Summer Reading 2024
FORM REQUIRED READING
All English class-specific titles are part of our core curriculum and are chosen to support the work you will do throughout the year. Click on the title of your Form below to read a review. Knowledge of these Form titles will be assessed immediately upon your return to school.
ABOUT SUMMER READING
Welcome to our Summer Reading guide for the upcoming 2024-25 school year. We ask you to read over the summer because we believe reading expands your worldview, exposes you to new ideas, and enriches your life.
AP & ADVANCED REQUIRED PREPARATION
For students taking AP or Advanced level courses, your teacher has chosen summer work that will add to your understanding of the material you will cover in your course. Unless otherwise noted, work should be completed before classes begin in September.
AP English Language & Composition
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
AP English Literature & Composition
The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles and poetry assignment
Advanced French IV, French IV, French V
Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
AP French Language & Culture
Le Racisme expliqué à ma fille by Tahar Ben Jelloun
Advanced Spanish IV, Spanish IV
La Casa en Mango Street (Spanish version) by Sandra Cisneros
Spanish V
Diarios de Motocicleta: Notas de Viaje por América Latina by Ernesto Che Guevara
AP Spanish Language & Culture
San Manuel Bueno, Mártir by Miguel de Unamuno
AP Comparative Government & Politics
The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
AP U.S. Government & Politics
Power and Liberty: Constitutionalism in the American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood
AP U.S. History
Please click here to view options for required reading
Advanced Economics
Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan
AP Biology
Please click here for required preparation
AP Environmental Science
Please click here for supplemental reading options
Advanced Environmental Science Research
Required reading will be communicated by teacher
Advanced Math/Science Research
Required reading will be communicated by teacher
AP Art & Design
Please click here for required preparation
MATHEMATICS SUMMER WORK
Math is a subject that requires practice and repetition to master. By dedicating time to summer math work, students reinforce their understanding of key concepts and skills, making it easier for them to grasp new topics when they return to school. Math skills are cumulative, meaning that new concepts and topics build upon previously learned ones. Consistent review prevents the loss of acquired skills and helps students retain important mathematical concepts.
Please click here to find the Berkshire School Mathematics Summer Work site. Students should locate the page for the class they are enrolled in for the 2024-2025 school year and work through the material in their class packet. Students should expect to be tested on the prerequisite material during the first week of school.