Dear future English I Pre-AP student,

I am excited to have you in my class next year. Throughout the year we will be exploring whether a person can choose who they become through the rigorous study of selected works. The first of these is your summer reading assignment, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (ISBN: 9780446310789). This assignment will be due the first day of class. Please bring it with you. If you lose the project pages, they can be found on the school website, which is

I believe that a person does not finish a good book—they figure out a good book. Great works can teach us something new with each reading. They change as we change. Literary study encourages an “examined” life—a fuller, better life.This is why literature is so important. It asks us questions and suggests the answers to universal questions of life that have influencedhumanitysince the beginning of time.It encourages us to think about why we do what we do and to question our actions and decisions. These types of questions allow us to help shape the world rather than merely being shaped by a world that we do not understand.

As a student in an advanced level English class, it is important to understand the rigorous nature of this course. Rigor is not just difficulty. It is instruction that requires students to create meaning for themselves, to go beyond the surface level, to work at the edge of their abilities, and to apply what they learn in more than one context. Students will usually have homework, and will be expected to put forth their best effort on each assignment. This class requires analysis and depth of thought. Rather than aiming for the minimum level of success, every student will be held to high standards of achievement.

Plagiarism, especially in an advanced class, is a serious issue. This includes copying from the internet, copying from a peer, allowing a peer to copy your paper, or having someone else complete your work for you. This will not be allowed and will result in the entire assignment being graded at a zero, with no chance to be made up, as well as disciplinary action.

I maintain a class website at where you will be able to find out more about what to expect in the fall, as well as a class Instagram account (@MissGriffith224). You can also reach me at if you have questions about the summer reading project or what to anticipate.

I look forward to meeting each of you in the fall.

Sincerely,

Jessica Griffith

English I Pre-AP

Moisés E. Molina High School