2008 Summer Reading

FRESHMEN

College Prep  II:Touching Spirit Bear - Ben Mikelson

College Prep I:  Touching Spirit Bear - Ben Mikelson

           Animal Farm - George Orwell

Honors:            Silas Marner - George Eliot

            Animal Farm - George Orwell

SOPHOMORES

College Prep II:A  Lesson Before Dying - Ernes J. Gaines

College Prep I:A Lesson Before Dying – Ernest J. Gaines

A Separate Peace - John Knowles

Honors:A Lesson Before Dying – Ernest J. Gaines

Cold Mountain – Charles Frazier

JUNIORS

College Prep II:And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie

College Prep I:Beekeeper’s Apprentice - Laurie King

Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie

Honors:Regeneration - Pat Barker

Moll Flanders – Daniel Defoe

SENIORS

College Prep II:The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

College Prep I:The Samurai’s Garden – Gail Tsukiyama

Siddhartha – Herman Hesse

Honors:Suite Francaise – Irene Nemirovsky

The Merchant of Venice - William Shakespeare

AP:Suite Francaise – Irene Nemirovsky

The Merchant of Venice – William Shakespeare

The Diagnosis - Alan Lightman

                                   

                            CHECKLIST FOR REQUIRED SUMMER READING ACTIVITIES:

_____ Students must bring a copy of the book(s) to class for the first several weeks of school.

_____ Students must actively read the book(s) and be able to show the teacher either an annotated copy of the text (with margin notes or post-it notes) or their handwritten reading notes.

_____ Students will be required to complete an objective test on the book(s) during the first week of school.

_____ Students will be required to take an essay test  on the book(s) during the course of study of the text(s).

                                HOW SUMMER READING CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED

ο Buy the book(s) so that you can write in them.

ο    If you don’t own the book(s), write your active reading notes in a notebook; cross-reference to pg. numbers to help you contribute to class discussion and related assignments.

ο     Be an active reader. For example: write notes in the margins about such things as characterization, important plot developments, observations about the writer’s style, theme related passages, observations as to how the writer uses literary devices such as symbolism and irony.

ο    Underline/highlight and label passages that you do not understand, that you really like, or that you are interested in for some reason. These passages will become topics for class discussion or writing topics.

ο     Write down questions as you read.

ο     Keep a vocabulary log. Circle or highlight words you do not know, look up their definitions, and write them in your log.

ο     Be an inquisitive reader. Look up references to names and places that you do not know that are important to the story. Some of these allusions may provide important insights into the work’s  plot and themes.

ο       Try to establish a routine that includes quiet time away from distracting environments.

ο       Talk about what you have read with friends or family. Invite them to read the books and discuss\them with you.

ο       Approach the task positively. The best way to improve critical reading skills is to actively read.