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College Prep - 9th Grade

9th Grade College Prep English - Summer Reading Assignment

 

Dear Prospective Ninth-Grade College Prep English Students and Guardians,

 

The goal of the summer reading program is to provide an opportunity for you to read over the summer.  Research shows that students who read over the summer have a more successful school year than students who don’t. It’s also true that reading makes you smarter!

 

Three-Part Summer Assignment –

 

  • Part 1 – Read:
    • What do I have to do for this part? –
      • Choose ONE book from the choices offered below and read the story over the summer.

 

    • Which books to choose from –
      1. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer (Nonfiction)
      2. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg (Fiction)
      3. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (Fiction)
      4. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Fiction)
      5. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Fiction)

 

    • Where can I find the book? –
      • You can buy a copy of the book – Borrow the book from a local library – Download an eBook version from online.

 

    • When is it due? –
      • You will need to have the book read by the first day of school.

 

  • Part 2 – Double-Entry Journal:
    • What do I have to do for this part? –
      • As you are reading the story, you will need to complete the double-entry journal assignment for the book.
      • The directions and blank template for the double-entry journal can be found below.

 

    • When is it due?
      • The double-entry journal will be due to Canvas on the first day of school—no excuses, please. (I will show you how and where to submit the assignment when you enter class on the first day of school)

 

  • Part 3 – Small Group Project:
    • What do I have to do for this part? –
      • This part is a small group project, which will be completed during the first week of school with some of your new classmates.

 

    • When will I get specific directions for this part of the assignment?
      • I will give you and your group members the directions for the group project on the first or second day of school.

 

 

    • How can I prepare for the small group project?
      • You can prepare for the small group project by completing Part 1 and Part 2 of the summer assignment (reading one of the five book options and completing the double-entry journal for it).
      • When you enter class on the first day of school, you will want to make sure that you fully understand your story’s plot, its characters and its themes.

 

    • When is it due?
      • The small group project will be due to Canvas by the end of the first week of school (I will give you directions on where and how to submit during the first week of school).

           

 

Double-Entry Journal Instructions

 

You will complete an assignment called a double-entry journal. An example of one is attached below and a blank template is below for you to use if you choose. This journal is considered a during-reading activity that will help you understand your book on a deeper level. When you read, keep track of quotes that stand out to you. A quote doesn’t have to be something a character says. A quote is simply a piece of text from your book (1-3 sentences).  You’ll need to find at least 10 important quotes or ideas for your double-entry journal. I recommend spacing out the quotes you choose throughout your reading. Remember—your entries should be 1-3 sentences each. Your commentary should also be at least 2 sentences long. Your assignment is due the first day of school—no excuses, please, you have the whole summer to read one book.

 

When you look at the example that follows, you will notice that you write the quote on the left side of your journal. The right side is where you discuss the significance of the text you chose. Please include page numbers. Be sure that you choose text that stands out: Why did you choose these quotes or passages? You might choose a quote that allows you to picture or visualize something very clearly. It might be a part of the book where something unexpected happens. What is it about the text that makes you read it again? Don’t just choose something at random. Please pay attention to plot, characterization, setting, and theme as you read.  Please write neatly or type your journal. Your assignment is due the first day of school.

 

What's the purpose of a double-entry journal?
The purpose of double-entry journal (DEJ) is to allow you to express your thoughts and become more involved with your text. You “think on paper” when you use this strategy. There are times when you will complete double-entry journals for the text we read in class this year.

 

How does it work?
Divide your page into two with a vertical line down the center. On the left side, copy quotes from the original text that stand out to you for some reason. A quote doesn’t have to be something a character says. A quote is a piece of text from your book of 2-5 sentences. In the right column, write your personal reaction to the quotes on the left. These can be typed and printed out or hand written.

 

What should you write?
Write your reactions to the quote that you choose. Your reactions can include your own opinions, disagreements, interpretations, events in your life that the quote reminds you of (connections) or the author’s use of conflict, climax, foreshadowing, irony, or any other literary device. Consider your responses to be a conversation you’d have with the author.

  

In short:

  1. Choose a book from the five options above in Part 1.
  2. READ! Enjoy!
  3. Copy the empty table below to use for your double-entry journal.
  4. Include 10 quotes and at least 2-sentence responses per quote.
  5. Check your writing for errors or mistakes.
  6. This assignment is due on the first day of school.

 

Double-Entry Journal Setup

 

Left-Hand Side

Right-Hand Side

Quote from the text (2-5 sentences)

Visual reactions (What does the quote make you see?) You should include at least 2 sentences of commentary.

Quote from the text

Reactions (“This bugs, annoys, moves  . . . me because . . .”), reflections (“I wonder if. . .”), questions (“I wonder why…”) with possible answers (“Maybe because . . .”)

Quote from the text

Connections  ---   Text to text, text to self, text to world                                                                                                                       

Quote from text

Discussion of the protagonist, antagonist, plot climax, resolution of conflict, inciting incident in story, theme

Quote from text

Societal Questions (Topics related to race, class, gender  issues)

Quote from text

Explanation of a change in a character or unexpected plot twist

Quote from text

Explanation of title of book

 

Double-Entry Journal Example

 

Direct Quote:


“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Page 1) This is from the novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Literary Reactions


This is the first sentence of the book. When I first read it, I thought the writer was serious – it seemed like something people might have believed when it was written. Soon I realized she was making fun of that attitude. I wondered how much of the novel was written in that same way, and if I would understand the author’s humor. It is not too obvious. Will the entire story be about finding a good wife or husband?

 

Please feel free to reach out to us should you have any questions. We look forward to discussing your book with you in August.

 

Happy reading and enjoy your summer!

 

Mrs. Maggs (amaggs@ldsd.org)

Mr. Maggs (mmaggs@ldsd.org)

Mrs. Smith (mesmith@ldsd.org)

 

 

 

Summer Reading Double-Entry Journal (Blank Template)

 

 

Name of Book: _______________________           Author: _________________________

 

#

Direct Quote (in quotation marks with pg. #)

Literary Reactions

1

[As you type, the boxes will need to grow]

 

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