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Huron High School

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Summer Exploration - DP and CP Classes

At Huron High School, we do not expect students to complete any "summer assignments" ahead of starting into our IB programs for 11th and 12th grades.

We do, however, know that students often have a genuine interest and curiosity about the subjects they will be starting when they enter the IB programming for 11th and 12th grades.  

This list of ideas are ways that you can explore the DP subjects before starting in the classes.  These ideas are designed to:

  • build your curiosity
  • give you a chance to expand your prior knowledge
  • expose you to topics and concepts of the subject
  • practice skills that you've learned in the subject so far

Below you will find ideas generated by our teachers for each DP class that you might want to explore over the summer.  

We wish you a happy, healthy, rejuvenating and balanced summer!

DP Literature

  • READ!!  Cultivate your personal tastes in literature by reading what engages and excites you.
  • In addition to literature, consider reading graphic novels, short stories, poetry and non-fiction.  

DP Language and Literature

  • READ!! (Anything!)
  • Engage in world news to learn about issues of global significance.  (Perhaps subscribe to a daily or weekly podcast or listen to a news station)
  • Watch "the making of" some of your favorite movies.
  • Go to a play, watch one online, or find a free performance in a park.

DP Arabic

  • Read and listen to Arabic language sources.
  • Check our Sora which has many Arabic books.
  • Listen to Arabic music on YouTube.  
  • Check out https://learning.aljazeera.net/en to practice Arabic.
  • Read and listen to news in Arabic.
  • Add Arabic keyboard to your phone and start texting in Arabic.
  • Watch TV shows and movies in Arabic.
  • Email your teacher to give you a free account to: I read Arabic or I Start Arabic websites so you can independently practice Arabic.

DP French

  • Watch movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos in French with subtitles (either in French or English) turned on.
  • Use the Chrome Extension called Language Learning with Netflix.
  • Find a podcast in French to listen to.  (ex. InnerFrench with Hugo Cotton)
  • YouTube offers free episodes (ex. Comme une Française, Français avec Pierre, Norman or Cyprien)
  • Duolingo is a free an fun way to practice French.
  • TV5 Monde is an app for your phone that gives free daily videos with questions and grammar on interesting current events.  (Choose level A2 or B1)
  • Listen to French music (Here is a playlist)
  • Read about something you are really interested in in French.  Type the topic and IN FRENCH into your Google search and you can find articles on the topic.
  • French news sites:  France 24, Franceinfo, Le Monde, Le Figaro, 1jour1actu
  • Any time you can use your French for fun, GO FOR IT! If you are a gamer, try to find people who speak French to play with. Change the settings on your computer/phone to be in French. Use your French for real life.

DP French (ab initio)

  • Listen to French podcasts (like Slow News in French or Français Facile)
  • Read articles on 1jour1actu
  • Watch and/or listen to children's stories in French on YouTube
  • Listen to French music from Manie Musical de Mars
  • Do "apprendre le français" activities on tv5monde.fr
  • Check out the French books at the Ann Arbor District Library

DP German

  • Use an app like Duolingo and Drops to practice your skills.
  • Do some German on Quizlet
  • Consider the book, "English Grammar for Students of German:  The Study Guide for Students Learning German" 
  • Check out this list of YouTube videos from our German teacher!

DP Mandarin Chinese

  • Watch YouTube practice videos 
  • Check our Sora which has many Chinese books.
  • Practice the most commonly used words in Mandarin
  • Look to your teacher's literary works lists and weekly meetings!

DP Spanish

  • Reading and listening to Spanish language sources is the best way to practice.  You can also practice speaking, writing, grammar and vocab.  
  • Listen to Spanish music.  Search "Locura de marzo" in YouTube for playlists
  • Listen to news in Spanish. (ex. BBCMundo)
  • Read the news in Spanish. (ex. search "noticias" and topics of interest)
  • Change your phone language or favorite websites to Spanish.
  • Use StudySpanish.com to review grammar and review vocabulary on Quizlet.
  • Watch TV shows or movies in Spanish.  You can use the Google Chrome extension, "Language learning" with Netflix to enhance the subtitles and vocabulary.
  • Here are some more ideas created by our teacher!

DP History

  • Read about history that interests you.
  • Listen to podcasts, watch movies or shows about history that interests you.
  • Check out this list of specific ideas from our teachers

DP Business Management

DP Psychology

  • There are so many free resources to access online.  Here are some of our teacher's favorites:
  • To read:  Read articles on psychologytoday.com, mindful.org, or psychcentral.com.
  • To watch:  Check out these YouTube channels:  Crash Course, SciShow Psych, Kati Morton, Ana Psychology, and Special Books by Special Kids.
  • To listen:  The Science of Happiness, The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman, Hidden Brain, Invisibilia, The Savvy Psychologist.

