Top-Ten: Why Learn Coding in High School (and ... get college credit to boot)

Top-10 Reasons: 

Why You Should Sign-up for AP Computer Science Principles

 By Margaret (Peggy) Morrow, Ph.D.

Homeschool Connections is offering a brand new AP-level Computer Science course in the upcoming school year. We hope you'll consider joining us! 

1. To Help You Discern God’s Will. According to Bishop Barron’s recent eBook, How to Discern God’s Will For Your Life, in the end, all discernment boils down to one ultimate goal: finding the path of greatest love. If you are passionate about all things tech, this course will help you discern whether you should pursue further study. If you find God’s will calls you to only have some basic background in order to follow the path of greatest love He is calling you to, you’ll be prepared for your vocation!
2. You Can Love Computer Science Without Being a Fan of Video Games and All Things Tech. Okay, I admit it, I worked in the field of computer science for almost 20 years, and I am not a fan of video games! Additionally, my spouse loves having and using the latest technology while I am happy with a flip phone. My gifts include: organizing data and structures, and listening to people who are far more gifted than me in math, science, and the creative aspects of projects. With their help, I can document, explain, and package their work for customers. I love teaching computer science!   
3. Apply Your Special Talents and Interests. Students get to choose both what they create and what they research for the in-class portion of the exam. Additionally, they get to choose what software tool they use to create their products!!! Do you like animation, or would you like to research the evolution of computer animations in children’s movies? Are you a fan of a specific virtual reality game? Would you like to explore computing’s role in the evolution of weather modeling? Do you want to know how the Vatican keeps its cyber systems secure? Since computer science is applied everywhere in our world, you can explore your own unique creative perspective.
4. Needed Skills for a Variety of Occupations and Ability Levels. I once went on a mission trip to Honduras and relied on the limited amount of Spanish I had learned in middle school. My basic understanding of the language allowed me to communicate, read road signs, restroom signs, greet people, and enjoy the great culture. For situations that required a language expert, I was blessed to have an NSA Spanish language translator traveling with me! Since the tools and products of computer science are a part of all 21st-century occupations, having at least a basic understanding of the structure of programming languages and how products are created will help you to navigate foreign territory even if you only know the basics.
5. Make Amazing Apps! The course will make use of the Mobile-CSP Curriculum, which was developed by two Catholic Colleges:  Trinity College and The College of St. Scholastica.  According to the project's’ website: you will learn computer science by building socially useful mobile apps. In addition to programming and computer science principles, the course is project-based and emphasizes writing, communication, collaboration, and creativity.  So you will use multiple skills!
6. Enormous Career Possibilities - job openings in computer science related fields are growing faster than most other occupations according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics!!! Additionally, the opportunities exist in lots of sectors of the economy. For example, computer science professionals work everywhere both geographically and professionally including hospitals, municipalities, corporations, diocesan offices, schools, governments, Kansas, New York, Ireland, Dubai, your home office, etc.
7. In-class Collaborative Exam - AP Computer Science Principles is the first and ONLY AP course offered to High School students with an in-class portion of the AP exam. This portion of the exam counts for 40% of the exam grade.  If you like working with a partner, 24% of the in-class exam can be created either with a partner or individually.  In the 2016-2017 school year, the first year the course was launched, the course was very popular with 45,000 students completing the exam!
8. Dress Code - the field of computer science accommodates all tastes in dress code.  For example, some firms require formal dress while others only require that you are dressed.  For the later, a tee-shirt and shorts are apropos.  Whatever your style, you’ll find a job that will support your tastes!
9. Culturally Diverse Workplace - because computer scientists are in short supply, the U.S. tends to import workers from around the world.   Additionally, jobs in other countries are plentiful.  Working in the field of computer science provided me with the experience of being able to learn about and experience other cultures.  For example, after spending the day going to church and hiking with my family, a Mexican coworker gave me beautiful Guadalupe candles as a thank you gift.  Additionally, I learned first-hand about the 1989 Tiananmen Square student-led protests from a coworker that had been there!
10. Protection from cyber crimes and cyber warfare - From the time of Adam and Eve through more recent times the technology of crime and warfare has evolved.  Additionally, cyber crime and cyber warfare are both on the rise.  Recent problems with the U.S. election, malware attacks on personal and corporate computers, and the rise of fake news testify to the growing problems.  Likewise, the success of various attacks indicates that both individuals and countries need to build-up their computer science based defense systems.  Recent estimates project the U.S. economies’ cost of cybercrime as ranging between $450 Billion to $2 Trillion dollars a year, and cyber warfare costs run in the trillions of dollars. In order to minimize the impact, corporations, individuals, and governments are increasing their spending on computer science-based products to defend against both threats.  Consequently, skilled individuals are needed to ward off attacks on the power grid, businesses, personal identity and credit, and government.   On a personal note, I am currently the beneficiary of three different credit monitoring services due to workplace and retail hacks. Despite these services, I wonder where and when the next personal threat will arise.

