Summer Reading - 2008

English
 Social Studies

English Department Summer Reading Project

English Reading List
English Grading Rubric
The purpose of the summer reading project is multifaceted.  The following factors are significant to the program:

Criteria for selection for the summer reading lists for English:

If you have any questions, please email your student’s assigned English teacher (email is firstname.lastname@wheatonacademy.org) or Trish Main, English Department Chair at trish.main@wheatonacademy.org.

 

Annotated Title List for 2007-2008 English Summer Reading

FRESHMAN LIST

All Freshman English students will read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
The English faculty strongly advises that students take hand-written notes while reading.
Students may use their hand-written notes while writing their essays.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The insiders and the outsiders (the Socs and the Greasers) occupy the world of Hinton’s book. The hero, Ponyboy, is a greaser. When one of his friends, Johnny, accidentally kills a Socs, the boys run away to avoid capture. Although this was written in the 60s, the problems of teen life, gangs and cliques make it as real today as it was then. This is one book that every teen should read.

Students enrolled in Honors Freshman English choose one additional book from the following list. (Students will be notified of Honors placement by the end of June)

Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
This classic suspense story is narrated by a heroine who remains nameless throughout. The “Rebecca” of the title is her husband, Maxim de Winter’s, first wife who died a mysterious death. As the narrator deals with the memory of Rebecca and the overwhelming presence of grief and evil at the beautiful home, Manderley, the mystery deepens and explodes. A great read for mystery or suspense lovers.

The Chosen by Chaim Potok
While specifically about the difficult friendship forged by two boys from different Jewish sects, this story is actually about all devoutly religious people and the choices they need to make. It is a coming of age journey about the sons, the fathers and the power of love in post-World War II America and the newly emerging state of Israel. In addition, it is a fascinating look at Judaism.

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

Known for his science fiction writing, Ray Bradbury changes style to write a coming of age book about his own childhood. Douglas Spaulding, a 12- year- old boy in a small town in the 1920s discovers the beauty and quiet thrill of being alive. This is a work of brilliant writing that affirms the innocence of childhood. Many readers feel this is one of the best books about moving from childhood to adulthood.

SOPHOMORE LIST

All Sophomore English students will read Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
The English faculty strongly advises that students take hand-written notes while reading.
Students may use their hand-written notes while writing their essays.

Go to Mr. D's website to get a reading guide that will assist you in your preparation for your in-class essay and discussion in Sophomore English.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding
This book could have been the original source of the TV show Lost. A group of English schoolboys on a plane crash on a deserted island. Compelled to find food and shelter, the boys first try to build a community, but then revert to primitive/ animalistic behavior. No book does a better job of exploring the innate evil in all our souls. Riveting and thought provoking.

Students enrolled in Honors Sophomore English choose one additional book from the following list.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Honors Approved)
While the opening line, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man
in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” might lead you to believe that this is only a love story, it is not. It is primarily a novel about the follies of being proud and forming hasty first impressions. The book is filled with laughter, wit, satire, scandal and love. A timeless masterpiece much loved today.

(#) 1984 by George Orwell (Honors Approved)
“Thought police, Big Brother, Disinformation, Orwellian,” are all words which have entered our vocabulary from the publication of 1984. One purpose of this novel was to warn against a future where the government spies on the people, where independent thought is forbidden and where people are forbidden to love. While Orwell was initially writing about the Communist and Socialist regimes that have since fallen, the novel’s issues and ideas are pertinent today throughout the world. A novel for anyone concerned about his/her world today.

A (#) next to a title means the book may contain either profanity or moderate adult situations.

JUNIOR LIST

All students enrolled in Regular Junior English read Warriors Don’t Cry: Searing Memoir of the Battle
to Integrate Little Rock by Melba Pattillo Beals.
The English faculty strongly advises that students take hand-written notes while reading.
Students may use their hand-written notes while writing their essays.

Download the reading guide and a list of questions for contemplation which will assist in your reading and preparation for your in-class essay and discussion in Junior English.

