A.P. English Summer Assignments

Williams Spring 2016

Students taking AP English are required to complete a number of assignments over the course of the summer in order to better prepare for the AP test in the spring. All assignments are mandatory; failure to complete any of the assignments or to perform poorly on the assignments described below may result on a student’s removal from the course.

Summer Reading:

Great Expectations Charles Dickens Students must find own copies 12 Poems Poetry Foundation https://www.poetryfoundation 5 Steps Glossary Supplied

You may buy Great Expectations from any bookstore and especially online. You may also simply go to your local library and check it out.

1. You are expected to read/study the material listed above, unabridged, during the summer. Complete a reading log for Great Expectations. Refer to the Reading Log handout to understand this assignment. Reading logs will be checked on your return to school on the 29th of August. Be ready to be TESTED in the first days of class. The evaluation may be detailed and demanding.

1. Study guides such as CliffsNotes and SparkNotes may be used as an aid to understanding but should NEVER be used as a substitute for reading.

2. It is very important that you study the literary terms in the glossary. You will be given a test. Know the material.

Summer Communication:

You may have questions over the summer regarding the assignments. I would be happy to discuss your work with you. Just e-mail me! I check my email regularly; you can expect a response within a week, but I will likely get back to you more quickly.

My school e-mail is: [email protected] Accessing the A.P. English website:

To access our page, go to the High School’s site, click “Teacher Websites” on the left-hand column, under “Daniel Williams” select “website” and then select the “Pre A.P. and A.P. English” link on the right-hand side.

You can also access the site by going directly to the URL below: http://www.reynolds.k12.pa.us/PreandAPEnglish.aspx Williams Spring 2016

Reading Log: Directions and Justification

For anyone considering the AP English class, it is assumed that reading comes fairly easily. However, with the more dense and difficult literature that AP students will encounter, even the best readers may need to put a great deal of extra effort into fully understanding a given text. Also, students may need prompting to force the depth of thought and literary analysis that serious students of literature are required to go to, and that the AP exam demands.

Reading logs are a common way to ensure you are getting along well with your text. Keeping up with one means writing down:

 interesting points  good quotes  confusing passages  occasional summaries  unfamiliar words and definitions  discussion of literary elements  author’s purpose

Assignment:

While reading The Grapes of Wrath, keep a reading log. The reading log must include eight separate entries. Entries do not need to be any particular length, but must be in complete sentences. Each entry must:

 Demonstrate insight into the novel: character, plot, conflict, allusion, and other literary elements discussed  Demonstrate proper conventions  Demonstrate a personal reaction to the reading

You must also choose at least twelve unfamiliar or interesting words to write down, look up, and ultimately understand. These words must be written together, not spread out between the eight entries discussed above. For each word:

 Write the word  Write the sentence/passage in which the word appears and record its corresponding page number/numbers  Write the appropriate, contextual definition of the word

Format:

The reading log may be word processed or hand written in a notebook or on loose-leaf paper to be bound together before submission. Each entry should be clearly labeled.

*DUE DATE: First day back to school: August 29, 2016