Summer Learning

Freshman English Summer Reading Information

Summer Reading: Read Animal Farm by George Orwell. 

Animal Farm, as the book jacket states, “is the most famous by far of all twentieth-century political allegories.” This deceptively simple story of a group of animals looking to change their status on the farm is also a dark allegory* of the Russian Revolution, but you do not have to know anything about 1917 Russia to read and understand the book. The story of these rebellious animals is often humorous, sometimes sad, and always full of insight into the ways that power and status can affect human interactions.

*a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one; similar to a parable or a fable

Instructions:  Read carefully for detail and meaning. Your teacher will be checking your books for annotations during the first days of the year, so read with a pen or pencil in your hand and make notes in your book as you read over the following:

• Characters and setting 
  • Mark character names and setting as they first appear
  • Make notes in the margins about characters, including each new character trait
• Literary Elements: Mark literary elements that you notice – allusions, symbols, figurative language, metaphors, similes, motifs, etc.
• Questions:  In the margins, note anything that seems unclear or that you don’t understand. 
• Theme:  Write notes about theme (the message the author is trying to present) in the margins or at the ends of chapters.  What does the author want you to get from this book?
• Summaries: As you finish each chapter, write a few bullet points that will remind you of the important elements of that chapter.  

Supplies: 
Every day, you need the book we are currently using, a charged computer, pens and pencils, and a mind ready to learn. 

Bring one of the following items to me on the first day of school:
Hand sanitizer
2 boxes of tissues
 

Honors English I Summer Reading Information  

Hello, Freshmen! I am excited about our year to come. Be sure to complete your summer reading and come ready to learn together. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Although you do not have an assignment to bring with you, we will be addressing these books in detail in the first days of school. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. 

Everyone will read two books (Don’t panic. One of them is very short.):

• Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill - A story told from two points of view, this book explores the experiences of a Japanese-American family just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We hear from the voices of Tai Chi, the son of the Japanese-American family and Evalina, a young Italian-American girl who has become his friend. Read carefully. Enjoy the story. 
• On the Horizon by Lois Lowry is a collection of poems about Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima, both major events in World War II. It also approaches the events from different perspectives. Although it is quite short, do not rush through it. Be sure to reflect on each poem and make notes. Some suggestions: 
• Read each poem more than once. They are short. It will not take you much time. 
• Read the poems aloud. I know this feels a little weird, but it will help you to hear what the author is trying to communicate. 
• Be sure to read sentences, not lines. 
• Think about the emotion communicated in each of the poems. Make notes. 

Basic Reading Instructions:
Read carefully for detail and meaning. Read with a pen or pencil in your hand and make notes in your book as you read.

SOME IDEAS ABOUT ANNOTATING:

• Write in the margin about important things that help you know more about the main characters.
• Write in the margin when you come across an event that you think significantly changes things in the story. 
• Mark information that seems to contribute specifically to meaning. Write words that will remind you of what you were thinking when you marked it. 
• Mark an important quotation from each chapter. 
• At the end of each chapter, write a brief, bullet-point list of the important events of that chapter. This is a very helpful tool later when you go back to the book for discussion and writing. 
• For On the Horizon, think about the emotions connected with each poem. Notice the ways that poems in each of the three sections are related to each other. Note anything that stands out to you, makes you think, makes you feel. Write some words so you remember what you were thinking. 

Back to school: 
We will not waste the first day of school! Come ready to talk and write about the books. You can expect a quiz or other assessment in the first couple of days of the school year. 
 
Supplies for class: 

• Every day, you will need some paper, some pens and pencils, and a fully charged computer. 
• Bring your charger to school with you! 
• Bring one of the following to me on the first day of class: 

  • a package of post-it notes

  • a package of brightly colored card stock.

English 200
Summer Reading Information

For English II, all students will read the following book. 

Unwind by Neal Shusterman (ISBN 978-1-4169-1204-0): In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would “unwind” them. Connor’s parents want to be rid of him because he’s a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev’s unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family’s strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can’t be harmed–but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away. In Unwind, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers’ ideas about life–not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Read carefully for detail and meaning. Read with a pen or pencil in your hand and make notes in your book as you read. Your teacher will be checking your books for annotations during the first days of the year.  

• Circle character names as they first appear and make notes in the margins about who the characters are. 

• Mark passages that indicate important character traits not yet revealed and write notes in the margin. You cannot simply highlight and underline.

• Underline or highlight specific sentences that stand out to you. 

• Write questions or comments in the margins. Your questions and comments should be higher-order ones, not simply obvious statements. You are essentially having a conversation with the author. (You should have a minimum of one note per page.)

• Write notes about the theme (what is the message the author is trying to present) in the margins or at the ends of chapters. 

• Write keywords at the tops of pages that indicate important events or thematic elements covered. 