Advanced Placement (AP): Literature and Composition

AP: Literature and Composition; What Good is a Good Story, Part One

(click on course title to register)

ADDENDUM: The course fee has been reduced to $245.00

Note: This is a 2-part course. Students are expected to also register for Part Two in the spring semester.

Class dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, Sept. 4 to Dec. 13, 2011. No class Nov. 1 and Nov. 21.

Total classes: 28

Starting time: 8:00 pm Eastern (7:00 Central)

Duration: 1 hour

Prerequisite: Students should be ready for upper division English and 17- to 18-years old. Instructor’s permission is required for students 16-years old or under. Students are expected to take the AP test (May 9, 2013)

High school credit: One full semester

Suggested grade level: 11^th to 12^th

Fee: $245 for all 28 classes. Note: enrollment is limited.

Instructor: Laurie Navar Gill, M. Ed.

Course description: This course syllabus has been approved by the College Board to bear the designation “AP.” All students in the class will be receiving a preparation that will help them to succeed on the AP Literature and Composition exam, which many students take for Advanced College Credit. You may also be eligible for a weighted grade.

                  The course approaches the goals of AP Literature through a Catholic lens. The primary themes under consideration are God’s universal charity and the consequences of sin. As we travel with the pilgrims of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, imagine the end of the world, examine the tragedies of Othello and King Lear, look at Gothic horror novels through the lens of contemporary bio-ethical dilemmas, and finally, ponder how God’s plan is worked out through very imperfect instruments in The Power and the Glory, students can mature and deepen in their understanding of human weakness and God’s sovereign mercy.

Course materials: Each student will need 7-11 books; all are available in inexpensive paperback editions. Specific editions will be suggested, but library copies are fine. In the case of literature in translation, particular translations will be required. Some of the texts are available FREE online. Contact us for the complete reading list.

Homework: The course requires roughly an hour of reading every day, with additional discussion/posting responsibilities. Each reading unit (approx. every 3 weeks) also includes a major writing assignment that will go through draft, conferencing and revision stages. Students should plan on spending an average of 30-60 minutes, 5-6 days a week outside of class on reading and writing for this course. All grading provided by the instructor.

Note: Please email homeschoolconnections@gmail.com for a complete syllabus.

AP English, Part Two

Advanced Placement: Literature and Composition; What Good is a Good Story, Part Two

(click on course title for registration page)

Note: This is a two-part course. See Fall 2011: High School for Part One.
Class dates: Tuesdays (instruction) and Thursdays (discussion/lab), January 10 to May 3, 2011. No class April 3 and 5 (Holy Week).
Total classes: 32
Starting time: 8:00 pm Eastern (7:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Part One of this course. Instructor’s permission is required for exceptions. Students are expected to take the AP Literature and Composition test on May 10, 2012.
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester credit for AP English
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade
Fee: $300 if you enroll on or before November 1, 2011. $375 after November 1 for all 32 classes. (Note: enrollment is limited.)
Instructor: Laurie Navar Gill, M. Ed
Course description: This course syllabus has been approved by the College Board to bear the designation “AP.” All students in the class will be receiving a preparation that will help them to succeed on the AP Literature and Composition exam, which many students take for Advanced College Credit. You may also be eligible for a weighted grade.
     Building on representative texts from the western literary tradition, this course will particularly examine the nature of storytelling and its relationship to life and culture. We will look at different storytelling media, including the epic, drama, the novel, non-fiction prose, and poetry. We will analyze story structure and storytelling techniques and examine the interplay between life and story. As we read stories, we will also talk about them, write about them, and tell some of our own.
     The course approaches the goals of AP Literature through a Catholic lens. The primary themes under consideration are God’s universal charity and the consequences of sin. As we travel with the pilgrims of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, imagine the end of the world, examine the tragedies of Othello and King Lear, look at Gothic horror novels through the lens of contemporary bio-ethical dilemmas, and finally, ponder how God’s plan is worked out through very imperfect instruments in The Power and the Glory, students can mature and deepen in their understanding of human weakness and God’s sovereign mercy.
Course outline: Please contact Homeschool Connections for the complete course outline.
Course materials: Each student will need 7-11 books; all are available in inexpensive paperback editions. Specific editions will be suggested, but library copies are fine. In the case of literature in translation, particular translations will be required. Some of the texts are available free online.
Homework: The course requires roughly an hour of reading every day, with additional discussion/posting responsibilities. Every reading unit (approx. every 3 weeks) also includes a major writing assignment that will go through draft, conferencing and revision stages. Conferences are one-on-one meetings with the instructor that can take place via computer or telephone [SKYPE]. Students should plan on spending an average of 60-90 minutes 5-6 days a week outside of class on reading and writing for this course.

