Scholars Academy

Entries from May 2009

Summer Reading Lists

May 29, 2009 · 3 Comments

Dear Scholars,

It’s that time of year…  In the words of the immortal Alice Cooper:

No more pencils, no more books….

alice-cooper-2-sized

Well, no more pencils at least!

Below you will see all of the reading lists I have received from Scholars teachers as of 6/2/09.  An update is included for SA English I and II as of 6/15.

The lists are below, and there is a pop quiz at the bottom, so please scroll all the way down (at your own risk):

Scholars Academy Honors Freshman English

UPDATE: The assignment and reading list have been updated, but you do not necessarily have to purchase new books.  Please read the following very carefully.

Ms Lakanen is the new Scholars Academy Honors Freshman English teacher.  The English department as a whole has decided upon a unified reading list and assignment for all Honors Freshman English courses, which is available for download in .doc format here: http://miamibeachhigh.schoolwires.com/miamibeachhigh/lib/miamibeachhigh/ENGLISH_I_HONORS_SUMMER_READING_ASSIGNMENT_2009.doc

The new assignment is a journaling activity and has a reading list of three books:

  1. House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros
  2. A Separate Peace, John Knowles
  3. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

That said, we understand that you may have already purchased the four books that were listed as required reading on the last day of school:

  1. Allende, Isabel: Paula
  2. Machiavelli: The Prince
  3. McCullers, Carson: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
  4. Remarque, Erich Maria: All Quiet on the Western Front

Ms Lakanen has agreed that you may read ANY THREE of the above seven listed titles, as long as you complete the journaling assignment.

AP World History

No required summer reading, but students may choose to read a book from the attached recommended reading list for 5 extra credit As. They must address three questions:

  1. What they thought was most interesting about the book?
  2. What they learned that they didn’t know before?
  3. What changes/continuities over time or cross cultural interaction could they identify?

View the list in .doc format here: AP World History Recommended Reading

Scholars Academy Honors Sophomore English

UPDATE: The assignment and reading list have been updated, but you do not necessarily have to purchase new books.  Please read the following very carefully.

Mr Brown is the new Scholars Academy Honors Sophomore English teacher.  The English department as a whole has decided upon a unified reading list and assignment for all Honors Sophomore English courses, which is available for download in .doc format here: http://miamibeachhigh.schoolwires.com/miamibeachhigh/lib/miamibeachhigh/ENGLISH_II_HONORS_SUMMER_READING_ASSIGNMENT_2009.doc

The new assignment is a journaling activity and has a reading list of three books:

  1. In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez
  2. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula Le Guin
  3. Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

That said, we understand that you may have already purchased books from that list that was posted on the last day of school:

1.    Bagdasarian, Adam: Forgotten Fire
2.    Crutcher, Chris: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
3.    Grogan, John: Marley & Me
4.    Kidd, Sue Monk: The Secret Life of Bees
5.    Maynard, Joyce: The Usual Rules
6.    McCammon, Robert: Boy’s Life
7.    Morgenroth, Kate: Jude
8.   Salisbury, Kim: The Cruelest Miles

In addition, you may use Don Quixote by Cervantes for the assignment.  Since you have to read this book anyway for AP European History, this should cut down on your total reading load.

Mr Brown has agreed that you may read ANY THREE of the above 11 listed titles (12 including Don Quixote), as long as you complete the assignment by September 4.  The assignment posted by the department asks for a total of 60 journal entries.  Mr Brown has reduced the number to 30 for his classes.

AP European History

List available at the following link:

http://miamibeachhigh.schoolwires.com/627710103163858123/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=53526

AP English Language & Composition

  1. The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
  2. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
  3. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Assignment here in .doc format: AP Language and Composition Summer Reading Assignment

AP United States History:

  1. Jared Diamond, Guns Germs and Steel
  2. Jared Diamond, Collapse
  3. David McCullough, 1776

Honors English III:

Assignment here: 11thrdinglist11

Honors English IV:

Assignment here: HONORS 12TH GRADE ENGLISH

AP English Literature:

Obtain and read all four of the following novels.