• At the end of each chapter, write a few bullet points that will remind you of the important elements of that chapter. (So, a quick summary). 

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL: 

We will begin on the first day of school. It will not be a wasted day; be ready. 

• Bring your book to school with you. 

• Expect a quiz and other activities related to the book. 

SUPPLIES:

Every day you will need to bring the following supplies to class:

• Your computer charged and ready to use (Please bring your charger to class daily, as well.)

• The novel we are reading 

• Black or blue pen

• A pen of another color

Each students is asked to bring the following for the first day of class:

• A box of Kleenex (for class use throughout the year)

HONORS ENGLISH II SUMMER READING INFORMATION
TEACHER: Mrs. Bryant (sbryant@fwc.org) 

As an honors student, you will read two books for summer reading, one that is required and one that you choose. I hope that you might find time to read even more books on your own! Feel free to email me if you have any questions. 

Read the information below very carefully. I know it is long. Read all the way to the end. 

REQUIRED: 
Lord of the Flies by William Golding

• As World War II begins, a plane carrying a group of schoolboys, from kindergarten aged to around sixth grade, crashes on a deserted island. At first, this seems like a dream come true: a paradise with no adults. However, as time goes on, fear and disorder begin to creep in, and the boys struggle with an adventure that no longer seems so exciting.   

THE SECOND BOOK: 

• For the second book, you will be choosing. I have listed guidelines below, but you are not limited by a list. Please read the list of books that you are not allowed to choose because they will be covered in later classes. Please choose a book that you have not already read. 

How to choose: 
For this assignment, I would like for you to choose a fiction book (a novel) that is at least 150 pages long. You should choose a book that interests you and that challenges you. Please choose a book that is of an appropriate level of challenge for a student entering an honors level sophomore class. Also choose a book whose author was intentional about writing a meaningful story with strong use of language. The book you choose should allow for discussion and thought and deeper meaning. It can be a classic or something new. It is really up to you. Find something you will like reading that is still going to make you think. Remember that many books, though they might be enjoyable to read, were written mainly as entertainment, a few hours of escape, and are not intended to challenge thought and contemplation. For this assignment, you need something deeper than that. 

Some suggestions for choosing: 
Below are several ways that you might try to locate a book you would enjoy. It is not a checklist, just several suggestions. Be sure you look at the list of BOOKS NOT TO READ (below the chart). These will be on lists for our class time or for other classes that you might take later. You will need to explain your process in the assignment that you will complete in the first days of school. You might like to look at that assignment (see link below) before you begin this process. 

Suggestions for finding books: 

Look at lists…

• Summer reading lists for other schools, online lists of great books, prize-winning books (Be sure to think about the nature of the prize. “Best Beach Read” is not necessarily a good recommendation. Pulitzer Prize is.), etc.

Look at “lexile” range or ATOS ranking. You will need this information for your assignment. 

• The lexile range of a book is a computer-generated number that indicates a general range of difficulty of vocabulary and sentence structure. Generally, sophomore level books are around 900 and up, but I have seen some really good books that I would recommend to you in the lower 700s. Anything below 700 would probably be too low-level. 
• ATOS is a similar type of analysis of books. You can look this up for some novels.
• Email me if you have a question about a specific book. 

Look up reading level

• For some books, you can search the internet for reading level. Some sources give you a grade range and others an age range. 
• Sometimes books labeled YA (young adult) are really just middle school books, but some of them are really wonderful and at an appropriate level for this assignment. Be careful if you choose from this category. 

Read reviews

• Often you can find reliable reviews of books online. See what they have to say.  Remember that “best seller” does not necessarily translate to high quality writing. 

Go to Barnes and Noble

• Every year, Barnes and Noble displays books that schools have put on their summer reading lists. They also have tables of other reading suggestions. Thumb through a few and see what you think. 

Read a few pages. 

• Go to the library and open the book and just read a few pages. (You can also often find the first few pages of a book on Amazon and other sites.) See how you like it. Does that language feel like it is going to be a strong read, or does it feel too easy? 

Talk to others

• Your friends, family, teachers, or others might have really good suggestions if you let them know what you are looking for. 

Same author

• Look at the “Books Not To Read” list and consider reading something by the same author. 

Some authors and types of authors that are not really what you are looking for:

• John Green
• Nicholas Sparks
• Romance writers
• Mystery writers
• Action adventure writers 
• Often books that are in a series are not what you are looking for. 

Be aware of content.

• If you choose a contemporary book, you might find language or content that you might find offensive. When you are choosing, you might look at some comments on the content. Be sure that you and your parents are okay with the book that you choose. 

I want this book to be something of value, but I also want it to be something you enjoy. Don’t choose something you will hate reading because you think it is what I would make you read. Feel free to email me (sbryant@fwc.org) about your choices. 

