TNHS AP Lang Summer Reading Page
Welcome to the summer reading assignments page!
Summer reading is essential to staying "in the groove" while you aren't in school.
Information about the Titles
The documentaries are all available on Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant video and can be streamed free if you are a member or can be rented online for a fee if you are not. If you have any questions about how to apply for a Netflix or Amazon Prime account, please contact Ms. Green using the contact information at the bottom of this flyer. I also have information about 6 months of free Amazon Prime access for students.
There are two themes to choose from. You should select one (1) book and one (1) documentary film from one (1) of the thematic areas. You will complete a writing assignment after reading the novel/viewing the film.
Book Selections
Scientific Ethics and their Responsibility to Society
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks-Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance.
Whodunnit? The Role of True Crime in Shaping American Society
In Cold Blood- On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy.In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.
Documentary Selections
Scientific Ethics and their Responsibility to Society
Blackfish (Rating PG-13)- Killer whales are beloved majestic, friendly giants yet infamous for their capacity to kill viciously. The documentary BLACKFISH unravels the complexities of this dichotomy, employing the story of the notorious performing whale Tilikum, who unlike any orca in the wild has taken the lives of several people while in captivity. BLACKFISH expands on the discussion of keeping such intelligent creatures in captivity.
Whodunnit? The Role of True Crime in Shaping American Society
Cropsey (Not Rated)- is a 2009 American documentary film written and directed by Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio. The film initially begins as an examination of "Cropsey," a boogeyman-like figure from New York urban legend, before segueing into the story of Andre Rand, a convicted child kidnapper from Staten Island.
The Imposter (R)- In 1994 a 13-year-old boy disappears without a trace from San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later he is found alive, thousands of miles away in a village in southern Spain with a story of kidnap and torture. His family is overjoyed to bring him home. But all is not quite as it seems. The boy- bears many of the same distinguishing marks he always had,- but why does he now have a strange accent? Why does he look so different? And why doesn't the family seem to notice these glaring inconsistencies? It's only when an investigator starts asking questions that this strange tale takes an even stranger turn.
Contact me if you have any questions!
Email: alaina.green@nelson.kyschools.us
Website: greenenglishtnhs.blogspot.com
Phone: (502) 348-4650
Twitter: @alainamgreen