Summer (Enrichment) Reading

 AP Literature and Composition Required Summer Reading Assignment 2025

Please Note: This course requires a summer reading and writing assignment. Summer work will be due by the second Friday after school begins. 

This summer, the assigned text for AP Literature is Song of Solomon. To help you get ready for the reading, writing, critical thinking, and analysis you will experience in this AP class, you will need to read the novel and complete the assignment below. I hope you find this reading meaningful and enjoyable. I look forward to discussing important scenes, characters, “big ideas” and key takeaways, as well as questions raised.

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison   Sora Ebook and Audiobook link

Summary: Song of Solomon is a quintessential bildungsroman, or coming-of-age journey, for Macon “Milkman” Dead as he explores his family’s rich history and where he fits into the world. Along the way, he makes and loses friends, connects with eccentric family members, and breaks a few hearts. Ultimately, the reader is left to decide if Milkman ever grows up and earns the redemption that he is seeking. (The novel is written in two parts. Part I is Chapters 1-9 and Part II is Chapters 10-15. If you’re looking for a way to distinguish between the two, Part I is set in Michigan and Milkman is static or unchanged. Part II travels to Danville, Pennsylvania and Shalimar, Virginia where Milkman experiences some life-changing realizations. The time period is roughly the 1950s.) 

As you read, familiarize yourself with the list of motifs and symbols provided so that you can follow some of them. They will be found in works read throughout the year, and some will be the basis of a Literary Research Paper in the fall. 

Familiarize yourself with the list of motifs and symbols provided so that you can follow some while reading. 
Motif: An idea that recurs. The idea will come up over and over again throughout the text. 

• Race
• Gender/Gender roles
• Identity
• Mercy
• Justice
• Death
• Truth
• Parental Influence/Family
• Relationships/Friendships
• The Past/Memories
• Sex/Sexuality
• Abandonment/Isolation
• Independence/Dependence
• Religion/Higher powers/The supernatural
• Trust
• War/Fighting
• Traveling/Journeys
• Suffering/Punishment
• Direction
• Perspectives
• Gluttony/Greed

Symbol: Commonly an object, action, or color. It usually represents more than one idea or changes meaning over the course of the story. (Can come up one time and still be symbolic)

• Flying/Leaping/Jumping
• Flowers/Nature
• Money/Gold
• Houses/Caves
• Water (in any form)
• Fire
• Physical marks
• Animals/Birds (cats, peacocks, bears, etc.)
• Colors (blue, yellow, red, etc.)
• Songs
• Dreams
• Books
• Tracks
• Paper
• Rope
• Eyes

Assignment: For each chapter in the novel, please write 5-8 detailed bullet points of summary. This assignment must be typed in a Google Doc. I will share a document for posting before the assignment is due. 

*Important friendly reminder about the Academic Integrity Policy: Your work must absolutely be your own original writing. If you copy from another or plagiarize in any way, discipline measures will be taken, and you will not receive any credit for the assignment. 

Chapter One example: 

• Insurance agent (and Seven Days member) Robert Smith wears a pair of blue wings, goes to the roof of Mercy Hospital, and leaps.
• First Corinthians and Magdalene called Lena Dead drop their basket of red velvet roses and the crowd helps chase after the roses.
• Ruth Foster Dead goes into labor with Milkman (aka Macon Dead III).
• Pilate Dead is present and singing the Sugarman (later Solomon) song.
• A young Guitar Bains runs to get help from the all white Mercy Hospital. 
• Ruth is the first Black woman taken care of in the hospital and Milkman is the first Black baby born there.
• etc.

What to expect in class: We will have a Socratic Seminar discussion and an in-class essay assessment on the novel. This work will also be one of the texts used to write a Literary Research Paper in the fall. (Your bullet point summaries will be used in various ways.)

Please do not hesitate to email over the summer if you have any questions at hbates@slrsd.org.

AP Biology 2025! 

Over the summer, I would like you to review some chemistry and biology. This is a form of enrichment, a way to keep you engaged with the content.  It is important for everyone to take a break from school, but it is also important for you to "brush up" given the fact that some of you had biology two years ago, and some of you are just now taking chemistry. 

Based on your experience you will be given a chance to choose your summer assignment from the parts listed below. 

Everyone will be completing Part 1. From there you can choose to either do Part 2, 3 or 4. (or all if you choose)

Part 2 is a video learning/review of major concepts that were covered in Biology your sophomore year. 

Part 3 is root word investigation, where you will be given the opportunity to look up and come up with definitions for the most used biology words, prefixes and suffixes.   

Part 4 is an essential chemistry review.  This is highly recommended if you have not had chemistry and you are currently enrolled in Honors Chemistry. 

The summer enrichment work is due during your first week of school (this work is not being graded).  You will have the chance to turn it in on Classroom once you log in (which will be on the first day or second day of school during your class period).

Enrichment work PDF

Can’t wait to see you!

Mrs. Vukovic