Basha High School Pre Advanced Placement Summer Reading Assignment
Dear Students and Parents:
Welcome to Basha High School’s Pre AP English program. In order to provide our students with an opportunity to complete
their reading during the summer and not be too overwhelmed when school resumes, we have outlined below specific reading
activities that will be due early in August. If you have any questions during the summer about the assignment, please contact
any of the Honors English 9 teachers by email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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Introduction to the Assignment in General
Throughout high school you will be reading a variety of classical and modern literary works. For your summer reading project, you
should read the following text:
 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
*Note: ALL students enrolled in Honors English 9 are to complete this assignment. We use this assignment for in-class work the first
few weeks of school; therefore, any student coming in unaware of the assignment will be given the assignment on the first day of
school. Those students will have approximately 3 weeks to complete it – this is why we do not collect it until about 3 weeks into the
quarter. HOWEVER, students who are aware of the assignment should read the novel over the summer and have the assignment
completed before coming to class on the first day. Those students can then use the three weeks to revise and refine prior to
submitting for a grade. Please do not procrastinate! This is a time-consuming assignment and is not meant to be thrown together in
a few days. If you choose to procrastinate knowing you have three weeks before it is due, just remember you will have other work in
Honors English 9 as well as all your other courses at Basha High; you will feel EXTREMELY OVERWHELMED if you wait.
ALL parts of this assignment must be neatly organized and typed as it will be submitted to the teachers electronically! Templates are
provided for you – you are encouraged to use them!
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Brief Overview of the Summer Reading Project
There are 2 parts to this assignment, please complete them both in their entirety.
Part I: Building Background Knowledge
Since it is often imperative to understand the time period in which a literary piece is written in order to comprehend its full meaning,
significance and importance, you will first need to do some background “investigation” related to the setting and themes presented.
You will complete 4 activities to help you gain your background knowledge.
Part II: Literary Exploration – Reading the Novel and Completing a Dialectical Journal
While reading the novel, you will keep track of important/significant ideas presented by completing a dialectical journal. The entries
should be based on inference, analysis, evaluation and prediction NOT summary! Remember, we have read the text…MANY
times…so we do NOT need you to recount it for us. What we want to see is that you can infer, analyze, evaluate and predict based
on what you read. We will be able to see your comprehension through your higher level entries.
*See the following pages for detailed directions for Part I and Part II of the assignment.
Reminders:
 Do NOT be afraid to email to ask questions! You can email to ask for clarity on directions/expectations or even to ask for
feedback on your work to check to see if you are on the right track.

Download the provided template to record your work! Remember the final draft needs to be typed, so you’ll notice the
template is a document you can manipulate.
PART I: BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE FOR TKAM VIA PRIMARY SOURCES
START HERE:
WAIT, WHY AM I DOING THIS?
*Before reading To Kill a Mockingbird, it might be helpful to build
some background knowledge on the context in which the story was
written. Similarly, there are many higher-level thinking skills that will
be required during your freshman year at BHS—this assignment is
meant to introduce you to some of the critical thinking skills.
Exploring primary sources (or original materials) is a skill
that will be required of you in your career, citizenship,
and future schooling. We, your teachers, hope that you
will be able to analyze/evaluate the provided materials
and use the information to your advantage during your
first weeks at school.
*To complete this activity you will need access to a computer and the
internet—the BHS Library has these resources for free to all Chandler
residents.
*We recommend doing this work over the course of a few days
rather than in one sitting.
*You must complete all 4 activities in Part I.
HOW DO I DOCUMENT MY WORK?
Using the provided template, or by creating a similar,
typed document, record the information from each
activity. Keep the information organized and clear. Read
the directions carefully to ensure you have met all the
required criteria.
ACTIVITY 1: ANALYZING PHOTOS OF AMERICAN LIFE BETWEEN 1935 AND 1944
An inference is a conclusion that can be reached using evidence; it is not often directly stated in a source. Pictures are an excellent
starting place to learn how to make inferences. Follow the directions below to view the images, look at them closely, then complete
an analysis using the graphic organizer outlined for you.
1. Click on this Library of Congress page: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/fsa/
2. Read the information about the photograph collection.
3. Then use the search tool to find pictures using ONE of the following search terms:
a. Selma, Alabama
Eutaw, Alabama
Greensboro, Alabama
4. Pick one photo and complete the graphic organizer below. You do not need to answer all the questions listed; however, you
do need thorough responses.
