English II at the Mount

Summer Reading Assignments

Assignment #1: Online Survey

Please fill out this survey with a bit of information about yourself and your life! This should not take you that long to fill out, but it is very important as I’m trying to plan a class that fits your talents and interests for next year! The earlier you can fill it out, the more helpful it will be for me.

DUE: MAY 31st

HOW YOU WILL BE GRADED: Effort (10/10 or 0/10)

Assignment #2: Recommend a Book

You can access the sophomore summer reading forum by clicking here. Click on "Summer Book Recommendations." In this thread, recommend a book that your classmates might find worthwhile. Make sure you include the title, the author, and a brief explanation of why someone else should read this book.

DUE: May 31st

HOW YOU WILL BE GRADED: Effort

10/10 = includes all elements (author, title, reasoning) with compelling explanation

5/10 = includes all elements (author, title, reasoning) with limited explanation

0/10 = incomplete

Assignment #3: Book Reviews

You need to choose three books to read this summer. Three requirements:

1. Novel- or book-length (e.g., a children's picture book or a video-game manual won't do it).
2. Something you haven't read (recently).
3. Pre-AP Students Only: One of the three books you choose must be at the "AP Level." Click here for book lists that will help you make an appropriate selection.

After you finish each book, you will go to our sophomore summer reading forum (click here), and leave a review in the appropriate category: "Book Reviews - General Fiction," "Book Reviews - Fantasy/Sci Fi," "Book Reviews - Nonfiction," "Book Reviews - Plays/Drama," "Book Reviews - Poetry Collections."

Each review should be written in the form of one or more well-structured paragraphs, and include...

(1) the title of the book and the author;
(2) a summary of the book;
(3) why you chose this book;
(4) whether you enjoyed this book and why;
(5) who should consider reading the book.

DUE:
#1 - June 25th
#2 - July 25th
#3 - Second Day of Class

HOW YOU WILL BE GRADED:

Excellent (10-9)

Good (9-8)

Average / At Grade Level (8-7)

Needs Work (7-0)

An excellent book review includes all the required elements;

AND

offers a compelling, well-written, and in-depth discussion of the strengths and/or weaknesses of the novel.

A good book review includes all the required elements;

AND

offers a clear and substantial discussion of the strengths and/or weaknesses of the novel.

An average book review includes all the required elements;

AND

clearly discusses the strengths and/or weaknesses of the novel.

A book review that needs work is missing one or more of the required elements

AND/OR

offers a discussion of book’s strengths and weaknesses which is missing, minimal, or difficult to read because of grammatical / mechanical errors.

Assignment #4: Book Club

Man is a social animal... we generally have more fun and learn more when we get to work with other people. So, for one of the books you read this summer, I want you to form a book club with some of your friends and classmates (minimum two people). Together you should:

Pick a book that you all would like to read.
Start a thread with the title of your book under the "Book Club" board of our sophomore summer reading forum (click here).
Agree upon a reading schedule for the book (e.g., Pages 1-20 by July 10, 20-50 by July 20, etc).
Post your reading schedule in your thread so that others can join in if they would like to.
Carry on a discussion about the book AS YOU READ. Each member should post SEVERAL TIMES over the course of reading the book, following your reading schedule.

If you're new to the Mount or don't know who you want to make your book club with, feel free to join someone else's club... check out their reading schedule, buy the book, introduce yourself, and dive right in. Those of you creating clubs... please be welcoming to all!

Or, if you'd prefer, you can be a part of my reading group this summer. We will be reading William Goldings' creepy classic The Lord of the Flies. In this novel, a plane filled with young boys crashes on a deserted island. Left alone, the boys must find a way to cooperate and survive... all while confronting the dark, violent side of human nature. If you liked The Hunger Games, you might also enjoy this thought-provoking story! Click here for our discussion thread and reading schedule.

DUE: July 25th

HOW YOU WILL BE GRADED:

Assignment #5: Advertisement

Finally, pick your favorite book from the summer and create some sort of advertisement for it. This advertisement could take many forms...

a newspaper article
a short film / movie trailer
a sculpture, painting, collage, or other artwork
a poster
etc...

DUE: Second Day of Class!

HOW YOU WILL BE GRADED: