Leander ISD AP English IV Novel List and Summer Assignment 2016 Welcome readers and writers to AP English IV! Over the summer, you are expected to read and take notes on How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster and one novel of choice (see STEP 2 below). You should make a weekly plan for reading chapters and taking notes to complete these requirements before the first day of school. The Pre-­‐AP, AP, or IB English summer reading assignment is an established convention at most schools offering these courses, and the rationale for it seems simple enough: Reading over the summer helps keep the students’ minds “in the game,” and it adds to the number of major literary works the students will have read by the time they take their AP exams. Also, students in a given class arrive to school in August having had a common literary experience, providing them and their teacher immediate instructional opportunities. STEPS TO SUCCESS: STEP 1 Read and take notes on How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. This book provides a broad overview of literature—a world where a road leads to a quest, a shared meal may signify a communion, and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just a shower-­‐and helps make the reading experience more enriching, satisfying, and fun. As you read, you are expected to take detailed notes. Annotations should reflect your learning style. Examples of acceptable formats include (A) using tape flags or sticky notes (B) writing in the margins of your personal copy of the book or (C) keeping a reflective journal. You will use this book and your annotations to help analyze your summer novel as well as most works we read during the school year. STEP 2 Select one the following novels to read this summer. ***IMPORTANT NOTE*** Some of the titles below deal with mature and/or controversial subject matter. Parents and students will want to preview their potential book choice prior to reading and discuss if the book is the “right fit” for the student. One quick way to preview the subject matter is to read reviews from online sites like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or Goodreads.com. •
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The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (1170 Lexile, Historical Fiction) Set in the high society circles of late nineteenth century New York, Wharton beautifully contrasts the intensity of true passion against the complacency of a loveless but proper marriage; delicately questioning the expected behavior of the upper social class. Through Wharton's exquisite, detailed portrayal of the affluent class, she invites the reader to experience the charmed life of the "Gilded Age"... a life that would change dramatically by the end of World War I. Beloved by Toni Morrison (870 Lexile, Historical Fiction) Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe’s new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved. Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko (890 Lexile, Realistic Fiction) Tayo, a World War II veteran of mixed ancestry, returns to the Laguna Pueblo Reservation. He is deeply scarred by his experience as a prisoner of the Japanese and further wounded by the rejection he encounters from his people. Only by immersing himself in the Indian past can he begin to regain the peace that was taken from him. Leander ISD AP English IV Novel List and Summer Assignment 2016 •
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Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (860 Lexile, Realistic Fiction) The most famous and important novel in South Africa’s history, Cry, the Beloved Country is the deeply moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son, Absalom, set against the background of a land and a people riven by racial injustice. Remarkable for its lyricism, unforgettable for character and incident, Cry, the Beloved Country is a classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man. Native Son by Richard Wright (700 Lexile, Realistic Fiction) Right from the start, Bigger Thomas had been headed for jail. It could have been for assault or petty larceny; by chance, it was for murder and rape. Native Son tells the story of this young black man caught in a downward spiral after he kills a young white woman in a brief moment of panic. Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Wright's powerful novel is an unsparing reflection on the poverty and feelings of hopelessness experienced by people in inner cities across the country and of what it means to be black in America. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1410 Lexile, Fantasy) The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the noble, ridiculous, beautiful, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (922 Lexile, Science-­‐Fiction) Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (1130 Lexile, Historical Fiction) Charles Darnay, a young French aristocrat living in England, travels from London to Paris during the French Revolution to save the husband of the woman he loves. This tale is interesting in that it is told not from the much-­‐frequented royal/Versailles point of view but from the everyday people who watched in horror and wonder as their world changed all around them. *book summaries adapted from Amazon.com STEP 3: While reading the summer novel, students need to annotate (highlight and make notes in the margins) the text. If you borrow a book, you can use sticky notes for your annotations. Annotation Requirements: Personal reactions/questions/predictions while reading (this should be thorough, with no chapter left out) Connections to How to Read Literature Like a Professor (at least one per chapter, exempting the one or two page chapters) • Note which chapter you are connecting to in HtRLLaP • Explain how the information from the HtRLLaP chapter adds meaning to the event(s) in your novel You must make connections with MOST of the HtRLLaP chapters through the course of your reading. Annotation helpful hints (not required): • words and phrases that stand out to you • important scenes or key sections of dialogue • character descriptions, motivations, and flaws • key decisions characters make • sections that are confusing for you • inferences you make while reading • connections you make to your personal life Leander ISD AP English IV Novel List and Summer Assignment 2016 •
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symbols, themes, topics literary devices (flashbacks, foreshadowing, sub-­‐plots) used figurative language (allusions, alliteration, metaphors, similes, etc.) used effectively Trust in your ability to discern and understand what is going on in the text. You will have far more original ideas that any online source. STEP 4: Students are expected to bring the Foster book, their summer novel, and all notes on the first day of class. Have a great summer and we will see you in August! Frequently Asked Questions: Q. Who do I contact if I have questions or concerns? A. If you have questions or concerns, please contact one of the teachers below. Cedar Park High School: Michelle Iskra – [email protected] Leander High School: Tiffany Conner -­‐ [email protected] Rouse High School: Amanda Thompson -­‐ [email protected] Vandegrift High School: Katie Kendall – [email protected] Vista Ridge High School: Laura Wood-­‐Smith – laura.wood-­‐[email protected] Leander ISD contact: Jennifer Abramson – [email protected] Q. I am stuck. What can I do? A. Visit the Summer Reading online forum for help, to ask questions, etc.… Teachers will be logging in regularly to help answer your questions. Visit the online forum at http://goo.gl/i3pji. Q. What are some additional resources? A. The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) -­‐ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Harvard Writing Center -­‐ http://sites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k33202&pageid=icb.page143936 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill -­‐ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/ Q. Where can I find the books? A. You may find these works at the public library or check out digital copies from the LISD OverDrive Digital Library (see information below). Q. What is Overdrive? How do I access it? A. Leander ISD Libraries expanded their services to include audiobooks and eBooks, which are available for students and teachers to download and enjoy for up to two weeks. Using this new service, LISD library card holders can check out and download digital media anytime, anywhere by visiting http://digitallibrary.leanderisd.org. Users may browse the library’s website, check out with a valid library card, and download to PC, Mac®, and many mobile devices. To use the service, students will need to install free software — OverDrive® Media Console™ will be required for audiobooks and Adobe® Digital Editions will be required for eBooks. Titles can be enjoyed immediately or transferred to a variety of devices, Leander ISD AP English IV Novel List and Summer Assignment 2016 including iPod®, Sony® Reader™, and many others. Some audio titles can also be burned to CD to listen on-­‐the-­‐go. Titles will automatically expire at the end of the two-­‐week lending period and there are no late fees or loss of materials. This new service, powered by OverDrive, is free for students and teachers. Patrons can login by using their district username and password credentials. To get started downloading audiobooks, eBooks, and more, visit http://digitallibrary.leanderisd.org. For additional OverDrive tips and FAQ’s, visit http://ldl.leanderisd.libguides.com/OverdriveHelpTips. Q. What if I cannot access the library or Overdrive? A. We do have a limited number of some titles available at school, but these may not be annotated or marked in any way. These books will be distributed on a first-­‐come, first-­‐served basis. Those interested may contact one of the teachers listed above before leaving school for the summer.