Pre-AP English 9 Summer Assignment
♦ Angela Clark ♦ Julia Woodward ♦ Kelly Riley
Welcome to Pre-AP English 9. We are excited about the 2016-2017 school year and look forward to meeting
you and your parents. The following is an overview of work that must be completed by each student.
Preparation for the First Week of School:
Ninth and tenth grade Pre-AP English classes are designed to prepare students for the demands of the eleventh
and twelfth grade college-level Advanced Placement course and certain attitudes, behaviors, and skills essential
to learning. Successful Pre-AP English students are those who demonstrate the following learning behaviors:
1. Maturity, self-control, and creative thinking: discusses and receives feedback maturely, is responsible,
does his or her own work, and comes to class prepared with necessary materials.
2. Leadership and cooperation: establishes a relationship with classmates and teacher, and practices
effective speaking and listening skills.
3. Strong work ethic and positive attitude: accepts the challenges of a rigorous reading and writing
program, completes all assignments, and manages time well.
4. Students should value learning above grades: students need time to practice what they are learning; not
every assignment will be graded.
5. Students should manage absences and academics: students should use teacher websites to manage
absences and/or academics.
To sum up, here is a list of the things you need to do:
• Complete all work and organize in a simple folder with pockets (no brads) this page, info sheet, photo,
and required work; turn in to teachers NO LATER THAN August 17th.
• Make sure that all work is your own. (Do not collaborate on any portion of this assignment.)
If you have questions, consult teachers’ websites or email at [email protected],
[email protected], or [email protected].
Parents and students should sign/initial the following:
I certify that I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this assignment.
________/________
student
parent
I understand that enrolling in Pre-AP English does require an extra time commitment and a willingness to
challenge myself. I agree to work to the best of my ability and work with teachers and other students to hone or
improve my learning skills.
____________________________________/__________________________________________/__________
Parent’s Signature
Student’s Signature
Date
General Information Form
Pre-AP English 9
I.
Personal Information (Attach a photo of yourself to this form. Please put your name on the back.)
Your Name:
Your email:
Parent(s) Name(s):
Parent(s) Phone Numbers: Home:
Work
Parent Address:
Parent Email:
School activities that you participate in:_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Outside activities that you participate in (include work):________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
What do you do when you have free time?___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you read regularly?
Yes
No If so, what do you read?
Magazines/newspapers (which ones?): ________________________________________________________
Books (favorite kinds?):_________________________________________________________________
Websites: _______________________________________________________________________________
What is the best book you have read recently? Why:____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Additional information we should know: ____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Something that makes you unique: _________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
II.
Educational Information
Where did you attend 8 grade? _________________________________________________________________
th
English 8 teacher: ____________________________
Pre- AP?
History 8 teacher: _____________________________
Pre- AP?
Yes
Yes
No 2 Sem. Grade: _________
nd
No 2 Sem. Grade: _________
nd
Attach a list of the books that you read in 7 and8 grade. Label the grade you read it in and indicate the class
that required it or for pleasure.
th
th
III. Additional Information
Why do you want to take this class? Be honest and as specific as possible. _________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Pre-AP English 9 – Clark/Woodward/Riley
“The Scarlet Ibis”
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (“A Case of Identity” and “The Speckled Band”)
Welcome to your first Pre-AP English 9 reading assignment. This assignment is due on the first day of school
(August 17). NOTE: There will be an exam and an essay over the short stories and literary terms when you return to
school in the fall.
Divide your assignment into six parts and clearly label each section. Using complete sentences, record your answers
to the questions in each section. Answers should be thorough and reflect your understanding of the short stories as a
whole. All work should be completed individually and should reflect your own opinions and analysis. Do not work
with another student or use online/outside resources to complete this.
Part 1 – Reading of “The Scarlet Ibis”
Read “The Scarlet Ibis” http://whs.wsd.wednet.edu/Faculty/Zobel/documents/TheScarletIbisText.pdf and
answer the following questions.
1. What would it feel like to be embarrassed by someone you loved? How would it make you feel in that
situation?
2. Doodle and Brother don’t have a lot in common but are inseparable. Why? Is that realistic?
3. Why did the author set the story during the war? Use textual evidence to determine his purpose.
4. Find/discuss 3 examples of foreshadowing in the story.
5. Locate 3 examples of figurative language and explain.
6. What is the theme of the story? Support with textual evidence.
7. Is Brother a hero? Explain using textual evidence.
8. Explain the symbolism of the Scarlet Ibis.
Part 2 – Literary Chart
Create and fill out Literary Chart for the short story, “The Scarlet Ibis”. Find 2 examples for each of the literary
terms and explain one of your examples. Please use the chart below as a guide to format your chart.
