English I Summer Reading Assignment Ms. Claudia Middleton Ms. Anna Russell Thornton [email protected] [email protected] Purpose & Overview HOMEWORK?! Over the SUMMER?! It’s true that doing homework during your break can be frustrating. However, it is important to do something over the summer so that we can be well prepared in the fall. Here are some reasons why we are completing this summer reading project: To give you the To introduce you to the To keep your mind active opportunity to read rigor of work in high during the summer well-known and popular school English writers To give your teacher an To preview the idea of your reading and stories that we will be writing abilities at the studying during the beginning of the school school year year For this assignment, you are required to: Step 3: Engage Step 1: Read Step 2: Annotate Choose three tasks from Pick the 5 stories you Be sure each story is the Choice Menu to will read this summer. thoroughly annotated. complete (one must be writing an OER!). Where do I get the stories? Available to you for free are all of the short stories in this packet. If you would like to print out the entire packet, feel free to do so. If you would prefer to first look through the packet online, select the stories you want to read, and ONLY print those, that is another great option. Page 1 Required Summer Reading Assignment (checklist) Access this summer reading packet online and print, if possible. Choose the five stories that interest me. Read and annotate o Story One: . Complete by: o Story Two: . Complete by: o Story Three: . Complete by: o Story Four: . Complete by: o Story Five: . Complete by: Choice Menu assignments: o Task One: Open-Ended Response (OER) . Complete by: o Task Two: . Complete by: o Task Three: . Complete by: Additional Recommended Summer Reading Below is a list of favorite books chosen by Ms. Middleton and Ms. Thornton. Reading one (or more!) of these books during your summer break is optional, but highly encouraged. Title Author Caucasia Danzy Senna Coffee Will Make You Black April Sinclair Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Philip K. Dick The Book of Unknown Americans Cristina Henriquez The Golden Compass Philip Pullman What I Saw and How I Lied Judy Blundell Page 2 Before Reading: Choose Your Short Stories “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury.............................................................................Page 11 A group of school children are living on Venus with their families. Yes, Venus, as in the planet. Like many children, they are waiting impatiently for the sun to come out, but unlike normal children, these kids haven’t seen the sun in seven years! Unfortunately, there is a tragic ending for one of child. “On the Sidewalk Bleeding" by Evan Hunter....................................................................Page 15 The story focuses on 16-year-old Andy and his last moments after being stabbed by a rival gang member. The details come sharp and fast in third person omniscient (where the narrator is God-like and can go in and out of the character's thoughts and describe everything in a scene). Though he's bleeding in a rain-filled alley, Andy does not yet know he is going to die tonight . but he will. “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut ............................................................................Page 23 The year was 2081, and everyone was finally equal. Sounds great, right? However, things are far from perfect for the Bergeron family in this famous dystopian short story. “Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara ........................................................................Page 29 The story centers around and is narrated by Squeaky—nicknamed so because of her high-pitched voice—a young girl growing up in Harlem. There are two things that define Squeaky: her ability to run and the way in which she takes care of her handicapped older brother, Raymond. While the connection between Squeaky and Raymond is certainly central to this short story, a major relationship that develops is that between running rivals Squeaky and Gretchen. “Shame” by Dick Gregory....................................................................................................Page 34 A man recalls his experiences with external and internal shame, growing up poor and Black in the late 1940s-50s. Young Richard is motivated to overcome his shameful circumstances by his affection for a well-to-do classmate, Helene. He ultimately succeeds in overcoming his feelings of shame when he develops the desire to help others. “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes ........................................................................Page 38 What happens when a teenage boy tries to rob a woman’s purse? Does she call the police? Get him locked in jail? This story has a surprisingly different outcome. “The Money” by Junot Diaz.................................................................................................Page 42 A boy's house is robbed while his family is on vacation. They steal all the money that his mom had been saving for their family in the Dominican Republic, but he isn't going to let them get away with it! “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin.............................................................................Page 44 The title of the short story refers to the time that passes between the moment the protagonist, Louise Mallard, hears that her husband is dead . and when she discovers that he is alive after all. This was controversial story by the American standards of the 1890s because it features a female protagonist who feels liberated by the news of her husband's death. Page 3 During Reading: Annotating The purpose of annotation is to notice interesting and/or important information. You should start by underlining things that stand out to you. Then, you should write a brief phrase or sentence about what you are noticing in the margins. A well-annotated story will have 5+ annotations per page. Many of us already annotate for main idea. In addition, you should be annotating for the things below: • Characters • New Vocabulary o Circle names of new characters o Circle words you don’t know and look up o Underline important actions, thoughts, definitions in the dictionary (online or descriptions dictionaries are fine!) o Jot down character traits o Notice the way characters change • Theme o Underline evidence of BIG IDEAS in the • Setting short story o Circle the names of important places o Jot down possible themes, or universal o Underline descriptions of the setting messages, as you read o Jot down words to describe the setting o Notice places where the setting • Connections impacts the plot o Underline moments that remind you of: . Other texts you have read • Literary Devices . Movies / TV shows o Underline examples of literary devices . Historical events o Jot down the TYPE of literary device you . Current events notice. Examples of literary devices: . Personal experiences . Metaphors, similes, and o Jot down what the moment reminds you personification of and why . Imagery . Foreshadowing • Questions . Symbolism o Underline things that are confusing . Diction o Write down questions you have about o Identify the mood or tone the author what is going on creates with the literary device o Write down a question you would want to ask the character or the author Page 4 After Reading: Choice Menu Directions: Complete THREE options on the menu below in total (NOT THREE FOR EACH STORY!) Choose a total of two options from these two lists. You MUST write an EBAP! Choose one of the prompts below. EBAP ANALYTICAL ARTISTIC Write a paragraph (5+ Venn Diagram Character Portrait sentences) that answers one of On white paper, draw a Venn On white paper, draw one of the questions below and uses Diagram (two overlapping the characters in the story. textual evidence to prove the circles) to compare and answer. Be sure to include the Around the drawing, write 5+ contrast TWO of the short title of the text, the author, and character traits and text stories. You must include 3+ the character’s name in your evidence (quotes from the similarities and 3+ differences response. story) to justify each trait you on your Venn Diagram, chose. written in complete sentence. • How is one character changed or affected by the Write a Letter Movie Poster conflict in this story? On notebook paper, write a Imagine that this short story letter to a character in one of was being made into a movie • What is one theme the stories. Your letter could (or TV show). On white paper, (universal message) the include your thoughts/ create a poster to advertise author portrays in this short opinions about his/her the movie. Use color to story? actions in the story, represent images from the questions for him/her, or story, and include the names • How is the character in this advice for him/her in the of which actors will be starring short story similar to future. Your letter should be as the main characters. another character from a at least ¾ of a page long. text you have read? Alternative Ending Music Lyrics On notebook paper, write a How could this story be turned different ending for the story. into a song? You can take Your writing should attempt to existing song lyrics and sound similar to the author’s change them to be about the writing style and be at least ½ story of your choice OR you a page long. could write your own original lyrics for a song! Page 5 Page 6 Character Traits List absent-minded disagreeable leader · self-confident adventurous dreamy