Trinity Christian School 11 th grade Summer Reading Summer 2015 Dear Trinity Christian School Students and Families: It has been a pleasure to get to know the creative and intellectual strengths of each of our students through the junior high/high school English program. This letter describes the summer reading program for the 2015-2016 school year. Comprehensive high school testing becomes terribly important when it comes to college acceptance. Reading for understanding and appreciation is a skill which translates to every other academic area. Our desire is that these reading assignments will provide students with the opportunity to read a literary work of interest to them as well as a time- honored classic chosen by their teacher. The goal this summer is to read for enjoyment as well as enlightenment. Please note that effort was taken to select a variety of books, including classics, biographies of inspirational Christians, and books by well known Christian authors. We encourage parents to be involved in their child's selection, and although these books have been recommended to be summer reading books by colleges and other Christian schools, we realize that not all the books may be deemed appropriate by all families. To this end, each grade level has a compilation of books specifically for each grade. The summer reading program requirements are attached. Provided is a list of books for each grade level as well as the requirements of the summer reading program in detail. Please call the school office if you have any questions. Have a wonderful summer as we look forward to a fantastic year. Blessings, TCS Secondary English Teachers
11 th Grade Required Summer Reading Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson In the swashbuckling adventure, Treasure Island, young Jim Hawkins, after finding an old map, embarks on a great treasure hunt where he is chased by pirates and villains, including the infamous Long John Silver. Student Choices The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne Set during World War II, a story seen through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences David Copperfield by Charles Dickens This classic is more or less an autobiography of Charles Dickens' life. "More or less" meaning that in most cases he does not use actual names, but makes up the scenery names of the people, but the events and general meaning remain the same. In a very interesting manner, Dickens narrates about David's life as a young boy and also as a young man. Through Flood and Flame by Henry Charles Moore An inspiring, uplifting, and challenging book on various Christian martyrs traveling down the pages of history. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave written by himself The autobiography of an escaped slave who became an eloquent spokesman for the Abolitionist Movement. *There are several websites where this book can be downloaded. The Iliad- by Homer The "Iliad" can justly be called "the world's greatest war novel." The terrible and long- drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns, and the heroism and treachery of the combatants have been unmatched. The Chosen- by Chaim Potok Chaim Potok's book The Chosen is a fictional book giving insight on the friendship of two young Jewish men. One is a Hasidic the other a reformed Jew, both from very different worlds. Walden- by Henry David Thoreau Walden is 'Thoreau's autobiographical account of his experiment in solitary living, his refusal to play by the rules of hard work and the accumulation of wealth, and above all, the freedom it gave him to adapt his living to the natural world around him. Moby Dick by Herman Melville - The classic saga of Captain Ahab and his monomaniacal pursuit of the white whale remains a peerless adventure story but one full of mythic grandeur, poetic majesty, and symbolic power. The Imam s Daughter: My Desperate Flight to Freedom by Hannah Shah (autobiography) - Offering a remarkable look at the lifestyle and beliefs of her family, and the rigid ideas of shame and honor they used to oppress her, The Imam s Daughter also shines a light on contemporary Muslim culture. Most of all, though, this is the inspiring story of Hannah Shah herself-how, through her courage and tenacity, she broke free from her culture and embraced a new life in the world beyond its confines The Slumber of Christianity by Ted Dekker - This is not one of Ted Dekker s typical books; rather than being a book of fiction, it is a look at the disillusionment that has lulled many Christians into indifference and how to awaken to embrace a new and living hope. Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult by DeWeese, Moreland - The authors explain philosophical concepts that affect all believers in easy-to-understand English What s so Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey - Yancey explores the question of what grace looks like in action ( on the street level ). Basic Christianity by John Stott - This classic book examines the historical facts on which Christianity is founded
Trinity Christian School Summer Reading Completion Form This form and the two book reports/ forms are due the first day of class Point deduction for each day late: 10 from the summer reading grade Signing this form is an indication of a student s good faith effort to read the text of the assigned novel in a close rather than superficial manner. Reading Cliff Notes, Spark Notes, Pink Monkey, Barron s, etc., listening to an audio book or watching a movie version are NOT substitutes for reading the novel. Such activities do not qualify a student as having completed the summer reading requirement nor do they promote the growth in language and imaginative experience that we view as important for our students. The student must read the selected book this summer and not fill out the report based on having read or listened to the book in the past. Student name: Class: On my honor, I have completely read the unabridged text of the summer reading books listed below. Student Signature and Date Title Date Completed 1. 2. For the parents: My student has completed the summer reading assignments according to the above requirements. Parent Signature and Date Every high school student is to read two books during the summer.
*Required Reading* The first book has been chosen by the teacher. While reading during the summer, the students will keep notes as directed below. This note taking technique is a valuable tool their reading comprehension. The students will use their notes when they take the summer reading test and write their essay during the first week of school. The test and essay will assess the student's knowledge, comprehension, and personal insight on the book. The essay topic(s) will be announced in class. NOTE REQUIREMENTS: All notes should be kept in a spiral bound notebook. Keep a character list o List the character. o As you read the novel, write brief phrases that identify those characters that you find important. o As you go through the novel, add to your character identification phrases. Write a chapter summary for each chapter. o On the first line, list the chapter by number and title if the text includes numbers and titles. o On the next line, give each chapter your own brief descriptive title. o Now skip a line. o After skipping a line, write a 2-3 sentence chapter summary. Use only two or three well-written sentences to tell what happens in one chapter. DO NOT USE more than three sentences! Writing these chapter summaries is an opportunity to practice concise prose. o You will forfeit points if you write more than three sentences for a chapter. The required summer reading counts as one test score. Points will be deducted for completion forms and notes that are submitted late. The test score will be determined as follows: Completion Form 10% Notes 20% (see instructions above) 30% (written during the first week of Essay school) Test 40% (will be given the first week of school) *Student Selection* The second book is to be selected from the attached list. Develop a READING LOG for this book with a minimum of ten entries. Each entry shall include the following: The date of the reading The pages read Personal reflections from the student on the material read At least one direct quote from those pages
The log may be typed or handwritten in a journal (composition book, etc.). Each entry must be at least one paragraph of between five and seven sentences. While the primary objective of these assignments is content analysis, please be aware that grammar and spelling errors will also be graded.