Mrs. Kenyon's Blog

AP Language - Spring Semester reading list

For those of you that want to get a jump on next semester, I am providing a reading list of books below.  Each person will have to read one work from each literary period (total three).  You must show evidence of active reading and take a test on the work on the test date.  Read from the Romanticism list first, the Realism list second, and the Modernism list last.

Book One: Romanticism Tests given on January 31st.

Book Two:  Realism Tests given on February 28.

Book Three:  Modernism Tests given on March 27.

Book One:  Romanticism

*The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne

*The Last of the Mohicans - James Fenimore Cooper

*Both of these works are available free on Kindles.

Book Two:  Realism/Regionalism/Naturalism

The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane

The Call of the Wild - Jack London

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Frederick Doublass

Ethan Fromme - Edith Wharton

Book Three:  Modernism

Of Mice and Men OR The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Old Man and the Sea OR A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

Honors American Literature - Final Exam

Please note that study questions and details for the final exam have been placed on the left side of my blog.  Crucible questions are separate from the final exam guide and are also on the left side of my blog.  Students already have their vocabulary 7 words.  Please email me if there are questions.

AP Language - Final Exam

Students were given a packet today to prepare for their final exam.  The exam will consist of the following parts:  Objective style vocabulary questions over units 1-12 (50 points); Passage from American literature with multiple choice questions assessing reading comprehension (20 points);  Passage analysis where students will identify/explain rhetorical strategies (50 points); Essay outlines of three essays provided (due on exam day handwritten - 10 points); one written essay on exam day (50 points).  Students have been provided with the prompts for the three essays.  On the day of the final students will draw a number and respond to the prompt number they draw.

AP Language

Presentation week for book club selections!  We will spend most of the week watching these presentations.  Fourth period is a little compressed due to the EOCT's taking place in other subjects on Wednesday and Thursday.  It is extremely important, therefore, that students be ready to go at the beginning of class.  Remember also to have backup plans in the event technology does not work or something else goes awry.

Details about the final exam should be distributed on Wednesday.  I will also make it a point to post them on this blog.

Honors American Literature

Week of December 12

We will finish vocabulary exercises for unit 7 on Monday and add to character lists for The Crucible.  During the rest of the week we will complete reading the play and begin reviewing for final exams.  More details will be posted later in the week about the content of the exams.  Students have most of the notes and study guides they will need to study already.  If anyone would like a more detailed study guide for The Crucible (beyond the character list), see the left side of my blog.

AP Language

Week of 12/5

We have been busy working on our first synthesis essay of the semester.  Students have been given extended time to complete the essay since it is the first attempt.  My main goal at this point is to expose them to the time pressures of reading the source material and synthesizing the information into a cohesive argument supported by the sources.  Students will be reflecting on their essays and peer editing as a further exercise to reinforce the important aspects of synthesis and argument.

Students have also been given more detailed information about the expectations for the book club presentations beginning Monday (date was extended from Friday to Monday).  They are turning in their planning sheets to me in their book club folders and will be given time during the week to plan their presentations during their book club meetings.  As mentioned before, these will begin on Monday.  We are extremely pressed for time, due to the EOCTs that are taking place next week that have compressed the schedule in some classes.  It is important that students are prepared, and have back-up plans in the event that something unexpected happens (like the internet going down).  We will not have time to push presentations to the next day.  Since on two of the days class time has been cut in half, groups going on those days need to be on-time and set up by the beginning of class.  Plan ahead!

Our last Wordmaster's Challenge will take place on Thursday of this week. 

Honors American Literature

Week of 12/5

Remember the revisions on the debate paper are due on Tuesday.  Both the old version and the revised version are required for the extra points.  The revised version needs to highlight all modifications.

The extra credit project is due on Thursday.  The points added to two minor grades will be commensurate with whether the presentation is above standards or meets standards.  A below standards project will earn no points.  Make sure to carefully review the rubric and be prepared.  No-shows for the presentation will not earn extra credit.  Make sure all members have copies of the presentation, so that someone doesn't leave you high and dry. 

Most of the week we will be finishing The Crucible.  Please make sure to make notes on your character sheets after reading each day.  On Friday, we will do our last vocabulary exercises for the semester (unit 7).  We will also be undertaking our final Wordmaster's Challenge.

Honors American Literature

Upcoming due dates:  To receive revision points on your debate papers, you need to turn in a revised (typed) version with the first version (graded).  This is due on Tuesday.

The extra credit project (on various topics regarding McCarthyism and the biographical background of people who appear in The Crucible) is due on Thursday.   Make sure you have signed up for the project with me and received a copy of both the rubric and the questions that need to be answered as part of your presentation.  Since this is extra credit, I have to hold to the due date.  If you are out and do not participate in the presentation, you will not receive the extra credit, regardless of what you contributed to the project.  The project itself is a presentation project.