Freshman Honors Spring Reading Assignment

FRESHMAN HONORS SPRING READING ASSIGNMENT

During the last three quarters of English you have read To Kill a Mockingbird, The Odyssey, Night and more. Now you will add another book to that list-and you have a big say in which book that will be! During Spring Break, you will read a novel from the approved list of books in order to prepare you for a major project in fourth quarter. There are over 200 different options (woah!) all of varying degree of the content, length and difficulty. You will have the opportunity to choose one of these, and then you will read and annotate it over break.

Step 1: Review novel options: The list of novels is posted on the class website. Please peruse that list, and do some research on a few books to ensure that you can find novels that you believe are interesting and that you can buy/borrow. We will begin writing an essay based on the novel you have read once we return for fourth quarter-so make sure you are excited about reading it!

While you and another student may have the same author, no students in our class will read the same novel. Once someone has chosen a title within our class period, it will no longer be offered to others, so you may want to have several options written down and approved by your parent/guardian prior to our novel selection day.

Step 2: Get your permission slip signed and bring to class on ______: Since you and your parents have decided that it is okay for you to read certain books, have them sign the “Spring Break Reading Assignment Permission Slip”

Step 3: Select your novel in class:

You must have a signed permission slip that indicates your guardian allows you to read this novel before you are allowed to select a specific book!

We will begin assigning novels on Friday, February 27. If you are not ready with your signed permission slip for that novel on our selection day, you will have to see me before/after school to sign up for a remaining book title. If you haven’t made a decision by the end of the day of Wednesday, March 4, or had a parent/guardian sign-off by that time, I will assign a novel to you.

Please note: once you sign up for a novel, you are taking that option off of the table for all of the other students in your class. As such, again, it is imperative that you do spend time doing some prior research on the novel and ensure you can obtain the novel prior to selection because once you’ve selected a novel, there will be NO changes made for any reason.

Step 4: Read and Annotate your Novel

ANNOTATION REQUIREMENTS: The majority of your annotations should be varied and based on the “reading requirements” which are the elements/items listed on the on the back of this paper. It is important to write these down as you read the text for the first time, as our perspectives often change by the end of the book. You can always go back and add to these notes later.

You will need to have 100 annotations spread throughout your entire book- evenly spaced from start to finish (please remember this is the minimum; you can always do more). This means, that on average, I should see:  Books with 100 – 200 pages should have a minimum of one annotation per page.  Books with 200 – 300 pages should have a minimum of one annotation for every two pages.  Books with 300 + pages should have a minimum of one annotation for every three pages.

If you purchase a copy of your novel of choice, you may write your annotated notes directly on the margins of your copy. If you DO NOT choose to purchase your novel of choice, or choose not to write in your copy, you must create your annotations using small sticky notes and put them on the page/area you’re annotating. Your annotations should reflect depth and analysis, and be spread throughout the entire novel. They must also be numbered chronologically (1, 2, 3, etc.) throughout.

Follow these steps for EACH INDIVIDUAL annotation: 1. Write the number (remember, you’re doing 100 annotations in numerical order) 2. Write the symbol-if you choose to create your own key of symbols, you must include that key 3. Write the specifics (for example, if you find Foreshadowing, you must write “FL” AND “Foreshadowing”) 4. Write an analysis-what is the significance of this annotation?

ANNOTATION SYMBOLS  * (This is Important): Setting, Main Characters, Conflicts/Resolutions, Plot, Point of View, Genre  ? (I don’t understand): If you question something, you must answer it later  LE (Literary Elements): Author’s style, Tone, Theme(s)  FL (Figurative Language) Note: all of the following may not be present…but most will! . Foreshadowing . Flashback . Allusion . Personification . Symbolism . Irony . Imagery . Simile . Metaphor . Understatement . Hyperbole  V (Vocabulary): You must define the word  TS (Text to Self): This relates to you  TT (Text to Text): This connects to another book/movie/play  Highlight (Quotes): You must explain why that quote is significant-only 10 highlights will count as annotations!  Circle (Your own information): You recognized something important that doesn’t fit into the above categories

ANNOTATION EXAMPLE:

RUBRIC Your annotations are worth 100 points. You will be scored based on the following categories (this will be graded the same way we graded your winter reading novel annotations):  The number of annotations (100 minimum-spread from start to finish)  The variety of annotations (different symbols from the bookmark)  Depth and insight evidenced in annotations  Readability of your writing and clear/correct annotation numbering Your novel (with these annotations) is due on our very first day back to school from Spring Break (Tuesday, March 24) Students who do not have their book with them on our due date will receive a ZERO! You are responsible for clarifying details of this assignment before break begins, so start this project right away.