Warriors Don’t Cry: Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock
by Melba Pattillo Beals
Beals, one of the nine black students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, AR, in 1957, tells an incredible story of faith, family love, friendships and strong personal commitment. Drawing from the diaries she kept, the author puts readers into her shoes as she struggles against those people in both the white and black communities who do not approve of her actions to end segregation. In this non-fiction account, the author brings to life the significance of the Supreme Court’s passage of Brown v. Board of Education.

Students enrolled in Honors Junior English read The Crucible by Arthur Miller plus one additional
book from the following list.

* The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Written by one of America’s best playwrights to protest the McCarthy Congressional trials of the 1950s, this play remains a fiercely powerful work of American theater. On the surface, it is the story of the teen-aged girls of Salem, Massachusetts, who, in 1692, accused members of their community of witchcraft. As the hysteria took over the region, the destruction and tragedy of the false accusations destroyed the town, reputations and, indeed, lives. As relevant today as it was when it premiered, this play vividly depicts one of the great American tragedies.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Set in the deep South of the 1960s, this is a story of abuse, neglect, forgiveness
and nurture. When Lily and her African-American nanny flee from Lily’s abusive father, they find refuge in the home of the Calendar sisters, three African-American sisters who are beekeepers. In this environment, Lily learns to “find the mother in herself” and to find her way in life. The historic setting of the period serves to enhance this coming of age novel.

In The Heart of The Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
In this lost at sea survival story, Nathaniel Philbrick weaves together the true story of the whale ship Essex’ssinking in 1820. Based on the incident that influenced Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, this work of nonfiction recounts how an infuriated whale sabotages and sinks a whale ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, leaving the few survivors adrift and struggling for their lives. Using their few resources and survival know-how, these men must navigate their way home, facing many obstacles and resorting to whatever it takes (even cannibalism) to stay alive. 

 (#) The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Driving a 1955 Volkswagen bug as far away as she can from her hometown in Kentucky, Taylor Greer suddenly finds herself in possession of an abused Indian baby girl. The remainder of the plot examines the early lives of Taylor and Turtle, their friends and their experience in Tucson, Arizona. Filled with interesting characters and quirky adventures, this story chronicles how Taylor masters independence, friendship and love.

 Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck
Better known for complexly plotted fiction, this is Steinbeck’s memoir of a journey across the United States in the 1960s. Accompanied by his poodle, Charley, Steinbeck rambles through America in his camper making observations about the problems of  traffic, trash, racism,  the “dumbing down” of education and the phenomena of retailing, to name a few. The observations of one of America’s major authors make a readable and entertaining book.

* Required for Honors level students. 

A (#) next to a title means the book may contain either profanity or moderate adult situations.

SENIOR LIST

All seniors choose one title from Senior List A. Honors and AP students will choose one additional book from Senior List B.
The English faculty strongly advises that students take hand-written notes while reading.
Students may use their hand-written notes while writing their essays.

LIST A
Regular English and Honors/ AP English: Choose 1

(#) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Enter a society where “soma” (marijuana?) is the drug of choice to navigate life, where mind-less activities entertain (video games and Internet surfing?), where babies are grown in laboratories (test-tubes?). This was Huxley’s prediction of society—only he wrote it in 1930. Compared by some to The Matrix, this novel is both science fiction and successful adventure. This is a classic which is eerily relevant today.

Night and Dawn by Elie Wiesel
A pair of brief, but not easy, works about the Holocaust and man’s questions about man’s inhumanity to  man. Night is largely autobiographical and deals with Wiesel’s guilt at having survived the Holocaust that destroyed his family. It is his search for God and for the strength to continue living in the aftermath of unspeakable horror. One might expect Dawn to present the hopeful continuation. Unfortunately, that is not so. Dawn is the fictional story of a man of faith and principle who is ordered to murder another. It is the story of the how trauma and suffering can shape a life. Night was a choice of the city of Chicago’s “One Book One Chicago” program.     

An American Childhood by Annie Dillard
The autobiography of one of the major Christian authors of today, Dillard remembers her mostly happy childhood in Pittsburgh. With power and strength, she recalls the magical moments of childhood from pitching baseballs to reading books to collecting rocks. Encouraged by a strong and eccentric mother, Dillard chronicles coming of age in an American city in the 1950s.

