Summer Reading Assignment 2014 English II Honors Over the summer, you are to complete the following assignments. All work must be handed in on the first day of school and must be typed. No late work will be accepted. Contact information: Ms. Cutkomp (
[email protected]) You are expected to email me with any questions! No excuses will be accepted on the day you return to school!
Part I: Book of Choice and Dialectical Journal Book of Choice You are encouraged to read a book that interests you, while also having literary merit. The book should be fiction, and at least 200 pages in length. Dialectical Journal As you read, you must keep a dialectical journal. Each dialectical journal should include 10 typed entries. *What is a Dialectical Journal? A dialectical journal is another name for a double‐entry journal or a reader‐response journal. A dialectical journal is a journal that records a dialogue, or conversation, between the ideas in the text (the words that you are reading) and the ideas of the reader (the person who is doing the reading). This is what you must do in your journal—keep a dialogue with yourself. Write down your thoughts, questions, insights, and ideas while you read. The important part is that you, the reader, are reading something and then responding to it with your feelings and ideas! An additional note on the dialectical journal: use this assignment to demonstrate your understanding of literary analysis, literature, and literary terms. I expect you to explore the texts, providing smart observations about how they work through literary analysis, explaining the intricacies of their characters and themes, mining the authors’ use of literary techniques, and discussing how we are to consider these books in a cultural or historical context. I expect you not only to make connections within the texts, based on theme, imagery, character, narrative structure, and other literary devices, but also to connect these things both to American culture and to other novels you’ve read. Do not use incidents in these books as springboards to a discussion or recollection of events in your own personal narrative. This is NOT a summary of what you read. The purpose of this assignment is to determine how well you understand the author’s craft. Your journal will use a two‐entry form: 9 In the LEFT COLUMN, write down parts of paragraphs from our books and articles, quotes, or notes from class that you think are interesting or important. 9 In the RIGHT COLUMN, write down YOUR OWN thoughts, commentary, and questions about the stuff in the LEFT COLUMN. 9 See back for example of Dialectical Journal format
Examples of Dialectical Journal First and Last Name English II Honors Date
Last Name 1
Dialectical Journal The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros Page # Quotation or parts of paragraphs that you think are interesting or important. 6 “But my mother’s hair, my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed.” First and Last Name AP English Language and Composition Date
Your own thoughts, commentary, questions, insights, connections, etc. This long list of similes and metaphors describing her mother’s hair must be important. She describes her father’s hair in one sentence – as well as the hair of the other family members. The repetition of “holding you” is a clue as well. She obviously has a strong connection to her mother and it must be the most important relationship in her life – at least in her family. Other evidence of this closeness is the association of the smell of bread with her mother. Olfactory memories are some of the strongest. Warm bread connotes comfort and care. It takes time and patience to bake bread – just like being a mom.
Last Name 1
Summer Reading Assignment Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich Page # Quotation or parts of paragraphs that Your own thoughts, commentary, questions, insights, you think are interesting or important. connections, etc. 199 “Something is wrong, very wrong, Is Ehrenreich’s experience any different than that of the when a single person in good health, a average American in 2012? I would hope that she is biased in person who in addition possesses a her beliefs, but I have a feeling that the dilemmas she faces as working car, can barely support herself a low‐wage worker are true, honest, and indicative of a major by the sweat of her brow.” problem in our culture. Her text is a real social commentary about economics, class, and society. She also alludes to specific problems with the health care system. I wonder if she will eventually discuss the impact of education on all of these things.
Part II: Major Works Data Sheet Reading Choices: For Part III, you are required to read one of the following books: 9 Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 9 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 9 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 9 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 9 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain 9 Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe 9 The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare 9 House of Mirth by Edith Wharton 9 Black Boy by Richard Wright 9 The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway 9 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith *If there is a book you are interested in reading, but it is not on this list, you can email me to see if it is appropriate. There are no guarantees that I will approve your book, but it is worth asking about. You will use this book to complete a Major Works Data Sheet. This data sheet will require you to conduct some research on the author, genre, and historical context on the book you choose. Along with this information, you will include a plot summary, character list, setting information, major symbols or motifs, possible themes, and important quotations from the text. Please utilize the format on the back of this sheet when completing the major works data sheet. If you would like a digital copy of the Major Works Data Sheet, please email me requesting one, and I will forward you a copy. Parts I & II should adhere to the following requirements: 9 Proper paragraphing 9 Times New Roman 12 pt or Calibri 11 pt font 9 1” Margins & Double Spaced 9 Page numbers begin on and with page 1 9 Type your last name next to the page number so it appears on every page 9 The title is centered, but NOT bolded, underlined, italicized or increased in font size
Last Name 1 First and Last Name English II Honors Date Major Works Data Sheet 1. Title: 2. Author: 3. Date of Publication: 4. Genre: 5. Characteristics of the Genre (at least 2 characteristics): 6. Biographical Information about the Author (at least 3 pieces of info): 7. Historical Information about the Period of Publication or Setting of the Novel (at least 3 pieces of info): 8. Plot Summary (at least 10 major plot points): 9. Memorable Quotes (at least 3): Page Quotation Significance 10. Characters (at least 6): Name Role in the Story Significance Adjectives 11. Setting: 12. Significance of the Opening Scene: 13. Significance of the Ending/Closing Scene: 14. Symbols or Motifs (at least 3): Symbol/Motif Literal Interpretation Figurative Interpretation Quote 15. Possible Themes (minimum of 3): Theme Explanation Quote
Summer Reading Assignment 2014 Name: English II Honors Category Description Part I ‐ 10 entries which demonstrate a thorough Dialectical Journal
Points Earned/Points Available
understanding of the novel.
‐Thoughtfully chosen and appropriate passages
taken from the text.
_____/50 points
‐Convincing and insightful commentary ‐Neatness of presentation and correctness of style. Part II Major Works Data Sheet
‐ Includes all necessary information
_____/40 points
‐Each entry provides sufficient detail, explanation, and analysis (if needed)
‐MLA Format
Overall Appearance & ‐Correct order (This rubric, dialectical journal, Format
Major Works Data Sheet)
_____/10 points
Total
_____/100 points
