May 2012
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Educational research continually confirms the long held belief that reading provides children with many of the skills necessary for success. In addition to preparing our students for the challenging state assessments, reading regularly improves comprehension, vocabulary, and both literacy and verbal skills. Recognizing the benefits of encouraging reading, the FPM English Department worked diligently with parents and students to revise the summer reading assignment. Students will be expected to read one required book and one book of their choice. Students may not read books that are part of the ELA curriculum, including books studied in elementary school and the following:
The Adventures of Tom SawyerThe Witch of Blackbird Pond A Wrinkle in Time
So Far From the Bamboo Grove The Diary of a Young GirlShakespeare’s Works
The ContenderEnder’s GameOf Mice and Men
Lord of the FliesThat Was Then, This is NowThe Late Great Me
To Kill a MockingbirdHomecoming The Outsiders
The Secret Life of BeesThe Book ThiefThe Color of Water
The Things They Carried (excluding 11AP)Water for Elephants (excluding 12AP)The Kite Runner
NightjohnThe Skin I’m InNory Ryan’s Song
Warriors Don’t CrySpeakHouse of the Scorpion
Attached is a list of required reading texts, one for each academic placement. Students entering 10A will be required to read the assigned titleand complete the required tasks. Students entering 11AP and 12AP will be required to read the two titles listedand complete the required assignments. During the first weeks of school, teachers will review the book with their students, and students will be given a short-answer test.
Also attached is a list of titles, suggested by your child’s peers, separated into junior high and high school texts. You are strongly encouraged to contact your local librarian for suggestions. In addition, you may wish to contact the New York Public Library, Office of Young Adult Services, at teenlink.nypl.org for assistance. In September students will be expected to return with one of the creative assignments completed for their independently chosen book. Students will present these assignments to the class after they have received a rubric explaining how they will be assessed on the creativity of the project, rather than on the book’s content.
Students currently in grades 7-11 will have the opportunity to purchase the required reading selection through Barnes & Noble during their English classes. The price of each selection is listed next to the title on the following pages. Only checks will be accepted. Please make checks payable to Barnes Noble.
The Elmont Public Library and the Floral Park Public Library have been informed of this assignment in the event your child would like to borrow the book from the library.
Please make every effort to become involved in the process of reading with your child. We hope your child will find this experience enjoyable. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact my voicemail at 516-488-9323 before June 22. Please leave your name and number, and I will return your call. I thank you in advance for your assistance.
Respectfully,
Alice Bowman
English Chairperson
Required Summer Reading
(These books will be reviewed and students will be tested on these books.)
The grade levels listed indicate the students’ placements for next year.The prices now include tax.
*8RThe Pigman ($7.59)
by Paul Zindel / *11AP Malcolm X ($8.68)
by Alex Haley
*8ADicey’s Song ($8.68)
by Cynthia Voigt / *11AP Freakonomics ($17.37)
by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner
*9RThe Messenger ($8.15)
by Lois Lowry / *12AP Let the Great World Spin ($16.29)
by Colum McCann
*9AThe Pearl ($9.78)
by John Steinbeck / *12AP Home ($13.92)
by Toni Morrison
*10RA Separate Peace ($13.03)
by John Knowles / *12RX/Novels Water for Elephants($16.24)
by Sara Gruen
*10AThe Book Thief ($14.11)
by Markus Zusak / *12RX/Creative Writing Olive Kitteridge($16.29)
by Elizabeth Strout
*11RThe Catcher in the Rye ($7.59)
by J.D. Salinger / *12RX/Mass Media
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest ($10.85)
by Ken Kesey
*These titles will be available for purchase during English class until Thursday, May 31, 2012.
Independent Reading Assignments
(Students will read a book of their choice and complete ONE of the following creative projects)
Junior High Students: * Choose an astrological sign for each of the main characters and explain why the (**grades 7 and 8) character fits the sign’s criteria.
* Create an original book cover.
* Choose a scene in the book and create a two-minute soundtrack for the scene.
* Design and draw costumes for the main characters.
* Write a letter to one of the characters about an incident in the book.
* Create a comic book of one of the events in the novel.
* Write a poem that expresses the novel’s theme.
Senior High Students: * Retell part of the story from the point of view of another character.
(**grades 9-12) * Create a board game that reflects the plot of the novel.
* Compose a two-minute soundtrack that expresses the theme of the novel.
* Write an alternative ending for the book.
* Write a news story on an important event in the novel.
* Create a comic book of the novel.
* Create a power-point presentation of the novel.
* Write diary entries for the main characters during crucial points in the story.
The length of written assignments should be between one and two pages.
**The grade levels listed above indicate the grade in which a student will be enrolled during the 2012-2013 school year.
Titles suggested by junior high students
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Around the World in 80 Days
Bud not Buddy
Car Trouble
The Cases that Haunt Us
City of Ember
Corner of the Universe
Dollhouse Murders
Eldest
Eragon
Gathering Blue
The Harry Potter series
Hatchet
Holes
Hoo
House of Tailors
Inkheart
Inkspell
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Last Shot
Library Card
Little Women
The Lost Boy
Maximum Ride
The Million Dollar Shot
A Murder for Her Majesty
Nancy Drew Mystery Series
Number the Stars
Race for the Sky
Series of Unfortunate Events
Star Girl
Stranger with My Face
The Supernaturalist
The Swiss Family Robinson
Treasure Island
Vanishing Act
The Uglies Trilogy [one of them]
The Watsons go to Birmingham
The Wave
The Westing Game
The Witches
The Young Reader’s Edition-Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World...One Child at a Time
Titles suggested by high school students
All Around the Town
America
Angels and Demons
Annie’s Baby
Anthem
Are Men Necessary?
Artemis Fowl
Black Hawk Down
Blood and Chocolate
The Bluest Eye
The Body of Christopher Creed
The Boy Who Saved Baseball
Bright Lights Big City
Candide
Children of the Mind
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
Cross
Daddy’s Little Girl
Daughters of the Moon
The DaVinci Code
Deception
Define Normal
The Devil Wears Prada
Diary Lullaby
Don’t Die My Love
Doors of the Moon and Suns of the Dark
Eldest
Emma and Me
Enough About Me
Eragon
Everything is Illuminated
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Fabric of the Universe
Fast Food Nation
Fight Book
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Red Tent
Flags of our Fathers
The Fountainhead
Freakonomics
George’s Passion
Girl Interrupted
Go Ask Alice
Green Angel
Harry Potter Series
The Hobbit Series
I’m Not Who You Think I am
Infinite Jest
Just Listen
Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun
Letters From Rifka
Life Expectancy
The Life of Pi
Lily’s Crossing
London Bridges
The Lovely Bones
Loves Music, Loves to Dance
Madame Bovary
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter
Middlesex
A Million Little Pieces
My Sister’s Keeper
The Namesake
New Moon
No Second Chance
The Notebook
On the Road
Only if You Could See Me Now
The Origin of Time
Over the Wall
The Pact
Painting the Black
Pandora’s Box
Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Prince
The Princess Bride
The Princess Diaries
Prozac Nation
Rainbow Six
The Real Panda
Running With Scissors
The Secret
The Scarlet Letter
Sherlock Holmes Series
Sophie’s Choice
Story of a Girl
The Tender Bar
The Thirteenth Tale
The Time Machine
They Cage the Animals at Night
Tuesdays With Morrie
Twilight
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
War and Peace
Wicked
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time