COURSE TITLE:
Advanced
Placement English Literature and
Composition
TEACHER: Nadine
Moore
E-MAIL: nadine_moore@eu.odedodea.edu
ROOM: B
1.2, ground floor, blue pod
COURSE DESCRIPTION*: An AP English course in Literature and
Composition should engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis
of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts,
students should deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to
provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As they read, students
should consider a work’s structure, style, and themes as well as such
smaller-scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism,
and tone. The course should include
intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods,
concentrating on works of recognized literary merit such as those by the
authors listed on the attached reference page. The works chosen should invite
and gratify rereading, and not, like ephemeral works in such popular genres as
detective or romance fiction, yield all (or nearly all) of their pleasures of
thought and feeling the first time through. The AP English
Committee agrees with Henry David Thoreau that it is wisest to read the best
books first; the committee also believes that such reading should be
accompanied by thoughtful discussion and writing about those books in the
company of one’s fellow students.
Reading in an AP course should be both wide
and deep. This reading necessarily builds upon the reading done in previous
English courses. These courses should
include the in-depth reading of texts drawn from multiple genres, periods, and
cultures. In their AP course, students should also read works from several
genres and periods—from the sixteenth to the twentieth century—but, more
importantly, they should get to know a few works well. They should read
deliberately and thoroughly, taking time to understand a work’s complexity, to
absorb its richness of meaning, and to analyze how that meaning is embodied in
literary form. In addition to considering a work’s literary artistry, students
should consider the social and historical values it reflects and embodies.
Careful attention to both textual detail and historical context should provide
a foundation for interpretation,
whatever critical perspectives are brought to
bear on the literary works studied. A
generic method for the approach to such close reading involves the following
elements: the experience of literature, the interpretation of literature, and
the evaluation of literature. By experience, we mean the subjective dimension
of reading and responding to literary works, including precritical impressions
and emotional responses. By interpretation, we mean the analysis of literary
works through close reading to arrive at an understanding of their multiple
meanings. By evaluation, we mean both an assessment of the quality and artistic
achievement of literary works and a consideration of their social and cultural
values. All three of these aspects of reading are important for an AP course in
English Literature and Composition.
*Used with permission from The College
Entrance Examination Board, ã
2002.
Moreover, each of the three aspects of reading
corresponds to an approach to writing about literary works. Writing to
understand a literary work may involve writing response
and reaction papers along with annotation,
freewriting, and keeping some form of a reading journal. Writing to explain a
literary work involves analysis and interpretation, and may include writing
brief focused analyses on aspects of language and structure. Writing to
evaluate a literary work involves making and explaining judgments about its
artistry and exploring its underlying social and cultural values through
analysis, interpretation, and argument.
In short, students in an AP English Literature and Composition course
should read actively.
The works taught in the course should require
careful deliberative reading. And the approach to analyzing and interpreting
them should involve students in learning how to make careful observations of
textual detail, establish connections among their observations, and draw from
those connections a series of inferences leading to an interpretive conclusion
about the work’s meaning and value.
Most of the works studied in the course should have been written originally in English, including works by
African, Australian, Canadian, Indian, and West Indian authors. Some works in
translation may also be included (e.g., Greek tragedies, Russian or Latin
American fiction). The actual choice of works is the responsibility of the AP
teacher, who should consider previous courses in the school’s curriculum. In
addition, the AP teacher should insure that by the end of the course, students
will have studied works by both British and American writers as well as works
written from the sixteenth century to contemporary times.
Although neither linguistic nor literary
history should be the principal focus in the AP course, students should gain
some awareness that the English language writer’s use has changed dramatically
through history and that today it exists in many national and local varieties.
They should also be aware of literary tradition and the complex ways in which
imaginative literature builds upon the ideas, works, and authors of earlier
times.
Writing should be an integral part of the AP
English Literature and Composition course, for the AP Examination is weighted
toward student writing about literature. Writing assignments should focus on
the critical analysis of literature and should include expository, analytical,
and argumentative essays. Although critical analysis should make up the bulk of
student writing for the course, well-constructed creative writing assignments
may help students see from the inside how literature is written. Such experiences will sharpen their
understanding of what writers have accomplished and deepen their appreciation
of literary artistry. The goal of both types of writing assignments is to
increase students’ ability to explain clearly, cogently, even elegantly, what
they understand about literary works and why they interpret them as they
do. To that end, writing instruction
should include attention to developing and organizing ideas in clear, coherent,
and persuasive language. It should include study of the elements of style. And
it should attend to matters of precision and correctness as necessary.
