SUMMER+READING+MAKE-UP+PROJECT

(100 Points)**
 * AP® U.S. History Summer Reading Make-Up Assignment



Over the summer, there was a summer reading assignment for students who had signed up for the course in May. Those of you who were not signed up for the course or had extenuating circumstances were not able to complete that assignment. Every quarter, I plan to have a group of students participating in a literature circle to read American literature that complements the time periods we are studying. For those of you have not ever participated in a literature circle, it works like a book club, except each reader has separate tasks for different sections of the book. During literature circle meetings, each reader shares his or her work with the rest of the circle and discusses the overall reading and understanding of the book.

For the summer reading make-up assignment, I am challenging you to read James Fenimore Cooper’s //The Last of the Mohicans//. In this book, Cooper’s legendary main character, Nathaniel “Hawkeye” Bumppo, sets out to rescue two daughters of a British general who were captured by Indians in the French and Indian War. While based on historical events, the characters and actions in the book are largely fictionalized. However, they demonstrate the strain of cross-cultural relationships in Colonial America as well as numerous other themes we will be touching on throughout the year.

To facilitate your literature circle, you will participate in a discussion like your classmates did over the summer on Ning, our U.S. History networking site (http://brightmanapus.ning.com/). I will send you an invitation to join Ning if you have not already done so. On Ning, I would like you to divide your analysis of the reading into the following categories:


 * Summary and Criticism**

Please do this in your own words and not from //Sparknotes// or another similar website. In your summary, try to share what your classmates should know from the plot of your section of the book. Make it reader-friendly, concise, and to-the-point. If there are brief sections that you think students would find interesting, refer to those page numbers in your summary. After your summary, post thoughtful criticism of this section of the book. In literary terms, criticism also means praise. Discuss what you liked and disliked and be specific in your critical remarks.


 * Themes**

What themes from our syllabus or the AP® syllabus do you see in this section of the book. Write thoughtfully about at least two themes and specifically explain how this section of the book reinforces those. When using quotes, cite them in MLA format.


 * Quotations**

When reading each section of the book, think about the types of quotes an AP® test-maker would select for a multiple choice question or DBQ. Choose at least four important quotes from your section and discuss why they are significant to the book and to the course. Again, when referencing quotes, please use MLA format.


 * Historical Significance**

As stated in my brief description of the book, //The Last of the Mohicans// loosely correlates to history. What did the book get right and what did it get wrong? Read this section from a historian’s standpoint and critically analyze historical truth and fiction to dispel myths for your classmates.

Depending on how many of you are in the literature circle, there may be more than one of you at a time doing a particular task. I have no problem with that as long as your work is your own. You must perform each role at least once during the course of reading the book. Comments and posts on other people’s works is highly encouraged. Please divide the readings as follows:

8/29 Section 1 Due Chapters 1-10

9/5 Section 2 Due Chapters 11-17

9/12 Section 3 Due Chapters 18-24

9/26 Section 4 Due Chapters 25-32

During class the week of September 29th, we will devote approximately 30 minutes for you to discuss //The Last of the Mohicans// with the rest of the class. This should be an abbreviated version of your literature circle Ning discussion with highlights about the book, a handout (posted on the Wiki so that students may access it), and any technological or performance add-ons you would like to supplement. Since the book was made into a movie in the not-so-distant past, you may also show movie clips to accent your discussion. All course policies apply to this project.

I will look forward to seeing your work on-line and in class!