Higley High School’s AP/Honors English Summer Reading Requirements

RATIONALE: Higley Unified School District prides itself on its performance of meeting and exceeding standards that are set by the state of Arizona. The summer reading program assists in meeting that endeavor. Summer reading prepares our students that are on track for college with a more rigorous and in-depth inquiry of challenging texts. These texts have been seen on multiple Advanced Placement exams and they are continually referred to directly and indirectly throughout a student’s college life. The school year does not allow for instructors to address all required texts, therefore adding a text during the summer helps ensure schools are closing the gaps in that area.

REQUIREMENTS: Students will read one of the texts for their specific grade level and write a one page report. The report will be due the first week of class. Students will also complete an in-class timed essay during the second week of school. Students who are new to the district will have the first three weeks to complete the assessment before the first grading period. All texts can be checked out at our library, surroundings libraries, or purchased.

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Analyze, and interpret samples of prose, identifying and explaining an author’s use of literary techniques.
  2. Using, creating, and sustaining arguments based on readings, research, and/or personal experience.
  3. Analyzing literary text, including plot structure, character, setting, theme, point of view, as well as the writing’s ethical, political, and cultural implications.
  4. A wide-ranging vocabulary used with denotative accuracy and connotative resourcefulness.
  5. A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordinate and coordinate constructions.
  6. A logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques of coherence such as repetition, transitions and emphasis.
  7. A balance of generalization with specific illustrative detail.
  8. An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, maintaining a consistent voice, and achieving emphasis through parallelism and antithesis.

HONORS ENGLISH 9: Per district administration, there will be NO summer reading project for this grade level.

HONORS ENGLISH 10: Per district administration, there will be NO summer reading project for this grade level.

AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION: Choose one- As I Lay Dying, Scarlet Letter,or The Crucible.

AP LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION: Choose one – Othello or Jane Eyre.

PROCEDURE: Students must create a report that will be no more than one page, typed, single-spaced, size 12 font (Times New Roman). Name, teacher, class, and date (in that order)

are at the top left-hand side on your report. Use proper MLA formatting. Label each section in bold faced type.

REMEMBER: THIS IS NOT A SUMMARY OF THE STORY!

Introduction (label) -

1. Title

2. Author

3. Setting (Time and Place)

4. Point-of-View

Body (label) -

1. Explain how the title relates to the story.

2. Identify three main characters. Discuss their personalities and how they interact.

3. Discuss some of the major conflicts in the novel:

  • External – man vs. man / nature / society; textual evidence to support
  • Internal – major decisions made by the characters; textual evidence to support

4. Discuss other major literary devices:

  • Irony (plot twists, unexpected occurrences); textual evidence to support
  • Symbols (characters / objects that have their own meaning but also represent something else); textual evidence to support
  • Satire—if applicable (holding a formal institution or character up to ridicule)
  • Others that apply

Conclusion (label) -

1. Identify the climactic moment. This should relate to the major external conflict.

2. What can we learn from this text (theme)? State your ideas in complete sentences.

3. List and explain three important quotes (page citations required) from the story. Why are these quotes important? (Must relate back to the theme.)

4. Give your opinion about the story. What did you like about it? Did you understand it? This part should include specific details to convince the instructor that you really read the story.

Total Points: 100 (50 points for the Reading Report Project, 50 points for the in-class essay)