|
English 9 English 10 English 10 Academic English 10 Accelerated English 11 Academic English 11 Accelerated English 11 AP English 12 Academic English 12 Accelerated English 12 AP
English 9
Read any two selections to prepare for English 9:
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Through interlocking stories, Amy Tan writes of a group of mothers who have immigrated to the United States from China and of their relationships with their American raised daughters. The stories of the mothers' childhoods in China help the daughters to discover their identities and to find strength in their culture and heritage.
Adrian Mole Diaries by Sue Townsend
Teen angst has never been such serious business--or this much fun! In his secret diary, British teen Adrian Mole excruciatingly details every morsel of his turbulent adolescence.
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
The volatile world of adolescence provides the backdrop for John Knowles' engrossing tale of love, hate, war, and peace.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Readers will be hooked by Tree-ear's perseverance and fascinated by a look into this craftsmen's colony from Korean history.
Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Albom weaves together three stories, all told about the same man: 83-year-old Eddie, the head maintenance person at Ruby Point Amusement Park.
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
When German prisoners of war are brought to her Arkansas town during World War II, twelve-year-old Patty, a Jewish girl, befriends one of them and must deal with the consequences of that friendship.
Something for Joey by Richard E. Peck
This is a true, memorable, compassionate story of courage and love between two brothers. In 1973, while John Cappelletti was winning the Heisman Trophy as the outstanding college football player in America, his younger brother Joey was suffering from leukemia
The Crazy Horse Electric Game by Chris Crutcher
Willie is enjoying his life as a baseball hero when he is suddenly in an accident and his left-brain damaged. Shunned by everyone, he runs away and enrolls in a special school in this rite of passage story.
The Miracle Worker by William Gibson
Half-blind Annie Sullivan possesses an almost fanatical determination, as she begins a frightening and incredibly moving struggles to tame the wild girl, Helen Keller, no one could reach.
The Once and Future King by T.H. White
The series is a retelling of the Arthurian legend, from Arthur's birth to the end of his reign through The quartet comprises The Sword in the Stone , The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind.
True to Form by Elizabeth Berg
Berg finds her way into the year 1961 and into the head of 13-year-old Katie Nash at the start of her summer vacation. Katie emerges as a girl who sees the world differently from the rest of her peers.
English 10
Students who are enrolled in English 10 for the next school year should have read one (1) of the books in the appropriate category before the first day of class. Students elect either accelerated or academic credit for the course.
The accelerated designation is achieved by:
•a contract indicating the intent to take the course for accelerated credit;
•completing the accelerated reading, composition, and project assgn. •maintaining a "B" average for all course work.
Students who elect to take English 10 for academic credit are expected to do their best work and complete all academic course requirements.
(Note: This reading list applies to both semesters. If you have English during the second semester, you will be expected to have your reading completed before the second semester.)
Accelerated students are to choose one (1) of the two titles listed below. Students will be required to write a composition based on the reading of one of the selected books.
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
A young prince of ancient India renounces his luxurious station in life to search for the new path of enlightenment and personal fulfillment
OR
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The novel tells the tale of a young boy, Santiago, who has a dream and finds the courage to follow it. The boy’s search for treasure in Egypt ultimately becomes one of exploration and self-discovery
Academic students are to choose one book, either from the accelerated titles above or one from the following list. Students will be required to write a composition based on the reading of one of the selected books.
Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
A novelette which movingly depicts an old Cuban fisherman who has been 84 days without a catch. Far from port on the 85th day he hooks a gigantic marlin, and, against great odds in a battle lasting two days, brings the fish alongside and harpoons it.
OR
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A science fiction tale of a controlled society that poses philosophical questions to modern readers.
FCAHS Humanities 10 summer reading list
Select one of the following novels from either the accelerated or academic list. Our first literary analysis will be written based on your summer reading selection.
English 10 Academic
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Join a wealthy young man who leaves family and fortune in his search for enlightenment.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Enter the African Congo and witness the dissolution of a traditional society as the British imperialists move in and begin the process of “civilization.”
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Imagine a future in which books are outlawed, firemen set fires, and the general population is lulled into complacency through mindless television shows. English 10 Accelerated
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
After a shipwreck, a young boy from India attempts to survive on a lifeboat . . . with a 300 pound tiger.
Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
(READ THROUGH BOOK 4)
An American missionary moves his family to the Congo during an era of political unrest and revolution. View the adventure through the eyes of his wife and daughters as they struggle first to adapt, and then to survive.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Welcome to a future world in which people are genetically engineered and then classically conditioned to serve a specific role in their organized society. English 11 Academic
Select one novel from the list to read and analyze. Be prepared to share an evaluation of plot and/or character analysis in the form of a five-paragraph essay.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Published in 1969, Angelou’s first in a series of three autobiographical works marked an important shift in the voice of women as activists and as thinkers, particularly of black women, into the mainstream of American culture. She addresses the problems associated with discrimination of all kinds while discussing such issues as parent – child relationships and child abuse.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
WWII P.O.W. Billy Pilgrim leads a fantastic life as a soldier who becomes "unstuck in time" as a result of witnessing the horrors of war and innocence.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
One of the most widely read books of its time, Uncle Tom’s Cabin is considered by many historians to have helped contribute to the outbreak of the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln reportedly said, when introduced to Stowe, “So this is the little lady who made this big war.” Analysis of the book today can help to provide insight into the details of the slavery debate and the historical forces that lead, ultimately, to war.
English 11 Accelerated
Students who are enrolled in English 11 Accelerated for the next school year should have read any two of the following books before the first day of class. During both class discussion and composition work in the course, you will be asked to analyze various techniques used by the authors of these books (setting, characterization, theme, imagery) or to compare these techniques to works that we will read during the course. At least one composition during the term will ask you to cite techniques in these books.
(Note: This reading list applies to both semesters. If you have English during the second semester, you will be expected to have your two readings completed before the second semester.)
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
The true story of a young man’s tragically fatal journey across the content
in search of his place in the world.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
An autobiographical account of an American slave who teaches himself to
read and write and who orchestrates his escape from Baltimore
Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
Set in the Southwest, a young boy discovers his Hispanic heritage and the
world around him through his friendship with his grandmother
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
Will Tweedy’s life in a small southern town becomes interesting the day
his widowed grandfather elopes with a younger woman
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Set in post-WWI Europe, this early novel by Hemingway reflects a period
of maladjustment in the lives of American Expatriates living in Paris
My Antonia or O! Pioneers by Willa Cather
In both, simple, straightforward prose relates the stories of Bohemian
immigrants who settle on the Nebraska prairie and whose lives and
families become tied to the land they cultivate
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
This collage of wartime scenes described as "comic," "horrifying," and
"cruelly sane" centers on the struggles of Cpt. Yossarian, a bombardier in
the U.S. Air force
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
WWII P.O.W. Billy Pilgrim leads a fantastic life as a soldier who becomes "unstuck in time" as a result of witnessing the horrors of war and
innocence.
Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
A poignant (and often humorous) portrait of a dying man who relates
fantastical stories of his life to his son, and his son’s attempt to reconcile fact and fiction in order to gain a greater understanding of the father he feels he has never truly known.
English 11 AP
Students who are enrolled in English 11 AP for the next school year should have read the required selection and any two of the following books before the first day of class. During both class discussion and composition work in the course, you will be asked to analyze various techniques used by the authors of these books (setting, characterization, theme, imagery) or to compare these techniques to works that we will read during the course.
(Note: This reading list applies to both semesters. If you have English during the second semester, you will be expected to have your two readings completed before the second semester.)
Required Reading:
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
A narrative exploring the working life of a writer – Dillard, a native of Pittsburgh, makes use of metaphor, anecdote, and personal reflection to provide insight into the profession of writing.
General Reading: choose any two
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
An autobiographical account of an American Slave who teaches himself to read and write and who orchestrates his escape from Baltimore.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
In this tale of sin and redemption set in Puritan Boston, Hawthorne explores the relationships between society, the individual, and the self.
The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan
A Chinese immigrant convinced she is dying wants to unburden herself of secrets she has kept for more than fifty years. When she reveals the story of her life, her American born daughter finally understands her mother’s many quirks and superstitions.
My Antonia by Willa Cather
A Coming of Age story set on the Nebraska frontier.
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Set in post-WW I Europe, this early novel by Hemingway reflects a period of maladjustment in the lives of American Expatriates living in Paris.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A displaced Oklahoma family travels to California in the 1930’s.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Racial tension ignites in a 1930’s Alabama town.
Intruder in the Dust by William Faulkner
A white Southern boy works to prove a black man’s innocence.
English 12 Academic
Students who are enrolled in English 12 Academic for the next school year should have read any one of the following books before the first day of class. During the reading, you are asked to pay attention to what the author/poet is doing: style, techniques, and any themes or motifs that are developed. You will be evaluated on the results of your reading sometime during the first part of the semester.
This reading list applies to both semesters.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
The four visitors at Hill House-- some there for knowledge, others for adventure-- are unaware that the old mansion will soon choose one of them to make its own.
