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Dear AP Literature and Composition student:
Allow me to be the first to welcome you to this extremely rewarding and challenging senior English course. The purpose of this letter is to outline
your summer reading responsibilities. The summer reading assignments not only will allow you to get a jump start on the monolithic task at hand (preparing you for college writing assignments and the national exam in
May), but it will also keep your brain from remaining stagnant for too long!
The works you are responsible for reading this summer are:
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
You are not merely to read the works listed; that is simply the first step. Well, actually, the first step is getting the books themselves. I HIGHLY recommend you purchase these books (either online or from Borders,
Barnes and Noble…). Once you have gathered the titles you will need, carefully read through your copy. You should annotate your copy of the text (if you purchased it; please do not mark in a library copy! ); if you
are unsure as to how to do this, see the attached “Annotation Tips.”
Once you have finished the reading, you will need to complete a Major Works Data Sheet for Ethan Frome and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (see attached). The Major Works Data Sheet must be typed and printed
out by the time you arrive on the first day of class –NO EXCEPTIONS!
In addition to the Major Works Data Sheet, you will also be tested over each of these works during the first week of school. I will be giving you sample AP examination questions based on your summer reading
selections. These questions will test both your close reading skills and your ability to write about important literature.
The assignment for How to Read Literature Like a Professor is a little
more in depth. This assignment corresponds to various chapters in the work. Even though not every chapter has an assignment, you should still read and annotate your copy of the text. This text will be used
throughout the year in this class. Please have the written assignment completed, typed, double-spaced and ready for the first day of class.
Attached to this letter is a summer-reading contract in which you acknowledge an understanding that if you fail to complete any portion of
the summer reading assignments, then the highest grade possible for the first trimester is a C (79%). This contract is for both you and your parent/guardian to sign. This contract must be returned by the due
date or you may be dropped from the class.
I look forward to having you in class next year. Please stop by or email me ([email protected] or [email protected]) before the end of this school year if you have any questions regarding the summer
reading assignment or the class itself. Have a wonderful summer, and I’ll see you in September!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Steingass
AP English Literature and Composition Teacher
Annotation Tips
1. Make brief notes at the top of the page or on sticky notes to mark
important plot events.
2. If you are having difficulty understanding, stop and read again.
Sometimes it is helpful to break a difficult passage or even sentence down into parts and try to understand it a little at a time.
It is okay to do this. Good readers do it all the time. You may want to use a sticky note or the margin to write down your interpretation of the difficult text.
3. Use check marks, asterisks, arrows, stars, etc. to mark important
items or details. If you highlight, use different colors for different
things and create a key for your color codes.
4. Circle or highlight words that are unfamiliar or unusual. Try to figure out what the words mean through the way they are used; supplement your guesses by consulting a dictionary.
5. Highlight phrases that describe important characters.
6. Highlight words, images, and details that seem to form a pattern throughout the text. These patterns usually will lead the close
reader to discover a thematic idea.
7. Mark passages that you think might be symbolic.
8. Highlight the use of figurative language. Look specifically for the
common ones (simile, metaphor, allusion) and consider the author’s purpose for using that element in the story. It would be a good idea to take some notes in the margin so you will remember
what you were thinking.
9. If you get an idea, write it down! It may never occur to you again.
10.Don’t mark everything!! If you mark too much, nothing will stand
out and you will have defeated the purpose of annotating.
Dear Parents of AP English Literature and Composition students,
In order to make sure you are aware of both the requirements and responsibilities your child assumes in AP English, I am asking that you and he/she read carefully and sign this form. Should you have any
questions, please email me ([email protected]). This form must be turned in to Mrs. Steingass no later than May 16, 2008.
Parents, please initial each statement to indicate that you have read and
understand each one.
__________A. There is a summer reading requirement that must be completed by the first day of school that includes
annotation of each text, a Major Works Data sheet for each work of literature, and responses to How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Should the student fail to
complete ANY portion of this assignment, the highest grade he/she will receive for the first quarter is a C
(79%).
__________B. In order for your son/daughter to earn any college credit or placement for taking this course, he/she
must earn a 3, 4, or 5 on the Advanced Placement examination in English Literature and Composition given in the spring. Determination of what score
receives credit or placement is made by individual colleges/universities, NOT by Mrs. Steingass or Mason High School.
Please sign the appropriate line below indicating that you have read and understand the previous statements.
_____________________________ ______________________________ Student’s printed name Student’s signature
_____________________________ ______________________________ Parent’s printed name Parent’s signature
