10th Grade Summer Reading Assignment Welcome to The University School! Your tenth­grade English teachers have selected a range of books for your summer reading to tantalize and challenge you. You must read two books of your choice from the following list of titles, which have been recommended because of their high interest level and their connection to what we will be studying next year. ASSIGNMENT: ● Read two books from the list below ● Complete a metacognitive log on each book ● Complete Direct Quote activity for each book ● Assignment is due first day of school NOTE: Some of the books may contain adult situations. We urge you to choose a book with a parent’s or guardian’s guidance. If a book makes you uncomfortable, abandon it and select another. 10TH GRADE LIST The Book Thief
Markus Zusak Perks of Being A Wallflower Stephen Chbosky A Northern Light
Jennifer Donnely To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee Ender's Game Orson Scott Card The Blue Sword
Robin McKinley Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All­American Meal Eric Schlosser METACOGNITIVE READER’S LOG [NOTE: “Metacognitive” means “thinking about one’s thinking.” So in a metacognitive log, you are recording the thoughts you have as you read.] To practice this kind of thinking, you will answer questions about your reading for the two books that you read this summer. You will write log entries at ​
4 points over the course of the book—after you have read about 25% of the book, after you have read about 50% of the book, after you have read about 75% of the book, and after you have finished the book​
. At each of the 4 points, choose at least 3 of the following questions to answer: ●
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What has been challenging for you so far? (Be specific.) Have you gotten stuck at all? What have you done to get unstuck? What has been interesting for you so far? What things are you doing (re­reading, asking questions, talking to friends, predicting, drawing pictures, summarizing, taking notes, etc) to help you understand the book? Is there anything you understand better now than you did earlier in the book? What are you noticing about the plot, characters, style, conflict(s), or theme? What are you wondering? 10th Grade Summer Reading Assignment You will stop 4 times, and will answer at least 3 questions each time, which means you will answer 12 questions total. Example of how to divide up your book: ASSESSMENT/GRADING Your logs will be assessed on the following rubric: Exceeding Content Records many and varied specific ideas about reading process; gives in­depth answers to at least 3 questions. Varies questions answered for each entry and by what is important to reading at the point. Style Writing is used both to explore ideas and explain the reading process Meeting Approaching Emerging Records some specific ideas about reading process; answers at least 3 questions per entry, but may not vary the questions answered. Records some general or vague ideas about reading process; answers some but not all of the recommended questions. Records few ideas about reading process; answers few questions very briefly. Written in clear and complete sentences that are easy to follow Incomplete sentences may make log confusing or hard to follow Incomplete sentences or other errors make log a challenge to understand EXAMPLE If it would help you to see an example of a log entry, check out this segment for the first 25% of ​
A Separate Peace​
, by John Knowles (written by a current junior for her sophomore summer reading): 10th Grade Summer Reading Assignment I find it interesting​
how Gene is always following Finny at whatever he does or tells him to do and never resists even though he doesn’t want to, like when he doesn’t want to go to the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session every night but still goes because he doesn’t want Finny to think of him differently. The things I am doing​
are making summary points at the end of each chapter and making an inference or prediction about a character or what might happen next. I am noticing that​
Finny and Gene’s relationship is changing because one day Gene is studying says he can’t go to the meeting that night when he would usually go every time, but Finny understands that he has to and doesn’t want him to jump off the tree because school work is more important to him. The narrator is Gene and he is talking in first person, so the book is written from his perspective where he thinks a lot of jealous things about Finny and how he wants to get even with him. Finny is really athletic and can get away with anything even if it clearly broke the school rules and Gene says no one can be like him. Gene cares about his school work and about graduating while Finny is careless about most things, but he doesn’t want Gene to tell anyone that he broke the school record of the fastest swimming time. I am wondering​
what happened to Finny after he fell out of the tree he jumped out every day and if he did it purpose because he wanted to see if Gene would help him like Finny saved Gene when he stumbled on the tree. Summer Reading Direct Quote Activity As you read your book you are going to identify FIVE important quotes. In the left hand column directly quote the novel, including page number. The quotes need to be from the beginning, middle and end of the book. In the right hand column write 3­5 sentences per quote about why that quote is important. Questions to consider: ● How does it relate to the plot, theme, motif or character? ● What does this quote show show the reader? ● What characterization does the quote show and how? ● Why is this quote important to your understanding of the story? 10th Grade Summer Reading Assignment Direct Quote (Including Page Number) Why is this quote important? 3­5 Sentences Still have questions? Contact Ms. Linder or Ms. Calderwood and we’ll be happy to answer your questions! [email protected] ​
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