AP Language and Composition

Mr. DeVitis
Room 105 (330) 896-7575 extension 616018

Dear Student,
Welcome to AP Language and Composition. This course combines the study of literary genre
with composition, vocabulary, grammar, and reading skill development. You will be reading
novels, short stories, plays, poems, and nonfictional essays and narratives. You will also be
required to respond to literature and expand your reading, writing, and research skills. Expect
this course to be both challenging and rewarding.
Instructional Philosophy
Instructional models used will include direct instruction, discussion, oral presentations, and
cooperative learning. Students will be expected to complete group work as well as independent
assignments and projects.
Classroom Guidelines
1. Show deference
2. Be seated or in the classroom and en route to seat at the sound of the tone
3. Arrive prepared for class and have only class-related personal effects atop desk
4. Raise your hand and be recognized before speaking or leaving your seat
5. No theft, vandalism, or littering
6. No noisemakers or electronics; cellular telephones are not permitted in the classroom
7. No sleeping
8. No negative colloquialisms
9. No food or candy; the lone acceptable drinkable is water; the lone acceptable vessel is a
clear bottle; all other items will be confiscated
10. No airborne projectiles
11. Do not leave your seat or the classroom until dismissed by the instructor
12. Do not do homework during class unless granted permission; it and any host papers will
be seized and the affiliated teacher will be notified
If you wisely choose to follow the classroom guidelines, then you are choosing the
following consequences:
1. An amicable learning environment for all students

2. Quality education for each individual

3. A safe working environment
If you poorly choose not to follow the classroom guidelines, then you are choosing the
following consequences:
1. Detention
2. Office referral
Materials
notebook and folder
college-ruled loose-leaf paper
two ink pens (traditional blue or black only)
textbooks (Holt Elements of Literature: Essentials of American Literature; The Language
of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric; The Norton Reader: An Anthology of
Nonfiction (Twelfth Edition); and MLA Handbook)
vocabulary book (Vocabulary WorkshopLevel Fand beyond)
paperback books, handouts, journals, and any other supplemental materials
No. 2 pencils
Akron Summit County Public Library card
Principal Works Covered
The Crucible
The Great Gatsby
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
Sundry nonfiction selections
Major Course Assignments and Projects
Laws of Life essay
class and independent reading assignments
in-class writing assignments
formal papers, essays, and presentations
vocabulary and grammar assignments
tests and quizzes
Course Assessments and Grading Scale
Students will be assessed on a point system. Precisely 90 percent of the final mark will be
derived from academic achievement; the remaining 10 percent, academic practice. Each
assignment will be awarded a specific number of points based on the extent and difficulty of the
assignment. Students will also be assessed on their level of participation in the course. The Green
High School grading scale will be employed. The grading scale is as follows:
98-100 = A+
93-97.99 = A
90-92.99 = A-

87-89.99 = B+
83-86.99 = B
80-82.99 = B-

77-79.99 = C+
73-76.99 = C
70-72.99 = C-

67-69.99 = D+
63-66.99 = D
60-62.99 = D-

< 60 = F

The final mark will be determined by doubling the sum of the four nine-week percentages and
adding the midterm and final exam percentages. The resulting figure will be divided by ten to

determine the final percentage. This number will then be rounded (averages ending in .50 and
above will be rounded up to the nearest whole number; averages ending in .49 and below, down
to the nearest whole number). The corresponding letter grade will be assigned. Percentages are
rounded only to determine the final mark. Quarter/semester percentages will not be rounded.
Example Report Card
First Nine Weeks:
Second Nine Weeks
Midterm Exam
Third Nine Weeks
Fourth Nine Weeks
Final Exam
Final Percentage
Final Mark

89.32 = B+
84.65 = B
78.88 = C+
89.91 = B+
87.71 = B+
80.04 = B
86.00 (rounded down from 86.21)
B

Principals Addendum
At Green High School, grades are calculated in all AP classes based on the 90/10 Policy. As a
result, a students grade is divided into two categories: Academic Achievement and Academic
Practice. After a student has had sufficient instruction and practice on a topic, it is then
reasonable to judge his/her mastery of the information or skills in the form of academic
achievement assessments. The purpose is to evaluate how well a student has learned the material.
Ninety percent of the total course grade comes from academic achievement and will consist of
tests (oral, written and performance), some quizzes, some homework, writings, projects or
presentations. Whenever a student learns new material he or she goes through a time of wrestling
with the material before eventually mastering the information or skills. It is expected that a
student will make some mistakes during this learning process. Work completed during this
learning period is considered academic practice. Ten percent of the total course grade comes
from academic practice and will consist of some quizzes, homework, first drafts of writing,
teacher questions during instruction, some worksheets, informal observations or pre-testing.
Assignment Heading Format
Your Name
Teachers Name
Class Name
Date
Title (or assignment)
Sample Heading
S. B. Whitebait
Mr. DeVitis
AP Language and Composition
27 August 2015
Vincent Price Meets Egghead

