Rising 8th Grade Summer Reading Assignment- Bystander by James Preller

1- As you read Bystander, apply your active reading strategies through the use of post-

it notes, highlighters, underlining, etc. Your annotations will prepare you for our

class discussions and essay. Each time you encounter something you believe to be

important, provocative, dramatic, surprising, etc.- note it. If you have questions,

comments, areas you agree or disagree with, parts you find too unrealistic or

offensive- note them.

2- Answer the following questions after reading:

a) What does it mean to be a “bystander”?

b) In what is known as “the bystander effect,” it’s been learned that group

behavior is often less moral/ethical than individual behavior. For example,

imagine a person lying on the sidewalk. Groups of people have failed to

stop and help the injured person. Yet individuals, alone, are much more

likely to try to help and be of assistance. Why do you think that is so?

c) Do those who were once victims have the right to then become the bully?

d) The ending of the book does not provide a typical Hollywood ending- it

strives for something more realistic. What do you think will happen with

the characters in the future, particularly Griffin and his friends? What

clues in the text support your conclusion? Site those points in the book.

I will be collecting your Bystander novel the first day of class. Please make sure your

name in is your book. Your annotations in the novel will be graded! As well, these

annotations will also help you in our first seminar of the year. BE PREPARED!

Rising 9th Grade English I- Summer Reading- The Pearl by John Steinbeck The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, is a lyrical novella with the moral implications of a “parable”

applicable to today. As you read the story of Kino, a native Indian from Mexico, think of the ramifications

of instant wealth and how that impacts relationships among family, friends, community leaders, and

church leaders. As your read, create notes that will be pertinent and vital to a class discussion on August

18, 2014 and the Summer Reading Project due on August 19, 2014.

Setting Character dynamics Plotline Major themes Atmosphere Symbolism Project Directions: You will be creating a two sided mask for the following characters: Kino, Juana, and

Coyotito. Due date: August 19, 2014

Materials: 3 poster boards—22”x 14”, colored markers or pencils

Step 1. Research native Indian mask designs from Mexico. You will find them to be intricate and colorful.

Find two masks for each character one happy, one sad. The masks must be authentic.

Step 2. Find passages in the book that illustrate each character in a relatively happy, routine, and content

state of mind. These passages must be in the following categories:

A. Description of character B. Dialogue of character C. Actions of character D. Description of the setting E. Initial plotline including symbolism and initial revealing of themes Step 3. Write these passages in calligraphy (a variety of script and size) within the designs/patterns of the

mask you have drawn. Use authentic coloration. The happy/content mask should illustrate each

character before the pearl was found, and immediately after the pearl was found—when Kino was singing

the song of Family; the song of Hope.

Step 4. On the flip side of the happy mask, draw the sad mask. In the designs/patterns, incorporate

passages that reflect the same categories and emphasize the dynamic change in each character—the end

result of each character. Write these passages in calligraphy form using colors that depict the tragic

nature of the plotline after the village learned of Kino’s finding the pearl.

Step 5. Accompanying your three, two-sided masks, write an ancestral song illustrating the moral of the

“parable.” This song needs to be 20 lines reflecting the themes and symbolism of The Pearl.

Start with a few lines from the Popul Vuh, sacred book of the Quiche’ Maya people. This will be your first

stanza. (5 lines) Now you create the next three stanzas using imagery and alliteration lyrically illustrating

the moral learned.

“From within the heavens they came

The beautiful flower, the beautiful songs.

Our longing spoils them, our inventiveness makes them

Lose their fragrance.

B’itol (god) has sent me as a messenger to sing the sad song of Kino.”

I look forward to seeing all your creativity!

*Bring your novel with you on the first day of class!

Rising 10th Grade English II- CP Summer Reading Assignment: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

What is a dialectical journal? The term “dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving questions and answers.” This journal should help you develop a better understanding of the novel.

Assignment: Complete at least one journal entry per chapter as you read Lord of the Flies. As you read, choose passages (quotes) that stand out to you and record them in the left-hand column of a T-chart (include page numbers). In the right column, write your response to the text (ideas/insights, questions, reflections, and comments on each passage).

Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thought provoking or puzzling. For example: Effective &/or creative use of stylistic or literary devices Passages that remind you of your own life or something you’ve seen before Structural shifts or turns in the plot A passage that makes you realize something you hadn’t seen before Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs. Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar vocabulary Events you find surprising or confusing Passages that illustrate a particular character or setting

Respond to passages CRITICALLY, not your opinion. For example:

Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure, style, imagery ,personification, similes, etc.) Make connections between different characters or events in the text Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc…) Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s) Consider an event or description from the perspective of a different character Analyze a passage and its relationship to the story as a whole

This journal assignment is due the first day of school. This journal will be used as a part of class discussion and other assignments at the start of the school year. Additionally, students should be prepared for a reading quiz.

