angela in ohio Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I am pulling out one year of only American Literature and History to go with prep for the AP English Language exam for older dd. I'm trying for a balance of types: essays, poems, speeches, etc. Am I missing anything major? Any specific works you would recommend? The novels are mostly lower level works she has read before, but I just wanted to go over them again and deal with context. They help balance out the length of the list, and we will hit some of the more in-depth novels next year with AP English Literature. This is everything for history and lit. It looks long, but it's just a speech/essay/poem/document or two every week plus a few longer assignments of novels. An * means only reading excerpts. I think I need more essays and poetry and fewer speeches maybe... Mayflower Compact Of Plimouth Plantation * The Scarlett Letter Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God essays of Benjamin Franklin Speech in the Virginia Convention Common Sense The Declaration of Independence poetry of Phyllis Wheatley letters of John Adams Articles of Confederation Treaty of Paris The Federalist Papers * and Anti-Federalist Papers * The Constitution The Last of the Mohicans speeches of Tecumseh Rip Van Winkle Marbury v. Madison stories and poems of Poe essay from Emerson (Self-Reliance?) Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Evangeline Lincoln-Douglas debates * On Civil Disobedience * poetry of Emily Dickinson Uncle Tom's Cabin Gettysburg Address O Captain My Captain Huckleberry Finn New Colossus, 1492 Desiree's Baby poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar Gospel of Wealth (Carnegie) Red Badge of Courage The Turn of the Screw Ethan Frome Great Gatsby The Road Not Taken Fourteen Points speech How it Feels to Be Colored Me Our Town Pearl Harbor address poems of William Carlos Williams Old Man and the Sea The Lottery Death of a Salesman Eisenhower farewell address To Kill a Mockingbird A Good Man is Hard to Find Brown v. Board of Education I Have a Dream, Why We Can't Wait "Great Society" speech speeches of Reagan Bush Gulf War address speeches from Clinton, Bush, and Obama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magic Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 We are covering many of the same works you are. I added a few songs to our list as well. These are some only from our American Literature syllabus. Our American History consists of essays, sermons, speeches, and more, as well as timelines, maps, biographies, and historical documents. My son that is currently studying this is a freshman but we wanted to start with American History and Literature first. A few that we are doing but I do not see covered on your list are: “To My Dear and Loving Husband†by Anne Bradstreet and “Huswifery†by Edward Taylor- Puritan poetry “The Star-Spangled Banner†by Francis Scott Key “Concord Hymn†and “The Snow-storm†by Ralph Waldo Emerson “Memories of Christmas†by Dylan Thomas “The Necklace†short story by Guy de Maupassant “The Lady, or the Tiger?†short story by Frank R. Stockton “The White Man’s Burden†and “If†by Rudyard Kipling “The Killers†short story by Ernest Hemingway “We Didn’t Start the Fire†by Billy Joel- I have to say that I am making each of my kids memorize this song. I learned this as a sophomore and it helped me so much in American History. Every thing is listed chronologically. If you search the song, there is a list that gives a brief paragraph on everything listed in the song. The poetry of Langston Hughes The poetry of Maya Angelou Various works of C.S. Lewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Since many of those could be covered in one or two sessions, I think it's fine. Yes, it's a lot, but you are asking your child to learn from primary sources/Great Books, so there won't be a ton of reading in a history text, for example. That cuts out some time. I tried to give about 2.5 hours to the study of history and literature, every day, including writing. Sometimes it was slightly more or less. Do you think you'd be within those parameters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Since many of those could be covered in one or two sessions, I think it's fine. Yes, it's a lot, but you are asking your child to learn from primary sources/Great Books, so there won't be a ton of reading in a history text, for example. That cuts out some time. I tried to give about 2.5 hours to the study of history and literature, every day, including writing. Sometimes it was slightly more or less. Do you think you'd be within those parameters? She's also doing Spielvogel (the second book) and an American History text, and she will have her Ap English assignments, so it should come in at a few hours per day, plus outside reading. This is the first year that she will be doing history and lit over 36 instead of 42-44 weeks, so it should be interesting. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 We are covering many of the same works you are. I added a few songs to our list as well. These are some only from our American Literature syllabus. Our American History consists of essays, sermons, speeches, and more, as well as timelines, maps, biographies, and historical documents. My son that is currently studying this is a freshman but we wanted to start with American History and Literature first. A few that we are doing but I do not see covered on your list are: “To My Dear and Loving Husband†by Anne Bradstreet and “Huswifery†by Edward Taylor- Puritan poetry “The Star-Spangled Banner†by Francis Scott Key “Concord Hymn†and “The Snow-storm†by Ralph Waldo Emerson “Memories of Christmas†by Dylan Thomas “The Necklace†short story by Guy de Maupassant “The Lady, or the Tiger?†short story by Frank R. Stockton “The White Man’s Burden†and “If†by Rudyard Kipling “The Killers†short story by Ernest Hemingway “We Didn’t Start the Fire†by Billy Joel- I have to say that I am making each of my kids memorize this song. I learned this as a sophomore and it helped me so much in American History. Every thing is listed chronologically. If you search the song, there is a list that gives a brief paragraph on everything listed in the song. The poetry of Langston Hughes The poetry of Maya Angelou Various works of C.S. Lewis I like the Billy Joel song idea. We read the Wikipedia article together last year, and it will make more sense if we look at it again when she has more context. You have a few non-US authors. Is that for variety, or are you tying them into American literature study some way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 My oldest is only in 7th, so keep that in mind when you read my suggestions;). What about The Jungle? I read it in my AP Am. hist. class. Grapes of Wrath? Another book I read in that AP class. O Pioneers! or My Antonia? Just to add in some westward movement lit. Why no Robert Frost? Thoreau? Just wondering is there is a specific reason for not including them. Can you explain why you included Ethan Frome over The Age of Innocence or The House of Mirth? I read Ethan Frome in hs and liked it, but I much preferred the other two. I'm just wondering why Ethan Frome, which is great, is included in hs reading lists, but not Wharton's other works. BTW, I think your list is incredible the way it is. I am pinning this post for future reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magic Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 "The Necklace" we are doing while we study immigration and why people would leave their lives and come to the US. Also the influence the story had on the American culture at the time. Kipling because several of his works were based on locations in the US as well as what was influencing the American culture at the time. CS Lewis for his huge impact on American literature. Most of the stories are compared and contrasted with works by American authors as well as how outsiders viewed the US during crucial times in American history. Since America is a country built on immigration and European influence, we try to look at how America influenced non-US writers as well as how US writers viewed the world outside of America. When we study English Literature next year, we will be able to see the origins of some influences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Poe? Melville? Cooper? Also, what is your intent? Is this to be lit or history or both? I'm not totally sure it's enough for lit at the AP level if you shuttle over the historical documents to a history course. Also, are you reading things by when they are written or by the time period they are about? I've always felt that at the high school level it is best to study them by the period they are written in not about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) Poe? Melville? Cooper? Also, what is your intent? Is this to be lit or history or both? I'm not totally sure it's enough for lit at the AP level if you shuttle over the historical documents to a history course. Also, are you reading things by when they are written or by the time period they are about? I've always felt that at the high school level it is best to study them by the period they are written in not about. We have stories and poems by Poe, and The Last of the Mohicans is Cooper. I'm hanging on to Moby Dick for AP Lit next year. We are reading by when they are written. It's both history and lit, though the history joins the two textbooks we are using and some other materials. It's not AP Lit, it's AP Lang, so there is more writing and rhetoric and less literature. Edited September 10, 2012 by angela in ohio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 My oldest is only in 7th, so keep that in mind when you read my suggestions;). What about The Jungle? I read it in my AP Am. hist. class. Grapes of Wrath? Another book I read in that AP class. O Pioneers! or My Antonia? Just to add in some westward movement lit. Why no Robert Frost? Thoreau? Just wondering is there is a specific reason for not including them. Can you explain why you included Ethan Frome over The Age of