Summer Reading Assignment:
Pre-AP 9th Grade Literature 2015
Contact Ms. Lisa Mills for questions or concerns: [email protected]
FRESHMEN: You will read ONE novel this summer: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and complete the
grammar packet provided below. You will choose ONE essay prompt to respond to from the choices given
below. Your typed essay submissions should be brought to class the first day of school along with your
completed grammar packet. Read more below about the (I) essay assignment and the (II) grammar packet.
I. ESSAY
Directions: Choose ONE essay prompt to answer below.
(1) A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In
literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Using Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird,
focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the
characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
(2) Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel in which the relationship between two (or more) people is a major focus of the story.
Write an essay in which you explain why this relationship was negative or positive and either called people to be their best or
caused them to succumb to destructive impulses. What does the author want us to learn from this? Do not merely
summarize the plot.
(3) Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society
because of gender, race, class, or creed. In Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, discuss how such a character plays a significant role and
show how that character’s alienation reveals the surrounding society’s assumptions or moral values. Do not merely summarize
the plot.
(4) The most important themes in literature are sometimes developed in scenes in which a death or deaths take place. Using
Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, write a well-organized essay in which you show how a specific death scene helps to illuminate the
meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
Essay guidelines
 For your essay response, you should write at least 500 words.
 Your essay should be five paragraphs in length and include a clear introduction with thesis statement, supporting body
paragraphs with evidence from the text, and a compelling conclusion with an inference about Lee’s To Kill a
Mockingbird.
 You should type your responses in MLA style and title your essay with the novel and the essay prompt you chose. For
example, To Kill a Mockingbird Prompt 2.
 You should include the word count at the end of your essay.
 Your paper must be typed, and you should save an electronic copy of your paper. Be prepared to submit your essay to
turnitin.com during the first week of school. Your English teacher will give you instructions for this in class.
 DUE DATE: Bring a hard copy of your essay to class on the first day of school: Monday, August 3, 2015. Your
teacher will then give you instructions about how to submit your electronic copy to turnitin.com.
 LATE WORK POLICY: All late work will incur a 50% late penalty. If the late work is not submitted within 24 hours
of the original due date, the summer work will not be accepted, and a zero will be recorded in the grade book.
 PLAGIARISM POLICY: Any student found guilty of plagiarism will receive a zero for the assignment, will have their
parents contacted, will be referred to the honor council, and will be stripped of any academic honors for a full
calendar year.
Grading rubric
The essay responses are graded according to a 9 point scale. See commentary below:
9–8: These essays offer a well-focused and persuasive analysis of the topic. Using apt and specific textual support, these essays
fully explore the topic and demonstrate what it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Although not without
flaws, these essays make a strong case for their interpretation and discuss the literary work with significant insight and
understanding. Generally, essays scored a 9 reveal more sophisticated analysis and more effective control of language than do
those scored an 8.
7–6: These essays offer a reasonable analysis of the topic. They explore the topic and demonstrate what it contributes to the
meaning of the work as a whole. These essays show insight and understanding, but the analysis is less thorough, less
perceptive, and/or less specific in supporting detail than that of those in the 9–8 range. Generally, essays scored a 7 present
better-developed analysis and more consistent command of the elements of effective composition than do those scored a 6.
5: These essays respond to the assigned task with a plausible reading, but they tend to be superficial or underdeveloped in
analysis. They often rely on plot summary that contains some analysis, implicit or explicit. Although the essays attempt to
discuss the topic and how it contributes to the work as a whole, they may demonstrate a rather simplistic understanding of the
work. Typically, these responses reveal unsophisticated thinking and/or immature writing. They demonstrate adequate control
of language, but they may lack effective organization and may be marred by surface errors.
4–3: These lower-half essays offer a less than thorough understanding of the task or a less than adequate treatment of it. They
reflect an incomplete or oversimplified understanding of the work. They may not address or develop a response to how that
relationship contributes to the work as a whole, or they may rely on plot summary alone. Their assertions may be unsupported
or even irrelevant. Often wordy, elliptical, or repetitious, these essays may lack control over the elements of college-level
composition. Essays scored a 3 may contain significant misreading and demonstrate inept writing.
