 |
|
||||||
|
| ||
 |
2010 Summer Reading List Radnor High School English Department
Click to jump to summer assignments for departments other than English: Art ... Social Studies
Radnor High School's English department assigns summer reading for all of its English courses. For your reference, we have made this webpage, complete with the list of titles for all classes, to help you complete the summer reading requirements. Students are expected to return in September having read the book(s) and prepared to work with it (them). Teachers will teach the book(s) as part of an opening unit and/or ask students to write a paper on one of the first days of school. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Carl Rosin at carl.rosin@rtsd.org, or call the Radnor English Department at 610-293-0855, ext. 3519. Thank you in advance for your interest in and support of our program. (Note on the course numbering scheme: the first two digits are “01” for English or “00” for Interdisciplinary, the third digit represents the year in high school – e.g., “3” for 11th grade, the third year of high school – and the fourth digit represents the level: “0” for honors, “2” or “3” for college prep, “4” or “5” for academic. 11th grade college prep, for example, is course number 0132. Electives and the senior year courses are numbered somewhat differently: the third digit in multi-grade courses' numbers does not represent the year, and senior CP and academic use different numbering for the fourth digit.) class of 2014: 9th Grade ... Integrated Western Civilization ... Focused Reading/Writing We notify local bookstores and libraries of our summer reading list (click here to open a new browser window to read the website for the Radnor Memorial Public Library). We hope you have an easy time finding and buying/borrowing these books. Enjoy your reading this summer! Ninth GradePurpose: Pleasure reading Note: Although the English Department strongly feels that interest and maturity are the most important criteria you should use in choosing books, we also plan to provide a metric as a guideline in case you are looking for help in making appropriate selections. Most of the ninth grade book notes, below, are supplemented by information about the reading level (based on book’s Approximate Reading Level): easy, medium, or challenging. Grade 3-6 level reading skills would be sufficient for an easy book, grade 6-8 for a medium book, and 8-12 for a challenging book.
We also approximate a content level (as projected by the English Department and Literacy Coach), which refers to complexity or the required maturity level: young adult or adult.
You may read any book – these ratings are merely guidelines to help you make selections. It is very important that you note that some books may have content that requires more maturity than the instructional reading level suggests. Please read thoughtfully; if a book troubles you, talk about it with someone, and feel free to contact Mr. Rosin. COLLEGE PREP (0112) or ACADEMIC (0114) students, read any ONE of the following; HONORS (0110) students, read any TWO of the following.
Jane's pride and willfulness seem very modern, but it was controversial for a young woman to be so tough when this classic novel was first published in 19th century England. Will Jane find happiness despite her rough beginnings? Will she fall for the jerk? Will he remain a jerk?
In this futuristic version of the United States, reality TV features children fighting to the death as gladiators. It's an action book that will also make you think -- about both entertainment and what it means to be a human being in society.
On one level this is a story about baseball, but it really digs deeply into myth and the American dream. The baseball is good, and the story goes beyond it.
There are novels out there that deal with race and justice, novels that deal with teenagers, and novels that deal with all of these factors…but not many that also deal with bees. This innovative historical novel about a girl trying to remember her murdered mother has a lot to say about the American South – and about bees – but it’s mostly about human nature.
A horror story in which the monster is something we can’t see -- and it’s all true. This combination of science and suspense leaves doctors and researchers trying to stop a deadly and incurable Ebola virus.
Follow the brown rat through a maze-like, amazing history of New York City. Sullivan's idea is to teach us about the rat, and in so doing, teach us about the city that is renowned as its most popular home. His plan works beautifully...if you are willing to accept that anything about this often disgusting, sometimes dangerous, extremely flexible, and highly resilient creature is beautiful. The subject matter may make you squirm a bit, but you'll be happy that you squirmed through this fascinating history.
Ninth Grade Interdisciplinary (“Integrated Western Civilization”)Purpose: Introduction to some of the content and themes of the year You will read any TWO books listed on the Ninth Grade Reading List (above). Be prepared to work with both books in class when you return to school -- both should be completed BEFORE you arrive to class in September. (Note: Although one or more of these may have been made into films, you are reminded that all evaluation of your understanding will be based on the written works.)