Free e-Books for AP English

The following e-books for our AP English course can be found free. Click on the title to download. Advanced Placement Literature & Composition with Laurie Gill, M.Ed. Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson The Last Man by Mary Shelley Hamlet by William Shakespeare Othello by William Shakespeare Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Dracula by Brom Stoker Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Emma by Jane Austin The Count of Monte Christo by Alexander Dumont A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Free Kindle App (click on name to go to app) Download to your i-Phone, i-Pad, Mac, Windows PC, Blackberry, Android or Windows Phone 7. Free Nook App  (click on name to go to app) Download to your i-Phone, i-Pad, Mac, Windows PC or Android.

FAQ: AP English

We have been receiving a few questions about our new Advanced Placement course, AP English: Literature and Composition; What Good is a Good Story. Just in case you have similar questions, we are posting them here. Please feel free to leave a comment below or email us if you have further questions. We would also love to hear your suggestions if you have them.

Q: My son plans to take your AP English class. Can you tell me how many college credits he would earn if passing the College Board?
A: Credit is determined by the accepting college, based on the student's score. If your child has one or more colleges in mind, we suggest contacting them to ask if they accept AP credit and how much is given. Here is the college board's link to AP credit acceptance policy at most colleges and universities. It is always wise to contact the university, as policies do change. Note that the college board applet also links to the schools' websites and AP policies.

Basically, there are two things taking an AP class can do for a high school student. First, it prepares him or her for the AP exam. That exam gives students the opportunity to demonstrate that they are competent in college level work in the subject matter. A 3 is considered a passing score. Many schools give some credit for a three; most give 3 to 6 hours of credit for a score of 4 or 5 on either of the English exams. Some selective schools use AP scores not for credit, but for placement.

Q: What is the value in taking an AP course?
A: As discussed in the previous answer, college credit can be earned. This can save a parent and student a substantial amount of tuition as well as open the possibility of taking more challenging courses.

The second advantage of taking an AP course is its value in demonstrating the level of your curriculum. Many universities want to see that applicants have taken the most challenging courses available, and they know AP classes are challenging. particularly if you are interested in selective college admissions, the AP designation on the transcript is can be as valuable as the score/advanced credit option.

Mrs. Gill is a dual enrollment teacher for English in a Catholic high school as well as an AP teacher. In her opinion, AP is the superior program.

Q: I plan to enroll in the AP English course. Can I get the book list so that I can begin reading over the summer?
A: Yes, you can find it HERE.

Q: My daughter is enrolled in MODG (Mother of Divine Grace). MODG doesn't offer AP credits at this time. Can she take the AP course while still being enrolled in MODG? Does Homeschool Connections provide official transcripts? Thank you so much.
A: We do not provide official transcripts though we would be happy to supply MODG with your child's grades and credits on a request basis (records are kept for 180 days from course completion). We are not a full service home study school like MODG. Instead, we offer individual courses. We get a number of MODG as well as Kolbe and Seton students. You should always get approval from your consultant first so that you can get credit through MODG and it shows on your transcript from them.

Q: Hi, maybe I missed this but are any of your high school courses set up for duel enrollment college credits? Thank you very much
A: No, not at this time. We are currently considering working with a Catholic university to offer dual enrollment in the future.

