English Class Assignment

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Overview: Welcome to Pre-AP/AP English at Bassett High School! Your summer reading is an essential component to start the year right. For this assignment, you will actively read selected texts before the first week of school. The books listed were selected as those which will best prepare you for success in the Pre-AP/AP class. Our summer reading program exists to introduce students to themes, ideas, and skills that will be built upon during the school year. Your first graded assignment(s) in English class will be related to summer reading. For each of the selections, you will respond in two different modes: personal close reading through annotation and personal interpretation through informal writing. Each mode highlights different ways…show more content…
Create a Major Works Data Sheet for all novel-length texts. (Please refer to the rubric for a detailed explanation of what is required.) Grade-level Excerpt Annotations (50 points) Annotate the selected text(s). Annotations should exhibit the qualities discussed in the How to Mark a Book notes provided on the BHS website. Major Works Data Sheet (50 points) 1. Historical information: When does the novel take place and what socially or culturally significant events are occurring? 2. Biographical information: What are some important facts about the author? 3. Characteristics of the genre: What is the genre of the book and what are the characteristics of that genre? 4. Plot Summary: What are the main or most important events that occur in the novel? a. Significance of the opening scene: Why is the opening scene important? What does it set up or how does it add to the rest of the novel? b. Significance of the closing scene: Why is the closing scene important? How does it conclude the novel or what message does it leave us with? 5. Author’s Style: Describe the author’s syntax and diction. If you don’t know what these mean or how to apply them, just describe how the author describes events and/or…show more content…
If you have English second semester, you should still turn in your assignments by that same Wednesday. Your individual teacher will likely require other work, such as quizzes or projects, from the readings as well. Feel free to contact one of the English instructors during the summer if you have questions. Everyone will read both the How to Mark a Book and How to Read like a Professor excerpts on the BHS web page. You will also be required to read one of the novels and an excerpt listed under your upcoming grade level. Your assignments follow the book list: 9th Grade REQUIRED: Kite Runner excerpt removed Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths – Bernard Evslin The Book Thief – Marcus Zusak Wish You Well – David Baldacci 10th Grade REQUIRED: “A Distant Mirror” (link on the BHS web page) Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck ** mature themes Frankenstein – Mary Shelley The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien **mature language The Awakening – Kate Chopin 11th Grade REQUIRED: Ella Minnow Pea excerpt – Mark Dunn (link on the BHS web page) Freakonomics – Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner Nickel and Dimed – Barbara Ehrenreich Columbine – Dave Cullen **mature language The Greatest Generation – Tom

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