English 10 Honors Name:
Summer Reading Assignments2014 – 2015
This summer you will be required to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in order to complete the assignments outlined below. As you read the novel, complete the questions and activities in the study guide. These exercises will help you to approach the text on an analytical, critical level; in addition, they will help you to prepare for the test that you will take upon the commencement of the 2014 – 2015 school year. If you have any questions over the summer, please e-mail me at . I look forward to an enjoyable and educational year together. Happy reading!
Your Tasks:
- Read To Kill a Mockingbird.
Read To Kill a Mockingbird in its entirety. Take your time with the reading, for you will be expected to have a thorough and insightful understanding of the text when we return to school.
Complete the study guide questions in order to prepare for the test on the second day of school.
*Be prepared for a multiple-choice test on the second day of school.*
- Prepare for the Socratic Seminar by completing the assigned questions. Be prepared to discuss your findings in a Socratic Seminar discussion during the first week of school. In order to participate in the discussion, your responses to the questions must be:
Text-based
Well-reasoned and insightful
Written/typed in full sentences
Supported with sufficient text evidence (quotes and page references)
Socratic Seminars are, by definition, “a scholarly discussion of an essential question in which student opinions are shared, proven, refuted, and refined through dialogue with other students.” In order for these types of discussions to be meaningful, students must come prepared with text-based evidence to support their claims and ideas, not just strong opinions.
- Complete the Writing from Sources argumentative paragraph assignment. *This Paragraph is DUE on the first day of school.*
Read the four texts provided.
Formulate an evidence-based claim in response to the assigned topic.
Support your claim using evidence from at least two of the documents.
Organize your paragraph according to the MHS Paragraph Template.
- Complete the VocabularyAssignment.
- Provide the part of speech, a clear dictionary definition, and you’re your own definition for each of the words on the vocabulary assignment chart.
- Choose one of the assignments below to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the words’ definitions, proper use, and connotations.
Write a “Twitter War” using 10 of the 20 words. The words must be used correctly and the “War” must include contextclues that clearly depict their meanings.
Make a unique piece of art that displays the words and clear definitions.
Write a poem, song, or rap that includes the words and contextclues that clearly depict their meanings.
Write a short story (fiction) or memoir (nonfiction) that includes the words and contextclues that clearly depict their meanings.
- Guidelines:
The entire Vocabulary Assignment Chart must be completed.
The assignments must include 10 of the 20 assigned words. *Underline vocabulary words.
All words must be used correctly according to part of speech.
Definitions and/or contextclues must clearly display the words’ meanings.
Assignments must be neat and legible.
ASSIGNMENTS DUE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:
A complete reading of To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrated by the completion of the study guide.
The Socratic Seminar Questions
Writing from Sources argumentative paragraph
Vocabulary Assignments
*Note: A complete copy of this entire packet as well as links to etexts are available on my website.
SHORT ANSWER STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS - To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 1-3
1. Identify Atticus Finch, Jean Louise (Scout) Finch, Jem Finch, Maycomb, Calpurnia,Charles Baker (Dill) Harris, The Radley Place, Stephanie Crawford, Arthur (Boo)Radley, Miss Caroline Fisher, Walter Cunningham, and Burris Ewell.
2. What did Dill dare Jem to do?
3. What was Scout's first "crime" at school?
4. What was Calpurnia's fault?
5. Why did Scout rub Walter Cunningham's nose in the dirt?
6. Scout said, " He ain't company, Cal, he's just a Cunningham." What did she mean bythat, and what was Cal's answer?
7. What two mistakes did Miss Caroline make on the first day of school?
8. Why didn't the Ewells have to go to school?
Chapters 4-7
1. What did Scout and Jem find in the Radleys' tree?
2. Identify Mrs. Dubose.
3. How did Jem get even with Scout for contradicting him about "Hot Steams?"
4. What was the Boo Radley game?
5. Identify Miss Maudie.
6. What does Miss Maudie think of the Radleys?
7. Why do Dill and Jem want to give Boo Radley a note? What does Atticus say when hefinds out about their plan?
8. How did Jem lose his pants? What did he find when he went back for them?
9. What else did Jem and Scout find in the Radleys' tree?
10. Why would there be no more surprises in the tree?
Chapters 8-9
1. What happened to Miss Maudie's house? What was her reaction?
2. Identify Cecil Jacobs.
3. What "disaster" happened at Christmas between Scout and Francis?
Chapters 10-11
1. What did Scout's Uncle Jack learn from Scout and Atticus?
2. What brave thing does Atticus do in Chapter 10? Why are Scout and Jem shocked?
3. What did Jem do when Mrs. Dubose said Atticus "lawed for niggers?"
4. What was Jem's punishment?
5. What did Jem learn from his encounter with Mrs. Dubose and following her death?
Chapters 12-14
1. How does Jem change?
2. Identify Lula, Zeebo and Reverend Sykes.
3. What does Scout learn about Calpurnia?
4. Who was waiting for the children when they came home from the church service? Whyhad she come?
5. "Aunt Alexandra fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand in a glove, but never into theworld of Jem and me." Explain.
6. Atticus and Alexandra disagree about how to deal with the children. How does Atticushandle the situation?
7. Describe Jem and Scout's relationship through these chapters as Jem matures.
8. Why did Dill run away from home back to Maycomb?
Chapters 15-17
1. What did Mr. Heck Tate's mob want?
2. What was the purpose of Walter Cunningham's mob?
3. Why did Mr. Cunningham's mob leave?
4. Identify Mr. Dolphus Raymond.
5. Identify Tom Robinson, Mr. Gilmer, Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, and Judge Taylor.
6. What was the importance of Mayella's bruises being primarily on the right-hand side ofher face?
Chapters 18-21
1. What was Mayella's account of the incident with Tom Robinson?
2. What was Tom's side of the story?
3. What was Tom's handicap? Why was it important to his case?
4. What do Dill and Scout learn from Mr. Raymond?
5. What were Atticus' closing remarks to the jury?
6. What was the jury's verdict?
Chapters 22-25
1. Why did Jem cry?
2. What was "'round the back steps" when Calpurnia came in on Monday morning?
3. What was the significance of Maudie's two little cakes and one large one?
4. Describe Bob Ewell's meeting with Atticus at the post office.
5. What is Atticus' reaction to Ewell's threats?
6. Alexandra doesn't want Scout playing with Walter Cunningham. Why not?
7. Jem said. "I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in thehouse all this time . . . it's because he wants to stay inside." Why does he say that?
8. Mrs. Merriweather of the missionary circle complains about her cooks and field hands.What does that tell us about her?
9. What happened to Tom Robinson?
10. What more do we learn about Alexandra after Atticus and Calpurnia leave?
11. What did Mr. Underwood's editorial say?
Chapters 26-31
1. What was Scout's fantasy regarding Arthur (Boo) Radley?
2. What did Scout hear Miss Gates say at the courthouse? In class, Miss Gates said,"That's the difference between America and Germany. We are a democracy andGermany is a dictatorship. . . . We don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecutioncomes from people who are prejudiced." What does this tell us about Miss Gates?
3. What happened to Judge Taylor?
4. What happened to Helen Robinson?
5. What was Scout's part in the pageant?
6. Why did Scout and Jem not leave the school until almost everyone else had gone?
7. What happened to Jem and Scout on the way home from the pageant?
8. Who saved Jem and Scout? Who killed Bob Ewell?
9. Why did Heck Tate insist that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife?
10. Scout arranged things so that "if Miss Stephanie Crawford was watching from herupstairs window, she would see Arthur Radley escorting [her] down the sidewalk, asany gentleman would do." Why did she do that?
11. As Scout leaves the Radley porch, she looks out at the neighborhood and recounts theevents of the last few years from the Radleys' perspective. Why is that important?
VOCABULARY ASSIGNMENT CHART
For each word listed below…
- Indicate the correct part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) for the form of the word provided.
- Provide a clear dictionary definition that makes sense to you.
- Restate the definition that is provided for you in your own words. In other words, you must create your own definition for each word based on the information that is provided. You can use slang or “text talk,” as long as it is appropriate and not offensive.
Vocabulary Word / Part of Speech / Dictionary Definition / Your Definition
Acquiesce
We were accustomed to prompt, if not always cheerful acquiescence to Atticus’s instructions, but from the way he stood Jem was not thinking of budging.
Auspicious
The remainder of my schooldays were no more auspicious than the first.
Benevolence
Miss Maudie’s benevolence extended to Jem and Dill, whenever they paused in their pursuits: we reaped the benefits of a talent Miss Maudie had hitherto kept hidden from us.
Complacently
Mr. Ewell wrote on the back of the envelope and looked up complacently to see Judge Taylor staring at him as if he were somefragrant gardenia in full bloom on the witness stand, to see Mr. Gilmer half-sitting, half-standing at his table.
Congenital
No truant officers could keep their numerous offspring in school; no public health officer could free them from congenital defects, various worms, and the diseasesindigenous to filthy surroundings.
Elusive
Atticus paused, watching me locate an elusiveredbug on my leg.
Formidable
From any angle, it was formidable.
Furtive
A small patch of earth beneath its branches was packed hard from many fights and furtive crap games.
Impertinent
Miss Stephanie eyed me suspiciously, decided that I meant no impertinence, and contented herself with, “Well, you won’t get very far until you start wearing dresses more often.”
Imprudent
The Haverfords had dispatched Maycomb’s leading blacksmith in a misunderstanding arising from the alleged wrongful detention of a mare, were imprudent enough to do it in the presence of three witnesses, and insisted that the-son-of-a-bitch-had-it-coming-to-him was a good enough defense for anybody.
Lament
High above us in the darkness a solitary mocker poured out his repertoire in blissful unawareness of whose tree he sat in, plunging from the shrill kee, kee of the sunflower bird to the irascible qua-ack of a bluejay, to the sad lament of Poor Will, Poor Will, Poor Will.
Malevolent
Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom.
Melancholy
It was a melancholy little drama, woven from bits and scraps of gossip and neighborhood legend: Mrs. Radley had been beautiful until she married Mr. Radley and lost all her money.
Ominous
There was a murmur among the group ofmen, made more ominous when Atticus moved back to the bottom front step and the men drew nearer to him.
Piety
All we had was Simon Finch, a fur-trapping apothecary from Cornwall whose piety was exceeded only by his stinginess.
Propensity
Dubose would hound Jem for a while on her favorite subjects, her camellias and our father’s nigger-loving propensities; she would grow increasingly silent, then go away from us.
Rectitude
In later years, I sometimes wondered exactly what made Jem do it, what made him break the bonds of “You just be a gentleman, son,” and the phase of self-conscious rectitude he had recently entered.
Serene
So serene was Judge Taylor’s court, that he had few occasions to use his gavel, but he hammered fully five minutes.
Taciturn
Their sister Alexandra was the Finch who remained at the Landing: she married a taciturn man who spent most of his time lying in a hammock by the river wondering if his trot-lines were full.
Temerity
“And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to ‘feel sorry’ for a white woman has had to put his word against two white people’s”
After you have completed the chart, complete one of the creative assignments.