniors)
1st Blue and Black Pens

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 AP English Language & Composition 34

2nd Extra Package of Notebook Paper (college-ruled)

5th Kleenex

Evaluation and Grading

The course grade will be determined based on class participation, daily assignments, quizzes, PBL process materials and
products, and reading & writing assignments:

Minor Grades
Class participation/daily work 15%.
Quizzes are minor grades worth 25%.

Major Grades
PBL materials 30%
Reading & Writing products 30%

Class activities may include participation (individual, small-group, and whole-class), vocabulary quizzes, reading quizzes,
creation and process materials for projects and PBL products, timed writings, podcasts, critical analyses, and Independent
Writing Assignments.

Assignments & Class Activities

Vocabulary
Vocabulary is based on SAT Tier 2 words and will be assessed by units.. Although some words will be addressed in
class, students are responsible for all words for that unit. Lists can be found at ​Vocabulary.com​ and ​Quizlet.com​.

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 AP English Language & Composition 35

Digital Notebook
Students will set up a Google Doc called their Digital Notebook. Students must write their agenda and notes in their DN
daily. Their DN will receive a completion grade each unit.

PBL Personal Log

Students will set up a Google Doc called their PBL Personal Log. Each week, students will write a reflection, responding
to a specific question for that log. Their logs will receive a completion grade each unit.

Quizzes and Tests

Aside from vocabulary, students will have reading quizzes and pop quizzes over “flipped” notes. While vocabulary
quizzes are on the calendar, reading and pop quizzes will NOT be announced in advanced. Each quarter, there will be a
Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA). This assessment is used to evaluate student growth and development and is not
figured into the quarter grade.Quizzes and tests must be made up within three days.

Timed Writings(TWs) & Independent Writing Assignments (IWAs)

Students will write in class on a regular basis. Timed Writing is based on AP requirements and must be completed in a 40
minute period. Students who are absent for Timed Writings MUST come to tutoring within three days to write their TW.
Each quarter students will complete an IWA. For this assignment, students are given two new AP-style prompts. They
must write (at least 650 words), submit (to Turnitin.com), and pass the first IWA in order to submit the second. If it does
not pass on the first attempt, the student must come to tutoring to revise their essay and resubmit until it earns a passing
score. They repeat this process for the second IWA essay. Once the second has been passed, the student will pick any
timed writing from that quarter to revise as the third IWA. The third IWA must earn a passing score OR 2 points higher
than the original score.

Timed Writings will be scored using the AP writing rubrics. They will earn a maximum of 9 points in the gradebook.
IWAs are worth 150 total points. Each essay is graded on a pass/fail basis. Any score lower than 5 is considered failing
and must be revised. Once an essay is passing, it earns 50 points.

YOU CANNOT TURN IN THE SECOND UNTIL THE FIRST HAS EARNED A PASSING SCORE. YOU

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 AP English Language & Composition 36

CANNOT TURN IN THE THIRD UNTIL THE SECOND EARNS A PASSING SCORE. THE THIRD MUST BE REVISED
TO A PASSING SCORE OR ORIGINAL SCORE+2 (WHICHEVER IS HIGHER)​. ​ NO IWAS WILL BE ACCEPTED PAST
THE ASSIGNED DUE DATE.

PBL Products, Process Materials, and Activities

Each unit, students will complete tasks as they work toward their PBL goals. PBL products will be worth as much as 15%
of their quarter grade.

Academic Honesty
Authentic learning cannot occur when academic dishonesty is present, and – above all else – the focus of this course is
authentic learning. Students will be encouraged to challenge themselves, to push their own intellects and abilities, to take
risks, to find weaknesses, and to develop strengths. These things can only happen in an environment of academic
honesty. Cheating and/or plagiarism is not acceptable and will impact your academic standing. Any student caught
engaging in cheating and/or plagiarism will receive a zero on the assignment (and zeros on associated assignments in the
case of essays and projects).

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 AP English Language & Composition 37

Scope and Sequence Overview

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Intro to the Unit 2: Rhetoric & Humanity - Analysis of

Unit 1: Intro to Rhetoric
Course Rhetorical Strategies

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Unit 5: Definitions of
Unit 4: Culture &
Unit 3: The Language of Identity - Good & Evil -
Society - Visual Finals
Understanding Argument Developing an
Arguments
Argument

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Unit 7: The Ethics of Science &

Unit 6: The Human Cost of War - The Researched
Unit 5 Continued Technology - Synthesizing an
Argument
Argument

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

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 AP English Language & Composition 38

Unit 9: Preparing for

Unit 8: Focused AP Bootcamp Finals
College

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