Example journal entry for The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

Passage from Novel Student Response/Question

“-they carried like freight trains; they

carried it on their backs and shoulders-

and for all the ambiguities of Vietnam, all

the mysteries and unknowns, there was at

least the single abiding certainty that

they would never be at a loss for things

to carry” (O’Brien 2).

*Note the citation with page

number!

O’Brien chooses to end the first section of the novel with this

sentence. He provides excellent visual details of what each soldier in

Vietnam would carry for day-to-day fighting. He makes you feel the

physical weight of what soldiers have to carry for simple survival.

When you combine the emotional weight of loved ones at home, the

fear of death, and the responsibility for the men you fight with, with

this physical weight, you start to understand what soldiers in Vietnam

dealt with every day. This quote sums up the confusion that the men

felt about the reasons they were fighting the war, and how they clung

to the only certainty - things they had to carry - in a confusing world

where normal rules were suspended.

*Bring your novel with you on the first day of class!

Rising 10th Grade English II- Honors Summer Reading Assignment: Article Packet on “How to

Mark A Book” and The Elephant Man: A Novel.

”John Merrick had lived for more than twenty years imprisoned in a body that condemned him to a miserable life in the workhouse and to humiliation as a circus sideshow freak. But beneath that tragic exterior, within that enormous and deformed head, thrived the soul of a poet, the heart of a dreamer, the longings of a man. Based on the extraordinary motion picture that captured the heart of America.” Summer Reading *Please note that this is not the play by Bernard Pomerance, nor the memoir by Dr. Frederick Treves, but a novelization of the motion picture. Based upon historical facts and real people, this novel explores aspects of a story as only fiction can. We will be discussing this novel the first few days of class using seminar. We will also use this novel as a comparison/contrast to Beowulf and Grendel (works we will read first trimester).

_________________________________________________________________ I. Pre-Reading Assignment: Explore the following areas of Victorian Age by writing a few sentences about the following topics on a separate sheet of paper: a) Victorian Etiquette and Fashion b) Victorian Religion c) Victorian Medicine d) Victorian “Workhouses” e) Victorian Art and Culture II. Reflective Assignment: In reading The Elephant Man, we are discovering the emerging personality of John Merrick and observing the effects of others upon his life and his dignity. He is an extraordinary human being to have survived extraordinary handicaps. Although most of us do not suffer such extremes as he has, there are experiences and people who surround all of us who have affected our lives. Think about the following quote by Katherine Hepburn: "We are all just chunks of putty molded by the people we meet, the experiences we have, the books we read, and the things that happen before our eyes." What do you think about this quote? Do you agree or disagree? What personal connection can you draw from this? Write at least a one page reflective response. It needs to be typed, 12 pt, Times New Roman or Calibri. This will be graded as a homework assignment and is due the first day of class. III. Text Analysis Annotation: Choose five quotes from the novel. Using active reading strategies, (sticky notes, highlighting) identify quotes you think are essential to the novel. The quotes can be about themes, characters or essential ideas. (I encourage you to mark all the way through your reading and choose the five after reading!) The key is to choose quotes that have significance to you. Make sure to make note of the page numbers. Using two columns write the quote and in the other, offer an explanation. Please give thoughtful responses! This portion will count as a quiz grade.

*Bring your novel with you on the first day of class!

Example from Animal Farm: Quote (Pg #) This shows…

“When the key of the store-shed was

lost, the whole farm was convinced

that Snowball had thrown it down the

well. Curiously enough, they went on

believing this was even after the mislaid

mislaid key was found under a sack of

meal” (45).

…how the author uses irony to

demonstrate a human weakness.

When the animals blame a scapegoat

for something that goes wrong and

cling to this mistaken belief even when

the truth is obvious, this seems like

clear evidence to me that oftentimes

people are more interested in their own

beliefs than in the truth.

Rising 11th Grade English III- CP: Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Explanation: You will read the novel Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson independently to complement our unit on The Scarlet Letter, the first novel we read in class. Speak is a modern novel with modern high-school problems; however, there will be common issues presented in The Scarlet Letter. While reading, you will complete the tasks detailed below. Part One: Literary Elements (typed) Define the following literary elements and provide one example of each from the novel. Each element is worth 2pts (26 pts total TEST GRADE).

