Academics
Summer Reading and Academic Work
Below are the summer reading and academic assignments for AP and Advanced Arts Courses, Calculus AB AP, Classics, English/Journalism, History/Economics, Humanities, and AP Biology and AP Chemistry.
- Arts
- Calculus AB AP
- Classics
- English & Journalism
- History & Economics
- Humanities
- AP Biology and AP Chemistry
Arts
4AP Art & Design (Drawing, 2-D, 3-D):
Directions: Accept the invitation to join this Canvas course. Continue the Sustained Investigation started in Studio Art 3H in the spring (mini-investigation). Sustained Investigation project #3 with Process Page will be due July 1. Sustained Investigation project #4 with Process Page will be due Aug. 30. Submit all assignments on Canvas by their due dates.
Advanced Studio Art Seminar:
Directions: Self-portraits have been common subject matter throughout the ages. Your assignment requires you to create a self-portrait without depicting your face. You are encouraged to explore a variety of materials as you use the elements and principles of design to showcase who you are. Your goal is to create a self-portrait that synthesizes your idea, processes and materials. Additionally, you are required to write a 6-7 sentence paragraph explaining your idea and the choices you made while creating your self-portrait.
Advanced Art History Seminar:
Directions: Accept the invitation to join the Advanced Art History Canvas course. This will enable you to access assignments and resources for this course. You will have two assignments: the first is due July 31 and the second will be due at the beginning of our first class.
Calculus AB AP
1. Establish an account through Delta Math.
2. Enroll as a student in Calculus AB AP summer 2023, using this link.
3. Complete the three assessments by the due dates listed: June 30, July 31, and August 31. Note that the assessments may not all be visible by the time you read this. Check back at the beginning of each month for that month’s assessment.
Notes:
- Each assessment should take approximately one hour to complete. You are not required to meet this time constraint, but it can be used as a tool to determine how ready you are for the course in the fall.
- There are practice problems available for you to prepare for each assessment. They are similar to the questions that you will see. You are encouraged to practice as much as you like before taking each assessment.
- You should try to complete each assessment without using any notes or other resources. This is not a strict requirement, but the more you rely on notes or other resources, the less you will be able to accurately assess your readiness for the course in the fall. You should also try to answer all questions without the use of a calculator, but sometimes the numbers are such that it makes sense to use a calculator. Use your best judgment.
- You will be able to see your results once you have completed each assessment.
- There is no minimum passing grade, but if you score below an 80% on any assessment, you may want to review that material before class begins in the fall.
- Any questions, contact Mr. Spencer at jspencer@thehill.org.
Classics
AP Latin:
I. ENGLISH In order to familiarize yourself with the literature we will work on this coming year, please do the following:
a. read an English translation of Vergil’s Aeneid and
b. Books I, VI, & VII from Caesar’s Gallic Wars in English. We recommend that you read these works in July.
II. LATIN PASSAGE FROM FABULAE AB URBE CONDITA (due on the first day of school): This work should take you approximately three hours. Our advice is that you complete this work in August to knock the rust off of your Latin in time for the beginning of the school year. Translate the passages as literally as possible. View the PDF.
Latin 2/Greek 1 Honors (Dr. Toomey):
Salvete/χαίρετε, and welcome to Latin 2/Greek 1 Honors! While there is no required work for incoming Latin 2/Greek 1 Honors students, the following suggestions will leave you well-prepared to enter this upcoming school year.
Suggested Summer Work: These suggestions are not mandatory, but will aid in your overall performance in Latin 2/Greek 1 Honors this fall. The more you consistently review, the better your fall will go!
- Review all vocabulary from Latin 1, Lessons 1-26. Consider making a Quizlet for each Lesson if you have not already.
- Review all declension endings and verb forms from Lessons 1-26.
- Practice: using the National Latin Exam online practice app (https://quiz.nle.org/), set the level to “Beginning Latin” and practice your grammar, vocab, and cultural skills.
- Read: consider reading one of the following suggested books! These are not required, but will aid you in your study of Roman and Greek culture in Latin 2/Greek 1:
- Mythos by Stephen Fry
- Heroes by Stephen Fry
- Troy: The Greek Myths Reimagined by Stephen Fry
- Fun: check out these two Latin wordles: Latindictionary.io and Latinvocabularytester.com (Dictum)
Greek 2 Honors (Dr. Toomey):
χαίρετε, scholars! Welcome to Greek 2 Honors! Read through the following carefully and be mindful of due dates in the fall.
Required Summer work: Complete this review sheet to be submitted on the first full day of classes. Reviews may be submitted via Canvas (look out for a submission link in August). You may also print and hand in on paper.
Suggested Summer Work: These suggestions are not mandatory, but will aid in your overall performance in Greek 2 Honors this fall.
- Review all vocabulary from Greek 1, Lessons 1-17. Consider making a Quizlet for each Lesson if you have not already. I will make a class Quizlet page for us in the fall.
- Read: consider reading one of the following suggested books! These are not required, but will aid you in your study of Greek culture in Greek 2 Honors:
- Mythos by Stephen Fry
- Heroes by Stephen Fry
- Troy: The Greek Myths Reimagined by Stephen Fry
Optional assignment for all returning Classics students:
- Sign up for daily grammar and translation videos (starting on July 1) to refresh your skills before school starts
- Fill out this MS Form to receive the videos, produced by Hill Classics faculty
English & Journalism
Note: The School prefers all students to purchase physical copies (not e-books) of the required summer reading books so they can readily access and share their annotations.
