Dear English 10 Student:
You will need to complete two tasks before the first day of class:
1. Read one of the following titles: The Art of Racing in the Rain- Garth Stein, House Rules Jodi Picoult, Wintergirls -Laurie Halse Anderson, Black Ice - Lorene Cary, The Secret Life of
Bees - Sue Monk Kidd, Eleven Seconds - Travis Roy, or Tyrell - Coe Booth.
2. Create a “Quote/Response” Journal with at least 15 entries as you read the book. These
quotes/responses MUST span the entire length of the book (beginning, middle, and end).
You will keep a quote/response journal by creating three columns (this can be written or typed).
1. The first column will contain a quote from the book that you believe is important/significant
to the novel.
2. In the second column, record the page number(s) of where you found each quote.
3. The third column is where you should record your response to each quote. These responses
could be questions, reactions, or connections that you had as you read this part of the book.
Sample Entry (from The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne)
Direct quotation
Page
#
Response
“Bruno slowed down when he saw the dot
that became a speck that became a blob that
became a figure that became a boy.
Although there was a fence separating
them, he knew that you could never be too
careful with strangers and it was always
best to approach them with caution.”
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This is when Bruno goes out exploring and first
sees Shmuel. Since Shmuel is on the “other side”
of the fence, it is clear that he is imprisoned in the
concentration camp, but Bruno doesn’t seem to
comprehend that. This also mirrors and symbolizes
the loss of innocence (for Bruno) that slowly
occurs throughout the novel.
“Bruno was sure that he had never seen a
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skinnier or sadder boy in his life but decided
that he had better talk to him.”
Why doesn’t Bruno stop and think about why this
boy looks so sad and skinny? It’s frustrating that
he doesn’t understand what is happening in his
own backyard. Maybe this is a metaphor for
society at the time? There were many that refused
to believe or accept what was happening during
WW II.
This assignment is due on the first day of school, even if you have English semester II. Pass
in your journal to your English teacher--sophomore teachers are listed on the other side of this
paper. This assignment should reflect your best work and should be completed individually and
without the help of any online sites or outside resources; plagiarized assignments will be given
an IWS.
This is an enrichment opportunity, and your grade on the assessment will be a summative in the
reading competency. The rubric for this task is on the other side of the paper.
Sincerely,
The Spaulding High School English Department
Summer Reading Rubric
Advanced
Reading The quotes and
responses are
highly focused,
organized, and
reflective, and
demonstrate an
in-depth
understanding of
the novel.
Support details
and explanations
are engaging,
detailed, and
pensive, and
demonstrate a
high-level
understanding of
the novel’s
literary devices.
Beyond Competent
Competent
The quotes and
responses are
completed, focused, and
organized, and there are
no inaccuracies present.
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.
Support details and
explanations are
thoughtful and show an
understanding of the
novel.
Not Yet
Competent
The assignment is
not completed, or
too few quotes and
responses are
provided.
The information
provided is
inaccurate.
If you have any questions about the assignment, please contact your English teacher:
Mr. Tom Power [email protected] (Rm 213)
Mrs. Breinne Famulari [email protected] (Rm 226)
Mrs. Kara Burton [email protected] (Rm 209)
Mrs. Susan Zoller [email protected] (Rm 203)