WHS English Department Summer Reading Extra Credit Assignment Summer reading is encouraged but not required this year. If you are interested, it will count as extra credit on your 1st Marking Period Grade. You are to choose ONE of the assessments for ONE of the recommended grade-level novels below. If your work is thorough, completed, and submitted on the first day of school, you will be given an additional “Reading Literature'' and a “21st Century Grade”. * Though this is the recommended list, you may select another book to read only if it is approved by your current English teacher. This must be done by June 17th.* Please remember, you must do this project on a book that you have a) not read before and b) is grade/reading level appropriate. Write a Character Point of View Letter Write a letter from the point of view of one of the characters in your book to a “potential” reader. Your goal is to have the character write a persuasive letter to this “potential” reader, trying to convince him/her why he should read the book....a sort of “testimonial” advertisement for the book. Include a MINIMUM of three specific events in the book from this character’s point of view. Since your character is advertising the book, you may not want to give away the ending, but you could comment on events that lead up to the ending and end with a cliffhanger comment in the letter. Remember...YOU are not writing the letter, but your selected CHARACTER is. Try to capture the essence/personality of that character...how would that character write a letter? Timeline Project Create a timeline showing the five most significant points in the novel. The timeline should be something that symbolically represents the novel (For Example: If your novel was The Wizard of Oz, your timeline might be in the form of the yellow brick road). With each of the five events shown on the timeline, you must include an analysis of why that event is so important in the novel and how it helps to drive the plot and /or develop the characters. The written portion should be included on the timeline. You can use your own creativity to determine how you want to do so. Literary Analysis Essay Write a five paragraph essay in which you analyze a literary element in the book or play you read. You must include at least three pieces of textual evidence in your essay to support your analysis. Your paper will need to be submitted via turnitin.com (you will get the turnitin.com information from your teacher on the first or second day of school). Literary Elements to choose from (REMEMBER: CHOOSE ONE ELEMENT): -Character/Characterization -Conflict -Theme -Symbol -Plot -Setting/Mood Journal/Diary You will place yourself into the shoes/soul of the main character. From a first person perspective, you will write five diary entries about five different parts/pieces from the novel. Each entry will be at least 250 words. You should include not just plot details, but also the character’s reactions, feelings on the item that you are writing about, and any other relevant ideas that you want to express from the perspective of the character. Write this from the perspective of the character in diary format. It is important that you feel that you really know this character and can provide the proper insight and reflections of this character. Video Project This option allows you to be creative and to make a video related to the novel you selected for summer reading. You have the option to work individually or with other students that also selected the same novel. If you decide to work as a group, all students must have an active role in creating the video project and must each submit a paragraph identifying their specific role in creating the project. Also include scrolling credits in your actual video project so the teacher knows “who did what.” ● Select a chapter or scene from the novel and recreate it on film. Think carefully about visual symbols, specific characters, specific spoken lines, use of music and/or SFX, etc… that might lend themselves to your scene or chapter. Be sure to indicate in your title screens which novel, chapter, scene, etc…you are basing your film on. ● Create an interview/talk show (for example, like Ellen, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, James Corden ) segment in which characters from your novel are the guests on the show. What kinds of questions will your host ask them and how would they respond? Keep them in character based on the way they are portrayed in the novel. You may throw in commercials (commercials must relate to the novel too), gimmicks (David Letterman used to do a “top 10” list...could there be a “top 10” list based on your novel?). Musical Soundtrack ● Write original lyrics and compose a song based on your novel. Record the song and make a music video that completely mirrors and relates to the novel in some way. This could work well for those novels that are more serious. You could use still shot images and create montages to go along with your recorded song. This option can be completed with a partner. ● Pick five songs that depict important scenes within the novel. Analyze the lyrics of these songs and write a one paragraph explanation for each of the songs you choose, explaining how the lyrics of each song relate to the major themes of the overall piece. Summer Reading Novel List Entering 9th Grade: Dairy Queen (Catherine Murdock) Dorrie, or DJ, works hard on her family farm so that the family can stay afloat after her two older brothers head off to college on football scholarships. Her family is dysfunctional—her dad can’t work, her mom can’t stop, and her younger brother doesn’t talk. DJ bottles up all the feelings she has about having to give up her life to run the farm. Asked to help train a local boy for September’s football season, Dorrie starts to find that it’s not just football she’s in love with… she looks forward to the end of her training… but will the school let a girl play football? The Big Field (Mike Lupica) Written by a sports journalist, The Big Field is a great pick for anyone that loves sports, baseball particularly. Keith, 14, plays in the American Legion 17 & Under League as shortstop with the Boynton Beach Cardinals. His dreams of leading his team to the Florida State Finals, however, are crushed when Darryl, a new kid, joins the team and takes his spot at shortstop. To make matters worse, Keith’s normally aloof shortstop legend dad starts paying attention to Darryl. It’s a story about baseball, a story about fathers and sons, and a story about believing in yourself. Sunrise over Fallujah (Walter Dean Myers) The story of Birdy, an 18 year old fresh Army recruit from Harlem. Birdy is the nephew of Richie Perry, the Vietnam vet that Walter Dean Myers introduced in Fallen Angels. The story follows Birdy’s journey into Iraq to help stabilize and interact with the Iraqi people. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) Orphan Mary is sent to her miserable but rich uncle’s estate, but she is disappointed when there is nothing to do. Upon exploring, however, she finds that there is a secret garden, one that was closed off after her aunt died, as well as a cousin she never knew she had, living high in a dark room. The Secret Garden is the story of Mary and her journey to try to bring life back to her uncle’s estate. Blade of Secrets (Tricia Levenseller) Eighteen-year-old Ziva prefers metal to people. She spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power. Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword capable of stealing its victims' secrets. A sword that can cut far deeper than the length of its blade. A sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees. Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world's known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely. Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice (Bryan Stevenson): In this young adult adaptation of the acclaimed bestselling Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice, Bryan Stevenson delves deep into the broken U.S. justice system, detailing from his personal experience his many challenges and efforts as a lawyer and social advocate, especially on behalf of the most rejected and marginalized people in the United States. In this very personal work, Bryan Stevenson recounts many and varied stories of his work as a lawyer in the U.S. criminal justice system on behalf of those in society who have experienced some type of discrimination and/or have been wrongly accused of a crime and who deserve a powerful advocate and due justice under the law. Entering 10th Grade: Artichoke's Heart (Suzanne Supplee) Rosemary Goode doesn't have a carefree life; being an overweight binge eater makes her self-conscious around other teens, and her Aunt Mary's constant criticizing doesn't help matters.