Scituate High School Summer Reading List 2010
Dear Parents and Guardians,
This year’s summer reading program is comprised of a reading and writing requirement. To fulfill the reading requirement, a student must read two novels from the lists provided. The lists are broken down by grade, placement level, and genre. A student must find his/her grade level and placement level before making a selection. The student must then read one work from the non-fiction column and one work from the fiction column.
On the first full day of class, each student will write an in-class, timed essay on one of the works. He/she will be provided with either a fiction or non-fiction prompt. The student must be prepared to answer either prompt. Summer reading is 10% the first quarter grade.
A student enrolled in American Studies (Grade 11, Honors), Advanced Placement or Early Enrollment (Grade 12, Honors) is not required to complete the aforementioned program. This student must see his/her teacher to obtain a copy of the summer program requirements for these classes.
Thank you in advance for your continued support of our summer program. As always, your support is necessary to make this program a success. All information regarding the summer reading/writing program can be found at (http://www.ScituateHighSchool.com/).
Sincerely,
Ruth C. Trainor
English Department Chairperson
Grade 9 Summer Reading Lists
Directions: You are to Choose TWO books from your designated level. You MUST choose one book from the “Fiction” column and one book from the “Non-Fiction” column. Remember: You will be given a timed writing prompt as an assessment upon your return from summer vacation.
Honors:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
Maus Volumes I and II – Spiegelman |
|
| Ethan Frome – Warton | My Losing Season- Conroy |
| Tortilla Flat – Steinbeck | The Perfect Storm- Junger |
| Persepolis I (Both Must Be Read) | |
| Persepolis II- Satrapi |
Level 1:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| Maus Volumes I and II – Spiegelman | |
| Bless me Ultima – Anaya | The Radioactive Boy Scout- |
| Tortilla Flat – Steinbeck | Silverstein |
| Caramelo- Cisneros | Princess – Sasson |
Level 2:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| The Pearl – Steinbeck | |
| The Red Pony – Steinbeck | Hiroshima- Hershey |
| A Child Called It- Pelzer | Understanding September 11th- |
| Frank | |
Grade 10 Summer Reading Lists
Directions: You are to Choose TWO books from your designated level. You MUST choose one book from the “Fiction” column and one book from the “Non-Fiction” column. Remember: You will be given a timed writing prompt as an assessment upon your return from summer vacation.
Honors:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bryson | |
| In the Time of Butterflies- Alvarez | A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius- Egger |
| The Red Tent- Dimanti |
Level 1:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| A Lesson Before Dying- Gaines | Into the Wild- Krakaur |
| Cannery Row – Steinbeck | Friday Nights Lights- Bissinger |
Level 2:
Fiction Non-Fiction
| Speak- Anderson | Between a Rock and a Hard Place- Ralston |
| Fade – Cormier | Witch Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials- Aronson |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Nighttime- Haddon |
Grade 11 Summer Reading Lists
Directions: You are to Choose TWO books from your designated level. You MUST choose one book from the “Fiction” column and one book from the “Non-Fiction” column. Remember: You will be given a timed writing prompt as an assessment upon your return from summer vacation.
Level 1:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| Wicked – Maguire | Nickeled and Dimed- Ehranriech |
| Lovely Bones- Sebold | Seabiscuit- Hillendbrand |
| The Violent Bear It Away – O’Connor | Fast Food Nation – Schlosser |
| Bone- Fae M. Ng |
Level 2:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| The Color Purple- Walker | The Greatest Generation- Brokaw |
| Picture Bride- Uchida | Let’s Roll!- Beamer |
| After The First Death – Cormier | |
| Beet Queen- Eurich |
11th grade honors English Summer Reading 2010
Honors juniors will read three texts and complete the assignment below.
Read The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
AND
Choose 2 of the books from the list below.
