AP Environmental Summer Reading Assignment
Below is a list of books that deal with environmental issues. These books are available at local libraries, Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com. Select a book from this list and read the book thoroughly and critically with an open mind. As you read the book answer the following questions which should be submitted no later than August 15th for a test grade.
Stolen Harvest by Vandana Shiva
Water Wars by Vandana Shiva
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Fateful Harvest by Duff Wilson
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Coal: A Human History by Barbara Freese
Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough
1. Briefly describe the author’s professional background. (5 points)
2. Describe the format of the book you read. Was it a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end? Was it a compilation of short scenarios? (2 points)
3. Describe the central or peripheral environmental conflict being addressed in the book. (5 points)
4. Do you expect this conflict to be resolved during your lifetime? Why or why not? (5 points)
5. Is the environmental issue being addressed in the book a local, regional or global in scope? (2 points)
6. Give two examples of how cultural differences may affect how these issues are being addressed by different subgroups. (5 points)
7. Describe a specific scenario from the book that changed your view on an environmental issue. (5 points)
8. There is a popular saying among environmentalists,”Think globally, act locally”. Describe something you learned from reading this book that will cause you to do something in your everyday life differently than before. (3 points)
9. Who should read this book and why? (3 points)
10. Give your honest opinion as to whether you enjoyed reading this book. Give 2 specific examples from the book in explaining your response. (10 points)
11. If a sequel to this book was written 30 years after the copyright date, would the sequel, in your opinion, present a more positive picture on the issues addressed or would things have gotten worse by then? Explain. (10 points)
12. List and define 15 new terms, expressions or organizations you learned from reading this book. (30 points)
TOTAL: 85 POINTS