AP Language Summer Reading Map 2014-2015
Summer is often a time of travel and adventure. Well, prepare for a journey with your summer reading. You’ll need to
obtain a copy of John Krakauer’s nonfiction book entitled Into the Wild. It is a book about a young adult not much older
than you who shed the social expectations for his life and traveled west to his ultimate destination, Alaska.
Mrs. Joyner has a few copies that you can check out. It’s first come, first serve. Stop by 150 before the last day of school
for availability.
Pre-reading: Preparing for the Journey
Read excerpts Chris wrote as an editorial writer for Emory University’s The Wheel at the following link:
http://www.emorywheel.com/archive/detail.php?n=24325
Based on your pre-reading, what kind of person do you imagine Chris to be? Is he someone you would like? Why or
why not?
After creating an account on vocab.com, master the following list of vocabulary words before you read or as you read:
http://www.vocabulary.com/lists/390418. Be prepared to show evidence of mastery as soon as iPads become available.
A quiz will follow soon after.
Active Reading: Impressions along the Way
As you read, document evidence that would classify McCandless as naïve or foolish AND document evidence that would
classify McCandless as a visionary with something important to teach society.
Create a T chart to document your evidence. You must have 7 pieces of evidence on both sides of your chart and your
evidence should span the breadth of the book. You should have a variety of quotes, paraphrases, and summary. Be
sure to include the page number after each quote along with the context: who said it, what was going on in the book at
the time, etc . . .
Post Reading: Reflecting on Your Journey
See assignment on the back of this paper. Projects are due the first day of school. You should be prepared to present
your project clearly and articulately.
If you have questions over the summer, email Mrs. Joyner at kim.joyner@woodford.kyschools.us. I look forward to
meeting and working with you all.
Into the Wild Individual Creative Project: Documenting Your Journey
McCandless’ Journey: The Belt
In Chapter 6, Krakauer describes the leather belt Chris carved:
For his first project McCandless produced a tooled leather belt,
on which he created an artful pictorial record of his wanderings.
ALEX is inscribed at the belt’s left end; then the initials C.J.M.
(for Christopher Johnson McCandless) frame a skull and
crossbone. Across the strip of cowhide one sees a rendering of
a two-lane blacktop, a NO U-TURN sign, a thunderstorm
producing a flash flood that engulfs a car, a hitchhiker’s thumb,
an eagle, the Sierra Nevada, salmon cavorting in the Pacific
Ocean, the Pacific Coast Highway from Oregon to Washington,
the Rocky Mountains, Montana wheat fields, a South Dakota
rattlesnake, Westerberg’s house in Carthage, the Colorado River, a gale in the Gulf of California, a canoe beached
beside a tent, Las Vegas, the initials T.C.D., Morro Bay, Astoria, and at the buckle end, finally, the letter N
(presumably representing north).
Essential Questions to Consider:
 What are you in search of?
 What are your plans for the future?
 What obstacles do you envision in your future pursuits?
 Where have you been?
 What has shaped you into the person you are?
 What have you overcome?
 What have you failed at?
 How do you view life?
Assignment Directions:
Like Chris did, you will create an object that represents who you are and where you are going—your journey. YOU
MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST 10 IMAGES, BUT YOU ARE NOT LIMITED TO 10! Use the questions above as a guide.
Your creation must be a visual adaptation of your journey. You may choose any media you like, but you must Be
Creative! To help you get started, I’ve provided a list of potential ideas below:
 Scrapbook (can be digital!)
 Photo Album
 Quilt (could be made with paper, if desired)
 T-Shirt, or other article of clothing
 Woodcut
 Collage
 Map
 Painting
 Music Video*
 Pottery
 Jewelry
*for the music video, you must choose a song that you think represents your journey. The visuals can be either a slideshow or a video you record.
Grading Criteria:
Minimum required images (10)
Visual presentation & creativity
Oral Presentation of project
TOTAL POINTS
10
20
20
50