Advanced Placement Language and Composition

Summer Enrichment Assignments REVISED

Dr. Abeshaus 2007-8

 

Welcome to AP Language and Composition.  One purpose of this class is to prepare you for the AP test in May; however, the greater goal is to develop writing, reading and analytical skills that will help you in college and beyond.  Because the AP Language exam emphasizes writing from sources, we will focus on research and using outside sources as a basis for writing, all using MLA (Modern Language Association) format for all citations.  In addition, because this is a rhetoric course, focusing on speech or writing that communicates its point persuasively, we will emphasize the methods and devices of language used to persuade. 

 

The following activities, which you will complete over the summer, will help you to prepare for the class by looking at some of the characteristics of the language that you will be working with all year long in AP Language.  These activities will be due August 20, 2007.

 

Although these assignments are challenging—and you may be attempted to take shortcuts—restrain yourself.  Allow yourself the time needed to do ALL the reading and assignments—you will benefit when it comes time to be tested.  (In other words, DO NOT leave this project until August.)

 

You will need these books (Penguin, Norton, or Oxford editions are best, if available):

 

Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott

Native Son, Richard Wright

The Color of Water, James McBride

 

These books are your own, so read with a pen in hand to annotate or underline.  It is a habit you should develop (when it is your own book to write in) to be a more effective and efficient reader in college.

 

Assignment for ALL books:

  1. Read with a pen or pencil in hand to underline important and/or interesting passages and to make notes in the margins.  You may also choose to annotate passages on sticky notes marking important notable pages.

 

Annotating is note-taking as you read, and it is skill that will be invaluable on the AP test and beyond.  You should mark figurative language, imagery, rhetorical techniques (such as repetition or parallelism) or any other specific uses of language that you notice.  Take note of strong or especially effective diction or phrases.  Watch for main ideas and for the way the ideas are organized.  Also, underline any new vocabulary, adding definitions as needed.  You will be graded on your marginalia.

 

  1. For each book, choose a quotation that is particularly meaningful to you.  Type a paragraph of at least 250 words explaining why that quotation stands out in your mind.

 

MANUSCRIPT INSTRUCTIONS: For the typed parts of the following assignments, use a 12’ point (readable) font, double-spaced, no extra space between paragraphs.  In the upper left corner, type your name, date, AP Lit, and assignment name.

 

Your work this summer will just be the beginning of our work on these books. We will dig deeper once school begins.  Feel free to discuss your ideas with others.  It can be helpful to share ideas and gain different perspectives.  However, the work you hand in is to be your own.

 

Please contact me if you have questions (mabeshaus@northlandprep.org).

 

Estimated Supplies for the 2007-8 School Year