Throughout the course, emphasis should be
placed on helping students develop stylistic maturity, which, for AP English,
is characterized by the following:
• a wide-ranging
vocabulary used with denotative accuracy and connotative
resourcefulness;
• a variety of
sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordinate
and coordinate constructions;
• a logical
organization, enhanced by specific techniques of coherence
such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis;
• a balance of
generalization with specific illustrative detail; and
• an effective use of
rhetoric, including controlling tone, maintaining
a consistent voice, and achieving emphasis
through parallelism
and antithesis.
The writing required in an AP English
Literature and Composition course is thus more than a mere adjunct to the study
of literature. The writing that students produce in the course reinforces their
reading. Since reading and writing stimulate and support one another, they
should be taught together in order to underscore both their common and their
distinctive elements.
Yearly, the Development Committee in English
prepares a three-hour examination that gives students the opportunity to
demonstrate their mastery of the skills and abilities previously described. The
AP Examination in English Literature and Composition employs multiple-choice
questions that test the student’s critical reading of selected passages. But
the examination also requires writing as a direct measure of the student’s
ability to read and interpret literature and to use other forms of discourse
effectively. Although the skills tested
in the examination remain essentially the same from year to year, each year’s
examination is composed of new questions.
College and AP English teachers score the essay part of the examination
under standardized procedures.
Ordinarily, the examination consists of 60 minutes for
multiple-choice questions followed by 120 minutes for essay questions.
Performance on the essay section of the examination counts for 55 percent of
the total grade; performance on the multiple-choice section, counts for 45
percent.
Students will be required to
respond to the literature above utilizing various written and oral formats
throughout the year. Instruction,
practice and application of the 6+1 Traits of writing will be the driving force
behind these responses and the techniques used to accomplish proficiency in
each of the strands.
COURSE GOALS/OBJECTIVES/ STANDARDS:
The following are the DODEA standards for
level 12 Language Arts; AP Literature
is traditionally a grade 12 course, although any level student may enroll.
Strand:
E1 Reading Reading is a
process that includes demonstrating comprehension and showing evidence of a
warranted and responsible interpretation of the text. “Comprehension” means
getting the gist of a text. It is most frequently illustrated by demonstrating
an understanding of the text as a whole; identifying complexities presented in
the structure of the text and extracting salient information from the text. In
providing evidence of a responsible interpretation, students may make connections
between parts of a text, among several texts, and between texts and other
experiences; make extensions and applications of a text; and examine texts
critically and evaluatively.
Standard: E1a: The student
reads at least twenty-five books or book equivalents each year. The quality and
complexity of materials to be read is based on the lexile level for grade
twelve (1100L-1349L). The materials should include traditional and contemporary
literature (both fiction and non-fiction) as well as magazines, newspapers,
textbooks, and on-line materials. Such reading should represent a diverse
collection of material from at least three different literary forms and from at
least five different writers.
Examples: Examples of activities through which students might produce
evidence of reading twenty-five books include:
• Maintain an annotated list of
works read.
• Generate a reading log or
journal.
• Participate in formal and
informal book talks.
Standard: E1b: The student
reads and comprehends at least four books (or book equivalents) about one issue
or subject, or four books by a single writer, or four books in one genre, and
produces evidence of reading that:
Components: E1b.1: makes and supports warranted and responsible assertions about the
texts;
E1b.2: supports
assertions with elaborated and convincing evidence;
E1b.3: draws the
texts together to compare and contrast themes, characters, and ideas;
E1b.4: makes
perceptive and well developed connections;
E1b.5: evaluates writing strategies and elements of the author’s craft.
Examples: Examples of activities through which students might produce
evidence of reading comprehension include:
• Write a saturation report (a
report that recounts substantial information on a topic gathered by a student
over a period of time).
• Construct a review of several
works by a single author.
• Construct a review of several
archetypal characters or themes found in British literature.
• Produce a literary response
paper (as an example, describe social, historical, or cultural features of the
time indicated in the British literature).
• Produce a thesis based research
report concentrating on British literature.
