12th Grade AP English Literature and Composition
Price
TBD
Duration
4 Quarters; 2 Semesters
Table of Contents
COURSE OBJECTIVE
Embark on a transformative literary journey with this comprehensive AP English Literature and Composition course, featuring a unique twist – Fortnite Literature Machinima: The Alternative Ending.
This course is designed to equip you with the essential skills to analyze, interpret, and evaluate works of fiction, poetry, and drama from various periods and cultures. You'll read classic works of literature and write essays to clarify and argue your interpretations. You'll gain a deeper understanding of literary techniques, thematic exploration, and the power of storytelling.
Through engaging readings, insightful essays, and the innovative Fortnite Literature Machinima projects, you'll not only prepare for the AP English Literature and Composition exam but also develop valuable critical thinking, creative expression, and digital literacy skills.
By taking the AP English Literature course, you’ll be well prepared for a rewarding career in English Literature, Film Studies, or Comparative Literature.
Key Course Highlights:
Comprehensive Exam Preparation: Develop a thorough understanding of the AP English Literature and Composition exam format, content, and expectations.
Literary Analysis Mastery: Learn to analyze literary works effectively, identifying key themes, characters, plot structures, and literary devices.
Critical Thinking Enhancement: Sharpen your critical thinking skills by evaluating different interpretations of literary works and supporting your own arguments with textual evidence.
Creative Expression through Fortnite Literature Machinima: Reimagine and recreate literary endings using Fortnite Creative, a powerful storytelling tool, fostering creativity and digital literacy.
Collaborative Learning Opportunities: Engage in collaborative projects, fostering teamwork, communication, and peer learning.
Connect Course to College Majors and Careers
AP English Language and Composition provides a foundation for success in a wide range of fields. Explore how this course can prepare you for 23 college majors and the 82 careers it could lead to.
AP English Literature vs AP English Language
The main difference between the two courses is the types of texts you will explore.
AP English Language focuses more on analyzing non-fiction works, such as news articles, essays, speeches, memoirs, and more. In this course, you'll develop skills that will help you explain an idea, argue a point, or persuade a reader that a particular viewpoint is correct. AP English Language is equivalent to an introductory, college-level literary analysis course.
AP English Literature focuses more on analyzing works of fiction, such as poetry, short stories, novels, or plays. In this course, you'll develop skills that focus mainly on close reading; with these skills you will dissect literary works and write analyses of them. AP English Literature is equivalent to an introductory, college-level literature course.
COURSE FORMAT
The class meets 90 minutes twice a week (M/W or T/Th) for 20 weeks. Like all other courses in our curriculum, AP English Literature and Composition consists of two components: asynchronous and synchronous learning.
We use the AP English Literature and Composition: Exam Prep course for the asynchronous flipped classroom portion of the course. This makes up 30% of your overall grade.
Your academy instructor will facilitate the virtual in-person synchronous portion of the course. This makes up 50% of your overall grade.
Asynchronous Learning
AP English Literature and Composition: Exam Prep course on Study.com was created by a panel of expert instructors who break down concepts with bite-sized, animated video lessons organized into topical chapters that improve comprehension and retention, making learning fun and engaging. Each video is approximately 5-10 minutes long and comes with a quick quiz to help you measure your "first exposure learning" during the pre-work phase before the actual class. At the end of each chapter, you will complete a chapter test to see if you're ready to move on or have some material to review.
You should expect to spend 50-70 minutes per week on these homework assignments. The academy intentionally schedules no classes on Fridays to provide dedicated time for homework assignments and out-of-class projects.
Synchronous Learning
Our academy instructor, who will also serve as your Gamemaster, will facilitate the live, virtual classroom sessions, which will supplement and build upon the AP US Government and Politics: Exam Prep course. Additionally, they will answer any questions you may have about the asynchronous material.
Our primary online textbook for this course is American Government 3e by OpenStax, a resource approved by the College Board's AP® Learning List. This free college-level textbook provides a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. It emphasizes connections between topics, theory, and real-world applications, in ways that will prepare you for future courses, careers, and civic engagement as informed citizens.
American Government 3e goes beyond traditional textbooks by incorporating diverse perspectives and real-life experiences. It tackles both the positive and negative aspects of American government and history while highlighting progress made. Interactive features include Get Connected! for student engagement in politics, Finding a Middle Ground for exploring compromises, "Insider Perspective" for behind-the-scenes insights, Link to Learning for accessing current data, and Milestone for historical context. Each feature includes follow-up questions to deepen understanding and encourage critical thinking.
Our in-person sessions are designed to make learning fun and interactive! Here's what you can expect:
Interactive discussions: We will delve deeper into key concepts from the asynchronous material and address any common misconceptions.
Game-based activities: Earn points and badges, and climb the leaderboard as you embark on political edventures!
RPG Simulations: Step into the shoes of the President and other political leaders to experiment with key concepts in the political system such as passing a federal law, balancing federal and county budgets, environmental crises, international conflicts, foreign policy, terrorism, and more.
Exams
Each semester, there will be a comprehensive mid-term exam over all content covered during the first quarter and a comprehensive final exam over all content covered during the second quarter. Each of these four exams is weighted equally, and the combined average will make up 20% of your course grade.
