AP Language & Comp - English 11
This is the year-long AP course in expository writing for Woodbury Juniors. AP Language and Composition is designed to help English students "to write effectively and confidently in their college courses across the curriculum and in their professional and personal lives." (The College Board, AP English Course Description, May 2008, p. 6.)
The course is organized according to the College Board's current guidelines, set forth in the Course Description for Advanced Placement Language & Composition. Woodbury Juniors in AP Comp are expected to read critically, think analytically, and communicate clearly both in writing and speech.
In addition to the essays we read and write, the course will incorporate selections from American fiction. Familiar titles from Woodbury's English Eleven curriculum are represented, including American novels, plays, poems, and short stories. We'll address fiction using rhetorical analysis, close reading analysis, and other literary tools; and we will read for fun!
The Assignment Blog is a guide for Mr. Bratnober's sections of AP Comp (see link, below). ***Please consult the blog for assignments on a daily basis***. Also, please demonstrate your academic sobriety by using the Class Blog to plan ahead; or to stay current with assignments while you are ill; or to take responsibility for academic obligations before you leave on school business or family matters.
In addition to conveying course assignments, the blog includes highly useful links to topics pertinent to success in our class, including links to college writing centers, style guides, and the all-important AP Central site, where details about the May AP exam are set forth.
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Current Events and Homework 
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 Sentence Combining Exercises, pp. 1-15 (904.88 KB)
These will be assigned page by page. Watch the blog for specific assignments.
AAAAA Answers to AP Multiple-Choice Practice Test D (see the first thirty-eight). (3.8 MB)
Here, at long last, are the correct answers to the Multiple-Choice test you took today. Following the answer sheet, please find 2-3 more pages -- the explanations. Thank you very much for your patience with me tonight: my backpack & laptop were "confiscated" as a security precaution in connection with Poetry Out Loud, and it's taken me a while to get them back, to find a stable wireless connection, etc. etc. But now I finally gotta gonnegtion!!
AAAAA Answers to Questions 1-41 from the 2012 M-C exam, Form A (314.28 KB)
Check your test against these answers and come up with your percentage. For example 33/41 = approximately 80%. In this case, the student could then proceed to the Algorithm (also here on ClassJump), enter 80% x 54, and calculate the range in which he or she would need to score on the Essay portion of the test in order to make an overall score of 4 or 5.
 The College Essay (21.77 KB)
Here is the assignment for the College Essay. The total length should be about 750 words -- roughly two pages, typed and double-spaced, in 12-pt. font, with one-inch margins. First Draft: Monday, May 20.
SYNTHESIS ESSAYS
2009B Synthesis Essay (14.1 KB)
2010B Synthesis Essay on Daylight Savings Time (26.53 KB)
2007 Essay on Museum Curators (14.72 KB)
Synthesis essay on the Effects of TV Advertising (14.08 KB)
AP Target Papers for the 2012 Synthesis Essay: USPO Redesign? (1.86 MB)
See the first four papers (KK, A, B, W) for the essays that received even-numbered scores -- 2, 4, 6, 8, but not necessarily in that order. Assign the appropriate scores, explaining your reasons. The remaining five essays, starting with Y (the 9), are the odd-numbered essays: 9-7-5-3-1, in that order.
Rhetorical Analysis of Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address
Excerpt from TEAM OF RIVALS, by Doris Kearns Goodwin (2005) (681.22 KB)
This biography was one of Spielberg's primary sources for his recent film LINCOLN (2012). Daniel Day-Lewis has stated that he was a fan, too. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and political observer Doris Kearns Goodwin devotes these pages to Lincoln's conception of his Second Inaugural Address. It might be a worthwhile experiment to see whether you can sense the voice of Spielberg's movie as you read this excerpt.
Template for a Rhetorical Analysis essay on Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address (593.16 KB)
This is a Just-In-Case copy of the suggested format for your RA essay on Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural. This is primarily intended for students who may have misplaced their copies, or who never received a copy; however, it may also prove useful to students who wish to work with a new blank copy of the document as they draft essays on Lincoln's wise & enduring words.
