From: Mr. Lizotte, Mr. Mccartney, Ms. Traxler
Date: June 9, 2014
To: Pre-AP English 10
From: Mr. Lizotte, Mr. McCartney, Ms. Traxler
Re: Summer Reading Assignment
Welcome to Pre-AP English 10. This course is designed to help you develop your reading and writing abilities through the exploration of various works of literature, including novels, short stories, essays, plays, and poetry. Particular emphasis will be placed on honing your critical thinking skills, analyzing and writing interpretations of text, and communicating effectively in both oral and written forms. We look forward to working with you as we embark on an enjoyable and challenging year.
In order to begin the school year with a shared literary experience, you will read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird over the summer. As you do, please complete the following written assignments:
Assignment 1
· As you are reading each chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird, simply notice as much as you can instead of casting judgment on the details. Your job here is only to notice at this point; it is not to analyze. In doing so, create a typed (double spaced, 12-pt. Times New Roman font, 1” margins) list of
o interesting,
o strange,
o revealing,
o and significant
details you notice from each chapter along the way. Make sure to include at least five details from each chapter, but feel free to include more if you notice them.
Assignment 2
· Choose one chapter from the list of chapters below that corresponds with the first letter of your last name.
o A-G: Chapters 1-8
o H-M: Chapters 9-16
o N-T: Chapters 17-24
o U-Z: Chapters 25-31
· Then, complete the following steps:
o Step 1: Read your chosen chapter again closely. As you do, “list [as many interesting, strange, significant, or revealing] details [as] you notice. Go longer than you normally would before stopping” (Rosenwasser and Stephen 25).
o Step 2: “Focus inside what you’ve noticed. Rank the various features of your subject you have noticed. Answer the question ‘What details (specific features of the subject matter) are most interesting[, significant, revealing, and strange]?’ The purpose of relying on interesting or one of the other suggested words is that these will help to deactivate the like/dislike switch of judgment reflex and replace it with a more analytical perspective” (Rosenwasser and Stephen 25). To do this, you will need to create a typed list (double spaced, 12-pt. Times New Roman font, 1” margins) of your three most interesting, three most significant, three most revealing, and three strangest details.
Rosenwasser, David, and Jill Stephen. Writing Analytically. Sixth Edition. Boston,
MA: Wadsworth, 2012. Print.
· Finally, choose the top-ranking detail from each list above (4 total) that you think is particularly noteworthy. For each detail, write a paper of 1-1.5 pages in length explaining why you chose the detail and how it relates to the meaning of the novel as a whole. Papers should strictly adhere to MLA guidelines (double spaced, 12-pt. Times New Roman font, 1” margins).
Summary of assignments due the first day of school:
· To Kill a Mockingbird (make sure the book is fresh in your head and actually with you in class).
· Two typed lists, one for the book as a whole and one for the chapter you have chosen to analyze in a more focused manner.
· Four typed papers discussing the importance of the details you have chosen.
It is very important that you carefully read the novel and complete the assignments outlined above, as all three teachers will expect you to be able to seminar, to write, and/or to take a test the first week back.
Tips
· Please proofread your work carefully before submitting it--very few things are as distracting as proofreading mistakes.
· Do not use outside sources, such as the so-called “analysis” provided on certain Internet sites – for one, you will bore us because we have read it before; secondly, we are interested in your ideas, not the bland drivel of some failed literature major.
· To Kill a Mockingbird is widely available at new and used bookstores and in libraries. Purchasing your own copy of the novel will allow you to underline important passages and make notes in the margins as you read.
· Remember, the purpose of these assignments is to allow us to start the year off with a common experience. But beyond that, we hope you enjoy reading the novel and become intrigued by the ideas it explores.
A word about To Kill a Mockingbird: Harper Lee’s novel has won widespread critical acclaim (including a Pulitzer Prize) and provides us with an excellent opportunity to examine and discuss a number of important social issues. However, the book does address sensitive topics and contains some profane language. As you read, please keep in mind that the novel takes place in Alabama in the 1930s.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
Have a great summer, and see you in September!
Mr. Rick Lizotte Mr. Corey McCartney Ms. Christine Traxler