Citation (artist, title, medium, date—if available)
Observe
Describe what you see. · What do you
notice first? · What people and objects
are shown? · How are they arranged? ·
What is the physical setting? · What, if
any, words do you see? · What other
details can you see? Etc.
Reflect
Question
Why do you think this image was made? · What’s
happening in the image? · When do you think it
was made? · Who do you think was the audience
for this image? · What tools were used to create
this? · What can you learn from examining this
image? · What’s missing from this image? · If
someone made this today, what would be
different? · What would be the same?
What do you wonder about... who? · what? ·
when? · where? · why? · how?
FURTHER APPLICATION: Write a caption for the image.
EXAMPLE
Collier, John. “Table setting. Cadets mess, Southeastern Air Training Center, Craig Field, Selma, Alabama.” Nitrite Negative. August 1941.
Observe
Reflect
Question
A man, a woman, and two young children gather
around an outdoor shelter (it looks like something for
chickens) to pour water from one bucket into a smaller
container. They are outdoors on some sort of farm.
They appear clean and well-washed, but the items
around them seem old and in disrepair. They do not
seem affectionate toward one another, like they are
doing a job they don’t really enjoy. The woman wears
an apron, the man a hat with a wide brim.
This image was probably meant to
portray hardworking, rural Americans
during a time of financial stress. It
reminds viewers of traditional family
values and traditional family roles. It
implies that the connection to the land is
an important skill for survival.
Are these people happy despite their
struggles?
In what ways do these people represent
the characters of TKAM?
How do these people make their money?
FURTHER APPLICATION: “A family works together to survive”
ACTIVITY 2: UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY AND TIMES OF TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
At any time during the study of To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM), the creation of a timeline can enhance your understanding
of the story’s sequence of events. Unfortunately, when we place parts of history under a microscope, it can paint a
brutal picture of the time period. TKAM will expose many racial tensions that are indicative of this time period—this
timeline will help you understand the significance of these events as Lee presents them to readers.
Create a timeline that spans the years from 1850 to 1925. For each decade, choose two significant events to add to your
timeline. Use the following resources from the Library of Congress to populate your work:
 African American History, 1852-1880: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aap/timeline.html
 African American History, 1881-1900: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aap/timelin2.html
 African American History, 1901-1925: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aap/timelin3.html
Reflect: What do these events reveal about the time period? What influence do you think this setting might have in
TKAM? Your reflection should be a paragraph, approximately eight to eleven sentences, in length.
ACTIVITY 3: RESEARCHING IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENTS
Review the following websites on important historical events. Pick one. Then read the presented information and
complete a SDQR (see below) chart.


The Scottsboro Boys' Trial: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm
Jim Crow Laws: http://www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/what.htm
What the text SAYS
Students record:
Fact learned
Facts confirmed
What it DOESN’T Say
Questions
Students record:
Students record:
What is not
Questions that arise
said/omitted
Inferential thinking
*Note: You should have multiple entries listed in each column.
Reflections
Students record:
Thoughts
Connections
ACTIVITY 4: HARPER LEE AND THE LANGUAGE OF TKAM
Harper Lee’s classic tale has influenced generations of students, and despite her reclusive lifestyle, she has remained an
interesting literary force. One criticism to her work is that some language used in the novel is considered offensive. As
with most authors, word choice is intentional. The harsh language in TKAM is a reflection of certain characters and/or
the time period.
Take a look at both of the sources below. Then use five of the sentence frames listed below to comment on the
information you discover.
1. Harper Lee on Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/people/harper-lee-9377021
2. Harper Lee on the language used in her book:
http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/03/harper_lee_letter_addresses_sc.html
Sentence Frames:
At first I thought _____, but now I…
My latest thought about this is…
A golden line for me is…
This word/phrase stands out for me because…
I like how the author uses ____ to show…
So, the big idea is…
A conclusion that I’m drawing is…
This is relevant because…
This author is trying to make me (see, feel, know, do) …
It makes a difference that this text was written because…
The most important message here is…
One big difference between this and ___ is…
Part II: Literary Exploration
Reading To Kill a Mockingbird and Completing a Dialectical Journal
Read the novel thoroughly and keep a dialectical journal.. It is strongly suggested that you spread the reading out and
write periodically WHILE you complete the reading, instead of reading the whole novel and completing the entire
dialectical journal in one sitting. The text is filled with deeper meaning, so it is important to give it the proper amount of
attention and time. The entries in your dialectical journal should cover the topics/elements of literature noted in the
chart below. While it is not necessary to cover all of the topics or elements, you should have a variety throughout your
journal. Furthermore, many times more than one can be addressed within an entry.
Elements of Literature
Style
Foreshadowing
Theme
Point-of-view
Setting Characterization
Satire
Connotation
Motif Repetition
Irony
Symbolism
Tone
Mood
*Please feel free to use OTHER elements of literature, too!
Society Gothic lit
Courage Racism
Femininity
Theme Topics
Gender Roles Coming of Age
Prejudice
Discrimination
What is a Dialectical Journal?
A Dialectical Journal is a journal in which a reader maintains a written conversation with the text. You should use this
journal to:
 Make predictions
 Analyze purpose, effect, and meaning
 Pose questions about what you have read
 Explore universal ideas/themes
 Analyze/explain elements of literature
 Document evidence (cited material)
 Notice/evaluate patterns
 Make inferences about characters, symbols, etc.
 Make connections (to history, other classes,
other texts, TV, movies, personal experience,
 Record your feelings/reactions
etc.)
Basically as you are reading, you should be looking for passages that stand out to you and then responding as to
why they did so. What is so important or significant about the passages to the novel? Explain this importance or
significance using the methods listed above.
You are required to have at least 15 entries from throughout the novel. A rule of thumb is to have an
entry every other chapter so that you span the entirety of the novel; however, you are not limited to
15 entries. There are MANY interesting/important/significant passages in every chapter.
*The following page includes directions on what information should be recorded in the journal as well as
two sample entries.
How should I set up my Dialectical Journal?
This is how you will set up each chapter’s entry:
Chapter #: Title goes here (the chapters are not titled, you will make this up)
Text and main ideas
Reactions and details
Quote goes here – you may quote a phrase,
Your reaction goes here – opinion, question,
sentence, or section of the text. Also include
comment, reaction, etc.
proper parenthetical documentation (page).
This reaction should be real, candid, honest, and
school appropriate.
In this section, record quotes that contain unique Demonstrate insight and analysis!
examples of author’s style, figurative language,
thematic elements, character and plot
development, etc.
You MUST cite your quoted material. ALWAYS record page numbers for reference.
Example Entry 1:
Chapter 9: Trust takes courage
“’What did Francis call him?’ ‘A n-lover. I ain’t very
sure what it means, but the way Francis said it – tell
you one thing right now, Uncle Jack, I’ll be – I swear
before God if I’ll sit there and let him say somethin’
about Atticus’” (114).
Scout shows much courage by trusting her Uncle Jack to
not tell Atticus what her fight was really about. Most
children listen to their parents, but Scout is different. She
is trying to be more independent by thinking for herself
by defending Atticus. That takes courage of its own, but
telling her uncle takes so much more. He easily could
have ratted her out and got her in more trouble, but he
didn’t. Uncle Jack had some courage of his own, not
telling his brother that his daughter had broken a very
important rule. (characterization of Scout)
Example Entry 2:
Chapter 12: Jem is Becoming a Gentleman
“This change in Jem had come about in a matter of
weeks. Mrs. Dubose was not cold in her grave—Jem
had seemed grateful enough for my company when
he went to read to her. Overnight, it seemed, Jem had
acquired an alien set of values and was trying to
impose them on me: several times he went so far as
to tell me what to do. After one altercation when Jem
hollered, ‘It’s time you started bein’ a girl and acting
right!’ I burst into tears and fled to Calpurnia” (115).
This passage is important to the characterization of both
Jem and Scout. In the beginning of the novel, Jem and
Scout are like partners in crime. They play games
together with Dill and seem to have strong brother-sister
relationship. At this point, Jem is twelve and is about to
be a teenager. He is changing and growing up (coming of
age). In this quote, Scout explains her frustration and
confusion that her brother is different. While Jem is
suddenly concerned about her role as a girl and wants
her to “act right,” Scout is still very much a tom-boy and
does not understand his new “alien” values. This quote
signifies that one sibling is growing up while the other
struggles to understand it.
*Note: When you reference elements of literature and/or theme topics in your responses, please
highlight or underline them so they are noticeable at a glance.