Upper School Summer Required Assignments Books & Topics General Requirements: Choose the books and topics according to your placement in the rising grade (College Preparatory, Honors, AP). Prepare to write an essay or do a project on the assigned reading. You will be asked to present your reading notes or marginalia in class on the first day of school (10% of your summer reading grade). Credit for the essay or project is not to exceed 10% of the first quarter grade. Reading Notes: Reading notes are those notes that the student takes intermittently during or after the reading. Those notes may be in a notebook, on notecards, or word document. Notes are not to come from any outside source (such as SparkNotes). They are to come solely from the student s individual reading. Marginalia: Marginalia are those notes that the student makes in the text as the student is reading. They include underlining or highlighting as well as notes made in the margins (or on post-its ) commenting on what is underlined. No substitutions, please. Also, you must use the edition selected by the teacher. The summer reading books are part of the curriculum. Students may be asked to integrate what they have read in the summer with what they will read during the academic year. All students are reminded that they are subject to the Honor Code, and thus that they must read the works assigned without consulting any outside source, internet guides, or summaries. Students are not to use abridgements.
Rising 9 Ancient and Medieval Literature (9th Grade English) The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by Stephen Mitchell. ISBN: 9780743261692 Note: The story of Gilgamesh itself does not take too long to read. It s just over 130 pages, and the font is large and the margins are generous. But I d like you to read translator Stephen Mitchell s lively introduction to the epic as well, and that is another 60 pages. I recommend reading the epic first and Mitchell s comments afterwards. Please be ready to discuss both. -- Mr. S. The Epic of Gilgamesh introduces us to the way in which the ancient Mesopotamians perceived their world and universe. As with many ancient tales, we come to understand their values and culture through a heroic tale. How the hero changes, what he learns, and why this is important become central questions that allow the reader to evaluate not just the hero but his culture and, ultimately, what it means to be human. Please annotate your text and take brief notes to help you answer the following questions: 1. How does Gilgamesh change throughout the epic, and what does he learn? 2. What does the story say about 1) being a leader? 2) being a human? Global Studies: Ancient and Medieval Worlds (9th Grade History) Ramayana (Entire work), translated by William Buck. ISBN: 9780520272989 The Ramayana is one of Hinduism s central sacred texts. There are many Ramayanas, yet the one you will read is the canonical one. It is also a love story, a road story, a there and back again set in Ancient India, real to many, mythical to others. Carefully read the story highlighting and composing margin notes as appropriate focusing on the primary elements of the Ramayana as a story its characters, the many settings, the twists and turns of the plot. Be prepared to discuss the lessons you take away from the tale and the possible lessons Indians, both Ancient and Modern, may derive from the work.
Rising 10th World Literature Honors (10 th grade English) Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment, translated by R. Pevear and L. Volokhonsky. ISBN: 9780679734505 Crime and Punishment follows its tortured central character, Raskolnikov, as he commits a horrific crime and then must live in the aftermath of that act. Prepare reading notes or marginalia in order to write about one of the following essay questions: 1. Consider Crime and Punishment as a finely wrought detective story, and prepare notes for an essay that explores the relationship between Raskolnikov and Porfiry. 2. Consider Crime and Punishment as an exploration into Raskolnikov s conscience. How does his conscience evolve? World Literature College Preparatory (10 th grade English) Gaarder, Jostein. Sophie s World. ISBN: 9780374530716 In large part, Sophie s World is an epistolary novel. In an epistolary novel, the exchange of letters develops both plot and character. In this particular novel, the letters, written to solve the mystery of Hilde, apply philosophical concepts to concrete, real problems. Sophie learns about a different philosopher and his philosophical concepts in each chapter. Do text marking of the book and prepare brief summaries (no fewer than three well-developed sentences) of each chapter. This assignment will be due on the first day of class and will be followed by a project on the book. Global Studies: The Emergence of the Modern World (10 th grade History) Greenfield, Amy Butler. A Perfect Red. Entire work. ISBN: 9780060522766 Carefully read A Perfect Red highlighting and preparing margin notes through the text considering especially how the author uses documentary evidence to support the telling of the story of color in European culture, society, and economy. In addition to margin notes, students should take reading notes and be prepared to discuss and differentiate examples of her use of primary (an original information source) and secondary (other scholarly writing) sources.
AP World History (10 th grade History) Greenfield, Amy Butler. A Perfect Red. Entire work. ISBN: 9780060522766 Carefully read A Perfect Red highlighting and preparing margin notes through the text considering especially how the author uses documentary evidence to support the telling of the story of color in European culture, society, and economy. In addition to margin notes, students should take reading notes and be prepared to discuss and differentiate examples of her use of primary (an original information source) and secondary (other scholarly writing) sources. Rising 11th American Literature Advanced Placement (AP Language & Composition) Howells, William Dean. A Hazard of New Fortunes. Entire work. ISBN: 9780140439236 Americans were uncertain about the future of their country in the late 1800 s. Millions of European immigrants had changed the makeup of society, industrialization had shifted the workforce to manufacturing, and the population was quickly moving from the country to the cities. While the economy grew rapidly, so did the gap between rich and poor, and a wave of protest movements gained momentum to fight government corruption, regulate business, improve working conditions, and reduce poverty. What type of nation would emerge from this struggle? Howell s novel is an exploration of these tensions in the highly charged atmosphere of New York City. Please annotate your texts and take reading notes to help you compose an essay on one of the following questions: Does this novel have a villian? Are the tensions depicted in the novel identical to those in America today? What does the novel suggest about new and old wealth? American Literature College Preparatory Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. Entire work. ISBN: 9780061120060 One of the most celebrated American novels, Hurston s story focuses on a strong African American female protagonist in the South who struggles to live a life of her choosing. As you read, please annotate your text and take reading notes to help you compose an essay on one of the following questions: To what extent is race a topic of this novel?