1. Static character

2. Dynamic character

3. Flat character

4. Round character

5. setting

6. theme

7. point of view

8. tone

9. metaphor

10. simile

11. irony

12. symbol/symbolism

13. motif Part Two: Journal Entries (typed or your best handwriting in ink!) Each journal is worth 12 pts, and the cover is worth 10 points. The total grade will be 130 pts. Make sure to complete all ten or you will be lose points! Up to 10 points extra will be given if you go above and beyond the basic requirements. I reserve the right in making this decision! Choose 10 of the following entries and complete them following the appropriate portion of reading. Each entry should be detailed and include both personal reflections and details from the novel. You also need to make a cover for your entries. Make it reflect the ideas presented in the novel. Each entry should be set-up as follows: Name: Prompt and Number: Entry #:

1. First day of high school (3). Compare your first day of High School to the main characters first day. Can you relate?

2. High school clans (4). Are there clans in your high schools? Explain the clan system.

3. Lies they tell you (5). Make an honest list of the lies they tell you in high school. Explain your reaction to those lies.

4. Humiliations, embarrassing moments (8). What are your most embarrassing moments? If not, what is your worse fear regarding this and why?

5. Family communication: How does communication break-down in Melinda's family? What could each person do to improve it? If you were a parent, how would communication be in your family? (14) 6. What does Melinda's room say about her? How does your room express who you are? (15)

7. Why do we sometimes not like people who are really good at things, like sports, music, art, or school? Is this fair? Are adults like this? (20)

8. What clubs, sports, or activities are you involved in? Is it true that 9th graders "hang back" and don't join groups? Why? (23)

9. Are we sometimes different people on the outside than we are on the inside? Which characters from the novel fit this description? Why is this true about people, do you think? (32)

10. Melinda's parents tell her that she's too old to go trick or treating and she pretends to be mad. Why do you think Melinda is both relieved and sad not to go trick or treating? What does it feel like to leave childhood traditions behind? (39)

11. Who are the Marthas and how is their club both good and bad? What qualities should a service club have? How would you "fix" the Marthas? (42)

12. Who is a "real" American? What do you think of Mr. Neck's opinion? Going by his definition, are some of you not really Americans? How does that seem to you? (54)

13. Is school a place where you can really say what you think, or not? Explain and give examples (55).

14. Why is it that people sometimes "like us" more when they can get something out of us? Are the Marthas good friends to Heather? Why or why not? (82)

15. What should we value in other people? What qualities are important in a person? What do you usually notice first about someone? Does that matter or not? (83)

16. Was being a child better than being a teenager? In what ways? In what ways is it better to be older? Why is it hard to be in-between childhood and adulthood? (99)

17. Melinda wishes her science teacher would teach them about love and betrayal instead of about the birds and the bees. Where do we learn about things like that? Can we learn about love from a book? Explain? (109)

18. Mr. Freeman tells his class, "You must walk alone to find your soul." What does this mean? Is it true? What is a soul? (118)

19. Mr. Freeman also says that "art is about making mistakes and learning from them." What else is like this? Explain. (122)

20. Have you ever felt like there were two "yous" fighting inside you? (132)

21. Lies they tell you (148). Has your opinion changed from the beginning of the book? Do you have anything to add?

22. Mr. Freeman, again! He tells Melinda that "nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting." He's literally talking about a drawing of the tree, but what do you think he really means? (153)

23. David is a true friend to Melinda, but he tells her something she may not want to hear. He says that people have to speak up for their rights, referring to the suffragettes. What should his words mean to her? (159)

24. Melinda's father explains to her that the arborists are cutting off disease and damage to make it possible for the tree to grow again. How can the pruning of the tree be compared to Melinda's life? (187)

25. Being cool: when is being cool really "un-cool"? Is it ever? Who defines what is cool and how do you know?

26. What should we value in people? What's important? Do the standards changes from person to person.

27. What do report cards really say about students? Each journal entry will be graded based on the following rubric: 3 – Excellent 2 – Somewhat 1 – Hardly 0-Irrelevent/Unreadable Has student addressed each element of the prompt clearly? _____ Has student offered his/her own ideas clearly? _____ Has student directly referenced text (Speak) as support? _____ Has student considered GUM (grammar, usage, mechanics) and made clear transitions connecting ideas within writing? _____

Grade Total: _____/12 x 10 = 120 pts

Rising 11th Grade English III- Honors

This assignment is broken down into two parts. For the first part, answer the following

literature response questions. Make sure to give DEEP THOUGHT RESPONSES; the

responses must be typed. The second part is one of creative flair. It is called an

Inspiration Folder. Do not delay completing this section because it will take some

thought. Be creative!

