Download ss summer reading 2015

Geography Summer Reading:
Class: On-Level World Geography
Reading: I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Assessment: Multiple Choice Test at the beginning of the fall semester. It is highly recommended
that students take notes over the reading so that they remember it for the assessment.
Book Synopsis:
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala
Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday,
October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in
the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school and few expected her
to survive.
Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a
remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At
sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever
for the Nobel Peace Prize (which she was awarded as a co-winner in November, 2014).
I am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for
girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his
daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their
daughter in a society that prizes sons. I am Malala will make you believe in the power of
one person's voice to inspire change in the world.
Contact Person: Michelle Baumann at [email protected]
Class: AP Human Geography
Reading: They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky by B. Ajak, B. Deng, and A. Deng.
Assessment: 3 Separate Assignments:
1. Students will be given a test over the book that is the combination of multiple choice
questions and short answer/short essay questions. It is highly recommended the students
take notes over their reading, paying special attention to major people in the book, the
meanings of the chapter titles, and the major places the children go.
2. Learn the relative locations of most of the countries around the world as well as the
following sub-state territories: Darfur, FARC, Chechnya, Kosovo, Tibet, Basque, Ossetia
(both), Kurdistan, Punjab, Quebec, Gaza Strip/West Bank, Kashmir.
3. Learn the relative locations of several major physical features around the world. The list can
be found by visiting Tara Cohen’s blog at http://waltonhigh.typepad.com/cohen/
Book and Assignment Rationale:
They Poured Fire chronicles the life of three small boys who are forced to flee ethnic and
religious conflict in Sudan at a very young age. Throughout the journey, our students are
introduced to many important concepts we learn throughout the course of our class as well
as learn about the difficulties children much younger than them have had to face at various
points in history.
The other two summer assignments, which require our students to learn the relative
locations of many prominent countries and physical features is designed to better prepare
them for success in an Advanced Placement Human Geography course that assumes they
already have a brief background in world/regional geography. The better the students
know the world that we will be studying, the more likely they will be successful dealing
with the locational nature of our class.
Contact Person: Matt Staruch at [email protected]
Government Summer Reading:
Class: On-Level Government
Reading: The United States: A Graphic Adaptation by Jonathan Hennessey
Assessment: Students to be tested on the reading when they return to school from summer break. It
is highly recommended that students take notes over the reading so that they remember it for the
assessment.
Book Synopsis and Rationale: The book goes through the United States Constitution in the form of a
comic book. The book breaks down each article and amendment of the Constitution and explains
their meanings and implications. The book also explores the historical context in which the various
elements of the Constitution originated. The assignment is designed to introduce students to the
founding document of the United States in a way that is challenging, accessible, and memorable.
Class: Honors Government
Reading: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Assessment: Students will take a multiple choice test on the book. The test questions will center
around the goals of her social experiment, her work experiences and some of the main challenges
she faces along the way. Students will also be tested on the conclusions she reaches at the end of
her experiments and some of the proposals that the author makes to improve the lives of the
working class. It is highly recommended that students take notes over the reading so that they
remember it for the assessment.
Book Synopsis:
In Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich engages in a social experiment in which she goes
"undercover" in three separate locations as a low-wage worker. Her experiences show the
challenges faced by the working class to make ends meet and help spark the debate about what, if
anything, the government should do to address the plight of full-time minimum-wage workers.
Contact Person(s): Ben Callaway at [email protected]
Class: AP Government
** We highly recommend students read the summer reading assignment for whichever class they
are signed up to take in the fall semester. (To provide some choice, however, students can read the
book for their spring semester class if desired. Use the contact information for each class to address
any questions you have about this)
Reading: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Assessment: Students will take a multiple choice test on the book. The test questions will center
around the goals of her social experiment, her work experiences and some of the main challenges
she faces along the way. Students will also be tested on the conclusions she reaches at the end of
her experiments and some of the proposals that the author makes to improve the lives of the
working class. It is highly recommended that students take notes over the reading so that they
remember it for the assessment.
