SUMMER SENIOR AP

READING/RESEARCHING/WRITING PROJECT/S
Despite protestations to the contrary, your brain does not shut down between May and August.
It needs foodstimulation. And this summer you will give your brain that food. You will read.
I. The first part of your reading entails the following two books:
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Pulitzer Prize 2006)
Angelas Ashes by Frank McCourt (Pulitzer Prize 1999 Biography or Autobiography)
After reading both books, choose one and its attendant activity to complete:
For The Road. This novel qualifies as apocalyptic literature, a literature that presents the "end of the world."
First read the novel. Keep a journal that records your impressions of characters (father and son) and
setting. You can use the attached templates if you choose. What impressions/mental pictures are you
receiving from McCarthys stark characterizations and his descriptions of events, human encounters,
survival conditions? Second, view the movie (DVD release date May 25). Again, take notes. Then in a
two- three page reflection, discuss how your intellectual and emotional experiences of McCarthys
world differed between novel and movie. Be sure to insert specific examples from both novel and
movie.
For Angelas Ashes. Christopher Morley (1890-1957), an American author, wrote: "The real purpose of books
is to trap the mind into its own thinking." To help you better grasp the "trapped into thinking" of your
brain, you will complete the following:
McCourts autobiography recounts a childhood far removed from your own. Or is it? Keep a reading
log per the attached instructions, with the following exceptions: "Experiences or memories" at least
seven through the book; "Questions" at least five; "Evaluations"as directed, evaluating in twothree pages. When all is done, you may discover that while McCourts physical surroundings differ
from yours his "coming of age" may not.
Your next reading is an autobiography, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by
the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai, with Christina Lamb. (available in paperback June 2)
Either before or as you read this biography work on the following:
Research Pakistan. Excellent sources are The Malala Fund, Central Intelligence Agency: The World Factbook,
the United Nations web site, the Nobel Prize web site, etc. You can research such areas as:
Education
Cultural roles of women and men
Role of religion
Cultural practices
Cultural politics
Impacts of terrorism on education, everyday life, etc.
Choose an area that interests you. Then prepare a visual that teaches the class about your interest. This visual
can be in the form of a PowerPoint, poster, or any other medium (except Prezzi). You may choose one partner
to work on the project with you.

The second part of your summer reading involves The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of
Forgiveness by Simon Wiesenthal, ISBN 0-8052-1060-1.
In this book Wiesenthal, a concentration camp survivor, first relates an event from his life and then asks a very
provocative question. As you read The Sunflower annotate your text, making yourself notes, comments, etc.
You will have writing assignments and discussion groups in conjunction with this reading.
On the first day of class bring your completed projects and The Sunflower.

HAVE A GREAT AND SAFE SUMMER!!........!!!