  1. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
  2. Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
  3. The Story of Edward Sautelle, David Wroblewski
  4. The Road, Cormac McCarthy

You are then required to keep a detailed journal for each novel which must contain the following sections:

  1. Symbols
  2. Imagery
  3. Point of View
  4. Setting
  5. Themes
  6. Plot Analysis
  7. Major Characters

Include in each section explicit details and/or examples regarding each literary element. You might find it best to purchase a four or five subject notebook to use as your journal. The journal will be collected the first week of school and will constitute a major portion of you first nine-week quarter grade.

AP American Government

List available at the following link:

http://miamibeachhigh.schoolwires.com/627710103163858123/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=54414

AP Macroeconomics

List available at the following link:

http://miamibeachhigh.schoolwires.com/627710103163858123/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=54415

POP QUIZ:

Q: How did these kids get so SMART?IMG_0204a

A: By doing all of their summer reading and assignments!

Please remember to check back here on the last day of school to see if any other lists have been added.

School’s [almost] out for summer…

Best Regards,

Andy Weiss

Categories: Uncategorized

Peer 2 Peer Mentoring

May 26, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Dear Scholars,

Are you looking for a way to get involved in school and help other students at the same time?  If you have the desire to be a positive influence and help 9th grade students make the most of their high school years, you should become a peer mentor.This is a great way for you to make new friends, help people, and earn community service hours. 

The first step is for you to submit an application, which is available for download http://scholarsacademy.ning.com/group/peer2peermentors.  Please submit the completed application to my office before June 3.  If I am not in my office, you can drop off the application in the manila folder on my door.

You will also need to attend a training and orientation session on August 18, 2009.  The plus side is that by participating in the session, you will have the first shot at seeing your schedule before school starts.

I hope that many of our rising sophomores, juniors and seniors will take this opportunity.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at aweiss@dadeschools.net

Best Regards,

Andy Weiss

Categories: Uncategorized

Revised Final Exam Schedule

May 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Dear Scholars,

It looks as though summer vacation will be coming a little early this year.  Don’t worry, your summer reading lists will be published soon!

In the anticipation that teachers will not be working on the afternoon of June 3 or 4, or at all on June 5, pending ratification of a contract amendment between UTD and MDCPS, Miami Beach Senior High has moved up the final exam schedule to ensure that there is sufficient time to input fourth quarter and final exam grades.

Please click on the following link to view the revised final exam schedule for 2009: Final Exam Sched 2009 REVISED

Best Regards,

Andy Weiss

Categories: Uncategorized

SAT Tutoring and College Essay Workshops

May 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Dear Scholars,

I want to let everyone know that I am available this summer for SAT tutoring and college essay preparation.  With just four weeks left in the school year, I am in the process of putting together my summer schedule and am now accepting clients.

I don’t want to clog up this website with self-promotion, but in short, standardized testing and college applications have always been an area of strength for me.  I have created a parallel website for my tutoring practice at www.weisstutoring.com.

Picture 1

Whether you are a junior interested in preparing college essays for the fall admissions season, or a freshman looking to practice for the SAT, I am confident I can help you.  I am available to work with you one-on-one, or as part of a small group at a reduced rate.  Please contact me at my personal email, andyweiss1982@mac.com, or after school hours at 305.710.4925.

Please visit my website at www.weisstutoring.com.  I look forward to working with you!

Best Regards,

Andy Weiss

Categories: Uncategorized

More Beach Reading

May 7, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Dear Scholars,

Sorry, I can’t help myself…

MDC made The New York Times (although the review is mixed): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/education/03community.html?ref=education

Also, The Miami Herald reports trouble ahead for the Bright Futures Scholarship: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/education/story/1034181.html

And for the seniors, an article about health insurance options for college students: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/02/health/02patient.html?ref=education

That is all…

Best Regards,

Andy Weiss

Categories: Uncategorized