A Mercy by Toni Morrison
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie
A Friend of the Earth by TC Boyle
In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
In Honors English 11, we will discuss the concept of “The American Dream,” examining its roots, development, and validity in current culture. If you are unfamiliar with the idea of the “American Dream,” do some research. All of the above texts address issues related to the American dream. Write a creative dialogue in which three characters (one from each text) discuss an issue (or issues) relevant to the American dream. The discussion should reflect your detailed, accurate, and thoughtful understanding of all three texts. Incorporate quotations and specific references from each text. Your grade will be based on your understanding of the texts, your ability to identify and discuss a significant theme, and your use of detail. Grammar, mechanics, and organization count. You may write your dialogue in narrative or play format. Typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, 3 to 8 pages. Page limits strictly enforced. Due on the first day of class. Late papers will lose 25 points per day. Worth 10% of your first quarter grade.
Grade 12 Summer Reading Lists
Directions: You are to Choose TWO books from your designated level. You MUST choose one book from the “Fiction” column and one book from the “Non-Fiction” column. Remember: You will be given a timed writing prompt as an assessment upon your return from summer vacation.
Level 1:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| The Bell Jar – Plath | Band of Brothers- Ambrose |
| The Secret Sharer - Conrad | Women of Spirit: Inspiring Stories from The Women Who Lived Them – Martin,editor
|
| Girl With a Pearl Earring- Chevalier | Touching the Void: The True Story Of One man’s Miraculous Survival- Simpson |
| The Shipping News- Proulx |
Level 2:
| Fiction | Non-Fiction |
| Reservation Blues- Alexie | A Tribe Apart- Hersch |
| Seven Daughters and Seven Sons- Cohen | Faithful- King |
| Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society- Mah | Kaffir Boy: The True Story of Black Youths Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa- Methabane |
Early Enrollment English: Summer Reading, 2010
J. Haney
Required Texts: You must have the exact texts listed to ensure that we work from the same translation and critical perspective.
The Three Theban Plays. Sophocles (Penguin Classic, translated by Robert Fagles)
Read Oedipus the King
ISBN-10: 0140444254 ISBN-13: 978-0140444254
Hamlet. William Shakespeare (Folger Shakespeare Library)
ISBN-10: 0743482786 ISBN-13: 978-0743482783
Hedda Gabler. Henrik Ibsen (Dover Publications)
ISBN-10: 0486264696 ISBN-13: 978-0486264691
A Streetcar Named Desire. Tennessee Williams (New Directions)
ISBN-10: 0811216020 ISBN-13: 978-0811216029
Each of the books is available through Amazon.com and other online booksellers. They can also be found in some libraries and local bookstores.
Writing Assignment
Write a dramatic dialogue that includes at least one “character” from each of the assigned texts. Your dialogue should focus on a critical issue related to theater, drama, reading, writing, art, literature, culture, politics, or society.
The dialogue should clearly, intelligently, and creatively address the issue, while demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the assigned texts and of the characters represented in the dialogue. Your writing must demonstrate the qualities of excellent writing expected of a 12th grade honors student, including mastery of clarity, conciseness, completeness, correctness, voice, and style.
Include in your dialogue at least two quotes from each text. You may write the dialogue as a short play or as a short story. DO NOT SUMMARIZE PLOT. Your dialogue must be typed in a standard font and submitted on the first day of class in both electronic (you can send it as an attached document to my e-mail listed below) and print form. Late assignments will be penalized 10 points. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Week One Exam
The exam will cover details of character, setting, plot, and theme. If you read the texts, you should be able to pass the exam.
Contact
No guarantees on when I’ll be around over the summer, but if you have questions about anything, you can contact me at: haneyneit@hotmail.com
Finally,
While taught at Scituate High School, Early Enrollment is actually two Rhode Island College courses, “EN 113: Introduction to Drama,” and “EN 117: Global Approaches to Fiction.” If you choose, you may take each course for possible college credit. RIC charges a fee of about $150 for each course (a bargain). If you decide against taking the courses for college credit, you will still receive honors credit from SHS. However, you must realize that your presence in the class does not guarantee success. These are college courses with specific content requirements, whether you take them for credit or not. If you are unwilling to confront challenging literature and the demands of college courses, you might be in the wrong class.