*All submitted assignments must be penned in blue or black ink. Do not use pencil or any other
colored ink; it will not be accepted. I will let you know which assignments must be typed.
Reading Checkpoints
As you move through the course, you will encounter reading checkpoints (quizzes) that will
appear without warning in order to ensure that you are reading. Passing the checkpoints should
not prove difficult provided that you have completed the reading. If you have not completed the
reading, you will fare poorly on reading checkpoints. You will also be ineffective during
classroom discussions. Students are responsible for making up missed reading checkpoints; be
aware that make-up quizzes are almost certain to be different versions.
Homework
You can expect to have homework virtually every day. You will have a variety of homework
assignments that will be outlined in a weekly syllabus that I will post in the classroom. It is the
students responsibility to make up missed homework assignments. I will not accept late
homework for any reason. No excuses, whether they involve a malfunctioning computer printer
or a dry inkstand, will be accepted.
Papers
All major papers must be typed using 12-point Times New Roman and be 1.5-spaced throughout.
Please put only one space after end punctuation. Papers are required to have one-inch margins on
all boundaries. Do not attempt any legerdemain in an endeavor to stretch your paper. You will be
discovered and penalized. Channel your efforts on the content and quality of your writingnot
its length. I will accept papers one day late at a fifty percent penalty. Simply stated, a perfect
paper that is a day late cannot earn a passing grade. I accept only hard copies of papers placed
into the smoked herring box; any other means of submission are futile.
Make-Up Work
Only those who missed due to an excused absence are eligible to submit make-up work. Do
recall, it is the students responsibility to seek out and complete make-up work. If your absence is
excused, you must complete your missing work in the time allotted. Any work that is not
submitted will receive a zero.
Plagiarism
Any work produced wholly or partly through cheating/plagiarism receives a grade of zero. Those
involved in plagiarism receive a call home and zeroes on any affiliated or ancillary assignments.
Cliffs Notes, SparkNotes, and other supplementary guides
Students may often find Cliffs Notes and other supplementary materials to be helpful in
understanding the text, reviewing the sequence of events, and getting ideas for papers and
classroom discussion. I discourage their use altogether. Moreover, reading Cliffs Notes alone will
not help you pass reading checkpoints (often based on quotes) and will be of little help for papers
and tests. Do not bring any such aids into the classroom.
Tenth Period
Thursday afternoon enrichment sessions focused on the subject at hand. Held from 2:45 until 6.

Restroom Policy
Do not ask to use the restroom unless it is necessary. Sign out and wear a hall pass.
PenPalPolicy
Pens and pencils are rented at a rate of 25 cents per period or block of use. Rental requires a
down payment of 50 cents, 25 cents of which is returned upon remittance of the rented pen. A
pen that is unreturned at the end of the session will be considered purchased, and all monies are
forfeited to the lender, who thus becomes the seller. Exquisite pens will be sold at market price.
Any work produced with a shared pen will result in a zero for all involved parties.
Cellular Telephones and Electronic Devices Policy or Do Not BYOD Policy
Communicative and entertainment electronics, including but not limited to cellular phones,
iPods, and video games, are not permitted in the classroom. If such a device is seen, heard, used,
or even detected, the following four steps will be incontinently taken:
1. Device will be immediately surrendered to the instructor
2. Student will be assigned a detention to be served that afternoon from 2:30-2:50 p.m. Provided
the detention is served in its entirety, the device will be restored to the students
possession at 2:50 p.m.
3. Credit accrued during the block or period in which the violation takes place may be forfeited
at the discretion of the instructor
4. An office referral will be submitted
Retesting Policy
Nonejust as you can expect at the university.
Detention Policy
Twenty-minute detentions are readily assigned to those whose offenses merit punishment. When
a detention has been levied, the violators name, the date of the offense, and the nature of the
offense are written in the detention log. All detentions are to be served afterschoolfrom2:30
2:50.You are responsible for arranging transportation. Students must be prompt, and detentions
must be served in their entirety. Multiple offenses will invariably result in an office referral.
Office cards are submitted daily.
Conference
I am available to answer questions and provide assistance during third period. Outside track
season, I am available to meet you after school. In the event that you wish to arrange a meeting,
speak with me in my classroom. Meetings will be held in 105 during third period. Please indicate
the nature of the meeting so I can have the necessary materials at the ready. I will be available
most days before school.

Parent Signature Form

AP Language and Composition
Please sign and return this portion.
I, the undersigned parent or guardian of _________________________________________, have
reviewed the attached course description and understand the rules and procedures for Language
Arts 11B. If I have any questions or concerns, I know that I can reach you by e-mail at
devitisfrank@greenlocalschools.org or telephone you at (330) 896-7575 extension 616018.
Signature of parent or guardian: ____________________________________________
I, the undersigned student, have read the above course information and understand my
responsibilities in this class.
Signature of student: ______________________________________________________
*Students must return this signed form no later than Friday, September 4. Failure to return the
signed form will result in detention.
To access this document online, go to www.scamels.weebly.com 2. Click AP L & C in pull-down 3. Click
AP Language and Composition Course Description