Book Synopsis:
In Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich engages in a social experiment in which she goes
"undercover" in three separate locations as a low-wage worker. Her experiences show the
challenges faced by the working class to make ends meet and help spark the debate about what, if
anything, the government should do to address the plight of full-time minimum-wage workers.
Contact Person(s): Rob Phillipps at [email protected] or Christine Gordon at
[email protected] or Marco Davila at [email protected]
Economics Summer Reading:
Class: On-Level Economics
Reading: The United States: A Graphic Adaptation by Jonathan Hennessey
Assessment: Students to be tested on the reading when they return to school from summer break. It
is highly recommended that students take notes over the reading so that they remember it for the
assessment.
Book Synopsis and Rationale: The book goes through the United States Constitution in the form of a
comic book. The book breaks down each article and amendment of the Constitution and explains
their meanings and implications. The book also explores the historical context in which the various
elements of the Constitution originated. The assignment is designed to introduce students to the
founding document of the United States in a way that is challenging, accessible, and memorable.
Contact Person: Ben Callaway at [email protected]
Class: Honors Economics
Reading: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Assessment: Students will take a multiple choice test on the book. The test questions will center
around the goals of her social experiment, her work experiences and some of the main challenges
she faces along the way. Students will also be tested on the conclusions she reaches at the end of
her experiments and some of the proposals that the author makes to improve the lives of the
working class. It is highly recommended that students take notes over the reading so that they
remember it for the assessment.
Book Synopsis:
In Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich engages in a social experiment in which she goes
"undercover" in three separate locations as a low-wage worker. Her experiences show the
challenges faced by the working class to make ends meet and help spark the debate about what, if
anything, the government should do to address the plight of full-time minimum-wage workers.
Contact Person: Ben Callaway at [email protected]
Class: AP Microeconomics
Reading: Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan
** We highly recommend students read the summer reading assignment for whichever class they
are signed up to take in the fall semester. (To provide some choice, however, students can read the
book for their spring semester class if desired. Use the contact information for each class to address
any questions you have about this)
Assessment:
Multiple Choice Test at the beginning of the fall semester. It is highly recommended that students
take notes over the reading so that they remember it for the assessment.
Book Synopsis:
Finally! A book about economics that won’t put you to sleep. In fact, you won’t be able to put this
bestseller down. In our challenging economic climate, this perennial favorite of students and
general readers is more than a good read, it’s a necessary investment—with a blessedly sure rate of
return. Demystifying buzzwords, laying bare the truths behind oft-quoted numbers, and answering
the questions you were always too embarrassed to ask, the breezy Naked Economics gives readers
the tools they need to engage with pleasure and confidence in the deeply relevant, not so dismal
science.
Why students are to read the book:
Naked Economics introduces students to the world of economics in an intriguing way without
burdening the reader with difficult graphs and statistics, and explains through real life examples
many of the concepts addressed in the AP Microeconomics course. The Chicago Tribune described
the book as "Translat[ing] the arcane and often inscrutable jargon of the professional economist
into language accessible to the inquiring but frustrated layman.” By reading this book prior to
beginning the course, students will be much more attuned the course concepts, and being able to
relate the course topics to the real world, students will see greater relevance as to why they are
studying economics.
Contact person: Matt Staruch at [email protected]
U.S. History Summer Reading
Class: On-Level U.S. History
Reading: Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis
Assessment:
Students will have a test over the book when the students get back from break. It is highly
recommended that students take notes over the reading so that they remember it for the
assessment.
Contact Person: Mrs. Baumann at [email protected]
Class: Honors U.S. History
Reading: Rachel Calof's Story: Jewish Homesteader on the Northern Plains by Rachel Colof.