AP English Summer Reading
Mrs. Trainor
Required Purchase:
CliffsAP English Literature and Composition (2nd edition) by Allan Casson (available on Amazon.com)
Required Reading:
Oedipus Rex and Antigone from The Theban Plays- Sophocles
East of Eden – Steinbeck
Mythology – Edith Hamilton
“The Love Song of Alfred J Prufrock” Elliot (Distributed)
“Where are you going, Where have you been” Oates (Distributed)
Biblical allusions chart (listed under #4)
Thematic Focus: Fate vs Free Will
Writing Assignment:
1) You are to complete seven journals regarding the works listed above with the exception of Hamilton’s Mythology. You may choose to discuss only one work in a journal entry or you may find that more than one work suits the prompt. You MUST use each work at least once in your writing. The journals must be at least one page in length with one-inch margins and printed in 12-pt times roman font. The journals should be titled.
Journal #1 : Discuss the author’s use of the opening scene or chapter to introduce significant themes.
Journal #2: Discus the function of a scene of violence .
Journal #3: Discuss the author’s use of making internal or psychological events exciting.
Journal #4: Discuss the significance of a parent-child conflict in the work.
Journal #5: Discuss the author’s use of an ending that shows a spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation.
Journal #6 Discuss how a character’s struggle with powerful and conflicting forces is related to the meaning of the work.
Journal #7 Discuss the relevance of a moment of despair in the work.
2) A significant part of your grade for the year is dependent upon your contribution to class discussion. In order to prepare for discussion of these works (with the exception of Hamilton’s Mythology) you must create five “Reader’s Circle” questions per piece of literature. You must respond to your question and be prepared to discuss both your questions and answers with the class.
EXAMPLE:
Question: How does the main character, Connie, in “Where are you going, Where have you been,” initially react to Mr. Friend? Why is this important to the text?
Answer: Connie is initially flattered by his attention, and in her naive vanity she sets a trap for his further attention. This brings the reader along on Connie’s ride of growing suspicion and ultimate fear.
3) On the first full day of class, you will be required to further develop one of these essays into a full essay.
4) Understanding Biblical allusions is important in the analysis of many pieces of classical literature. Instead of teaching allusions as they arise, I would like for you to read the biblical passages listed below. You will have a test on these allusions upon your return to school in September.
| ALLUSION | LOCATION |
OLD TESTAMENT ALLUSIONS |
|
| Creation Story; Fall of Man | Genesis 1, 2, and 3 |
| Cain and Abel | Genesis 4: 1-16 |
| The Flood | Genesis 6: 9-25 |
| Golden Calf | Exodus 32 |
| Jepthah’s Oath | Judges 11 |
| Samson and Delilah | Judges 16:16 |
| King Solomon’s Wisdom | I Kings 3 |
| Patience of Job | Job 1, 2, 3; 40, 41, 42 |
| Shadow of Death | Psalm 23 |
| Seven Deadly Sins | Proverbs 6: 6-19 |
NEW TESTAMENT ALLUSIONS |
|
| The Beatitudes | Matthew 5:1-12 |
| Fall of a Sparrow | Matthew 10: 27-31 |
| John The Baptist Head on a Platter | Matthew 14: 1-12 |
| Rich man/camel | Matthew 19: 16-26 |
| Judas/silver coins | Matthew 26: 14-16 |
| Golgotha | Matthew 27: 29-34 |
| Gethsemane/ Temptation of Christ | Mark 14: 32-42 |
| Blind leading blind | Luke 6:39-42 |
| Two Foundations | Luke 6:46-49 |
| Parable of the soils | Luke 8:4-15 |
| The Good Samaritan | Luke 11:29-38 |
| Parable of the Lost Sheep | Luke 15:1-7 |
| The Prodigal Son | Luke 15:11-22 |
| Render Unto Caesar | Luke 20:19-26 |
| Lazarus | John 11 |
| Revelation | The Book of Revelation |
(Chart and concept borrowed from East Greenwich High School AP Summer reading requirement)
5) You will have a test on the information in Mythology when you return to school.