C Lee Ann Spillane, Ed.S.

, NBCT
O Cypress Creek High School
Your Name: ________________________
N 1101 Bear Crossing Dr.
T Orlando, FL 32824 Parent Signature: ___________________
A
C classroom phone: 40-7.852.3400 ext. 2689
T cell: 321.945.7984 (texting okay)
class web page: http://www.laspillane.net “This isn’t a popularity contest, it’s not the
I email: [email protected] moral Olympics, and it’s not church. But it’s
N School Social Network: writing…not washing the car or putting on
F http://www.bearenglish.ning.com eyeliner. If you can take it seriously, we can do
O business…” (108)

~ Stephen King, On Writing

AP Language & Composition Syllabus

Course Description
AP Language and Composition is a college level critical reading and writing course. As King says,
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” We will read,
interpret, analyze and write every day. Students will write numerous essays in class and at home
exploring such rhetorical modes as narration, description, argumentation and exposition—among
others. Course reading assignments are primarily non-fiction (essays, letters, speeches,
biographical excerpts, pamphlets, and articles), but will also include novelsfrom the American
literature curriculum. All students are expected to take the AP Language exam in May. Students
who do not show up for the exam or who sleep through the exam will be expected to reimburse
the school $85 for the cost of the exam.

Goals
I want you to become avid readers and confident writers in a nurturing environment that
is interactive and dynamic where we all can speak up and share our ideas and our writing.
This requires daily commitment from each of us—achieving nearly perfect attendance;
arriving with all supplies and completed homework assignments, engaging in class
discussion; taking risks with assignments to go beyond what you have always done, and
accepting responsibility for your own learning and growth.

My goals are for students to…

 develop as critical thinkers capable of participating thoughtfully in learning
communities and in our democratic society,
 read, understand, interpret and analyze texts from many genres,
 recognize and write in a variety of modes: narrative, expository and persuasive,
 discuss and write about a variety of texts,
 develop and sustain reading habits and personal reading preferences,
 employ the writing process,
 use technology responsibly,
 understand new vocabulary words both connotatively and denotatively,
 read and compose on demand (timed writings),
 employ strategies for answering test questions, and
 create a significant body of personal writings that demonstrate writing
development and “voice.”
Materials Needed:
 3-ring binder (1- 1½ inch); AVID students use AVID binder
 plastic dividers with pockets
 1 pack of clear plastic sheet protectors
 post it notes or tape flags for annotating school-owned books
 notebook paper
 composition notebook (no spirals please)
 USB flash drive
 blue/black ink pens
 Other classroom supplies. If your last name begins with A-K: 1 large box of
Kleenex, L-S: 1 pack of Lysol or other antibacterial wipes, T-Z: 1 pack of copier
paper

Texts: Everything is an Argument, Andrea Lunsford et. al. , Elements of Literature, This Boys Life by
Wolfe, Elements of Style by Strunk and White, Fast Food Nation by Schlosser, Of Mice and Men by
Steinbeck, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, In Cold Blood by Capote, and
other texts from a variety of sources both print and nonprint.

10 Expectations
1 Learn
Learn is our mission. Engage in the process. Cultivate curiosity. Use your interests to
make school more relevant to your life. Learn.

2 Be in Class
Participation is an integral part of this class and something that cannot always be made
up. Be here.

3 Behave Respectfully
We have much more to learn this year than we have time for; this means that wasted time
is lost knowledge. Behaving respectfully also means follow the Code of Conduct and
school rules.

4 Avoid Getting Detention

A student may receive a detention for tardies, and for inappropriate or disrespectufl
behavior in class. Detention forms must be signed by parents/ guardians and returned in
order for students to serve their detention. Failure to report for detention will result in a
loss of all extra credit points earned.

5 Come Prepared
Always have your binder, journal, paper, pens, the appropriate books and a positive
attitude. You will be graded on preparedness. Lack of materials should never hinder
your participation in this class! Extra paper, pens, handouts and such are located at the
table by the door to our classroom.
6 Keep Track of Your Assignments
Use a planner. Subscribe to the class’s calendar. Use the reminder feature on your cell
phone. You need to develop a system to manage your time, and juggle all you want to
accomplish both academically and socially.