• Participate in formal or
informal book talks e.g. Socratic seminar and literature circles pertaining to
British literature.
• Create an annotated book list
organized according to author, theme, or genre.
Standard: E1c: The student reads and comprehends
informational materials to develop understanding and expertise and produces
written or oral work that:
Components: E1c.1: interprets and analyzes information;
E1c.2: relates new
information to prior knowledge or experience;
E1c.3: extends
ideas;
E1c.4: makes a
connection to related topics or information.
Examples: Examples of activities through
which students might produce evidence of reading informational materials
include:
• Use information to support or
enhance a project.
• Write a report of information
that draws from multiple sources..
• Incorporate expert opinions
into a speech or position paper.
• Incorporate information from
several noted experts to support a thesis in a research paper.
• Use informational materials to
reach a conclusion regarding a controversial topic.
• Use informational materials to
produce a portfolio regarding British authors’ points of view in contemporary
and historical essays, speeches, and critical reviews.
• Summarize key points and issues
of a British historical or artistic exhibit.
• Produce a research paper about
post-secondary training and career choices.
• Write a report that analyzes
several historical records of a single event and attempts to understand the
reasons for the similarities and differences.
Strand:
E2 Writing Writing is a
process through which a written shapes language to communicate effectively.
Writing often develops through a series of initial plans and multiple drafts
and through access to informed feedback and response. Purpose, audience, and
context contribute to the form and substance of writing as well as to its
style, tone, and stance.
Standard: E2a: The student produces a report that:
Components: E2a.1: engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona,
and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2a.2: develops a
controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject;
E2a.3: creates an
organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context;
E2a.4: includes
appropriate facts and details;
E2a.5: excludes
extraneous and inappropriate information;
E2a.6: uses a range
of appropriate strategies, such as providing facts and details, describing or
analyzing the subject, narrating a relevant anecdote, comparing and
contrasting, naming, explaining benefits or limitations, demonstrating claims
or assertions, and providing a scenario to illustrate;
E2a.7: provides a
sense of closure to the writing.
Examples: Examples of reports include:
• An I-search essay (an essay
that details a student’s search for information as well as the information
itself; I-search papers are developed through a variety of means; e.g.,
interviews, observation, internet, as well as traditional library research).
• A saturation report (a report
that recounts substantial information on a topic gathered by a student over a
period of time).
• A report produced as part of
studies in subjects such as science, social studies, and mathematics.
• A thesis-based research paper.
• An investigative report
presented in multi-media format.
• A cross-curricular report about
a British author or American time period.
Standard: E2b: The student
produces a response to literature that:
Components: E2b.1: engages the reader through establishing a
context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2b.2: advances a
judgment that is interpretive, analytic, evaluative, or reflective;
E2b.3: supports a
judgment through references to the text, references to other works, authors, or
non-print media, or references to personal knowledge;
E2b.4: demonstrates
understanding of the literary work though suggesting an interpretation;
E2b.5: anticipates
and answers a reader’s questions;
E2b.6: recognizes
possible ambiguities, nuances, complexities, and analogies;
E2b.7: provides a
sense of closure to the writing.
Examples: Examples of responses to literature include:
• An evaluation of a piece of
literature or several pieces of British literature.
• A comparison of a piece of
British literature with its media (video, tape, radio, television, ballet,
artistic) presentation.
• A
response that focuses on personalizing the theme of a British literary work.
• An analysis of the significance
of a section of a British novel in terms of its significance to the novel as a
whole.
• An evaluation of the role
played by setting in a British novel.
• An analysis of the effect of a
minor character on the plot of a British novel.
• An
evaluation of a recurring motif in a British novel, short story, or a play.
• A comparison of two critical
interpretations of a British poem or a work of fiction.
• A literary interpretation that
explicates the multiple layers of meaning in a poem or work of fiction based on
two expert interpretations.
Standard: E2c: The student produces a narrative (fictional
or autobiographical) account that:
Components: E2c.1: engages the reader by establishing a context,
creating a point of view, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2c.2: establishes a
situation, plot, point of view, setting, and conflict (and for autobiography,
the significance of events and of conclusions that can be drawn from the
events);
E2c.3: creates an
organizing structure;
E2c.4: includes
sensory details and concrete language to develop plot and character;
E2c.5: develops complex characters;
E2c.7: uses a range
of appropriate strategies, such as dialogue, tension or suspense, naming,
pacing, and specific narrative action, e.g., movement, gestures, expressions;
E2c.8: provides a
sense of closure to the writing.
