Ima let you finish

Oh my holy hayfever!  It's August already.  Time for the rest of your summer assignments.  GOOD work to those of you who completed the first task on the GOOD show.  Several students have checked in a little later than the recommended time, and some have NOT YET CHECKED IN AT ALL!!  What?  Lucky for them/you, summer is forgiveness season, a time to allow yourself a little slack before the NOOSE tightens in September.  Hahaha.  Anywho, please get on your social media and remind your slackier AP comrades it's time to get on the ball--sign in with contact info and complete the assignments BEFORE the first day of class.

So, now that you've listened and responded to the GOOD show, it's only fair that you do the same with the BAD show--your second LISTENING.  This time, replace the word kindness in each statement with the word cruelty:

1.  Cruelty is hard-wired in our brains, a biological imperative that promotes survival.
2.  Cruelty is chiefly a product of experience and circumstance, a quality that is found only in some individuals.

Are some people just born bad?  Are we all equally capable of cruelty?  Is environment more influential in the manifestation of evil than of good?  Is your answer the same as it was in Assignment #1?

Once again, respond by clicking the comment link at the bottom of this post, identify yourself and the number of the question you most closely agree with.  Use evidence from BOTH shows to support your position.

For your VIEWING assignments, please go to TED.com and watch both The Paradox of Choice and Beware online "filter bubbles."  Come to class on Day 3 with two copies of this sheet printed and filled out--one for each Ted talk. 

Meanwhile, I will collect the golden lines you have been selecting from Ishmael as you read on the FIRST DAY of class.  We will be doing some work with this novel, but probably not until the second week, so you won't need your book with you right away. 

Man, you guys, this is going to be fun!  I know it's hard to let go of summer and get back to the grind, but this will be a whole new grind!  You're going to like it!!

Good Idea!

Why do people do good things?  Radiolab's The Good Show explores this question from a number of different perspectives.  For your first summer assignment, your first assignment of AP English Language, listen to The Good Show broadcast.  Then click on the comments link at the bottom of this post to share your thoughts on human (and animal, for that matter) altruism.  Choose one of the following statements--the one with which you most closely agree.  Identify yourself (with your full name) and the number of the statement, then write why you agree with it.  Use at least one piece of evidence from the show and one example from your personal experience or readings to support your argument.  Be clear and concise, writing the equivalent of a fully developed paragraph.  I will check responses and give credit on July 15.  In the meantime, have fun and be GOOD.

1.  Kindness is hard-wired in our brains, a biological imperative that promotes survival.
2.  Kindness is chiefly a product of experience and circumstance, a quality that is found only in some individuals.

Welcome to AP English Language!

Probably the last thing you want to be thinking about, as you count down the days until summer vacation, is schoolwork for next year.  Or, worse yet, summer schoolwork.  BUT this is an Advanced Placement class, and therefore you can expect a bit more demanding work load.  Actually, the summer work should be engaging and enjoyable--the kind of stuff that will get your AP gears clicking and prepare you for the school year to come, but leave you plenty of time to float the river or sip lemonade or whatever it is kids do these days.

First off, you will need to do some housekeeping tasks so that we can communicate through the summer and beyond.  This blog will be our meeting place, clearing house, and bulletin board for all things AP.  I will post assignments, readings, due dates, etc. here beginning the first of July, so you will need to check in some time before Independence Day to stay abreast of developments.

Much of the work we do in the summer and throughout the year will be paperless (Yay trees!), so I will need you to create a Google account and gmail for our correspondence.  To be included in class texts you may also provide cell phone information, but it is not required.  Please provide your information on this STUDENT INFO FORM for my data base.

The reading portion of your summer work is the novel, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn.  Some copies of this novel are available through the library, but you should consider purchasing your own copy to mark up and refer to throughout the year.  Several used copies will be available for purchase in my classroom by June 1.  New and used copies are available through Amazon or other bookstores.  In addition, you will have two viewing and two listening assignments.  Your first assignment will be posted on this blog by July 1, due July 14.  Check this link for more information.

Because this year's students are still using this blog site, it is currently cluttered with info you don't need.  Feel free to browse, but don't touch anything.  If you break it, you buy it.  Once the current class checks out, we'll rearrange things and make it a place we can call home.  Or blog.  Anyway, bookmark it; you'll be glad you did.