You will quickly see the distinction between the voice of the narrator and the dialect of the characters. How does the juxtaposition of these two voices affect the novel? How is Tea Cake different from the other men in Janie s life? This book was out of print during the Civil Rights Era. What about the novel might audiences have objected to at that time? College Preparatory United States History Tuchman, Barbara W. The First Salute. Entire work. ISBN: 978-0345336675 Tuchman's work takes the reader through the complicated history of Anglo-Dutch- American relations. The First Salute references the Dutch island of St. Eustatius's formal salute to an American vessel, the first recognition of U.S. sovereignty by a foreign power. Start reading this book early as The First Salute covers much ground. As you read, prepare margin notes and/or reading notes focusing on the different individuals and their interactions as well as the themes Tuchman dwells on. Students should be prepared for a discussion comparing the Dutch, American and English perspectives as well as the role of individual personalities in shaping history. Advanced Placement United States History Tuchman, Barbara W. The First Salute. Entire work. ISBN: 978-0345336675 Tuchman's work takes the reader through the complicated history of Anglo-Dutch- American relations. The First Salute references the Dutch island of St. Eustatius's formal salute to an American vessel, the first recognition of U.S. sovereignty by a foreign power. Start reading this book early as The First Salute covers much ground. As you read, prepare margin notes and/or reading notes focusing on the different individuals and their interactions as well as the themes Tuchman dwells on. Students should be prepared for a discussion comparing the Dutch, American and English perspectives as well as the role of individual personalities in shaping history. In addition, students should answer the following questions: 1. What similarities and differences do you see between Dutch independence and American? 2. The American Revolution is our victory but also belongs to the Dutch and French. How so? Which British errors made our independence possible? These responses will be collected during the first week of class.
Rising 12th British Literature Advanced Placement (AP Literature & Composition) Woolf, Virginia. To the Lighthouse. ISBN: 9780156907392 Woolf s novel employs stream of consciousness, a narrative mode that reveals a character s thought processes. Prepare reading notes and/or marginalia to address the following question: How does this particular narrative mode both complicate and contribute to our understanding of the Ramsays? British Literature College Preparatory Forster, E. M. A Passage to India. ISBN: ISBN: 9780156711425 Students should prepare reading notes and/or marginalia that address the following subjects What is the meaning of friendship in this novel? What are the factors that make friendship difficult? How do the British see Indians, and how do they see themselves? How do Indians see the British, and how do they see themselves? These notes and/or marginalia will help students write an essay on the topic of Dr. Aziz and Cyril Fielding s friendship. Senior Seminar: Intellectual Responses to Modernity. Architecting Rights. Pinker, Stephen. The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence has Declined. ISBN: 978-0143122012 Pinker asserts that today we may be living in the most peaceful moment in our species' existence. Studying pre-history, history and psychology, The Better Angels of Our Nature investigates human nature and the role of the Enlightenment and its impact on the modern world. Students should prepare reading notes and/or marginalia as well as answer the following questions. 1. Summarize the six historical trends of declining violence Pinker sees. 2. Summarize the five inner demons of human nature. 3. What effect have the four better angels had on civilization? 4. What role does faith play in Pinker s analysis? 5. What role did the Enlightenment play in Pinker s assessment of the decline in violence? AP Biology Shubin, Neil. Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body. ISBN: 9780307277459 Shubin ties together most of the concepts taught in the AP Biology course by supporting the overall concept of evolution in a tangible, relevant, and mechanistic way. Prepare one
paragraph summaries of each chapter; this assignment will be due on the first day of class and will be followed by in-class discussion of the book. AP Statistics Huff, Darrel, and Irving Geis. How to Lie with Statistics. Norton, 1993. ISBN: 9780393310726 This project will consist of a speech and a poster for your chapter. We will select your chapter and discuss the due dates of each part of the project during the first class period on the year. The speeches will be 4-6 minutes long and be in front of the class. The poster will be 2 ft. x 3 ft. and will be printed. The rubrics that will be used to grade these are going to be given out in class. Also, more information will be given on how to create the poster. The speech and poster will combine to equal a quiz grade. Please make sure you come to school with the entire book read, and with any questions you have on it ready to go, because the expectation is that you will be able to start working during the first day of school. What you will cover should include but is not limited to the following: A. Summarize the section (teach the section). 1. What is the lie that the section addresses? 2. How is the lie accomplished? 3. How would a consumer recognize the lie? B. Give an example of it from the real world. 1. Create both a good and lying example of the data, using techniques explained in your section. Base it on something that you are interested in.