Examples: Examples of narrative accounts include:
• A biographical account.
• A fiction or non-fiction story.
• A personal narrative.
• A narrative poem or song based
on a British hero.
• A historical account.
• A parody of a particular
narrative style; e.g., fable, soap opera.
Standard: E2d: The student
produces a narrative procedure that:
Components: E2d.1: engages the reader by establishing a context,
creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2d.2: provides a guide to action for a complicated
procedure in order to anticipate a reader’s needs; creates expectations through
predictable structures; e.g., headings; and provides smooth transitions,
between steps;
E2d.3: makes use of
appropriate writing strategies, such as creating a visual hierarchy and using
white space and graphics as appropriate;
E2d.4: includes
relevant information;
E2d.5: anticipates
problems, mistakes, and misunderstandings that might arise for the reader;
E2d.7: provides a sense
of closure to the writing.
Examples: Examples of narrative procedures include:
• A set of rules for organizing a
class meeting.
• A set of instructions for
playing computer games.
• A set of instructions for using
media technology.
• A report of a mathematical
investigation.
• A set of instructions for
evaluating searches on the web.
Standard: E2e: The student
produces a persuasive essay that:
Components: E2e.1: engages the reader by establishing a context,
creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2e.2: develops a
controlling idea that makes a clear and knowledgeable judgment;
E2e.3: creates an
organizing structure that is appropriate to the needs, values, and interests of
a specified audience, and arranges details, reasons, examples, and anecdotes
effectively and persuasively;
E2e.4: includes
appropriate information and arguments;
E2e.5: excludes
information and arguments that are irrelevant;
E2e6: anticipates
and addresses reader concerns and counter- arguments;
E2e.7: supports arguments
with detailed evidence, citing sources of information as appropriate;
E2e.8: uses a range
of strategies to elaborate and persuade, such as definitions, descriptions,
illustrations, examples from evidence, and anecdotes;
E2e.9: provides a
sense of closure to the writing.
Examples: Examples of persuasive essays include:
• A position paper.
• A problem-solution paper.
• Opening and closing statements
for a debate.
• An evaluation of a product or a
policy.
• A critique of a public policy.
• An editorial on a current issue
that uses reasoned arguments to support an opinion.
Standard: E2f: The student
produces a reflective essay that:
Components: E2f.1: engages the reader by establishing a context,
creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2f.2: analyzes a
condition or situation of significance;
E2f.3: develops a
commonplace, concrete occasion as the basis for the reflection; e.g., personal
observation or experience;
E2f.4: creates an
organizing structure appropriate to purpose and audience;
E2f.5: uses a
variety of writing strategies, such as concrete details, comparing and
contrasting, naming, describing, creating a scenario;
E2f.6: provides a
sense of closure to the writing.
Examples: Examples of reflective essays include:
• An analysis of the significance
of a British literary work.
• A report about a concrete
occasion and its implications over time.
• An essay comparing a school
issue to broader societal concerns.
• A paper explaining how some
experiences, conditions, or concerns have universal significance.
• A self-reflective essay
evaluating a portfolio to be submitted.
• A comparison of a scene from a
work of fiction with a lesson learned from a personal experience.
• A paper about a common
childhood experience from a more adult perspective.
• A college entrance essay based
on a significant personal experience—anticipates and addresses reader concerns
and counter-arguments;
Strand:
E3 Speaking, Speaking, listening,
and viewing are fundamental processes which
Listening and people use to express,
explore, and learn about ideas. The
Viewing functions of
speaking, listening, and viewing include gathering and sharing information;
persuading others; expressing and understanding ideas; coordinating activities
with others; and selecting and critically analyzing messages. The contexts of
these communication functions include one-to-one conferences, small group
interactions, large audiences and meetings, and interactions with broadcast
media.
Standard: E3a: The student
participates in one-to-one conferences with a teacher, paraprofessional, or
adult volunteer, in which the student:
Components: E3a.1: initiates new topics in addition to responding
to adult-initiated topics;
E3a.2: asks relevant
questions;
E3a.3: responds to
questions with appropriate elaboration;
E3a.4: uses language
cues to indicate different levels of certainty or hypothesizing; e.g., “what
if…”, “very likely…”, “I’m unsure whether…”;
E3a.5: confirms
understanding by paraphrasing the adult’s directions or suggestions.