2–1: Although these essays make some attempt to respond to the prompt, they compound the weaknesses of those in the 4–3
range. Often, they are unacceptably brief or are incoherent in presenting their ideas. They may be poorly written on several
counts and contain distracting errors in grammar and mechanics. The ideas are presented with little clarity, organization, or
supporting evidence. Particularly inept, vacuous, and/or incoherent essays must be scored a 1.
0: These essays do no more than make a reference to the task. Mostly summary.
— These essays either are left blank or are completely off topic.
Grade Equivalents
Score
0 or --1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Average
0%
50%
60%
65%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
Letter Grade
F
F
F
F
C
BB
AA
A+
II. GRAMMAR PACKET
Directions: Read the packet and complete the numbered items below. Type up your answers in a Microsoft Word document
with appropriate MLA header and heading. You will submit this in class on the first day of school. You will also have a test
over these concepts during the first week of school. All of the required student work is typed in RED FONT. You may
access numerous grammar websites online to aid in understanding including the following:
www.chompchomp.com
www.owl.english.purdue
or numerous other websites
A. Sentence Types: Part I
Read and review:
Simple sentence: A sentence with one independent clause and no dependent clauses.
Ex. 1 My aunt enjoyed taking the hayride with you.
Ex. 2 China's Han Dynasty marked an official recognition of Confucianism.
Compound Sentence: A sentence with multiple independent clauses but no dependent clauses.
Ex. 1 The clown frightened the little girl, and she ran off screaming.
Ex. 2 The Freedom Riders departed on May 4, 1961, and they were determined to travel through many southern states.
Complex Sentence: A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
Ex. 1 After Mary added up all the sales, she discovered that the lemonade stand was 32 cents short.
Ex. 2 While all of his paintings are fascinating, Hieronymus Bosch's triptychs, full of mayhem and madness, are the real
highlight of his art.
Compound-complex Sentence: A sentence with multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
Ex. 1 Catch-22 is widely regarded as Joseph Heller's best novel, and because Heller served in World War II, which the novel
satirizes, the zany but savage wit of the novel packs an extra punch.
Student Practice:
1. Write a simple sentence about the protagonist of the novel.
2. Write a compound sentence about the setting of the novel. Circle each independent clause.
3. Write a complex sentence about the conflict in the novel. Underline the dependent (or subordinate) clause. Circle the
independent clause.
4. Write a compound-complex about the theme of the novel. Underline the dependent (or subordinate) clause(s). Circle
the independent clauses.
B. Sentence Types: Part II
Read and review:
Declarative sentence: makes a statement or expresses an opinion. In other words, it makes a declaration. This kind of
sentence ends with a period.
Ex. 1 “I want to be a good writer.” (makes a statement)
Ex. 2 “My friend is a really good writer.” (expresses an opinion)
Imperative sentence: gives a command or makes a request. It usually ends with a period but can, under certain
circumstances, end with an exclamation point.
Ex. 1 “Please sit down.”
Ex. 2 “I need you to sit down now!”
Interrogative sentence: asks a question. This type of sentence often begins with who, what, where, when, why, how, or do,
and it ends with a question mark.
Ex. 1 “When are you going to turn in your writing assignment?”
Ex. 2 “Do you know what the weather will be tomorrow?”
Exclamatory sentence: a sentence that expresses great emotion such as excitement, surprise, happiness and anger, and ends
with an exclamation point.
Ex. 1 “It is too dangerous to climb that mountain!”
Ex. 2 “I got an A on my book report!”
Student Practice:
5. Write a declarative sentence about Aunt Alexandra.
6. Write an imperative sentence given by Calpurnia.
7. Write an interrogative sentence asked by Atticus Finch.
8. Write an exclamatory sentence exclaimed by Mayella Ewell.
C. Common Usage Errors
Read and review:
Accept, Except
accept = verb meaning to receive or to agree:
He accepted their praise graciously.
except = preposition meaning all but, other than:
Everyone went to the game except Alyson.
Student Practice (Underline the terms):
9. Write a compound sentence about Scout correctly using the word accept.
10. Write a complex sentence about Boo Radley correctly using the word except.
Affect, Effect
affect = verb meaning to influence:
Will lack of sleep affect your game?
effect = noun meaning result or consequence:
Will lack of sleep have an effect on your game?
effect = verb meaning to bring about, to accomplish:
Our efforts have effected a major change in university policy.
