Summer Assignments
- Art
- English
- Math/Algebra & Geometry
- Theology
- Math/Calculus, Statistics
- Music
- Social Studies
- Science
- AP Psychology
Art
English
Grade 9 Summer Reading:
English 9:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
ISBN 978-0-446-31078-9
500 word reflection paper: How does Lee’s novel explore the various forms of prejudice?
Honors English 9:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
ISBN 978-0-446-31078-9
300 word reflection paper: How does Lee’s novel explore the various forms of prejudice?
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
ISBN 978-0-14-017739-8
250 word reflection paper: Is George a good friend? Why or why not? Come up with at least two arguments for each side.
Grade 10 Summer Reading:
English 10
The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
Take note of the literary quotations that begin each chapter. After you have read the novel carefully, decide how the quotation atop Chapter One and the quotation atop Chapter 14 metaphorically capture the story line of the entire work. Create one extended paragraph (extending the length of one typed sheet) that summarizes your answer, using specific details to support your opinion.
The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
Be conscious of the flashbacks that occur in certain chapters, and how they relate to specific characters.
Honors English 10:
The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
Assemble a biography of Daisy Buchanan and one of Jay Gatsby by noting the flashbacks that occur in various chapters throughout the text. Create an extended paragraph (extending the length of one typed sheet) for each. Parenthetically cite the specific chapters in which you find the information.
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (Stephen Crane)
Be prepared to explain the presence (unfortunately) of a “Maggie” in every city in the country.
The Crucible (Arthur Miller)
Be prepared to relate Arthur Miller’s themes to events in contemporary America.
Grade 11 Summer Reading:
British Literature:
The Poet, the Novelist, and the Essayist – Esther Waters by George Moore
* To what extent is Esther shaped by her religious beliefs, and to what extent are her decisions based on the principles of her faith? Cite specific examples from the novel to support your response. Your response must be 2 paragraphs (5-7 sentences per paragraph) and must use formal diction. Finally, your response must demonstrate that you’ve read the entire novel.
The assignment is due on the first day of class. You will be tested on the novel, so read deeply.
Honors British Literature:
7 Types of Plot – The Odyssey by Homer (Lattimore trans.)
* Characterize Odysseus’s journey. If you had to explain (not describe) his journey to one of your peers who has not read the poem, what would you say about it? Consider his “wanderings” (Books 5-13), how he’s received once he returns home (Books 14-18), and what his homecoming turns into (Books 19-24). This is your first composition for Honors English 11 – make it rich, meaningful, and representative of what you want your writing to look like in Honors English. Your response should not be fewer than or more than two healthy paragraphs.
The assignment is due on the first day of class. You will be tested on the epic poem, so read deeply.
AP English Language and Composition:
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
* Would you characterize the books by Woolf and Winchester as fiction, non-fiction, or something else entirely? Based on what you read in the books and how you read them, respond by taking a position on this question. Demonstrate that you’ve considered the entire novel for your answer, and not just small samplings. Cite specific examples from the books and be sure to be clear about your position. This is your first composition for AP Language and Composition – make it rich, meaningful, and representative of what you want your writing to look like in AP English. Your response should not be fewer than or more than three healthy paragraphs.
The assignment is due on the first day of class. You will be tested on the books, so read deeply.
Grade 12 Summer Reading:
World Literature:
Things Fall Apart—Chinua Achebe
Directions: As students read Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, please select and answer one of the following questions in two paragraphs. This will be due the first day of class and count for the first quiz grade of the first quarter worth 40 points.
Questions
1. Pick two women in Things Fall Apart and discuss how each of them affects men in their lives. In turn, how do men affect these women? What might this say about the views of women by men in this culture? The roles of men by women?
2. Throughout the novel, Okonkwo's prominent trait is his pride. Using two different instances, assess whether his pride fades by the end of the novel. Does the culture within the novel view pride as a benefit or a downfall? Cite evidence from the book to support your responses.
Honors Women and Literature:
Wide Sargasso Sea—Jean Rhys
A Streetcar Named Desire—Tennessee Williams
Assignment: 750 word Reflection paper. Please discuss both Rhys and Williams’ portrayal of the feminine identity. How do the female characters in these pieces of literature view themselves? How do the males in their lives view them? Make sure to include relevant quotes and examples from both works to use in support of your responses.
AP English Literature and Composition
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
* Characterize marriage in Austen’s and Woolf’s novels. How does each author treat marriage, and what are the implications of marriage in their works? Demonstrate that you’ve considered the entire novel for your answer, and not just small samplings. Cite specific examples from the novels and be sure to be clear in your writing. This is your first composition for AP Literature and Composition – make it rich, meaningful, and representative of what you want your writing to look like in AP English. Your response should not be fewer than or more than three healthy paragraphs.
The assignment is due on the first day of class. You will be tested on the novels, so read deeply.
Math/Algebra & Geometry
Theology
Math/Calculus, Statistics
Music
Social Studies
Science
AP Psychology