Also note that we do offer AP English (Advanced Placement) which offers college credit through the College Board. At the end of the school year, the students takes the AP English (Literature and Composition) test locally. Once they pass, they receive the credit through the College Board. We are currently working to add more AP courses, including AP Latin, in the future.

Here is information on the 1st semester of our AP English course:
http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.blogspot.com/2011/04/online-advanced-placement-literature.html

Here is general information from the College Board on how AP works:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_englit.html

Q: My son has taken some courses with you and has been very pleased. I saw the AP Lit class for the fall and became very excited. It is exactly the type of class I was looking for ... AP lit through a Catholic lens. However, after reading about the work load and time commitment involved, I realized there is no way he would have time for this course. I personally believe the commitment is a bit unreasonable especially for most high school junior and seniors most of whom would be college bound (SAT prep, college apps, etc that need to be done as well) .


I am just communicating my disappointment in the hopes that in the future you might offer the same course but with less time involved. Thanks for listening.


A: Our AP course has been reviewed and approved by the College Board. They require a very high level of commitment. If we do not meet their criteria then we cannot officially designate a course as AP.

However, we are always working to make sure all students are served. I believe that we can offer a similar high school experience with less commitment. By taking Dr. Russell's literature courses along with Dr. Gotcher's writing courses, a junior or senior will receive solid Catholic teaching in the area of literature and composition. The work load would less but still very high quality. Plus it would still prepare students for college (sans the AP credit).

Q: Can one take the AP recorded (vs. live) class and still be eligible for taking the exam?
A: Anyone can take the exam. The question is whether or not a student will be properly prepared without taking the course. One student we know of, did not take an AP US History course, and was able to score a 4 on the exam, enough to get credit at a fairly selective university (USC). So, it is possible.

With the recorded course, you would still have access to the recorded classes, homework assignments, and support materials. The parent and student would need to be self motivated. Also, instructor feedback and peer interaction would not necessarily be available and this is important to truly getting the AP as well as college-level experience. We are currently working on a program to provide grading services for our recorded courses (for a separate fee). So, by the time this course is made available as a Recorded Course it is possible we will be able to provide that service for you.

Aside from the test, taking the course itself can help with college admissions. Colleges like to see that students have sought a challenging path, and they know what AP delivers. To some degree, it is more advantageous to be able to have AP on your transcript than it is to take and pass the exam. Using an example of another graduate, who attends the United States Military Academy (West Point), no advanced credit was given. However, taking a full range of AP courses was doubtlessly helpful in gaining admission to this highly selective school.

Q: Which is better, AP or ACC?
A: We personally like AP better than ACC (advanced college credit). By forcing students to perform on an exam, AP guarantees that they are capable of college level discourse. ACC courses can vary widely in content, quality and level. The AP test runs about $80, usually quite a bit cheaper than the charge of most ACC programs.

Q: Will you be offering any more AP courses in the near future???
A: We hope so. If there is a demand for more AP courses in other subjects, then we will begin the process of creating such courses. It will depend on enrollment next semester as well as feedback from parents and students.

Q: Have you heard which good Catholic higher learning schools might accept AP?
A: Most colleges offer credit for the AP English exams. Many of Mrs. Gill's past students, for example, have gotten 6 hours credit at U Dallas for scoring a 4 or a 5 on the AP Lit exam.

The link below is the college board's search utility for college credit, but policies change and can vary from department to department, so it is best to check with your university.
http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp

Q: Hi. My daughter will be a homeschooled junior next school year. She is very interested in taking the AP English course on Homeschool Connections next year. We see that you require special permission from the instructor for those who are not 17 yet. She will be turning 16 this June. She has not been moved ahead a year, she is just on the younger side of her grade.


She has taken several out-of-home classes. As a freshman, she received permission to take a literary analysis class taught by a Ph.D. candidate. In that class she received an A. The year before, she took a class from a published author who teaches many writing and literature classes to homeschoolers in our area. There she earned an A and was told by the instructor that she was writing at college level and "won" his award for best student out of all of his classes, beating out seniors. She reads Shakespeare for fun!


I understand that the issue may be about sensitive subjects. She took a class this year, a history/lit combined class out of the home. The teacher did point out issues in several of the books (for instance, All Quiet on the Western Front comes to mind, and there were others). 


And as far as the load of reading, this is a child who "gets in trouble" for reading "too long". She would welcome the "it's for my class!!!!" response!


