Chula Vista Learning Community Charter High School

AP English Literature
Course Syllabus
2016-2017
Instructor: Mr. Halterman
Classroom: George Washington University
E-mail: eric.halterman@cvesd.org
Weebly: http://cvlcchshalterman.weebly.com/
Office Hours: Mondays 2:45-3:45
Welcome!
Salutations, friends! It is an absolute pleasure to meet and welcome all of you to our AP
Literature course here at CVLCC High School. Since this is a college-level course, you can
expect college-level rigor; my expectations of the quality of work you deliver will be extremely
high. As such, I expect nothing but the absolute best from each and every one of you. This will,
of course, be a reciprocated endeavor; I will work to make sure each class is organized and
delivered much like a university class with the aforementioned expectation of your behavior in
mind.
Due to the fact that this is a literature course, most of your assignments will deal greatly with
literary themes and genres such as (but not limited to): poetry and poetic conventions, novels,
short stories, plays and essays. We will go into more detail as the year goes on as to what each of
these elements entail, but I can assure you, everything is designed in order to teach you what
college literature classes consist of as well as to better prepare you for the AP examination this
May. I wish you the absolute best of luck this year!

Course Objectives
The main objective of this course is to build on students prior knowledge of the various
elements of the English language as well as to foster an understanding and appreciation for
literature. My goal is not to turn each and every student into a lover of all things literary (though
this would be absolutely incredible). Instead, we are going to work to develop our understanding
of literature, the time periods in which they were written, the societal implications of said pieces,
how they have influenced what we read and see today, as well as (possibly most importantly) to
better develop students analytical abilities. I can promise you that very little of what you read
will only be as complex as what is seen on the surface; you will need to dig deeper to formulate
and foster a better comprehension of what is in front of you.
We will also be working a great deal with the AP examination. Of course we cannot see what
will be in front of you in May, but many of our lessons will help you figure out how best to
tackle the exam and how best to plan and strategize your time. THE AP EXAM IS
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT; MANY ADULTS STRUGGLE TO PASS. TRUST ME. Fear not!
We will work to make you all confident as well as augment your academic abilities which will
prepare you for college and life outside of your schooling!

Grading
Now the moment youve all been waiting for. Essentially, you will be graded in accordance to
the following elements:
1. In-class writing assignments (VERY LITTLE AT-HOME ESSAYS WILL BE
ASSIGNED)
2. At-home writing assignments when applicable
3. Collaborative group work
4. Class participation
5. Tests/Quizzes
6. Any and all assignments related to our readings

Literature Overview
The tentative main reading list is as follows. This is all subject to change at the instructors
discretion.
The Canterbury Tales (excerpts) Geoffrey Chaucer
Frankenstein Mary Shelley
Paradise Lost (excerpts)
Macbeth William Shakespeare
The Crucible Arthur Miller
The Stranger Albert Camus
The Road Cormac McCarthy
Various poetry from different eras

Keep in mind that other reading assignments will be presented throughout the year to help foster
understanding of what we are reading. This seems like a lot of reading at first glance, but I
promise you, it is worth it!

Required Materials
Students are expected to bring their laptops, notebooks/binders, pens and required readings on a
daily basis.

Class Policies
1. Be respectful at all times. (I should not have to explain what this means or what it
constitutes; you all know the drill).
2. No electronic devices can be used without my permission. Any phones/other devices
being used without prior approval will be taken until the end of the day.
3. Food and drink are NOT allowed.
4. Regarding late work: if you miss a dude date, you lose the points. Simple. Assignments
will be docked 15% the first day it is late, 30% the second day and will not be accepted
after three days. If you know you cannot make a due date or life happens (I understand
people get sick and family emergencies occur), please let me know ASAP and we can
work something out!

Academic Expectations
1. All written work turned in will be written (legibly) in black or blue ink. Any assignment
written in pencil will be docked points. Any typed assignment will follow MLA
formatting (typed, 12-point font, double spaced, etc.)
2. Notebooks and/or loose leaf paper are a daily requirement.
3. Sloppy work will be given back to the students for immediate revision and loss of points.

Grading Weights:
Homework

10%

Classwork

20%

Tests/Quizzes

30%

Independent/Projects

20%

Participation/Collaboration

20%

Grading Standards
Letter Grade
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CINC

Percentage
97-100
93-96
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
0-69

Academic Honesty
Students will be expected to adhere to standards of academic integrity. All assignments must be
original work, clear and error-free to the best of the students knowledge. All ideas/materials
borrowed from other sources must be properly cited so I know from where the source of the
information originated. Any instances of cheating or dishonesty will result in immediate loss of
credit and further academic consequences. This is fair enough to abide by. In college, you could
easily be expelled for even ONE instance of academic dishonesty. Please do not do this.
Again, welcome to our class! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to get
ahold of me!

Year Plan
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4

Introduction to AP Lit
and Poetry
Allusions and Meaning
in Literature
Shakespeare and
Dramatic Comparisons
The Heros Journey

PARENT/STUDENT AGREEMENT
I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME.
STUDENT NAME:______________________________________________________
STUDENT SIGNATURE:_________________________________________________
STUDENT G-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________________________
I UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MY CHILD.
PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME:_____________________________________________
PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE:_________________________________________
E-MAIL:_____________________________________________________________