Summer Session Schedule and Directions for the First Session

You're no longer sophomores! & perhaps the label never felt right because you weren't sophomoric. From here on out, at least in your English class, you'll be both a high school junior and (in the AP sense) a college student. Welcome to AP English Language and Composition.

This summer we'll be meeting three times to discuss and share work we've produced in response to three books.

On Tuesday, July 15 we'll meet from 8:00 am to 11:00 am in room 2207 to discuss Rebecca Solnit's The Faraway Nearby. We'll also share some basic rhetorical analysis.

Do each of these:

1. Look at the whole book. Explain how each chapter contributes to the development of ideas in the book. (Demonstrate an understanding of the contents of each chapter. Explain how each chapter relates to the other chapters in a particular order and how each chapter contributes to the overall meaning and effect of the book.) [300+ words]

2. Choose a significant paragraph (perhaps a paragraph that you like). Explain how each sentence in the paragraph contributes to the development of ideas in the paragraph and how the paragraph contributes to the development of ideas in the chapter. (Show an awareness of what each sentence means, how each sentence relates to the other sentence in a particular order, how each sentence contributes to the overall meaning and effect of the paragraph, and how the paragraph contributes to the chapter.) [300+ words]

3. Choose a sentence with meaning, word choice, and syntax (word order) that interest you. Explain how each word and each punctuation mark contributes to the development of the sentence's meaning. (Show an awareness of what each word means. Think about denotation and connotation. Think about what each punctuation mark is doing. Think about how each word and/or phrase relates to the other words in a particular order that creates meaning and has a particular effect on the reader.) [100+ words]

Do one of these [300+ words]:

4. Choose a particular object that recurs in the book. How does the object contribute to the overall meaning and effect of the book? (Use direct quotation in your response.)

OR
4. Look at the text at the bottom of each page. How does the text running along the bottom of each contribute to the overall meaning and effect of the book? (Use direct quotation in your response.)
OR
4. Look at the way Solnit weaves together seemingly unrelated stories to convey a theme. Choose two or more stories that Solnit weaves together. How do the stories contribute to the overall meaning and effect of the book?
OR
Choose a description of a person or place. Direct description. Direct characterization. Indirect characterization. How does the description/characterization contribute to the overall meaning and effect of the book?

[Hint: When thinking about "the development of ideas in the book" and "the overall meaning and effect of the book" consider the question: What role does storytelling play in our lives; particularly. how does storytelling stimulate the imagination and encourage deep empathy?"]

I'm very excited about sharing this book with you. I think the book gets to the heart of why storytelling and story reading are important. 

On Tuesday, July 29 we'll meet from 8:00 am to 11:00 am to discuss and share work about Michael Patrick McDonald's All Souls.
On Tuesday, August 19 we'll meet from 8:00 am to 11:00 am to discuss and share work about Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma. The work for these books and the place in the school will be shared by email and on the website later in the summer.

I look forward to seeing you on July 15. Please write if you have any questions, want any clarification, or want to share work to see if you're headed in the right direction.

all the best,
Mr. James Cook