Outside Reading Assignment
Each semester, an outside reading assignment will be due for a major grade. Your outside reading assignment consists of two parts: group and individual. Both require students to continue reading outside of the classroom at their own pace while completing dialectical journals (DJ’s) as they read. Students are encouraged to purchase their own books, so they can annotate and take notes within the text itself. If assistance is needed, please email your teacher within one week of receiving this project (August 18th, 2017.)
Q. What is the difference between group and individual readings?
A. The group readings have been pre-chosen by the teacher, while the individual readings will be chosen by the student from a list of options. The two texts under “Group Reading” will be read by the student outside of class and used to drive instruction during class time. There is one group reading per semester. Two “Individual Readings” will be chosen by the student from the list of texts below. Students will read one individual reading of their choice per semester. Remember, both group and individual readings require students to complete DJ’s. Dialectical journals for both books will be turned in together on the assigned due dates:
Semester 1: November 30th
Semester 2: May 3rd
Q. What does this look like per semester?
A. Students will read a total of two (2) texts before Christmas Break, and two (2) before summer break while at home. To avoid procrastination, which would make completing this task exceptionally challenging, it is suggested students follow these guidelines:
First Semester:
● Read Lord of the Flies by October 13th.
● Read one of your choices from the individual readings by November 30th.
Second Semester:
● Read Of Mice and Men by February 23rd.
● Read one of your choices from the individual readings by May 3rd.
Students are encouraged to complete their DJ’s for each text as they read, as it enhances the knowledge and understanding of the novel. Procrastinating will prove detrimental to the goals of the outside reading assignment. For group readings, students who do not read, annotate, and complete their DJ’s by the suggested dates will be confused during class discussions and assignments. This would also make reading both books and completing the required dialectical journals simultaneously a hardship when combined with another classload. Consider this an exercise in managing your time wisely. Remember: The individual reading due date is not a suggestion; it is a hard deadline for both dialectical journals.
Group Reading List:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Individual Reading List:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zorah Neale Hurston
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
For Those Seeking a Challenge:
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
It is recommended that students, and parents, preview content before the student commits to a text.
Dialectical Journals:
Students will complete a dialectical journal for each text they read (see attached example from Night.) These journals will be collected at the end of each semester for a major grade. For example, on November 30th, students will turn in DJ’s for both Lord of the Flies and their first individual reading choice. Both DJ’s can be in the same document, but must begin on different pages and be appropriately titled. DJ’s must be completed on Google Drive and submitted via Google Classroom. The teacher will be inspecting revision history to ensure the integrity of each assignment. If there is a conflict, the student must communicate with the teacher within one week of the project being assigned (August 18th, 2017). For each novel, students will complete no fewer than five (5) entries. Most entries will stem from the student’s understanding of the following terms: Point of View , Internal Conflict, External Conflict, Simile, Metaphor, Diction, Theme, Tone, Foreshadowing, and Personification; however, new terms will be added throughout the year and should be demonstrated. All terms are expected to be used at least once within all combined DJ’s.
Rubric:
Exemplary / Proficient / Does not meet standardEvidence of reading / • Demonstrates strong reading comprehension
• Details are accurate;no erroneous information
• Identifies obvious and subtle connections between significant scenes/lines/plot points, etc / • Demonstrates reading comprehension
• Significant details are accurate
• Identifies obvious connections between significant scenes/lines/plot points, etc. / • Fails to demonstrate reading comprehension
• Contains erroneous information or lack of sufficient details
• Fails to make connections between significant moments
Textual analysis / • Analysis clearly “shows” rather than “tells”
• Explores how the words/ideas contained within selected quotes express significance
• Textual evidence is focused to exactly the words necessary for analysis / • Analysis attempts to “show”, not “tell”
• Able to express significance of selected quotes
• Textual evidence matches the ideas contained in analysis / • Analysis does not “show” (i.e.:does not rely on textual evidence)
• Fails to adequately express significance of selected quotes
• Ideas in analysis not directly connected to textual evidence
Depth / Broad selection of textual evidence
• Covers a wide variety of characters, scenes, themes/motifs, symbols, etc.
• Response demonstrates thorough analysis, perception, and original thought / • Adequate selection of textual evidence
• Covers a variety of characters, scenes, themes/motifs, symbols, etc.
• Response adequately analyzes the significance of the quote / • Insufficient selection of textual evidence
• Fails to cover a variety of characters, scenes, themes/motifs, symbols, etc.
• Response lacks analysis (i.e.: summary, questions, predictions, etc.) and/or original thought
Notes: