Advanced Placement English III – Summer Reading Assignments

Language and Composition - Juniors

M. Szklany-Brown (MSzkB@comcast.net or Margaret.Szklany-Brown@mnps.org)

Current Events Journal – Minimum Eight Entries, No Maximum

Materials:

For each week of the summer break, select ONE major serious news story from the Tennessean, Time, or Newsweek. If you do not get these papers or magazines, you may purchase them in any bookstore, or go to the public Library to read them, or enter a bookstore such as Davis-Kidd, Books-A-Million, or Barnes and Noble, buy a snack or a drink, and read the news in their café. “I couldn’t find it” will not be accepted as an excuse. There are many options listed above. “I didn’t have time” will not be accepted as an excuse. If you have an especially busy week, skip that week and do two entries the week before, or the week after. Just be sure to bring a minimum of eight entries on the second day of school!

What to do:

After reading the current story, summarize the article. What are the facts of the matter? How does the writer feel about it? How do you know this? Also, explain your opinion on the matter. Each week, including summary and opinion, should be at least a page long. Your Current Events Journals are due on the SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL!

Why are we doing this?

A large part of the course this year will be involved in analyzing non-fiction articles, stories, and speeches from American History. You are practicing necessary skills for success on the AP Exam in May. Also, your reading journal will give Ms. Szklany-Brown an opportunity to evaluate your writing skills early in the year, so be sure that you write with your best grammar, usage, and punctuation.

Historical Analysis – Read and Analyze the Article Provided to You (see attachment), excerpted from Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy.

“Courage and Politics” by Robert F. Kennedy

If you run across a word which you do not recognize, take the time to LOOK IT UP and record the definition on your handouts!

1. What is the purpose of this essay?

2. How does Kennedy organize his thesis, main points, and supporting details? Create an outline of this article using those categories – fill in the facts as you go.

3. According to Kennedy, what are most politicians like? Give specific details.

4. What are the three sources of political pressure listed in this article? Do you agree with this summary?

5. What do courageous politicians leave as a legacy for their nation? How do you know?

Come to class on the FIRST day of school with these questions answered in complete sentences with detailed explanations, and ready to discuss the responsibilities of a politician to the body politic which elects him or her.

Click here for Supplemental Information to Profiles of Courage

Independent Reading

Select ANY book, from ANY genre (science fiction, fantasy, romance, western, non-fiction, self-help, religion, history, historical fiction, whatever!) that you have been wanting to read. Read and enjoy it. Then, as you read, or when you are done, make a list of each time PERSUASION is used in the novel. What is the circumstance, what is the persuader’s goal, what techniques does he or she use, and how successful is he or she in attaining his or her goal? Please note AT LEAST TEN INSTANCES of persuasion in your novel.