2016 Summer reading assignment: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (General and Enriched Students)

Journal Assignment:

As you read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, you will keep a two-column dialectical journal (a journal in which you have a conversation with the book/author and analyze what you are reading).

For each part of the book, you will have ten (10) entries for a total of sixty (60) entries. Quality is the

most important consideration—your responses should be thoughtful and your writing should demonstrate your thinking! The total point value for this assignment is 90 points.

Do not refer to SparkNotes or any other type of study aid. You are better than that, and we want your brain engaging this material.

Your responses will be uploaded to www.turnitin.com. This site will check for plagiarism and similarities found within your work and that of other students at CMHS, as well as on the internet. Please take this into consideration as you prepare your work.

Your journal should follow the format below, and it is VERY IMPORTANT that you follow instructions. We have included samples from a ninth-grade reading journal. We have also attached a blank pre-formatted document for your typing convenience. You must use this form for your answers.

Types of Entries and examples:

1) Personal reaction or question: Explain question or reaction to the quote or incident. For instance,
“”Write quote” (#). OR Cite incident (#). You might question why an author did something or note where
This INCLUDES things you might you were confused about something. In other cases, you will write
personally relate to. a personal connection or reaction between the text and something
in your life, politics, or the world around you.

Ex. “It was a gentleman’s weapon, There is no such thing as a “gentleman’s weapon”: weapons are only
and something to be held in the highest used by barbaric peoples. The author only included this to show
regard” (170). How the Slayer society viewed life differently from ours.

Ex. “I still say that if you have nothing Today, many Americans believe that having their personal
to hide you have nothing to records and things of the same nature sifted through is no
worry about” (34). Bother because “they have nothing to hide.” No matter
what, your privacy should be respected.

2) Thematic connection to something Make thematic connections to other works of literature,
you have read or a movie you have movies, or other media. Be sure I can understand what you mean.
seen or work of art you have studied.

“ . . . the future held nothing but In The Giver the future was also grim. There was no hope for a positive
restriction and conformity” (113). Future. Things would never change and the future holds nothing.

3) Development of an important theme/idea.
“Write quote” (#). OR Cite incident (#)

“You influence by example of course (122). This is the theme of The Barcode Tatoo. By example, we show people
that life is useless without the tattoo. By example, you show how great
life is with it.

-format/instructions from Miss Carrie Anderson, CMHS