Examples: Examples of one-to-one interactions include:
• Analytical discussion of movies
or television programs in a one to one situation.
• Student-teacher conferences
regarding a draft of an essay, the student’s progress on a mathematics
assignment, or the state of a science project.
• Assessment interview by a
teacher about an author or book.
• Dialogue
and discussions on academic, technical, or community subjects.
• Interviews with guest speakers
and community members.
• Teacher/pupil writing
conference to dialogue about the student’s writing.
• Electronic teacher/pupil
writing conference.
• Interview for a job or college
entrance.
Standard: E3b: The student
participates in group meetings, in which the student:
Components: E3b.1: displays appropriate turn-taking behaviors;
E3b.2: actively
solicits another person’s comment or opinion;
E3b.3: offers own
opinion forcefully without dominating;
E3b.4: responds
appropriately to comments and questions;
E3b.5: volunteers
contributions and responds when directly solicited by teacher or discussion
leader;
E3b.6: gives reasons
in support of opinions expressed;
E3b.7: clarifies,
illustrates, or expands on a response when asked to do so; asks classmates for
similar expansions;
E3b.8: employs a
group decision-technique such as brainstorming or problem-solving sequence
(e.g., recognize problem, define problem, identify possible solutions, select
optimal solution, implement solution, evaluate solution);
E3b.9: divides labor
so as to achieve the overall group goal efficiently.
Examples: Examples of activities involving group meeting include:
• Develop and negotiate a
classroom rubric.
• Engage in classroom town
meetings.
• Participate in book talks,
literature circles, and Socratic seminars with other students.
• Work as part of a group to
solve a complex real life task, conundrum, or problem.
• Role play.
• Participate in peer writing
response groups.
• Participate in electronic
discussion groups.
Standard: E3c: The student
prepares and delivers an individual presentation, in which the student:
Components: E3c.1: shapes information to achieve a particular
purpose and to appeal to the interests and background knowledge of audience
members;
E3c.2: shapes
content and organization according to criteria for importance and impact rather
than according to availability of information in resource materials;
E3c.3: uses notes or
other memory aids to structure the presentation;
E3c.4: develops
several main points relating to a single thesis;
E3c.5: engages the
audience with appropriate verbal cues and eye contact;
E3c.6: projects a
sense of individuality and personality in selecting and organizing content and
in delivery.
Examples: Examples of presentation include:
• An individual talk that
develops several main points relating to a single thesis (e.g., describing a
problem and evaluating alternative solutions to that problem or explaining
several causes leading to an historical event, or constructing different types
of argument, all supporting a particular policy).
• A public panel discussion during
which each member of the panel speaks about a particular area of expertise
relating to the overall topic.
• A forum discussion during which
audience members question and respond to panelists during a presentation.
• A simulated congress (e.g.,
Model United Nations) in which each participant “represents” the interests of a
particular constituency.
• A multimedia presentation
employing sound, jpeg or mpg files, graphics and/or animation.
• Video broadcasting of a
presentation.
• A report that presents data
collected to prove/disprove a particular hypothesis, along with an appropriate
conclusion.
Standard: E3d: The student
makes informed judgments about television, radio, and film productions; that
is, the student:
Components: E3d.1: demonstrates an awareness of the presence of
the media in the daily lives of most people;
E3d.2: evaluates the
role of the media in focusing attention and in forming opinion;
E3d.3: judges the
extent to which the media are a source of entertainment as well as a source of
information;
E3d.4: defines the
role of advertising as part of media presentation.
Examples: Examples of activities through which students might produce
evidence of making informed judgments about television, radio, and film
production include:
• Maintain a week’s log to
document personal viewing habits, and analyze the information collected in the
log.
• Summarize patterns of media
exposure in writing or in an oral report.
• Evaluate the appeal of popular
television shows and films for particular audiences.
• Explain and evaluate the use of
“propaganda techniques” (e.g., bandwagon, glittering generalities, celebrity,
greed, fear, exclusivity) in television commercials.
• Create an opinion how the media
reflects and shapes cultural values and biases and defend this opinion with
supporting documentation.
