From: Cordova High School English Department

Date: May 2012

To:

From: Cordova High School English Department

Re:Honors/AP English SummerAssignments

Dear Students and Parents:

Congratulations on being accepted to Cordova High School’s Honors/Advanced Placement English program. As you know, the purpose of the program is to prepare you for one or both AP English tests taken in 11th and/or 12th grade for college credit. These exciting and challenging preparatory classes give you the chance to demonstrate your ability to read at an advanced level, write competently, think critically, and work independently. Please note that only AP English classes receive weighted grade points; Honors English 9 and 10 classes do not. If this affects your choice in placement, please contact your counselor immediately.

Honors/AP English are challenging courses with college-level expectations. In many instances, you will be quizzed daily on the reading and asked to write daily on topics at hand—there is no room for students who do not wish to dedicate a good portion of time to the class. If for some reason you cannot make that commitment or decide not to take the course, please notify your counselor as soon as possible.

Summer Reading:

To reduce the reading commitment this accelerated program requires, you must complete a summer reading program. This allows us to cover all of the titles that are necessary to prepare you for an AP test or college level classes. You need to be ready at the beginning of the new school year having read these books. There will be an exam and/or a summer assignment for ALL honors/AP students due the first week of school. You will be assessed on basic reading comprehension of these texts, and you must be ready to discuss and compare the following as determined by grade level:

Honors/Pre-AP 9 (Freshmen)
Reading:Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of Greek Myths by Bernard Evlin
(Note: Freshmen have no summer vocabulary requirement, but might want to pre-learn some or all of lists 1-10) / Honors/Pre-AP 10 (Sophomores)
Vocabulary: Word Within the Word lists 1-10 will be tested the first week
Reading:Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Come to H115 to pick up specific summer reading assignment directions
AP English Language and Composition (Juniors)
Vocabulary: Word Within a Word lists 1-20 will be tested the first week
Reading: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Black Boy (part one) by Richard Wright
Come to H116 to pick up specific summer reading assignment directions / AP English Literature and Composition (Seniors)
Reading:1984 by George Orwell
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Writing: Complete the two college entrance essays and bring them with you the first day of school. Go to for more information

Students: You may borrow the required texts from Cordova’s English Department or the public library; however, we strongly recommend their purchase. This will allow you to write and highlight in the book—a skill and advantage needed for success in college.

Students who enroll in Honors/AP English should love to read! Students who eventually take the AP Literature exam must be able to draw from a rich literary experience while writing essays. It is imperative that students have read an extensive list of books, and these texts often appear on AP exams. There are no excuses for not doing the summer reading. If you enroll in the course, it is simply a requirement. If you do not complete the summer reading, you may be removed from the course.

Texts in high school, especially at the 10th grade level, begin to deal with more adult themes. Parents, you may wish to read the books along with your children to open a dialogue on some of the emerging themes and more importantly, the purpose they serve in the text. Of course, all novels are chosen for their appropriateness at each grade level, often integrated with eras in history. All are on the approved reading list issued by FCUSD. Thank you! Enjoy the read!

Vocabulary:Word Within a Word is a cumulative 4-year vocabulary program for all students enrolled in high school in the Folsom-Cordova School District. In 9th grade students learn 250 stems and definitions; in 10th grade the students learn another 250 stems and definitions; in 11th grade students learn 250 SAT-type words and definitions, and in 12th grade students learn another 250 words and definitions. This program has proved effective in preparing CHS students for high-stakes tests like the SAT and the AP exams. Honors/AP students are expected to know the stems and words by heart and will be tested on them throughout their high school career.

The following website is a helpful resource for our vocabulary program: quizlet.com/EMuse

For more information contact Lynn Backes at or call 916 276 3941.