Due:  Wednesday, August 13th 

Directions: Read the informational sheet about the course to learn about the following, being ready to discuss on the first day of school. We recommend taking notes on this, but nothing will be submitted.

1. What is the AP Capstone Program?

2. What is the difference between a skills-building and a content-focused AP course? How does AP Seminar fit this? 

3. What do you do in AP Seminar? Hint: There are 4 major parts of the course!

4. What do the students from 2025-26 say about the course? Be able to speak about 2-3 testimonials. 

Due:  Thursday, August 14th 

NOTE: in order to complete this assignment, you will need to download or purchase your own copy of the text: "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (third through fifth edition). Here is the Amazon link if you prefer to purchase. 

Directions: Create your own copy of this document to begin this assignment and title it "APS - 0 - Assignment: They Say I Say - Your Last Name, Your First Name". The assignment itself has two parts. After creating your copy and naming it as directed, the steps below and on your document to complete both parts by the deadline:

1. Read the assigned chapters of "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (third through fifth edition), answering the chapter-specific questions in the yellow boxes within the assignment in 3-5 sentences each. 

• • 1. • Introduction

       • Chapter 2

       • Chapter 6

       • Chapter 12

       • Chapter 14

       • Chapter 15

2. When finished with the assigned reading, complete the reflection on your own academic writing skills and what you hope to learn or improve upon in AP Seminar this year. Each question should be answered in 4-7 sentences in the given purple boxes. 

Due: Friday, August 15th

Directions: 

1. Watch the videos How to Read a Paper Quickly and Effectively and How to Read, Take Notes on and Understand Research Articles. 

2. Then, download/print, read and annotate the required TWO (2) articles for understanding**: 

• "Before and After 'Jaws'": Changing Representations of Shark Attacks

• Social Media Monitors the Largest Fish in the Sea

3. Next, choose ONE (1) additional article to download/print, read and annotate for understanding**:

•  Protecting White Sharks

• Debunking Common Shark Myths

• Massachusetts approves new rules to restrict shore-based shark fishing

• Influencer marketing can help tourism industry mitigate waste, pollution

4. Bring the three annotated articles to class, virtually or physically on the due date. 

**NOTE

• Annotating for understanding is annotating - highlighting/underlining and adding a comment -  the key arguments/claims, line of reasoning, and/or major plot points understood from the source. 

• Have 2 or more annotations per page - for each highlight/underline you have, you write a comment. This allows for you to easily go back to the article to discuss it and pull evidence.  

• You may choose to either download and create notes/highlights on the page OR print and do so physically.