ST ELIZABETH HIGH SCHOOL

Committed to academic excellence in the preparation of young men and women for college and for

Life long learning in a community in which religious truth and values are central to the school program

May 28, 2008

Dear AP Psychology Student,

I hope that these last days of classes and your exams are exciting times for you just as I am sure that most of you are looking for that first trip to the beach by now. However, I know that you are really anxious to begin some great reading for A.P. Psychology class, and are really excited to read, ponder and reflect.

This summer, in order to get a good start in the August, I am requiring you to come into the business office to pick up your Textbook: Psychology 4E by Robert J. Sternberg.   Look for the notice that the textbooks are in on the St. Elizabeth web site.  Mr. Poppiti will put it on there as soon as the textbooks arrive and your book bill in August will include the charge for this textbook so that there does not need to be a payment till then. Once you have picked it up, you are ready to begin our study of A. P. Psychology.

In your accompanying packet, you will find chapter one and two chapter study guides for chapter one: What is psychology? , and chapter 2: Research Methods. You are to complete both before you return to school. If you have any questions, you may contact me at jgibbons@viking.pvt.k12.de.us at any time over the summer. Additionally, I would like you to send me your name, email address, cell and / or home phone number as soon as you have picked up your textbook and are ready to begin.

The two books that I have chosen for our summer reading are as different from one another as I could find. However, the underlying thread that pulls the two books together is that they both involve children, and they both involve mental illness. The difference is who is mentally ill in each book and how the mental illness affects the characters in the story. The two books are:

1.      A child called “IT” by Dave Pelzer

2.      I never promised you a rose garden by Joanne Greenberg

For each story, please write one summary paper of 3-5 pages that answers the following questions:

·         Who is the story about?

·         What happened to the main character?

                   -  Tell his / her story completely.

·         When did these major events for the main character occur?

·         Where did these major events for the main character occur?

·         Who was mentally ill in each story?

·         How did the main character respond to the major events in their lives?

·         How did Mental Illness affect the family?

·         What were the outcomes / major decisions made by the main character in the story?

·         Was the book fiction or non fiction?

·         What is your opinion about the story?

·         What is your opinion about the main character’s response to the events of their lives?

·         Why did the author write this story?

Please be sure to include what you think and why you think it in your conclusion.

I am really looking forward to our class next year. A.P. Psychology will be a study of mental processes, behavior and the relationship between them. It will take a great deal of work to get the most out of our class so I hope that you are as excited as I am to begin to read, ponder and reflect!

Till we meet in August,

Mrs. Gibbons

A.P. Psychology Instructor