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Swampscott High School English Department
Expectations for Summer Reading 2014
CUT ME
OUT!!!!
How to Read
Philosophy
The Swampscott High School English Department presents its
summer reading selections for the 2014-2015 school year in
accordance with Swampscott High School’s Mission Statement
and Academic Expectations which state: "The mission of
Swampscott High School is to prepare students to succeed in a
diverse and evolving global society by promoting academic and
personal excellence…” and, “Students will communicate
effectively through multiple forms of expression and solve
problems through analytical and critical thinking.” Summer
reading plays a vital role in maintaining students’ close reading
skills and allows students to prepare for the challenges of the
upcoming curriculum.
Expectations
1) Purchase a copy of the required text for your English
class. If you cannot purchase the required book, please
contact Joanna Ganci, Department Chair of English at
[email protected] as soon as possible.
You are not required to purchase the other summer
reading texts; however, it is a good idea to buy them if
you can.
2) Bring the summer reading text to class on the first day
of school with specific annotation assignment for your
grade. Your teacher will instruct you on the first day on
how you will be tested.
3) Annotate your text either by writing in it or using sticky
notes. You will mark your book for the specific literary
device assigned to your book.
4) Assessments will take place in the first few days of
English class. Your teacher will assess you through
critical reading, writing, thinking, and speaking.
5) Complete a creative project on the list provided and
hand it in the first day of school.
Be an active reader
and annotate (mark
your book) as you
read!
You annotate by
underlining, circling,
and writing in the
margins or on sticky
notes.
“Some books are to
be tasted, others to be
swallowed, and some
few to be chewed and
digested: that is, some
books are to be read
only in parts, others
to be read, but not
curiously, and some
few to be read wholly,
and with diligence
and attention.” Sir
Francis Bacon
Resources:
Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Used Book Superstore (Danvers), The Spirit of 76’ Bookstore, The
Swampscott Public Library
Swampscott High School English Department
My Responsibilities
for Summer Reading:
TAKING HONORS
BRINGING
ANNOTATED
REQUIRED TEXT
TO CLASS ON THE
FIRST DAY
BRINGING ONE
CREATIVE
ASSIGNMENT FOR
SECOND CHOICE
TEXT ON THE FIRST
DAY
BRINGING THIRD
CHOICE TEXT TO
CLASS FIRST DAY
FOR GUIDED
DISCUSSION
My Responsibilities
for Summer
Reading:
TAKING CP1
BRINGING
ANNOTATED
REQUIRED TEXT
TO CLASS ON
THE FIRST DAY
BRINGING ONE
CREATIVE
ASSIGNMENT FOR
SECOND CHOICE
TEXT ON THE FIRST
DAY
X
My Responsibilities
for Summer
Reading:
TAKING FOUNDATIONS
BRINGING
ANNOTATED
REQUIRED TEXT
TO CLASS ON
THE FIRST DAY
BRINGING ONE
CREATIVE
ASSIGNMENT FOR
SECOND CHOICE
TEXT ON THE FIRST
DAY
X
SWAMPSCOTT HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER READING LIST FOR FRESHMEN: 2014
The Swampscott High School English Department presents its summer reading selections for the 2014-2015 school year in accordance with Swampscott
High School’s Mission Statement and Academic Expectations which state: "The mission of Swampscott High School is to prepare students to succeed in a
diverse and evolving global society by promoting academic and personal excellence…” and, “Students will communicate effectively through multiple forms
of expression and solve problems through analytical and critical thinking.” Summer reading plays a vital role in maintaining students’ close reading skills
and allows students to prepare for the challenges of the upcoming curriculum. Students taking 110 must read the required text plus two additional choice
books from the list provided. Students taking 111 must read the required text and one additional choice book from the list. Students taking the
Foundations course must read the required text and one additional choice book from the list. Please see the page entitled “Expectations for Summer
Reading” for more information.
REQUIRED: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of
a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert to a
fateful encounter with the alchemist.
CHOICES:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card: Ender Wiggins is the result of a genetic breeding program and years of harsh, unforgiving training. Thinking he is only
playing computer-simulated war games, Ender is really commanding the last great fleet on Earth.
Ellen Foster by Kay Gibbons: In a simple narrative voice, eleven-year-old Ellen tells the story of a childhood filled with family strife and parental loss. Her
spunk and humor help her overcome adversity in this uplifting southern novel.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: This is the moving and beautiful autobiography of a talented black woman confronting her own life
with dignity.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: The story of a British earthling plucked from his planet, and his subsequent adventures elsewhere
in the universe..
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang: This comic book tells three different stories that merge into one. At the center of all stories is the importance of
one’s heritage and culture and the obstacles of growing up.
Bee Season by Myla Goldberg: Eliza Naumann, a seemingly unremarkable nine-year-old, expects never to fit into her gifted family, but when Eliza sweeps
her school and district spelling bees in quick succession, Saul takes it as a sign that she is destined for greatness. This is a coming-of-age-novel about being
the outcast in a family of geniuses.
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff: This novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century. Told from the point of
view of 15-year-old Manhattan native Daisy, the novel follows her arrival and her stay with cousins on a remote farm in England.
