Freshman Honors English Summer Reading Assignment

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Freshman Honors English

Summer Reading Assignment 

This summer, students will need to purchase the following books: 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Grand Central Publishing edition)

Animal Farm by George Orwell (Signet Classic edition)   

Students will complete separate written assignments for each novel.  All work must be word processed in Times New Roman font size 12 and double spaced.  

To Kill a Mockingbird Assignments:  4 Tasks 

1. Background Building: Before reading To Kill a Mockingbird, read about Harper Lee and the novel.  Click on the link below to access the Glencoe Literature Library Study Guide for To Kill a Mockingbird.  Read “Meet Harper Lee” and “Introducing the Novel” on pages 7-9.  Also, click on the bird link to learn important information about the mockingbird. 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Mockingbird/id

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/to_kill_mockingbird.pdf   

2. Quotations Log and Book Marking: Students will choose important quotations and explain how each quote relates to the theme concepts of the novel. Students should consider but are not limited to the following:  racism, prejudice, ageism, roles of men and women in society, education, religion, and coming of age. While reading the novel, underline and/or highlight the ten quotations you will use in the log.  

     Compile the chosen quotations in a log which must contain the following: 

• a minimum of ten (10) quotations
• the page number on which the quotation is found
• an explanation of each quotation's importance. Discuss how the quote reveals positive or negative aspects of society, how it relates to the novel as a whole, and/or connects to the  themes and central ideas of the novel.

• Explanations, written in paragraph form, should be at least 6-8 sentences.
• Use the proper format for quotations.  See the example below.

       “What Mister Radley did might seem peculiar to us, but it did not seem peculiar to him” (49).

(Put the page number in parentheses after the quotation mark.  The period to end the sentence is placed outside  the parentheses.)

3.  Literary Elements Log:  Choose three of the literary elements below and track how each is used throughout the novel. 

         setting   characterization     foreshadowing     symbol    conflict  

     For each chosen literary term, provide the following: 

• the term and its complete literary definition
• a minimum of three examples that support the element's use.  Include a page number for each example.  
• a detailed explanation of how the element is used and how it aids in the reader's understanding of the novel
• Explanations, written in paragraph form, should be at least 6-8 sentences.

4. TKAM Vocabulary:  Students will be expected to know the definitions for the words below: 

apoplectic        fraught      acquiescence    haughty     invective     volition     assuage           myopic          obstreperous     elude         benign         acrimonious  auspicious 

                       These vocabulary words will be on the book test for To Kill a Mockingbird. 

Animal Farm Assignments:  3 Tasks 

  1.Terms:  Students should look up and provide three pieces of information for the following terms and people.

communism            totalitarianism       Karl Marx       Leon Trotsky    Joseph Stalin           propaganda           fable                satire         

2.  Book Marking:  While reading Animal Farm, underline or highlight important passages that show Napoleon's rise to power.  Students should have several passages from which to choose to use to address the essay prompt. 

  Prompt:  Analyze three ways Napoleon rises to power and ultimately becomes the dictator of Animal Farm.     

3.  5 Paragraph Essay: Using the prompt above, the format below, and high quality work, write a five paragraph essay. 

• Introductory Paragraph:  Include the author, title, brief summary of the book, and a thesis statement that identifies the purpose of the essay. 

• 3 Body Paragraphs:  For each paragraph, include a topic sentence, a specific quote with page number (one of the quotes you have highlighted), and explanation/analysis of the quote. 

• Conclusion: Restate the thesis, briefly summarize the three body paragraphs, and discuss what can be learned about the abuse of power.

Important!

• All written assignments will be collected on the first day of school for freshmen also known as “Freshman Day.”

• A book test will be given on each novel on the first full day of school.

                                           Blue Day Blocks 1,2,3,4

                                                        White Day Blocks 5,6,7,8