EDINBURG NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

2011-2012Summer Reading

Student Packet

English I Pre-AP
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
English II Pre-AP
Antigone
by Sophocles
English III Pre-AP
In the Time of the Butterflies
by Julia Alvarez
English III AP
In the Time of the Butterflies and Their Eyes Were Watching God
by Julia Alvarez by Zora Neale Hurston
English IV Honors
The Kite Runner
by KhaledHosseini
English IV AP
The Color Purple and The Kite Runner
by Alice Walker by Khaled Hosseini
Humanities
The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver

2011Summer Reading

May 6, 2011

Dear Parents of English Pre-AP and AP Students:

As we end our school year, the English teachers at ENHS would like to let you know that we have your child’s education in mind when we make decisions about summer reading assignments. In order to adequately prepare for AP English exams and to develop your child’s reading and thinking skills within a limited number of months, we require all English I Pre-AP, English II Pre-AP, English IIIPre-AP/AP, English IVHonors/AP, and English VHumanities students to read assigned novels during the summer months. Students will be assessed over the summer reading through tests, essays, and class activities two weeks from the first day of the school year. Below, you will find a list of the classes and the novel(s) that need to be read prior to the first day of the 2011-2012 school year. Your child will need to acquire the necessary novels and read them before starting school in August. We have notified Barnes & Noble bookstores on North 10th Street in McAllen, so there should be sufficient copies if you choose to purchase them there. Please feel free to call your child’s current English teacher or counselor at 289-2500 if you have any questions as to which novels your son/daughter will be reading this summer.

Please note: Failure to read assigned novels will adversely affect a student’s grade.

English course you are

taking in 2011-2012NovelsAuthors_____

English IPre-APTo Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee

English IIPre-APAntigoneSophocles

English IIIPre-AP In the Time of the Butterflies Julia Alvarez

English IIIAPIn the Time of the Butterflies Julia Alvarez

Their Eyes Were Watching GodZora Neale Hurston

English IVHonors The Kite RunnerKhaled Hosseini

English IV APThe Kite RunnerKhaled Hosseini

The Color Purple Alice Walker

English V HumanitiesThe Poisonwood BibleBarbara Kingsolver

The summer reading writing assignment is dueTuesday, Sept. 6, 2011.

The objective test over the summer reading isWednesday, Sept. 7, 2011.

Thank you,

ENHS English teachers

*Please sign and date below, indicating that you have received and reviewed the summer reading assignment with your child and understand that your child will be held accountable for reading

these novels and completing the attached assignmentbyTuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. Please return this completed page to your child’s current English teacher as soon as possible.

Print Student’s Full Name: ______

Next year’s English course: ______

Current English Teacher: ______

______

Student’s signature DateParent’s signatureDate

Please Note:

The summer reading writing assignment is dueTuesday, Sept. 6, 2011.

The objective test over the summer reading isWednesday, Sept. 7, 2011.

Summer Reading Writing Assignments

*There are 2 summer reading assignments for the following courses:

*Type your responses using 12 point font, Times New Roman, one-inch margins.

English I Pre-AP

English II Pre-AP Summer Writing Assignments #1 and #2

English III Pre-AP

English III AP Language

English IV AP Literature

English IV Honors Summer Writing Assignments #2 and #3

Humanities

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Summer Reading Writing Assignment #1

Type your responses using 12 point font, Times New Roman, one-inch margins, single-spaced. Each response should be approximately 250 words in length and contain at least one quotation from the novel. Place two responses on one sheet of paper and the other two on a second sheet.

Choose four of the following questions to answer:

  1. How does the personality of one character contribute to his or her eventual success or failure? Explain.
  1. If you had been one of the characters, would you have done anything differently? Explain what you would do differently and why?
  1. What details does the author provide about the setting that helps build the mood for the story? Explain what the mood is and why your details convey this mood.
  1. If you were the author, what future events or discoveries would you have the main character pursue? Explain why you chose this event or discovery.
  1. Describe a major decision or choice made by one of the characters. Do you agree with this decision? Why or why not?
  1. If you could choose one scene in the book to draw or illustrate, which would you choose? What colors would you use? Explain all your choices.
  1. Would this book work as a movie? What might have to be changed? What scenes could be left out of the movie? What choices would you make as the scriptwriter?
  1. If you had to choose to be one of the characters, who would you choose?

Explain your choice.

