English II: American Literature
Summer Reading Assignment 2015-2016
The following summer reading assignments are required for submission to your English teacher by several dates
over the course of the summer. All work should be submitted via Edmodo. Please see accompanying directions
on how to join the class Edmodo group. You must complete all work yourself without consulting outside sources.
Each of the assignments below should focus on either A Raisin in the Sun or The Catcher in the Rye (your
choice—you may do all of your assignments on one of these texts or choose different texts for different dates).
Regardless of which text(s) you choose to complete assignments on, be sure that you read BOTH A Raisin in the
Sun or The Catcher in the Rye over the summer and are prepared to discuss them.
Assignment #1
By July 15: Choose one of the following questions and answer it in a paragraph. In the paragraph, be sure to
have a topic sentence and include at least two quotes from the text to support your response. (Make sure to
include the author’s last name and the page number for each quote, using MLA format. Refer to your Hacker
guide or see your English teacher to ensure you do this correctly.)
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Consider one of the characters in the text. How does that character form and shape his or her
identity? In other words, how does the character define who he or she is?
•
How does conflict lead to change for the characters?
•
Consider one of the characters. How is the character transformed through his or her relationships
with others?
Upload this assignment as a Word document through the “Turn in” option posted on the Edmodo English II
Summer Reading group page.
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The remaining two assignments will ask you to consider themes from the texts. Use the following themes to
help you.
If you are responding based on A Raisin in the Sun, consider themes such as
• education
• family
• work
• materialism
• prejudice
If you are responding based on The Catcher in the Rye, consider themes such as
• isolation
• rebelling against society
• the process of growing up
• insincerity (“phoniness”)
• self-expression
Assignment #2:
By August 12: As a response to the post labeled Assignment 2 on the group page, submit a post that includes a
link to an online newspaper or magazine article (should be current—within a year) that connects to one of the
themes listed above for either A Raisin in the Sun or The Catcher in the Rye. With the link, please also include a
paragraph in which you explain the connection between the article and the theme from the text. Use at least one
quote from the text to support your response (citing in MLA format).
Assignment #3:
By September 9: As a response to the post labeled Assignment 3 on the group page, submit a post that includes
a link to a visual that you believe symbolizes a key theme, question, or idea from either A Raisin in the Sun or The
Catcher in the Rye. If you would like to create your own visual or submit a photograph, you may upload the
visual with your response. If you do not create your own visual representation, include a citation (in MLA
format) of the original source of the visual. Include the citation at the end of your post. (Refer to your Hacker
guide or see your English teacher to ensure you do this correctly). Include a paragraph in which you explain how
the visual connects to the theme. Use at least one quote from the text to support your response (citing in MLA
format).
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When you return to school:
Be prepared to complete another assignment on your CHOICE book (from the list of options); this assignment
will be given in September.
Enjoy your reading! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the texts.