San Ramon Valley High School

Mr. Melvin's Home Page

 Room: R-42
 
Message to the 2 Students (current Freshman)
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY ENTRANCE PROCEDURE
  • MARCH 15 IS THE DUE DATE TO SUBMIT REQUIRED FORMS/WORK
  • ALL FORMS CAN BE PRINTED FROM THIS PAGE (SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM)
  1. Register for AP European History if you want to take the class.  You will be dropped if you don't meet the following requirements.
  2. ALL student need to print the 'Placement Agreement'.  Parent and student signatures are needed.
  3. Students with A's (including A-) in English and Geography just need to turn in the placement agreement.  If currently enrolled in Geography, I'll be checking your quarter grade (quarter ends March 10).  Do the 'Entrance Assignment' if you don't currently have an A, or don't think you will end the quarter with an A.
  4. Students who don't meet the grade requirement must do the Entrance Assignment. Print the 'Entrance Assignment Reading Packet' and the 'Assignment Packet' and carefully follow the directions.
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY ADVICE
Feeling a bit nervous or anxious about your first AP class?  It's very natural to be feeling this way, but there are things you can do to prepare for the class and get a head start.  I do not assign formal summer assignments, so the following are just recommendations:
  1. If interested, buy the textbook on-line and start reading.  The text is 'The Western Heritage Since 1300, Eleventh Edition' (the cover has a picture of Catherine the Great in her royal attire), by Donald Kagan. We start with chapter 2 'Renaissance and Discovery'.  Practice taking some notes, timing yourself on how long 5-10 pages takes you to get through, and memorizing information.  WARNING: there are a lot of supplemental books that go along with the text.  I do not use any of them in class.
  2. Start learning maps of Europe from the 15th century (1400's) to its' current form. 
  3. For you readers out there, find a topic that interests you and read some non-fiction.  This can be a focus on a major event, a biography, a time period, or a movement.  Another option is to read primary documents from significant historical figures...anything will help.
  4. Buy a review book (i.e. Princeton Review) and use it to develop a basic understanding of European History.
Have a great summer and I'm looking forward to meeting all of you!
 
Mr. Melvin