Literature Response Questions: 1. Explain and discuss something this novel/work seems to say or show about the concept of

the American Dream (you may want to investigate the concept and/or definition of the

American Dream as part of this).

2. Identify and explain something that this novel/work helped you understand about America

as a place, a country, a culture, a society (either in the certain time period that the work is

about or in comparison with our current time).

3. Discuss and explain the use and impact of a particular literary element in the novel/work.

Some choices include but are not limited to: setting, narration and point-of-view,

metaphor/simile, imagery, symbols, aspects of plot, the writer's style, tone, etc.

4. Identify a particular character in the novel/work who interests you and explain why (and

don't feel as if it must be the central character).

5. Identify something in or about the novel/work that you connect with or identify with

personally and explain why.

6. Choose a particular passage in the novel/work (of somewhere in the range of 50 to 200

words) that you find interesting for whatever reason. First, quote the passage directly,

verbatim, and include the page number at the end. Then, directly below the passage,

discuss what you find interesting and/or significant in the passage.

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, adulteress Hester Prynne must

wear a scarlet A to mark her shame. The Scarlet Letter's symbolism helps create

a powerful drama in Puritan Boston: a kiss, evil, sin, nature, the scarlet letter,

and the punishing scaffold. Nathaniel Hawthorne's masterpiece is a classic

example of the human conflict between emotion and intellect. – (Cliffnotes.com)

Inspiration Folder

As you read, make at least ten connections between The Scarlet Letter and other

areas of study and compile those in a simple manila file folder. You can relate

elements of the novel to critical theory, historical events, other works of literature,

visual art, current events or pop culture. Bring the complete folder to class on the first

day of school.

Requirements: Each connection you make must have a specific reference to The

Scarlet Letter (including quotes and page numbers)- you can do this either through

annotation (on articles, poems, excerpts from other lit, songs) or through written

rationale.

Connections can be academic, personal, pop-culture, etc…

Consider the following ideas…

Literary criticism on Hawthorne or The Scarlet Letter

Background on historical events of early American settlements or the Puritans

Images (symbolic or literal) in connection with the

work, like the rose or the scaffold for instance

Poems – modern or contemporary to the novel which relate to the book

Excerpts from other works of literature which you connect to the tale

Pieces of art which represent similar ideas or themes

Song lyrics, movie lines, television episodes or news

broadcasts which would connect

Comics, cartoons – political or social – which relate to the themes and topics

Original artwork or composition

Make sure you have your name on each piece of evidence. You need to

have at least one piece of evidence from each category.

Number each entry

Connections should display creativity of thought and an understanding of the text

Citations and explanations should be typed, though you may have hand-created items like artwork

If you have any questions, you may email me at amelville@beaufortacademy.org. I know you will

moan and groan, but I expect nothing but your best work. Yes, this will be graded!

Rising 12th Grade English IV -CP Summer Reading Assignment: Nickel and Dimed, by

Barbara Ehrenreich

One of the central tenets of the American Dream is that if a person works hard and is

honest, he will succeed in life. Yet today, hard work alone is often not enough to earn a

living. Through Ehrenreich’s experiences we learn what a low wage American worker

faces while trying to earn a living. The themes and issues in this book are also themes

and issues that run through literature in one form or another. We will refer to this book

throughout the year making connections back to Ehrenreich’s exposure into the

struggles of chasing the American Dream.

Assignment:

1- As you read Nickel and Dimed, apply your active reading strategies through the

use of post-it notes, highlighters, underlining, etc. Your annotations will prepare

you for our class discussions and essay. Each time you encounter something you

believe to be important, provocative, dramatic, surprising, etc.- note it. If you

have questions, comments, areas you agree or disagree with, parts you find too

unrealistic or offensive- note them. Your depth of annotating will help during the

in-class essay and seminar the first few days of class.

2- Come to class with a social problem or issue you would be willing to go

“undercover” to expose. Think about the problem, a solution you might propose

and your justification for your solution. This topic will become your first research

paper this year. BE PREPARED by having some notes and thoughts about the

issue when you come to class the first day- I will be collecting this for a grade.

Picking a topic on the morning you walk in will not serve you well. I have

attached a PowerPoint with websites for you to look through to be prepared on

the first day of school.

Please see my website for summer reading and research/website information:

mrsrba@wikispaces.com

*Bring your novels with you on the first day of class!

Rising 12th Grade English IV- AP Summer Reading Assignment:

How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster AND Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Please see the following link for assignment: http://rodion-romanovitch.blogspot.com/

*Bring your novels with you on the first day of class!