DP Biology

DP Chemistry

  • Read for pleasure!  Reading keeps your mind active!
  • Spend as much time outside as possible.
  • Build something (a shelf, a bedside table, a picture frame, a fence, a dog house, a trellis, etc!). This is a great learning opportunity and is fun!
  • Work on memorizing the elements and ions frequently used in DP Chemistry.  You should know the symbols, the spelling of the element/ion names and ion changes.
  • Refresh your understanding of mass to mass stoichiometry problems and limiting reagent problems.

DP Physics

  • Check out Sean Carroll's Mindscape podcast.  This includes a lot of interesting thinkers in various fields.
  • Get fascinated about something (ideally something in the "real world") and learn a lot about it!
  • Talk a walk in the woods, Go for a run.  Ride a bike.  Paddle a canoe.  Be outside without electronic input.  Repeat this often.

DP Environmental Systems and Societies

  • Read "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
  • Read "A Sand Country Almanac" by Aldo Leopold
  • Watch "An Inconvenient Truth" and/or "An Inconvenient Sequel:  Truth to Power" with Al Gore.
  • Participate in any type of environmental cleanup, either with a group or on your own.
  • Go outside and enjoy nature!

DP Computer Science

  • Some fact, some fiction, some good, some ok = all interesting!
  • To watch:  Wargames, Sneakers, Imitation Game, Pirates of Silicon Valley, History of the Internet, Hidden Figures, Social Network, Ada Lovelace: The First Computer Programmer, AlphaGo, The Smartest Machine on Earth, Nerds 2.0.1 THe History of the Internet (old but worth the history), Welcome to Macintosh, Queen of Code, Tron I & Tron 2, The Matrix .
  • To read:  Player Piano (Vonnegut), Blown to Bits, Algorithms to Live By, Bad Choices, Nine Algorithms that Changed the Future, Hidden Figures, iWoz Computer Geek to Cult Icon, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, Broad Band, Andromeda Strain, Ada's Algorithm, Steve Jobs (Isaacson), The Innovators (Isaacson), Code Girls, Alan Turing: The Enigma

DP Mathematics (all levels)

  • Check out Planet Money (https://www.npr.org/sections/money/).  There are a lot of interesting ideas that could turn into assessment topics.
  • Using SAT prep tools are a great way to keep your skills sharp.  Look for topics that you want to strengthen.  (https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat/sat-math-practice)
  • If you are curious what you will be learning and reviewing in the cousre visit www.revisionvillage.com.  Click on the course that you signed up for and you can see and explore many free resources.
  • Review to be sure you are confident with the your previous math content.  You can always find online tutorials to help with any areas that you struggled.

 DP Film

  • Consider following these resources on Social Media:  IndieWire, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Film Riot.
  • Watch "behind the scenes" and/or "director's commentary" tracks on your favorite movies.
  • Read film reviews on RottenTomatoes.
  • Watch Oscar nominees from this year and past years including foreign language films and documentaries. 
  • Check out the No Film School website:  https://nofilmschool.com/

DP Visual Arts

  • Draw, paint, sculpt, collage, sew, print, photograph, design, animate, etc!  Get messy.  Experiment.  Play.  Make stuff that makes you happy!
  • Go to an outdoor art fair such as the Ann Arbor Art Fair (July 15-18) 
  • Visit an art museum, such as the Detroit Institute of Ats (reservations required - https://www.dia.org/)
  • Visit the website https://www.thisiscolossal.com/ for TONS of exciting, unusual, relevant, current art happenings around the world.
  • Find artists on Instagram, Tiktok, etc. that inspire you. Some of your teacher's favorites on Instagram are: @villanaart @blackbean_cms @sarahgaylcarter @tawnychatmon @bisabutler @brunopontiroli @nicolemclaughlin @darlajacksonsculpture @jose_cacho_art

 Theory of Knowledge

  • TED Talks has Daily and Weekly 5 and 15 minute podcasts on a variety of subjects! Any of these are great!
  • Listening to NPR stations piques curiosity and can help you make connections to the real world and across classes, as well as understand the significance of an international mindset.
  • Watch "deep" (but crazy fun!) movies like Memento, The Matrix, and The Truman Show, Inception, 12 Angry Men,  Blade Runner. These can spark curiosity about how we interpret our worlds.  (Please check for appropriate ratings and mature content before viewing) 

Extended Essay

  • Check out the Extended Essay link on the Huron IB page for DP students. 
  • Look at your DP course selections for next year because your personal curiosity and interest in a subject is important. Make a list of topics that ignite your curiosity in each of the subject areas you are taking. Talk about these topics with your family and with friends.  This could lead to something you would be curious to investigate for your Extended Essay. 
  • Familiarize yourself with MLA formatting and style of writing.

CP Core Advisory