Assessment:
Students should be prepared to take a summer reading test within the first two weeks of the fall
semester. Both the personal narrative and the historical commentary should be read. The book will
not be reviewed in class prior to the test. It is highly recommended that students take notes over
the reading so that they remember it for the assessment.
Contact person(s): Mrs. Bond at [email protected] or Ms. Merlin at
[email protected]
Class: AP U.S. History
Reading: 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann. The text is
available for download to mobile devices and comes in an audible narration form (at least on
Amazon).
Assessment:
Students will take a 50 question test over the reading. The test will consist of multiple choice,
matching, and/or true/false questions. As a non-fiction work, the test will focus on the historical
events and figures that shaped Columbian Exchange and its impact both in the New and Old
Worlds. The test will take place the first week of school. Students are highly encouraged to take
notes on the book, but may not use these on their test. This book will closely parallel the material
presented in the first unit.
Contact Person: Jenny Snoddy at [email protected]
Class: ISA AP U.S. History
Reading: 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann. The text is
available for download to mobile devices and comes in an audible narration form (at least on
Amazon).
Assessment:
Students will take a 50 question test over the reading. The test will consist of multiple choice,
matching, and/or true/false questions, and some of the questions will be in Spanish. As a nonfiction work, the test will focus on the historical events and figures that shaped Columbian
Exchange and its impact both in the New and Old Worlds. The test will take place the first week of
school. Students are highly encouraged to take notes on the book, but may not use these on their
test. This book will closely parallel the material presented in the first unit.
Contact Person: Jenny Snoddy at [email protected]
World History Summer Reading
Class: On-Level World History
Reading: A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich
Assessment: Multiple Choice Test at the beginning of the fall semester. It is highly recommended
that students take notes over the reading so that they remember it for the assessment.
Contact Person(s): James Orff at [email protected] or Michelle Baumann at
[email protected]
Class: Honors World History
Reading: An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage
Assessment: Multiple Choice Test at the beginning of the fall semester. It is highly recommended
that students take notes over the reading so that they remember it for the assessment.
Contact Person: James Orff at [email protected]
Class: AP World History
Reading: The Human Web: A Bird’s Eye View of World History by J.R. McNeill and William H. McNeill.
Students will only read the first 3 chapters over the summer. The remainder of the book will be
utilized throughout the school year.
Assessment: Students will complete the study guide/Q&A sheet found on Mr. Edelstein’s blog. They
can use the study guide on their major quiz over the reading.
Contact Person: Matt Edelstein at [email protected]
AP Electives:
Class: AP European History
Reading: The Book of the Courtier (1528) by Baldassare Castiglione
Assessment:
Students must write an essay on the following topics based on information presented in the book
A. Compare and contrast the roles and skills of elite Renaissance men and women
B. Evaluate the influence of The Courtier in contemporary society: to what extent are the
lessons of The Courtier necessary in achieving elite status today?
Guidelines:
A. Typed, size 12 academic font (Times New Roman or Verdana are preferred), one side of a
piece of paper
B. 500 – 1,000 words ( 2 – 4 pages)
C. Appropriate academic diction and structure
D. “Quality work”
E. Graded: First grade of the marking period
F. You may receive NO OUTSIDE HELP on this; that includes carbon based life forms of any
type, and all media, whether print or electronic, with these exceptions: manuals of style or
“grammar” books, such as the Guide to Rapid Revision, and computer based “spell checks”
and “grammar checks.”
G. Due by August 3rd, 2015
Book Synopsis: The Book of the Courtier was one of the most significant books of the Italian
Renaissance, and it remains influential today. Castiglione was a diplomat at the court of the Duke of
Urbino; the structure of The Courtier is a series of fictitious conversations among the Duke and
several attendants (courtiers) about the purpose and nature of the Renaissance Court. The Courtier
is, in many ways, a manual of how to achieve social status and wealth through ability, education,
and effort.
Contact Person: Ken Keller at [email protected]