Freshman Honors Summer Reading Assignment #1
Ella Minnow Pea
By Mark Dunn
Summative Assignment: After reading Ella Minnow Pea students will have two tasks to
complete: a reading reflection and a quote list to support the book’s theme. All students
should deliver their reflections and quote list to their English teacher on the first day of
school. Your names will be checked off. No assignments will be accepted after this date.
This will count for a summative in your writing competency and reading competency.
NOTE: Failure to turn in this assignment will result in an IWS for this assessment.
TASK
1. Reading Reflection: Write a one to two page reflection after reading this book. Consider how
much you did or did not enjoy this book. Why was that? Is it similar to other books you have
read? What type of reading do you usually choose? Was this a difficult read or easy? Why? You
may choose to answer these questions or reflect on any other aspect of your reading experience
with this book and your reading experiences in general.
2.
Theme and Quote List: Decide what you believe the theme of this book is. Head your paper
with your choice of theme and list at least ten (10) supporting quotes from the text with page numbers
that you believe support this theme. In a well-organized paragraph, explain how the quote supports the
theme.
See rubric for scoring criteria
Summer Reading Assignment #1 Rubric
Advanced
Beyond
Competent
Competent
Not Yet
Competent
Reflection shows
thoughtful
discussion of
student’s reading
experience of this
text and general
personal reading
experiences. Quote
list has ten wellchosen quotes with
page numbers to
support expressed
theme. Theme is
expressed
thoughtfully
Reflection discusses
reading experience of this
text and student’s general
personal reading
experiences, but may be
superficial. Quote list has
ten quotes with page
numbers to support
expressed theme. Theme
is presented simplistically
or superficially.
Reflection does
not discuss both
specific text
reading
experience and
personal reading
experience. Quote
list does not have
10 quotes chosen
OR the list is
missing page
numbers OR the
theme is not
expressed
Ideas of reflection are
well-ordered and flow
logically and
seamlessly for effect.
Most ideas in
reflection are
presented in a fluid
and coherent manner
Many ideas in reflection are
presented in a fluid and
coherent manner, although
there may be some
choppiness to the flow
Reflection is
confusing to read,
seems incoherent,
or may veer off-task
Paragraph explaining
theme is wellorganized and flows
seamlessly
Paragraph explaining
theme is fluid and
coherent
Details
Details in reflection
are specific, vivid and
compelling. Quotes
are well-chosen and
theme is thoughtfully
presented
Details in reflection
are specific and
compelling. Quotes
are well-chosen and
theme is presented
coherently.
Details in reflection are
specific. All ten quotes and
theme are presented.
Discussion may be
superficial or simplistic
Details in reflection
are irrelevant OR
there is a lack of
details to provide an
accurate picture of
reading
experiences. Theme
may not be
presented OR there
may not be ten
quotes.
Mechanics
Features a great
variety of sentence
structure. Uses
appropriate word
choice. Spelling and
syntax errors are
minimal
Features a good
variety of sentence
structure
Uses appropriate
word choice
Spelling and syntax
errors are present but
does not greatly
interrupt reading
Features a variety of
sentence structure
Uses appropriate word
choice
Spelling and syntax errors
are present and at times
interrupts reading
Little variety of
sentence structure
Word choice is
inappropriate
Numerous spelling
and/or syntax errors
disrupt reading
Purpose
Organization
Reflection shows
advanced depth of
thought analyzing
reading experience
of this text and
student’s general
personal reading
experiences. Quote
list has ten wellchosen quotes with
page numbers to
support expressed
theme. Theme is
explained with
depth and thought
Paragraph explaining theme
is coherent,but may be
choppy and simplistic
Paragraph
explaining theme is
incoherent or offtask
Freshman Honors Summer Reading Assignment #2
Book of Your Choice (250 pages minimum)
with a Lexile of 900 or above
TASK: Write a triple entry log in a journal.
Summative Assignment: You will select three passages from the book. One passage is from the
beginning, one is from the middle, and one is from the end. With each passage, you will include the page
number, provide the context of the passage, and then make a personal connection to it.This assignment
counts for a summative in your reading competency.
See example below:
Passage
Context
“Not so fast! You’re driving too
fast! said Mrs. Mitty.’ What are
you driving so fast for?’ ‘Hmm?
said Walter Mitty. He looked at
his wife, in the seat beside him,
with shocked astonishment. She
seemed grossly unfamiliar, like a
strange woman who had yelled at
him in a crowd.’ You are up to
fifty-five,’ she said’ You know I
don’t like to go more than
forty.You were up to fifty-five.’
Walter Mitty drove on toward
Waterbury in silence, the roaring
of the SN202 through the worst
storm in twenty years of Navy
flying fading in the remote,
intimate airways of his mind.’’’
(Thurber 63)
Walter Mitty’s wife yells
at Mitty for driving too
fast which wakes him up
from one of his
daydreams. He imagines
himself as a Navy pilot,
but in reality, his wife
nags him as he drives
their car too fast.
See rubric for scoring criteria
Personal Connection
While I was trying to do some
reading for a class and prepare
for a lesson, I started to think of
the trip I would be taking to the
lake that summer. I imagined
swimming in the crisp, blue water
and spending time with my close
friends. I snapped back to reality
with a start when the bell rang,
signaling the end of my prep
period.
Summer Reading Response Journal Rubric
Assignment #2
Advanced
Reading The quotes and
responses are highly
focused, organized,
and reflective, and
demonstrate an indepth understanding
of the novel.
Support details and
explanations are
engaging, detailed,
and pensive, and
demonstrate a highlevel understanding
of the novel’s literary
devices.
Beyond Competent
The quotes and responses
are completed, focused,
and organized, and there
are no inaccuracies
present.
Support details and
explanations are
thoughtful and show an
understanding of the
novel.
Competent
The quotes and
responses are
completed, yet
some
components may
be inaccurate.
Support details
and explanations
are present, yet
may be lacking
in detail in some
areas.
Not Yet
Competent
The assignment is not
completed, or too few
quotes and responses
are provided.
The information
provided is
inaccurate.