• Interpret and evaluate
ambiguities, subtleties, ironies, and nuances in media on the viewer.
• Analyze and evaluate
information on the internet.
• Create a multiple perspective
of the coverage of a single event from different media sources.
• Create a multiple perspective
of the coverage of a single event from different media sources.
Standard: E3e: The student
listens to and analyzes a public speaking performance; that is, the student:
Components: E3e.1: takes notes on salient information;
E3e.2: identifies
types of arguments (e.g., causation, authority, analogy, patriotism, emotion,
ethics and identifies types of logical fallacies (e.g., ad hominem, inferring
causation from correlation, over-generalization, faulty syllogism, red herring,
begging the question);
E3e.3: accurately
summarizes and evaluates the essence of each speaker’s response;
E3e.4: formulates and
supports a judgment about the issues under discussion.
Examples: Examples of activities through which students might provide
evidence of analysis of public speaking include:
• Take notes of a meeting of a
local government council or of an institution’s governing body.
• Produce charts and/or diagrams
as part of an analysis of a public address.
• Analyze an argument by a
political leader (e.g., demagoguery, political bias, propaganda techniques,
political correctness).
• Summarize key points of a
public speech.
• Analyze the intent and appeal
of public address
Strand:
E4 Conventions, Having control of the conventions
and grammar of the English
Grammar, and language means having
the ability to represent oneself
Usage of the English appropriately
with regard to current standards of correctness (e.g., spelling, punctuation,
paragraphing, capitalization, subject-verb agreement). Usage involves the
appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken
formats.
Standard: E4a: The student
independently and habitually demonstrates an understanding of the rules of the
English language in written and oral work, and selects the structures and
features of language appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context of the
work. The student demonstrates control of:
Components: E4a.1: paragraph structure;
E4a.3: punctuation;
E4a.4: sentence
construction;
E4a.5: spelling;
E4a.6: usage;
E4a.7: syntax.
Examples: Examples of activities through which students might demonstrate an
understanding of the rules of the English Language include:
• Demonstrate in a piece of
writing the ability to manage the conventions, grammar, and usage of English so
that they aid rather than interfere with reading.
• Independently and accurately
proofreads the student’s own writing or the writing of others, using
dictionaries, thesauruses, and other resources as appropriate.
• Apply the conventions of
language during formal oral presentations.
• Demonstrate use of a variety of
sentence patterns for stylistic effects.
• Make effective use of language
and style to connect with the audience and content.
• Analyze the language conventions
of other groups and cultures
Standard: E4b: The student
analyzes and subsequently revises work to clarify it or make it more effective
in communicating the intended message or thought. The student’s revisions
should be made in light of the purposes, audiences, and contexts that apply to
the work. Strategies for revising include:
Components: E4b.1: adding or deleting details;
E4b.2: adding or
deleting explanations;
E4b.3: clarifying
difficult passages;
E4b.4: rearranging words,
sentences, and paragraphs to improve or clarify meaning;
E4b.5: sharpening the
focus;
E4b.6: reconsidering
the organizational structure;
E4b.7: rethinking
and/or rewriting the piece in light of different audience and purposes.
Examples: Examples of activities through which students might provide
evidence of analyzing and revising written work include:
• Incorporate
into revised drafts, as appropriate, suggestions taken from critiques made by
peers and teachers.
• Produce a
series of distinctly different drafts that result in a polished piece of
writing or presentation.
• Critique the
writing or presentation of a peer.
• Describe the
reasons for stylistic choices made as a writer or presenter.
• Produce a
series of papers on the same topic, each serving a different purpose.
• Manage a
writing portfolio and/or electronic portfolio.
Strand:
E5 Literature Literature consists
of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and essays as distinguished from
instructional, expository or journalistic writing.
Standard: E5a: The student
responds to non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive,
critical, and evaluative processes; that is, the student:
Components: E5a.1: makes thematic connections among literary
texts, public discourse, and media;
E5a.2: evaluates the
impact of authors’ decisions regarding word choice, style, content, and
literary elements;
E5a.3: analyzes the
characteristics of literary forms and genres;
E5a.4: evaluates
literary merit;
E5a.5: explains the
effect of point of view;
E5a.6: makes
inferences and draws conclusions about fictional and non-fictional contexts,
events, characters, settings, themes, and styles;
E5a.7: interprets
the effect of literary devices, such as figurative language, allusion, diction,
dialogue, description, symbolism;
E5a.8: evaluates the
stance of a writer in shaping the presentation of a subject;
E5a.9: interprets
ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and nuances and analogies;
E5a.10: understands the role of tone
in presenting literature (both fictional and non-fictional);
E5a.11: demonstrates how literary
works (both fictional and non-fictional) reflect the culture that shaped them.