Please DO NOT choose the following books: 

• 1984 by George Orwell
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Silas Marner by George Eliot
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

INSTRUCTIONS FOR READING AND ANNOTATING: 

Read carefully for detail and meaning. Read with a pen or pencil in your hand and make notes in your book as you read. You can mark anything that you think is important and that will help you remember what you have read. You might even write question marks in the margins by things you want to be sure to ask me about later. Do not just highlight; your annotations should include words and perhaps symbols that you develop and that have meaning to you. Annotating should be a conversation between you and the book. Read actively! 

SOME IDEAS ABOUT ANNOTATING:

1. Write in the margin about important things that help you know more about the main characters.
2. Write in the margin when you come across an event that you think significantly changes things in the story. 
3. Mark information that seems to contribute specifically to meaning. Write words that will remind you of what you were thinking when you marked it. 
4. Mark an important quotation from each chapter. 
5. At the end of each chapter, write a brief, bullet-point list of the important events of that chapter. This is a very helpful tool later when you go back to the book for discussion and writing. 

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL: 

We will begin on the first day of school. It will not be a wasted day, so be ready. 

• Bring your summer reading books to school with you. 
• Expect assessments of your reading right away. 

SUPPLIES: 

• Please bring a box of tissues the first day of school.
• Every day you should have the book we are studying, your computer charged and ready, pens and pencils, and an attitude ready to learn. 

I can’t wait to get to know you and talk about what you have read! Enjoy your summer. 

Mrs. Bryant

JUNIOR ENGLISH SUMMER READING INFORMATION

Each of the book choices below tells a fictional story set during a distinctive time in the history of the United States, spanning times from the 1800s to the 1980s. You are required to read only one.

BOOK CHOICES: 

Choose one of the following. 

• Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate – Based on a true story of a cruel orphanage director in the late 1930s, this book follows a family of children who are stolen from their home and put into an orphanage. They are promised that they will be returned to their family, but Rill, the oldest, soon realizes that these are lies and she must fight to keep her family together. 
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson – Set in the 1930s, this story follows a fictional woman who is one of the “blue” people of Kentucky. She becomes a book woman in Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project. 
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford – The story of Henry Lee moves back and forth between the 1980s and the 1940s, telling the story of friendship and loss during the Japanese evacuations into internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 
• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler – Listed in the “science fiction” category, this story follows the experiences of Dana who finds herself suddenly and uncontrollably pulled from her modern life in 1970s California to pre-civil war era Georgia. A mix of time travel, fantasy, and historical fiction, this novel will keep you in suspense. 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Read carefully for detail and meaning. Read with a pen or pencil in your hand and make notes in your book as you read. Your teacher will be checking your books for annotations during the first days of the year. What to mark? 

• Circle character names as they first appear and make notes in the margins about who the characters are. 
• Write questions or comments in the margins so you will be ready to ask your teacher later. 
• At the end of each chapter, write a few bullet points that will remind you of the important events of that chapter. This will help during class discussions, quizzes, and writing assignments. 
• Feel free to mark anything else that you feel is important. 

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL: 

We will begin on the first day of school. It will not be a wasted day, so be ready. 

• Bring your book to school with you. 
• Expect an assessment and other activities related to the book. 

CLASSROOM SUPPLIES:

Please bring one of the following on the first day: 

• A package of markers or colored sharpies. 
• 2 boxes of tissues

SUPPLIES:

Every day you will need the following supplies available:

• Your computer charged and ready to use
• The book we are reading (novel or textbook)
• Black or blue pen
• A pen of another color
• An open mind ready to learn

English 350 (Dual-Credit English)–Dr. Angelle Hebert
Summer Reading Information

 

Students must read one required book (below). 

Required for all students:

Same Kind of Different As Me: A modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together (by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, 2006)  ISBN: 978-0-8499-1910-7

Overview: 

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel. A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it. Meet Denver, a man raised under plantation-style slavery in Louisiana in the 1960s; a man who escaped, hopping a train to wander, homeless, for eighteen years on the streets of Dallas, Texas. No longer a slave, Denver's life was still hopeless–until God moved. First came a godly woman who prayed, listened, and obeyed. And then came her husband, Ron, an international arts dealer at home in a world of Armani-suited millionaires. And then they all came together. But slavery takes many forms. Deborah discovers that she has cancer. In the face of possible death, she charges her husband to rescue Denver. Who will be saved, and who will be lost? What is the future for these unlikely three? What is God doing? Same Kind of Different As Me is the emotional tale of their story: a telling of pain and laughter, doubt and tears, dug out between the bondages of this earth and the free possibility of heaven. No reader or listener will ever forget it.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Read carefully for detail and meaning. Read with a pen or pencil in your hand and make notes in your book as you read. Your teacher will be checking your books for annotations during the first days of the year.  