Excerpt from David Herbert Donald's LINCOLN (1995) (4.12 MB)
According to Geoffrey C. Ward, "Mr. Donald's LINCOLN is so lucid and richly researched, so careful and compelling, that it is hard to imagine a more satisfying (biography) of our most admired and least understood president" (New York Times Book Review, 1995). This beautifully composed segment reconstructs Lincoln's Inauguration Day ~ March 4, 1865.
AAAAA AP EXAM FINAL REVIEW, MAY 4-10
AP English Multiple-Choice Segments (3.95 MB)
These are tough segments from McGraw-Hill's 5 STEPS TO A 5: 500 QUESTIONS, by Allyson Ambrose. The questions are sensible and even-handed, but the readings themselves will require you to concentrate. I suggest practicing by **reading very slowly** -- only as fast as you can "trace-read" a passage with your moving index finger. Also, please consider printing out the segments you work on, so you can highlight, draw arrows, etc., just as I'm sure you will on Friday's AP exam. The answers to items 1-190 are at the back of the .PDF file -- work through one whole segment first; then see well how you did (pp. 171-189). Working through these segments rigorously -- one or two per day -- will set you up for success on Friday, May 10.
Pages 56 and 57, rescanned (1.18 MB)
Here are the two pages I scanned vertically, reset in horizontal mode. (You may still need to rotate these to a horizontal position in your Adobe Reader, but at least the full text is there now. :)
David Klingenberger's Analysis of & Observations on the Multiple-Choice Questions (516.93 KB)
Sentence Types and Sentence Variations (606.28 KB)
See the following straightforward list based on "I threw the ball."
AAAA DESIGNING AND DRAFTING THE SYNTHESIS ESSAY
Mediocre Quotation vs. Excellent Quotation, according to They Say / I Say (17.87 KB)
See two distinct approaches to a quoted passage by author Susan Bordo. The first approach exemplifies what Graff and Birkenstein call the "Hit and Run" quotation. The authors then offer corrective techniques for introducing the quotation and explaining it. Last, the authors provide the revised citation -- a significant improvement over the "Hit and Run."
Steps for Assembling the Synthesis Essay (79.58 KB)
These six steps take you from studying the prompt to your draft thesis statement. From there they advance to reading and annotating your examples. And from there they go to tweaking your plan and beginning to write an argument with research.
Brainstorm "Issues" for the 2009 Form A Synthesis essay on Space Exploration (138.78 KB)
These are eight possible issues to consider including in the AP Synthesis essay on space exploration. These issues arose from students' essays written on Monday, April 15, 2013.
AAAA PREFACE AND "THEY SAY" chapter from 'They Say // I Say' (843.44 KB)
Here are the first few pages of Gary Graff's modern masterpiece on demystifying academic writing.
AAAA "I Say," by Graff & Birkenstein (4.57 MB)
These sections contain The Juice -- both for the AP Argument essay and the AP Synthesis essay. See, especially, the last part of "I Say," pages 93-101: Chapter 7, entitled "So What? Who Cares?" Here the authors come close to the heart of successful argumentative writing. Very, very close.
VOCABULARY
Vocabulary Words for the Final Exam - Nov. 27 or 28 (88.52 KB)
These are the words. Know them. Use them. Amaze your family at dinner.
Tone Words (1.27 MB)
These are helpful words for AP English students to know and use, for they characterize tone, mood, or attitude in the language of others. You already know many of the words on this list; therefore, you might do best to review familiar words and then to focus on words you don't already know.
Winter Letter of Self-Evaluation, addressed to Mr. Bratnober
Winter Letter of Self-Assessment, addressed to Mr. Bratnober (179.7 KB)
All is revealed. See the adjusted due time.
Letter to Mr. Bratnober - November 2012
Assignment for the Letter to Mr. B. (180.01 KB)
This is an exact copy of the assignment I handed out on Wednesday, Nov. 21.