Innocence or The House of Mirth? I read Ethan Frome in hs and liked it, but I much preferred the other two. I'm just wondering why Ethan Frome, which is great, is included in hs reading lists, but not Wharton's other works. BTW, I think your list is incredible the way it is. I am pinning this post for future reference. We have Frost (The Road not Taken) and Thoreau (Civil Disobedience.) I'm meh about The Grapes of Wrath. She's already read it, and I'm not sure it's worth repeating. I'll probably add a short story by Steinbeck in there. I had Death Comes for the Archbishop on the list, and it might make its way back in, but I was too novel-heavy for AP Lang. Same with Grapes of Wrath, too. She's already read The House of Mirth (one of my favorite works ever,) and I like the themes in Ethan Frome better than Age of Innocence from a literature study standpoint. I think Ethan Frome is pretty traditional American Lit fare, too, and I wanted to have some of the usual works on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 "The Necklace" we are doing while we study immigration and why people would leave their lives and come to the US. Also the influence the story had on the American culture at the time. Kipling because several of his works were based on locations in the US as well as what was influencing the American culture at the time. CS Lewis for his huge impact on American literature. Most of the stories are compared and contrasted with works by American authors as well as how outsiders viewed the US during crucial times in American history. Since America is a country built on immigration and European influence, we try to look at how America influenced non-US writers as well as how US writers viewed the world outside of America. When we study English Literature next year, we will be able to see the origins of some influences. Thanks! Good things to think about. I used The Old Man and the Sea in our co-op World History (non-US) class for similar reasons. It was about the old and new worlds, so it fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 We have Frost (The Road not Taken) and Thoreau (Civil Disobedience.) *facepalm* I see that now:blush:. I'm meh about The Grapes of Wrath. She's already read it, and I'm not sure it's worth repeating. I'll probably add a short story by Steinbeck in there. Steinbeck is one of my favorites, which is why I think he should be covered. I had Death Comes for the Archbishop on the list, and it might make its way back in, but I was too novel-heavy for AP Lang. Same with Grapes of Wrath, too. She's already read The House of Mirth (one of my favorite works ever,) and I like the themes in Ethan Frome better than Age of Innocence from a literature study standpoint. I think Ethan Frome is pretty traditional American Lit fare, too, and I wanted to have some of the usual works on the list. I can understand that. I just always wondered why everyone read Ethan Frome instead of, IMO, the better stuff. That makes sense. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I'm meh about The Grapes of Wrath. She's already read it, and I'm not sure it's worth repeating. I'll probably add a short story by Steinbeck in there. You could consider The Pearl which I like a lot but feel about the same way you do about Grapes. It's a bit longer as a novella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 The only thing I might add is something with illustrations and charts. Many of the pictures and cartoons that show up on the document based question are common illustrations in history books. Even just going through Hakim and looking at the illustrations and the captions could help a student be able to place the significance of a specific item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 The only thing I might add is something with illustrations and charts. Many of the pictures and cartoons that show up on the document based question are common illustrations in history books. Even just going through Hakim and looking at the illustrations and the captions could help a student be able to place the significance of a specific item. We are practicing DBQs all year long, so she will see all of the past examples. I didn't think to include any specifically, because Spielvogel and the American History book have plenty, and I think there are some in the Everything's an Argument text (maybe not, since I ordered the newest one without readings to use for the year.) I need to see if we will have enough, though. Thank you! Good thing to think about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poke Salad Annie Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 (edited) What about anything by Faulkner? Welty? Edited September 12, 2012 by Poke Salad Annie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 What about anything by Faulkner? Welty? Faulkner will be next year for lit, though I haven't decided which novel. No Welty, there just isn't room for everyone sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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