Watchmen by Alan Moore
Has any comic been as acclaimed as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen? The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore's characterization is as sophisticated as any novel's. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling; rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control.
The Best of Roald Dahl by Roald Dahl
This collection brings together Dahl's finest work, illustrating his genius for the horrific and grotesque which is unparalleled.
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
What's the truth behind the legend of the hound of the Baskervilles? Is it really a devil-beast that's haunting the lonely moors? Enter Sherlock Holmes to find the answer, in this, the only full-length novel ever written by the creator of one of the most popular and enduring detective series ever written.
The Lovely Bones By Alice Sebold
|On her way home from school on a snowy December day in 1973, 14-year-old Susie Salmon ("like the fish") is lured into a makeshift underground den in a cornfield and brutally raped and murdered, the latest victim of a serial killer--the man she knew as her neighbor, Mr. Harvey. Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel unfolds from heaven where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case. As Sebold fashions it, everyone has his or her own version of heaven. Susie's resembles the athletic fields and landscape of a suburban high school: a heaven of her "simplest dreams," where "there were no teachers.... [and] our textbooks were Seventeen and Glamour and Vogue." English 12 Accelerated
Students who are enrolled in English 12 Accelerated for the next school year should read any two (2) of the works described below prior to the first day of class. Annotate the texts or keep a journal of your reading experiences in preparation for a composition assignment that requires direct references (i.e. quotes and page numbers) to the texts. A Tale of Two Cities by 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.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Spawned by a nightmare that Stevenson had, this classic tale of the dark, primordial night of the soul remains a masterpiece of the duality of good and evil within us all.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: A Novel by Jonathan Safran Foer
With humor, tenderness, and awe, Safran Foer confronts the traumas of our recent history. Nine-year-old Oskar Schell has embarked on an urgent, secret mission that will take him through the five boroughs of New York. His goal is to find the lock that matches a mysterious key that belonged to his father, who died in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11. This seemingly impossible task will bring Oskar into contact with survivors of all sorts on an exhilarating, affecting, often hilarious, and ultimately healing journey.
The Hounds of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
What's the truth behind the legend of the hound of the Baskervilles? Is it really a devil-beast that's haunting the lonely moors? Enter Sherlock Holmes to find the answer, in this, the only full-length novel ever written by the creator of one of the most popular and enduring detective series ever written.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel, The Lovely Bones, unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case. The Lovely Bones works as an odd yet affecting coming-of-age story.
Watchmen by Alan Moore & David Gibbons
This Hugo Award-winning graphic novel chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as an unknown assassin stalks the heroes. English 12 AP
Students who are enrolled in English 12 Advanced Placement for the next school year should read two of the following works before the first day of class, at least ONE being a Shakespearean selection. Annotate or take notes on your readings since you will be evaluated on the texts sometime during the first two weeks of the semester. During the reading, pay close attention to what the author is doing both stylistically and thematically.
This reading list applies to both semesters.
1A. King Lear by William Shakespeare
Written in 1605, this play portrays a king who foolishly divides his kingdom between his scheming two older daughters and estranges himself from the daughter who loves him. So begins this profoundly moving and disturbing tragedy that, perhaps more than any other work in literature, challenges the notion of a coherent and just universe.
1B. As You Like It by William Shakespeare
Written in 1599 or early 1600, this play is a pastoral and quintessential Shakespearean comedy, complete with a loquacious clown, lovers, disguises, rifts, and reconciliations, and all within the atmospheric confines of the enchanted Forest of Arden. As the title suggests, As You Like It is a play in which everyone gets their way, where sinners are redeemed, and where love holds sway over all.
2. Myths to Live By by Joseph Campbell
The brilliant author of The Masks of God shares his ideas and speculations on our universal myths, in a fascinating, very personal work which explores the enduring power of the myths that influence our lives and examines the myth-making process from the primitive past to the immediate present.
3. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Originally published in 1937, this American classic is a luminous and haunting novel about Janie Crawford, a Southern black woman in the 1930s who journeys from a free-spirited girl to a woman of independence and substance. This poetic, graceful love story, rooted in black folk traditions and steeped in mythic realism, boldly and brilliantly celebrates African-American culture and heritage.
4. Old Testament “The Book of Job”
“The Book of Job” is a complex writing that uses a blend of prose and poetry in dramatic form to explore the perennial problem of innocent suffering and God's justice. The principal figure of the book is Job, a pious Jew afflicted with disease and stripped of all his goods. The identity of the author, usually dated 600 - 400 BC, is completely unknown. (The above annotations were adapted from publishers’ notes.)
|
