ST. JOSEPH HIGH SCHOOL
2007 Summer Reading Assignment
Grades 9-12 English

For your summer reading assignment, you will be reading a total of 2  required books. After reading each book, complete the assignment sheet  for each book. The assignment sheets are to be turned into your English  teacher on the first day of school and will count as a test grade. Ten  points will be deducted per school day for work handed in late. There is  a reading list for the summer reading from which you may chose  additional books to read, but an assignment sheet is not required to be  completed for any additional reading from the 2006 reading list.

The reading list can be accessed on the internet at  www.islands.vi/~sjhs/srlist.html 

Required reading:

Incoming 9th graders: A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Catcher in  the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Incoming 10th graders: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and Things Fall  Apart by Chinua Achebe
Incoming 11th graders: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou  and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Incoming 12th graders:     Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and Hard Times by  Charles Dickens
Acquiring the books:

- Books may be borrowed from the public libraries. - Books may be purchased at books stores (a list will be given to  Education Central in Sunny Isles).
- Books may be purchased online (shipping will take several weeks, so  please plan accordingly)
(Try amazon.com; barnesandnoble.com; ecampus.com; mediaplay.com. For  your convenience, the required book titles are linked directly to  Amazon.Com from the St. Joseph High School Affiliate Store.)

Try THE ST. JOSEPH HIGH SCHOOL AMAZON.COM AFFILIATE STORE (Shipping is  usually within several days for most books. You need to have an adult  with a credit card to order for you. But you can search and find the  availability and price and more information about most books. Just paste  in the title and author from the reading list.)

Don't even think about:

1) Procrastinating:
Commit yourself to reading a pre-determined amount of chapters per day  so that you're not overloaded with work the last few weeks of the  summer. Also, set aside a specific time during the day for reading and make  sure your friends and family know that you are not to be disturbed  during this time. Don't expect to get much reading done late at night while  lying in bed; choose a time early in the day. Complete the written  portion of the assignment right after you finish reading each book.

2) Cheating:
If any part of the written assignment is plagiarized to any extent, the  entire assignment will be given a zero grade. The assignment questions  are geared so that you have to answer them; the answers cannot be found  on any internet website.

Written Assignment
The written portion of the summer reading is to be handed in on the  first day of school. 10 points will be deducted per school day for each  day the assignment is late. The written portion of the assignment will  count as a test grade toward the first quarter grade. Any written  assignment that is plagiarized in part or in whole, will earn a grade of "0". Requirements
The written assignment must:
be typed with black ink using 12 point Times New Roman font (no  exceptions!!!)
be typed on white 8.5" x 11" paper
have 1 inch margins on all sides
be double spaced throughout the entire document include a cover page which includes only the following information: the  title and author of the book, you full name, the date on which the  assignment is due
be at least one full page per book
NOT include any graphics of any kind (not even on the cover sheet)

Complete the following for each novel:

Part I:
List the title, author, and main characters (protagonist and/or  antagonist) of the book.

Part II:
Support your answers to the following using specific details from the  book. using complete sentences.
1. a) What were your feelings after reading the opening chapter(s) of  this book? Why?
    b) After reading half of the book? Why?
    c) After finishing the book? Why?
2. Did the book make you laugh? Cry? Cringe? Smile? Cheer? Explain your  reaction.
3. What connections are there between the book and your own life?  Explain.
4. What parts in the book seem most believable? Why? What parts seem  unbelievable? Why?
5. Do you like the way the book ended? Why or why not? Do you think  there is more to tell? What do you think might happen next or what else  would you like to learn?

Part III:

INTERPRETATION/ CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Describe the situation of the main  character at the end of the book. Explain the changes that have taken  place in his or her life and include attitudes and feelings.
GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING: Select one character from the story. Describe the  character's quest or journey. Consider what goals and dreams drive the  character's actions, what obstacles the character faces in seeking  his/her goal, and the outcomes of the quest or journey.  PERSONAL REFLECTION: What questions (more than one) would you ask the  characters about themselves or their actions?