Summer Readings for AP US Government and CP Economics
All students taking AP US Government next year need to read and outline the
following six chapters of James Q. Wilson and John J. Di Lulio’s American
Government, 11th Edition (Be sure is the 11th edition, ISBN: 13: 978-0-618-95612-8):
Chapters 1 through 4 plus Chapters 7 and 8.
Summer Readings APSS Students (AP Gov and AP Econ)
In addition to the six chapters from the Wilson book, APSS students must read and
outline the following six chapters of Paul Krugman and Robin Wells’
Macroeconomics: a. Macroeconomics: The Big Picture/ b. Tracking the
Macroeconomy /c. Aggregate Supply and Aggregate Demand/ d. Income and
Expenditure/ e. Fiscal Policy/f. Money, Banking and the Federal Reserve System.
Because different students will be using different editions of this textbook, I have
given you the title not the number of the six chapters.
All Outlines for AP Gov and AP Econ MUST FOLLOW THE SQ3R (Scan,
Question, Read, Reflect, Review) methodology. The method is illustrated below. If
you have any questions email Mr. Hernandez.
Finally, this applies ONLY TO THE AP ECON OUTLINES, all the graphs in the
outlines MUST BE DONE BY HAND AND MUST CONTAIN A CAPTION
THAT EXPLAINS WHAT THE VARIOUS CURVES MEAN. Again, if you have
any questions, see Mr. Hernandez in Rm. 54 before the Summer break. Enjoy Your
Summer…
MODIFIED SQ3R OUTLINING METHODOLOGY
( AP GOV & AP ECON: Mr. Hernandez )
Since the most important chapter you need to read and outline during summer is
the one on The Constitution, I will use that chapter to EXPLAIN AND
ILLUSTRATE how you need to outline the remaining chapters of Wilson.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read the 7 topics (in green) on page 16
Look at visuals throughout the chapter (scan the entire chapter)
Read the headings of the various subtopics (they are under the topics)
Read the titles of all the “boxes” within the chapter (e.g., Checks & Balances,
on page 29)
5. Read the SUMMARY of the chapter---TWICE!
6. Formulate a PRELIMINARY HYPOTHESIS about the Constitution to
guide your reading of the chapter, e.g., The Constitution, like a “user’s
manual,” gives us the basic anatomy and physiology of our political system
7. NOW READ AND UNDERLINE THE CHAPTER with that hypothesis in
mind
8. AFTER you have finish reading, YOU START OUTLINING
9. Take ONE OR MORE of the topics and turn them into AN ANALYTICAL
QUESTION, i.e., WHY QUESTION, HOW QUESTION, COMPARE AND
CONTRAST QUESTION, EVALUATE QUESTION, ETC... For example:
Why did the “real revolution” of 1776 take place before the War of
Independence?
10. Answer your question WITHOUT READING THE BOOK… If you CAN
NOT, then RE-READ that section.
11. Write the answer to your question in YOUR OWN WORDS
12. At the end of every outline you must have TWO SEPARATE SECTIONS
entitled: Reconsidering Who Governs? And Reconsidering To What Ends?
When you answers the questions at the end of every chapter. DON’T JUST
COPY THE ANSWERS OF THE BOOK: USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
AND YOU MUST ALWAYS ILLUSTRATE OR GIVE EXAMPLES!
Like riding a bike (or most things, for that matter), it is going to be hard at the start:
You’ll fall down and be frustrated… BUT IF YOU PERSEVERE and let it become
second nature to you, I PROMISE YOU it will pay now and tomorrow when you are in
college--- TRUST ME: Been doing it for 25 years!!
We will further demonstrate and illustrate this outline process TOGETHER IN
CLASS… If you still have questions after that YOU MUST COME TO RM. 54.
KEEP A COPY OF THIS SIGNED DOCUMENT AND KEEP IT IN THE 3-RING
FOLDER WITH YOUR OUTLINES, SYLLABUS AND OTHER HANDOUTS.
STUDENT NAME: _______________________________________ (PRINT)
PARENT SIGNATURE: _________________________ E-MAIL: _____________