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
The question answered by the title of Hansberry’s play is, “What happens to a dream deferred?” Surprisingly fresh and current even though it was written in the 1950s, this play illuminates the dreams of various members of an African-American family. Mama’s dream is to own a house; Walter’s dream is to own a liquor store; Beneatha’s dream is to experience equality and freedom. The inability of each of them to realize his/her dream is what provides the powerful drama, the frequent humor and the moving emotion of this play.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...” is the famous opening line of this novel. In one of Dickens’ more tightly plotted and shorter novels, the French Revolution is depicted in all its bloody gore. Spies, mobs and terrorism reveal the darker side of the Revolution.  Filled with profound Christian symbolism about sin, forgiveness and salvation, this may be Dickens’ most satisfying novel. 

A (#) next to a title means the book may contain either profanity or moderate adult situations.

LIST B
Honors/AP English: Choose 1

The English faculty strongly advises that students take hand-written notes while reading.
Students may use their hand-written notes while writing their essays.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Orphaned as an infant, Jane Eyre is first raised by relatives and then placed in an
awful boarding school, Lowood. After finishing her education, Jane secures a job as a governess for the ward of Edward Rochester. The mystery woman in the tower, the battle between love and integrity and Jane’s development as an independent young woman help speed the pace of this marvelous gothic romantic mystery.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Cry, the Beloved Country has been called the most famous and important novel in South Africa’s history. It is an impassioned novel about a black man’s country under a white man’s law; a social protest against the structures of the society that would later give rise to apartheid. The deeply moving story of Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son, Absalom, is set against the background of a land and people torn apart by racial injustice. Kumalo fears that strict Zulu moral traditions, based on family unity, may be breaking down completely. It is a classic work of love, courage, endurance, redemption and hope.

(#) For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
One of Hemingway’s best known works, this novel examines love, war, dying well and living well. Robert Jordan, the tragic hero, is about to blow up a bridge during the Spanish Civil War. His emotions and thoughts over the course of three days conclude that all mankind is related; that what happens to one happens to all. Analyzing war is now, and always has been, an occupation of the thoughtful, human mind.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston
Almost every major African-American woman author credits Hurston with being
her inspiration. Lost to the literary world from the 1950s until the mid-70s,
Hurston burst back onto the scene with the help of Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker. The novel follows the growth and liberation of Janie, an African-American woman, through three marriages, many friendships, much pain and finally happiness. Capturing the cadence and rhythms of the southern vernacular, Hurston earned a solid place in the American literary scene with this novel.

A (#) next to a title means the book may contain either profanity or moderate adult situations.

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Social Studies Department Summer Reading Project

Social Studies Reading List
Social Studies Grading Rubric

In an effort to expose students to a wider variety of scholarly materials and to prepare them for college, the Social Studies requires students to read a selected book that will be used during the study of history this year.  All students are required to read a book, even if they are taking their history class second semester. 

Students who are taking an AP class will be notified of their summer reading assignment after they have received confirmation that they will be enrolled in the AP class.  Students in AP classes will read different material than the other classes.

In response to the book, the student will write a response paper that meets the following requirements:

This reading assignment will be listed on the student's transcript as a PASS/FAIL grade, stating whether they have met the requirements of the paper.  It will not count directly toward the students' grade in history class, however, if a student doesn't complete the assignment, they will not be able to receive credit for their history class. 

Download the grade rubric. Student papers that do not meet the standards for a "passing" grade in any of the areas will be asked to revise their papers until they meet the standards. 

Finally, there will be an in-class discussion during the first week of school where students will share observations from their reading and the class will discuss and analyze the book.

If you have any questions, please email your student’s assigned history teacher (email is firstname.lastname@wheatonacademy.org) or Kori Hockett, Social Studies Department Chair at Kori.Hockett@wheatonacademy.org.

Social Studies Summer Reading Selections

Freshmen (taking Ancient History) will read excerpts from the Old Testament.  Students should read Genesis, Exodus, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Ezra, and Daniel. 

