Final Summer Reading Questions

Hi, guys and gals! Here are your last set of summer reading questions! I am looking forward to meeting and working with you all!

For WTDS: The last six chapters (pgs 293-410) were grouped by the title "Personality, Character, and Intelligence." Why do you think Gladwell did this? You must use support from each of the six chapters in your response. You also need to provide two words per chapter that you did not know, as well as two synonyms for each word (you DO NOT have to define them).

For LOL: For Part IV of LOL, compare and contrast your ability to communicate to Lincoln's. Explain how you and Lincoln differ AND are similar using specific examples from the book and your life/experiences. What is the greatest lesson you learned from this chapter? You also need to provide 10 words that you did not know from this section of LOL, as well as two synonyms for each.

Lastly, remember to bring ALL of your essays, your vocab journal and response journal to class on 8/22. I will see you on the first day, since my AP classes are periods 3 & 5. If you have Ms. Curbelo, never fear! You WILL ALL have a test on the summer readings, the vocab and the AP Terms to Know.

Smile!

Reading Questions - WTDS and LOL

Hi, all! We're almost there!

These are questions for the following chapters from What the Dog Saw:

"Million Dollar Murray"
"The Picture Problem"
"Something Borrowed"
"Connecting the Dots"
"The Art of Failure"
"Blowup"

For each of the six chapters, identify and define two words you did not know before. Which of the chapters do you feel is most applicable to you...and explain why. For each chapter, provide the quote which you feel is the most powerful. What made it powerful? Did the author use any of the terms on your Words to Know List? How did that contribute to its power?

For Lincoln on Leadership, Part 3, answer the following question(s):

This section is titled "Endeavor." According to Webster's Dictionary, endeavor can be defined as any of these:

• "A conscientious or concerted effort toward an end; an earnest attempt."
• "Purposeful or industrious activity"
• "an enterprise"
• "to attempt (fulfillment of a responsibility or an obligation, for example) by employment or expenditure of effort meant to improve the quality of life"
• "To work with a set or specified goal or purpose."

Which of the aforementioned definitions of endeavor do you feel best defines Lincoln? Why? Use quotes from Part 3 to support your answer.

You must post these answers by 8/12 at 11 p.m.

Keep pushing on! You are almost done! Remember, you do not have to do the school's summer reading (this takes its place)!

SMILE :o)

Lincoln on Leadership, Question Set #2

Hello, all! Here is your assignment for LOL, Part 2 (you have until Wednesday, 7/27 to post):

In these chapters, Phillips discusses Lincoln's character and the impact it had on his leadership. I have to say, there were quite a few statements that made me realize I could be doing a better job as a leader at home, at work, and at school (I am a student, too). If only I could wiggle my nose like Bewitched and make it all better! Well, the journey is what makes it better...and is TRULY the reward!

So what I want to know from you is what is one statement that really got you thinking, that really made you step back and say, "Man, that is so true!" Why did it have such an impact on you? How will you use it for the future?

In addition, what are three words you found that you did not know...and what are their definitions? Remember, they should be brief!

Lastly, find an example for both of these: a sentence (or group of sentences) that utilized a syntactic structure from our list, as well as a sentence that was an example of figurative language. For both, state the tool, its definition, the sentence from the book, and the page number you found it.

I also need you to do me a favor (this is the extra credit part of this assignment)! I want you to reach out to someone who has NOT posted to our blog that you KNOW is signed up for AP Language. Call, text or email them...and encourage them to hop on our AP bus QUICKLY! If they reference you in their post, it will be bonus points for them and you.

SMILE :o) I know many of you are going on vacation, but you still need to keep up with your reading and posts. By Wednesday, I will be posting questions for WTDS (pgs. 152-262), so be ready!

More Questions on What the Dog Saw

These questions are for the following readings from What the Dog Saw:

1. Part One of WtDS is titled, "Obsessives, Pioneers, and Other Varieties of Minor Genius." Think about the folks Gladwell describes. Who would you consider to be the obsessive, the pioneer and the genius? You do not have to use the "main characters"; you can use the secondary ones too. There is no right answer...just be sure to explain your choices with specific examples from the book. You can use any of the six chapters in Part One.
   
2. What is one word from "Blowing Up," "True Colors," "John Rock's Error," and "What the Dog Saw" that you did not know before? You will list a total of four words (one per chapter listed), as well as a succinct definition and two synonyms for each.
3. What is ONE life lesson you learned from ONE of the four chapters (those listed in question 3)? Be sure to explain the lesson and how the book clarified it for you.
4. What are two syntactical structures that you recognized from the four chapters? (Refer to your Words to Know for AP Language packet). Syntax refers to sentence structure, or the way words, phrases and sentences are organized (like parallelism or antithesis)...NOT figurative language (like metaphor or personification). Be sure to write the word, the definition, the example from the book, and the page number of where you found it. No duplicating answers. Check the posts before you to make sure someone else did not use the same example as you. Basically, the early bird will get the worm here!
   