Examples: Examples of responding to literature include:
• Analyze stereotypical
characters in British literature.
• Evaluate the effect of literary
devices in a
• Number of poems by one author
or poems on a common topic.
• Compare the literary merits of
several British short stories, biographies of one individual, novels, or plays.
• Compare different media
presentations of a British literary work.
• Compare several British works
written in different time periods on the same topic or theme.
• Evaluate the persona of the
writer and the impact this has upon the literary work.
• Compare several literary texts
that share a similar theme.
• Develop a
perspective about or empathize by finding value in the author’s point of view
toward an issue raised in one of an author’s works.
• Evaluate the literary,
cultural, and social context of a literary work and the impact it creates upon
the reader and the literature’s salient points.
Standard: E5b: The student
produces work in at least one literary genre that follows the conventions of
the genre.
Examples: Examples of literary genres include:
• A reflective essay.
• A memoir.
• A short story.
• A short play.
• A poem.
• A vignette.
Strand:
E6 Public Documents A
public document is a document that focuses on civic issues or matters of public
policy at the community level or beyond. These documents, ranging from speeches
to editorials to radio and television spots to pamphlets, do at least one of
the following: take issue with a controversial public policy; suggest an
alternative course of action; analyze and defend a contemporary public policy;
define a public problem and suggest policy.
Standard: E6a: The student
identifies strategies common to public documents and public discourse,
including:
Components: E6a.1: effective use of argument;
E6a.2: use of the
power of anecdote;
E6a.3: anticipation
of counter claims;
E6a.4: appeal to
audiences both friendly and hostile to the position presented;
E6a.5: use of
emotionally laden works and imagery;
E6a.6: citing of
appropriate references or authorities.
Examples: Examples of activities through which students might provide
evidence of identifying strategies used in public documents include:
• Evaluate a political speech.
• Evaluate and respond to an
editorial or political cartoon.
• Examine campaign literature to
determine underlying assumptions.
• Examine a range of articles
published in a variety of media and draw inferences about the political stance
of that source.
• Evaluate the visual appear and
presentation of information
• Analyze two conflicting public
opinions on a single topic, take a stance, and defend that point of view.
Standard: E6b: The student
creates public documents, in which the student:
Components: E6b.1: exhibits an awareness of the importance of
precise word choice and the power of imagery and/or anecdote;
E6b.2: utilizes and
recognizes the power of logical arguments—arguments based on appealing to a
reader’s emotions, and arguments dependent upon the writer’s persona;
E6b.3: uses arguments
that are appropriate in terms of the knowledge, values, and degree of
understanding of the intended audience;
E6b.4: uses a range
of strategies to appeal to readers.
Examples: Examples of public documents include:
• A proposal for changing an
existing social or school policy.
• A revision of an existing state
policy or creation of a new policy.
• A policy statement that closely
examines a significant public policy and proposes change or rationale for its
retention.
• A letter to an elected official
or editor taking a position on an issue or concern.
• A press release announcing a
change in public policy or the creation of a new public policy.
• A web page.
• A multi-media presentation to
school officials, student council, public officials, etc.
Strand:
E7 Functional A functional document
is a document that exists in order to get things
Documents done, usually
within a relatively limited setting such as a social club, a business, an
office, a church, or an agency. These often take the form of memoranda,
letters, instructions, and statements of organizational policies. Functional
documents require that particular attention be paid to issues of layout,
presentation and particularly to an audience and the way different audiences
will interact with the documents.
Standard: E7a: The student
identifies strategies common to effective functional documents, including:
Components: E7a.1: visual appeal; e.g., format, graphics, white
space, and headers;
E7a.2: logic of the
sequence in which the directions are given;
E7a.3: point out
possible reader misunderstandings and misconceptions;
E7a.4: purposeful
composition and the precision of the content and language;
E7a.5: validity of
desired outcomes and implications.
Examples: