PreIB-and-AP-Summer-Letter.Assignment

Course Overview & Instructor Profiles

• AP World History: Modern Course Overview:

  • Focuses on the exploration of human history from $1200\text{ C.E.}$ to the present day.
  • Prepares students to become analytical historians, critical thinkers, and effective writers.
  • Offers the opportunity to earn up to $6$ college credit hours through the College Board AP exam administered annually in May.
  • Requires daily dedicated homework, consistent study routines, deep reading comprehension, active note-taking, and continuous self-analysis.

• Instructor: John Miller:

  • Contact Email: John.m.miller@stjohns.k12.fl.us
  • Experience: $25\text{ years}$ of teaching at the middle and high school levels.
  • AP Teaching Record: $12\text{ years}$ teaching Advanced Placement curriculum (AP World History and AP Human Geography).
  • Military Service: $20\text{-year}$ retired veteran of the United States Navy.

• Instructor: Ryan Johnson:

  • Contact Email: Ryan.johnson@stjohns.k12.fl.us
  • School: Nease High School.
  • Experience: $10\text{ years}$ of teaching at both middle and high school levels; $4\text{th year}$ teaching at Nease High School.

Course Procedures, Routines, and Strategic Advice

• Initial Week Procedures:

  • The first five ($5$) class days are dedicated entirely to establishing classroom routines, course expectations, study strategies, and structural procedures prior to launching Unit One: The Global Tapestry.

• Core Advice for Student and Parent Success:

  • 1. Embrace Academic Struggle:
  • Academic friction and struggle are essential elements of intellectual growth and skill development rather than indicators of failure.
  • Parents are encouraged to view their child's academic struggles as opportunities to build resilience and stronger support structures.
  • 2. Eliminate Procrastination & Practice Time Management:
  • Procrastination places students at a severe systemic disadvantage in Advanced Placement courses.
  • Massive homework loads prior to exams (e.g., $5\text{ hours}$ in a single night) are typically the cumulative result of neglecting regular daily assignments ($1\text{ hour}$ per night over several days).
  • Establishing a structured, balanced daily schedule is required to manage academic workloads alongside extracurricular activities.
  • 3. Utilize Available Learning Resources:
  • Students must actively seek help using available tools and support networks.
  • Primary recommended resources include YouTube instructional videos, Khan Academy, Google research tools, peer study groups, tutoring, and direct teacher consultation.

Required Course Materials

• Student-Owned Textbook:
  • AMSCO Advanced Placement Edition World History Modern (paperback edition required so students can directly highlight, annotate, and write notes in the margins).
• Highlighters:
  • Multi-colored highlighters for text coding and note analysis.
• Binder:
  • $2\text{-}3\text{ Inch}$ 3-Ring Binder.
• Cornell Notebooks:
  • Two ($2$) dedicated Cornell Notebooks (designed to last the entire academic year).

Summer Assignment Requirements & Breakdown

• Assignment Overview:

  • Serves as the first major formative grade of the academic year.
  • Designed to establish historical context prior to $1200\text{ C.E.}$, introduce AP analytical skills, and complete coverage of the first two sub-units of the course.
  • Completion Timeline: Due by the end of the first week of school.

• Part 1: SPICE-T World History Themes:

  • Step 1: Watch the initial SPICE-T theme explanation video (https://youtu.be/FGkPdmsDvWw). Prepare six ($6$) index cards, labeling each card with one specific SPICE-T category (Social, Political, Interaction between Humans and Environment, Cultural, Economic, Technology).
  • Step 2: Take comprehensive notes detailing each category's definition on the labeled side of its respective index card. Leave the reverse side blank.
  • Step 3: Watch the second SPICE-T video (https://youtu.be/XQc_N80ssMw) up to the $6\text{-minute}$ mark to supplement notes on each category.
  • Step 4: Select one ($1$) film from the following list: Star Wars (Episode 4), WALL-E, or Black Panther (Marvel).
  • Step 5: On the blank side of each index card, detail specific scenes from the chosen movie that illustrate that card's SPICE-T theme (scenes may apply to multiple themes).
  • Step 6: Submit clear photographs of both sides of all six ($6$) cards to the teacher via email (ryan.johnson@stjohns.k12.fl.us or john.m.miller@stjohns.k12.fl.us) prior to or during the first week of school. Bring physical cards to class during week one.

• Part 2: Cornell Notetaking & Prologue Readings:

  • Step 1: Watch the Cornell Notes instruction video (https://youtu.be/nX-xshA_0m8).
  • Step 2: Complete handwritten Cornell Notes for the designated pages of the AMSCO text. Note: Typed notes are strictly prohibited to optimize memory retention and cognitive learning.
  • Prologue Part 1: Pages XLI-XLIV
  • Prologue Part 2: Pages XIV-LIII
  • Prologue Part 3: Pages LIV-LXI
  • Step 3: Complete the "Reflect on the Prologue" questions on page LXII using an electronic form and submit via email upon completion.
  • Cornell Notes Checklist Requirements:
  • Header must contain Course Name, Text, specific pages read, and Date.
  • Deconstruct each paragraph into its core component using SPICE-T frameworks rather than copying sentences verbatim.
  • Document and analyze all embedded images, maps, charts, and diagrams within the reading.
  • Generate clear questions in the left-hand "Cue" column that can be answered directly by the notes in the right-hand column.
  • Draft a comprehensive summary at the bottom of each note page consisting of at least five ($5$) complete sentences.

• Part 3: Textbook Reading and Guided Note Taking:

  • Read AMSCO World History Modern Sub-unit 1.1 and Sub-unit 1.2.
  • Complete all corresponding guided reading questions and vocabulary matrices.

• Part 4: Parent/Guardian Homework:

  • Parents/Guardians must send a confidential email to the teacher (ryan.johnson@stjohns.k12.fl.us or john.m.miller@stjohns.k12.fl.us) by the first day of school.
  • Email Content: Brief self-introduction, identification of the student's greatest area of strength and growth (academically or socially), and one piece of advice the parent would give their own 14/15-year-old self. The student's full name must be included.

Summer Assignment Checklist & Submission Schedule

• Supply Acquisition: Order AMSCO World History: Modern textbook; acquire highlighters, $2\text{-}3\text{ inch}$ binder, and $2$ Cornell notebooks.
• SPICE-T Index Cards: Completed video notes and movie analysis cards photographed and emailed to the teacher; physical cards brought to class during Week 1.
• Cornell Notes & Prologue Questions: Completed handwritten notes for Prologue Parts 1–3 and the electronic submission of page LXII reflection