• Circle character names as they first appear and make notes in the margins about who the characters are. 
• Mark passages that indicate important character traits not yet revealed and write notes in the margin. *Books will be checked for notes. You cannot simply highlight and underline (without writing notes).
• In addition to your written notes, you may also underline or highlight specific sentences that stand out to you. 
• Write questions or comments in the margins. Your questions and comments should be higher-order ones, not simply obvious statements. You are essentially having a conversation with the author. 
• Write notes about the theme (what is the message the author is trying to present) in the margins or at the ends of chapters. 
• Write keywords at the tops of pages that indicate important events or thematic elements covered. 
• At the end of each chapter, write a few bullet points that will remind you of the important elements of that chapter. (So, a quick summary). 

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL: 

We will begin on the first day of school. It will not be a wasted day; be ready. 

• Bring your book to school with you. 
• Expect a quiz and other activities related to the book. 

SUPPLIES:

Every day you will need to bring the following supplies to class:

• Course text: Subject & Strategy, Eschholz and Rosa, 15th edition; ISBN: 978-1319131951) 
• Journal notebook
• Your computer (charged and ready to use)
• Your computer charge cord
• The novel/ book we are reading (spring semester only) 
• Black or blue pen
• A pen of another color

 

2024-2025 Senior English Summer Reading Information 
Teacher: Jill Benfer (jbenfer@fwc.org)

Book Choices: Choose one book (that you have not read for school) from the following list to read.  You will use your book as the topic for your senior research paper. 

• 1984 by George Orwell* (pub. 1949) – Many pop-culture references, including “Big Brother is watching” and the title of the reality show Big Brother, allude to this book. Although the year 1984 has come and gone without many of Orwell’s dire predictions becoming reality, his futuristic vision of a world where the government controls all aspects of life and monitors even the most private moments, is chilling. You cannot choose this if you read it in Dual Credit or AP English.
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon* (pub. 2003) –  A more recent novel than many on this list, Curious Incident (2003) explores the life of Christopher, a fifteen-year-old math whiz who is somewhere on the autism spectrum. Chris struggles with some of the aspects of daily emotions, but decides to write a book for school to record the details of a crime he is falsely accused of committing. This evolves into an adventure that he never expects.
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (pub. 1897) – Before Team Edward and Team Jacob, Bram Stoker wrote about Count Dracula, the genre’s defining vampire. Count Dracula, too often parodied as a ridiculous character with large teeth and a funny accent, is actually the center of this creepy, mysterious story that is much different from the image you know from pop culture. 
• Emma by Jane Austen (pub. 1815) – The source of the plot elements found in the cult classic 90s movie Clueless, Emma has experienced a resurgence of popularity in the last few years. One of Austen’s female protagonists, 20-year-old Emma Woodhouse declares herself a matchmaker, and as she good-heartedly meddles in the affairs of others, she finds her own heart also wrestling with love.
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (pub. 1818) – Although familiar in pop culture, this novel, framed by letters from brother to sister, tells the story of Victor Frankenstein and his creation. Considered by some the first sci-fi novel, the story explores the ideas of isolation utilizing traditional gothic elements. Readers are often surprised by how different this story is than the Halloween idea they may know.
• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (pub. 1861) –  Pip, one of Dickens’s arsenal of orphans, is fortunate in that although his story starts with a typically rough life on the marshes of England where he raised by his cruel sister and her remarkably decent husband Joe, Pip eventually gets to interact with some of the greatest literary characters of all Britain, including the coldhearted Estella and the monumentally jilted and bitter Miss Havisham. This Victorian story shows the unexpected path that Pip’s life takes as he continues to have, you guessed it, great expectations for what lies ahead.
• Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (pub. 1726) – Those familiar with this story probably associate it with the image of a well-dressed man washed up on an island where he is considered a giant. This satirical story mocking British daily life and politics at Swift’s time, though, was originally written in four parts, and it explores several adventures — actual giants! urination! magic! mathematicians! Yahoos! — that Lemuel Gulliver experiences over several years as he travels the seas.
• The Hound of the Baskervilles (pub. 1902) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - In this classic whodunit, Sherlock Holmes and his trusty assistant Dr. Watson investigate the mysteries surrounding the death of Sir Charles Baskerville. From shady figures to the possibility of the supernatural, Holmes and Watson must deduce what actually happened at the Baskerville estate before someone else is hurt.
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (pub. 1847) – Jane, orphaned, abused, and then neglected, exemplifies Brontë’s personal ideals of a strong-willed woman living Victorian society. Through her experiences living with her aunt, attending boarding school, and becoming a governess, she remains strong and questions commonly accepted ideas of her time as she searches for love and acceptance. 
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (pub. 1838) – Orphaned at a young age and living at a workhouse for the first nine years of his life, young Oliver Twist escapes a harsh apprenticeship only to find nineteenth-century England to be a dark place of cruelty, pickpocketing, and desperation. After a series of mix-ups and coincidences, Oliver finds that there is more to his life than might be expected of a runaway orphan.
• The Once and Future King by TH White (pub. 1958) – This collection of stories written in the 1930s-50s tells the classic tales of King Arthur and his court, arguably the greatest British legend.The novel on which DIsney’s The Sword and the Stone is based, this book’s tone is often lighter than many other versions of Arthur’s tale, but it is not a comedy. It faithfully presents the classic characters of Arthur, Uther Pendragon, Lancelot, Guenever, Galahad, Mordred, and, of course, Merlin, among many others. A classic hero’s journey, this novel shows the classic quest that is so often mentioned in pop culture and other literature. 
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (pub. 1813) – In one of her best-known and most popular novels, Jane Austen presents the character of Elizabeth Bennet, the second of five daughters of a country gentleman living in a small village near London in the early nineteenth century. Through the stories of the five girls, particularly Elizabeth who is unusually assertive and independent for girls of that time, Austen explores the issues of class distinctions and the limitations of opportunities open to women of the era. 
• The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (pub. 1989) – Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998, Ishiguro’s portrayal of what life was like during the years after the first world war for an English butler may have modern readers picturing images of the very proper, very British Mr. Carson in Downton Abbey. As he takes a brief trip through the English countryside, Mr. Stevens reflects on his service to “a great gentleman” and other meaningful moments in his life. This calm novel inspires the reader to consider the effect of career, choices, and purpose.
• Silas Marner by George Eliot (pub. 1861) – Wrongly accused of crimes and perhaps framed by his friend, Silas Marner, the nineteenth-century weaver of Raveloe, loses his home and the woman he was to marry. As he starts a new life, bitterly isolated and highly materialistic, his circumstances continue to change. As the novel continues, the author explores the needs for belonging, love, and companionship as well as commenting on the industrialization, religion, and classism of her time. 
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (pub. 1847) – Wuthering Heights, a story of passionate love and revenge, centers on the mysterious young man Heathcliff. It follows him from childhood to young adulthood, as he falls in love with his benefactor’s daughter, Catherine, who despite her love for Heathcliff, is engaged to another man; Heathcliff, too, marries another, and misery ensues. This story of star-crossed lovers is a true classic of the Victorian era.