Summer Reading Writing Assignment Rubric #1

Total Pts. 60 70 80 90 100

Does Not Meet / Does Not Fully Meet / Meets / More than Meets / Exceeds
Ideas / A. Responses demonstrate an insufficient understanding of the text
B. Responses are inaccurate, simplified, or replaced by summary
30 / A. Responses demonstrate superficial understanding of text
B. Responses superficially respond to questions
35 / A. Responses demonstrate clear understanding of the text
B. Responses adequately respond to questions
40 / A. Responses demonstrate a thorough understanding of the text
B. Responses are well-developed and accurate
45 / A. Responses demonstrate an exceptional understanding of text
B. Responses are perceptive and insightful
50
Organization / A. Responses are difficult to follow
B. Responses may jump between ideas and/or lack transitions
10 / A. Responses are loosely organized
B. Transitions are present but weakly effective
12 / A. Responses are fairly clear and easy to follow
B. Transitions are used to move between ideas
13 / A. Responses are clear and easy to follow, and organization is easy to follow
B. Transitions are effectively used
14 / A. Responses are logically organized, and organization enhances understanding of responses
B. Effective use of transitions enhances the essay’s coherence
15
Textual Support / A. Responses do not include textual support, or textual evidence does not effectively support response
5 / Textual support loosely supports response
6 / Textual support is appropriately used to support response
7 / Textual support is effective
8 / Textual support is strong and weaved into responses
10
Use of Language / A. Diction/Syntax is inappropriate or informal
B. Slang, informal word choice or awkward syntax may be present
10 / A. Diction/Syntax is coherent
B. May include some unsophisticated or incorrect diction/syntax
11 / A. Diction/Syntax is inappropriate but simplistic
12 / A.Diction / Syntax demonstrates a style that enhances responses
14 / A.Precise diction and skillful syntax demonstrates a mature style that enhances responses
15
Conventions / A. Parts of speech show lack of agreement
B. Frequent errors in mechanics
C. Numerous spelling errors
5 / A. Occasional errors between parts of speech
B. Some errors in mechanics and/or spelling
6 / A. Maintains agreement between parts of speech
B. Few errors in mechanics and/or spelling
8 / A. Consistent agreement between parts of speech
B. Almost no errors in mechanics or spelling
9 / A. Consistent agreement between parts of speech
B. Nearly flawless
10

Summer Reading Writing Assignment #2

Dialectical Journals

The term “Dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving question and answer.”Think of your dialectical journal as a series of conversations with the textsyouread during this course. The process is meant tohelp you develop a better understanding of the textsyouread.Use yourjournaltoincorporate yourpersonal responses to the texts, your ideas about the themes we coverandour class discussions.You will find that itis a useful way to process what you’re reading,prepare yourself for group discussion,andgather textual evidenceforyour Literary Analysisassignments.

Sample Dialectical Journal entry:Old Yeller by Fred Gipson

Passages from the text / Pg#s / Comments & Questions
“Once I knew for sure I had it to do, I don’t think I really felt anything. I was just numb all over, like a dead man walking.
“Quickly, I left Mama and went to stand in the light of the burning bear grass. I reloaded my gun and called Old Yeller back from the house. I stuck the muzzle of the gun against his head and pulled the trigger.”
/ Page
127 / (E) I think that Fred Gipson purposefully made the shooting short and to the point. We knew Travis would kill Old Yeller, so there was no point dragging it out when it actually happened. Also, that one sentence is short like the shot of the gun. It kind of mirrors what Travis has to do to Old Yeller, and the reader then feels a little bit of what Travis feels. It’s stark and cold, just like the act of shooting Yeller.

Choosing Passages from the Text:

Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thought provoking or puzzling.For example, you mightrecord:

  • Effective &/or creative use of stylistic or literary devices
  • Passages that remind you of your own life or something you’ve seen before
  • Structural shifts or turns in the plot
  • A passage that makes you realize something you hadn’t seen before
  • Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs.
  • Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar vocabulary
  • Events you findsurprising orconfusing
  • Passages that illustrate a particular character or setting
  • A great quotation is one that really makes you think!
  • It should not be short. Short quotations rarely lead to deep thinking.
  • You need to include enough of the surrounding sentences so that a person who had never read the book would understand.

Summer Reading Dialectical Journals Rubric- Assignment#2

Requirements:Must be typed using 12 pt. font, Times New Roman

Make twenty textual selections that represent the beginning (6),

middle (7), and end (7) of your book. These selections must be significant to the deeper meaning of the book and accurately quoted. Include page numbers.

(2 points each) ____/40

Use7 different types of responses. You must use each reading

strategy at least twice by the time you complete the journal.

Label each response with the following labels in parenthesis:

(Q) Question – ask about something in the passage that is unclear

(C) Connect – make a connection to your life, the world, or another text

(P) Predict – anticipate what will occur based on what’s in the passage

(CL) Clarify – answer earlier questions or confirm/disaffirm a prediction

(R) Reflect – think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense –

not just to the characters in the story. What conclusions can you

draw about the world, about human nature, or just the way things

work?