Literary Terms
Example #1
Example #2
1.simile (example not from “The
“Inside myself, I feel warm and
“…but his thick eyebrows and
Scarlet Ibis”)
sparky as those crumbling logs,
pointed military mustache were as
carefree as the wind in the
black as the night...” (Connell 267).
chimney.” (Capote 184).
Explanation of Literary Term
In example #2, the author is comparing the color of the main character’s
facial hair to a dark night and this comparison contributes to the
development of General Zaroff’s characterization.
Literary Terms to find in “The Scarlet Ibis”. If you do not know the definition for one these literary terms, please
look up and become very familiar with what it means.
Simile
Hyperbole
Metaphor
Foreshadowing
Personification
Imagery
Allusion
Part 3 – Writing about “The Scarlet Ibis”
In the story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, the narrator Brother is somewhat responsible for the death of his
younger brother. After reading the short story, choose the role of either a prosecuting attorney or a defense attorney
and prepare a closing argument (argumentative response) for a jury in regards to either the guilt or innocence of the
narrator, Brother.
Introduction
Body
Argumentative Writing Organizer
Present the claim – Include background information
Reason #1
Evidence that supports reason #1
Reason #2
Counterargument
(counterclaim)
Conclusion
Evidence that supports reason #2
Present the counterargument and give evidence from both pieces of text to defend your
claim. Others may say ________________ because_________________________________,
but____________________________________________. Give evidence that refutes the
counterclaim.
Transition from the counterclaim into a concluding statement that follows from the support and
argument presented. However, __________________________ is
___________________________ because__________________________.
This should be the strongest evidence/argument for your claim.
Part 4 – Reading of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (“A Case of Identity” and “The Speckled Band”)
Read the short story, “A Case of Identity” online
http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/32/the-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes/347/adventure-3-a-case-of-identity/
and “The Speckled Band” online.
http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/32/the-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes/352/adventure-8-the-adventure-of-the-speckled-band/
Enjoy the tension, the surprise, the twist, the shock of these neatly crafted short stories. Keep in mind these short
stories novel are crime fiction, a crime will be committed, and the crime will be solved. Remember, you are a
detective yourself; much like Sherlock Holmes, and every clue, every detail, every character is a clue.
Part 5 and 6 – Applying your knowledge of crime fiction
Detective Log and Window – Choose one of the Sherlock Holmes short stories and fill in the Detective Log for that
story AND then create a Window for the other story.
See the following pages for directions, templates, and examples.
NOTE: You should also be able to discuss significant quotations, symbols, and themes seen in the short
stories.
All work is due on Monday, August 17.
Detective’s Log: A Graphic Organizer
“Detection is, or ought to be, and exact science, and should be treated in the same cold and
unemotional manner.” – Sherlock Holmes, The Sign of Four
As you watch or read a classic detective story or murder mystery, use this graphic organizer to keep track of clues and
suspects. Assume that nothing shown or described – a glance between a married couple, a lost boot, a hound baying in the
night – has been put in the story accidentally. For each of the following categories, identify the details from the story you
are working with. Add some description about how the writer or filmmaker brings that element to life.
THE DETECTIVE: (usually someone intellectually superior to the ordinary person who uses logic and keen observation to
see what others do not)
TITLE:
THE CRIME:
THE VICTIM(S):
THE SUSPECTS: (a limited group, each with motive, means, and opportunity)
Suspect: _____________________
Means: ______________________
Motive: ______________________
Opportunity:__________________
Suspect: _____________________
Means: ______________________
Motive: ______________________
Opportunity:__________________
Suspect: _____________________
Means: ______________________
Motive: ___________________
Opportunity:___________________
THE CLUES: (some, perhaps, will turn out to be false to mislead the audience or detective)
Creative Window – Give us a “peek” into your understanding of the novel. This will allow us to see what you have
read as though we were looking through a window. As you read your short story, choose THREE significant
passages/literary citations/quotes that clearly represent:
1. A characterization quote
2. The narrative style
3. Your favorite passage
Directions for response:
1. Draw a window on an unlined sheet of paper. Your quotes are framed around the edges of the paper (see
template).
2. Place characterization quote at the top (with page #)
3. Place narrative style quote on left side (with page #)
4. Place favorite quote on the right side (with page #)
5. Analyze 3 quotes and determine significance, connection, or insights about the quotes and formulate 2-3
sentences. Place analysis at bottom of window.
6. In the middle of window, find 1 image to represent each of your quotes. You may draw, cut out, or print
pictures to include in your response.
7. Below or next to your image, you must state how the picture is symbolic or a metaphor for the quote it
represents.
Things to remember:
Color is a good thing
Be creative
No lined paper
Keep response relevant