Summer Reading Assignment
English I
The Odyssey: Part I Homer
p.860-892
As you read the selection, take notes on EACH section to help you organize
your ideas. Bring this with you on the first day of school.
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Choose ONE of the following paper topics:
Topic 1In order to overcome obstacles in life and to achieve our goals, we need
perseverance to keep trying to succeed despite impossible odds. In Homer’s classic
epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus is steadfast in his perseverance, even against the
toughest odds. His perseverance springs from his determination and longing to
make it back home to Ithaca to return to his kingdom, his wife, and his son.
Respond to the following question in a well-thought out paper: Explain how
Odysseus used perseverance to overcome difficult obstacles in his journey to reach
Ithaca – be sure to find quotes from the text to help support your explanation. Also,
write about a time in your life when your determination and perseverance helped
you to complete a goal or task that you felt was difficult to achieve and connect this
experience to that of Odysseus.
Topic 2 –
In Homer’s classic epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus remains loyal to his men and they
are steadfast in their loyalty to him as well. Odysseus's men follow him through
many dangers, such as their meeting with the dreadful Cyclops and the encounter
with the Lotus-Eaters. They all band together to help each other through these
difficult times. Their individual loyalty stems from their feeling of belonging and
identity within their close-knit group.
Respond to the following question in a well-thought out paper:
Explain how loyalty is displayed in The Odyssey through the actions of Odysseus
and his men, especially in the most trying times – be sure to find quotes from the
text to help support your explanation. Also, write about your own experiences with
being loyal to a person, a group of people, or a cause (best friend(s), family, team,
etc.). Explain what your role is in the group and how your loyalty connects you to a
sense of identity and a sense of belonging within the group.
DUE: September 3, 2014
 Typed and printed for the FIRST day of school
 Attach your notes to the final paper as well.
Formatting MLA Style:
Please use resources available on the NHS library website to correctly format your
paper and cite your quotes in MLA style.
 Be sure to note page numbers for any quotes that you intend to use.
 Include your last name and page number at the top right of each page.
 You do not need a works cited page.
http://nutleyschools.org/olc/page.aspx?id=1456&s=96
Organization of Paper:
Expect to write at least THREE full pages (typed, double-spaced), which you will
bring with you on the first day of school. As with ALL classes at NHS, you are
expected to have access to a computer and printer. If this is not the case, you must
make arrangements to use the library or computer lab at school.
Introduction:
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Address the overall topic in your introduction and include the title and author
of text.
Discuss a general overview of plot, which should tie into the topic of
perseverance or loyalty. You may want to explain these terms as well.
End the introduction with your thesis statement. What argument do you plan
to make?
Body Paragraphs:
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Discuss how Odysseus and his men demonstrate perseverance or loyalty
throughout the text.
Work chronologically throughout the text—from beginning to end.
Choose FOUR-FIVE quotes that support your argument and cite them in MLA
format.
Be sure to fully explain the quote and tie it back to your thesis on
perseverance or loyalty.
This section should be TWO to THREE paragraphs in total.
Personal Reflection:
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In a new paragraph, focus on your own experiences with the topic.
Give details and make this personal. We want to learn about you!
Be sure to tie your discussion back to your thesis on perseverance or loyalty.
Conclusion:
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Bring your argument to a close, but do not restate your thesis.
Add NEW insights that you learned about yourself through the text and topics.
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How does the text apply to “the world” or life in general?
Assessment:
Refer to the following checklist and rubric for additional grading details.
Writing Checklist 9-10 Common Core Rubric
See the PDF of the full Informative Writing Rubric.
Focus—The text focuses on a topic to inform a reader with ideas, concepts, and
information to create a unified whole.
 Strong thesis/focus that is clearly arguable and takes a purposeful position
 Thesis statement is the LAST sentence of introduction paragraph and names EXACTLY
which topics or specific characters you will examine
 Connections made to the thesis statement throughout the paper
 Each quote thoroughly discussed and connected to the thesis statement/argument
 The text informs the reader with ideas and concepts to create a unified whole
Development—The text presents facts, extended definitions, concrete examples,
quotations and examples.
Audience—The text anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns
about the claim.
 Minimal summary of the plot
 Textual evidence is convincing, relevant, thoroughly discussed, and connected to the
focus
 Personal discussion and analysis is thoughtful and insightfully presented
 Conclusion supports the topic and examines its implications and significance
Cohesion—The text explains relationships between ideas and concepts; includes
appropriate and varied transitions and syntax.
 Overall text is cohesive, complex, and is a personal reflection of the writer
 Always uses a lead-in to quotes, and does not begin or end a paragraph with a quote
 Lead-ins such as—“This quote means” or “It says”— are avoided
 Quotes not summarized – no ellipses at beginning or end of quote (“…”) except when
removing sentences from a long quote
 Transitions are used effectively
 Conclusion is interesting, thoughtful, and brings the overall focus to an appropriate close
Language, Style, and Conventions: The text presents a formal, objective tone that
demonstrates standard English conventions of usage and mechanics along with
discipline-specific requirements (i.e. MLA).
 Presents an engaging, personal, insightful tone
 Uses sophisticated language
 Title is always italicized and the author is included in introduction
 Quotes cited correctly in MLA style
 MLA formatting is used throughout paper
 Contains no spelling or grammatical errors—including proper capitalization
 No outside sources consulted
 Submitted to www.turnitin.com