YOUR FIRST EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION: If you have managed to keep up with the readings, blog questions, your entries and essays, what are some tips you would offer your classmates to tackle the readings and work. Only a couple dozen of you are responding (about 35% of what's on my roll), so I wanted to see what you were doing that would inspire the other folks to read and get the job done.

YOU HAVE UNTIL 7/17 to post your answers...and be ready for a post on LoL sometime this week.

Hang in there; you are already half way through your readings!

SMILE :o) and have a good week.

Essay & Summer Reading Questions

In case if some of you are confused as to these two points, here are some answers:

SUMMER READING: As stated in your Summer Readings and Activities 2011 packet, you DO NOT have to read the two books from the school's summer reading list. AP typically requires you read something different. In our case, it's LoL and WtDS.

ESSAYS: I wrote in the Summer Readings and Activities 2011 packet that you would "likely have six paragraphs"; however, my sample has only five. First, remember I wrote "likely" NOT "must"...and I only have five because I cleverly and creatively used my "personal experiences/observations" example in my intro. It was my hook, and I used it to lead up to my thesis. Notice that I also developed that example; it would be different if I merely mentioned my mother's leadership. That is how I got away with it. If you can only do five, fine...but I really want you to learn to pull from all areas of your life.

ONE LAST THING: You guys have to remember to e-mail me only as a last resort. What I mean by that is - you should first refer to your notes/handouts and be sure you've read them thoroughly. If you cannot find the answer that way, ask a friend or classmate. I have been getting about 3-4 emails a day (not including comments from the blog posts) about questions that are in your packets. I want to help in any way that I can, but I need my summer too. Please know that if you have a personal issue to discuss, email me right away; however, for things that have been explained in packets or online, please refer to those or your classmates.

Smile :o) Be ready for the next set of questions. I will post them today or tomorrow!

Lincoln on Leadership, Part I

Hi, all! Well, you should nearly be through Part 1 of Lincoln on Leadership...so you know what that means? A question or two for you! I also wrote a sample argumentative essay, which I will embed below.

You have until 7/8 to respond to this post :o)

1. What are three words that were in your reading that you did not know before? Be sure to include the words, their definitions (brief and easy to understand), and a synonym.

2. What is one adjective you would use to describe Lincoln? Support your choice with examples and/or quotes from the text.

3. What is one life lesson you learned from Part 1 of LoL?

In your responses, be sure to include your first name and last initial ONLY...if your name is not part of your ID.

OK, below is the argumentative essay I told you I would write. It's not my best (I was on a plane), but you will get the idea of the format. I want a HOOK that will catch the reader's attention, paragraphs that include examples from literature, history, Lincoln on Leadership, etc., as well as an example from your personal experiences or the world around you. Not to mention, I want a closer that pops! In doing all that, you need to have a voice! You cannot pull that off in other essays (like an analysis), but in your argumentative essay, "voice it up!" BTW, my essay turned out to be four written pages.

Remember, you will do eight of these argumentative essays over the course of the summer (and they're due the first day of class). That is one per week! See the "Summer Readings and Activities 2011" handout for the details! You DO NOT have to submit these essays in your posts, though you should be typing them out to turn in the first day of class! :o)

Argumentative Essay 1

First Reading of What the Dog Saw

OK, so you should have already read the preface and first two pieces in What the Dog Saw. I know it can be a little hard to follow, but keep trying. This is your task for this week (and be sure not to repeat answers from another classmate's post):

1. What are two words (and their brief definitions) from this reading that you were unsure of or did not know before (refer to the vocab journal you should be keeping)? (BTW, I already found about a dozen words in those 50 pages that I thought you may not know...some of them are SAT/ACT words).

2. Name at least one example from your readings that coincides with one your terms from the "Words to Know for AP Language" packet. Be sure to include the term, the definition, the example from the book, the page number, and why you think the author used it. Here is an example: Alliteration, the repetition an initial consonant sound, can be found on page 45 of WTDS when Gladwell states, "ketchup consumption." He uses alliteration here likely because the technique makes bland phrases seems catchy, much like the craze of ketchup...especially when he was referring to the EZ Squirt bottle and how it caught on in households.

3. What is a life lesson you've learned from the reading? (I know this seems like a stretch, but what can you learn from the preface, "The Pitchman" or "The Ketchup Conundrum"? Explain and use specific details from the reading.

Though I am going out of town this week, I will be posting some questions from Lincoln on Leadership and checking in (and commenting on) your posts. Have fun! And, remember, if you don't see a classmate as a follower, recruit them (it's EC). In addition, if you know of someone that is registered for AP Lang that has not begun to read and do the work, put a fire under their butts!

You have until 6/28 to answer this question :o)

SMILE :o)