Summer Reading

Summer is a time for fun and relaxation, and none of us wants you to miss out on your hard-earned break. However, most students lose about three months of knowledge and skills every summer break due to little or no intellectual engagement. Since we care as much about your ability to retain the intellectual skills that you have acquired this past year, we encourage you to read at least two books this summer.

Summer reading is optional and extra credit for most students. For each successfully completed summer assignment, a point will be added to your quarter grade—no more than two points will be added even if you read more than two books. 

Summer reading is required for students in Grade 9 Honors English, Grade 10 Honors English,  AP Language and AP Literature.  Learn more about the required summer readings for these specific classes:

Optional Assignment

  1. Choose five (5) passages or quotes from each book. Your total number of entries for both literary works must equal ten (10).
  2. Copy each passage or quote on blank white paper and write the page number. On that same blank page, select at one (1) of the following reading prompts for each passage or quote. Each response must consist of at least 3-5 sentences. You will answer five (5) prompts for each book. Your total number of prompts (which are questions answered or statements explained) for both literary works must equal ten (10). Response Statements:
    • I really don’t understand why…
    • I agree/disagree wholeheartedly with the idea/statement that…
    • I think the message the author is trying to convey is…
    • This passage is similar to a time in my life when…  or This passage reminds me of the character "NAME" from the literary work titled "NAME"
    • This passage, quote, or excerpt is significant because…
    • How would you summarize the ideas expressed here?

 

Suggested Reading for Grades 9-12

These books are suggestions only. Click the link for each book to read a summary.

Response Sample

Sample of a strong response:

  • Title: 1984
  • Author: George Orwell
  • Page Range: 1-73
  • Entry #1: “The frightening thing, he reflected for the ten thousandth time as he forced his shoulders painfully backward… If the Party could thrust its hand into the past and say of this or that event, it never happened—that, surely, was more terrifying than mere torture and death” (Orwell 34).
  • Reading Prompts:
    • Question #2: How would you summarize the idea expressed here?
      Winston is participating in routine exercise in this part of the book. Everyone has to do it and if you don’t you can get in trouble. As he is doing the exercise, his mind wanders. He begins to think that his government is too controlling and gets off track. The woman in the Telescreen yells at him and he gets back to exercising correctly.