7 Communicate
I cannot read your mind. When you have a problem with anything in this class, or in
your life that affects your schoolwork, talk to me, and I will do my best to listen, and to
help in any way I can. I am always here early in the morning, and after school on most
days.

8 Do the Work
ALL work must be completed for this course. If you do not complete the work you
must communicate with me by writing me a note or an email on the day of or before
the class when the assignment is due. Notes should be turned in to the red grades folder
which on the front of my desk. You will have 3 days to do the assignment and turn it in.
If you do not turn your work in, you will be given an academic detention to make up the
work and solve the problem. The highest grade a student may earn on an assignment
made up during an academic detention is a C.

9 Turn in Work
Late work happens. Planes are late. Taxes can be late. My expectation is that you will
turn in your work on time at the beginning of the period or when called for, but late work
is accepted with a point penalty of 1/3 of a letter grade per day including weekends and
holidays. If you are absent, you may email assignments to me at your own risk, or turn
them in upon your return. Students absent unexcused may not receive credit for their
work as per Orange County policy. Parent contact is expected if you are having difficulty
turning in a major assignment on time.

10 Be Honest
Do your own work honestly and to do it to the best of your abilities. Presenting another’s
work as your own is cheating even if you do not get caught. Cite your sources using
MLA format when you use them and give credit where credit is due. Cheating may result
in 3 in conduct, parent/teacher contact, an academic detention, loss of extra credit, an
administrative referral and or removal from the class.

Internet Policy

All communication and information accessible via the OCPS network or the BearEnglish
ning should be considered private property that can be seen by all. You are expected to
abide by general accepted rules of network etiquette. Highlights from the county’s
Internet Policy are noted below:

 Be polite. Do not write or send abusive messages to others.Use appropriate

language. Do not swear, use vulgarities or other inappropriate language.
 Keep personal information private. (address, full name, phone numbers, etc)
 Maintain the integrity of the network (e.g. do not send mass emails, post irascible
comments, download large files or spread viruses)

Please see the Internet Policy in you Student Code of Conduct to review all policies.
Grading:
Grading Scale: A= 90-100, B = 80-89, C= 70-79, D= 60-69, F= 50-59

Assignments and activities are graded in weighted categories as follows:

Class work: 40%

Bellwork, think writes, vocabulary activities, binder checks, Socratic seminar and other
in-class activities.

Tests & Quizzes: 10%

Vocabulary/reading quizzes, unit tests, reading Benchmark tests, AP practice tests.

Homework: 20%
Weekly reader (log + writing), vocabulary and other assignments.

Writing & Projects: 30%

Essays, AP practice tests, note-taking, research papers, ISP (independent study points),
digital projects, Ning participation. Timed AP essays will count more as the year
progresses.

Essay Scores by Quarter

AP Rubric Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Score 25 pts 50 pts 75 pts 100 pts
9 25 50 33.3 100
8+ 23.75 47.5 31.6 95
8 22.5 45 30 90
7 21.25 42.5 28.3 85
6 20 40 26.6 80
5 18.75 37.5 25 75
4 17.5 35 23.3 70
3 16.25 32.5 21.6 65
2 15 30 20 60
1 13.75 27.5 18.3 55

Extra Credit
Students may earn extra credit by reading more on their reading log each week,
completing additional independent study activities. Students who exceed 3 unexcused
absences, 3 tardies or 3 academic detention are not eligible for extra credit.

Attendance Policy for Academic Credit for Grades 9-12

(1) No student shall be awarded a credit unless the student has been in attendance for
instruction for a minimum of 135 hours. The 135 hours required for attendance for
instruction corresponds to twenty (20) absences in a school year or ten (10) absences for
each semester. The principal may provide a student who has been in attendance less than
135 hours an opportunity to receive credit by demonstrating mastery of the student
performance standards in that course of study.

All absences will be marked as unexcused until a written note is received from the parent
within 48 hours of returning to school. Any questions regarding the attendance policy
should be directed to the attendance office (407) 852-2283.

See the Student Code of Conduct or the OCPS website for complete details.