*Books marked with an asterisk contain references or language that some might find offensive. For more information, please contact Sharon Bryant at sbryant@fwc.org. 

Annotate as you read: Remember that you’ll need this information for your research paper.

• Characters and setting - mark / make notes about character traits.
• Literary Elements: Mark literary elements that you notice – allusions, symbols, figurative language, metaphors, similes, motifs, etc.
• Style: Underline or highlight sentences that stand out to you. 
• Questions: In the margins, note anything that you do not understand. 
• Theme: Write notes about the theme (the message the author is trying to present) in the margins or at the ends of chapters. What does the author want readers to understand from this book?
• Plot: Write notes at the tops of pages that indicate important events or thematic elements. Mark plot elements like exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
• Summaries: As you finish each chapter, write a few bullet points that will remind you of the important elements of that chapter. You will find it extremely helpful to have a summary of each chapter when you begin your research paper.

First Days of School: We will not waste a moment this year in English. Come prepared!

• You should have completely and thoroughly read and annotated your book FOR A GRADE. Bring it with you. I will look at your book to check that you have annotated adequately and effectively. I will expect to see chapter summaries and the other items listed above.
• Bring your charged computer with you. You will need it almost every day in English.
• Expect a quiz, discussion, and other activities in the first few days of school.

Supplies: You will need to turn in the following supplies the first BLOCKDAY of school: 

• 1 school supply of your choice:
  package of pens / pencils / highlighters  OR
  mechanical pencil lead  OR
  kleenex  OR
  white or colored cardstock OR
  1 small pack of AA or AAA batteries OR
  $5 for me to just purchase whatever we end up needing the most
• 1 folder with pockets — brads helpful but optional — FOR THE RESEARCH PAPER
  (will not be a class folder)
• $$ to purchase your copy of Hamlet and Brave New World.
  (We get a discounted price by purchasing in bulk from the publisher; this is usually between $15-$20 total. I will let you know on the first day of school.)

2024-2025 Honors Senior English Summer Reading Information 
Teacher: Jill Benfer (jbenfer@fwc.org)

Because this is a senior-level and honors-weighted class, you have the privilege and responsibility of helping design the curriculum. At the beginning of the school year, you and your classmates, using the parameters that I have established, will be making decisions about the literary selections that we will be reading. I hope that you will be excited about the opportunity to help design your own course of study. 

