Summer 2026 Assignments (Parkview)

AP Human Geography

AP Human Geography Map Test Study Links

Rising 9th grade AP Human Geography students,

We are thrilled that you have chosen to take AP Human Geography! We will hit the ground running in August. There is no particular summer assignment for this course, but we will have a map test in the second week of school. If you want to get ahead to be sure you are prepared for this test, we encourage you to spend some time studying for this map test.

The map test does NOT include every country of the world. It does include all 50 states and select countries from each world region. Below are some links that can help you study for this test. The states, countries, and regions quizzed in these links are the places you need to know for the test. Use these as a study tool.

If you have any questions, please email AP Human Geography teacher, Eric Brown, eric.m.brown@gcpsk12.org.

AP Language and Composition

Assignment 1 of 2: Journal (Due: August 28, 2026 for 50 Points)

AP English Language and Composition is a college-level course. Your summer assignment is your first impression as a student and should reflect your commitment to the course!

Introduction: Global knowledge is integral to success in this class. AP Language & Composition is a college- level course focusing on close and critical reading. In order to prepare for our readings and argument-based writings, you should first become aware of the pressing issues in your larger world - political, environmental, cultural, social, global, economic, educational, scientific, etc. To initiate this foundation, you will read one book from the following list and create a dialectical reading journal focused on the use of rhetorical modes. Directions are below. Your book should be brought to class during the first week of class.

DIRECTIONS:

Create a table/chart that has three columns.

The left column should be labeled with the word “Rhetorical Mode”
The middle column should be labeled with the words “Quotes/Passages”
The right column should be labeled with the words “Analysis/Response”

2. Before beginning your dialectic journal, you need to read through the explanations of the rhetorical modes listed within the Google Classroom. After reading this information, do the following to complete the reading journal:

You will choose 10 quotes/passages from each text where you identify a rhetorical mode that’s being used by the author.
You can use modes more than once, but quotes cannot be used more than once.
The quotes must reflect a broad reading of the text; therefore, you cannot have more than ONE quote from any given chapter.
Ideally, your quotes should range from the beginning, middle, and end of the book.
This assignment should be typed!
This assignment will be turned in the FIRST week of school.

Book Choice List

Assignment 2: Finding GOPHERS Evidence (Due: August 28, 2026 for 50 Product Points)

Introduction:

Global reading and awareness is an important part of being a successful AP Lang student. We will work hard over the next year to build the habit of being well informed. In AP Language and Composition, you will be required to synthesize positions and information pertaining to an array of topics. This assignment will frame these skills helping you build background knowledge around your readings from assignment one.

Task:

Identify the major issues/themes that are explored within your summer reading book. Using the characters, settings, and issues evident in your text as a guide, research other text types that explore similar issues. Look for texts that confront, support, qualify, analyze or examine the point of view expressed by the author. You must find 5 texts that relate to the themes of your book in some way: one graph or chart, one political cartoon or image (think The New Yorker), one podcast or TedTalk, one opinion piece or news article, and one documentary, interview, or biopic. Provide an MLA citation for each, and answer the questions on the slides for each.

Be sure to use reputable newspapers or issue based magazines such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, etc.
Directions for utilizing the search engines available through the media center can be found within our Google Classroom.
The expectation is 200 - 300 word response per slide. Responses written in incomplete sentences will not receive credit.
Each slide asks for an MLA citation;a URL is not sufficient.

• MLA stands for Modern Language Association. It is the standard for academic writing used by academic institutions across the world.

• If you are not familiar with MLA formatting, use the follwing sites as a resource. This format will be used for all assignments this year and it is to your benefit to familiarize yourself with it: The Purdue OWL MLA Guide and Easybib.com

Click the following link for a Google Slide Template of Part 2: Summer Reading REHUGO - Google Slides

AP Literature and Composition

AP Lit Summer Reading: Their Eyes Were Watching God

We will begin the school year by examining Their Eyes Were Watching God, a novel by Zora Neale Hurston. You should secure a copy—either by purchasing one or borrowing it from a library—and read it carefully. This text will serve as a foundation for discussions about key concepts that are important for success in AP Lit & Comp. Please note that using resources like SparkNotes or AI tools is not a substitute for reading the original novel.

