English 9 Honors Summer Reading Assignments 2016-17
Mrs. Blissmer -- [email protected]
Part One: Classic Literature
A Tale of Two Cities—Charles Dickens
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .” With these famous words, Charles
Dickens plunges the reader into one of history’s most explosive eras—the French Revolution.
From the storming of the Bastille to the relentless drop of the guillotine, Dickens vividly captures
the terror and upheaval of that tumultuous period. At the center is the novel’s hero, Sydney
Carton, a lazy, alcoholic attorney who, inspired by a woman, makes the supreme sacrifice on the
bloodstained streets of Paris. One of Dickens’s most exciting novels, A Tale of Two Cities is a
stirring classic of love, revenge, and resurrection.
Assignment One: Critical Essay
Students will write a 3-4 page essay in which they analyze the main character in the
novel. Students should discuss how certain events change, or alter, the main character as he or
she progresses through the novel from beginning to end. Students may consider different events,
obstacles, conversations, or other characters that lead the main character to change and
grow. Students should use quotations from the novel to support each of their points. Students
need to have a clear thesis statement in the introduction that clearly states the idea being proven
within the paper. As this is a formal paper, third person point-of-view should be used (not the
informal first person— no use of “I”), and you should end with a concluding paragraph that
restates your thesis and reviews your main points. Papers should be typed, double-spaced with
1-inch margins, using Times New Roman 12 point font, with correct MLA format including
heading and page numbers. This paper should be submitted via Google Classroom by Monday,
July 11, 2016.
Part Two: Literary Non-Fiction
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban*-Malala
Yousafzai
with Christina Lamb
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala
Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, October
9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at
point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.
Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote
valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she
became a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace
Prize. I AM MALALA is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight
for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his
daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their
daughter in a society that prizes sons. I AM MALALA will make you believe in the power of one
person's voice to inspire change in the world. (amazon.com)
*Please note: Do NOT read the Young Reader’s Edition – it has a different title and co-author.
The book listed above is the one you will be expected to read for 9 Honors.*
Assignment Two: Argumentative Essay
Students will write an argumentative essay that answers the question, should education be
considered a basic human right? They must use quotes from Yousafzai’s book in answering this
question, being sure to have at least three reasons of support for their argument. The essay should
also include a paragraph that addresses the counterclaim. As this is a formal paper, third person
point-of-view should be used (not the informal first person— no use of “I”), and students should
begin with an introduction that leads the reader to the thesis and essay map (the preview of main
points) and end with a concluding paragraph that restates the thesis and reviews the main
points. Papers should be typed, double-spaced with 1-inch margins, using Times New Roman 12
point font, with correct MLA format including heading and page numbers. This paper should be
submitted via Google Classroom by Monday, August 1, 2016.
Part Three: Memoir in Verse
Brown Girl Dreaming—Jacqueline Woodson
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In
vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and
1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights
movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each
line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent
poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she
struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating
the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become. (nationalbook.org) (This won the 2014
National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and is nominated for the 2016 Rhode Island
Teen Book Award 2016.)
Assignment Three: Poetry
Students will choose a character in the book (besides Woodson) and write a short memoir in
verse format (poetry) from that character’s perspective. Students may choose to retell situations
that Woodson tells us about in her book but through different eyes, or may choose to fill in the
gaps, writing from your chosen character’s perspective and imagining situations they were a part
of that perhaps Woodson was not. Students should include a minimum of 15 poems in this
memoir (yes, this should be in poem form—students may want to review imagery and diction
before starting) and be ready to share a few with the class. This collection of poetry should be
submitted via Google Classroom by Monday, August 22, 2016.
Due Dates for Assignments:
A Tale of Two Cities Critical Essay
Due Monday, July
11
I Am Malala Argumentative Essay
Due Monday,
August 1
Brown Girl Dreaming Poetry Assignment
Due Monday,
August 22
ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN VIA GOOGLE CLASSROOM
All three assignments count together as two test grades to start the year. Students who neglect to
complete summer reading or do poorly may not belong in honors and placement may be
reconsidered.