A: Our chief concern about younger students in the AP literature class has to do with the moral complexity of some of the works. The capstone novel at the end of the course is The Power and the Glory by Grahan Greene, a beautiful novel about mercy and Divine Providence, but one that can be troubling to young people due to the reprehensible character of the protagonist, who is a priest. Parents need to know from the outset that some of the ideas are complex and mature. In our philosophy, you are the best ones to judge whether or not an exposure could be damaging or premature. We would trust to your judgment.

In our experience, younger students also struggle with analysis, but it may be the case that your daughter is an exception. If you do not object to the content of the course, she is free to take it and we will look forward to working with her.

Q: This AP English class is exactly what my daughter needs for the fall. I do have one concern: What is the Thursday time commitment? (She has theater 6:30-8:30 Central Time)


I spoke with University of St. Thomas Houston and U Dallas already regarding AP English, and this course will be a good match. These are the schools my daughter is most interested in attending.


A: AP English meets for a total of 30 weeks over 2 semesters. Tuesdays are lecture and Thursdays are lab/discussion.

We could try out the class for your daughter because the discussion/lab will have a strong online component. She could participate in our discussions, just not in real time. We are willing to try to make it work.

Though students gain a great deal from interaction with one another, the instructor will only occasionally grade those discussions. Most of the students' preparation is through reading and writing and your daughter's writing will be graded and commented on by Mrs. Gill. For that reason, this could work. We would love to help your daughter get college credit for English.

If this ends up not being a fit for you, then another option is Dr. Russell's literature classes on Tuesdays at 10 am (Eastern). His are purely lecture with quizzes + answer keys provided. Dr. Russell taught literature at Franciscan University and was head of the literature department at Ava Maria so his lectures are quite insightful. His 2011/2012 Homeschool Connections courses are recommended for 11th, 12th, and college level.

Other courses that would be on the challenge level would be Miss Ashour's theology courses, Mr. Rivet's Advanced American Government, Dr. Gotcher's Writing for College and Dr. Rioux's Early Modern Philosophers.

Reading List: AP English

Homeschool Connections will be offering an AP-level English course in the 2011/2012 school year. This course has been approved by the College Board. Students taking both semesters (Part One and Part Two) of this course are encouraged to take the AP Exam in May 2012 to receive college credit.  This course does require a large commitment and a carries a heavy workload.

For AP students who wish to get a head start over the summer, here is the reading list and suggested prerequisites:

AP Literature and Composition List of Books and Supplies

Helpful Prerequisite: A background in Scripture and either The Odyssey, The Illiad or a suitable breadth of knowledge of classical mythology. (If you do not have this background, Homeschool Connections offers recorded courses on all of these topics which can be taken anytime including summer.)

Summer Reading: All students should come to the first class gathering having recently read one of the novels on the free reading list (scroll to the bottom).

Semester One:
Unit I: Your Literacy Profile

Unit II: Epic structure (Dante’s Inferno (Hell) OR The Aeneid)

Unit III: Here is God’s Plenty (selections from The Canterbury Tales)

Unit IV: A Bang or a Whimper: Apocalyptic Imagery in Novels about the End of the World. Students choose one from the list below or may suggest another novel of literary merit about the end of the world:
Father Elijah by Michael O’Brien
Alas Babylon by Pat Frank
Plague Journal by Michael O’Brien
Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson
Last Man by Mary Shelley
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller

Semester Two:
Unit V: Family Dramas
Othello 
AND
Hamlet

Unit VI: Poetry boot camp

Unit VII: Science, fiction and the horror! (Students’ choice of one)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
OR
Dracula by Bram Stoker

Unit VIII: Frailty and redemption
The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

Additional Free Reading:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Emma by Jane Austen
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumont
The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Another suitable work of literary merit, with instructor’s approval.

Note that most of these books can be borrowed from the library (check inner- and inter-library loan options). Some can also be found online free at places such as Project Gutenberg.

Please do not hesitate to email Homeschool Connections with any questions, comments, or suggestions.

ADDENDUM: Here is a list of books found free online:  Free e-Books for AP English

Online Advanced Placement: Literature and Composition

Advanced Placement: Literature and Composition; What Good is a Good Story, Part One

(click on title to register)

Note: This is a two-part course. Part Two will take place in the spring semester. Enrollment is limited.