That opportunity begins now. You also are going to choose your summer reading — again with parameters. Since you will be in an honors level class, please don’t take this level of choice as license to be lazy. Choose some good books! On the first day of school, you will turn in your completed forms, making a case for why your book choices are an appropriate level for an honors weighted senior class. See my email for an easier link to use. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EdL-ZMGrPtLZEU5FdahSOkkzqY_Mva5Qb378rc8hxwk/edit?usp=sharing). 

So here are the rules: 

• You need to choose and read two novels.
  (A novel is a book-length fictional narrative. Make sure that you are choosing fiction. Do not choose a memoir or biography. These are not novels.) 
• The two novels must each be at least 200 pages long. 
• You should choose novels you have not already read.

Other Suggestions about Choosing

What type of novel should I choose? You are free to choose:

• Classic or contemporary — These novels do not necessarily have to be things that would appear on school reading lists, just high-quality books. 
• Any genre that you prefer (See other guidelines. Some genres—romance fiction, action adventure, mystery—are just not going to be appropriate for honors level. Some are just escape fiction.) 
• Sometimes books labeled YA (young adult) are really just middle school books, but some of them are really wonderful. If you look at YA books, consider carefully.  

How do I determine if the novel is appropriately challenging?

The language/writing itself is probably somewhat challenging. How do you know that? 

• Open the book and read a few pages. Does it seem well written? Do you like the way the author uses language? (Often Amazon will give you access to the first few pages of a book.)
• Consider the “lexile” level. The lexile rating of a book rates the level of language. This is not an absolute number, but it can be helpful. A 12^th grade lexile equivalent is listed at 950-1220, but quite a few books that are 800 or above would be fine (and even some a little below, but you should check with me on those. For example, both The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak are below 800, and either would be fine choices.) Another similar rating is ATOS. You can look this up, too. 
• Do you find it on lists designed for upper level high school students or on middle school lists? 
• Look up the “grade level” or “age level” of the book. Sometimes you can find that. Sometimes books that are listed lower than senior level would fit into the “challenging and mature” subject matter, so don’t dismiss one immediately. However, if it lists below 8^th grade, it is probably not okay. It may be that the themes and situations presented are challenging and mature. Think back to Lord of the Flies in sophomore year. Even though that book is often seen as a lower read than sophomore level due to its language and style, the events and themes presented are more mature than a younger middle school student can fully grasp.
• Has it received awards? What awards? (Best Romance Novel or Best Beach Read is probably not what you are looking for. Being a Best Seller is also not always an indication of literary merit or challenge. Colleen Hoover-style books, for example, have not proven to be the greatest for this assignment.)

How do I get ideas about what to read? 

• Search for senior level reading lists to find a large number of titles. 
• Go to the library! They may have displays or lists, or you could ask a librarian! Our school librarians and public librarians will likely have some great suggestions if you have some interests in mind. Mrs. McWithey has a special novelist database and other resources just for finding great books to read!
• Go to Barnes and Noble and look at the table where they have displayed summer reading from other schools. 
• Consider the novels that will be read in the other senior level classes here at FWC that you will not be taking. The on-level seniors have a long list of classic novels for summer reading, and they read Brave New World during the year. The AP class will be reading several novels that would be accessible to you. You could also possibly consider classic works that you might have missed in junior level classes. Some of these would be appropriate choices for you. 
• Look at lists like “Books You Should Read before You Die” or “Best Novels Ever Written.” (Be sure to consider who published this list and what their goals were. Check titles against some of the other guidelines I have suggested.) 
• Look at book club lists and other similar lists. (Remember that some book clubs just like to read easy books and not challenge themselves, so do some further research on these titles.) 
• Look at Pulitzer Prize lists. These would make good choices. 
• Is it written by an author who has written other books used in your English classes? 

If you really do not know if a book is acceptable, email me, and I will get back to you. 

Supplies I will ask for the first full week of school: 

• 1 package sticky notes or tabs OR 1 box kleenex OR 1 can Lysol/Clorox wipes OR 1 package colored cardstock
• $$ for whatever novels you (as a class) select at the start of the year (this is usually in the $25-$45 range)
• Please bring your summer readers to class with you the first day; we will get started right away!

AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION - INSTRUCTOR: MRS. BRYANT

 

Dear AP Students,

I am excited about learning alongside you next year in AP Language and Composition. As you spend time frolicking in the sun, sleeping till noon, and binge-watching your favorite television series, please remember that you have reading to do in order to prepare for our academic adventure together. 

Please read the following books: 

• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - This is an autobiography of an escaped slave who became a major figure in abolition. This book is not very long, but be sure that you get an unabridged version.  (The version I have is the Signet Classics edition with an introduction by Peter J. Gomes and Afterword by Gregory Stephens, ISBN 978-0-451-52994-7.)

