Oldenburg Academy
2016 Summer Reading Requirements
Dear Oldenburg Academy student,
All students are required to fulfill a reading assignment over the summer. The following pages are guidelines and suggestions to assist you with this assignment.
All students enrolled in an English class are required to read
This I Believe: Life Lessons by Dan Gediman, editor, plus one other novel, five magazine/periodical articles, and ten poems. All students are also required to complete the assignment over This I Believe: Life Lessons. Please make sure you read through the entire document so that you complete all sections of the summer assignment.
We strongly encourage you to choose literature that is unique to you. A new author, poet, or subject may open many doors for you academically.
Our suggestion is to start early in the summer, not only to complete this mandatory assignment, but also to enjoy the summer with good literature.
This signed page must be turned in to your English teacher on the first day of school, Aug. 11, 2016, for credit in class. Papers that are turned in on Aug. 12 will receive half credit; no papers will be accepted after Aug. 12.
We look forward to seeing you in August and working with you toward a successful 2016-2017 school year.
All OA students must complete the following summer reading assignment.
TWO BOOKS – This I Believe: Life Lessons by Dan Gediman, editor, is required reading for all students. It is available in libraries or can be purchased from nearly any bookstore as well as from amazon.com. It is also available as an e-book. The second book can be of your own choosing. Consider selecting a book from the Indiana Department of Education website:
TitleAuthor
1. This I Believe: Life LessonsDan Gediman (editor)
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ONE COMPLETED ASSIGNMENT – See next page.
FIVE PERIODICAL ARTICLES -- Consider reading an article from Christian Science Monitor, National Geographic, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific America, Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, Smithsonian, American Journal of Psychology, Psychology Today, Popular Science, or Vanity Fair.
Article Title MagazinePublication Date
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TEN POEMS -- Poetry is frequently included in teen magazines. Again, try to expand your reading base – read beyond Shel Silverstein. Visit a library, choose a poetry anthology, and read some selections by a poet who is new to you. Or, simply browse the shelves in the poetry section and select a book you find appealing. An additional option is to visit the following websites: or
Title of poemPoet
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This sheet is to be turned in to your English teacher on Aug. 11, 2016.
My signature verifies that I have read all that I have listed above.
Name:______
Required Assignment over This I Believe: Life Lessons
This assignment must be typed, double-spaced, and turned in to your English teacher on the first day of school, Aug. 11, 2016. Please include the questions as well as the answers. You may want to save this document and then type your answers within it. Please print the document before coming to school to hand it in. Remember to do your own work: copying from another student is cheating, and copying from the Internet is plagiarism. Cheating and/or plagiarism will result in a “0” on the assignment as well as disciplinary action.
Complete all of the following activities.
Activity #1
Which essay did you enjoy most? Why?
Activity #2
Many of the essays begin in similar ways. Identify one essay that begins with each of the following methods.
- Question
- Quotation
- Strong Statement
- Metaphor (Blakemore’s essay, for example)
- Description
Activity #3
Write your own “I Believe” essay following the instructions in the appendix of the book. (Submitting your essay to the This I Believe project is optional.)
Activity #4
Using your basic belief statement from your essay, create a visual to go with your essay. This can be a collage of pictures or words (or a combination of the two), an original drawing, a model or sculpture.