Chicago example #1 - Letter of Self-Assessment (203.28 KB)
The Chicago letters are very similar to ours in tone and format (including overall length); however, as you will see, some of the contents are different from the material we have covered in our course this fall.
Chicago example #2 - Letter of Self-Assessment (300.05 KB)
The Chicago letters are very similar to ours in tone and format (including overall length); however, as you will see, some of the contents are different from the material we have covered in our course this fall.
Chicago example #3 - Letter of Self-Assessment (242.6 KB)
The Chicago letters are very similar to ours in tone and format (including overall length); however, as you will see, some of the contents are different from the material we have covered in our course this fall.
Format for the Letter to Mr. Bratnober (106.22 KB)
Check this document for details about the format of your letter. If there is anything about format that still puzzles you after you have read this document, please don't hesitate to drop by with questions. I will be here at 7:30 a.m. each day this week.
Current WHS Student ARGUMENT Essays
"Animal Farm" response to Compulsory Voting prompt (76.21 KB)
This student makes good use of George Orwell's Animal Farm as a central metaphor for her strong position with respect to voter turnout.
Chapter 3 from LOC
ANALYZING ARGUMENTS - Chapter 3 of LOC (4.79 MB)
On Thursday night, please read pp. 81-114. You would do well to take notes, jotting down key concepts and terms as you read.
Determining your AP Score
Calculations for AP Scores (57.65 KB)
You can use this equation to determine, given your current Multiple-Choice score, the ranges of points on the Essays you would need in order to hit an overall AP score of 3, 4, or 5. (Notice the chart at the very bottom, for it specifies the range of points required for each score.) The source of this information is the 2012-2013 edition of "5 Steps to a 5," by Barbara L. Murphy and Estelle M. Rankin (McGraw-Hill).
Everything's an Argument
Chapter 9 of Everything's an Argument: EVALUATION (4.01 MB)
See this 25-page chapter as a basis for the Film Review you compose on Tuesday night. Write your 1- or 2-page review about any mainstream film you have seen in the last year.
Interesting Articles from Current American Magazines
Sassy New Yorker profile of Kid Rock (1.97 MB)
This profile appeared in the Nov. 19, 2012, issue of The New Yorker. The title of the essay, "Badass American," evinces Kid Rock's personal mystique. However, the style of the piece is in the mode of the classic New Yorker profile: comprehensive, fair-minded, and somehow, as a result, wickedly entertaining. (Sample: "To his credit, (Kid Rock) has never quite shaken his allergy to good taste...")
Rhetorical Analysis essays on DEBRA MARQUART, Fall Trimester 2012
WHS Junior in 2nd Pd., Fall Trimester 2012 (225.28 KB)
WHS Junior in 2nd Pd., Fall Trimester 2012 (213.65 KB)
WHS Junior in 2nd Period, Fall Trimester 2012 (196.65 KB)
WHS Junior in 3rd Period, Fall Trimester, 2012 (201.68 KB)
Mr. B. takes a shot at the Marquart essay (224.22 KB)
Short Fiction
"On Arrival in Winnetka," by Jim Gertmenian (262.12 KB)
This is a short story by a Twin Cities author -- a friend of Mr. Bratnober.
TIPS FOR FRIDAY'S IN-CLASS ESSAY #5
 PowerPoint on Nerds & Geeks, plus... (580.95 KB)
This is the PowerPoint I showed you last week. However, it has some added points at the end for those who care to look.
Some notes on composing an essay of rhetorical analysis (121.54 KB)
Some final pointers. Good luck tomorrow!!
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
Glossary of Words and Expressions in Chapter One (18.92 KB)
These should help. You're likely to discover other interesting words and ideas -- these will get the ball rolling.
Quiz on Chapter Six (21.64 KB)
Please take this quiz on the Bubble Sheet you brought home from class today. Bring your results to class on Thursday. (NOTE: Please remember that we will *also* have a Fishbowl Discussion on CHAPTER SEVEN.)
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
TWO MARRIAGE PROPOSALS (93.62 KB)
Read these two proposals. Then, in an outline for a prospective essay, compare the rhetorical strategies used by each of the men.