• Your second book will be a memoir or autobiography of your choice. Be sure you are choosing a memoir or autobiography and not simply a biography. I want you to encounter the first-person voice of these genres. Please read the full version of your choice and not the young reader’s version. (Please do not choose The Glass Castle.) Be aware that some modern choices might have content you will find offensive. Do some research and choose something you can enjoy reading. Please be sure to choose a book you have not read before. 

INSTRUCTIONS: (Due first day of class in August):

As you read, it's important that you thoroughly annotate your copy of the works. I know this may seem like a waste of time to you, but I promise that this habit will help you now and in future academic endeavors. Here are some suggestions: 

• Be sure to do more than just highlight passages. In fact, I prefer that you not use a highlighter at all. Instead, use a pen of a different color so that you can see it in contrast to the text. You should be writing words, drawing arrows, underlining, even drawing little symbols if that's your style. Words will help you remember later what you were thinking. 

• Annotating is really most useful if done as you read, not done later just to fulfill an assignment. 

• Think of your annotating as a conversation with the book or the author. You are actively engaging the text. 

• What should you mark? 

  • Things that stand out to you. Much of annotating is personal. 

  • Questions you have. Write them in the margin. 

  • Responses you have to the content. Write them in the margin. These can be conversational or emotional responses. 

  • Content that is particularly well-written. 

  • Content that is related to the author’s purpose.

  • Important character information. 

  • Shifts, contrasts, ironies in the narrative. 

  • Content that demonstrates effective or distinctive style choices (Remember that style is use of language, syntax (sentence structure), figurative language, symbols, motifs, description, etc.) Be sure not to just identify, but also comment on purpose and effect.  

• Be sure to make a brief bullet list of important events at the end of each chapter/section. This practice will help you later as you go back to discuss and write about the book. 

We will jump into these works immediately when school starts, so it is important that you have finished your reading by the first day of school. If you have questions about the reading or about the course in general, feel free to email me at sbryant@fwc.org. 

Supplies: 

• Colored pens for annotating. 

• Please bring a package of printer paper the first day of class. 

Please email Mrs. Baldwin for AP Biology summer work.

Freshman Honors Cultural Geography Summer Reading            
Mrs. Moore - Dmoore@fwc.org

 Hello, Freshmen! I am excited about our year to come. Be sure to complete your summer reading and come ready to learn together. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Although you do not have an assignment to bring with you, we will be addressing this boos in detail during the first few units of our school year. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. 

Summer Reading (To be purchased by the student):
The Epic of Gilgamesh.  NY:  Penguin Classic.
        ISBN:  9780140441000

Please make sure that you purchase this edition.  It is the most appropriate of choices and we will all be referring to it.

Basic Reading Instructions: 
You will not be tested on the content, however, please read carefully for detail and meaning. Read with a pen or pencil in your hand and make notes in your book as you read. 

Back to school: 
We will not waste the first day of school! Your teacher will be checking your books for annotations during the first days of the year.  You can expect a quiz or other assessment in the first couple of days of the school year.  We will be using Gilgamesh as part of a project in late August that will result in a test grade.
 
Supplies for class: 

• Every day, you will need some paper, some pens and pencils, and a fully charged computer. 
• Bring a separate notebook just for history.  We will fill it up over the semester.
• Bring your charger to school with you! 
• Bring one of the following to me on the first day of class: 
• a package of pencils (regular or mechanical) 
• A box of tissues

I look forward to meeting each of you in August.  Have a great summer!

Dual Credit Modern World History Summer Reading Information 2023-24
Teacher:  Mrs Moore

As Dual Credit students, you will read one book this summer and complete the attached guided reading before returning to school in the Fall. Please give yourself enough time to carefully read through the book. All the the answers can be found in the chapters, but they may require you to read a section over a few times to find it.

REQUIRED:

Machiavelli.  The Prince.  Please read the Penguin Classics edition.

• This book changes the way that governments and leaders look at their role and how to influence others. It is a “How To” book for kings and princes. Please read it carefully as he gives you many examples of how other leaders have both failed and succeeded.  While I will not ask you to remember the dates given, you will need to remember at least one example of how someone either succeeds or fails as a prince.

STUDY GUIDE

• I’ve linked a copy of the study guide for you to complete as you are reading through the book.  I ask questions over most chapters. 

• Please type your answers directly onto the document. Make sure that you do not leave large gaping spaces after each question.  

• The Prince Guided Reading

VIDEO SUMMARY

• I’ve also included a good video that gives you some summary statements about the book.  The video does not answer the questions directly, but it may give you a better idea of what Machiavelli is talking about for each section.

• The Prince

ANNOTATION

• Yes, you must annotate.  Annotation for History is a little different from annotations for English. Please:

  • Circle names
  • Box in dates
  • Summarize each chapter after reading
  • Write important information or guide posts for you to remember where to find important quotes or ideas in the margins.