Purpose:  This will provide the foundation for studying the ancient near eastern people groups who interacted significantly with the Israelites.  Students may read any version of the Old Testament that they wish. 

Questions - (Answer BOTH):

  1. How is reading the Bible as a historical source different from reading the Bible for devotional purposes? 

  2. How would you characterize the interaction between the Israelites and the Egyptians and Persians?


Sophomores (taking Modern World History or Honors Modern World History) will read: All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque.

Purpose:  This book will provide the foundation for the study of World War I.  This is the premier piece of literature about World War I, and in class, students will compare their reading of the book to the movie.

Question – (Choose one OR the other)

  1. All Quiet on the Western Front is said to be the “greatest anti-war novel of all time.”   In what ways does the author make this novel anti-war?

  2. How appropriate is the ending of the novel?  Why do think the author chose to end the novel this way?  What do you think the author is saying about war through the ending?

Juniors (taking US History, Honors US History or AP US History) will read: Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Purpose:  This book is an engaging story of the battle of Gettysburg.  While it is historical fiction, Shaara is a premier author on U.S. military history. Shaara does a great job of showing both the Northern and Southern perspectives of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War in general.  Various issues are brought to the surface: slavery, faith in God, and the causes of the Civil War.  Also Shaara does a fabulous job of portraying the leaders of the Civil War.  This will correspond with the study of the Civil War. 

Questions – (Answer TWO of the three):

  1. What was your favorite part of the book and why?  Please use various quotes and citations as evidence for your opinion.

  2. Which side would you support during the Civil War and why?  For the sake of a succinct paper, you will base this answer off of one issue.  Choose an issue (slavery, faith, or causes) and then choose a side to support.  Again, use quotes and
    citations from the reading to support your answer.

  3. Which leader would you follow and why?  Simply pick a particular leader from the reading and use evidence from the book to support your answer.  Some possible choices (but not limited to): Longstreet, Lee, Meade, Chamberlain, Armistead.

Seniors (taking Government and Current Issues) will read: Hardball by Chris Matthews
AP Government Assignment

Purpose:  This book introduces students to the "lessons" of politics through the study of past political figures.  It is considered to be a modern day version of Machiavelli's The Prince.  This book will lay the foundation for the questions of the class relating to ethics and politics.  Although the author of the book may or may not reflect the student’s political attitudes, the book is intended to be a study of how politics works, and hopefully students will read critically to find areas with which they both agree and disagree.

Questions - (Answer BOTH):

  1. Which political “lesson” did you think was the most important?  Why?

  2. What is the proper role of morality in politics – how does this book affirm or disagree with your Christian worldview?
We are very excited to expose students to these works that have made a profound impact on the study of history.

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AP GOVERNMENT SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT

As an AP student, your summer reading assignment is a little bit different than the standard summer government read.  You should still read Hardball by Chris Matthews, however, you will also read the book’s inspiration, Machiavelli’s The Prince. In his introduction, Chris Matthews says, “hardball is clean Machiavellian politics.  It is the discipline of gaining and holding power…but practiced most unashamedly in the world of public affairs,” (p.13).   So it is this concept that you will discuss and think about as you read these two books.  Keep in mind, the purpose of this assignment is to challenge your thinking – probably with ideas and information with which you disagree.  That is part of the intent, but don’t be afraid to think deeply about what these two works are saying about politics and how it is to be “conducted.”

For your essay, you should do the following:

1. Respond to two of the following prompts.  You should use examples from each book to support your answer and ideas. 2. Answer the following questions:

While you will not have a single thesis statement, you can tie the whole essay together using your answers to the two questions.  Make sure you use specific textual citations to prove your answers.  The essay should be 3-4 pages, typed, and use appropriate MLA format. 

You should bring your essay to class on the first day, as well as a copy of each of the two books.  I would still like you to email me an electronic copy to: kori.hockett@wheatonacademy.org, but please remember to bring your essay on the first day of school, as it will be the foundation of our discussion for the day.  Don’t hesitate to contact me with questions.  I am really looking for thoughtful analysis, so don’t be too tied down by a “format.”

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