The House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer: Matt discovers he is a clone in a future where clones are thought of as little more than animals. Matt is the clone of
a very powerful drug lord, and because of this, he enjoys a much more comfortable life than most, but quickly realizes the dark side of this world.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher: When Clay Jenson plays the cassette tapes he received in a mysterious package he's surprised to hear the voice of dead
classmate Hannah Baker. He's one of 13 people who receive Hannah's story, which details the circumstances that led to her suicide.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: A pathological killer systematically murders ten strangers entrapped on an island.
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher: Eric "Moby" Calhoune, the fattest boy in high school, tries to help his badly scarred best friend, Sarah
Byrnes, deal with a horrific event in her past. "A transcendent story of love, loyalty, and courage . . . Superb plotting, extraordinary characters and crackling
narrative make this novel one to be devoured in a single unforgettable sitting."
The Contender by Robert Lypsyte: Alfred Brooks, a seventeen-year-old boy who is struggling to become a championship boxer, must placate his Harlem
gang and the white world as well.
Hoops by Walter Dean Myers: A young man with a talent for basketball hopes that his game will be his ticket out of the ghetto.
Candy by Kevin Brooks: When Joe meets Candy, it seems like a regular boy-meets-girl scenario. They chat over coffee, she gives him her number, and he
writes her a song. But then Joe is drawn into Candy's world --- a world of drugs, violence, and desperation.
The Future of Us by Jay Asher: What if you could see how your life would unfold--just by clicking a button?
It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet. Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CDROM. Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future. Everybody wonders what their
destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner: Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen
boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies from below. A new boy arrives
every 30 days. The original group has been in "the glade" for two years, trying to find a way to escape through a maze that surrounds their living space. They
have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change.
The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To by DC Pierson: Fifteen-year-old Darren Bennett lives in an entirely recognizable teenage world: he's
obsessed with science fiction and video games, bullied by his older brother, and completely baffled by the opposite sex. On the other hand, Darren's new,
socially awkward best friend, Eric Lederer, lives a life unrecognizable to everyone: Eric can't sleep, at all, ever, a revelation he shares with Darren in strictest
confidence.
Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue: In many ways, Jack is a typical 5-year-old. He likes to read books, watch TV, and play games with his Ma. But Jack is
different in a big way--he has lived his entire life in a single room, sharing the tiny space with only his mother and an unnerving nighttime visitor known as
Old Nick. For Jack, Room is the only world he knows, but for Ma, it is a prison in which she has tried to craft a normal life for her son. When their insular
world suddenly expands beyond the confines of their four walls, the consequences are piercing and extraordinary.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything
but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid
Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
Summer Reading Annotation for Symbolism
Incoming Freshmen Assignment
Symbolism is the use of any object, person, place, or action that not only has a meaning in itself but also
stands for something larger that itself, such as a quality, attitude, belief, or value. There are two basic
types of symbols, universal (a symbol that is common to all mankind) and contextual (a symbol used in
a particular way by an individual author.
Definition provided by Laying the Foundation
Assignment:
As you read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, mark your text (annotate) only for symbolism. Identify
symbols and explain what they represent. Think about what these symbols represent within the book and
outside of the book. Make an attempt to categorize symbols so you can think about the ongoing patterns
of symbolism in the book.
See the sample annotation for 9th graders provided on this website.
Please contact Joanna Ganci, Department Chair at [email protected] with any questions about this
assignment.
Swampscott High School English Department
Summer Reading Creative Options
English Department 2014
The English Department presents creative project choices for students in accordance with Swampscott High
School’s Mission Statement and Academic Expectations which state: "The mission of Swampscott High School is
to prepare students to succeed in a diverse and evolving global society by promoting academic and personal
excellence…” and, “Students will communicate effectively through multiple forms of expression and solve
problems through analytical and critical thinking.” Summer reading plays a vital role in maintaining students’
close reading skills and allows students to prepare for the challenges of the upcoming curriculum.
Expectation: Students must complete a creative project from the list below for one non-required reading. This
project is due the first day of classes. If you have questions about the projects, please email Ms. Ganci
[email protected]
CHOICES:
Soundtrack --Your project will have:
1. A list of at least 10 songs each with explanations of connections to the themes, mood, character, and/or plot of
the novel that is at least a page. These explanations will cite specific examples/quotations from the text and from
the song in your analysis.
2. An attractive and visually relevant cover for your CD case.
Artistic Response --Your project will have:
1. A work of art in response to your book using charcoal, pastels, oil, ink, paper, etc.
2. A one-page reflection on why in the text inspired you to create this piece that includes specific examples from
the text in your reflection.
Graphic Novel --Your project will include:
1. A four-page comic book adaptation of a chapter or important scene from your novel that includes words and
images.
2 A one-page explanation of why you choose this moment in the novel. Use specific details and evidence from
the novel in your explanations.
Film Adaptation --Your project will include:
1. Three important passages from the novel that you would include in your film version with explanations of why
you chose these moments and how they are connected to your thematic vision of the film.
2. A one-page explanation of your casting choices including images of actors you will cast.
Original Creative Writing --Your project will include:
1. Either a collection of shorter works that equal three – four pages OR a longer written piece that is a total of
three – four pages.
Swampscott High School English Department