• I will be checking your annotations when you return to school

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL

• Assessment:

The Study Guide will be due on August 17th.  It will be a Quiz Grade.

There will be a Socratic Seminar over the book which will be a Test

Grade. The Rubric for the Seminar will be given out and discussed a week before we sit down to discuss the book.

Having said that, welcome to the hardest class you will ever love.  I look forward to seeing you all again after the break.  Enjoy your summer.

 

Dual Credit Modern World History:

Textbook (To be purchased by students):

 Carter, James.  Forging the Modern World. 2nd Edition.          NY: Oxford Press. 2019.

      ISBN: 978-0-19-090189-9

Online Textbook (No purchase necessary):

      Modern World History:  Patterns of Interaction

 

Summer Reading (To be purchased by students):

Machiavelli, Niccolo.  The Prince.  NY:  Penguin Classics.

       ISBN:  9780-14-044107-9

 

Dual Credit Macroeconomics
Summer Assignment

PART I:
Read the book chapter attached “What’s to Love about Economics?” and answer the following discussion questions.
Be ready to discuss the article and your answers on our first day of class.

Discussion Questions:
1. What are some of the main reasons the author gives for why people should love economics?
2. According to the author, how does studying economics help individuals make better decisions in their
personal lives?
3. What examples does the author provide to illustrate the relevance of economics in everyday life?
4. In what ways does the author argue that economics promotes social welfare and the overall well-being of
society?
5. How does the author address the misconception that economics is solely about money and finance?
6. What role does the author suggest economics plays in understanding and addressing societal issues such as
poverty and inequality?
7. Based on the chapter, how does the study of economics contribute to critical thinking and problem-solving
skills?
8. What are some of the potential limitations or criticisms of economics that the author discusses in the chapter?
9. How does the author make the case that economics is a dynamic and evolving field of study?
10. In your opinion, what are some of the most compelling arguments made by the author about the value of
studying economics?

PART II:
Read over the selection from the first section of your textbook. Pay particular attention to the section on “opportunity
cost.” Write a short narrative (4+ sentences) about something you did this summer that properly illustrates the
concept of opportunity cost.

Dual Credit U.S. History
Summer Work Assignment

Rationale: The design of this summer assignment is to familiarize you with the textbook in terms of vocabulary, structure, and overall use. Secondly, I am intending on covering the material from the first chapter quickly in order to move toward the next chronological events in American history. Please be prepared to share your answers from this assignment on the first and second day of class. You may turn in this work digitally OR in hard copy if your computer access is limited over the summer.

TASKS:
Step 1: Read through Chapter 1 “Ancient America: Before 1492”
Step 2: Complete the graphic organizers with the information from the chapter.
Step 3: Read Peter Stearns’ Article “Why Study History?” Provide a quick summer and then create TWO questions that you could pose in a class discussion from the article.

Required Textbook:  The American Promise Eight Edition, by Roark and Johnson. ISBN-13: 978-1319209018

Required Textbook:  American Government - Stories of the Nation, for the AP course. Authors: Abernathy and Waples
ISBN 978-1-319-19536-6

Rising 6th Grade Summer Reading 

Choose one book from the list below to read and *annotate by Monday, August 19, 2024. **You need to be prepared to discuss and write about the novel in class.** 

Choices: 

1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

2. City Spies by James Ponti

3. Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander

*Annotate - write a note or ask a question in the margin of the book as you find yourself questioning what is going on in the story. At the end of each chapter,  list the 1-2 big events that happened within that chapter. 

Rising 7th Grade Summer Reading 

 

Choose one book from the list below to read and *annotate by Monday, August 19, 2024. **You need to be prepared to discuss and write about the novel in class.**

Choose one of the following: 

1. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor

2. Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool 

3. Heroes by Alan Gratz

Theme: Trying to hold someone back from their destiny: How does the main character(s) continue to seek ways to persevere through the hardships that they face?

*Annotate - take notes and ask questions in the margin throughout the novel. At the end of each chapter,  list 2-4 main events that happened within that chapter. 

Rising 8th Grade Summer Reading

Choose one book from the list below to read and annotate* by Monday, August 19, 2024.
**You need to be prepared to discuss and write about the novel in class.**

Choose one of the following:

• Refugee by Alan Gratz
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

*Annotate - take notes and ask questions in the margin throughout the novel.
Every chapter should have a list of 2-4 main events that happened in that chapter at the end of the chapter and a question.
____________________________________________________________________________
Theme: Triumph Through Perseverance : persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. In what ways do you see this theme in the book you chose to read? This will guide our discussion in August.

 

6th Grade Math Summer Work

7th Grade Math Summer Work

7th Grade Advanced Math

Pre-Algebra Summer Work

Algebra I Summer Work