A memory-aid for affect and effect is RAVEN: Remember, Affect is a Verb and Effect is a Noun.
Student Practice (Underline the terms):
11. Write a simple sentence about the Tom Robinson trial correctly using the word affect.
12. Write a compound-complex sentence about the Tom Robinson trial correctly using the word effect.
Advise, Advice
advise = verb that means to recommend, suggest, or counsel:
I advise you to be cautious.
advice = noun that means an opinion or recommendation about what could or should be done:
I'd like to ask for your advice on this matter.
Student Practice (Underline the terms):
13. Write a declarative sentence about the Radley family correctly using the word advise.
14. Write an imperative sentence about Charles Baker Harris (Dill) correctly using the word advice.
Conscious, Conscience
conscious= adjective meaning awake, perceiving:
Despite a head injury, the patient remained conscious.
conscience = noun meaning the sense of obligation to be good:
Chris wouldn't cheat because his conscience wouldn't let him.
Student Practice (Underline the terms):
15. Write an interrogative sentence spoken by Heck Tate correctly using the word conscious.
16. Write an exclamatory sentence exclaimed by Jem Finch correctly using the word conscience.
Idea, Ideal
idea = noun meaning a thought, belief, or conception held in the mind, or a general notion or conception formed by
generalization:
Jennifer had a brilliant idea—she'd go to the Writing Lab for help with her papers!
ideal = noun meaning something or someone that embodies perfection, or an ultimate object or endeavor:
Mickey was the ideal for tutors everywhere.
ideal = adjective meaning embodying an ultimate standard of excellence or perfection, or the best:
Jennifer was an ideal student.
Its, It's
its = possessive adjective (possessive form of the pronoun it):
The crab had an unusual growth on its shell.
it's = contraction for it is or it has (in a verb phrase):
It's still raining; it's been raining for three days.
(Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
Lead, Led
lead = noun referring to a dense metallic element:
The X-ray technician wore a vest lined with lead.
led = past-tense and past-participle form of the verb to lead, meaning to guide or direct:
The evidence led the jury to reach a unanimous decision.
Than, Then
used in comparison statements: He is richer than I.
Than used in statements of preference: I would rather dance than eat.
used to suggest quantities beyond a specified amount: Read more than the first paragraph.
a time other than now: He was younger then. She will start her new job then.
Then next in time, space, or order: First we must study; then we can play.
suggesting a logical conclusion: If you've studied hard, then the exam should be no problem.
Their, There, They're
Their = possessive pronoun:
They got their books.
There = that place:
My house is over there.
(This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)
They're = contraction for they are:
They're making dinner.
(Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
To, Too, Two
To = preposition, or first part of the infinitive form of a verb:
They went to the lake to swim.
Too = very, also:
I was too tired to continue. I was hungry, too.
Two = the number 2:
Two students scored below passing on the exam.
Two, twelve, and between are all words related to the number 2, and all contain the letters -tw.
Too can mean also or can be an intensifier, and you might say that it contains an extra -o("one too many")
We're, Where, Were
We're = contraction for we are:
We're glad to help.
(Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
Where = location:
Where are you going?
(This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)
Were = a past tense form of the verb be:
They were walking side by side.
Your, You're
Your = possessive pronoun:
Your shoes are untied.
You're = contraction for you are:
You're walking around with your shoes untied.
(Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
Student Practice
In Chapter 10 of To Kill a Mockingbird, the reader learns why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird:
“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I
asked Miss Maudie about it.
“Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out
for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
17 – 35. Type two (or more) paragraphs discussing two mockingbirds (one who does no harm but only brings joy) from
Harper Lee’s novel. You must correctly use and underline the following words in your paragraphs: idea, ideal, its, it’s, lead, led,
than, then, their, they’re, there, to, two, too, we’re, where, were, your, and you’re. Answer with complete sentences, and use
correct punctuation and grammar.
36. Write a definition for parallel construction (parallelism, parallel structure) in English.
37-39. Using characters from the novel, write three separate sentences showing parallel structure.
40. Write a definition for participle.
41. Write a definition for participial phrase.
42 – 45. Using characters from the novel, write four separate sentences using participial phrases, and underline the phrases.
46 – 50. Write five separate rules for comma usage in the English language. For each rule, write a sample showing correct
comma usage using examples or characters from the novel.