Summer Schedule

Congratulations on completing your sophomore year.
Welcome to AP English Language and Composition.

I promised that when the dust settled on the 2011-2012 school year that I'd send you a comprehensive description of the summer work.
Here it is.

Read All Souls by Michael Patrick MacDonald and complete ten passage responses by Monday, July 9.

On Monday, July 9 at 8:00 am in room 2207 we will meet for our first summer seminar.

Bring a copy of All Souls and ten passage responses*.

If you cannot attend the session you must (1) send an email to Mr. James Cook with the reason you cannot attend, (2)  turn in your passage responses through email, and (3) read the description of the session posted on the blog (apenglangghs2014.blogspot.com) and write a response in the comment box.

Read Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan and complete ten passage by Monday, July 30.

On Monday, July 30 at 8:00 am in room 2207 we will meet for our second summer seminar.

Bring a copy of Omnivore's Dilemma and ten passage responses*.

If you cannot attend the session you must (1) send an email to Mr. James Cook with the reason you cannot attend, (2)  turn in your passage responses through email, and (3) read the description of the session posted on the blog (apenglangghs2014.blogspot.com) and write a response in the comment box.

Read Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town by Elyssa East by Wednesday, August 22. [Please note that the date has been changed.]

On Wednesday, August 22 at 9:00 am at the Cape Ann Museum (27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester) we will meet for our third summer seminar.
Bring a copy of Dogtown and ten passage responses*.
If you cannot attend the session you must (1) send an email to Mr. James Cook with the reason you cannot attend, (2)  turn in your passage responses through email, and (3) read the description of the session posted on the blog (apenglangghs2014.blogspot.com) and write a response in the comment box.

*Passage Response Assignment in greater detail:
Here is a link to directions for the passage response assignment.
Here is a link to a template for the passage response assignment.

Finally--and this is very important--when responding to the quotations I'm looking for you (1) to demonstrate an understanding of the quotation in context, (2) to discuss how the quotation is significant (in relation to the book as a whole, in relation to the world beyond the book, in relation to your personal experiences and observations), and (3) to analyze how the choices the writer makes (the point of view, the writing style, the tone, the characterizations, the narrative, the imagery, the selection of detail, the structure, etc.) contribute to the effectiveness of the book. You won't be able to do all of this in response to every quotation but taken as a whole your responses should show that you've thought deeply about what the book says to the reader, what it does to the reader, how, and perhaps even why.

Please send me an email in response so I know you received the email.
Write "Got it!" in the subject line. (Write more if you have any questions.)

all the best,
Mr. James Cook