End of 1st Quarter/Beginning of 2nd Quarter

Based on how 1st Quarter went, there are some key reminders that need to made:

Your journal is IMPORTANT!  Not only is it one of your few grades every quarter, it is also the ONLY evidence you have that you are working on and improving your critical reading skills. Since that is one of the key objectives of the class, you definitely need that evidence. This quarter's grade was not so much about quality as it was about effort.  Obviously we don't expect you to have mastered critical reading, but we did expect you to begin understanding what it is and have a baseline of evidence to show where you are at this point.  Articles of the week, journal questions over key class readings, and in-class activities that ask you to practice critical reading are expected to be in your journal.  If you miss class on one of those days, you are still expected to make it up. Virtually all assignments that can be made up are posted on the blog.  In addition, your journal is also a writer's notebook.  It is a place for in-class writing activities, prompts, and reflections on AoW's that may be inspiration for future arguments of your own.  Do NOT neglect your journal!

Pay attention to the blog posts and resources as well as the AP Lang Google calendar.  If you have a smart phone and your AP Lang assignments aren't linked to it or you haven't arranged to get a text message or other notification, you should rectify that situation TODAY.  Important reminders and deadlines are posted on the calendar that will not necessarily be covered in class.  Make sure you are either checking the calendar regularly OR you get it sent to you in email, text, or calendar syncing form.  If you don't have a smart phone or regular access to the internet, go print off the calendar for the next two months.  It will be updated for the rest of the semester by the end of this week.

Now for 2nd Quarter:

So far, your writing has included a 52 Mondays project, FFN analysis, and your definition argument.  You will be getting teacher feedback on your definition D2 within the week.  You will be expected to revise it, finalize it, and write a critical reflection over the process that paper went through before the end of 2nd quarter.  That paper will have a stand-alone grade.

The other major writing grade for 2nd quarter will be a portfolio of work you will put together to demonstrate a number of criteria.  Your finished portfolio must contain a minimum of two new pieces PLUS your definition final draft and a paper applying Nabokov's rules for readers and writers to your independent reading book.  You may also choose to include your 52 Mondays project or FFN paper if you like.  Below is the list of things your portfolio should show you understand AND can use effectively in your writing.

• Pathos, logos, and ethos
• Various modes to include definition, narrative, compare/contrast, and exposition
• Effective rhetorical devices
• Evidence to convince
• Clear purpose and audience in each piece
• Standard written English
• Correct MLA format and parenthetical citations—at 100% (Nabokov paper should do this)
• Multiple drafts with revision based on feedback
• Concise but convincing explanations
• Smooth transitions and effective, interesting vocabulary
• Effective use of the rhetorical model of writing for all pieces

To receive an A, you must also show evidence of your own helpful feedback as a peer responder.


In the coming weeks, you will journal about writing prompts, read model arguments, and work on additional rhetoric beyond ethos, pathos, logos, and figurative language.  You will also have numerous opportunities to give and receive peer feedback as well as teacher feedback on your writing.  Don't forget that any journal prompts or AoW's you've already written about can be inspiration for portfolio pieces.  You choose your topics, your audience, and your purpose.  In the end, you need to show all of the criteria above, but the way you do it and the kind of writing you use is completely up to you.


Get started today by journaling on one of these prompts:

1.  If you had $100,000 you couldn't spend on yourself, what would you do with it?


2.  The best lesson my grandparent (or any other relative) ever taught me was...


3.  Why do you think some people take advantage of others?