Strong Recommendation:
Listen to the audio linked here: Their Eyes Were Watching God Audiobook - YouTube

One effective way to deepen your understanding of literature is to actively engage with the text. While reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, you might find the following method helpful for making meaningful connections:

Identify and annotate 10 significant quotations or passages.
Identify the central tension or conflict in each passage.
Explain who experiences the tension and how it affects or changes them.
Describe what the character learns or realizes as a result of the conflict.

Possible Themes:

Desire for Love vs. Family Responsibility
Faith vs. Doubt
Truth vs. Deception
Independence vs. Belonging
Past Identity vs. Present Self
Forgiveness vs. Revenge
Admiration vs. Jealousy
Cultural Identity vs. Assimilation
Public Image vs. Private Persona
Past Dreams vs. Present Reality

For instance:

Faith vs. Doubt: Chapter 12, Page 104
In this passage, the protagonist wrestles with his his religious convictions in face of adversity.

Important Reminder:
Successful engagement in AP Literature depends on completing the assigned reading. Secondary resources, including AI tools, cannot replace firsthand interaction with the text. Since an essay on the novel is required, reading the complete work is necessary.

AP Physics 1

AP Precalculus

AP US History

APUSH is a fast-paced class, and we cover content to the very end right before the AP test. Unit 1 counts 4-6% of the AP exam, which is the least of the nine units.

This assignment will help you and our classes get a jump on the material so we can spend time focusing on content that is weighted more. It will be due the SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL. You will be responsible for this content. This will be a grade for AKS Mastery, and you will be assessed on this material on your first test. There is a guide on how to answer SAQs or Short Answer Questions in the Introduction.

The material can be found in the AMSCO 4th Edition Advanced Placement U.S. History. Click here to download or read a copy: Pages from AMSCO® Advanced Placement® United States History, 4th.pdf - Google Drive

If you have any questions, reach out to me or Mr. Hersch: Jon.Aldrich@gcpsk12.org or Seth.Hersch@gcpsk12.org

Most important: DO NOT TYPE THIS ASSIGNMENT - WRITE "OLD SCHOOL".

AP World History: Modern

All About AP World History: Modern

What is AP World History: Modern?

AP World History: Modern provides students with an opportunity to take a college-level class. Students have the opportunity to get college credit for a world history class providing they pass the AP Exam given by CollegeBoard in May. AP World History: Modern is based on lectures, analysis of primary sources, tests, and essays. Students will be required to critically evaluate information and write interpretive essays with conclusions that are defined, explained, and historically proven. Students will be required to be adequately prepared and think daily. This course is global in perspective and will focus on the historical interactions of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

Below is the list of time periods and historical thinking skills we will be exploring this year:

Units	Chronological Period	Exam Weight
Unit 0: Pre 1200 CE	8000 BCE - 1200 CE	0%
Unit 1: The Global Tapestry	1200 CE - 1450 CE	8-10%
Unit 2: Networks of Exchange	1200 CE - 1450 CE	8-10%
Unit 3: Land-Based Empires	1450 CE - 1750 CE	12-15%
Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections	1450 CE - 1750 CE	12-15%
Unit 5: Revolution	1750 CE - 1900 CE	12-15%
Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization	1750 CE - 1900 CE	12-15%
Unit 7: Global Conflict	1900 CE - the present	8-10%
Unit 8: Cold War and Decolonization		8-10%
Unit 9: Globalization		8-10%

Historical Thinking Skills

Comparison	Causation	Continuity & Change
Describe similarities and/or differences between different historical developments or processes Explain relevant similarities and/or differences between specific historical developments and processes. Explain the relative historical significance of similarities and/or differences between different historical developments or processes.	Describe causes and/or effects of a specific historical development or processes. Explain the relationship between causes and effects of a specific historical development or process. Explain the difference between primary and secondary causes and between short-term and long-term effects. Explain how a relevant context influenced a specific historical development or process. Explain the relative historical significance of different causes and/or effects.	Describe patterns of continuity and/or change over time. Explain patterns of continuity and/or change over time. Explain the relative historical significance of specific historical developments in relation to a larger pattern of continuity and/or change.

P.I.E.C.E.S.

P.I.E.C.E.S. is the acronym we will use this year to help guide our studies throughout the AP World History: Modern curriculum. Below you will see what each letter stands for as well as important questions to consider when analyzing world history through that particular theme.

