2013 Summer Assignments New Egypt High School Philosophy

2013 Summer Assignments
New Egypt High School
Philosophy
Current educational trends have proven that education must be a continual learning process. In order for the experience
to extend beyond the 10 month school year, it is imperative that our learners continue to exercise their skills through the
Summer Reading Program. Students are becoming year round learners with responsibilities to not only their family and
friends, but also to their continuing education and their future.
Research has shown a direct correlation between reading and improved vocabulary and writing skills, increased
comprehension, higher standardized test scores, greater global awareness, and overall academic achievement. These
skills are the benchmarks for well rounded, productive individuals.
In addition, the National Standards for Language Arts Literacy provides support for the rigors of summer reading:
"Furthermore, students in college are expected to read complex texts with substantially greater independence (i.e., much
less scaffolding) than are students in typical K-12 programs. College students are held more responsible for what they
read on their own than are most students in high school, for example. College instructors assign readings, not necessarily
explicated in class, for which students might be held accountable through exams, papers, presentations, or class
discussions. Students in high school, by contrast, are rarely held accountable for what they read independently.
This discrepancy in task demand, coupled with the vast gap in text complexity, may help explain why only about half of
the students taking the ACT Test in the 2004-2005 academic year could meet the benchmark score in reading (which also
was the case in 2008-2009) and why so few students in general are prepared for postsecondary reading."
From the Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards. Page 3
All projects and papers for both semesters of History will be due the first Friday after school begins.
World HistoryHonors
US I- Honors
US II - Honors
US II - AP
History Summer Reading Requirements
Required reading
1 Essay – 3 pages
See attached with
Stolen Voices:
rubric
Young People’s War
Diaries, From World
War I to Iraq
Required reading
1 Magazine project
See attached with
12 Years a Slave
rubric
34 Questions on The
Required reading
1 Essay- 3 pages
The Jungle
Jungle – see
attached
Required reading
The Jungle
Chapters 1-3 The
Unfinished Nation
Textbook
A biography of an
approved historical
figure
Chapters 1-3 The
Unfinished Nation
Textbook
Chapters 1-3 The
Unfinished Nation
Textbook
1 Test Grade
1 Test Grade
2 Test Grades (The
Jungle)
3 Test Grades
Outline Chapter1;
Answer questions
Chapters 2 & 3
U.S. History II Honors
Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle. ISBN: 0-451-52420-9
1. Read the novel The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
2. Complete the required questions and essay on the novel (see attached worksheet).
3. Be prepared for a test on the novel The Jungle the first day back in September.
All written work is due the first Friday back in September.
The Jungle
By Upton Sinclair
Read the novel The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. We will discuss the novel when you return in September.
Answer the following questions as you read the novel. They are designed to help you in your reading and
comprehension of the story.
1. What is the opening scene of the novel? Where and when is it?
2. What does this scene say about the values and culture of the novel’s characters?
3. Where are Jurgis and Ona’s families from? What kind of life did they have in the “old country”?
4. Where are they living throughout the novel?
5. What is Jurgis’ job?
6. What are conditions like in the stockyards?
7. Does the family get a good deal on the house they purchase? Why or why not?
8. What happens in Packingtown with each new wave of immigrants?
9. What changes do we see in the family’s life as they shift from a peasant to an urban-industrial life?
10. What happens during the winter in Packingtown?
11. When Jurgis is first approached by the unions, what does he think? Why does he change his mind?
How does the union change his life?
12. What does Jurgis learn about politics in Chicago?
13. What is the “trap” that Jurgis falls into?
14. What has Ona been doing unbeknownst to Jurgis?
15. Where does Jurgis finally find a job?
16. What is the job the settlement worker gets for Jurgis?
17. What is Jurgis’ life as a tramp like?
18. What is the purpose of the tunnel that Jurgis helps dig upon his return to Chicago?
19. Describe the nature of his life after he loses that job.
20. How does Jurgis fall into a life of crime?
21. What does Jurgis come to understand about power?
22. What happens to change his “plush” lifestyle?
23. Why did Marija turn to a life of prostitution?
24. What happens to change Jurgis’ life?
25. What are the socialist goals that Sinclair describes in the novel?
26. How are minorities (African-Americans, Indians, etc.) portrayed in the novel?
27. How does the novel end? Why do you think Sinclair ends it this way?
28. Upton Sinclair later said about the novel, “I aimed at the public’s heart and by accident I hit it in the
stomach.” What does he mean by this?
29. How did this novel contribute to social reforms in America?
30. Why do you think Sinclair titled his book The Jungle?
31. What do you think is the most graphic passage in the book? Be specific. Cite the page.
32. What do you think Sinclair’s view of labor unions were? Cite specific instances in the book.
33. If you could ask Sinclair one question what would it be? What do you think his response would be?
34. Do you think there will be another book that has the same social impact as The Jungle? Why or why
not?
Essay Assignment
Your assignment is to write a thoughtful, reflective, well-argued and documented essay on the immigrant
experience in the United States between Reconstruction and the First World War. What difficulties did
immigrants face in the United States? How did the social and economic conditions they encountered change
their lives? Did they find a promised land of milk and honey? How did their experiences differ from those who
already lived in the country?
A book review of The Jungle is NOT acceptable for this essay assignment. Neither is an essay which simply
answers the discussion questions. You are to write an original essay in which you develop and defend your own
thoughts and ideas on the immigrant experience. Use The Jungle, internet, and other sources of factual
information and examples in order to support the arguments you make in your essay.
Your essay should be about 750 words (3 pages) long, typed, double-spaced, follow correct essay format, and
include parenthetical citations as well as a works cited page. Be sure to proofread the essay for spelling,
grammatical, and typographical errors. Your essay and answers to the guide questions will be due the first
Friday back in September, and will be graded on content, organization, clarity of thought, and level of
argument. Extra credit of 5 points will be added for any papers turned in prior to the due date and will be
penalized one-half letter grade for each day that they are late. In addition there will also be a short multiple
choice quiz when you return.