(E) Evaluate - make a judgment about the character(s), their actions,

or what the author is trying to say

(L) Literary Devices- includes thoughtful comments about a wide variety of interpretative issues and literary elements, as well as how these elements contribute to the meaning of the text.

(2 points) ____/14

 Respond thoughtfully and accurately to each textual selection.

(2.5 points each) ____/50

Total Points: ____/104

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Summer Reading Writing Assignment: College Essay Assignment #3

Directions: In this assignment, you will write the complete essay, based on the prompts provided below. Your essay should be approximately 500 words, no longer than 2 pages, typed, double-spaced, and 12 pt. font, Times New Roman. A long, wordy essay will not help your college admissions chances, and will likely hurt them. Brevity requires that you consider every word of your essay and its effectiveness to your overall purpose. Remember, you want to be both serious and engaging in your tone; you want to show the “real you”; and you want to be fresh and original.

Personal Essay

This personal statement helps us become acquainted with you in ways different from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will demonstrateyour ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself. We are looking for an essay that will help us know you better as a person and as a student. Please write an essay (approximately 500 words) on one of the options listed below. Attach your response to this sheet. Please indicate your topic by using the topic number as your title.

Topic 1

•Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

Topic 2

• Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

Topic 3

• Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

Topic 4

• Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

Topic 5

• A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

College Essay Rubric

Summer Reading College Essay Assignment Rubric #3

______/20Introduction — The first paragraph shows sufficient imagination and creativity to create reader interest in continuing with the piece.

______/40Content/Style — Writer has selected a topic with significance, consequence, or likely deep reader interest, a topic that “matters” rather than an insignificant or trivial topic. Essay shows personal reflection by the writer, that he/she has considered the deeper meanings of his/her experiences. The writer has shown creative use of language, avoiding clichés and overuse of “very bad” (hollow) words (“a lot,” “very,” “kind of,” “sort of,” “things,” “stuff,” etc.). There is ample use of literary “showing” rather than “telling.”

______/20Organization —Essay is strongly organized with clear transitions and logical connections, which create a sense of being tightly woven together. Response is clearly and consistently focused on the writer’s selected prompt question.

______/20Mechanics— No errors in grammar, punctuation or spelling. Essay has at least 4 paragraphs, is typed, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, and no more than 2 pages.

_____/100 TOTAL SCORE

Tips for the Personal Essay Options on the Common Application

Avoid Pitfalls and Make the Most of Your Personal Essay

By Allen Grove, About.com Guide

The first step to writing a stellar personal essay on your college application is to understand your options. Below is a discussion of the six essay options from the Common Application. Also be sure to check out these 5 Application Essay Tips.

Option #1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

Note the key word here: evaluate. You aren't just describing something; the best essays will explore the complexity of the issue. When you examine the "impact on you," you need to show the depth of your critical thinking abilities. Introspection, self-awareness and self-analysis are all important here. And be careful with essays about the winning touchdown or tie-breaking goal. These sometimes have an off-putting "look how great I am" tone and very little self-evaluation.

Option #2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

Be careful to keep the "importance to you" at the heart of your essay. It's easy to get off track with this essay topic and start ranting about global warming, Darfur, or abortion. The admissions folks want to discover your character, passions and abilities in the essay; they want more than a political lecture.

Option #3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

I'm not a fan of this prompt because of the wording: "describe that influence." A good essay on this topic does more than "describe." Dig deep and "analyze." And handle a "hero" essay with care. Your readers have probably seen a lot of essays talking about what a great role model Mom or Dad or Sis is. Also realize that the "influence" of this person doesn't need to be positive.

Option #4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

Here as in #3, be careful of that word "describe." You should really be "analyzing" this character or creative work. What makes it so powerful and influential?

Option #5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

Realize that this question defines "diversity" in broad terms. It's not specifically about race or ethnicity (although it can be). Ideally, the admissions folks want every student they admit to contribute to the richness and breadth of the campus community. How do you contribute?

Bad Essays for College Admissions

These are Bad Essay Topics Could Land Your College Application in the Reject Pile.

By Allen Grove, About.com Guide

A bad essay topic can have disastrous results when applying to a selective college. While a masterful writer might be able to turn one of the topics below into a strong college admissions essay, all too often these topics harm an application.

1. Your Drug Use

Probably every college in the country has to deal with substance abuse on campus, and most people who work at colleges have seen students' academic careers and lives ruined by drugs. If you've had problems with drugs in the past, even if you overcame those problems, the essay isn't the best place to draw attention to your use of illegal substances.