Political	Who is in charge and who gives that person or group power? What is power based on? Is there a contract? What is the government structure? Are there any significant wars, treaties, courts or laws?
Innovation	How have people adapted to their surroundings? How do they get from place to place? What tools or machines have they developed? Are there any significant achievements or innovations in technology, math, or science?
Environment	In what geographic region is the society/civilization located? What makes up the geographic landscape of this region? How are people/events affected by geography? How do people interact with the environment? How does the environment define the society/civilization?
Culture	What is the meaning of life for people in the society/civilization? How do they live their daily lives? What are the basic religious beliefs? Are there leaders or documents that define religion? What groups are given the chance to learn and how do they learn? Do they have forms of philosophy? How do they express themselves?
Economic	Is there a currency present in this society? How do the people earn their money (or food)? What commodities are valued and traded? Is the economy based on agriculture or commerce (small trades & professions)? Is the economy based on industry (manufacturing & technology)?
Social	How does the group relate to one another? How do people communicate? What do people do together? How is the group organized? What are family and gender relations? Are there social classes? How do they live? Are there inequalities within society?

AP World History: Modern Summer Assignment

Directions: Buy the book titled A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage. Copies are available at local bookstores, on Amazon, or can be borrowed from past students. While reading the book, highlight and annotate keeping in mind the PIECES skills listed above. This book will be tested within the first month of school.

Enhanced Advanced Algebra/AP Precalculus

Summer Independent Reading for Rising 9th & 10th Grades (non AP)

The mission of Parkview High School is to engage and inspire the hearts and minds of every learner every day. It is our shared vision to become a thriving community of learners in an environment that embraces a culture of thinking. Within this culture of thinking, reading is expected, valued, and celebrated.

During the school year, our curriculum provides opportunities for students to build their critical reading skills and develop an appreciation for reading. Summer is a time for students to continue to build upon that foundation. Research shows that leisure reading can contribute to many important practices such as supporting reading comprehension, increasing vocabulary development, and creating self-confidence and positive attitudes towards reading.

Summer reading is an opportunity for you to broaden your life experience through the eyes of an author. Enjoy this reading assignment, expand your vocabulary and reading repertoire without the pressure and demands of the school year. Your summer reading assignment is extra credit, so get a jumpstart on next semester!

Suggestions to help you do well on your extra credit assignment next semester: Keep a journal on characters who have an impact on the events in the book, events that influence characters’ actions and motivations, and universal themes explored throughout the book. You should be able to recall specific people’s names and their contributions to the overall story or theme.

Please follow the minimal requirements for your book selection:

The book meets the challenge of a young adult or adult reader.
The book HAS NOT BEEN MADE INTO A MOVIE/TV SHOW/SERIES recently!
Do not “recycle” a book from a previous class or assignment.
Avoid texts used for classroom study listed on the following page.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Choosing a Summer Reading Book

DO use these resources.

The following resources can help in selecting books that are relevant, interesting, and have the appropriate reading level, values, and interests for you.

Do NOT choose any of the books listed below. Because we will study many of these books together in class, we will not accept an extra credit assignment based on these texts.

9th Grade

Romeo and Juliet
To Kill a Mockingbird
Homer’s The Odyssey
Night
Born a Crime
Monster
Freak the Mighty
Joy Luck Club
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Long Walk to Freedom
Goodbye Vietnam
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
The Kite Runner
Miracle Worker
Ethan Frome
Wuthering Heights
The Call of the Wild
The Book Thief
The Red Badge of Courage
The Autobiography of Jane Pitman

10th Grade

Macbeth
Frankenstein
Lord of the Flies
In the Time of Butterflies
Brave New World
Our Town
Turn of the Screw
Into the Wild
Life of Pi
The Old Man and the Sea
Autobiography of Malcolm X
Why We Can’t Wait
A Separate Peace
A Raisin in the Sun
Grapes of Wrath
Animal Farm
Julius Caesar
The Prince

Summer Independent Reading for Rising 11th & 12th Grades (non AP)

The mission of Parkview High School is to engage and inspire the hearts and minds of every learner every day. This year our upper classmen are working in conjunction with the Gwinnett County Public Library to accomplish this goal. It is our shared vision to become a thriving community of learners in an environment that embraces a culture of thinking. Within this culture of thinking, reading is expected, valued, and celebrated.