COURSE TOPICS
The content of this course is closely aligned with the topics that you'll be expected to know for the AP English Literature and Composition test. This course is designed to prepare you for the AP English Literature Exam, covering all of the topics outlined in the official test materials provided by the College Board. A panel of professional instructors created this comprehensive course to help you master these objectives.
Some of the topics covered in this course are listed below:
COURSE CONTENT
Chapters 19; Lessons 172
INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION BOARD
Each chapter features an interactive discussion board powered by Discussion Hero, a gamified platform developed by Northwestern University. Students choose between "hero" and "villain" roles and avatars, earning points for their contributions. This fosters a sense of competition and engagement, making discussions even more rewarding.
Benefits of Participating in Discussions:
Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Go beyond memorization and passive learning by analyzing information, evaluating different perspectives, and forming your own conclusions.
Enhance communication skills: Practice clear communication, learn to articulate your ideas effectively, and develop respectful listening and rebuttal skills.
Fosters a collaborative learning environment: Learn from each other, share knowledge, and collaborate on problem-solving, creating a dynamic and enriching learning community.
Deepen your understanding of the content: Actively engaging with the course material through discussion solidifies and expands your understanding beyond lectures and readings.
Provides diverse perspectives: Discussions expose you to different viewpoints and interpretations, encouraging critical thinking and broadening your understanding of the subject matter.
Offers opportunities for self-reflection: Examining your own thoughts and arguments in response to prompts and engaging with others' perspectives helps solidify your learning and identify areas for further exploration.
Apply knowledge to real-world scenarios: Apply course concepts to real-world situations through discussions, enhancing the material's relevance.
Build a digital learning portfolio: Discussions serve as a reference for your learning journey, allowing you to revisit key concepts and track your progress.
Develop digital literacy: Discussions provide a platform to practice online communication etiquette, including respectful disagreement, constructive argumentation, and responsible information sharing.
To actively engage in meaningful learning and reap the benefits mentioned above, participation in each chapter's discussion board is expected and will contribute to your overall grade. Your instructor will provide a clear rubric within Discussion Hero outlining the expectations for participation and how your contributions will be evaluated. This ensures consistent and transparent assessment while allowing you to showcase your understanding and critical thinking skills throughout the course.
GREAT LITERATURE READING LIST
The Western literary canon is a collection of works recognized for their exceptional stylistic quality, cultural significance, and intellectual value. These texts set a benchmark for what is considered exemplary literature, shaping how we think, imagine, and interpret the world. The canon has evolved over time, gaining widespread acceptance in university classrooms, academic journals, and through the influence of curriculum publishers and organizations like the College Board.
While the canon traditionally centered on white, male, and Western voices, it has expanded to reflect broader cultural values. Since the mid-20th century, ongoing debates about diversity and representation have led to the inclusion of more voices from women, people of color, and other marginalized groups. This shift has reshaped the canon to offer a richer, more inclusive array of perspectives and experiences.
Our academy’s literary canon reflects this ongoing dialogue. It comprises over 100 of the most frequently featured texts from the College Board’s AP English Literature exam, sourced from a list of titles maintained since the 1970s. These works offer students a rich, well-rounded exploration of timeless themes, artistic innovation, and the cultural challenges of different eras. Acting as literary guideposts, they help students navigate the intricacies of language, culture, and history while fostering the critical thinking skills necessary to engage with both literature and society.
Throughout this course, you will read 10 selected works from our academy’s literary canon. Your instructor will provide the titles and links to their digital formats, which include Read Aloud features and built-in tools for highlighting and annotations. These texts will be free from Planet eBook or elsewhere for a small fee. Independent exploration of additional texts and genres is always encouraged.
COMMONLIT 360
Level up your reading and writing with CommonLit 360! Embark on a transformative journey through high school literature and critical thinking across six dynamic units. From classic novels to contemporary issues, you'll tackle thought-provoking texts that build essential skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Explore compelling questions that sharpen your ability to analyze complex ideas and confidently articulate your understanding.
In CommonLit 360, learning is a collaborative edventure. You'll join forces with peers to dissect ideas, conduct research, and present your findings, fostering both a deep understanding of the material and strong interpersonal skills. Connect your studies to real-world issues and diverse perspectives, gaining practical insights into how what you learn applies to your everyday life and the world around you. Get ready to explore, discuss, and discover!
COURSE OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Use characters and settings to explore a range of values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms
Discuss the role of the narrator and how their perspective affects how readers experience and interpret a text
Recognize comparisons, representations, and associations that invite readers to interpret a text
Explain the function of significant events in a plot, as well as the contributions of structure, sequence, contrast, and conflict
Employ different lenses and focal points to read a text multiple ways and recognize the glorious ambiguity of literature
Discuss how different texts employ time as a theme
Question the notion of genre and place, in particular dystopias, and their impact on free will and politics
PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for this course.
COLLEGE COURSE EQUIVALENT
An introductory college-level literary analysis course.
COURSE CERTIFICATE
Earn a Certificate of Completion which shows that you have completed the course.
Your Instructor
TBD