Third Form
Fourth Form
Fifth Form
English 3 and 3H
English 3* students will read two books of your choice. Please use this as an opportunity to expand your reading corpus and select titles you have not previously read.
*You will learn the specifics for pursuing candidacy for English 3 Honors during the first weeks of class, but if you think you may be interested, you should consider reading an additional title.
English 3 AP
English 3 AP students will read two books:
- The Duke of Deception by Geoffrey Wolff
- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde (choose 10 of the 15 essays and speeches to read)
Journalism
Students should review the following:
1. SPJ Code of Ethics (pdf version)
2. Student Press Law Center Student Media Guide
3. SPLC FAQ (pdf version)
And should sign up for and follow at least two of the following:
1. New York Times Daily Briefing
4. Philadelphia Inquirer (link to daily newsletter on right-hand side, scroll down)
Sixth Form
English 4/4H
English 4* students will read two books of your choice. Please use this as an opportunity to expand your reading corpus and select titles you have not previously read.
*You will learn the specifics for pursuing candidacy for English 4 Honors during the first weeks of class, but if you think you may be interested, you should consider reading an additional title.
English 4 AP
English 4 AP students will read two books:
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
English 4 Honors/Literature and Religion
Read specific editions of the following:
- C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: A Celebration of the First Edition, Harper, 2009, 978-0061715051, hardcover.
- Yann Martel, Life of Pi, Mariner, 2003, 978-0156027328, paperback.
English 5
English 5 students will read two books:
One required title: The Noble Hustle by Colson Whitehead plus an additional title of your choosing.
Please use this as an opportunity to expand your reading corpus and select a title you have not previously read.
Journalism
Students should review the following:
1. SPJ Code of Ethics (pdf version)
2. Student Press Law Center Student Media Guide
3. SPLC FAQ (pdf version)
And should sign up for and follow at least two of the following:
1. New York Times Daily Briefing
4. Philadelphia Inquirer (link to daily newsletter on right-hand side, scroll down)
History & Economics
AP Economics:
- New Ideas from Dead Economists by Todd Buchholz
- Naked Economics by Charles Wheelan (optional)
AP US History:
Ch. 1-3 in Give Me Liberty by Eric Foner, ISBN 978-0393418248
Advanced Economics Seminar:
- Chapter 1- The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets, 13th edition – Mishkin and three pdf articles:
Humanities
Humanities 3 AP
Humanities 3 AP Summer Work
Experiential Writing Exercises:
1. Visit a museum, of any kind, that you have never visited, or at least not in the past five years. Choose a work or exhibit on which to focus. Next find a photograph or image of the object or exhibit online and compare the two experiences. When you have finished both, spend a few minutes writing about your observations, thoughts, and reactions comparing the two experiences. These observations should be 150-200 words.
2. Attend a concert, of any kind. Next listen to a recording of the music you heard live. When you have finished both, spend a few minutes writing about your observations, thoughts, and reactions, comparing the two experiences. These observations should be 150-200 words.
3. Attend a live theatrical production. Afterward, if available, view a recording or film adaptation of the play you saw. When you have finished both, spend a few minutes writing about your observations, thoughts, and reactions, comparing the two experiences. These observations should be 150-200 words.
Reading & Writing:
EVERYONE read Tobias Wolff, In Pharaoh’s Army, and write a 300-500 response to your reading.
Due in writing at first class in September: Your THREE Experiential Writing descriptive comparisons and your response to Wolff.
Humanities 4 AP
Humanities 4AP
Experiential Writing Exercises:
1. Visit a museum, of any kind, that you have never visited, or at least not in the past five years. Choose a work or exhibit on which to focus. Next find a photograph or image of the object or exhibit online and compare the two experiences. When you have finished both, spend a few minutes writing about your observations, thoughts, and reactions comparing the two experiences. These observations should be 150-200 words.
2. Attend a concert, of any kind. Next listen to a recording of the music you heard live. When you have finished both, spend a few minutes writing about your observations, thoughts, and reactions, comparing the two experiences. These observations should be 150-200 words.
3. Attend a live theatrical production. Afterward, if available, view a recording or film adaptation of the play you saw. When you have finished both, spend a few minutes writing about your observations, thoughts, and reactions, comparing the two experiences. These observations should be 150-200 words.
Reading & Writing:
EVERYONE read Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams
Choose ONE of the following as your second book:
- James Baldwin, Go Tell It on the Mountain
- Albert Camus, The Plague
- Joseph Heller, Catch-22
- John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany
- Herman Melville, Moby Dick
- Robert Penn Warren, All the King’s Men
- Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
Write a one-page (250-300 word) personal reaction to each novel
Due in writing at first class in September: Your THREE Experiential Writing descriptive comparisons, the one-page reaction to each book you read.
AP Biology and AP Chemistry
AP Biology
Directions: Accept the invitation to join this Canvas course sent by email in July 2023. There will be more detailed instructions on Canvas.
Submit all notes and assignments to Canvas.
For our genetics topic, read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Alternatively, watch the movie available on Amazon Prime.
Please email Mrs. Giannikas with any questions at vgiannikas@thehill.org.
AP Chemistry
Instructions: The document below contains all the information for Unit 1 of the AP Chemistry Curriculum. Upon our return to school, we will spend the first week reviewing Unit 1 and will test on the second week. Some of the content that this unit covers will be review, but some will be new information.