Focused Reading/Writing 9/10Purpose: Focus on reading and writing skills. All students will read any ONE book from any of the 9th grade English department lists. Tenth Grade HonorsPurpose: Background for study of multi-cultural literature Important Note: Some of these books are full of mature themes, including injustice and violence and sex and cruelty – and heroism. Of course, these mature themes are often what make a book effective and important. If you find a story to be too disturbing, respect yourself and take a break from it. All incoming English 0120 students must read TWO novels:
AND
The class will discuss the novels during the first weeks of the new school year. Students should be prepared to write an essay or take a quiz or complete a short assignment on each novel. Also required: You must prepare yourself for these readings, each of which is about a culture quite different from modern America's. Come to school in September able to demonstrate (suggestion: some notes, some research) that you have activated some background knowledge about Afghanistan in the late 20th century (Kite Runner) and Japan and/or China in the mid 20th century (Samurai's Garden). Be creative: how can you find out about these topics to give you a jumpstart on understanding the stories built around them? Note: The Kite Runner has been made into a movie. If you want to watch the movie, read the book first; in-class assessment and discussion will be based on the book, not the movie. Tenth Grade College PrepPurpose: Introduction to some of the themes of the year – study of multi-cultural literature Important Note: This book is full of mature themes, including injustice and violence and sex and cruelty – and heroism. Of course, these mature themes are often what makes a book effective and important. If you find the story to be too disturbing, respect yourself and take a break from it. All students will read this novel: · The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini Students must have read the novel by the first day of school. Because the class may be working with the novel for some time, students must come to school with their own copy or a library copy that they can use in class. Note: The Kite Runner has been made into a movie. If you want to watch the movie, read the book first; in-class assessment and discussion will be based on the book, not the movie. Tenth Grade Academic (“Writing”)Purpose: Introduction to some of the themes of the year – study of multi-cultural literature All students will read ONE of these two graphic novels: · Persepolis (vol. 1), by Marjane Satrapi, OR Maus (vol. 1), by Art Spiegelman. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS! Use our literacy resources to help you: it is NOT a requirement, but you may want to print out and fill out this graphic organizer to help you as you move through your book. Mrs. Swinehart suggests this as a tool to help aid comprehension.
More about these choices:
Persepolis is a graphic novel in two parts, about a girl growing up in Iran in the 1970s and 1980s, when the Islamic Revolution turned the country upside-down. We ask you to read the first part, entitled Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. If you enjoy the first part, you can find Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return at any library or bookstore; many bookstores have the combined two-part story under the title The Complete Persepolis.
OR
Maus is also a graphic novel in two parts, in which the artist's father tells his story of being a young man in Europe during the Holocaust. We ask you to read the first part, entitled Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History. If you enjoy the first part, you can find Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began at any library or bookstore; many bookstores have the combined two-part story for this book as well.
These graphic novels – some refer to them as "comic books", but that's not quite an accurate label – are mature pieces of fiction, not kids' books, even if they are illustrated. Reading either one will also give you some insight that should help you with your World Studies course in the fall.
These are important, award-winning, and engaging books, with some humor and some tragedy (Maus is the more violent of the two). They will make you feel and think, we hope, which is part of what good literature should be able to do. When you feel and you think about it, please consider writing down your thoughts, maybe in a journal. They will be useful when we talk about the story in class.
Tenth Grade Interdisciplinary (“Global Issues”)Purpose: Background for interdisciplinary study of global issues Sections: Global Issues (Interdisciplinary 0020). Important Note: These books are full of mature themes, including injustice and violence and sex and cruelty – and heroism. Of course, these mature themes are often what make a book effective and important. If you find a story to be too disturbing, respect yourself and take a break from it. Read carefully, because you will be discussing, writing about, and perhaps even presenting them during the first month of school. All Global Issues students must read the following two novels:
AND
This class also requires the student to read up on international current events over the summer. That assignment is given out on a paper handout before the end of school .
There is a website for this course -- click this link to go see it! Focused Reading/Writing 9/10Purpose: Focus on reading and writing skills. All students will read any one book from any of the 10th grade English department lists. Eleventh Grade College Prep OR Eleventh Grade AcademicPurpose: Background for study of American literature. Sections: English 0132 (college prep), English 0134 (academic) Students taking English 0132 or 0134 in the fall must read the following novel over the summer. This story about justice in the American South reflects a unique perspective on a number of issues that concern all Americans.
As you read consider what you find uniquely “American” about the novel. Be aware of the world the author creates – that is, the time, the place, the traditions, the speech, and the manners presented. How does this book reflect the time period in which the story occurs? How does it deal with the issues facing the country then and now? Be prepared to discuss and write about the novel when you return to school. While it is not required for 0132 or 0134, you may want to pick up one of the memoirs (one of which IS required for students taking Honors or Viewpoints). Eleventh Grade HonorsPurpose: Background for study of American literature. As you read these books, consider the lives of the main characters in the context of the setting (time and place). We will use the books to introduce some of the year's themes. In particular, think about what these books suggest about America, and what "The American Dream" means. These authors -- and that includes Gaines along with the memoirists -- have a lot to say about this nation, although they may not say it explicitly; your task is to think carefully about the stories they tell and how those stories make us look at the land, its people, and what those people stand for. Section: English 0130 (honors). Students taking eleventh grade honors English will be required to read TWO books:
AND
Take a few minutes to look at Amazon’s or BN.com’s descriptions of these memoirs before you make your choice. We think you might enjoy either of them, but you should consider making yourself aware of a general topic and context (1950s? 1960s? the Midwest? social class? poverty?). Some disturbing stuff happens in these stories (mostly in Walls), so you should be prepared to put it down and step away if it gets too intense for you.
If you find you that you like memoirs and want to read some more, books that have been on this list in the past have included historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's Wait Till Next Year, about her childhood as a baseball fan on Long Island in the 1940s, and Walter Kirn's much more disturbing Lost in the Meritocracy, about his ambition to attend an Ivy League university in the 1970s and how disenchanted he is by what he finds when he gets there.
|
|
|||||||
| Copyright ©2002-2008 Schoolwires, Inc. All rights reserved. | ||