Class dates: Tuesdays (instruction) and Thursdays (discussion/lab), September 6 to December 20. No class Nov. 1 (All Saints Day), Nov. 21 (Thanksgiving) and Dec. 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception).
Total classes: 28
Starting time: 8:00 pm Eastern (7:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Students should be ready for upper division English and 17- to 18-years old. Instructor’s permission is required for students 16 or under. Students are expected to take Part Two of this course plus the AP test (May 10, 2012).
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade
Fee: $300 if you enroll on or before August 1, 2011. $375 after August 1 for all 28 classes.
Instructor: Laurie Navar Gill, M. Ed.

Course description: This course syllabus has been approved by the College Board to bear the designation “AP.” All students in the class will be receiving a preparation that will help them to succeed on the AP Literature and Composition exam, which many students take for Advanced College Credit. You may also be eligible for a weighted grade.

Building on representative texts from the western literary tradition, this course will particularly examine the nature of storytelling and its relationship to life and culture. We will look at different storytelling media, including the epic, drama, the novel, non-fiction prose, and poetry. We will analyze story structure and storytelling techniques and examine the interplay between life and story. As we read stories, we will also talk about them, write about them, and tell some of our own.

The course approaches the goals of AP Literature through a Catholic lens. The primary themes under consideration are God’s universal charity and the consequences of sin. As we travel with the pilgrims of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, imagine the end of the world, examine the tragedies of Othello and King Lear, look at Gothic horror novels through the lens of contemporary bio-ethical dilemmas, and finally, ponder how God’s plan is worked out through very imperfect instruments in The Power and the Glory, students can mature and deepen in their understanding of human weakness and God’s sovereign mercy. He is everything, and without Him, we are nothing. At some level, all that we undertake in this class is aimed at understanding who we are before God, for in the end, nothing else matters.

Course materials: Each student will need 7-11 books; all are available in inexpensive paperback editions. Specific editions will be suggested, but library copies are fine. In the case of literature in translation, particular translations will be required. Some of the texts are available free online. The complete reading list can be found here: http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.blogspot.com/2011/05/reading-list-ap-english.html

Homework: The course requires roughly an hour of reading every day, with additional discussion/posting responsibilities. Every reading unit (approx. every 3 weeks) also includes a major writing assignment that will go through draft, conferencing and revision stages. Conferences are one-on-one meetings with the instructor that can take place via computer or telephone [SKYPE]. Students should plan on spending an average of 60-90 minutes 5-6 days a week outside of class on reading and writing for this course.

Course outline:
Unit I (weeks 1-3): Your Literacy Profile
After being introduced to the course, we will examine what writers say about reading and writing and be presented with different models of the writing process. By traversing your own history with literature and composition, you will analyze and define your own most effective writing process. This self-evaluation will define in part how you will work on writing in this class and will get you started on the college admissions essay.

Unit II (weeks 4-7): That’s Epic
Students may choose to read either Virgil’s Aeneid or Dante’s Inferno. Work in this unit will focus on epic poetry structure and conventions and on the study techniques required to undertake a difficult literary text.

Unit III (weeks 8-10) Here is God’s Plenty
While reading portions of The Canterbury Tales, we will consider storytelling forms, genres, and subject matter. Also included in this unit is an overview of the evolution of the English language.

Students will write and tell a tale for the entertainment and/or edification of classmates. Tales will be written, performed (that is, told orally), critiqued by the class, perfected and published in a collection.

Unit IV (weeks 11-15): A Bang or a Whimper
Each student will read and analyze an apocalyptic literature selection of his or her own choosing (from a list provided by the instructor). We will consider apocalyptic imagery and the techniques writers use to build a mood or develop a theme. The writing assignment will ask students to consider the literary apocalypse they read and compare it to their own ideas and beliefs and the Church’s understanding of the “last things.”

Independent Reading Unit:
Throughout the course, students will be asked to prepare several books for use on the AP exam in the open question (Q3). Students may read books and prepare them, or they may prepare worthy books they have read in the past. Each student is required to prepare four books for Q3 and can share their preparations with other students who have read the same books.

Focus questions:
1) What is the role of story in individual lives? What is its role in culture and society?
2) How has storytelling evolved through the centuries? What has remained constant?
3) How does reading fiction inform us about truth?

Equipment requirements:
Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.

Misc:
Mrs. Gill will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.

Advanced Placement: Literature and Composition; What Good is a Good Story, Part One

(click on title to register)