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

Welcome to your blog!

1. Who are you? (No, no. Who are you really?) And who are you not?

Develop a response in the comment box below.
Include your first name and last initial at the beginning of your post.
If you have trouble commenting stop by 2207 and I can give you a quick tutorial.

2. Below you'll also find a copy of the letter I gave you on Tuesday.

Dear 2012-2013 AP English Language and Composition students,

During the 2012-2013 school year Gloucester High School will offer AP English Language and Composition for the second time. Late in the winter of 2012 you chose to take this course and now you have been accepted.  

You may have said to your self, "What have I gotten into?"

Here's a short version of the fun ahead.

During the summer you are expected to read All Souls by Michael Patrick MacDonald, The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town by Elyssa East, and a book of your choice. You will also be expected to keep a passage response journal for each work, participate in three AP English Language summer sessions at Gloucester High School, post comments on the AP English Language blog (apenglangghs2014.blogspot.com), and create an argument web. (You will find out more about the web in during the summer.) This list is not intended to scare you off. However, I want to be honest and upfront about the expectations. If you are seriously committed to reading, analyzing, writing, researching, talking, debating, and thinking at a college level, I promise that you will find the summer experience – and the course as a whole – to be fulfilling and rewarding. 

During each term of the school year you will read several hundred pages, write a couple dozen pages, and participate in several graded discussions. You are expected to be self-motivated and genuinely engaged; and, since the goal of the class is for every student to do well on the AP exam, it is important that you are willing to work with classmates in small groups to analyze text and evaluate peer work. You will learn from the texts, your teacher, and each other. To achieve this goal the class atmosphere must be collegial rather than competitive, and you must do your share of the work.

Please consider this description of the course and make a decision about whether or not you are committed to fulfilling the requirements of AP English Literature and Composition. Please complete the "commitment form" (on the back of this letter) and return it to me, Mr. James Cook, in room 2207 by Friday, May 25. If you have questions about any of the expectations please stop by 2207. I am looking forward to getting to know you.

Sincerely,

Mr. James Cook                        
English Teacher                                     
Gloucester High School