Colorado Springs Christian
High School
4825 Mallow Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
(719) 535-2727
AP English Literature
2015
Summer Reading List
Required Reading for AP English Literature
All work is due the first day of school.
Statement of Purpose
“Why do we have this required summer reading?”
This question is often asked. The answers are multiple but begin with
the nature of our school – a college preparatory high school. One of our
academic goals is to prepare students to succeed in the college and
university environment. Colleges and universities expect students to
come having already read a significant amount and variety of literary
works. That goal cannot be achieved exclusively during the school year.
Additionally, we believe that a summer reading program will:
1.
Maintain and improve reading proficiency. Educational studies
have shown that student reading skills deteriorate when they do
not read over the summer months.
2.
Increase fluency and vocabulary skills as students are introduced
to new themes and vocabulary in their selected books.
3.
Develop a wider range of reading interests as students are
exposed to subjects and authors outside of their usual choices.
Some Strategies for Planning Your Summer Reading
The first and most important tip is:
DON’T LEAVE IT ALL UNTIL THE WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL!
This may be obvious, but it needs to be said.
1. Buy your books early.
2. Once you have your books, the following system seems to work well
for some people:
a. Add up all the pages that need to be read.
b. Add up all the days of summer vacation.
c. Subtract days you will need for writing assignments and days
that it will not be possible for you to read.
d. The total number of days you have left are “reading days.”
e. Divide the total reading days by the total number of pages.
That is how much you need to read each day to stay on track.
Find a system that works for you.
Summer Reading for AP English Literature 2015
Required summer work for all students entering AP English Literature
Note: No outside sources, such as Spark Notes or Internet sites (such as shmoop), may be
used. The AP course is designed to prepare you for the rigorous analysis and writing that
are required on the AP exam and the close reading required of college texts. Get used to
coming up with and supporting your own ideas.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
For the novel you will complete a journal assignment. This is due August 14. This assignment is
designed to encourage good reading habits – something that we will work on the entire year.
Because this is a journal assignment, less emphasis is place on whether your responses are
“right” or “wrong,” and more emphasis is placed on how much you authentically engage with the
text.
The procedure is as follows:
Complete an entry after every 25 pages, give or take a page or two. (Stop at a logical place.)
Each entry should be comprised of three of the 10 options listed below and should be labeled as
follows:
Entry One: Pages 1-25
a. Option # ___
b. Option # ___
c. Option # ___
Of course, each response will be a full and rich exploration of the text. The format is important,
as it allows me to award you full credit.
Your responses should take advantage of the full range of the following ten options:
1. Comment on the author’s style, referring to particular words, phrases, passages. What do
you notice about the author’s writing that sets him apart?
2. Pick a passage which contains a specific literary device and make a comment as to the
effect that device has on the passage as a whole.
3. Comment on a character. What traits does he/she have that are getting in the way or
contributing to his/her success? Does this character remind you of someone you know?
Yourself, perhaps? Talk about more than his/her surface characteristics.
4. Comment on your reaction to the story itself. How do you respond to the action? If you
are not enjoying it, why not? If you are, why?
5. Write about how you fit into the story. Can you relate to some of the struggles? Do you
see yourself in the story or how people are reacting? How is your life journey similar?
6. Write and answer four interpretive (between the lines) questions.
7. Select a quotation that either seems important or just strikes you as interesting. Comment
on your selection.
8. Describe the tone (attitude the speaker or sometimes the author has towards her/his
subject) of the section by listing 10-12 words from the section and then discuss their
overall effect on the section.
9. Use a creative writing approach. This one is wide open - anything goes.
10. Talk to a character. Ask the character a question, scold them, advise them, yell at them,
beg them to change…whatever. Pretend like the character is someone who will listen to
you.
You will need to vary your selections for each entry, although you will, of course, use some of
the 10 options more than once. Remember that effort will be recognized, as will last minute
weekend products. Take your time. Start early.
(adapted from Lance Balla’s summer AP assignment)
All work due August 14
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Purchase a new copy of this nonfiction book. (There were a stack of them at Barnes and Noble
last week, but many classes use this book for summer reading, so don’t wait until the last minute
to get it.) I would suggest you read this book before Frankenstein.
As you read the book, annotate it. This involves underlining important points that you want to
remember, writing comments and questions in the margins, and writing a brief summary in bullet
points at the end of each chapter. Do a thorough job as this will be a grade.
You will turn in your annotated book on the first day of school. Your grade will depend on how
well you annotated it. This book will take some time to get through, so start early.
The Universe Next Door, 5th ed. by James W. Sire
Be sure to purchase the 5th edition. The book has been substantially updated to include
worldviews that were not listed in earlier editions. You may need to order this book online.
List all the worldviews. Include a thorough description of the worldview including authors and
works associated with each worldview. This assignment is in preparation for your research paper
that we will start the first week of school.
Format: The format is important, as it allows me to award you full credit.
A. Name of Worldview:
B. Definition of Worldview:
C. Authors and works associated with the worldview
All work due August 14
TURNING IN WORK: You will turn in your Frankenstein journals online. Send it as an
attachment any time this summer to debbie.borkert@gmail.com. Any questions may be sent to
this email; I will check and grade your work as it comes in. ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE
AT THE LASTEST AT CLASS TIME ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (AUGUST 14).
The journal must be typed in a standard 12 point font, including a correct MLA heading:
Your Name
Mrs. Borkert
AP Literature
Date (day month year)
Your pledge statement and your annotated copy of How to Read Literature Like a Professor is
due the first day of school.
Complete the pledge statement and bring it to class on the first day of school.
STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE THEIR SUMMER WORK COMPLETED AND TURNED
IN BY AUGUST 14 WILL BE RESCHEDULED INTO A REGULAR BRITISH
LITERATURE CLASS.
Important Notice:
Because it has been my observation and research is coming forth showing that people do not read
as closely when using an e-reader compared to the printed page, you must use actual books for
your reading this year. Also, as I’ve noticed over the last couple of years that AP students have
chosen to use online sources instead of actually reading their novels, you will be required to
purchase a clean copy of each novel and annotate it to be turned in for a grade. You can also
expect regular reading checks on reading assignments and be expected to sign a pledge sheet that
you have read your novel and not consulted outside sources. Plan ahead. You will receive a list
of all the novels for this year on the first day of school. Although the AP class is a lot of work, it
is a very rewarding class and prepares students for college reading and writing, as well as the AP
exam.
Start early on your summer work, stay on top of it, and have a great summer! I’m looking
forward to seeing all of you in August.
Mrs. Borkert
Summer Reading Pledge Statement
This is due August 14 with your summer reading written material.
All summer reading and assignments are due on August 14. Any student who has not turn in the
summer assignments at the beginning of class the first day of school will be rescheduled into a
regular college bound English class that day.
AP English Literature
I have read the following assignments in their entirety and have not consulted any outside
sources. All the opinions in the written material are solely my own.
Frankenstein
______________________________
Signature
How to Read Literature Like a
Professor
______________________________
Signature
The Universe Next Door
_______________________________
Signature
Print your name below.
This page must be turned in to Mrs. Borkert
in class on August 14.