Summer Reading

John D. O’Bryant
School of Math and Science
Summer Reading 2009 Grade 11

GRADE 11
MUST READ:A Hope in the Unseen by Suskind

Choice Book (pick one)
Contemporary Novels

Catalyst................................Anderson
Tell It to Naomi...................Ehrenhaft
Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow...............Guène
The First Part Last…..............Johnson
The Known World......................Jones
Forgotten Fire…………...Bagdasarian
Real Time……………………….Kass
Hush......................................Woodson

Classic Novels

My Ántonia...............................Cather
The Great Gatsby…….…....Fitzgerald
The House of the Seven Gables ….......................................Hawthorne
Native Son………………...… Wright
A Farewell to Arms …….Hemingway

Historical Texts

Stone Heart: A Novel of Sacajawea……..……………...Glancy
Jefferson’s Children: The Story of One American Family…….............. Lanier

Mystery Novels

The Rag and Bone Shop........Cormier
The Green Mile.......................... King

Biography, Autobiography, or non-fiction

Alvin Ailey: Celebrating African-American Culture in Dance ..........Cruz
Letter to My Daughter……..…Angelou
Friday Night Lights……….....Bissinger
Rachel and Her Children……..…Kozol
All Souls: A Family Story from Southie………….….MacDonald


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Students must complete a project for each text.

Timeline Assignment

A timeline lists important events in time in chronological order. Students will create a timeline listing 10 important events from the nonfiction and choice novels chosen by the student.
TIMELINE CRITERIA:
• Timeline should be on white or colored copy paper. The paper can be added to the end of the first piece to make it longer.
• Include the title of the book, the author’s name, and a title of each event on the front of the timeline. Write your name on the back of the timeline.
• Use as much of the paper as possible by alternating the events and writing large enough to be read easily.
• Must be completed in pen, marker, typed, etc. (no pencil)
• Must be creative and neat. Large enough to read well.
• Minimum of 10 events must be listed on the timeline in order of occurrence. Events should be both written and illustrated.
• On separate paper, typed, Times New Roman 12 pt, write 1-2 sentences explaining the details and importance of each event listed on the timeline. You are only listing a title of the event and an illustration of an event on the timeline itself. Separately is where you explain what that event is about and its importance in the story.
• Staple the explanations to the back of the timeline.


Book Jacket Assignment

A book jacket is the outer detachable cover of a book. Often illustrated, it summarizes the contents of the book, provides biographical information about the author and offers words of praise (known as a blurb) from celebrities or authorities in the book's subject area (from online dictionary).

Size
1. Your book jacket should be no smaller than a standard sheet of paper (8½ by 11 inches)
as a maximum, the jacket should be no larger than 14 inches wide
Shape
2. Since it is designed as a book jacket, the paper should like a book, and be in the shape of a rectangle
Required Elements

• book title
• author
• city of publication
• publishing company
• year of publication
• quick synopsis of the story (plot and characters)
• one direct quotation from the book (cited with author’s name and page number)

Layout
1. The book jacket should include at least a front cover and back cover
2. Front cover should:
o be illustrated (with either original art, computer generated art, or pictures cut from magazines)
o Contain the book’s title and author’s name
3. Back cover should contain:
o a synopsis or brief summary of the story
o publication information (publisher, city of publication and copyright date)
o one direct quotation from the book (cited with author’s last name and the page number where the quote appears in the book, enclosed in parenthesis)
o a student review of the book, (your impressions of the book as a whole)
o a short introduction/biographical sketch about you, the student. Please include a photograph.

See the O’Bryant’s website, www.obryant.us for models of the writing assignments.