AP Seminar
AP SEMINAR — Summer Reading & Annotation Guide
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PRINT BOOKS & HANDWRITTEN ANNOTATIONS ONLY Kindle, e-books, and digital annotations will NOT be accepted. Physical print copy and handwritten notes REQUIRED. |
Required: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 WITH 100+ INSIGHTFUL, LEGIBLE Annotations
“It was a pleasure to burn.” — Ray Bradbury
As you read, choose from the following annotation types. You do not need to mark every category on every page — select what is most meaningful to the text at that moment.
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HOW TO MARK IT |
WHAT TO LOOK FOR |
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Post-it or margin note |
Themes — identity, censorship, freedom, ignorance. Note how the idea develops. |
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Post-it or margin note |
Archetypes — color, water, fire, light/darkness, nature. What does the image suggest? |
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Post-it or margin note |
Motifs — a recurring image or idea. Where have you seen this before in the text? |
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Post-it or margin note |
Diction — a word choice that stands out. What is its connotation? Why did the author choose it? |
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CIRCLE it |
Interesting Syntax — circle sentence structures with a strong effect on meaning or tone and explain. |
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Post-it on title page |
Title — What does the title mean? What might it suggest about the book’s themes or central ideas? |
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Post-it on title page |
Author — Record the author’s lifespan and 3–5 interesting facts about their life or ther works. |
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Post-it on publication page |
Publication Year — Find the copyright page date. What was happening historically? Why does that context matter? |
Student Choice — Select ONE REQUIRED TITLE & COMPLETE 30+ Annotations. FOR EXTRA CREDIT YOU MAY READ & ANNOTATE TWO OR MORE of the titles below.
Select one of the texts below. Annotate using the same chart above — all rows apply, including the title page post-its.
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The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd |
“Knowing can be a curse on a person’s life. I’d traded in a pack of lies for a pack of truth, and I didn’t know which one was heavier.” |
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Theo of Golden Allen Levi |
“The best portion of a good person’s life is the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.” |
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Passing Nella Larsen |
“It’s funny about ‘passing.’ We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. It excites our contempt and yet we rather admire it.” |
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The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien |
“This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected.” |
Annotation Requirements
- Read a physical print copy — Kindle, e-books, and digital formats are not accepted
- All annotations must be legibly handwritten — typed or digital notes will not be accepted
- Number each annotation sequentially in the upper corner of the post-it or margin
- Add your initials next to each number
- Write a brief response — not just a label. Explain why the moment matters. Thoughtful insights needed.
- Spread annotations throughout the entire text, not clustered in one section
- OPTIONAL: To prepare for writing assignments, create a strong verb list (50+ boxed verbs from Fahrenheit 451) compiled separately (in-class work during second week of school)
- Be prepared to share and discuss selected annotations on the first day of class.