High School Summer Reading 2016
Providence Christian Academy
Grades Nine through Twelve
- Select a novel from the list below; do not use an abridged version of any type.You will be keeping a reading log and completing a project for this book.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451
Cooper, James Fenimore. The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans.
Cather, Willa. My Antonia, O Pioneers
Douglas, Lloyd C.The Robe
Ferber, Edna. So Big
Forbes, Esther.Johnny Tremain.
Grey, Zane. Spirit of the Border, Riders of the Purple Sage
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The House of the Seven Gables.
Howells, William Dean. The Rise of Silas Lapham.
James, Will. Smoky, the Cow Horse.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird.
London, Jack. The Call of the Wild
Mitchell, Margaret. Gone with the Wind.
Sheldon, Charles. In His Steps
Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle
Speare, Elizabeth George. The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
Steinbeck, John.Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men
Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Wallace, Lew. Ben-Hur
- Keep a Reading Response Journal (Reading Log), in which you respond to the story. This is not a place to summarize what you have read. Rather, discuss the author’s style (sentence structure, use of imagery, etc.), social commentary, character development, et cetera (see #3 below). You reading response journal (or reading log) is due the first day of school, Monday, August 29, 2016.
- Reader’s Response Journal Format
- Your work may be handwritten or typed.
Computer: 12 pt. Times New Roman, with 1” margins; double space each entry.
Handwriting: Write in cursive; use blue or black ink; observe page margins; skip lines between answers. Write neatly and legibly. If I cannot read it, I will not be able to give you credit.
- Write in paragraph format. Use complete sentences!
- Be complete and specific in your comments.Your comments should indicate that you have read the book. Think before you write!
- Use formal English. You do not need to employ “big” words, but you should choose your words well. For instance, you should say “child” rather than “kid” and “man” rather than “guy.”
Do NOT use lazy English, such as “gonna.”
Do not use abbreviations unless they are standard (such as Mr. and Mrs.).
Since this is your response to the novel, you may use first person pronouns; however do not use second person pronouns.
Observe spelling, punctuation, and capitalization rules.
Observe correct verb tense, subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and pronoun reference.
Avoid sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
- Submit your work in a folder or notebook; include a title page with your name, class, and due date.
- Reader’s Response Journal Content
- Choose at least FIVE of the following topics. You may comment by chapter or by page increments (25-50, depending upon the length and chapter divisions of your book); however, you MUST have a minimum of FIVE (5) entries. Each entry should be at least a page in length; at the top of the page, write the date and the chapters and page #’s (November 17, Ch.1, pp.3-15); then skip a line and begin writing or typing.You may comment positively or negatively on the book; however, you must support your comments with examples from the book. (See back of page for list of entry topics.)
From what you've read so far, make predictions about what will happen next and explain what in the text makes you think it will happen.
What point of view is used to tell the story? How is this viewpoint effective? How would the story change if it were told from a different point of view (for instance, first person instead of third person or omniscient rather than limited) or from a different character’s perspective?
Why is a particular conflict important to the plot? (How does it advance the story? Does it help develop a character? Does it add an unexpected twist to the story?)
What does the author do to make you want to continue reading?
Analyze the author’s style of writing: use of imagery, description, sentence structure, etc. Include specific examples.
Comment on a theme, motif, symbol, character, etc. How does the author use it to reveal character, develop theme, or move the plot?
Comment on a character’s response to a particular conflict. Is it realistic?
Copy and comment on a quote or passage that catches your attention.
How do the character's actions affect other people in the story?
How does the author provide information or details to make the story seem realistic?
Were you satisfied with the ending of the novel? Why or why not? If you were the author, would you have ended the story in a different way? How? Why?
- When you have finished reading the novel, write ONE MORE ENTRY (#6) in response to the following prompt. Keep in mind that because good literature involves universal themes, a classic book will reflect Biblical principles – whether or not that is the author’s intention. For instance, Macbeth’s evil actions spring from an arrogant heart and ultimately lead to his own destruction. The Bible speaks of pride going before a fall (Proverbs 16:18), reaping what is sown (Galatians 6:7) and the wages of sin (Romans 6:23).
Select one biblical principle revealed in the novel – through plot, characters, and/or theme.
What is the principle? How is it revealed in the novel? Can you think of a similar story in the
Bible? [For example, David, a man after God’s own heart, opened the door to tragedy in his
own family when he committed the sin of adultery and murdered a man out of guilt; both Esther
and Daniel faced great danger when she took a stand for right. There are many such accounts in
the Bible.] Can you think of a Bible passage to support the principle?
- Summer Reading Project: also due on Monday, August 29, 2016.
Think of the novel as a play. Divide the story into five acts that follow the dramatic structure of a five-act play: Act I, exposition and inciting force; Act II, rising action; Act III, crisis/turning point; Act IV, falling action and climax; Act V, denouement/catastrophe.
On a standard size poster board (approx 2’ x 3’), reproduce the dramatic structure: include all labels.
List five events that develop the action in each “act”; indicate the inciting force, the crisis, and the climax. ILLUSTRATE YOUR DIAGRAM.
All text should be typed (computer), cut, and neatly pasted in place.
Put your name, class, and due date on the back of the poster.
Act III: crisis/turning point
Act II: rising action Act IV: falling action
Act I: exposition Act V: catastrophe/dénouement
inciting force climax
- Extra Credit: You may select a second novel from the list, read it, and create a “Facebook” page for one of the major characters. Contact me for more information on this project if you need directions. This extra credit project is due Tuesday, September 6, 2016, the day after Labor Day.
Reading response journals and drama charts are due Monday, August 29, 2016.
Extra Credit projects are due Tuesday, September 6, 2016.
Questions? Contact Mrs. Pyles at .