Two Takes on the Environment (773.26 KB)
See the AP prompt and design the outline of an essay you would write in response.
Methods for Setting Up a Compare & Contrast essay-outline. (15.64 KB)
Please note that I've used two HYPOTHETICAL characters for my sample outlines. These are not intended to replicate the characters in the two Marriage Proposals or in Wilson's Dueling Environmentalists. They are "dummy" characters -- generic, hypothetical people to help(??) you see how this is done.
Resources for Studying & Evaluating the BARRY ESSAY on scientific research
Preparing to Score the Barry Essay on Tuesday (12.51 KB)
This instruction sheet explains how to use the 2008 AP exam online. This will be especially important for students who miss class on Monday, Oct. 29, as we'll score the Barry essays this Tuesday. For Tuesday's class, please reread the essay, read the three (3) student essays, and read the Scoring Commentary.
Another example of a 9 essay on Barry (388.75 KB)
Barry paper on certainty and doubt.
Here is an example of an 8 (289.78 KB)
Barry essay on certainty and doubt.
Here is a 6 on the Barry essay. (357.15 KB)
If you scored a 4 or a 5 or a 5.5 on the Barry, it would be good for you to read this "solid 6."
This is a 4 on the Barry essay (225.04 KB)
If you're not sure why you scored a 4, this is an "anchor paper" from the College Board for the score of 4 on the Barry essay regarding certainty and doubt.
Here is a 2 on the Barry essay (552.81 KB)
"This essay demonstrates little success" -- the College Board. Read it and see why.
Scoring Commentary on the Five Latest Barry essays (225.86 KB)
These are the judges' comments on the 9, the 8, the 6, the 4, and the 2. See especially, the 6, 8, and 9 essays.
Orwell and Gandhi
Orwell's Essay on Gandhi (114.71 KB)
This includes the AP essay prompt and Orwell's essay. Design an outline -- a plan -- for an essay in response. Annotate your copy of Orwell's essay to show which sections you would quote in your own essay.
AP Version of the Orwell-Gandhi essay (62.82 KB)
Plan an outline as if you were about to write a rhetorical analysis.
General AP Materials
 Course Outline for AP Lang and Comp (30.72 KB)
Major units of study in AP Language and Composition.
Information on the AP Exam in Language and Composition (29.18 KB)
General information, including advice on practice booklets, the structure of the exam, and a link to AP Central.
Free Access to the Oxford English Dictionary (25.09 KB)
Win ALL arguments about words and their definitions! Win bets! To access the OED from school or from home, follow the instructions in this brief article.
AP Scoring Guidelines for Rhetorical Analysis. (151.51 KB)
This is the scoring rubric for the Rhetorical Analysis essay: Question 2 on the AP exam. You can find many examples of past essay prompts, paired with student responses and scorers' evaluations, at the AP Central website.
2nd, 3rd, and 5th Period responses to the Michael Pollan essay, "What's Eating America?". (142.76 KB)
Could you build a reasonable essay from these responses? How would you organize your paper? What quotations and/or observations would you add?
AAA Responses to the JFK rhetorical analysis essays (21.92 KB)
Almost everyone who received a 3, a 4, or a 5 struggled with some of these problems. Think back to your own essay as you review them. If you received a 6, you'll probably need to sharpen your pencil on some if these in order to raise your scores to the 7 or 8 range.
Affect and Effect -- distinctions and definitions (124.26 KB)
See this document for help in distinguishing the various meanings and uses of these two words.
Another 9 essay on Florence Kelley's speech. (197.35 KB)
Notice how this *student* author DEVELOPS his or her analysis. The analysis tracks along with FK's speech, noting its moves and tracing its architecture, even as it studies details of language.
The Multi-Draft Essay -- Rhetorical Analysis of your Summer Reading Selection
Multi-Draft Essay Assignment (15.82 KB)
Here it is. A calendar of deadlines will follow shortly. Think about the two passages you will write about.
Calendar of Deadlines for the Multi-Draft Essay (65.54 KB)
You would do well to **print out** a copy of this calendar and keep it near your desk at home.
