Summer Packets

9th Grade (Traditional & PLUS)
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant and The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

9th Grade (Honors)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

10th Grade (All Levels)
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

11th Grade (Traditional & PLUS)
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text (Penguin Classic) by Mary Shelley 

12th Grade (Traditional, Honors, & PLUS)
Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Novel: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen 
Directions: After reading the above drama, choose one of the topics listed on this website.

Choose any topic you feel applies to the play. Then type an essay in MLA format that does not exceed three pages in response. Ideally it should be around two to three pages in length. Do NOT use any outside sources; your only source should be the primary source, the drama itself. Make sure to cite it on your Works Cited page and in your paper via intext citation methods. 

DUE: A hard copy of the assignment is required on the first full day of class. At that time, we will also register for turnitin.com to submit the electronic version.

Basic Requirements: 

1. Make sure to copy and paste the prompt on your document so I will know which one you are addressing; this does not count in your page total. 
2. Use Times New Roman, 12-point font and double space. 
3. Do not use personal pronouns like “I, you, me, we us, our”, etc. 
4. Do not use expressions like “the audience or the reader.” 
5. Keep your introduction short. Possibly have a hook or an attention getter, give a one to two sentence summary, and state your thesis. 
6. Make sure your thesis makes a claim; it must be something someone can argue against. Also, bring in the importance of the theme or the message of the work as a whole at this point. 
7. For your body paragraphs, think about the acronym “APE”—Argue, Prove, Explain. You can also think about it like this—Make a claim, prove with textual evidence via quotes (Keep them short.) and examples, and explain the significance of the quotes and examples. Why is your proof important? How do they relate to the theme? 
8. Finally wrap up with your conclusion that shows why what you have said is important. Don’t merely repeat everything you have already said. Look at the theme of the novel. Why is it important to humanity? Why did the author write the work? This is a time to get philosophical. Don’t be heavy handed and say, “Ibsen wrote the novel because…” Be subtle. 

We will get more into this format in class, of course, but I just wanted to give you some of the basics to get you started. If you have any questions, I will monitor my e-mail over the summer. I look forward to having you all in my class. 

Ms. Baker: bakerb@sbaeagles.org
Novel: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Directions

1. After reading the above novel, choose one of the former AP Lit FRQ3 topics listed on this website.
2. Choose any topic you feel applies to the novel. Then type an essay in MLA format that does not exceed three pages in response. Ideally it should be around two to three pages in length. Do NOT use any outside sources; your only source should be the primary source, the novel itself.

Basic Requirements

1. Make sure to copy and paste the prompt on your document so I will know which one you are addressing; this does not count in your page total.
2. Use Times New Roman, 12-point font and double space.
3. Do not use personal pronouns like “I, you, me, we us, our”, etc.
4. Do not use expressions like “the audience or the reader.”
5. Keep your introduction short. Possibly have a hook or an attention getter, give a one to two sentence summary, and state your thesis.
6. Make sure your thesis makes a claim; it must be something someone can argue against. Also, bring in the importance of the theme or the message of the work as a whole. What does the author want readers to know? What is the big takeaway?
7. For your body paragraphs, think about the acronym “APE”—Argue, Prove, Explain. You can also think about it like this—Make a claim, prove with textual evidence via quotes (Keep them short.) and examples, and explain the significance of the quotes and examples. Why is your proof important? How do they relate to the theme?
8. Finally wrap up with your conclusion that shows why what you have said is important. Don’t merely repeat everything you have already said. Look at the theme of the novel. Why is it important to humanity? Why did the author write the work? This is a time to get philosophical. Don’t be heavy handed 

   and say, “Bronte wrote the novel because…” Be subtle.

   We will get more into this format in class, of course, but I just wanted to give you some of the basics to get you started. If you have any questions, I will monitor my e-mail over the summer. I look forward to having you all in my class.

A booklist for the class will be forthcoming.

Ms. Baker: bakerb@sbaeagles.org
Textbook: Rhetorical Devices: A Handbook and Activities for Student Writers
Authors and Editors: by Brendan McGuigan (Author), Douglas Grudzina (Editor), Paul Moliken (Editor)
ISBN-13: 978-1580497657
Directions: You will be reading from the book above and completing exercises that follow each section. Purchase the workbook new and complete the exercises in the book.
Note: We will continue to use the book during the year. The work you complete during the summer will count as a test grade (100 points). Furthermore, it will facilitate your work on many papers and multiple-choice questions.

What sections should you read? What exercises should you complete?

Section Four: Popular Rhetorical Devices: Strategy-pages 13-100
Device 1: Hyperbole
Device 2: Understatement
Device 4: Antithesis
Device 6: Rhetorical Question
Device 9: Simile
Device 10: Metaphor
Device 11: Analogy
Device 12: Allusion
Device 15: Exemplum

*If the directions ask you to write a paragraph, please do so on notebook paper and insert it in the workbook.

 

Ms. Baker: bakerb@sbaeagles.org
Textbook: On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Author: William Zinsser
ISBN-13: 978-0060891541

For all 25 chapters, type one paragraph per chapter noting important elements from each chapter (be specific). Label all paragraphs and put them in sequential order (1-25). Each paragraph for each chapter will count the same amount, totaling 100 points (4 points per paragraph) for the assignment. On Writing Well is an exceptional book about writing, and since this class focuses on composition, it is crucial you understand the elements of good writing. We will discuss and reference this book in our discussions throughout the academic year. This will be submitted to Turnitin.com for originality, and you will be expected to turn in a paper copy as well.

Part I Principles

• Chapter 1: The Transaction
• Chapter 2: Simplicity
• Chapter 3: Clutter
• Chapter 4: Style
• Chapter 5: The Audience
• Chapter 6: Words
• Chapter 7: Usage

Part II Methods

• Chapter 8: Unity
• Chapter 9: The Lead and the Ending
• Chapter 10: Bits & Pieces

Part III Forms

• Chapter 11: Nonfiction as Literature
• Chapter 12: Writing About People: The Interview
• Chapter 13: Writing About Places: The Travel Article
• Chapter 14: Writing About Yourself: The Memoir
• Chapter 15: Science and Technology
• Chapter 16: Business Writing: Writing in Your Job
• Chapter 17: Sports
• Chapter 18: Writing About the Arts: Critics and Columnists
• Chapter 19: Humor

Part IV Attitudes

• Chapter 20: The Sound of Your Voice
• Chapter 21: Enjoyment, Fear and Confidence
• Chapter 22: The Tyranny of the Final Product
• Chapter 23: A Writer’s Decisions
• Chapter 24: Writing Family History and Memoir
• Chapter 25: Write as Well as You Can