"An AP English course in Language and Composition should engage students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer's purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing."

--The College Board's AP English Language and Composition Course Description (May 2005)

AP English objectives:

1. Analyze authors’ use of rhetorical strategies and techniques in short pieces of literature.
2. Produce expository and argumentative compositions.
3. Introduce a complex central idea and develop with appropriate, specific evidence, cogent explanations, and clear transitions.
4. Create and sustain arguments based on research and readings and/or personal experience.
5. Synthesize themes and ideas from different genres to develop a well-written analysis.
6. Apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing
7. Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in own writing.
8. Write in a variety of genre and context both formal and informal.
9. Move effectively through the stages of the writing process with careful attention to inquiry and research, drafting, revising, editing and review.
   

1. Develop complex, comprehensive thesis statements
2. Discuss, analyze, explore historical themes expressed in literature and the impact of history on literature, and vice-versa
3. Observe and analyze the influences of various philosophical schools of thought on history.
4. Introduce a complex central idea and develop with appropriate, specific evidence, cogent explanations, and clear transitions.
5. Develop group presentation skills
6. Develop the ability to synthesize information (incorporating fiction and history) into generalizations

   
   Block Teaching Strategies:
   
   * Dual Lectures – Linking literature & history
   * Comparing writing applications for different subjects
   * Cross-class groupings for projects & presentations
   * 2-hour writing sessions (practice AP writing to learn pacing – at least 3 times for each course)

Download AP Block green sheet as a pdf

Download AP Block Plagiarism Policy as a pdf

Download AP Block Summer Reading Assignment as a pdf

Download AP Literary and Rhetorical Terms (compiled by Ms. Stover)

Download Rhetorical Devices & Definitions (compiled by Mr. Warren)

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