Format UNCOMPRESSED (29.36 KB)
This student writer has not yet defeated the automatic formatting in Word (Microsoft or Mac).
Format MARKUP (47.83 KB)
This is the same document; however, here the intended changes are set forth in red ink.
Format VICTORY! (44.43 KB)
Here is the finished product, with all the changes successfully installed. This is what your format should look like when you submit your essay, because this is MLA format.
PowerPoint Notes(1) on the 2nd Drafts of your RA papers (575.11 KB)
Notes shared in class on Monday, Oct. 22, regarding various issues in the papers: introductory phrases, punctuation, and more.
PowerPoint Notes(2) -- Rocking the Cumulative Sentence. (427.95 KB)
Notes on cumulative syntax, concision, explicitness, and more.
The Capstone Argument Essay
ASSIGNMENT for the Capstone Argument Essay (32.77 KB)
This lays out the assignment. All four prompts are here. (See separate documents for the Calendar of Deadlines and the Grading Rubric.)
RUBRIC for the Capstone Argument Essay (30.21 KB)
This is the scoring rubric for the essay. Please read it carefully and attach a copy to one of the essays your bring in for Peer Editing.
CALENDAR OF DEADLINES and FORMAT for the Capstone Argument Essay. (22.53 KB)
This shares details pertaining to the due-dates and the format.
Paragraph Formation
Suggested Form for Body Paragraphs in the Argument Essay (23.55 KB)
This shares a straightforward scheme for body paragraphs:
1. claim (topic sentence)
2. evidence
3. interpretation of the evidence
4. clincher and/or transition.
Needless to say, real paragraphs can and do vary from this scheme; however, the scheme is a good one to keep in mind, especially for a timed essay like ours.
Thomas Paine example (23.04 KB)
This paragraph comes from a student's AP essay in response to the Thomas Paine prompt -- Question 3 in 2001 (Form A). Claim. Evidence. Interpretation. Clincher.
Student essay where the work is spread over two paragraphs. (23.04 KB)
Claim. Evidence. Interpretation. Clincher.
Body Paragraph on Louis XVI (22.53 KB)
This paragraph comes from a student's AP essay in response to the 2010 argument prompt on the influence of humor. It's a good example of the paragraph structure of claim / evidence / interpretation / clincher, especially given the circumstances of a timed essay.
On Paragraphs: from the 10th Grade English textbook (803.84 KB)
This helpful article discusses the fundamentals of forming paragraphs
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAYS
2010 Essay on Banneker (27.7 KB)
Rhetorical Analysis essay (25.6 KB)
2006 Essay on Hazlit (19.58 KB)
2007 RA essay (27.65 KB)
2011A Essay (12.92 KB)
Rhetorical Analysis essay on the Downe letter (12.4 KB)
2009 Essay on Edward O. Wilson (13.25 KB)
ARGUMENT ESSAYS
2009 Arg. Essay on Horace and Adversity (18.65 KB)
2010 Arg. Essay on Comedy - de Botton (13.2 KB)
Arg. Essays from 2004 and 2006 (17.53 KB)
2006 Argument Essay (26.24 KB)
Argument Essay on George Kennan passage (11.13 KB)
Arg. (16.81 KB)
Florence Kelley's Speech on Child Labor
Strategies for Scoring a '9' on the Florence Kelley essay (16.89 KB)
Here's an outline of key components of '9' essays. These qualities are drawn from AP target papers (of 9) and AP readers' commentary on '9' essays.
Another 9 essay on Florence Kelley's speech. (197.35 KB)
Notice how this *student* author DEVELOPS his or her analysis. The analysis tracks along with FK's speech, noting its moves and tracing its architecture, even as it studies details of language.
Comments on the Florence Kelley essays (13.98 KB)
Some praise(!!), along with several suggestions about how to improve RA essays.
SENTENCE COMBINING
Sentence Combining Exercises, pp. 1-15 (904.88 KB)
These will be assigned page by page. Watch the blog for specific assignments.
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